ISO 9001:2008 Home |2 Business | H E Abdullah bin Hamad Al Attiyah says Qatar has implemented sustainable development strategy. FRIDAY 6 FEBRUARY 2015 • 17 Rabial II 1436 • Volume 19 Number 6333 Syria coalition dismisses its Qatar ‘envoy’ CERTIFIED NEWSPAPER 13 Sport | 22 2015 QMMF Qatar International Rally gets under way with the ceremonial start outside the QMMF HQ. Oil prices up 6 percent as violence in Libya and a boost in demand from China help crude rebound. [email protected] | [email protected] www.thepeninsulaqatar.com Editorial: 4455 7741 | Advertising: 4455 7837 / 4455 7780 266 non-energy projects to create 12,000 jobs Qatar Motor Show opens Passports renewal row costs his job DOHA: The decision to renew expired passports of Syrian expatriates in Qatar has cost Syria’s opposition envoy his job. Syria’s National Coalition has dismissed Nizar Al Haraki (pictured) as its ambassador in Doha, and announced the appointment of Nasar Abu Nabut as Charge d’Affaires of its ‘embassy’. The coalition-run diplomatic mission had announced that it will renew the expired passports of Syrians in Qatar from January 29. But days later, it ordered the renewals stopped on legal grounds as it was not internationally and legally permissible. A fact-finding committee was set up by the head of the coalition to look into the passport renewal initiative by the embassy and submit its findings. However, the Political Commission of the Syrian National Coalition yesterday dismissed Al Haraki, in what observers see is a climax of the tussle between both sides. In a brief communication addressed to Al Haraki, the head of the Syrian National Coalition, Khaled Khoja, said he was being fired as their envoy to Qatar. “At its meeting on February 3, the Political Commission of the Coalition decided to end your services as their ambassador to Qatar,” said the letter. “Referring to the decision of the General Authority for the Coalition that met on February 3, 2015, we would like to inform you that your services as ambassador of the Syrian National Coalition to Qatar is being ended,” Khoja said in the signed letter. In his response, Al Haraki described his ouster as unfair and dubbed Khoja a judge and an executioner at the same time. Pointing to the row over the decision to renew the expired passports of Syrians in Qatar, Al Haraki said the committee was set up by Khoja and he was dismissed before the panel submitted its findings. “Is it a personal vendetta you are seeking?” Al Haraki asked in his reply. Al Sharq, meanwhile, quoted observers as saying that there were political differences between Khoja and Al Haraki. Khoja justified his action of dismissing Al Haraki by saying that he began renewing expired passports of Syrians in Qatar without waiting for a go-ahead from the THE PENINSULA coalition. Continued on page 3 Minister of Transport H E Jassim Seif Ahmed Al Sulaiti and other officials touring Qatar Motor Show 2015 after its inauguration at Qatar National Convention Centre yesterday. Report on page 3 BAHER AMIN Couple arrested for running illegal nursery from home DOHA: Law-enforcement agencies clamped down on an illegal child care facility that was being run by an Arab couple from their apartment in Al Sadd locality. A Ministry of Interior statement said yesterday that Capital Police arrested the couple and referred them to prosecution for legal action. An Arab woman from the country to which the couple belong, had lodged a complaint with Al Sadd police that her four-year-old child in the care of the nursery was beaten up. She urged Al Sadd police, which falls under the jurisdiction of Capital Police, to contact the nursery and take a written undertaking from the owners that they would treat her child properly. During investigation, police discovered that the couple was using the apartment they were living in with their children to run an illegal nursery. Confronted, the man admitted that they had released advertisements in local newspapers to accept children for a monthly fee of QR500 per child. Many parents left their young in the couple’s care. Last year, Qatar enacted a legislation (Law No 1 of 2014) that mandates child care facilities, also known as crèches and nurseries, to be licensed by the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs. The Social Affairs Department of this ministry has an administrative unit that licenses and regulates nurseries. Illegal nurseries are liable to be fined up to QR100,000 and their owners can face a jail term of up to two years, or both. The law puts the maximum age of children that can be left in the care of nurseries at four years and stipulates strict licensing criteria. Nurseries should not be confused with kindergartens (lower and upper KGs) which, being education institutions, are licensed and monitored by the education sector regulator — the Supreme Education Council. The Ministry of Interior urged parents not to leave their children in the care of illegal nurseries for safety and factors like skills development and report any illegal nurseries they know or confront. THE PENINSULA DOHA: The Ministry of Energy and Industry issued 266 licences for non-hydrocarbon manufacturing projects last year, giving a big boost to the country’s economic diversification efforts. These industrial projects are expected to create about 12,000 jobs, reports Al Sharq quoting ministry sources. Non-energy industries have been growing and have a share of over 10 percent in the national economy, or gross domestic product (GDP), said Sherida Al Ka’abi, Chairman, Al Balagh Trading & Contracting Co. Total investment in the non-oil industrial sector in 2014 reached QR17.3bn ($4.75bn), including in new and expansion projects andthe legal status of some units was changed. He said non-hydrocarbon industries are being given more emphasis to transform the country into a well-diversified and more sustainable economy. Continued on page 2 Foggy morning forecast today DOHA: The morning today will be foggy affecting visibility at places. Visibility will improve as the day wears on. There will be slight dust during the day and the night will be relatively cold as northwesterly wind will be blowing from the colder regions of Europe with speeds between five and 20 knots. The maximum and minimum temperatures will vary between 13 and 28 degrees C. Dukhan will witness the least difference between the temperatures (15 and 19 degrees), while the difference will be the highest in Al Khor (13 and 25 degrees). In Doha, the day temperature forecast is 27 degrees and the mercury will drop to 17 at night. THE PENINSULA Qatar Gold Sword race Tunisia cabinet approved Nurse wins QR120,000 in payout battle DOHA: A nurse has won a court battle against a petroleum company over compensation after she contracted a disease during the course of her duty and losing her job. In a landmark judgement, Qatar’s highest court has ordered that the company pay her $33,000 (QR120,000) for her suffering. The nurse was employed in the company’s clinic and contracted an illness while administering injections to patients — a job hazard. The firm paid her QR32,000 ($8,787), arguing that she had suffered 15 percent disability. Not satisfied with the payout, the nurse went to the lower court and filed a lawsuit for QR2m ($550,000). From the lower court the case went to the Court of Appeals. The company contested its verdict in the Court of Cassation. The apex court reprimanded the firm and said it did not take enough precautions in its clinic in compliance with medical regulations. The company argued that if the nurse was accidentally pricked by an injection or injections while administering them to patients, she should have informed officials but she did not. The nurse said she had to lose her job because she was not able to work due to the disease, reports Al Sharq. THE PENINSULA Taraf, ridden by B Doyle, gallops towards the winning post in Qatar Gold Sword race at Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club in Doha yesterday. Trained by Julian Smart, Taraf topped the 2200m race ahead of Haashed and Kassam. See also page 21 Demand for used cars goes up DOHA: Concerns about the quality of new cars after the recent closure of four leading car showrooms in Doha by the Ministry of Economy and Commerce has reportedly boosted demand for used cars. The showrooms were shut down temporarily for selling damaged cars as brand new, after repairing. Second-hand car dealers have reported an increase in demand and say it is unusual in the beginning of the year, when new model cars enter the market, a local Arabic daily reports. “There is more demand for second-hand cars this time despite that this is not the season. Demand for used cars normally goes up during summer,” a dealer was quoted as saying. The marketing manager of a Qatar-based used car portal confirmed that sale of second-hand cars has gone up. There is more demand for family cars and sport cars, he said. “People would trust second-hand cars because they go for technical check-ups to know their condition. Many customers are weary of buying new cars for the fear that they would discover some problems later,” he said. Many people interviewed by the daily wondered if new cars will also require a technical check-up if dealers continue to take customers for a ride. THE PENINSULA Continued on page 3 TUNIS: Tunisia’s parliament approved yesterday a coalition government led by the secular Nidaa Tounes party and including moderate Islamist rivals Ennahda, following landmark elections in the birthplace of the Arab Spring. Of 204 lawmakers present, the vote was a comfortable 166-30, with eight abstentions. “The motto of the government will be work, then work... and nothing other than work,” pledged Prime Minister Habib Essid, an Independent. His is the first government to be formed after the country’s first free presidential and parliamentary elections last year after the ouster of longtime dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali in 2011 in a revolution. “It is a government of national unity,” new Health Minister Said Aidi said. Ennahda MP Samir Dilou agreed, saying the “comfortable” majority of votes won by the government will allow ministers to work without external pressure. Nidaa Tounes, which won October’s election, holds six portfolios, including the foreign ministry, while the interior, defence and justice portfolios go to independents. Ennahda takes the labour ministry and three secretary of state posts. The vote had been set for Wednesday, but was delayed because of the high number of MPs who asked to address the special session of parliament. Yemen presidential council agreed SANA’A: Most Yemeni factions have agreed to set up an interim presidential council to manage the country for up to one year, negotiators said yesterday, in a step to ease a power struggle that forced the president to step down two weeks ago. The dominant Houthi movement had set a Wednesday deadline for political factions to agree a way out of the crisis that led to the resignation of Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi on January 22. Otherwise, the group said, it would impose its solution. Delegates said nine parties and groups, including a faction from the southern separatist Herak, agreed during negotiations in Sana’a on a five-member presidential council to be headed by Ali Nasser Mohammed, a former president of South Yemen before the 1990 merger with North Yemen. A source close to him confirmed consultations were under way with the ex-president but said they had yet to be finalised. The Sunni Islamist Islah party was considering the agreement but the Yemen Socialist Party, which ruled the former South Yemen, said it had approved the council. AGENCIES 02 MoI, GU-Q to cooperate in emergency management eeeaeWaaPSZV]bSZQ][ Tel Fax Tel Fax Tel Fax Tel + 974 44298888 Fax Tel Fax Tel Fax Tel Fax DOHA: The Ministry of Interior, represented by the Standing Committee for Emergency, and Georgetown University in Qatar yesterday signed a letter of intent for joint coordination and cooperation in the areas of research, strategic studies and scholarships. The letter was signed by Major General Saad bin Jassim Al Khulaifi, Director General of Public Security and Chairman of the Standing Committee for Emergency, and Dr Kelly Otter, dean of Georgetown University in Washington. The agreement aims to establish a comprehensive programme of education, training and applied research in the field of emergency management in addition to supporting initiatives and projects that concern the two sides. It also envisages cooperation in holding conferences, symposiums and educational programmes and exchange of visits. The director of the operations department at the General Directorate of Civil Defence, Brig. Hamad Othman Al Duhaimi, who is also secretary of the Standing Committee for Emergency, said the ministry seeks to benefit from the university’s studies, research, seminars, workshops and conferences related to crisis and disaster management and share scientific and professional experiences related to emergencies and public QNA policy. FRIDAY 6 FEBRUARY 2015 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com HOME Practical steps against climate change urged Al Attiyah takes part in sustainable development meet NEW DELHI: The Chairman of the Administrative Control and Transparency Authority, H E Abdullah bin Hamad Al Attiyah, said Qatar had implemented an ambitious long-term sustainable development strategy in 2011. In his speech at the 15th Delhi Sustainable Development Summit, Al Attiyah said the Qatari leadership was committed to working seriously with other governments to build an international consensus on the goals of sustainable development and climate change policies. He noted that the global economy was witnessing unprecedented growth, and pointed out that while economic growth had lifted millions out of poverty, the current economic model, coupled with rapid population growth in some parts of the world, had led to increased pressure on limited natural resources. In this context he quoted Indian leader Mahatma Gandhi, saying: “The world has enough for everyone’s need, but not enough for everyone’s greed.” The earth’s resources are sufficient to meet the needs of the moment without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs, Al Attiyah said, while underlining the need for a more sustainable approach to the use and conservation of natural resources and calling for further cooperation to implement fundamental changes in production and consumption processes. If our communities continue on the path of greed, growing pressure on limited resources will lead to a widening gap between the rich and the poor and damage H E Abdullah bin Hamad Al Attiyah, Chairman of the Administrative Control and Transparency Authority, speaking at the 15th Delhi Sustainable Development Summit in New Delhi. the environment, Al Attiyah said. He pointed out that the participants shared a common interest in the impact of unsustainable use of resources on the climate and a common responsibility for the welfare of future generations to address these concerns at the national level. He urged the participants to pledge to move forward and work on the principles and policies of previous agreements, such as the Johannesburg Declaration on Sustainable Development and the 10-year framework of programmes on sustainable consumption and production patterns adopted at the Rio+20 Summit. He added that the time had come to move on from the global consensus on climate change and sustainable development issues towards practical solutions. “As a former president of the Climate Change Conference COP18/CMP8 I am aware of the challenges that lie ahead of us, and we are working to reach a consensus on a common vision for tackling climate change,” Al Attiyah said. “Such a consensus requires of the participants to work hard in order to reduce the gap between the general and shared visions about the issues of sustainable development and climate change, he continued.” Al Attiyah expressed optimism that the summit was progressing towards achieving a set of proposals to be presented to COP21 in Paris. QNA eeeR]VOVWZb]\Q][ Tel Fax Tel Fax Tel Fax Tel Fax Tel Fax Tel Fax Tel Fax Tel Fax Tel Fax eee[O``W]bb[O`_cWaR]VOQ][ Tel Fax Showroom shut over fake goods Investment in manufacturing DOHA: The Ministry of Economy and Commerce has shut down an electrical goods showroom in the Industrial Area for a month for displaying and selling counterfeit products as authentic. The product was being sold under the name of a reputed international brand, the ministry said yesterday. Several other The counterfeit goods in the showroom. fake products were also detected during surprise raids conducted by the Consumer Protection Department at the company’s store. Legal action has been taken against the company for violating Article 7 of Law No. 8 of 2008, which mandates traders to provide accurate information about products offered for sale. The decision will be announced on the website of the ministry and in two local daily newspapers at the expense of the THE PENINSULA company, a ministry statement said yesterday. expected to grow Continued from page 1 “Qatar’s economy is steadily moving forward towards diversification and the oil and gas sector continues to remain the key driver of the economy,” Al Ka’abi said. The country has made remarkable achievements in the non-oil industrial sector, which has enabled it to raise the contribution of this sector to a level higher than in the previous years. He said this sector’s share in the GDP was more than 10 percent. Last year, some 358 preliminary approvals were issued, and registration of 38 industrial projects (that had received industrial licences earlier) with a total capital of QR847.8m ($232.8m) was done. The government has allotted about 576 plots of land for setting up different types of projects in the industrial area, and infrastructure development works for these plots have already been completed. Saad Al Hajari, Chairman of the Select Investment Group, said: “The contribution of the non-oil industrial sector to Qatar’s GDP is increasing. However, I urge the authorities concerned to continue their support in helping them to establish and sustain for a longer period because manufacturing industries need more time to yield benefits.” He said investment in the manufacturing sector in the near future will represent about 20 percent or even more. Currently, real estate is the most attractive sector for local investors. THE PENINSULA Ikea encourages creativity for a cause DOHA: Each year between November and January, Ikea stores across the globe run the Soft Toys for Education Campaign to raise funds to help educate underprivileged children around the world. As an extension to the 2014–2015 campaign, Ikea hosted an instore drawing competition in Qatar in November 2014 to inspire young children and encourage creativity. There were more than 130 participants. Each of the 20 finalists whose drawings were chosen for Sweden were invited to the store and handed a prize to reward their creative effort and contribution. Ikea Qatar also announced a country-level winner, five-year-old Esandi Nethma Peelikumbara, who was present to receive a special gift to congratulate the great work. Finalist’s drawings from Ikea stores worldwide were submitted to Ikea of Sweden, where 10 winning drawings will ultimately be chosen and developed into real soft toys that will be sold at Ikea stores globally. James McGowan, Regional Brand Communication Manager, Ikea Qatar, UAE, Egypt and Oman said: “This heart-warming campaign enables Ikea to co-create with these imaginative, little designers and help contribute even better towards the Soft Toys for Education Campaign. While Ikea remains the enabler in this event, it is these children who deserve the spotlight. This is our effort to offer them all the accolades they deserve and treat them as worthy collaborators.” THE PENINSULA Five-year-old Esandi Nethma Peelikumbara, country-level winner of Ikea’s Soft Toys for Education Campaign drawing competition, receiving a gift at Ikea Qatar. FRIDAY 6 FEBRUARY 2015 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com HOME Top brands on view at Qatar Motor Show 03 FM in Washington Event at QNCC to open to public today BY YASIN ABU TAQIU DOHA: The fifth edition of Qatar Motor Show, a magnet for the world’s top luxury car makers, began yesterday with glitz and glamour that highlighted its status as a key motoring event in the Middle East. The show brings together some of the most notable international carmakers showcasing their latest models. About 35 automobile brands are participating, representing the best of the global industry such as Mercedes, BMW, Jaguar, Land Rover, Bugatti, Lamborghini, Chevrolet, Honda and Suzuki. The show was opened by H E Jassim Seif Ahmed Al Sulaiti, Minister of Transport, and Issa bin Mohammed Al Mohammadi, Chairman of Qatar Tourism Authority. The minister later toured the venue, spread over 15,000 square metres. “The opening day was very well received by the VIPs and the media as they were delighted with the new product launches for the region. We hope the public, who will be able to visit us from tomorrow (Friday), will be equally delighted,” said Ibrahim Abdullah Al Malki, Chief Enterprise Officer, q.media, a part of Qatar Media Services. Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Doha, the sole authorised dealer of RollsRoyce cars in Qatar, is showcasing the Rolls-Royce Wraith, billed as one of the most powerful and dynamic cars ever produced by the ultra-luxury marque. The Wraith is said to combine automotive and engineering excellence with the pinnacle of luxury, capturing the interest of younger and more dynamic motorists. Rolls Royce is also showcasing the Phantom Coupé to complement the discerning taste of Qatari luxury connoisseurs. The Phantom Coupé has a two-tone theme, combining Arabian Blue with an English White bonnet and roof, and a Crème Light coachline. Volkswagen Middle East is presenting two concept cars – the sporty Golf R 400 and the virtual super GTI Roadster Vision Gran Turismo from the PlayStation 3 game “Gran Turismo 6”. The Golf R 400 is the sharpest production Golf ever and one of the most agile sports cars in its class, said Lysann Schubert, an exhibitor with Volkswagen. The GTI Roadster concept was originally created as a purely computer-generated car. The twoseat convertible is powered by a 3.0L V6 biturbo engine that produces a power of 370 kW / 503 HP, Schubert added. Mannai Auto Group has unveiled the all-new Cadillac ATS Coupe, which offers drivers rearwheel drive and power from a 3.6litre six-cylinder engine. Nasser bin Khaled Automobiles, the exclusive dealer in MercedesBenz cars in Qatar, has launched four brands, including MercedesMaybach S Class, AMG GT S, CLA 250 and GLA 45 AMG, said Dirk Fetzer, Director of Sales and Marketing at Daimler Middle East. THE PENINSULA Cars on display during Qatar Motor Show at Qatar National Convention Center yesterday. Several pieces have been specially commissioned for the sale, including two paintings by Hirst and Murakami depicting Lionel Messi, FC Barcelona player, Unicef Goodwill Ambassador and president of the Lionel Messi Foundation. Works by celebrated artists of Arab origin are also included in the sale, including those by Qatari artist Yousef Ahmad, LebaneseAmerican artist and writer Etel Adnan, French-Tunisian calligraffiti artist eL Seed, Dia Azzawi (Iraq), Manal Al Dowayan (Saudi Arabia), Wael Shawky (Egypt). Other artists whose works will ‘Car dealers damaging their reputation’ Continued from page 1 Continued from page 1 The Coalition was about to get temporary travel documents issued to overseas Syrians in need of passports, through the United Nations, as was done in the case of Iraqis abroad after 2003. According to Khoja, a committee was set up for this purpose and Germany is hosting its meetings. “There is no political motivation behind the decision to dismiss Al Haraki,” he said. It was an administrative decision as the Coalition had asked him to stop passport renewal and wait to get approval for it from countries across the world but he didn’t listen. Passport renewal was stopped because the stamp that was being put on the expired passports was different from the one used by the issuing authority, which was the Syrian regime. Those passports would have been considered forged, which is why the renewal process was stopped. The Coalition tried to seek approval for the passport renewal decision from the Arab League and friendly countries but Al Haraki acted in haste, Khoja said. “Car dealers are damaging their reputation. They should deal with customers in a transparent way,” said Ahmed Jolo, Chairman, Qatar Engineers Society. A respondent said he was not concerned about minor scratches and dents in the body of cars that could happen while transporting them. However, some dealers are getting cars from the first owner and reselling them as new ones. A Qatari respondent said that some citizens are now thinking about buying cars directly from the manufacturers, having lost trust in the local dealers. Another respondent said the dealers were bound to inform customers even if there was a small scratch or dent in the car. If they fail to do so it should be considered as fraud. “The customer should be told every detail in advance so that they will not feel cheated later,” he said. THE PENINSULA THE PENINSULA Pain awareness week launched be auctioned include Jenny Holzer, Shirin Neshat, Marc Newson, Yan Pei-Ming, Cai Guo Qiang and Francesco Vezzoli. Alongside the artworks, the auction will offer the chance to bid on two unique experiences with FC Barcelona, including a Champions League trip for two persons and a long weekend in Barcelona for two persons. Murakami, who designed the ‘1 in 11’ campaign logo, has designed and donated Flower Ball to the sale – a bespoke football signed by Lionel Messi and the artist (estimated price £500-1,000). THE PENINSULA Pakistanis mark Kashmir Solidarity Day Mohammad Khan, chairman of Kashmir Committee, speaking on the occasion of Kashmir Solidarity Day at the Pakistani embassy yesterday. ABDUL BASIT Envoy had acted in haste on passports GEATH Sotheby’s sale to support children DOHA: Eighteen works of art donated by celebrated Arab and international artists will be auctioned by Sotheby’s London in support of ‘1 in 11’, a worldwide campaign launched earlier this year by FC Barcelona Foundation, Reach Out To Asia (Rota) and Unicef to extend educational opportunities to children in Bangladesh, Indonesia and Nepal. The fundraising auction, to be held on February 12, will feature works by renowned artists, including Takashi Murakami, Damien Hirst, Jeff Koons, Richard Serra and Luc Tuymans. The Foreign Minister, H E Dr Khaled bin Mohamed Al Attiyah, and H E Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad Al Thani at the Atlantic Media Group in Washington on Wednesday. DOHA: Kashmir Solidarity Day was observed at the Embassy of Pakistan yesterday to express solidarity with the people of Kashmir. The event, attended by a large number of Pakistanis from all walks of life, commenced with the recitation of verses from the Holy Quran. A number of speakers, mostly of Kashmiri origin, addressed the gathering and highlighted the significance of the day. Pakistani Ambassador Shahzad Ahmad read out messages from the president and prime minister of Pakistan for the occasion. In his address, the ambassador reiterated Pakistan’s unwavering political, moral and diplomatic support to Kashmiris. He said resolution of the Kashmir dispute was key to ensuring peace and security in South Asia. Referring to the various UN Security Council resolutions on the Kashmir issue, the ambassador called upon the international community to play its due role in the resolution of the issue. THE PENINSULA DOHA: Kulluna for Health and Safety, an initiative of Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), has launched the Paediatric Pain Awareness Week to raise awareness about pain assessment and pain management in children. The campaign has been launched by HMC’s Hamad International Training Center in collaboration with Canadabased Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids). Following the Qatar International Pain Conference, this event aims to educate staff, children and families about the importance of recognising and treating pain in infants and children. With the mission to educate people regarding important issues impacting health and safety, Kulluna has created a multi-faceted educational event that will take place throughout the week, highlighting aspects of pain in children Fun booths will be open for children and families at the City Center and Landmark Mall today from 1 pm to 8 pm, and tomorrow from 12 pm to 8 pm. Children and families will have a chance to play and learn during the activities as well as meet nurses, doctors and child life specialists to talk about child-friendly techniques for reducing painful experiences, both in the healthcare setting and at home. Kulluna, sponsored by ConocoPhillips, means ‘all of us’. It is a five-year health and safety awareness campaign with the aim of raising levels of public awareness about general health issues, personal safety and lifesaving practices. Dr Khalid Abdulnoor Saifeldeen, chairman of Kulluna, said: “It is crucial that children are always in a safe environment, but if need be, we should be able to recognise and minimise pain within both home and outside settings. Through the launch of the Paediatric Pain Awareness Week, we are attempting to engage the community to come together to learn about how they can create a safe environment for their families.” Dr Michael Levis, chairman of the paediatric pain working group said: “Part of keeping children safe is reassuring them that if they have pain, they will not needlessly suffer, because we as caregivers have the experience, the tools and the responsibility to treat pain in children and keep them safe from further harm.” Mariam Al Mutawa, Director of Nursing for HMC/SickKids Partnership project, said: “Children, no matter what age, feel pain and they should be made aware about the importance of communicating any pain to their caregivers. It doesn’t matter how strong a child is, untreated pain can decrease the quality of life and harm health and it is our responsibility to reduce any such stress on their health.” THE PENINSULA Dr Khalid Abdulnoor Saifeldeen, chairman of Kulluna, cutting a ribbon to launch the Paediatric Pain Awareness Week at Landmark Mall. ABDUL BASIT FRIDAY 6 FEBRUARY 2015 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 04 ISLAM The religion of moderation BY SADULLAH KHAN slam is salaam (peace) and tasleem (submission to the Divine). In Islam Peace is the standard, it is the principle, and each person of faith has the moral obligation to maintain peace, without compromising on justice and truth. Islam invites to the subulassalaam (pathway of peace); peace of mind, peace of conscience, peace in the family and society, peace with one’s Creator and His creation. One of the attributes of the Divine is Assalaam (The Source of Peace) and Muslim greeting universally, upon meeting and departing, is assalamu alaykum or “peace be unto you”. The final and ultimate reward for human endeavour is Paradise, referred to in the Quran as Darussalaam (Abode of Peace) The Believers were intended to be an ummah (community) that serves as a standard/model for others; what the Quran describes. “...And we have made you (ummatan wasata) a median community / a people of moderation/ a balanced medium in order that you may be a testimony or model for humanity.” (Quran 2:143) It is the absence of the balance provided by wasatiyyah (moderation) that extremism creeps in. Wasatiyyah is an antidote to ... ghuluww (excessiveness), tanattu’ (harshness), tashaddud (severity), tatarruf (extremism) ... in all its forms. How is it then that some Muslims are so intolerant of other faiths, involved in atrocious and heinous acts of violence and senseless killing? Are they oblivious to the historic example of how the Prophet engaged those of different Faiths? It seems that some among Muslims seem to have lost sound understanding of the teachings of our Faith and are substituting the sublime message of Islam by a discourse of anger and the rhetoric of rage. There is no command or teaching in Islam that can be referenced as the direct reason behind an extreme act, and killing. Those who are planning and orchestrating any senseless killings are the worst representatives of their religions and enemies of their communities. Those who are perpetrators acts of wanton violence in the name of Islam are doing a most grievous disservice to Islam. Others take pride in being Muslims, however, un-Muslim their stance may be. Then there are those who cheer Prophet on moderation h e P r o p h e t Muhammad (peace be upon him) sais: Beware of going to extremes in religious matters, for those who came before you were destroyed because of going to extremes in religious matters.” (Sunan An Nasai Book 24 Hadith 3070) The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) once asked a companion: “(Is it true) that you fast all day and stand in prayer all night?” The companion replied that the report was indeed true. The Prophet then said: “Do not do that! Observe the fast sometimes and also leave (it) at other times. Stand up for prayer at night and also sleep at night. Your body has a right over you, your eyes have a right over you and your wife has a right over you.” (Sahih Bukhari, Volume 7, Hadith 127) The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said: “Do good deeds properly, sincerely and moderately. . .Always adopt a middle, moderate, regular course, whereby you will reach your target (of paradise).” (Sahih Bukhari, Volume 8, Hadith 470) The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said: “The good deeds of any person will not make him enter Paradise (i.e., no one enters paradise only through his good deeds).” The Prophet’s companions asked: “Not even you?” The Prophet replied: “Not even myself, unless God bestows His favor and mercy on me. So be moderate in your religious deeds and do what is within your ability. None of you should wish for death, for if he is a doer of good, he may increase his good deeds, and if he is an evil doer, he may repent to God.” (Sahih Bukhari, Volume 7, Hadith 577) T I Whoever kills a soul unless for a soul or for corruption done in the land, it is as if he had slain mankind entirely. And whoever saves one, it is as if he had saved mankind entirely. Quran 5:32 There is no command or teaching in Islam that can be referenced as the direct reason behind an extreme act, and killing. Those who are planning and orchestrating any senseless killings are the worst representatives of their religions and enemies of their communities. acts of violence because they too have degenerated into a hateful people. Extremists, whether reactionary or radical are a bane to religion. Reactionary extremists do not want any pluralism; they view the world in black and white, good and evil terms. They are good and anyone who opposes them is evil. From among the Muslims these are people who ‘excommunicate’ any Muslim who fail to share their interpretations of the Quran and their understanding of the faith. They use takfir (denouncing a Muslim as an unbeliever) and character assassination as a tool for marginalising any criticism directed at them. Radical extremists differ only in that they will use violence to further their cause and that the end justifies the means. They see any act as acceptable if it will further their ‘cause.’ This is blatantly anti-Islamic. In Islam the means must reflect its noble ends. Any means that does not embody the core truths and ethics of Islam is not from Islam and thus denounced as aberration. Islam is not a secret society of conspirators who no one knows what they are planning. Islam declares openly its aims and objectives and these are recognized by good people everywhere as pure and congruent with their own wisdom and traditions. Islam never allows a Muslim to kill the innocent and the helpless. Realise, that just because you are religious does not mean that you are right. Desiring to implement Islamic values is always noble, but having a meaningful and effective strategy is indeed most significant. Forcing other is never an acceptable resort and certainly not the first resort; especially since our deen/way of life commands us not to use compulsion as a tool. Just because something needs to be done does not mean that anything that is done is okay; and just because something is done in religious fervour does not in any way prove that it is Islamically correct. According to the Quran (5:32) Muslims have inherited the command from that prescribed to the Children of Israel “whoever takes a single life without justification is as if he has killed the entire humanity.” Furthermore we are reminded: If Allah had not repelled some people through others, monasteries, churches, synagogues, and mosques; all in which Allah’s name is much celebrated, would have been destroyed. Allah will certainly help those who help His cause and surely, Allah is All-Powerful, AllMighty’ (Quran 22:40) If we do not abide by these principles established in the Quran, then we are undermining the very spirit of our Deen. We must heed the Quranic warning against extremism in religion. ... do not be extreme in your religion (Quran 4:171). The Prophet (PBUH) further warned: My intercession will not be availed two categories of my community; an oppressive and unjust ruler and a rebellious extremist. (Tibrani). I warn you regarding extremism, because communities before you were destroyed due to extremism (Nasa’i) Some deviant people and groups are committing acts in the name of Islam which are contrary to the fundamental of our faith, while not enough seem courageous enough to openly stand up to these bullies who are denigrating the name and image of Islam. Remember the words of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him): A Muslim (one who proclaims faith) is that person from whose hands and tongue other Muslims are safe; A Mu’min (one who manifests faith) is that person in whom humanity find safety and security regarding their lives, property and honour. (Baihaqi) The Prophet (PBUH) further advised ...Allah is kind and loves kindness in every matter, and kindness has been granted capacity which violence could never attain. (Sahih Muslim) May Allah protect the innocent from the injustices of the self-righteous. www.islamcity.com The Quran as a motivator of change BY DR MAGDI AL HILALI he Quran has a wondrous impact on those who receive it as a book of guidance and remedy. Its influence on them is great and radical; the Qur’an reforms the character and remolds it into a new form that is loved by Allah. One who doubts this effect has to consider what happened to the Companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him). Before Islam, the Companions led a miserable, ignorant life. The change effected by the Qur’an in their life testifies to its power of change and reformation. Those poor, insignificant, barefooted desert dwellers were reshaped into new beings; their ambitions were elevated to sublime goals; and their hearts were raised and attached to Allah. Their souls were changed and, therefore, Allah’s promise came true: Surely Allah does not change the condition of a people until they change their own condition. (13:11) Thus, within a few years, a fresh force emerged from the desert of Arabia, conquering the strong empires of the time and seizing leadership from them. How could the Qur’n bring about such dramatic change? Actually, what made the Quran so effective is the excellent approach followed by the Prophet’s Companions toward it. They understood the Qur’an and appreciated its value, taking in this regard the Prophet (PBUH) as their best example. The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) lived the Qur’an and was imbued by its spirit, approving what it approved and rejecting what it rejected. Therefore, it is not strange that his wife `Ai’shah described him as the “Qur’an walking T on the earth.” The Prophet (PBUH) used to recite the Qur’an slowly and clearly. Once a night, he would repeat the following verse in his prayer: If You should chastise them, then surely they are Your servants; and if You should forgive them, then surely You are the Mighty, the Wise. (5:118) The Companions savored the sweetness of the Quran and were touched by it. The Quran had such an overwhelming effect on the Prophet that he said “(Surat) Hud (chapter 11) and its sisters (related chapters) have brought me white hairs before their due time.” So the appalling scenes of the Day of Resurrection and the description of what happened to previous nations, as mentioned in Surat Hud and its likes, affected not only the Prophet’s spirituality, but even extended to his physical being. The Prophet’s Companions followed in the Prophet’s footsteps. They also savored the sweetness of the Quran and were touched by it. In this regard, the story of `Abbad ibn Bishr is very indicative. On their way back from one battle, the Prophet (PBUH) appointed `Abbad and `Ammar ibn Yasir to guard the camp at night. `Abbad took the first turn and `Ammar went to sleep. The place seemed safe and, therefore, `Abbad spent his time in prayer. However, one polytheist was watching the camp and shot `Abbad with an arrow; `Abbad took the arrow out of his body and continued his prayers. The polytheist shot another arrow at `Abbad, and, once again, `Abbad took out the arrow and continued with his prayers. The polytheist shot `Abbad with a third arrow and it was only then that he stopped his recitation, made ruku` and sujud, and woke up `Ammar. When `Ammar asked why he did not wake him up after he was shot the first time, `Abbad answered, I was reciting a surah that I didn’t want to interrupt. But when he (the polytheist attacker) kept on shooting me, I awakened you. By Allah, had not I feared that the task (of guarding the camp) assigned to me by the Prophet would be jeopardised, I would not have ceased the recitation of the surah until I had finished it or until he had finished me off. (Abu Dawud; authenticated by Al Albani) Studying a small part of the Quran with careful reflection is better than large portions without contemplation. The above example affirms that reciting the Quran was not mere lip service practiced by the Prophet and his Companions. Actually, the real value of the Quran lies in its meanings and in its ability to effect change in the reader. The Quran is meant to revive believers’ hearts and to reform their minds. This in turn would produce people who know Allah and worship Him sincerely. However, such a fruit cannot be attained through thoughtless reading of the Quran, even if one were to read the entire Quran thousands of times. The Companions affirmed this point repeatedly. A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) was told about some people who used to read the whole Quran two or three times a night. Her comment was that “they (obviously) read, but as a matter of fact, they did not read.” And she then related how the Prophet would spend the whole night reading in his prayer just the surahs of Al Baqarah, Aal Imran, and Annisa. While reading, he would ask Allah for His mercy when he would read a verse that imparted good news, and he would supplicate and seek refuge in Allah when he would read a verse that caused fear. Abu Jamra once said to Ibn Abbas, “I am quick in reading the Quran and I am used to finishing it in three days.” Ibn Abbas replied, “As for me, I would prefer to spend a whole night reading (only) Surat Al Baqarah with due reflection and careful recitation.” In his book on the morals of the Quran bearers, Al Aagri said: Studying a small part of the Quran with careful reflection and due contemplation is better than reading large portions of it without such contemplation. This is emphasised by the lucid provisions in the Quran, by the Sunnah, and by the sayings of great Muslim scholars. Mujahid was asked which of two men who spent similar time in prayers was better; the duration of their ruku and sujud was the same, but one of them recited only Surat Al Baqarah and the other recited the surahs of Al Baqarah and Aal Imran (but they spent the same time in reading). Mujahid said: “The one who reads only Surat Al Baqarah is better.” He supported his view with the verse: And it is a Quran which We have revealed in portions so that you may read it to the people by slow degrees. (Al Israa’ 17:106) www.onislam.net MIDDLE EAST FRIDAY 6 FEBRUARY 2015 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 05 Jordan warplanes hit IS after pilot’s murder Militants kill three Chinese colleagues: Report AMMAN: Jordan said yesterday its warplanes had launched new strikes against the Islamic State (IS) group, after vowing a harsh response to the burning alive of one of its fighter pilots captured in Syria. The announcement came as King Abdullah II personally paid his condolences to the airman’s family, which has urged the government to “destroy” the militants, reflecting deep anger among Jordanians over the brutal murder. “The Jordanian air force launched raids against positions of the Islamic State group,” said a government official, who did not want to be named. He did not disclose where or when the strikes took place, saying the military would release a statement later. Jordan has conducted regular raids against IS in Syria as part of a US-led campaign against the Sunni extremist group, which has seized swathes of the war-torn country and of neighbouring Iraq. The gruesome murder of airman Maaz Al Kassasbeh, who was captured by IS in December when his F-16 fighter plane went down in Syria, has increased support in Jordan for stepped-up military action against the jihadists. “Jordan will wage all-out war to protect our principles and values,” the Al Rai government newspaper wrote in an editorial. “We are on the lookout for this band of criminals.” Abdullah cut short a visit to the United States and flew back to Amman on Wednesday after the harrowing video emerged of Kassasbeh’s killing. On Wednesday, in response to the killing of the pilot, Jordan executed two Iraqis on death row — female would-be suicide bomber Sajida Al Rishawi and Al Qaeda operative Ziad Al Karboli. Abdullah travelled to Kassasbeh’s home town of Karak, 120km south of the capital, where a traditional mourning tent was set up for the family to receive guests. Hundreds of people, including representatives of the military and civilians, gathered as the king, wearing a red and white checked keffiyeh, sat next to the 26-year-old first lieutenant’s father, Safi. The airman’s killing sparked outrage in Jordan and demonstrations in Amman and Karak, also the bastion of Kassasbeh’s influential tribe. The slain pilot’s father branded IS “infidels and terrorists who know no humanity or human rights”. “The international community must destroy the IS group,” he said. Jordan yesterday released from jail a key Salafist figure and former Al Qaeda mentor arrested in October for allegedly propagating “terrorist” ideas, a judicial source said. The decision to free Issam Barqawi, who was once mentor to slain Al Qaeda leader in Iraq Abu Musab Al Zarqawi, was taken by the head of the state security court, a military tribunal. He ruled against a decision by the state prosecutor to put Barqawi on trial and ordered “his immediate release”, the source King Abdullah (left) greeting Safi, father of Jordanian pilot Maaz Al Kassasbeh, who was burnt alive by Islamic State militants, during a visit to offer his condolences to the family in the city of Karak yesterday. said. When Barqawi was arrested, the prosecutor general accused him of “using the Internet to propagate the ideas of the terrorist group Al Nusra Front”, Al Qaeda’s Syria branch. Meanwhile, the IS killed three Chinese militants who joined its ranks in Syria and Iraq and later attempted to flee, a Chinese staterun newspaper said, the latest account of fighters from China embroiled in the Middle East conflict. Around 300 Chinese extremists were fighting with the IS after travelling to Turkey, the Global Times, a tabloid run by China’s ruling Communist Party’s official newspaper, said in December. The paper yesterday cited an unnamed Kurdish security official as saying that a Chinese man was “arrested, tried and shot dead” in Syria in late September by the IS after he became disillusioned with jihad and attempted to return to Turkey to attend university. “Another two Chinese militants were beheaded in late December in Iraq, along with 11 others from six countries. The IS charged them with treason and accused them of trying to escape,” the official said, according to the paper. AFP IS has built near-impregnable base and mass appeal: New book PARIS: The Islamic State group has learned from the mistakes of past jihadist movements and established a nearimpregnable base of support within Iraq and Syria with spectacular appeal to many of the world’s Sunni Muslims, a new book has warned. The authors of ISIS: Inside the Army of Terror, published this month in the US, spoke to dozens of fighters and members of the group to understand its allure and how it justifies its brutal tactics. In a telephone interview, one of the authors, Syrian-born journalist Hassan Hassan, said it was vital to understand that some of the group’s core religious beliefs were widely shared. “It presents itself as an apocalyptic movement, talking about the end of days, the return of the caliphate and its eventual domination of the world,” said Hassan, who lives in Abu Dhabi where he works as a researcher for a think tank. “These beliefs are not on the margins — they are absolutely mainstream. They are preached by mosques across the world, particularly in the Middle East. “ISIS takes these existing beliefs and makes them more appealing by offering a project that is happening right now,” he said, using an alternative name for IS. Hassan’s research along with co-author Michael Weiss — a US-based journalist — gave them a rare insight into IS training camps for new recruits, which vary in length from two weeks to one year. “Recruits receive military, political and religious training. They are also trained in counter-intelligence to avoid being infiltrated,” said Hassan. “After they graduate, recruits remain under scrutiny and can be expelled or punished if they show reservations, or sent back to the camps to ‘strengthen their faith’.” IS uses certain texts and inhouse clerics to provide religious justification for their violence, particularly a book called “The Management of Savagery”, which argues that brutality is a useful tool for goading the West into an overreaction. The authors outline six categories of IS recruit. Only two are rooted in religion: the ultraradicals who dominate the group’s upper echelons, and recent converts to its extremist ideology. Others are merely opportunists seeking money or power; pragmatists who want stability and see IS as the only game in town; and foreign fighters whose motives vary widely but “are almost always fed by serious misapprehensions of what is taking place in Iraq and Syria”. The final and most important category of recruit is often underappreciated by the West — those drawn by the group’s political ideology. Many Sunni Muslims in the region feel threatened by Shias led by a resurgent Iran. AFP 06 FRIDAY 6 FEBRUARY 2015 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com VIEWS E S TA B L I S H E D I N 1 9 9 6 CHAIRMAN SHEIKH THANI BIN ABDULLAH AL THANI ACTING EDITOR-IN-CHIEF DR KHALID AL-JABER [email protected] ACTING MANAGING EDITOR HUSSAIN AHMAD [email protected] EDITORIAL TEL: 44557741 / 44557743 FAX: 44557746 / 44557758 P. O. BOX: 3488, DOHA, QATAR E-MAIL: [email protected] ADVERTISING: TEL: 44557837 / 780 FAX: 44557870 CLASSIFIED: 44557857 E-MAIL: [email protected] SUBSCRIPTION / HOME DELIVERY TEL: 44557809 /839 FAX: 44557819 E-MAIL: [email protected] SUBSCRIPTION RATES: ANNUAL QR 675 6 MONTHS QR 340 Editorial Greek woes Cartoon Arts International / The New York Times Syndicate FTER making tall claims and grandiose promises to the people during the election campaign, Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras of Syriza Party is now grappling with the harsh realities of governance. Giving promises is one thing, fulfilling them quite another. Tsipras is no novice to politics, and is experienced enough to realize the consequences of the tough policies he is adopting on the country’s huge debt, but his initial stumbling and the tough talking he has been given by some European capitals shows that the road ahead will be tough and will require some compromises from his side. Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and his Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis are on a whistle-stop tour of major European capitals in recent days to build support for a renegotiation of the country’s $275bn EU-IMF bailout. Tsipras said it was time for both Greece and Europe to “turn the page” on austerity as parliament convened yesterday Thursday, the first time since the elections. The new government in Athens has blamed its fiscal problems mainly on the austerity shackles fixed by Germany, arguing the restrictions have choked growth in an economy that has shrunk by a quarter. But Germany has never shown any mood to go back on its austerity. Greece’s finance minister faced criticism and a stern reminder of his commitments to his EU partners yesterday as he met his tough-talking German counterpart in Berlin. Germany and the ECB should The new prime recognize the need to find common ground with Greece — and quickly. minister will With depositors pulling money have to tread out of Greek banks and hiding it behind bathroom tiles, the country’s cautiously financial system is dependent upon ECB funding, which in turn is tied to prevent a to the country sticking with the collapse of terms of its bailout program. That program is scheduled to expire at the financial the end of the month. system. Tsipras’s radical left Syriza party stormed to victory in elections on January 25 because Greeks agreed with Tsipras’s ideas. That means the new prime minister will have to wrest something from his European masters to please his people. At the same time, the European Union is finding no need to make concessions. The current negotiations should not reach a stalemate and both sides should be willing to make concessions. Germany and the ECB should recognize the need to find common ground with Greece — and quickly. With depositors pulling money out of Greek banks and the current tense relations between Athens and the EU causing an erosion in the confidence of people and markets, the country’s financial system becomes more dependent upon ECB funding, which in turn is tied to the country sticking with the terms of its bailout programme. That program is scheduled to expire at the end of the month. Tsipras will have to tread very cautiously A . Obama’s ‘then what?’ question shapes debate on arms to Ukraine BY TERRY ATLAS ASHINGTON policymakers are caught up in a debate reminiscent of the Cold War era: Should the US send weapons to help an outgunned country resist Russian-backed aggression? What type of military aid to provide Ukraine’s struggling government is being debated by foreign policy analysts and former diplomats as officials at the Pentagon, State Department and White House consider the risks of action and inaction. Advocates for sending weapons got an unexpected boost on Wednesday when President Barack Obama’s nominee for defence secretary said he favours it. “ I ’m very much inclined in that direction,” Ashton Carter said at his conAny dramatic, firmation hearing public step before the Senate Armed Services to arm the Committee, a Ukrainians comment that drew a rebuff would risk from the White fracturing the House. The issue is fragile unity perplexing for between the US Obama, known to ask aides “then and its Nato what?” when preand EU allies sented with recommendations at a time when about military unity is essential measures, as he did before calling to maintaining off plans to attack or tightening Syria for using chemical weapons. economic Moving beyond sanctions on the current policy — imposing ecoRussia. nomic sanctions on Russia and providing economic aid and non- lethal military equipment to Ukraine — raises questions hard to answer with any certainty. W Efforts at crisis negotiations escalated amid gains by Russian-backed separatists. Secretary of State John Kerry met officials in Kiev yesterday. German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande were to stop there to discuss a new initiative before going to Moscow today to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Obama administration has played down the possibility of sending weapons, a move that could ratchet up tensions with Putin as fighting intensifies. It also risks undercutting criticism of Putin by the US and allies for arming the rebels. “Providing additional military assistance could and is likely to have the effect of increasing the bloodshed,” White House spokesman Josh Earnest said in response to a report that Obama’s aides were giving the question a fresh look. Carter’s statement the next day drew a curt response. “A decision like this will be made by the commander-in-chief,” Earnest said. “The president will certainly take that advice into account.” Ukraine has asked the US, Britain, France and Germany for military training and equipment, including munitions, armoured vehicles, access to surveillance drones, radars to warn of artillery attacks, and financial aid. “We’re asking the world, ‘Can you help us with weapons?’” Deputy Foreign Minister Vadym Prystaiko said in an interview in Washington on January 29. “We don’t want the conflict to be escalated, but we have to remind them we are fighting on our own territory, we’re not crossing the border.” The US has supplied Ukraine with lightweight counter-mortar radar systems, night-vision gear, body armour and vehicles. US Vice-President Joe Biden plans to meet Merkel and Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko to discuss the need to impose additional costs on Russia and boost Ukraine’s economy, according to a White House phone briefing for reporters. Merkel has rejected calls to send weapons. The US is re-evaluating its security assistance in light of the escalation in fighting and Russia’s re-supply of weapons to the separatists. The administration’s The other side Quote of the day Corridor furore S OME senators hailing from parties from Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa led a loud protest against what they alleged were changes being made in the route of the PakistanChina economic corridor, a project that aims to connect the port of Gwadar to China’s Xinjiang region. The senators from parties, including the PkMAP and the ANP, and an Independent, first made angry speeches against the alleged route change and then walked out of the Senate in protest, even as government members tried in vain to tell them that no such change had been approved. One Senator, Independent Humayun Mandokhel, was so swept away with emotion that he decided to switch loyalty and sit on the opposition benches, where he was received with loud thumping on the desks. There is a point when desk-thumping begins to sound like chest-beating, and this was one example. The rhetoric that was hurled at the government included allusions to Kalabagh Dam and a warning from Senator Ilyas Bilour of the ANP that “the country will not remain united if the route is changed”. What is this if not overwrought emotionalism regarding what is otherwise a fairly straightforward infrastructure goal is to find a diplomatic resolution to the conflict because a military one isn’t in the offing. While Ukraine, the US and their Nato and EU allies say there’s evidence that Russia is providing military equipment and troops to the separatists, Putin’s government denies it. The case for lethal aid was pressed by a group of former US diplomats and national security officials, including former ambassador to Ukraine Steven Pifer. In Congress, a group of 15 senators sent Obama a letter saying that Russia aggression in Ukraine “must not be allowed to succeed. We believe it is time to increase military assistance to Ukraine and urge the US and Nato to move quickly.” They called for sending “defensive” military equipment to “thwart Putin’s naked aggression.” It’s not clear that Putin would draw distinctions about what qualifies as defensive weapons. Sending lethal aid risks an arms race that Ukraine couldn’t win, said Sean Kay, a professor of politics and international studies at Ohio Wesleyan University. “There is every reason to believe that Russia would respond not with negotiation, but perhaps with more, and even deadlier, war.” Obama is unconvinced that providing anything more than non-lethal aid or limited and defensive weapons is wise, said an administration official. Some officials argue that sending arms to Ukraine would destroy rather than promote attempts to devise a political solution. The administration’s public line is an attempt to mollify both camps by weighing some increased aid without defining what’s being considered. Any dramatic, public step to arm the Ukrainians would risk fracturing the fragile unity between the US and its Nato and EU allies at a time when unity is essential to maintaining or tightening economic sanctions on Russia. Sanctions, whose impact is multiplied by falling crude oil prices, are starting to exact a heavy toll on Russia’s economy and to separate Putin from some of his WP-BLOOMBERG longtime allies. project? What evidence is there of a route change? And how will the country “not remain united” if there is a route change? What is it about this proposed road project that got senators so worked up when other far more pressing matters regarding their provinces hardly elicit much concern from them? If the senators in question have evidence of an arbitrary change of route designed to benefit a few individuals rather than satisfy the technical requirements of the project, they should present it. The government should also bring more transparency into its dealings with China, especially with regard to the reasons behind the shelving of the Gadani power projects. Many politicians tend to go overboard when it comes to the country’s China conversation, with the government employing the usual rhetoric about Sino-Pak friendship and, in this case, opposing politicians invoking Kalabagh Dam and the unity of the country. What is lost sight of every time is that the projects being negotiated with China are commercial ventures with little more than the cold play of geopolitics behind them. DAWN Greece is no longer the miserable partner who listens to lectures to do its homework. Greece has its own voice. Alexis Tsipras Greek Prime Minister FRIDAY 6 FEBRUARY 2015 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com VIEWS 07 Jeb Bush tests his middle-class message For Republicans, acknowledging middle-class woes is the easy part. The harder part is convincing voters not only that they know what went wrong but also that they have a plan to set things right. BY JIM TANKERSLEY ormer Florida Governor Jeb Bush’s speech on Wednesday before the Detroit Economic Club was something larger than a test-drive of a presidential campaign message. It was the highest-profile example to date of a Republican presidential hopeful embracing economic inequality and middle-class stagnation as problems that define America. What it was not — at least on its face — was a break with orthodox conservative thinking about the economy. From the start, Bush spoke directly to the struggles of a broad swath of American workers in a way that few previous GOP front runners probably would have been comfortable with. “Far too many Americans live on the edge of economic ruin,” he said. “And many more feel like they’re stuck in place — working longer and harder, even as they’re losing ground. Tens of millions of Americans no longer see a clear path to rise above their challenges. “Something is holding them back,” he continued. “Not a lack of ambition. Not a lack of hope. Not F because they’re lazy or see themselves as victims. Something else. Something is an artificial weight on their shoulders. . . . Today, Americans across the country are frustrated. They see only a small portion of the population riding the economy’s up escalator.” Many Republicans have long called that type of language class warfare. But more recently, leading Republicans have tried to make it their own. The strategy might make sense given that the improving economy and declining unemployment have made it more difficult for the GOP to argue that the economy is stalled. Rather, Republicans can now argue that the economy still isn’t working for most people. Indeed, median incomes are the same today as they were in 1989. Bush is the likely front runner in a crowded field of Republican presidential aspirants, several of whom are trying to carve out a more popular economic vision after Democrats successfully portrayed 2012 candidate Mitt Romney’s campaign as out of touch with economic anxieties. For Republicans, however, acknowledging middle-class woes is the easy part. The harder part is convincing voters not only that they know what went wrong but also that they have a plan to set things right. In his remarks on Wednesday, Bush did not offer a complete theory for why the middle class has struggled and he did not propose new ideas to change the trend, saying they’ll come later. Rather, he offered a few guiding principles for the policy solutions he promised to offer in the weeks to come. And those principles veered into familiar GOP ground. In saying that “something” is holding back frustrated workers, he fingered exactly one possible culprit: government. He gave examples: Government that shuts down small-business owners for not paying licensing fees. Government that loses money collecting parking fines and selling snacks on Amtrak trains. Government that protects taxi cabs, restaurants and brick-and-mortar retailers from competition. Bush described a “right to rise” society, sounding similar to Romney in a speech he gave in Detroit three years earlier: stronger families to give children a better chance of economic success; school reforms heavy on teacher accountability and school choice; and changes to government policy to enable the economy to grow at four percent a year, a rate it never achieved once during the three combined terms his father and brother served as president. (Bush invoked former presidents George H W Bush and George W Bush in the speech. “I love them very much,” he said. “I know that’s hard for the political world to accept, but it’s pretty Former Florida governor Jeb Bush speaks at the Detroit Economic Club in Detroit, Michigan. Bush is considering becoming a Republican candidate for the 2016 presidential election. easy for me to love them. I love them unconditionally.”) Limiting government, reforming education and unleashing faster economic growth constitute the economic platform of every Republican presidential nominee since Ronald Domestic drones do pose a threat BY ROBERT BECKHUSEN et’s imagine the worst-case scenario involving domestic drones. Take several drones, and equip each with a few pounds of explosives, shrapnel and ball bearings. Then send them on a one-way kamikaze mission. As the technology advances, network the drones so they travel in a group and explode at the same time. It might sound far-fetched. But scenarios like this are now worrying officials in the Pentagon and the Department of Homeland Security. A drone attack by terrorists hasn’t happened — yet. But it’s possible. German police arrested several far-right extremists who allegedly planned attacks with a drone in 2013. Like the car bomb, the drone bomb could become a cheap, ubiquitous and anonymous way to deliver explosives. The machines can hop over fences, bypass checkpoints and move too fast for a security team to react to. The good news is that drones are easily jammed. Almost all rely on a radio link to a ground controller, which makes them vulnerable to electronic interference. With an accurate enough sensor, anyone can search and pinpoint drones nearby, tune their jammer to the same frequency and overwhelm the vehicle with electronic “noise.” Most domestic drones are highly vulnerable to this attack. The average consumer drones available in a hobby shop typically communicate using a frequency of 2.4 or 5.8 gigahertz, or some combination of both if they carry wireless video cameras. Two devices using the same frequency can conflict with each other, which makes flying drones in congested urban areas inherently risky. Wireless Internet routers inside cellphones and laptops often broadcast using the same frequencies. Most drone software is also rarely encrypted. For years, even the military’s most advanced surveillance drones suffered from this vulnerability, which the Taliban used to intercept Predator drone surveillance videos over Afghanistan. In 2011, Iran used a more sophisticated form of GPS “spoofing” to capture a secretive RQ-170 drone operated by the Central Intelligence Agency. There’s not much sympathy for the machines. The American public largely hates domestic use of drones, and only three percent are “very likely” to buy one this year, according to a recent Reuters American Insights poll. But in a crowded area like a city or airport, searching and blocking — or hijacking — drones comes with its own set of problems. Sophisticated sensor and jamming devices are extremely expensive. L Reagan. Bush’s comments drew praise from Republicans who see a need to reach out to struggling middle- and lowerincome voters but worry that the party could go too far and engage in a policy arms race with Democrats that relies too heavily on government solutions. Lanhee Chen, a fellow at Stanford University’s Hoover Institution who was one of Romney’s top advisers in 2012, said Bush laid out an “attractive vision” in Detroit. “His speech left little doubt that he understands some of the challenges that face our economy today — income stagnation, an out-of-date regulatory system that inhibits growth and an education system that’s ill-equipped to prepare students for the jobs of the new economy,” Chen said. “He’s got a great opportunity now to present specific, forward-looking ideas that will be a welcome contrast with those we’re likely to hear from Hillary Clinton and her Democratic allies in the coming election.” Democrats have criticised the recent Republican shift toward middle-class rhetoric as an attempt to paper over old policies. On Wednesday, Ben Labolt, a Democratic strategist and former spokesman for President Barack Obama, said Bush’s speech showed the governor “clearly has access to polls on what’s at the top of voters’ minds, but he better hope they don’t have access to his record — hiking college tuition while cutting funding, eliminating healthcare coverage for thousands of kids and making affordable housing more difficult to find.” Bush has time to flesh out a detailed agenda and room to innovate from candidates past, Republican or Democratic. His first challenge will be living up to his own words. “The opportunity gap is the defining issue of our time,” he said. His candidacy may be defined by his solutions for it. WP-BLOOMBERG Iran using Israel to distract from its real aims BY ANTHONY H CORDESMAN t has become conventional wisdom that most sectarian conflicts in the Middle East today are fuelled, to some extent, by Iran and Saudi Arabia. That these two countries are enemies has been taken for granted by most, but is rarely examined or questioned. It is time the West takes a hard look at exactly why Saudi Arabia and other Arab states are so concerned about the Iranian threat. Much of the Western commentary on the strategic threats in the Middle East focuses on violent jihadist threats from non-state actors and the Iranian nuclear threat to Israel. The reality is far more complicated and involves the vital strategic interests of the United States, Europe, and Asia. To begin with the nuclear issue, it is important to remember that Iran has no nuclear weapons at present and that Israel is a mature nuclear weapons state with thermonuclear armed missiles that can reach any city or key target in Iran. At the same time, Iran has every reason to focus its political rhetoric on Israel as a threat and a target. Like its support of Gaza and the Hezbollah in Lebanon, the nuclear question deflects Arab fears of Iran’s growing ability to threaten Arab states, divide the Arab world, and lever Iran’s ability to threaten the flow of Gulf petroleum exports. Iran already has large missile and rocket forces that can reach any target in the Gulf and most targets in the Middle East. But these forces lack the accuracy and lethality to do great damage to targets in the Arab Gulf states and other neighbouring states with conventional warheads. Iran’s air force is aging, worn, and lacks anything like the capability of Saudi, United Arab Emirates, and other Arab forces — which have far more capable aircraft, surface-to-air missile forces, and missile defences supplied by the West — as well as support from US, British, and French air and naval forces and the forces they can project forward in an emergency. If Iran can acquire nuclear warheads, however, this would radically shift the balance against Arab states that lack nuclear weapons. It would greatly increase the threat Iran can pose, and help deter its Arab neighbours and their allies from using their advantage in air power. This is why Saudi Arabia and the other Gulf states are so concerned about the P5+1 negotiations with Iran. Their governments do not see an Iranian threat to a nuclear armed Israel; they see a nuclear threat to the Arab world. And, this is only part of the story. The Arab Gulf states see a major Iranian build-up in air, missile, anti-ship missile patrol boats and forces, smart mines, submarines, and other threats like Iran’s Marines and Special Forces to shipping in the Gulf, and their offshore and coastal facilities. Iran’s forces can now reach out into the Gulf of Oman and the Indian Ocean. This Iranian threat is as real and serious to the Arab Gulf states — and to the flow of petroleum exports to the global economy — as its nuclear threat. It is the reason why Saudi Arabia and the other Arab Gulf states — as well as the United States, Britain, and France — have built up their naval, air, mine warfare, and missile forces in the Gulf. Saudi Arabia and other key Arab states have equal reason to fear Iran’s expanding role in the region and Iran’s efforts to divide the Arab world. The US-led invasion of Iraq destroyed its ability to deter and contain Iran. It brought Shias with strong ties to Iran to power, gave Iran far more influence in Iraq, and allowed Iran’s Quds Force and Revolutionary Guards to gain serious influence over Iraq’s military forces and Shia militias. Iraq is still far from an Iranian satellite, but the struggles between its Sunnis and Shias, the need for Iran’s support in fighting Islamic State, and its deep political divisions give Iran a major opportunity. Iran has also reached out to Shias in Bahrain, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and Yemen, and to the Alawites and Assad regime in Syria – as well as Palestinian Sunnis in Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad. Like Iraq, none of these groups are “proxies” in the sense that Iran has the ability to dictate or command their actions. Iran can still, however, threaten Arab states by encouraging Shia minorities to oppose the regime and training and arming small factions within them. Iran has provided massive transfers of weapons like missiles and rockets to Hezbollah in Lebanon and some arms and funds to the Houthis in Yemen. Both give Iran the ability to play a spoiler function in dividing the Arab world and expanding its influence. The same is true of Iran’s support for the Assad regime. Iran does not have to care about Hamas or the Palestinians, or really care about Israel, to use them to create new Arab-Israel tensions, and serve a major strategic distraction. These are the reasons why Saudi Arabia and other Arab Gulf states are buying over $50bn worth of new arms from the US. They are equally critical to Western interests and are the reason why the United States keeps major air, missile defence, naval, and special forces capabilities in the Gulf, and why Britain and France are creating new naval bases there. Iran poses a far more complex mix of threats than simply its nascent nuclear capabilities, and most will remain in place regardless of the outcome of the P5+1 negotiations. REUTERS I A file photo of a camera drone operated by a civilian flying in New York. The Secret Service uses covert radiofrequency jammers inside a Chevrolet Suburban that travels with the president’s motorcade. These devices disable remotely triggered improvised bombs. But because they have to disable explosives set off by a potentially large number of frequencies, the jammers saturate a wide spectrum, occasionally interfering with cellphones nearby. This is just a temporary inconvenience for anyone standing near the convoy. If you think that’s bad, a permanent electromagnetic shield around the White House would interfere with the whole neighbourhood. Jamming transmitters is also illegal under the Communications Act of 1934. But as journalist Marc Ambinder pointed out, the Secret Service has some wiggle room around this law. It goes without saying that shooting a civilian drone out of the sky poses a whole other set of complications. But it’s happened outside the United States. In December 2013, the shotgun-toting crew of a Chinese military helicopter shot down a fixed-wing drone, which looks like a tiny airplane, with an 8.5foot wingspan, as it neared Beijing Capital Airport. The drone delayed several flights. According to the staterun People’s Liberation Army Daily, police soon arrested three employees of the private drone company Beijing UAV SciTech and charged them with endangering public security. The drone crash near the White House on January 26 didn’t come close to posing a threat. The operator was merely a drunk employee of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. So it’s unlikely the Secret Service will begin hovering above the nation’s capital on the lookout for unmanned vehicles — shotguns in hand. Some would like the government to go further. After the drone incident at the White House, Representative Elijah Cummings called for building a defence system akin to Israel’s Iron Dome. Iron Dome uses guided missiles to intercept incoming rockets. “Just like our friends in Israel feel comfortable with that Iron Dome,” Cummings told the Washington Post, “I want the people in the White House to feel comfortable, too, and I want the people who are trying to do us harm to know they cannot penetrate that sky over the White House.” But Iron Dome has a somewhat mixed success record, at best. Even if the interceptors hit a rocket, the incoming warheads, in many cases, continue tumbling down toward populated areas. The same is true for a drone. Then you have to worry about accidentally shooting whatever’s behind it. It could be a tourist or a commercial airliner. Instead of a one-size-fits-all solution, it’s better to have a mix of systems. For the recreational pilot who loses control of his machine, better firmware can keep it from hovering over prohibited areas like the White House. Sense-and-avoid radars can instruct pilots on what to avoid. None of this will stop a dedicated bad guy, but it’s enough to cut down on errant robots flying off course. Let’s leave the jamming for the worstcase scenarios. REUTERS FRIDAY 6 FEBRUARY 2015 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 08 Turkey asks US to extradite Erdogan’s foe Ankara cites treaty signed in 1979 MIDDLE EAST Ten Gaza factions slam Cairo over Hamas GAZA: In a statement read by a masked gunman, 10 armed Palestinian factions jointly condemned yesterday an Egyptian decision to list the military wing of the Islamist group Hamas as a terrorist organisation. An Egyptian court last week banned the Izz elDeen Al Qassam Brigades, Hamas’ armed wing, in line with a crackdown by President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi on the Muslim Brotherhood, of which Hamas is an offshoot. That decision prompted a source close to the Brigades to say that Egypt, which has mediated several past ceasefires between Israel and the Palestinians, including a truce to end a 50-day Gaza war last summer, could no longer be trusted as an impartial player. In the statement read aloud by the gunman in Gaza, the 10 armed groups said that their fight was only with Israel and they had never taken the battle outside the region encompassing Israel and the Palestinian territories. “Resistance factions and the Qassam Brigades concentrate their work against the Zionist enemy,” the gunman said. “We reaffirm that we do not intervene in the internal affairs of Arab countries and we hope that no one will export their internal problems towards the Palestinian people and its resistance factions.” As well as the Qassam Brigades, the statement was signed by Islamic Jihad, the Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigade, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, a Salafi group called Swords of Islam, and five other factions. Egypt says that weapons are smuggled from Gaza into northern Sinai, where they end up in the hands of militant groups fighting to topple Sisi’s Westernbacked government. Hamas, which has controlled Gaza since 2007, has denied providing any logistical, military or other assistance to groups fighting Egyptian troops. Last week the Egyptian wing of Islamic State claimed the killing of at least 30 soldiers and police officers in four separate attacks in North Sinai. REUTERS ISTANBUL: Turkey yesterday made a new call for Washington to extradite the US-based Turkish preacher Fethullah Gulen, as Ankara steps up its campaign against the number one enemy of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Erdogan accuses Gulen and his supporters of using influence within the judiciary, police and state bureaucracy to plot against the government. In an intensification of the campaign against his movement, Turkish banking authorities this week seized control of Bank Asya, an Islamic bank founded by followers of Gulen. “Of course he should be extradited. There is already an agreement between Turkey and the United States. There are international treaties,” Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said, quoted by the official Anatolia news agency. “We are working in close cooperation with the United States on this matter,” he said in the southern city of Antalya, without elaborating. Turkey and the United States signed an extradition treaty in 1979, but legal experts say that a crime requiring extradition must be recognised in both countries. In December, an Istanbul court issued an arrest warrant for Gulen, accusing him of setting up and directing an “armed terrorist organisation.” But the United States has so far paid little attention to repeated requests from Turkey for Gulen’s extradition from his secluded compound in the state of Pennsylvania. Gulen leads a broad powerful movement known as “Hizmet” (Service), believed to be supported by millions of Turks and which brings together interests ranging from finance to schools to media. The cleric, 73, was once a close ally of the Islamic-rooted government and Erdogan. But the authorities blamed Gulen for corruption allegations that rocked Erdogan’s government in December 2013 while he was prime minister. Gulen, who left for the US in 1999 to escape charges of antisecular activities by the government at the time, has denied being behind the graft allegations against Erdogan. But Erdogan has vowed to press his battle with Gulen, purging the police force and judiciary to rid them of pro-Gulenist elements. Erdogan’s opponents had denounced the seizure of Bank Asya as a blatant political manoeuvre against Gulen. But the government vehemently denied this was the case. Prime Minister Ahmet Davuotglu on Thursday denied any political meddling, saying the decision to seize the bank was “completely legal.” Syria strikes kill 66 after rebel fire Democrat leader hopes Netanyahu speech doesn’t happen BEIRUT: At least 66 people were killed yesterday as Syria’s regime pounded a rebel stronghold with air strikes after a barrage of opposition fire hit the capital Damascus, a monitor said. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 12 children were among those killed in the opposition-held Eastern Ghouta region outside Damascus. In the capital, meanwhile, a barrage of at least 120 rockets and mortar rounds fired by rebel forces killed 10 people, among them a child. The fire left usually busy streets of the city deserted and prompted Damascus University to close for the day, sending students home. The assault on the capital began early yesterday and came two days after the leader of rebel group Jaysh Al Islam (Army of Islam) warned it would attack in response to repeated government strikes on rebel-held Douma in Eastern Ghouta. “Within minutes, our busy street was empty,” a resident of Damascus’ Baramkeh neighbourhood told AFP after the mortar fire began, adding that the head teacher of a local school had been forced to take her students to a shelter. The middle class district of the capital is home to several university buildings, as well as the headquarters of state news agency Sana. In the city centre, traffic was light and many people stayed home from work. “If the terrorists think that by shelling Damascus they will ease the pressure on them, they are making a big mistake,” a senior military official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. “We will continue to hunt them down and destroy them.” Jaysh Al Islam leader Zahran Alloush had warned that Damascus would be considered a “military zone” during the bombardment, which follows a similar attack by the group on January 25 that killed six. AFP AFP WASHINGTON: US House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi said yesterday she hopes Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech to the US Congress next month does not take place because Republican House Speaker John Boehner had invited him for political reasons. Pelosi told reporters she still intends to attend the March 3 speech. Netanyahu has been fending off criticism at home and abroad over his decision to accept the invitation to address Congress on Iran’s nuclear program two weeks before the Israeli election. “As of now, it is my intention to go. It is still my hope that the event will not take place. There’s serious unease,” Pelosi told reporters. Boehner yesterday defended the invitation to Netanyahu as Palestinian women shout slogans during a rally near the Rafah border between southern Gaza Strip and Egypt yesterday to condemn the decision of an Egyptian court to ban the armed wing of Palestinian Islamist movement. Donors urged to pay $5.4bn aid OSLO: Egypt and Norway urged donors on Thursday, including Gulf states squeezed by low oil prices, to keep promises of providing $5.4 billion in aid for the Palestinians after the devastating war in Gaza last year. The two nations, who led a donors’ conference in Cairo in October when the cash was pledged, wrote an open letter to donors and said people in Gaza were suffering with a slower-than-expected pace of reconstruction. Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said the two felt it had become necessary to remind donors who had promised to help rebuild Gaza that they “should fulfil their obligations in this regard.” “No one has said to us that they’re not committed to what they have pledged, but also due to oil price and other issues in the Gulf, there has been a bit of a lingering,” Norwegian Foreign Minister Boerge Brende told a news conference. The two ministers, after a meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation in Oslo, did not single out any nations for criticism nor say “a very good idea.” He announced the event last month without first consulting the White House, a move many Democrats considered an insult to President Barack Obama, with whom Netanyahu has always had a testy relationship. “There’s a message that the American people need to hear and I think he’s the perfect person to deliver it,” Boehner said. “The threat of radical Islamic how much of the $5.4bn pledged had reached the Palestinians. Last year, among countries pledging aid, Qatar offered $1bn, and Kuwait and United Arab Emirates promised $200m each. The United States pledged $212m, France ¤40m ($45m) and Germany ¤50m. “We know that there are houses now being built and reconstructed but the pace of this is not at a level where we had foreseen and where we had wished it, so this is very important,” Brende said. The two ministers said they would follow up with personal contacts with other countries in coming weeks. “It’s not my role here to have a ‘name and shame’ list, but we do have an overview of this and we will specifically follow up on the countries that have not been able to deliver so far,” Brende said. The 50-day war between Israel and Gaza’s Islamist Hamas rulers killed more than 2,100 Palestinians, mostly civilians while the Israeli death toll was 73, mostly soldiers. terrorism is a real threat. The threat of Iran to the region and the rest of the world is a real threat and I believe the American people are interested in hearing this.” Pelosi, who discussed the matter on Wednesday with Israeli Knesset speaker Yuli Edelstein, said US ties with Netanyahu were “respectful.” But she blamed Boehner for “politicising” the US relationship with Israel by inviting REUTERS Netanyahu to speak two weeks before his country’s election. The White House said Obama would not meet with Netanyahu because of the election timing. Pelosi said some people who were supporters of both Netanyahu and Israel still thought it outrageous that the House of Representatives would be “used, exploited in that way for a political purpose in Israel, and in the REUTERS United States.” Killers who dressed as women executed in Saudi RIYADH: Saudi Arabia yesterday executed four robbers who dressed as women to lure and kill their victim, as well as a Pakistani man for drug trafficking, the interior ministry said. The beheadings bring to 26 the number of people executed in the kingdom this year. The four Saudis were convicted of luring a compatriot, stealing from him and killing him. They were executed in the eastern town of Qatif, the ministry said in a statement carried by the official Saudi Press Agency.The use of the death penalty in such cases is part of an effort to maintain security and “justice”, the ministry has said. Pakistani Abdelghani Mohammed Akbar, who was convicted of trying to smuggle heroin into Saudi Arabia, was beheaded in the Riyadh region, the ministry said in a separate statement. Israel FM displays Charlie Hebdo Heavily armed Yemenis guard the entrance to the hotel where representatives of warring factions are attending closed-door talks under UN auspices in Sana’a yesterday. US drone kills Qaeda militant DUBAI: Al Qaeda said yesterday that one of its top militants, Harith Al Nadhari who threatened more attacks on France after the Charlie Hebdo killings, died in a US drone strike in Yemen. Nadhari and three other militants were killed in a January 31 “crusader American drone strike against their car” in Shabwa province of southern Yemen, Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula said on Twitter. AQAP named the three others as Said Bafaraj, Abdelsamie alHaddaa and Azzam Al Hadrami. Tribal sources had said four suspected militants were left charred in their car in a drone strike that day in Shabwa. Nadhari had threatened France with further attacks like those in Paris on satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo and a Jewish supermarket that killed 17 people between January 7 and 9. “It is better for you to stop your aggression against the Muslims, so perhaps you will live safely. If you refuse but to wage war, then wait for the glad tiding,” Nadhari was quoted saying in a January 10 video after the attacks in France. Another of the group’s ideologues, Nasser bin Ali Al Ansi, claimed the attack on Charlie Hebdo on behalf of AQAP four days later. Despite a political crisis in Yemen, US President Barack Obama on January 25 vowed no let-up in Washington’s campaign against jihadists in Yemen. He ruled out a US troop deployment in Yemen but said Washington would continue “to go after high value targets inside Yemen”. At least 11 Al Qaeda suspected militants have been killed in three drone strikes in central and southern Yemen since Obama’s statement. AFP TEL AVIV: Israel’s hawkish Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman showcased copies of the latest issue of Charlie Hebdo in Tel Aviv yesterday in an apparent pre-election publicity stunt. Members of Lieberman’s far-right Yisrael Beitenu party, their mouths symbolically taped shut, set up a stall in the heart of Israel’s commercial capital and displayed copies for public perusal of the French satirical magazine. The issue — released a week after a deadly attack by Islamist gunmen on Charlie Hebdo’s office in Paris — courted controversy by featuring a cartoon of the Prophet Mohammed, drawing condemnation from Muslim leaders.“Radical terrorists murdered people simply because they published something. We will not allow this to happen in Israel,” Lieberman said at the gathering. “We will not surrender, and we will publish whatever we like, whenever we like.” Amnesty slams citizenship revocation DUBAI: Amnesty International urged Manama yesterday to restore the citizenship of dozens of dissidents stripped of their Bahraini nationality in a decree handing them the same penalty as suspected militants. The rights watchdog said last Saturday’s decision against 72 people had treated peaceful activists in the same way as Bahrainis suspected of travelling to Iraq or Syria to fight for the Islamic State group. “The authorities have put the names of a number of known Bahraini human rights and political activists on the same list as other Bahrainis who have been alleged IS fighters,” AGENCIES it said. INTERNATIONAL FRIDAY 6 FEBRUARY 2015 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 09 West floats Ukraine peace plan Merkel, Hollande bring plan to Kiev before Moscow push; Nato to boost defences KIEV: German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande flew to Kiev yesterday with a new peace plan, in the biggest diplomatic push yet to halt an upsurge in deadly fighting in eastern Ukraine. The two European leaders, who will present the plan to Russia today, arrived hot on the heels of US Secretary of State John Kerry, who said that Moscow held the cards to end the conflict. The renewed efforts to end the 10-month conflict came as Washington weighs sending arms for Kiev’s fight with pro-Russian separatists. At least 21 people have been killed in fresh clashes in the past 24 hours, as the separatists attempt to push deeper into government-held territory. Kerry threw Washington’s weight behind the latest peace initiative, although Ukraine’s premier said he was sceptical. “President Putin can make the choices that could end this war,” Kerry said after meeting Ukrainian leaders, voicing support for the “helpful” FrancoGerman plan to be put to the Russian leader on Friday. “There must be an immediate commitment now to a real ceasefire, which is not just a piece of paper with words, but which is followed by specific actions,” Kerry told journalists. Kerry added that US President Barack Obama would “soon” decide on whether to arm Ukraine, but stressed his preference for a diplomatic solution. “We are not interested in a proxy war, our objective is to change Russia’s behaviour and we’ll consider all options that are available to us in coordination with our partners that will help us achieve a negotiated solution,” Kerry said. Russia, itself accused of arming the separatists, warned that any US move to send weapons to Ukraine would cause “colossal damage” to ties, foreign ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said. Kerry is to meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov at a security conference in Munich tomorrow, ahead of Obama holding a “very important” meeting with Merkel at the White House on Monday, Kerry said. The new plan offers greater autonomy within Ukraine for the separatists, and across a larger area than agreed at the last truce deal in Minsk in September, Germany’s Sueddeutsche Zeitung said. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko had to understand this was his country’s last chance to avoid military defeat and economic collapse, while Putin was warned to count on fresh European Union sanctions, the paper said, citing unnamed sources. Speaking in Paris before heading to Kiev Hollande said that he and Merkel would “propose a new solution to the conflict based on the territorial integrity of Ukraine”. He said the plan would be discussed with Poroshenko soon and Putin in Moscow today, but warned that diplomacy “cannot go on indefinitely”. Despite the diplomatic momentum behind the new plan, Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk insisted Moscow stick to a September’s Minsk agreement. “To have a new deal, not to execute the previous one, seems to me a trap,” Yatsenyuk told journalists. “We urge Russia to implement and execute what was agreed, signed personally by president Putin.” People stand near a car which got stranded during a snowstorm near Barrios de Luna, northern Spain, yesterday. Review calls for global fund to fight dangerous superbugs grown in recent years as bugs resistant to multiple drugs have developed and drug makers have cut back investment in this field. The World Health Organization has warned that unless something drastic is done, many antibiotics could become redundant this century, leaving patients vulnerable to deadly infections, particularly during operations. Commenting on O’Neill’s review and the issue of drugresistance, Jeremy Farrar, director of the Wellcome Trust global health charity warned: “This is more than a medical problem: it is a potential economic disaster.” “Multi-drug-resistant strains of tuberculosis, E. coli, and salmonella are now commonplace. Most gonorrhoea infections are untreatable,” he said. “Superbugs like methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Clostridium difficile are proliferating. In India, antibioticresistant infections killed more Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that the move to boost troops in eastern Europe was in response to Moscow’s “aggressive actions,” but nevertheless purely defensive. In a move that is likely to irk Moscow, Nato announced six “command and control” units in eastern European nations to ensure that the new force could hit the ground running. In the rebel bastion of Donetsk, shelling killed eight civilians and wounded 33 more over the AFP AFP Hackers steal Two dead in US college data on ‘tens murder-suicide: Police of millions’ at US insurer Snowstorm in Spain LONDON: A global fund should be created to speed development of new antibiotics to counter the growing threat of drug-resistant superbugs, a review backed by the British government said yesterday. The review, headed by leading economist and former Goldman Sachs chief Jim O’Neill, said far too little was currently invested in research that could lead to new drugs to fight drug-resistant bacterial and viral infections. “A lot of innovative thinking is happening in infectious disease research at the moment. These bright ideas need to be developed,” the report said. “But lack of funding means that while people, machines and laboratories are ready to tackle the next challenges, they are unable to do so.” The problem of infectious bugs becoming drug-resistant has been a feature of medicine since the discovery of the first antibiotic, penicillin, in 1928. But it has previous 24 hours, the insurgentcontrolled city hall said. Kiev-loyal authorities said six civilians had been killed around Donetsk, and military spokesman Vladyslav Seleznyov said that heavy shelling killed five Ukrainian soldiers and wounded 29 around the region. Another two civilians died in the battleground railway hub of Debaltseve, which rebels are trying to encircle and capture, Kiev officials said. LONDON: British former glam rocker Gary Glitter could spend the rest of his life in prison after being found guilty at a London court yesterday of historic sex abuse against three young girls. Glitter, 70, whose real name is Paul Gadd, was convicted of one count of attempted rape, four counts of indecent assault and one count of sexual intercourse with a girl under the age of 13 between 1977 and 1980. The jury of five men and seven women acquitted Gadd of three other counts after deliberating for two days at the end of a two-week trial. The entertainer blew kisses at the public gallery as he was led away to the cells. Glitter was at the height of his fame as a singer-songwriter and musician when he attacked his victims, and investigators said he targeted young girls who were in awe of him. Prosecutor John Price had earlier described how a drunken Gadd had tried to force himself on a girl, who was aged under 10 at the time, in the mid-1970s. The victim only came forward 20 years after the incident when she saw Gadd had admitted in 1999 to child pornography charges. He also attacked two girls, aged 12 and 13, after inviting them to his dressing room without their mothers. One victim, now in her 50s, told the court how Glitter, smelling of “booze and cigarettes”, had put his arm over her, making her feel “uncomfortable”. Chief Crown Prosecutor Baljit Ubhey said Gadd had “abused his access to young fans in order to give himself the opportunities to assault and abuse his victims”. Ukraine’s President Petro Poroshenko (centre) shakes hands with German Chancellor Angela Merkel (left) and French President Francois Hollande during their meeting in Kiev yesterday. In Brussels, Nato agreed a major boost to the alliance’s defences near its Russian borders, including six command centres and a quick-reaction spearhead force of 5,000 troops. The fighting in Ukraine has claimed more than 5,350 lives since April, including some 220 in just the past three weeks, according to the United Nations. Renewed attempts at peace talks in the Belarussian capital Minsk over the weekend collapsed after rebel leaders stayed away. British singer Glitter found guilty of child sex crimes than 58,000 newborns in 2013.” O’Neill, who was asked last year by Britain’s prime minister to take an economist’s view of the issue, said in his first report that so-called anti-microbial resistance could kill an extra 10 million people a year and cost up to $100 trillion by 2050 if it was not brought under control. In this report, O’Neill called on international funders, both philanthropists and governments, to allocate money to a fund “to support blue sky science and incubate ideas that are more mature”. When it comes to research funding, the report said infectious diseases were a “poor relation” compared to chronic illnesses such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease and dementia. It said a targeted “innovation fund” could support research to pave the way for new drugs, for alternatives to antibiotics and for new testing technology to ensure the right drugs were used. REUTERS NEW YORK: Hackers stole data on as many as 80 million customers at US health insurance giant Anthem, in what is believed to be the worst breach on record of medical records. “Cyber attackers executed a very sophisticated attack to gain unauthorised access to one of Anthem’s IT systems and have obtained personal information relating to consumers and Anthem employees who are currently covered, or who have received coverage in the past,” a statement from the second-largest US health insurer said. “Once the attack was discovered, Anthem immediately made every effort to close the security vulnerability, contacted the FBI and began fully cooperating with their investigation,” said chief executive Joseph Swedish. “Anthem’s own associates’ personal information — including my own — was accessed during this security breach. We join you in your concern and frustration, and I assure you that we are working around the clock to do everything we can to further secure your data.” The information includes names, birth dates, social security numbers, street addresses, email addresses and employment information, the company said. “The affected database has records for 80 million people and tens of millions” of them were stolen, spokeswoman Cindy Wakefield said. The breach is the latest exposing personal information on millions. Last year, US retailer Home Depot said 53 million email addresses were stolen, months after fellow retailer Target said personal data on 70 million customers was accessed. Some experts say medical data can be even more lucrative to hackers than credit cards, because they can create fake identities for prescription drugs to be resold, or file false insurance claims. Security experts welcomed Anthem’s decision to make the issue public swiftly. REUTERS WASHINGTON: Two people died in what appeared to be an “isolated” murder-suicide yesterday at the University of South Carolina, police said, after the campus was placed on lockdown. The deaths occurred at the university’s school of public health, the Columbia Police Department said on Twitter. No further details were available. “Appears to be a murder-suicide... Isolated incident at USC school of health,” said the tweet. A spokesman for the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division was not immediately available for comment. The state’s emergency warning system had earlier issued an alert after gunshots rang out at the campus in the state capital Columbia. “Shots fired at New School of Public Health. Building is locked down. Seek safe shelter. Remain indoors. Obey officials,” Carolina Alert tweeted. About 45 minutes later, the online emergency system reported there was “no longer an existing threat on campus,” but it said the school of public health and surrounding streets were closed. The State daily newspaper reported that the building has been evacuated, and that police SWAT teams were at the scene. I’m a technology disaster: Pope VATICAN CITY: Pope Francis, who has called the Internet a “gift from God,” confessed via Webcam to an inquisitive girl yesterday that he is a disaster with technology and does not know how to use a computer. Alicia, from Spain, who took part in a worldwide Google Hangout for children with special needs, asked the pope if he liked to take pictures and download them on his computer. “I have to tell you the truth. I am a disaster with machines,” he said. Francis used the Spanish word “tronco”, or tree trunk, which is colloquially used for someone who is very clumsy, or a disaster at something. “I am not able to use computers,” the 78-year-old Argentine pope said, laughing. “What an embarrassment, right?” Last year Francis said in a message on communications that the Internet was a “gift from God” that could help unite people but he also has warned families to shut off their smart phones and talk more to each other. NY to start direct flights to Cuba NEW YORK: Direct flights between New York and Havana are to resume next month when a US charter company seeks to profit from a growing rapprochement between the United States and Cuba. A Boeing 747-800 will fly each Tuesday to and from John F Kennedy International Airport and Havana, allowing travellers to end time-consuming stop-off journeys. On January 15, the US government eased travel restrictions, allowing certain Americans such as journalists, scholars, artists and athletes to visit Cuba without asking for a special licence. Cuba Travel Services’ first New York to Havana flight on March 17 has already sold 120 of the 162 seats available for the three hour, 40 minute journey, Zuccato said. Prices start at $849. Niger troops to fight Boko Haram FOTOKOL: Niger is set to send troops to Nigeria for the multinational battle against Boko Haram after scores of people were killed in a fresh onslaught by the Islamist fighters in a key border town. Intervention from Niger would open a new northern front in the increasingly regional fight against the Islamist insurgents who killed over a hundred people, including 19 soldiers, on Wednesday in a rampage in the Cameroonian town of Fotokol on Nigeria’s border. The onslaught came a day after Chad sent troops across the frontier to battle the jihadists and recapture the Nigerian town of Gamboru. AGENCIES 10 FRIDAY 6 FEBRUARY 2015 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com ASIA / PHILIPPINES Rescuers scour plane crash site Taiwan pilot hailed a hero for pulling plane clear of buildings; death toll rises to 31; investigation under way TAIPEI: Taiwan rescuers scoured a river for 12 people still missing from a TransAsia plane crash yesterday, as the pilot, who died in the crash, was hailed a hero for apparently battling to avoid hitting built-up areas. Hundreds of rescuers in boats, as well as divers and soldiers mounted the search in the chilly waters, as the death toll rose to 31 with more bodies located including those of the pilot and co-pilot, authorities said. The TransAsia ATR 72-600 crashed shortly after take-off from Songshan airport in Taipei on Wednesday, hitting an elevated road as it banked sidelong towards the Keelung River, leaving a trail of debris including a smashed taxi. In an operation overnight large parts of the plane’s fuselage were lifted from the river, enabling rescuers to recover bodies trapped inside, while divers battled strong currents to search downstream for more victims. Pilot Liao Chien-tsung was applauded by aviation experts for apparently steering the turboprop plane, which had 53 passengers and five crew on board, away from populated areas, potentially avoiding more deaths and damage. “The pilot apparently made a conscious effort to avoid further and unnecessary casualties by ditching in the river. It was a very courageous move,” Hong Kongbased aviation analyst Daniel Tsang said. Emotional citizens posted their praise and condolences on social media sites. “I believe the pilot managed to steer the plane away from high-rise buildings, he is a hero,” Gin Oy, a writer and actress, said on her Facebook page. The Apple Daily newspaper ran a front-page story thanking “the pilot for saving Taipei”. “We are proud of him. He was very brave to avoid the buildings,” Liao’s aunt told reporters at a funeral home in Taipei. Friends and relatives described the 41-year-old Liao as a diligent and family-loving man from a humble background who studied hard to join the air force before becoming a commercial pilot. President Ma Ying-jeou paid his respects to the victims and comforted their families at a funeral home in Taipei and visited the wounded at several hospitals. Near the river, dozens of weeping relatives called out the names of their loved who perished as monks chanted scripts and waved the victims’ clothes in front the plane’s wreckage in a religious ritual to guide the spirits home. Condolences from abroad poured in. Pope Francis sent a message to Taiwan’s archbishop Hung Shan-chuan offering prayers for the dead and “strength and comfort” for the injured and mourning. The United States’ de facto embassy in Taiwan also offered its condolences. An investigation into the cause of the crash is underway, with aviation experts from France and Canada expected to arrive in Taiwan this week, Taiwanese authorities said. Tales of miracle escapes have emerged. Television footage showed a father cuddling his toddler son as they were taken to shore by boat after being rescued Wednesday. Together with the child’s mother, the family had switched seats on the plane “out of a hunch” that saved their lives, the United Daily News said, quoting a family friend. Their new seats put them next to a crack in the plane after it crashed and Lin was able to pull his wife to safety and then revive his son after spotting him in the water, blue and unresponsive. “My brother just can’t live without his son. When he found him, after lying in cold water for three minutes and with no signs of breathing or heartbeat, he performed CPR. He brought his son back,” survivor Lin’s brother Lin Ming-yi told reporters. A 72-year-old man who helped several fellow passengers unbuckle their seat belts to get to safety recounted his story on local TV. “I sensed that there was something wrong with the engine soon after take-off and told the girl sitting next to me to quickly unbuckle her safety belt ... and then (the plane) went down,” soldier Huang Chin-shun told ETTV cable news channel. The accident, which occurred on a domestic route to the island of Kinmen, was the second fatal crash for TransAsia since July. Desperate crew shouted “Mayday! Mayday! Engine flameout!” as the plane plunged out of the sky, according to a recording thought to be the final message from the cockpit to the control tower. Among the 15 survivors of the crash, 26-year-old flight attendant Huang Jin-ya was lucky for the second time — she was supposed to be on the plane that A man consoles two women at the funeral for victims of the TransAsia Airways plane crash at the No. 2 Funeral Parlour in Taipei yesterday. crashed in July, killing 48, but switched her shift, according to local reports. A total of 31 Chinese nationals were onboard the plane, with at least 16 dead, 12 missing and three injured, the government said. Some of the grieving relatives arrived in Taiwan yesterday. Local media reported that among the Chinese victims, 26-year-old tour leader Wang Qinghuo from Xiamen was due to get married on Sunday. China’s minister for Taiwan affairs Zhang Zhijun has postponed a scheduled visit to the island of Kinmen following the accident, a statement from Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council said. The Civil Aeronautics Administration has grounded a total of 22 ATR planes from two Taiwanese airlines for safety checks following the accident. AFP Show respect in South China Sea: Manila to Beijing MANILA: The Philippines accused China yesterday of ramming Filipino fishing boats off a disputed shoal in the South China Sea, and demanded its powerful neighbour respect its sovereignty over the potential flashpoint territory. The foreign ministry said it has sent two notes of protest over the January 29 incident off Scarborough Shoal as well as the removal of critically endangered giant clams by Chinese fishermen in the area a week earlier. A Chinese foreign ministry spokesman disputed Manila’s version of the first incident yesterday, stressing its coast guard was performing its “normal” duties on inherent part of Chinese territory,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei said, calling the shoal by its Chinese name. “The thing is, on January 29, multiple Philippine fishing boats lingered illegally in the shallow waters of the Huangyan island, disobeying the instruction of the Chinese side” to leave the area. A coast guard dinghy was sent to relay the order, “and some of the boats bumped slightly into each other”, said Hong. “The Chinese side urged the Philippine side to enhance supervision and education of its own fishermen to prevent similar incidents from happening again.” Hong did not address the other Philippine protest over the harvesting of giant clams on around the shoal. China claims most of the South China Sea, a vital sea lane and fishing ground that is believed to hold vast mineral resources. But the Philippines, Vietnam, Brunei and Taiwan also have overlapping claims over the waters, making the area a potential flashpoint. China has controlled the Scarborough Shoal, a rich fishing ground in the South China Sea 220km west of the main Philippine island of Luzon, since 2012 following a tense standoff between the Filipino navy and Chinese maritime patrol vessels. AFP China detains Canadian for ‘stealing secrets’ Sri Lanka President renews troop deployment orders Islamiyah, he is a key suspect in the 2002 Bali nightclub bombings which killed 202 people, as well as two deadly Philippine blasts. The Federal Bureau of Investigation tested a sample from the body identified by Philippine police as Zulkifli, David Bowdich, assistant director in charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles field office, said. “As we have reported to our Philippine law enforcement partners, preliminary results indicate that the DNA profiles obtained from the biological sample indicate a possible relationship with a known relative of Zulkifli,” he said. BEIJING: China has detained a Canadian man on suspicion of stealing and prying into state secrets but released his wife, also a Canadian, from custody on bail after holding the couple without charge for months, China’s Foreign Ministry said yesterday. The decision to detain Kevin Garratt, who ran a Christian coffee shop with his wife, paves the way for his formal arrest and possible prosecution in a case that has strained ties between Canada and China. Beijing is widening a crackdown on foreign Christian groups along its sensitive border with North Korea. Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said Garratt had been formally detained on suspicion of the theft, citing the National Security Agency of Dandong, a city in the northeastern province of Liaoning, where the Garratts had lived for years. “The relevant Chinese authorities are dealing with the case in accordance with the law, and maintaining the legal rights and interests of both people in accordance with the law,” Hong told a regular news briefing. Julia Garratt was released but barred from leaving mainland China for one year, the family said. AFP REUTERS COLOMBO: Sri Lanka’s new President Maithripala Sirisena has renewed orders allowing for troops to be deployed across the island, dampening hopes yesterday of a lower-profile military presence under his rule. Sirisena’s election last month had been expected to lead to a lessening of the numbers of troops in towns and cities — particularly in former war zones — which had been a prominent feature of his hardline nationalist predecessor Mahinda Rajapaksa’s tenure. During the build-up to his election victory, Sirisena promised to confine the military to their barracks and call them out only in the event of an emergency or a threat to national security. But, according to a presidential decree, Sirisena has now renewed a monthly authorisation for the deployment of troops across the island. “By virtue of the powers vested in me, I, Maithripala Sirisena, do by this order call out all the members of the armed forces...for the maintenance of public order,” read the order. The presence of large numbers of troops is particular contentious in the mainly Tamil northern and eastern provinces that bore the brunt of a 37-year separatist conflict, which was brutally crushed by the army in May 2009. AFP A pedestrian walks past a makeshift memorial at the Philippine National Police headquarters in Manila yesterday, for the 44 elite police commandos who died in Mamasapano town in a mission to capture Zulkifli bin Hir. Militant ‘killed’ in raid: FBI MANILA: The FBI has said that DNA analysis indicates one of the world’s most wanted terrorists, Bali bomber Zulkifli bin Hir, was likely killed in a Philippine police raid last month that also claimed the lives of 44 commandos. The hunt for Zulkifli ended at his hideout on remote farmland in the southern island of Mindanao just before dawn on January 25. Philippines media yesterday ran a photo purportedly showing his dead body, sprawled in a hut and in a blood-soaked shirt. A top militant in the Southeast Asian terror group Jemaah Chinese territory. “The Philippines continues to urge China to respect the Philippines’ sovereign rights and jurisdiction over Bajo de Masinloc,” Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario said, referring to the shoal by its local name. China must “desist from undertaking activities that not only imperil the lives, safety and livelihood of Filipino fishermen but also damage the fragile marine environment in that area”, he said. The ministry alleged three Filipino-flagged vessels were “intentionally rammed” by a vessel with Chinese coastguard markings, causing damage and endangering the crews’ lives. “The Huangyan island is an Leaders and activists of the Islamic party Islami Andolon Bangladesh form a human chain with white flags as they protest against the killings of the innocent people by bomb attacks, in Dhaka yesterday. Four killed in Bangladesh DHAKA: A police officer and three others yesterday became the latest casualties of a wave of violence sweeping Bangladesh as the opposition continued a deadly campaign to topple Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. A truck was firebombed in the northern city of Bogra, killing the driver and his passenger, as activists enforced month-long transport blockade, police chief Saifuzzaman Chowdhury said. Officers shot dead a protester in the capital Dhaka after he threw a petrol bomb at a police patrol van, police said. And a police constable died of injuries suffered last month during another attack blamed on the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party, led by two-time former premier Khaleda Zia. “He was among several officers who were injured when a petrol bomb was thrown at a police bus on January 17 by protesters,” Dhaka Metropolitan Police spokesman Masudur Rahman said. The deaths take the toll to 62 — mostly victims of firebombings of buses, cars and lorries — as activists try to enforce the nationwide blockade of roads, railways and waterways. AFP FRIDAY 6 FEBRUARY 2015 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com PAKISTAN / AFGHANISTAN Railway police rue British-era pistols 11 Diplomat expelled from Dhaka Kashmir Solidarity Day ISLAMABAD: In a fresh diplomatic row, a Pakistani High Commission official based in Dhaka was declared persona non grata by the Bangladeshi government and was asked to leave the country. “Diplomatic official Mazhar Khan was charged by Bangladesh’s foreign ministry of running an illegal Indian currency business in Dhaka beside alleged links with militants,” Daily Times reported yesterday citing a diplomatic source. Relations between the two countries have recently been at a low point. In January, Bangladeshi police arrested four suspected members of Islamic State in Dhaka including a regional coordinator for the militant group who told police they had been trained in Pakistan. Tensions have also risen between the two countries over executions carried out by the government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of alleged war criminals from the 1971 Liberation War. Force lacks readiness against terror threat LAHORE: The Pakistan Railways Police (PRP), fearing an imminent terrorist threat, is guarding 45 stations, as many booking offices and 34 passenger trains with mainly British era pistols, one luggage scanner in the entire country and no long-range automatic weapon in one of the largest and most important districts — Lahore. The intelligence agencies, since August 2014, have a number of times warned that railway stations and trains are highly probable targets. In the past four years, railway tracks and coaches fell victim to 88 terror attacks, claiming 63 lives, and crippling 319 others through injuries. Out of a little over 500 total pistols at the disposal of the PRP, around 90 percent comprise 455 bore and 38 bore, which are gifts of the British era and can at the most be used as a relic if anything, instead of being employed in actual combat situation. Currently, the force is functioning with less than 50 long-range automatic weapons (G3), almost 50 percent of which are being used for security in Quetta. Although, there is no denying of the sensitive state of affairs in Balochistan and in and around Quetta, yet the failure to allocate a single long range automatic weapon to one of the largest districts beats the mind. In addition, the PRP own only two luggage scanners which are trusted to guard against any explosives, arms or ammunition from being transported or jeopardising the lives of those on board. One of these scanners is deployed at Karachi and the other at Lahore. The scanner at Lahore has been out of order during the past whole year and the scrutiny of all the luggage being booked from Lahore has been left to the Almighty. This ignorance was recently revealed when a private channel managed to transport arms, explosives and contraband through a Pakistan Railways train without much hassle. However, despite that incident, the Pakistan Railways management did not strive to get the scanner at Lahore fixed. Another shocking fact is that it still has a ‘Henry Martin Rifle’ in service according to its record. This British rifle was in service from 1871 to 1888 and was used in British colonial wars, the Second Anglo-Afghan War, Herzegovina Uprising (1875-1878), RussoTurkish War, War of the Pacific, Anglo-Zulu War, Greco-Turkish War (1897), First Boer War, Balkan Wars, World War I, Greco-Turkish War (1919-22), and Soviet war in Afghanistan. This rifle is identified as an antique and is virtually auctioned and sold as a relic. Though the Chinese 7.62 rifles that were put in service in the late eighties provide some level of tenacity to the security apparatus yet lack of practice and motivation among the troops of PRP is another worrying fact. The railway police gets to fire the weapons once every year and that, too, not all the troops. The lack of training and practice is of such grave dearth that many are not even acquainted with the weapon if they are lucky enough to wield one. The state of the armour in case of a terrorist standoff is no different. There is one bulletproof vest for over 250 personnel. Let alone armour, many personnel have not received their very uniform for a couple of years from the PRP. The meagre salaries is another factor dampening the spirits of the policemen as 25 percent raise promised in 2014 has still not been added to their salaries. Although, the Pakistan Railways Ministry have showed some sanity by procuring 50 9mm pistols and 100 G3P4 rifles, however, they have still not been added to the system because their addition awaits the training of the police personnel on these weapons. When contacted, Railways Police Inspector General Shariq Jamal said the department had been informing the ministry and Pakistan Railways management about the challenges faced by the department due to lack of weaponry. He said the financial constraints of the department had always been the reason behind this state of affairs. He said recently their requests had been heard and the addition of 100 long-range rifles and 50 pistols has boosted strength. INTERNEWS Five arrested for grenade attack Supporters of the Jamaat-ud-Dawa hold party flags as they shout slogans during a rally in Karachi yesterday as the country observed Kashmir Solidarity Day. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif vowed that Pakistan would continue its political and diplomatic support for the Kashmiri people “in their struggle for freedom and right to self-determination”. Pakistan to launch national health insurance plan ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan government has decided to launch Prime Minister’s National Health Insurance Programme for 66 selected districts of the country in phased manner in five years. This programme is proposed to be financed through current budget as it cannot become part of development programme under Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP). Official documents show that 100 million population in all the districts in the phased manner shall be covered by health insurance under this proposed scheme. The cost of the project is estimated at Rs45.078bn without any foreign exchange component (FEC) for period of five years in three phases where phase-1 shall cover 3.3 million families in 22 districts at national level followed by another 3.3 million in another 22 districts in phase-II followed by universal coverage in all districts of Pakistan of 100 million population in 22 million families. The estimated premium of Rs2,000 per family per annum is proposed for secondary care with addition of Rs500 per family per annum for priority treatment, Rs50,000 per family per annum on floating basis provided within provincial Annual Development Plans (ADPs) for provinces and federal PSDP for Kashmir, Tribal Areas and Gilgit-Baltistan and Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) Rs250,000 per family per annum on floating basis is proposed under PSDP for federal hospitalisation against identified treatment protocol. The targeting beneficiaries’ ANA graduation ceremony Afghan troops fight insurgents, 18 killed in the Tora Bora cave network and which has been the focus of air strikes in recent months. Since the Peshawar attack in December, Afghan forces have stepped up operations against a Pakistani division of the Taliban, which claimed responsibility for the school killings and has bases in Afghanistan. Azrat Hussain Mashriqiwal, disorders, infertility, injuries resulting out of war, riots, invasion , HIV/AIDS, etc. The yearly payment of premium in bloc manner is proposed dependant on successfully enrolment of beneficiary population by the insurance company. The list of secondary care provider shall be developed by provinces and tertiary care provider by National Steering Committee for both public and private healthcare provider hospitals registered with Health Regulatory Authority. INTERNEWS Retirees turn to PSC for well-paid jobs Afghan National Army soldiers perform during their graduation ceremony in Kabul yesterday. Afghan national forces took over full responsibility for the country’s security on January 1. JALALABAD: At least 18 militants were killed in a gun battle in a mountainous district of Afghanistan near Pakistan, police said yesterday, in the latest fighting in the region since a Taliban massacre of school children in Peshawar late last year. The operation was in rugged Nangarhar province, where Osama bin Laden once had a base households shall be conducted using BISP and Nadra database. The secondary care includes day care and maternity services. The priority treatment list for inclusion consist of cardio regular disease, diabetes, burns, road traffic accidents, renal disease and dialysis, TB, hepatitis, treatment of HIV chronic liver disease, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgical oncology. No exclusion for secondary hospitalisation coverage except criminals, self inflicted injuries, attempted suicides, nervous a spokesman for Nangarhar’s police chief, said 26 militants were injured and four captured, including three Pakistani citizens in the fighting that ended on Wednesday. One Afghan policeman was killed. During the operation Afghan forces seized a cache of weapons and explosives from the insurgents, Mashriqiwal said. REUTERS PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Public Service Commission (PSC) has turned into a favourite post-retirement place for senior bureaucrats and technocrats because of attractive salary, perks and privileges. Senior bureaucrats serving in Pakistan’s northwest province ruled by Imran Khan’s PTI party even prefer to get premature retirement to occupy seat in the commission for three years. A senior officer who is to retire this year was made a member of the commission last year. Sarhad Development Authority (SDA) Chairman Ashfaq Khan was appointed the commission’s member in October 2014, while his retirement is due in October 2015. The provincial establishment department had appointed five senior bureaucrats and technocrats as members of the commission last year. The appointments were notified on October 26, 2014. The appointees included Farooq Swati, Dr Zia Mohammad, Maghmoom Khattak, Mohammad Hamayun Khattak and Ashfaq Khan. Two members, including Swati, a meritorious professor, and Hamayun Khan, the agriculture secretary, got pre-mature retirement to join their new assignment. One of the appointed members, Mohammad Ashfaq, a grade-20 ISLAMABAD: Five people suspected to be involved in a grenade attack near a school in Pakistan’s Karachi city have been arrested, a media report said yesterday. The attack was carried out on Tuesday in the city’s Gulshane-Iqbal area, Geo News reported. The suspects were arrested during raids carried out on the basis of information gathered through CCTV footage. Sources said that all the five suspects were associated with a banned outfit. The government had extended winter vacations in schools for security reasons following the Dec 16, 2014 Peshawar school terror attack in which more than 130 school children were killed. The Sindh government had announced that only those schools should reopen where foolproof security arrangements have been ensured. It also decided to implement a shortterm security plan for all educational institutions in the city. Man kills three women, self ISLAMABAD: A man shot dead three women before committing suicide by shooting himself in Lahore, the media reported. The bodies were found in a car outside the Gaddafi Stadium. Police said that the man was sitting in the back seat along with one of the women, while the other two sat in the front, Dawn online reported. The man shot dead two of the women and wounded a third before killing himself. The injured woman was rushed to a hospital but she died later. The motive behind the killings was unclear but the identity of the deceased has been ascertained, police said. We are still investigating as to why the man shot the women dead and evidence is still being gathered, they said. According to the report, two of the dead women were sisters, while the third woman is said to be their mother and the man is reportedly a close friend of two of the victims’ father. officer, who before joining SDA had served as principal secretary to Chief Minister Pervez Khattak, has yet to assume the office. Mohammad Ashfaq had in past served as the irrigation secretary with Pervez Khattak when he was the irrigation minister in the previous provincial coalition government of Awami National Party and Pakistan People’s Party. When approached, Ashfaq said his retirement was due in coming October, but he had submitted application to get premature retirement and requested the government to relieve him in coming June. If his application is approved by the competent authority, then he will join the commission in June otherwise the seat will be lying vacant till his joining. Officials said the salary package and other privileges being offered to the members of the commission were attracting the outgoing bureaucrats to become members of the body, which recruited officials of grade 16 and above for government departments. Member of the provincial commission is appointed for a period of three years. He or she is paid Rs186,000 salary per month that includes Rs50,000 house rent. Every member is provided an official car with driver and an orderly. LAHORE: The government of Punjab in Pakistan’s most populous province has selected 55 terrorism cases for trial by military courts set up under the 21st Amendment. Sources said here yesterday that the cases were under trial in 14 anti-terrorism courts in the province, mostly in Lahore, Rawalpindi and Gujranwala. These included the March 3, 2009 attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore, killing of 10 under-training Khyber Pakhtunkhwa wardens in an attack on their hostel in Samanabad’s Shama Road in Lahore on July 12, 2012 and a sectarian clash in Rawalpindi’s Raja Bazaar on January 15, 2013. The sources said a list of the cases selected by the counterterrorism department had been sent to the home department. INTERNEWS AGENCIES Military courts to hear 55 cases 12 FRIDAY 6 FEBRUARY 2015 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com INDIA Campaigning for Delhi ends, polls tomorrow Surveys suggest close contest between BJP and AAP NEW DELHI: The highdecibel campaigning for the February 7 Delhi assembly polls came to an end yesterday with the three main contenders — the BJP, the Congress and the AAP — holding roadshows, rallies and public meetings in a final attempt to woo voters. According to the Election Commission guidelines, the deadline for campaigning in the national capital was 6pm. For the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the campaigning was led by party president Amit Shah, who held a rally in Madanpur Khadar area of south Delhi, and chief ministerial candidate Kiran Bedi, who took out a roadshow covering Mangolpuri, Sultanpuri, Kirari, Nangloi and Mundka areas in north and west Delhi. Bedi ended her campaigning in her constituency of Krishna Nagar in east Delhi and was joined by union minister and local heavyweight Harsh Vardhan and East Delhi Lok Sabha member Maheish Girri. Bedi interacted with the residents and assured them strong governance under her watch. Vote for AAP, says Mamata KOLKATA: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee yesterday asked the people of Delhi to vote for the AAP in Delhi’s assembly election. “My request to all of you in Delhi to please vote for AAP,” she tweeted. “For the greater need of the country and development in Delhi.” Banerjee’s appeal comes amid her strained relations with the BJP in West Bengal as well as the party’s IANS national leadership and the BJP-led central government. Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) Arvind Kejriwal took out a foot march in his constituency of New Delhi and visited a number of households in an attempt to understand the problems of the residents and assured them of speedy solutions if his party was voted to power. Though the election in Delhi is being seen as a straight fight between the AAP and the BJP, the Congress too registered its presence with party vice president Rahul Gandhi, who joined the campaigning in its final phase, taking out a road show in north Delhi’s Sultanpur Majra. Congress campaign chief Ajay Maken has so far been the leader, but in its last phase, Rahul Gandhi too addressed many rallies. Bedi said she was “confident” that her party will win the polls. Joined by hundreds of supporters, Kejriwal too interacted with voters of his constituency and said he was confident of winning. “The BJP has all the administrative apparatus but we have truth and god on our side,” Kejriwal said. He said people had seen his party’s work in the 49 days when he was chief minister and, therefore, the voters want the same honest government for five years now. Pre-poll surveys have also suggested a close contest between the BJP and the AAP — with the latter having an edge. IANS Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi atop a vehicle campaigning during a roadshow in Delhi. Polls not a referendum on Modi: Amit Shah NEW DELHI: BJP President Amit Shah said the Delhi assembly polls were not a “referendum” on the performance of the National Democratic Alliance government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Shah’s remarks were echoed by his party colleague union minister Arun Jaitley, but AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal, however, contended that these proved that the BJP had admitted to its defeat three days before polling. The BJP chief said that election to a state assembly cannot be a referendum on performance of the central government. “While this is indeed true that the good work of the government of India has its impact on elections, a state election cannot become a referendum (on its functioning) because of that one thing,” Shah said in an interview. “For us (BJP), every election is important and we take every election seriously. Development can only happen under the BJP,” he added. Jaitley did not directly say that the Delhi election was not a referendum on central government but noted that it was a poll to choose chief minister of Delhi. “It is election for Delhi chief minister. People of Delhi will decide,” the finance minister said. Union minister Venkaiah Naidu had Wednesday said that the mandate cannot be seen as a referendum on the performance of Modi government. IANS Srinjoy Bose resigns from RS, Trinamool Poverty elimination KOLKATA: Trinamool Congress’s Rajya Sabha member Srinjoy Bose quit as member of parliament as also from the party, a day after getting bail in a case related to the Saradha chit fund scam. Politics is “not my cup of tea”, he said. Bose, who spent 75 days in police and jail custody after his arrest by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with the Saradha chit fund scam, announced his decision to quit as an MP and also from the primary membership of Trinamool in a media release here. “I would like to inform that with immediate effect, I have resigned from my membership of the Rajya Sabha. I have also decided to resign from the SC not to monitor Saradha probe NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court yesterday turned down the West Bengal government and the Trinamool Congress’s plea for its monitoring of the CBI probe into Saradha and non-Saradha chit fund scam cases. Noting that there was no allegation by the applicant that the CBI was not conducting the probe, the apex court bench of Justice TS Thakur declined the plea seeking apex court’s monitoring of the case and alleging selective leaks by the probe agency. IANS primary membership of the party - the Trinamool Congress,” he said in the release. Bose, editor of his party’s mouthpiece Jago Bangla and vernacular newspaper Sambad Pratidin, said it was during his days in custody that he understood “politics is not my cup of tea”. He also said pressure from his family shaped his decision. “During my days in custody, I finally realised that politics is not my cup of tea. There has also been a lot of pressure from my family, specially from my mother and my wife which finally made me take the decision,” the release said. Bose, however, thanked Trinamool supremo and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for making him an MP. “I would also like to express my deepest gratitude and thanks to all persons who have stood by my family during these extremely difficult times.” Bose was arrested on November 21, 2014, by the CBI for alleged criminal conspiracy, misappropriation of funds and deriving undue financial benefits in connection with the multi-crorerupee Sarada ponzy scam. The assistant general secretary of city soccer giants Mohun Bagan, Bose is the first senior Trinamool leader to be granted bail in the scam. IANS LC Goyal is 11 nurses evacuated from Iraq’s Kirkuk new home secretary NEW DELHI: Senior IAS officer LC Goyal yesterday took over as the new union home secretary replacing Anil Goswami who was removed on Wednesday. Goyal, a 1979 batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the Kerala cadre, is the former rural development secretary. He earlier served as joint secretary for internal security in the home ministry from 2002 to 2007. He will have a fixed tenure of two years. “I feel humbled by this huge responsibility. I will fulfil this responsibility with utmost sincerity, commitment, diligence and with a profound sense of accountability. To be able to do so, I solicit active support and cooperation of all stakeholders,” he said after assuming office. “The home ministry mandate is essentially to ensure effective maintenance of internal security in the country. To achieve this, necessary mechanisms, policies, and measures are in place. Wherever required and appropriate, improvements will be made within the given timelines. This will be so done in close association and coordination with the state governments and union territories,” he said. Goswami resigned after he was told by the government to put in his papers over his alleged role in trying to stall the arrest of former Congress minister Matang Sinh in the Saradha scam. IANS NEW DELHI: Eleven Indian nurses, hailing from Kerala, have been evacuated from conflict-hit Kirkuk in Iraq and are waiting to fly back home, the government said yesterday. External affairs ministry spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin, addressing a briefing, said that the 11 nurses have been “evacuated safely” and are in Irbil, the capital of Kurdistan Region in Iraq. “We are working on the arrangements for their return.. They will return to Kerala at the earliest, he said, adding that External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has spoken to Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy to convey that the nurses are returning. On the status of the 40 Indian men who were abducted in violence-hit Mosul in June last year and who remain untraceable, the spokesperson said efforts to trace them continue but the “situation is unclear”. Sushma Swaraj said in December in parliament that the government “does not have concrete proof ” of the men being alive or dead and is continuing to search for them based on “six indirect sources”. “I have said repeatedly that I do not have concrete proof of them being alive, but I do not have concrete proof of their being dead too,” the minister has said. The 40 men, mostly from Punjab, were abducted by the Islamic State militants from Mosul on June 15. IANS best jihad: Owaisi HYDERABAD: Terming terror group IS as “khawarij” (deviants), Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) president Asaduddin Owaisi yesterday advised India’s educated Muslim youth to work for elimination of poverty as this is the best jihad. The member of Parliament from Hyderabad said the youth should learn the meaning of ‘jihad’ from ‘ulema’ (Islamic scholars) instead of Google searching. “Some youth search the meaning of jihad in Google and they see only Hafiz Saeed, who is the biggest enemy of the country,” Owaisi told reporters here. “You can’t break any law of the land,” he said when asked about the attempts by Muslim youth to go to Iraq or Syria to join the Islamic State,” Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen president said. “Why do you want to go there. There are many evils in your neighbourhood. Work to eliminate them,” he said. “The best jihad is that India’s educated Muslims give time to eliminate poverty from their ranks,” the member of Parliament added. Owaisi quoted a “hadith” or saying of Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) that struggle against own temptations is “Jihad-eAkbar” or the greatest struggle. He pointed out that it is unanimous view of ulema of all schools of thought around the world that IS are deviants and that they have nothing to do with Islam or Islamic teachings. “They are bloody murderers and rapists. They are killing people in the most brutal fashion by decapitating them or cutting their hands. They also burnt a person alive. They have to be condemned,” Asaduddin Owaisi said. Owaisi was addressing a news conference in connection with 144th anniversary celebrations of Jamia Nizamia, one of the oldest seminaries in India. “These are the deceits of the enemy of Islam. They wear shamla (turban) or topi (skull cap) to deceive the world,” said Shaikul Jamia or vice chancellor Mufti Khaleel Ahmed when asked about IS. Police on January 16 arrested 32-year-old US-returned techie he was about to leave for Dubai. Police claimed that Salman Mohiuddin, was on his way to Iraq via Dubai. Last year, the city police had prevented six youths including a former employee of Google, from leaving for Iraq to join IS. Some youth from other parts of the country were also stopped while they were allegedly planning to join the terror group. IANS France invites one-time pariah Modi for summit France’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Development Laurent Fabius (second right) and Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Prakash Javadekar (second left) lead their delegations in a meeting in New Delhi yesterday. NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been invited to Paris in the coming months for what could be the one-time pariah’s first trip to Europe since his election, France’s top diplomat said yesterday. France’s Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said during a visit to New Delhi that the Indian premier had been invited to a summit with President Francois Hollande “in the spring”. “We will be extremely happy to welcome Mr Modi and that is one of the messages that I have come to pass on from the president,” said Fabius ahead of talks with Modi. “We shall be very honoured to welcome him.” Although there have been reports that Modi is planning to travel to Britain and Germany, this is the first firm invitation to Europe since he was elected last May. Modi was effectively blacklisted by the European Union for a decade in the aftermath of communal riots in the state of Gujarat in 2002, soon after he came to power as chief minister. The EU and then the United States ended their boycott of the right-wing Hindu nationalist when it became clear he could be elected leader of the world’s largest democracy. France and India have a strategic partnership and Fabius said the two leaders would have much to discuss in Paris, including nuclear energy and aviation technology. Modi is “looking forward to his visit to France in April,” his office said in a statement, confirming the invitation. AFP FRIDAY 6 FEBRUARY 2015 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com BUSINESS 13 Qatari stocks extend winning streak Oil up 6pc on Libya Index added 621 points during the week; Market cap jumps 4.20pc to QR28bn in past week violence, China easing DOHA: Qatar Exchange (QE) extended its rally for the fifth straight session yesterday, lifting the benchmark index to almost two-month high. The index surged to 12,550 levels before settling at 12,520, or 0.84 percent, to end the week. Real estate and Industrial stocks were the support. The market added 621.03 points, or 5.22 percent during the past week. Market cap jumped 4.20 percent to QR28bn compared to previous week. Masraf Al Rayan, Barwa and Ezdan were the top gainers yesterday. QNB slipped 0.57 percent. Gulf International and MPHC declined 1.36 percent and 1.97 percent, respectively. Masraf Al Rayan jumped 3.5 percent. Analysts noted the stock has risen 15.9 percent since the bank posted a 21.2 percent jump in fourth-quarter profit. Barwa jumped 2.30 percent and Ezdan rose 1.73 percent. Bellwether Industries Qatar (IQ) gained 0.78 percent to QR154.30. On Wednesday, IQ reported QR6.3bn full-year net profit for 201 and recommended a total annual dividend distribution of QR4.2bn, equivalent to a payout of QR7 per share, representing 70 percent. Sector wise, real estate was the top advancer. The sector rose 1.75 percent. Early this week, leading developer Al Asmakh Real Estate Development Company noted the country’s real estate sector is expected to grow by nearly 20 percent during the first quarter of 2015. Al Asmakh said the total amount of selling contracts regarding residential buildings and compounds would witness a surge in the Q1, 2015 compared to the corresponding period of 2014. Banks and Financial Services gained 0.90 percent. Industrials advanced 0.80 percent. Insurance Index plunged 1.20 percent. QE’s weekly data indicates 36 companies of the 43 listed companies ended higher in the past week, while seven fell. The bourse’s trading value increased by 73.36 percent in the past week to hit QR3.51bn. Trading volume surged by 109.86 percent to over 91 million shares as the number of transactions rose by 49.07 percent to 40,426 transactions. The Banks and Financial Services sector led trading value during the week, accounting for 28.87 percent of the total trading value, followed by Real Estate sector, Industrials and Telecoms. The trading volume was led by Real Estate sector accounting for 40.47 percent of the total volume. Banks and Financial Services sector accounted for 20.85 percent. Saudi Arabia’s equities index inched up 0.1 percent, but Saudi Basic Industries, the Gulf ’s largest petrochemicals producer, dropped 2.3 percent. Dubai’s index rose 1.0 percent. Kuwait’s index slipped 0.1 percent as central bank governor Mohammad Al Hashel denied allrgations of illicit share trading, after a local newspaper reported the securities regulator had decided to refer him to prosecutors on suspicion of violating investment rules. Egypt’s market edged down 0.8 percent as major property names pulled back. THE PENINSULA Huawei Centre in India Pfizer to buy Hospira for $15bn to boost portfolio AstraZeneca to buy Actavis lung drugs NEW YORK: Oil was up about 6 percent yesterday as rising violence in producing country Libya and an expected boost in oil demand from a central bank easing in China helped crude rebound from one of its sharpest daily routs ever in the previous session. Traders and analysts said they expect higher-than-usual volatility in coming days as the market tries to find a bottom to a sevenmonth selloff that took prices to near six-year lows. But many were pessimistic about the market making a sustained rally, with record-high US crude inventories rekindling renewed worries about a supply glut. “It is just a changing market sentiment as more and more players are starting to believe production cuts are coming in the US and that will be enough to erase the surplus,” Dominick Chirichella, senior partner at the Energy Management Institute, New York, said on the Reuters Global Oil Forum. “I think there will be a lot of disappointment going forward for that view.” Benchmark Brent crude futures were up $3, or 5.5 percent, at $57.16 a barrel by 1802 GMT. US crude futures, also known as West Texas Intermediate (WTI), were up $3.16, or 6.5 percent, at $51.61. Brent fell nearly 7 percent and WTI 9 percent on Wednesday after the US government reported a 6.3 million-barrel build in US crude stocks last week to above 413 million, their highest since 1982. The report cut short a fourday rally had sent crude prices nearly 20 percent higher. Prices were up from early yesterday, reacting to a raid on an oilfield in Libya by gunmen even though production was not affected. An attack on a tanker off Nigeria and monetary easing by China that could boost on oil demand also provided support to crude. The rally accelerated towards noon, after oil services firm Genscape reported a smallerthan-expected build in crude stockpiles at the Cushing, Oklahoma, delivery point for WTI in the four days since January 30. NEW YORK: Pfizer Inc said it would buy Hospira Inc for about $15bn to boost its portfolio of generic injectable drugs and copies of biotech medicines. Pfizer is known for prescription medicines like impotence treatment Viagra and Lyrica for nerve pain, but many of its biggest brands, including cholesterol treatment Lipitor and painkiller Celebrex, have lost patent protection and are facing cheaper generics. The company needs new products to keep its earnings growing. Hospira makes generic versions of injectable drugs that are widely used in hospitals, through vials, syringes and bags, as well as pumps used to deliver them and other fluids. It also sells several biosimilars, or copies of biotech drugs, overseas and has others in development. Pfizer offered $90 per share in cash, a 39 percent premium to Hospira’s closing stock price on Wednesday. Hospira shares soared 35 percent to nearly $88 yesterday, while Pfizer was up 2.7 percent at $32.93. The proposed acquisition is Pfizer’s largest since the New York company failed in its attempt to buy AstraZeneca Plc, which rebuffed its $118bn approach last year but has remained a subject of takeover speculation. Pfizer said the latest move showed its commitment to deploy capital and deliver revenue and earnings-per-share growth in the near term. The company said it expected the deal to add 10 cents to 12 cents per share to earnings in the first full year after it closes. “I don’t think this deal is a game changer for Pfizer but helps them build out their sterile injectables business without wildly overpaying for assets, as the company has done in the past,” said portfolio manager Les Funtleyder of E Squared Asset Management. Pfizer expects the deal, which requires regulatory and shareholder approvals, to close later this year, immediately boosting earnings and enabling the company to cut annual costs by $800 million over the next three years. CEO Ian Read said the Hospira deal would not delay any breakup of Pfizer, an action the company has said it could take by 2017 if an accounting analysis determines it makes sense. Drugmakers are racing to develop biosimilars, which typically cost 20 percent to 30 percent less than the original, as big-ticket patents on biotech drugs expire and cash-strapped healthcare systems cut costs. Biosimilars are expected to account for about one-quarter of the $100bn in sales from off-patent biological drugs by the end of the decade, according to a study by Thomson REUTERS Reuters BioWorld. QNB announces winners of its campaign Tooth scare bites into McDonald’s profit Innovation agenda key DOHA: QNB announced the names of eight lucky winners of its recently launched campaign “Register on QNB Internet Banking or Mobile Banking and win an iPhone 6’’. The winners were: Ali Rizwan Ahmed, Daniel Vincent Mcintyre, Azwindzhiga Nekhudazhiga, Arthur Genoguin Badiable, Feros Junaideen, Ahmed Rezk Aly Elerian Elzayyat, Nathan John Kay and Mahdi Ali Hussain. All customers who registered on QNB Internet Banking or Mobile Banking and conducted a minimum of two online transactions were eligible to enter a “Raffle Draw” during the campaign period to get the chance to win a new iPhone 6. They will be able to access the most comprehensive online banking experience in the Mena region. QNB provides the best Internet banking services to its clients in Qatar, including flexibility to transfer worldwide through Western Union services, PayPal, and many other convenient and secured services via Internet and Mobile banking services. THE PENINSULA LONDON: AstraZeneca said yesterday it would buy Actavis’ branded respiratory drug business in the United States and Canada for an initial $600m as it reported disappointing fourth-quarter earnings. AstraZeneca, which is seeking such deals to drive growth, will also pay another $100m after Actavis agreed to changes in ongoing collaborations between the two firms. Britain’s second-biggest drugmaker said 2015 sales would decline by a mid single-digit percent at constant exchange rates. But adjusted or “core” earnings per share (EPS) are forecast to increase by a low single-digit percent this year, due to lower spending and plans to find partners on certain projects. “We’ll behave as a biotech company would when it comes to products that are not core,” Chief Executive Pascal Soriot told reporters, citing a recent Alzheimer’s deal with Eli Lilly as a model for future cost-sharing. Citi analyst Andrew Baum said AstraZeneca appeared to have “kitchen-sinked” the quarter, or taken a deliberate hit to earnings by bringing forward some drug development costs. Deutsche’s Mark Clark said this should help secure 2015 profits. REUTERS Visitors to the newly-inaugurated Huawei Research and Development Centre look at the products on display after its inauguration in Bangalore yesterday. The 20-acre Bangalore campus, which will accommodate 5,000 engineers, is the largest Research and Development Centre of Huawei outside China. REUTERS focus for GCC: GPCA McDonald’s Holdings Co (Japan) President and CEO Sarah Casanova speaks during a news conference in Tokyo yesterday. TOKYO: The head of McDonald’s Japan yesterday apologised after unexpected objects — including a human tooth — were found in the chain’s food as the fastfood giant reported its first annual loss in 11 years. The firm reported a bigger-than-expected loss of 21.8bn yen ($186m) last year — reversing a yearearlier profit — as sales plunged in the wake of the embarrassing discoveries. The unit’s Canadian chief Sarah Casanova said the poor results marked a “harsh evaluation” by wary customers at a press conference in Tokyo, and bowed deeply in a common act of contrition for executives in Japan. “I would like to sincerely apologise once again for all of the great anxiety and concern,” she told reporters. A human tooth was found in some french fries sold at an Osaka outlet last year, the firm admitted in January. McDonald’s said there were no employees missing a tooth at the outlet and it believed there was a very low possibility of contamination at the US factory that had shipped the chips. Two days later, a Japanese woman claimed to have discovered what was later identified as “dental material” in a McDonald’s hamburger from northernmost Hokkaido in September. Japanese media reported several other cases of contamination, including a piece of AFP metal in a pancake. DOHA: Regional governments have put innovation front and centre on their national agenda, as evidenced by the growing R&D budgets in the Arabian Gulf, said the Gulf Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association (GPCA). GPCA represents the downstream hydrocarbon industry in the Arabian Gulf. The association voices the common interests of more than 240 member companies from the chemical and allied industries, accounting for over 95 percent of chemical output in the Gulf region. With Saudi Arabia and Qatar making up the top 40 investors in research and development worldwide in 2014, according to a recent study by US research group Batelle, the region’s sizeable revenues are now being earmarked into significant scientific endeavours. According to data compiled by Batelle, Qatar devotes 2.8 percent of its GDP to R&D, a level similar to that of the US or Germany. Saudi Arabia, although impressive among its GCC peers, comes in at just 0.3 percent of GDP. “Attempts to drive innovation in the GCC are still at an early stage. But as countries increase R&D spending, the results will have a huge impact on non-oil,” said Dr Abdulwahab Al Sadoun, Secretary General, GPCA. The strategies that drive research and innovation will be a key focus of discussion at the upcoming 2nd GPCA Research & Innovation Summit. The key note address at the conference will be delivered by Prince Dr Turki bin Saud bin Mohammed Al Saud, President of King Abdulaziz City for Science and Tehcnology (KACST). Other speakers include Dr Ernesto Occhiello, Executive Vice President, Technology and Innovation, Sabic; and Ahmad O Al Khowaiter, Chief Technology Officer, Saudi Aramco. The Research & Innovation Summit will be held in Dubai, from March 16-18. THE PENINSULA 14 FRIDAY 6 FEBRUARY 2015 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com BUSINESS ECB restricts Greek banks’ access to cash Athens says ‘will not be blackmailed’ after ECB move FRANKFURT: The European Central Bank yesterday cut off Greek banks’ access to a key source of much-needed cash, piling fresh pressure on the country’s new government to reach a deal with international creditors. In a decision that rattled financial markets, the ECB said it would no longer allow Greek banks to use government debt, which has a junk rating, as collateral for loans. The announcement came just hours after new Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis held his first talks with ECB chief Mario Draghi as part of the country’s push to renegotiate Athens’ €240bn ($270bn) EU-IMF bailout. Stock markets fell on the news, while the euro tumbled by more than one percent against the dollar. Greece said it would not be “blackmailed” and insisted its banks were secure after the ECB move. “The Greek republic does not intend to blackmail anyone but will not be blackmailed either,” a government source said, adding that the Greek banking system “was fully secure”. Athens views this decision as “an act of political pressure to enable the rapid conclusion of an agreement” with Greece’s international creditors, the government source said. “The liquidity and funding of Greek banks is fully safeguarded by the ELA mechanism,” the source added, referring to the ECB’s emergency liquidity assistance programme that has been a financial lifeline for Greek banks. Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras spoke with ECB chief Mario Draghi late Wednesday, after the bank announcement, government spokesman Gabriel Sakellaridis said. While declining to give details, he told private Mega TV: “We are prepared to talk to all our creditors.” “(We want) all sides to understand that Greece is being subjected to an irrational policy,” he said, adding that Athens wanted to find a solution “without a gun to our head”. Tsipras’ anti-austerity government came to power after last week’s election on a promise to renegotiate Greece’s EU-IMF bailout and erase over half the country’s debt. He and Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis have been holding a flurry of meetings with EU leaders and ECB officials this week in the hope of drawing allies to Greece’s cause. Sakellaridis said the ECB’s move could speed efforts to reach agreement on Greece’s demands. “This pressure can lead all sides to reach a solution, a mutually beneficial solution,” he told Mega. The Greek stock market plunged more than nine percent in early trading before recovering some of its losses. Elected on a pledge to end austerity policies imposed on Greece as part of its bailout, Tsipras faces the delicate task of convincing his European partners to reverse course while ensuring Athens still gets the aid required to avoid a default. In Brussels, Tsipras struck an upbeat note after talks with European Commission chief JeanClaude Juncker and EU president Donald Tusk, saying he was optimistic of a “viable and mutually acceptable solution”. A Greek government source said Tsipras and Juncker discussed plans to “jointly” create a four-year reform plan for Greece, as well as a bridging deal to give Athens time to draw up plans for reforms including on corruption and tax evasion. But Tusk acknowledged that resolving the showdown over Greece’s debt was likely to be “difficult” and needed “cooperation and dialogue as well as determined efforts by Greece.” Ahead of the ECB talks in Frankfurt, Varoufakis told the German weekly Die Zeit that the ECB “should support our banks so that we can stay afloat”, acknowledging that Greece was “a bankrupt country”. The former economics professor later described his talks with Draghi as “very fruitful”. But after a meeting of its policy-setting governing council late Wednesday, the ECB said it was taking the step to end the special waiver for Greece because “it is currently not possible to assume a successful conclusion of the programme review”. The waiver, which will end on February 11, had allowed banks to pledge their Greek bonds as collateral, even though the securities did not meet standards for a minimum credit rating. Greece faces key payments on its debt at the end of February and again at the end of May. AFP Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis (second right) and German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble (left) arrive for a news conference following talks at the finance ministry in Berlin yesterday. Greece hits German wall ATHENS: Greece’s ambitious hard-left government yesterday ran into trouble with Germany and the European Central Bank but vowed to push ahead with its electoral pledge to renegotiate the country’s unpopular bailout. After a positive start to this week’s meetings with European leaders, Berlin poured cold water on Greece’s hopes just as the ECB dealt a blow to its funding. “We even didn’t agree to disagree from where I’m standing,” a subduedlooking Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis told a news conference following talks with his counterpart Wolfgang Schaeuble. But Germany remains opposed and in a stunning move, the ECB said it would no longer accept Greek government bonds as collateral for loans. Addressing his newly elected lawmakers in parliament yesterday, Tsipras insisted he would carry out his party’s promises to end the “nightmare” of austerity in Greece. “We are a sovereign country, we have democracy, we have a contract with our people, we will honour this agreement,” Tsipras said in a speech frequently interAFP rupted by applause. US trade deficit widens; Indonesian growth at 5-year low weekly jobless claims up Ford completes €2.3bn Spanish car plant investment WASHINGTON: The US trade deficit in December widened sharply to its highest level since 2012 as a stronger dollar appeared to suck in imports and weigh on exports, which could see the fourth-quarter economic growth estimate revised lower. The Commerce Department said on Thursday the trade deficit jumped 17.1 percent to $46.6bn, the largest since November 2012. It was the biggest percentage increase since July 2009 and also reflected a sputtering global economy. “It is not hard to come up with reasons for the weakness in today’s report — sluggish foreign growth and a strong dollar are the obvious ones,” said Michael Feroli, an economist at JPMorgan in New York. Wall Street had expected the trade gap to narrow to $38bn. When adjusted for inflation, the deficit widened to $54.7bn from $48.7bn in November. December’s shortfall was wider than the government had assumed when it reported last week that gross domestic product had expanded at a 2.6 percent annual rate in the fourth quarter. Trade was estimated to have subtracted 1.02 percentage point from GDP growth. Economists said it now appeared the drag on growth was bigger and they expect the government to lower the fourthquarter growth estimate by as much as four-tenths of a percentage point when it publishes revisions later this month. On an inflation-adjusted trade-weighted basis, the dollar appreciated 5.3 percent last year. While trade is on the back foot, the labor market is weathering the strong dollar and the global slowdown. Initial claims for state unemployment benefits increased 11,000 to a seasonally adjusted 278,000 for the week ended January 31, the Labour Department said in a separate report. The increase, which was less than economists’ expectations for a rise to 290,000, left intact the bulk of the prior week’s huge decline, which had taken claims to their lowest level since April 2000. US stocks were trading higher, while the dollar slipped against a basket of currencies. US Treasury debt prices fell. January’s employment report to be released on Friday will likely show that nonfarm payrolls increased 234,000, according to a Reuters survey of economists, which would be the longest stretch of job gains above 200,000 since 1994. A firming labour market, together with lower gasoline prices, is seen bolstering consumer spending, which is expected to drive growth in early 2015. “We still believe the US can remain an oasis of prosperity in the world even if international developments are starting to intrude a little on our buoyant forecasts for 2015,” said Chris Rupkey, chief financial economist at MUFG Union Bank in New York. REUTERS JAKARTA: Indonesia’s economy expanded at its slowest pace for five years in 2014, official data showed yesterday, hit by political uncertainty and weak exports, putting pressure on the country’s new president to deliver much-needed reforms. Southeast Asia’s biggest economy expanded 5 percent yearon-year, the statistics agency said, down from 5.8 percent in 2013, and the weakest pace since 2009, at the height of the global financial crisis. The figures “help to underline the challenge facing the country’s new president, Joko Widodo, who despite a promising first few months in office faces a tough challenge”, said Gareth Leather, Asia economist from Capital Economics. Widodo, who won office partly on a pledge to revive the slowing economy, has promised to woo investors by cutting red tape and ploughing money into overhauling the country’s ageing infrastructure. He has already slashed crippling fuel subsidies that have in the past gobbled up 20 percent of the state budget, promising to divert the money towards boosting the economy and helping the country’s poorest. While his early moves have been praised, analysts warn that he faces a tough time to push through more reforms in a country plagued by corruption, where protectionist instincts are still strong and parliament is dominated by the opposition. Indonesia’s economy, long a bright spot among the Group of 20, has been slowing in recent years as the price of its key commodity exports are hit by weakening demand in regional powerhouse China and other major markets. AFP Vendors prepare clothing for sale at a stall in Tanah Abang market in Jakarta yesterday. Internet regulator admits US control may be extended SINGAPORE: The head of the Internet overseer ICANN conceded yesterday that the United States may have to extend its control over the group beyond September as governments bicker over a replacement regulatory regime. Fadi Chehade, chief executive of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, said he still hoped that a new oversight system could be agreed in time. “I will be more disappointed if the transition happened but we are disunited and lose the trust of the world because (stakeholders) are fighting so hard for special interests and forget the public interest,” he said in an interview. “We are ready for both scenarios. We are ready if the contract needs to be extended a bit and we are ready if it ends.” ICANN is in charge of assigning Internet domain names and the numbering codes that lie behind online addresses. It has been overseen by the US government since its inception in 1998, under a contract that expires on September 30. Some countries including China and Russia are calling for ICANN in future to be supervised by an inter-governmental body, without civil society or business representation. Critics say such a model would provide a powerful tool to repressive regimes. Chehade said that instead, progress has been made toward ICANN becoming answerable to a globally representative group of governments, civil society and businesses. “It is still possible,” he said of the prospect of a new model being agreed before September 30. “We have a date, and we are working towards that date, but I hope that we don’t sacrifice everything for that,” he said ahead of the group’s latest meeting in Singapore, which begins on Monday. Chehade said China, until recently a vocal critic of the so-called “multi-stakeholder” model, was showing signs of warming to the plan after senior Chinese officials attended ICANN meetings in London last year. “If the US continues its unique (stewardship) role in ICANN... in my opinion, this is what could fragment the Internet and cause other governments to say this is not a neutral and trustworthy place,” Chehade said. He also addressed fears by some US lawmakers that Washington’s ceding of ICANN oversight could lead to control of the group being wrested by other governments, undermining the US’s own national interest. AFP MADRID/DETROIT: US car manufacturer Ford announced yesterday the final part of a €2.3bn ($2.6bn) expansion of its operations in Spain, in what it called the biggest ever investment in the country’s auto industry. The investment consists of an initial €1.1bn announced in 2011, followed by another €1.2bn since 2013, Ford said. The investment in the Spanish plant continues a trend of auto production moving south in Europe, where wages tend to be lower. Ford closed a factory in Belgium last year as part of a restructuring of its loss-making European operations. Just as Mexico has a thriving motor industry making vehicles for much of the Americas, its Spanish counterpart is prospering by keeping labor costs down and targeting markets abroad. Around 80 percent of the Ford plant’s production is for export. Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy visited the Ford plant in the eastern region of Valencia yesterday and said the auto industry had played a key part in the recuperation of the Spanish economy. The European Commission has sharply increased its forecasts for Spanish economic growth this year. The investments will allow Ford to build six different model lines, up from four currently, and expand exports to markets outside of Europe, including shipments of Transit Connect compact vans to the United States, a company spokesman said. Once the expansions are complete, the Valencia plant will have capacity to build 450,000 vehicles a year. That will make Valencia one of the two largest assembly operations in Ford’s global manufacturing system, along with the automaker’s factory in Chongqing, China. Ford employs around 8,000 people at the facility, the company said, up from just below 5,000 in early 2013. Spain’s car industry, including auto parts manufacturers which spring up around factories to supply production lines, created 26,800 jobs in 2014, according to Spanish car producers’ association ANFAC. REUTERS FRIDAY 6 FEBRUARY 2015 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com MARKET QE Indices Summary QE Index 12,520.66 0.84 % QE Total Return Index 18,793.1 0.84 % QE Al Rayan Islamic Index 4,392.14 1.80 % QE All Share Index 3,235.14 0.87 % QE All Share Banks & Financial Services 3,258.24 0.90 % QE All Share Industrials 4,055.48 0.80 % QE All Share Transportation 2,435.02 0.67 % QE All Share Real Estate 2,511.81 1.75 % QE All Share Insurance 3,863.19 1.20 % QE All Share Telecoms 1,414.06 0.82 % QE All Share Consumer Goods & Services 7,368.98 0.66 % QE Market Summary Comparison Index Change % YTD% Volume Value (QAR) Trades Today Previous day 05-02-2015 04-02-2015 12,520.66 104.73 0.84 1.91 28,050,472 883,884,281.66 10,641 12,415.93 136.56 1.11 1.06 28,712,862 1,161,812,581.54 10,800 Up 26 | Down 13 | Unchanged 02 WORLD STOCK INDICES INDEX All Ordinaries Day’s Close 5765.468 Pt Chg 31.76 % Chg Year High Year Low 0.55 5759.2 5248.5 Cac 40 Index/D 4670.74 -25.56 -0.54 4701.52 4076.16 Dj Indu Average 17673.02 6.62 0.04 18103.4 15340.69 Hang Seng Inde/D 24765.49 85.73 0.35 24995.08 23312.5 Iseq Overall/D 5604.55 1.67 0.03 5639.89 5072.7 Karachi 100 In/D 34672.25 -154.26 -0.44 34844.8 32134.82 Nikkei 225 Index 17504.62 -174.12 -0.98 17850.59 16592.57 S&P 500 Index/D 2041.51 -8.52 -0.42 2093.55 1737.92 Straits Times/D 3406.58 -10.99 -0.32 3432.62 3267.89 Straits Times/D 3290.99 -1.82 -0.06 3387.84 2953.01 Straits Times/D 3274.06 -8.82 -0.27 3291.83 2953.01 15 EXCHANGE RATE GOLD & SILVER GOLD QR148.2182 SILVER QR 2.0186 Buying Selling US$.......................... QR 3.6305 UK ........................... QR 5.5162 Euro ......................... QR 4.1362 CA$.......................... QR 2.8827 Swiss Fr .................. QR 3.9013 Yen .......................... QR 0.0308 Aus$ ........................ QR 2.8209 Ind Re ...................... QR 0.0584 Pak Re ..................... QR 0.0357 Peso ........................ QR 0.0818 SL Re....................... QR 0.0272 Taka ......................... QR 0.0463 Nep Re .................... QR 0.0365 SA Rand .................. QR 0.3162 CRUDE OIL BRENT $ 55.02 DUBAI $ 52.60 QR 3.6500 QR 5.5945 QR 4.1937 QR 2.9398 QR 3.9573 QR 0.0314 QR 2.8767 QR 0.0596 QR 0.0364 QR 0.0834 QR 0.0278 QR 0.0474 QR 0.0373 QR 0.3226 QATAR EXCHANGE | DAILY TRADING REPORT | 05-02-2015 INTERNATIONAL MARKETS A List of Shares from the world COMPANY NAME CLOSE NET VOLUME Volume CHG TRADED A C C-A/D 1504.45 6.15 Aarti Drugs-B/D 1229 -39.25 Aban Offs-A/D 478.7 -12.45 Aegis Logis-B/D 441.65 -3.7 Ahmed.Forg-B/D 313.5 -5.8 Alembic-B/D 42 -1.35 Alkyl Amines-B/D 330 13.6 Alok Indus-A/D 9.89 -0.13 Apollo Tyre-A/D 226.85 -4.2 Asahi I Glass-/D 142.7 -3.2 Ashok Leyland-/D 62.45 -1.45 Bajaj Hold-A/D 1403.5 -20.9 Ballarpur In-B/D 16.1 -0.5 Bata India-A/D 1360.45 -1.7 Bayer Crop-A/D 3475.65 46.25 Beml Ltd-A/D 911.45 -2.9 Bh Electronic-/D 3495.3 -57.55 Bhansali Eng-T/D 18.1 -1 Bharat Bijle-B/D 613.8 -4.3 Bharatgears-B/D 75.1 -3.9 Bhartiya Int-B/D 410.15 -1.8 Bhel-A/D 277.5 -7.6 Bom.Burmah-B/D 434.85 1.55 Bombay Dyeing-/D 75.75 -6.55 Camph.& All-B/D 314.9 5.8 Canfin Homes-B/D 616.5 -0.3 Caprihans-B/D 85.05 -1.1 Cast.Bo/D 464.95 -5.3 Century Enka-B/D 164.95 -4.5 Century Text-A/D 524.3 -6.55 Chambal Fert-B/D 59.7 -0.3 22992 3995 235249 2370 51161 162857 6675 1166657 233413 22951 1202171 2234 355923 12043 2850 73838 11355 7585 5734 14884 9761 296194 166425 982772 33297 4548 2941 47181 11088 96785 239567 COMPANY NAME CLOSE NET VOLUME Volume CHG TRADED Chola Invest-B/D 543.05 -12.7 Chowgule St-T/D 26.55 0.15 Cimmco-B/D 76 -1.65 Cipla-A/D 661.95 -15.95 City Union Bk-/D 94.95 4.25 Cmc Ltd-A/D 1920 23 Colgate-A/D 1854.25 32.5 Container Cor-/D 1366.95 -28.8 Dai-Tichi Kar-/D 166.2 -1.5 Dcm Financia-B/D 1.17 0.02 Dcm Shram Ind-/D 88.8 1.25 Dhampur Sugar-/D 42.5 -0.1 Dr. Reddy-A/D 3077.15 -25.2 E I H-B/D 107.55 -3.8 E.I.D Parry-A/D 172.55 -6.6 Eicher Motor-A/D 15800 -127.65 Eimco Elecon-T/D 424 -22.3 Electrosteel-B/D 17.5 -0.6 Emco-B/D 39.75 -0.1 Escorts Fin-B/D 5.4 -0.1 Escorts-A/D 126.2 -0.65 Essar Oil-T/D 111.85 -0.95 Eveready Indu-/D 203.1 -0.35 F D C-B/D 159.15 -4.8 Federal Bank-A/D 137.1 -3.05 Ferro Alloys-B/D 5.8 0.08 Fgp Ltd-B/D 2.25 -0.1 Finolex-A/D 290.25 -3.05 Gail-A/D 424.05 -8.75 Galada Power-T/D 27.35 1.3 Gammon India-T/D 22.7 -0.6 23936 9621 32170 96127 1932844 9484 17257 3953 11411 11300 3340 21511 41585 13402 33305 3094 4090 162659 283767 8493 168078 31304 88383 12712 228807 15643 3827 13996 170419 72750 88807 COMPANY NAME CLOSE NET VOLUME Volume CHG TRADED Garden P -B/D 28.7 Goodricke-B/D 144.9 Goodyear I -B/D 607.5 Hcl Infosys-B/D 46.2 Him.Fut.Comm-T/D 17.3 Himat Seide-B/D 85.2 Hind Motors-T/D 7.53 Hind Org Chem-/D 19.85 Hind Unilever-/D 908.15 Hind.Petrol-A/D 605.55 Hindalco-A/D 147.8 Hous Dev Fin-A/D 1248.9 I F C I-A/D 37.75 Idbi-A/D 65.65 Ifb Agro-B/D 289 Ifb Ind.Ltd.-B/D 465.95 India Cement-A/D 96.2 India Glycol-B/D 106.25 Indian Hotel-A/D 122.25 Indo-Tcount-T/D 466 Indusind-A/D 860 J.B.Chemical-B/D 193.05 Jagson Phar-B/D 35.25 Jamnaauto-B/D 180 Jbf Indu-B/D 253.6 Jct Elect P -B/D 0.67 Jct Ltd-B/D 4.22 Jenson&Nich.-B/D 5.13 Jktyre&Ind-B/D 116.4 Jmc Projects-T/D 171 Kabra Extr-B/D 89.35 -0.2 -3.45 -6.3 -1.85 0.5 -1.65 -0.17 -0.85 8.2 3.8 -4.25 15.8 -1.4 -3.15 -11.9 -5.3 -7.9 -3.95 -1 -5.5 -1.45 1.85 1.7 -22.8 0.1 0.03 -0.14 0 -0.3 -2.1 -1.65 2080 18475 2605 312541 2291775 19074 55100 37354 117922 237253 489352 180536 904306 468544 2381 7684 338383 115385 72776 26019 96591 162472 59837 40456 176872 8013 653138 19708 200259 3010 4835 COMPANY NAME CLOSE NET VOLUME Volume CHG TRADED Kajaria Cer-A/D 749.6 32.9 Kalpat Power-B/D 237.8 0.4 Kalyani Stel-T/D 148 -4.45 Kanoria Chem-B/D 42.75 5 Kg Denim-B/D 24.55 -0.1 Kilburnengg-T/D 49 -1.95 Kinetic Eng-B/D 44.25 0 Kopran-B/D 53.85 -1.45 Lakshmi Elec-B/D 394.9 -43.4 Lgb Broth-B/D 584.3 -2.35 Lok.Hous&Con-T/D 13.02 -0.61 Lumax Ind-B/D 410.65 0.4 Lupin-A/D 1582.5 3.85 Lyka Labs-T/D 38.2 -2 Mah.Seamless-B/D 212.1 -2.55 Mangalam Cem-B/D319.85 0.1 Maral Overs-B/D 24.25 1.85 Mastek-B/D 381.4 -4.55 Max India L-A/D 486.35 -17.6 Mrpl-A/D 53.95 -2 Nagreeka Ex-B/D 24.1 0.1 Nagreeka Ex-B/D 24.1 0.1 Nahar Spg.-B/D 92.1 -1.8 Nation Alum -A/D 48.45 0 Navneet Edu-B/D 108.75 -0.75 Nepc India-T/D 3.04 -0.16 Neuland Lab-B/D 396.7 4.3 Nrb Bearings-B/D 132 -0.95 O N G C-A/D 355.9 -12.45 Ocl India-B/D 539 7.25 Oil Country-B/D 35.05 -1.3 30592 129178 37103 333032 51606 39331 2110 85117 33685 2600 25715 3881 62615 160976 14248 11665 131733 55167 134488 97023 5056 5056 17489 263039 23900 17748 16088 3245 263717 6465 2643 COMPANY NAME CLOSE Onward Tech-B/D Orchid Chem-B/D Orient Hotel-T/D Orient.Carb.-T/D Pacific Indu-B/D Patspin India-/D Radico Khait-B/D Rallis India-A/D Reliance Indus/D Ruchi Soya-B/D S Bk Bikaner-B/D Samtel-T/D Saur.Cem-B/D Tanfac Indust-/D Tanfac Indust-/D Til Ltd.-T/D Timexgroup-T/D Tinplate-B/D Ucal Fuel-B/D Ucal Fuel-B/D Ultramarine-B/D Unitech P -A/D NET VOLUME Volume CHG TRADED 51 1.05 63.7 -2.25 23.2 -0.5 463 -67.6 210 -1.3 8.15 0.47 94 0.05 227.15 7.1 462.25 -17.6 36.2 -0.55 640.05 -9.25 7.77 -0.4 42.85 -2.55 22.55 0.3 22.55 0.3 489 -45.85 18.01 0.78 60.35 0.05 145.85 -0.65 145.85 -0.65 67.75 -0.5 17.45 -1.8 2155 146162 2273 43087 9807 7710 44574 25409 71981 80915 14230 4648 226475 12386 12386 48765 220016 53132 34563 34563 5212 8730770 LONDON 3I Group/D 477.2384 1.8 368401 Assoc.Br.Foods/D 3003 -39 182764 Barclays/D 247.75 -1 11931325 Bg Group/D 930.4 -1.6 4487435 Bp/D 444.1 -1.25 12767336 Brit Am Tobacc/D 3690 -45.5 855339 COMPANY NAME CLOSE NET VOLUME Volume CHG TRADED Bt Group/D 441 Centrica/D 294.3 Gkn/D 379 Hsbc Holdings/D 611 Imperial Tobac/D 3040 Kingfisher/D 330.6 Land Secs Grou/D1300.125 Legal & Genera/D 267.7 Lloyds Bnk Grp/D 74.7 Pearson/D 1367 Prudential/D 1612.5 Rank Group/D 180.6716 Rentokil Initi/D 121.2 Rolls Royce Pl/D 898.525 Rsa Insrance G/D 446.7 Sainsbury(J)/D 264.2 Severn Trent/D 2131 Smith&Nephew/D 1189 Smiths Group/D 1155.85 Standrd Chart /D 922.1 Tate & Lyle/D 654.5 Tesco/D 228.95 Unilever/D 2852 United Util Gr/D 1000.46 Vodafone Group/D 231.75 Whitbread/D 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Star striker Khalfan Ibrahim opened the scoring in the 22nd minute from just inside the penalty area. But Al Wakrah equalised just eight minutes later when Hamood Yazidi’s brilliant free kick found the back of the net. The ‘Wolves’ again went ahead in the 64th minute when Ali Asadallah slotted home from a corner kick. But Mouchine Moutouali levelled the scores again in the 77th minute as he curled the ball through the gap between two defenders and past the keeper. The 11th-placed side then gave the league leaders a tough time but Al Sadd managed to hold on for the rest of the game to salvage a point. That gave the ‘Wolves’ a slender one-point lead at the top of the standings which could be short-lived if Lekhwiya beat Al Gharafa today at the Thani bin Jassim Stadium. In yesterday’s other games, Cho Young-Cheol’s last-gasp goal gave Qatar SC the win over Al Sailiya and Al Khor thrashed Al Ahli 4-2. THE PENINSULA QSL Results Al Sadd 2 (K. Ibrahim 23’, A. Assadalla 65’) Al Wakrah 2 (H. Al Yazeedi 31’, M. Moutouali 77’) Al Khor 4 (M. Antonio 27’, J. Cesar 48’, Madson 54’, M. Antonio (Penalty) 77’) Al Ahli 2 (D. Kaluyituka 69’, M. Jabbari 82’) Al Sailiya 1 (F. Aaish (Penalty) 85’), Qatar SC 2 (H. Harbaoui 12’, Cho Young-Cheol 90+5’) Ivory Coast’s Yaya Toure (left) celebrates with team-mate Kouassi Gervais after scoring a goal against the Democratic Republic of Congo during a semi-final match of the Africa Cup of Nations, in Bata on Wednesday. Ivory Coast ease into Cup of Nations final BATA, Equatorial Guinea: Goals from Yaya Toure and Gervinho helped steer Ivory Coast into the Africa Cup of Nations final in a 3-1 win over Democratic Republic of Congo in the Estadio de Bata on Wednesday. Toure, playing at a sixth finals, blasted home a missile-like shot after 21 minutes to give the Ivorians the lead but a handball allowed Dieumerci Mbokani to equalise from the penalty spot three minutes later. Gervinho had an effort cleared off the line in the 40th minute but the Ivorians won back the ball and caught the Congolese defence cold with Wilfried Bony setting up Gervinho to sweep home less than a minute later. Defender Wilfried Kanon added a third midway through the second half with a rebound from a corner. Ivory Coast will play in Sunday’s final in Bata against Equatorial Guinea or Ghana who meet in the second semi-final in Malabo yesterday. DR Congo might have had the first goal as early as the sixth minute as the lanky Jeremy Bokila swept past his marker, forcing a save from Sylvain Gbohouo with his shot and then seeing Mbokani miscue the rebound. But Toure showed the way with a stunning shot on the half volley from the edge of the box that was Al Sadd’s Khalfan Ibrahim (left) vies for possession of the ball against Al Wakrah’s Ahmed Fadel during a Qatar Stars League (QSL) match at Al Sadd Stadium in Doha yesterday. BELOW: Al Wakrah’s Mohsine Moutaouali (left) vies for possession of the ball against Al Sadd skipper Ibrahim Majed Abdullmajed. Mickelson says rival Hamilton, Scherzinger split Woods will have ‘last laugh’ on critics LA JOLLA, California: Tiger Woods may be coming off his worst round as a professional but longtime rival Phil Mickelson said on Wednesday the 14-time major champion will have the last laugh on critics suggesting he has the yips. Mickelson said it is only a matter of time before Woods, who is struggling in his return to competitive golf after a long layoff due to a back injury, rediscovers his form. “Tiger’s going to have the last laugh. I think that his short game, historically, is one of the best of all time and I think his golf game is probably the best of all time,” Mickelson said ahead of this week’s Farmers Insurance Open. “When you haven’t played, it’s (short game) the first thing to feel uncomfortable and the quickest thing to get back.” Woods fired an 82 last week in Phoenix during a round where he sprayed drives, flew approach shots over greens, flubbed chips and missed short putts in his second event in five months. He will be in familiar surroundings this week at Torrey Pines, where he has won seven times and also claimed the 2008 US Open. “I think we all, myself included, have had stretches where we feel a little uncomfortable, we don’t hit it solid, and usually it’s just a small tweak,” said Mickelson. “Because it’s such a short swing it’s not a hard thing to fix. I just don’t see that lasting more than a week or two.” Mickelson, a 42-times winner, is enduring a win drought of his own having gone over 18 months since claiming the 2013 British Phil Mickelson tees off on the 14th hole of the South Course during the Farmers Insurance Open Pro Am at the Torrey Pines Golf Course in San Diego on Wednesday. Open. The last time the fivetime major winner and San Diego resident went this long without victory was a 19-month stretch between June 2002 and January 2004. He opened 2015 with a tie for 24th at the Humana Challenge and a missed cut in Phoenix. Mickelson sighted patience as the key to this week in his own backyard, being able to accept long birdie chances and taking chances when they presented themselves. “Last year I didn’t feel good about my game, I didn’t feel good about how I was hitting it and my speed wasn’t up. Now, I feel good,” said Mickelson. “Sometimes it takes a few tournaments to get into the course management aspect, to play the rounds properly, to be patient, to know when to attack, when not to.” REUTERS LONDON: Nicole Scherzinger has allegedly split up with Lewis Hamilton over his refusal to marry her. It is the fourth time the couple have broken up during their seven year relationship. The 36-year-old singer is said to be “heartbroken and devastated” about the breakdown of their relationship. The Sun has reported that her decision was due to the 30-yearold Fomula One star refusing to marry her. “They’d been fighting for months but things had got much worse,” a source told the paper. “She finally had enough. Nicole knew Lewis had no plans to marry her, she’s completely gutted and feels lost about her future. “They spend so much time apart that things just became untenable.” The former X Factor judge, who is currently performing in London in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical Cats, is usually based in Los Angeles. It has been reported that the couple were struggling to maintain a long-distance relationship Lewis Hamilton and Nicole Scherzinger in happier times. as Hamilton is based in Monaco. Scherzinger has been supported by her family, with her mother Rosemary and elderly grandmother flying to London from Hawaii to be with her. She has previously spoken about how she would not wish a long-distance relationship on “anyone”. Both their agents are yet to comment. In 2010 the pair split up to concentrate on their careers after struggling to maintain their long distance relationship. But after a two month break they got back together. At the time Hamilton said there was “no truth” in rumours of marriage, adding: “Things are good. She’s supporting me with my racing so we’re focusing on our careers and we’re doing our best to stay in touch and keep strong.’’ They split again in 2011 and in 2013. AGENCIES Thousands cheer Patriots at parade in Boston Tom Brady, the New England Patriots quarterback and Super Bowl MVP, holds up the Super Bowl trophy during the New England Patriots Super Bowl 49 victory parade in Boston, Massachusetts, on Wednesday. Thousands of New England Patriots fans, most wearing several layers of clothing, hit the streets of Boston to celebrate their team’s Super Bowl victory with a downtown parade after two massive snowstorms. hit with ferocious power. Bony had been trying to weave his way through the defence but lost the ball which spilt in the direction of Gervinho but before he could get a foot on it, Toure came surging through to almost burst the net with sublime precision. A careless handball from Eric Bertrand Bailly offered the Congolese the chance for an immediate response from the penalty spot, which Mbokani duly dispatched. He might have had another after a clever ball back from the byline by Yannick Bolasie but wasted the chance. Then came Gervinho’s header that hit the crossbar before Gabriel Zakuani cleared it while the Ivorians appealed that it had crossed the line. But they regained their composure while DR Congo were caught ball watching and Bony’s pass left Gervinho with little else to do but guide the ball home. Bolasie continued to offer a glimmer of hope for the Congolese with his mazy runs, having a 55th minute effort saved. But it was Gervinho, Bony and Toure who dictated terms in the second half and third goal was always inevitable. Ivory Coast have now reached two of the last three Nations Cup finals but their only previous success was in 1992. REUTERS Hawks bounce back from loss, pull away from Wizards 105-96 ATLANTA: Bouncing back after their team-record 19-game NBA win streak was halted, the Atlanta Hawks downed the Washington Wizards 105-96 on Wednesday. Jeff Teague scored 26 points and passed off eighth assists to lead the Hawks, who improved their Eastern Conference-leading record to 41-9. Atlanta’s win streak was stopped with a loss Monday at New Orleans but rebounded to win at home for the 11th consecutive time. Al Horford added 21 points despite 10-of-24 shooting and also grabbed 13 rebounds for the Hawks, who also had 14 points from DeMarre Carroll and 11 more from Paul Millsap. John Wall led the Wizards with 24 points and a game-high nine assists while backcourt partner Bradley Beal added 23 points and Brazilian big man Nene contributed 17 points. It was the fourth loss in a row for the Wizards, their longest skid since December of 2013. Washington fell to 31-19, still the third-best record in the East but 10 games behind the Southeast division-leading Hawks. AFP NBA Results Indiana Atlanta Boston Brooklyn Houston Milwaukee Minnesota Oklahoma City San Antonio Memphis Golden State 114 105 104 109 101 113 102 102 110 100 128 Detroit Washington Denver Toronto Chicago La Lakers Miami New Orleans Orlando Utah Dallas 109 96 100 93 90 105 101 91 103 90 114 FRIDAY 6 FEBRUARY 2015 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com SPORT 19 Cyclists competing in stage three of the Ladies Tour of Qatar from Souq Waqif to Al Khor Corniche yesterday. PICTURES BY: SALIM MATRAMKOT Armitstead shows nerves of steel to grab golden jersey London Games silver medallist enjoys eight-second lead over team-mate Van Dijk BY RIZWAN REHMAT DOHA: British cyclist Lizzie Armitstead yesterday outpaced Shelly Olds and Lucinda Brand in a bunched sprint to win stage three of the Ladies Tour of Qatar. Enjoying near-perfect racing conditions in the 93.5km stage, the Boels Dolmans rider took the race lead from team-mate and overnight golden jersey owner Ellen van Dijk to seal her win in a time of 2 hours 27 minutes and 45 seconds. The 26-year-old Briton, who now owns the golden jersey, has an eight-second lead over Van Dijk who had won stage two on Wednesday. Armitstead, the 2014 Commonwealth Games gold medalist and the silver medallist at the London Games in 2012, is a comfortable nine seconds ahead of title favourite Chloe Hosking of Australia. Hosking, who rides for new team Wiggle-Honda, finished stage three in fourth spot behind Brand. The Australian picked up bonus points at the two intermediate sprints. “In the final kilometres I had to do nothing, because I knew I had four girls who could go with everything and attack if they had to. I focused on saving myself for the sprint, and it all worked out,” Armitstead said after the stage. “I’m fast, but I’m not the fastest. I have done strength training this winter but not any speed. I didn’t expect to do anything in the sprints here,” she added. After the intense battle of the previous day in the north of Qatar, stage 3 was just as exciting and intriguing at the same time. The battle between the favourites started after 50 kilometres of racing and eventually around 30 riders remained together for the final sprint in Al Khor. Fastest on the corniche was Armitstead. Winner of last year’s UCI World Cup and Commonwealth gold medallist, the Boels Dolmans rider not only claimed her first ever success in Qatar, but she also grabbed the overall leader’s Golden Jersey. For the first time in its sevenyear history, the Ladies Tour of Qatar took off from the Souq Waqif in central Doha for stage 3 of the event. It was a picturesque start for the 85 remaining riders who took off just after 2pm for the 93.5-km ride heading north. It would prove to be a tough day for the ladies, having to fight against the head wind for most of the day. As soon as the first kilometre, Beatrice Bartelloni, pearl jersey winner, receiving her award from an official during the awards ceremony. Lizzie Armitstead of Boels Dolmans team, winner of the third Stage of the Ladies Tour of Qatar, celebrates on the podium after winning the yellow jersey. Qatar Cycling Federation President Sheikh Khalid bin Ali Al Thani is also seen. BOTTOM: Armitstead celebrates her victory. Team Sky’s Viviani, who was third on Wednesday, is now just two seconds behind after clawing back four of the six seconds he lost to the Etixx-Quick Step rider on the opening stage. Cavendish’s team led him into the final kilometre at the front of the field but Astana’s Andrea Guardini, who lost out to the Manxman on Wednesday in a photo-finish, was first to shoot for the line. Top 10 riders in stage three 1 Elisabeth Armitstead (GBr) Boels Dolmans Cycling Team 2:27:45 2 Shelley Olds - Evans (USA) Bigla Pro Cycling Team 3 Lucinda Brand (Ned) Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team 4 Chloe Hosking (Aus) Wiggle Honda 5 Pascale Jeuland (Fra) France 6 Lauren Kitchen (Aus) Hitec Products UCK 7 Jolien d’Hoore (Bel) Wiggle Honda 8 Maria Giulia Confalonieri (Ita) Ale Cipollini 9 Emma Johansson (Swe) Orica - AIS 10 Barbara Guarischi (Ita) Velocio-SRAM General classification after stage 3 1 Elisabeth Armitstead (GBr) Boels Dolmans Cycling Team 7:35:24 Alison Tetrik (OPW) was the first to try her luck. The American enjoyed a slim 45-second advantage at the 5-km mark but there wasn’t much she could do alone against the wind and the chasing pack. She was caught 6 kilometres later. At the 26-km mark, China’s Ya Nan Liu (GPC) was the next to give it a go - a vain solo effort that only lasted a little over 4 kilometres. While the pack was shaken by a crash at the first intermediate sprint at the 45-km mark, Hosking proved to be the fastest rider to the line, beating Armitstead and Julien D’Hoore. Just after the sprint, 34 riders pulled away but things calmed down before the second sprint as the pack bunched up again. Again, Hosking flew to the line, clinching an extra three bonus seconds as she beat Giorgia Bronzini and Emma Johansson. At that moment of the stage, Hosking had virtually moved up to second spot overall, just a second behind Golden Jersey owner Van Dijk As the pack turned right and started heading south towards Al Khor, the main favourites Cavendish keeps lead but Viviani takes 2nd stage in Dubai DUBAI: Mark Cavendish was pipped for victory in the second stage of the Dubai Tour by Elia Viviani on Thursday but kept the race leader’s jersey. The Briton was second on the 185km run from Dubai International Marine Club to Palm Jumeirah but the bonus seconds he took in winning Wednesday’s opening stage ensured he remained in the leader’s blue jersey. Ladies Tour of Qatar Having left his charge too late on the opening stage, the Italian went too early this time and countryman Viviani jumped on his wheel before powering past to take a clear victory -- his first since joining Sky this season -with Cavendish passing the fading Guardini. Friday’s third and penultimate stage is the longest of the race covering 205km from the Marine Club to Hatta Dam. AFP 2 Ellen Van Dijk (Ned) Boels Dolmans Cycling Team 0:00:08 3 Chloe Hosking (Aus) Wiggle Honda 0:00:09 4 Trixi Worrack (Ger) Velocio-SRAM 0:00:15 5 Emma Johansson (Swe) Orica - AIS 0:00:17 6 Jolien d’Hoore (Bel) Wiggle Honda 0:02:14 7 Tiffany Cromwell (Aus) Velocio-SRAM 0:02:15 8 Pascale Jeuland (Fra) France 9 Amy Pieters (Ned) Team Liv-Plantur 10 Gracie Elvin (Aus) Orica - AIS 0:02:23 Points classification 1 Elisabeth Armitstead (GBr) Boels Dolmans Cycling Team 31 points 2 Chloe Hosking (Aus) Wiggle Honda 26 powered away. Fourteen ladies gathered together at the front including seven of the top riders in the GC. In the closing moments of the stage, despite the attempts of several riders, around 30 girls bunched up again with just under three kilometres to go. Victory was to be decided in a royal bunched sprint. Well helped out by her Boels Mark Cavendish of Etiix-Quicfk-Step team, winner of the second stage of the Dubai Tour, from Dubai International Marina to Palm Jumeirah, celebrates on the stage in Dubai yesterday. Dolmans team-mates, Armitstead went on to capture her very first victory on Qatari soil. The Briton who had finished second of the stage finishing in Al Khor last year (behind Kirsten Wild) beat Olds and Brand to the line. With one stage to go in the event, Beatrice Bartelloni remains the best young rider (Pearl White Jersey). THE PENINSULA 3 Shelley Olds - Evans (USA) Bigla Pro Cycling Team 23 4 Trixi Worrack (Ger) Velocio-SRAM 17 5 Lucinda Brand (Ned) Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team 16 6 Ellen Van Dijk (Ned) Boels Dolmans Cycling Team 15 7 Annalisa Cucinotta (Ita) Ale Cipollini 15 8 Giorgia Bronzini (Ita) Wiggle Honda 14 9 Emma Johansson (Swe) Orica - AIS 12 10 Jolien d’Hoore (Bel) Wiggle Honda 12 20 FRIDAY 6 FEBRUARY 2015 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com SPORT Qatar’s Al Sharshani in joint lead at Sail the Gulf in Doha DOHA: Qatar’s Waleed Al Sharshani bounced back from his overnight third place to share the lead with Oman’s Hussain Al Jabri at the end of the second day of Sail the Gulf. In the Laser Standard, Al Sharshani, who was in the third place, now have 8 nett points the same as Al Jabri. Another Omani sailor, Ahmed Al Balushi, slipped to the third spot. The local sailors also excelled in two other categories, Laser 4.7 and Hobie 16. Adam Bettihthamou is in joint second in Laser 4.7 along with Saoud Al Naar of Bahrain, while Qatar’s pair of Hassan Al Baker and Mohamed Ahmed Ismail is in third spot. UAE ‘s Hamza Al Ali heads the points tally in the Laser 4.7 with 11 points while Bettihthamou and Al Naar, have 13 points against their names. In Hobie 16, Indian pair of Chinna Reddy and Yakobu Kalaga is lying on the top of the summit with five nett points. Kuwaiti pair of Nayef Al Hada and Mohammed Bastiki, are five points behind the leader, while the Qatar’s pair have 12 points. In Optimist class, Saif Al Mansoury of UAE, nine points, is in the top spot followed by Chitresh Tatha of India, with 12 nett points, followed by compatriot Navyn Prabhakar. In Standard 470, Pakistan sailors have leap frogged to the first place displacing overnight leaders Praveen Prabhakar and Vishnu Sujeesh, pushing them to the third spot. The pair of Shabahat Ullah and Shazli Tahir is in the first place followed by Muhammad Akram Tariq and Khalid Hussain. In Laser Radial, UAE’s Saeed Al Zaidi managed to cling to his overnight lead and is followed by Ebrahim Showaiter of Bahrain, while Najeeb Ullah of Pakistan is in third place. Around 110 sailors from 20 countries including Argentina, Australia, Bahrain, Belgium, Canada, Britain, Denmark, Germany, India, Iran, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, the Netherlands, Oman, Pakistan, Portugal, Romania, UAE and Qatar are taking part in the championship which will end on February 7. THE PENINSULA Sailors fine tuning their sails ahead of the racing action on day two of the Qatar International Regatta 2015 at Katara Beach in Doha yesterday. Qatar Rowing and Sailing Federation is hosting the Sail the Gulf and Qatar Match Racing Cup, which will end on Saturday. Rodriguez gets hurt as Real win La Liga leaders move four points clear with 2-1 victory over Sevilla BARCELONA: James Rodriguez headed the opener before going off injured in Real Madrid’s 2-1 victory over Sevilla on Wednesday night which extended their lead at the top of La Liga to four points. Real warmed up for the Madrid derby against Atletico on Saturday with three points but it came at a cost with Sergio Ramos as well as Rodriguez going off injured in the first half. “I don’t think they will make it in time,” Real coach Carlo Ancelotti told a news conference. Marcelo will definitely miss the next game through suspension after picking up a yellow card but they will have Cristiano Ronaldo back after he completed his suspension against Sevilla. “We may be lacking experience. Ramos, Pepe and Marcelo are among the best players in the world but it doesn’t worry me,” Ancelotti said. “We have lost experience but we will have players with plenty of enthusiasm and that is also very important.” Colombia international Rodriguez nodded home a Marcelo cross after 12 minutes in a copy of the goal he scored last weekend against Real Sociedad. Sevilla caused plenty of problems for the Real rearguard, especially in the first half, and Vicente Iborra hit a post having been played in by Vitolo. They had injury concerns of their own as keeper Beto went off on the half hour after a collision with Karim Benzema. Jese, who had come on for Rodriguez, combined with Benzema and Isco before slotting the ball home Real’s second 10 minutes before the break. Substitute Iago Aspas continued his recent hot streak in front of goal with a goal for Sevilla from close range after 80 minutes but it was only to be a consolation. Real lead the standings by four points from Barcelona with Atletico seven points adrift. “It was a difficult game against a strong side. It was a step forward as we picked up important points,” Ancelotti added. Sevilla coach Unai Emery was disappointed his side did not take their chances. “The most important thing is to create openings when you play in this stadium which is what we Real Madrid’s James Rodriguez scores against Sevilla during a La Liga match at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid on Wednesday night. did but we didn’t finish them off,” he told a news conference. “We competed for the full 90 minutes but we didn’t get the goals that we deserved. I am satisfied with the work of the player and we showed that we were up to the task.” It was later revealed that Rodriguez would undergo surgery on a fractured foot which could rule him out for two months. Real Madrid said scans have revealed a fracture of the fifth metatarsal in the right foot. AGENCIES Sterling, Coutinho strike late Dortmund lose to to send Liverpool through 10-man Augsburg LONDON: Last-gasp goals from Raheem Sterling and Philippe Coutinho helped Liverpool reach the FA Cup fifth round and avoid the giant-killing fate of many of their Premier League rivals with a 2-1 replay victory at second tier Bolton Wanderers on Wednesday night. The hosts took the lead when former Chelsea and Barcelona striker Eidur Gudjohnsen coolly slotted home a penalty before Bolton were reduced to 10 men when Neil Danns was sent off after receiving two yellow cards. But Sterling volleyed in the equaliser with four minutes left and a long-range Coutinho strike in stoppage time won the fourthround replay for the Premier League club. “It was always going to be a tough game,” Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers said. “Neil Lennon’s done a brilliant job at Bolton. Going 1-0 behind away from home put us on the back foot. We must have hit the bar about five or six times but eventually the quality came through.” Liverpool, who next face an away tie at Crystal Palace on Feb. 14, will fancy their chances of launching an assault on the trophy after the exits of Premier League heavyweights Chelsea and Manchester City. Both fell to lower league opponents in a remarkable series of FA Cup fixtures in which Manchester Liverpool’s Raheem Sterling celebrates after scoring a goal against the Bolton Wanderers during a FA Cup fourth-round replay match at the Macron Stadium in Bolton on Wednesday. United were taken to a replay by fourth tier Cambridge United before they too eased through with a 3-0 replay win. Liverpool and Bolton had played out a goalless draw at Anfield and the replay started in the same fashion, with Bolton defending stoutly to shut out an attacking Liverpool side. Bolton took the lead against the run of play when the 36-year-old Gudjohnsen rolled back the years to strike from the spot. The hosts were reduced to 10 men when Danns received his a second yellow card for a rash challenge after being booked for a similar tackle in the first half. The dismissal gave the visitors an invitation to push forward led by captain Steven Gerrard who was making his 700th Liverpool appearance, but the former England captain was subdued. Just as the Bolton defence looked to be standing firm in the face of a red onslaught, Sterling steered in a precise volley to equalise. Coutinho, who signed a new five-year contract at Anfield this week, proved his worth when his dipping strike from 25 metres flew in via the underside of the crossbar to send Liverpool through. REUTERS BERLIN: Last season’s Bundesliga runners-up Borussia Dortmund slumped to a 1-0 home defeat by 10-man Augsburg on Wednesday to continue their spectacular implosion and remain firmly anchored to the foot of the standings. The 2011 and 2012 Bundesliga champions completely lacked ideas in front of a sold-out 80,000 crowd and were easily outmuscled by European hopefuls Augsburg for whom Raul Bobadilla netted the winner in the 50th minute to seal his club’s first ever win over Dortmund. Surprise packages Augsburg, who had Christoph Janker sent off midway through the second half, completely shut out Dortmund in the last half hour and climbed into fourth place on 33 points courtesy of their third successive league win. Dortmund, who take on Juventus in the Champions League round of 16 this month, are 18th with 16 points after their 11th league loss this season. Coach Juergen Klopp was left speechless after the game while goalkeeper Roman Weidenfeller and defender Mats Hummels went straight to speak to their furious fans. Dortmund showed attacking spirit in the first half but failed to intimidate the visitors. Argentine Bobadilla rifled in from close range after four Dortmund players failed to stop a charging Halil Altintop in the 50th minute. Augsburg kept pressing for a second goal but held back after Janker was sent off for bringing down Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang outside the box with only keeper Alex Manninger to beat. Dortmund failed to make the extra man count and did not carve out a single chance until the final minute when Ciro Immobile’s close-range header was saved by Manninger. Hamburg SV, also former Bundesliga champions, eased their relegation fears by beating Paderborn 3-0, ending a league goal drought that had lasted 398 minutes. Rafael van der Vaart converted a penalty after Hamburg were awarded the fastest Bundesliga spot-kick since timings were introduced in 2004-05 just eight seconds into the game. REUTERS Bundesliga Results Wednesday’s Matches Borussia Dortmund 0 Augsburg 1 (Bobadilla 49) Hoffenheim 1 (Bicakcic 34) Werder Bremen 2 (Di Santo 2, Bargfrede 52) Hertha Berlin 0 Bayer Leverkusen 1 (Kiessling 49) Cologne 0 VfB Stuttgart 0 Paderborn 0 Hamburg 3 (Van der Vaart 2-pen, Jansen 72, Stieber 90+1) ICC mulls change in bat size MELBOURNE: The International Cricket Council (ICC) is considering a limit on bat size less than two weeks before the World Cup begins on February 14, in Australia and New Zealand. Dave Richardson, the ICC chief executive, feels the balance in modern-day cricket “may have shifted a little bit too much” towards the batsman, especially in limited overs cricket. “The balance may have shifted a little bit too much because sometimes poor shots or mis-hits are going for six,” Richardson was quoted as saying by a website. “ Let us try and rectify that. What we have done up until now is try and maximise the size of the boundary. You will see for the World Cup, most of the grounds in Australia in particular, which allow for big playing surfaces, boundary ropes will be pushed back to at least 90 yards where possible,” Richardson said. New milestones have been achieved by batsmen frequently of late, the most recent being AB de Villiers’s record breaking hundred off 31 balls, surpassing the effort of Corey Anderson, who had reached three figures less than a year ago off 36 balls. “No one begrudges an AB de Villiers, who plays some superb shots, Brendon McCullum, Kumar Sangakkara, they are exceptionally talented and no one minds if they hit some great shots which go for six. But where some batsmen are mis-hitting balls and it is just carrying over the rope and going for a six instead of being caught at the boundary, that is what some cricket people believe has become unfair. “The bats are so good these days that the sweet spot is much larger than it would have been 1015 years ago. The MCC ( World Cricket Committee), as law makers, and the ICC will be looking at giving perhaps some consideration to placing limitations on the depth of a bat in particular,” said Richardson. However, MCC’s World Cricket Committee had decided against changes to the law governing bat size. According to Appendix E of the Laws of Cricket, the length of the bat is limited to 38 inches and the width to 4.25 inches. AGENCIES SL offers $1m bonus to lift Cup COLOMBO: Sri Lanka’s government yesterday announced a million-dollar bonus to the national cricket team if they win this month’s cricket World Cup to be played in New Zealand and Australia. “We have decided to offer this money to be shared among the team as an incentive for them to bring the World Cup,” government spokesman Rajitha Senaratne told reporters. Sri Lanka won the World Cup in 1996. AFP FRIDAY 6 FEBRUARY 2015 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com SPORT 21 Horse Racing Results Thoroughbred Graduation Plate Distance: 1600m Running Time: 1:34:37 (Read under as horse, trainer and jockey) Rising Dawn, Jassim Al Ghazali, Stephan Ladjadj Bretherton, Jassim Al Ghazali, Yanis Aouabed Horses charge down the track during the Qatar Gold Sword race at the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club (QREC) in Doha yesterday. Leafcutter, M. Hussain, Marco Monteriso Thoroughbred Handicap Rated 80-100 Distance: 1600m Running Time: 1:35:06 Archers Prize, Z. Mohsen, L. Dettori Blackdown Fair, I. Al Malki, Gary Carter Under The Radar, Jassim Al Ghazali, Harry Bentley Local Thoroughbred Conditions Distance: 1400m Running Time: 1:23:25 Al Hareth, Jassim Al Ghazali, Harry Bentley Sraab, Ahmed Kobeissi, Gerald Avranche Majd, Majid Safedeen, Alberto Sanna Smart-trained Taraf seizes Qatar Gold Sword glory Dettori gives joy to Al Ghazali camp as Dubday wins Qatar Gold Trophy Qatar Silver Sword Distance: 1600m Running Time: 1:44:31 Al Murabitoon, Jassim Al Ghazali, Harry Bentley AJS Intifadah, M. Al Yaqout, P. Convertino Kimfalah, Jassim Al Ghazali, O.Peslier Qatar Silver Trophy Distance: 1600m Running Time: 1:34:24 Itorio, Jassim Al Ghazali, Stephan Ladjadj Izzthatright, Jassim Al Ghazali, Harry Bentley The Blue Eye, Jassim Al Ghazali, O.Peslier DOHA: Julian Smart-trained Taraf yesterday galloped to Qatar Gold Sword triumph as jockey B Doyle celebrated victory in the feature race at the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club (QREC) where racing legend Frankie Dettori won the Qatar Gold Trophy in race seven. Taraf outpaced stable-mate Haashed to the winning post as Doyle picked up the top prize of QR885,000 in the 2,200m marathon at QREC. Kassam, ridden by J P Guillambert, finished exactly two-and-half lengths behind the day’s winner, who topped the 13-entry race with a time of 2:26.27. Haashed, ridden by Marco Monteriso, finished a length behind Taraf. Racing legend Dettori brought cheer to the Jassim Al Ghazali camp by guiding Dubday, who won the Derby on his Qatar debut last season, to victory in the 2,200m turf race. Dubday, currently the highest-rated thoroughbred trained in Qatar, finished the race with a time of 2:14.33. Ponfeigh, ridden by Liam Jones and trained by Debbie Mountain, finished second. Y Bentaher-trained Amico Mio — who had Monteriso in the saddle — finished in third spot. Earlier, Dettori warmed up with a win in race two, sealing Qatar Gold Trophy (Gr 2 Pa) Distance: 2000m Running Time: 2:10:81 Raddad, A. Marzooqi, Asad Al Seyabi Al Majh’Hoor, J. Smart, B.Doyle Al Anga , J. Smart, W. J Lee Qatar Gold Trophy (Gr 1) Distance: 2200m Running Time: 2:14:33 Dubday, Jassim Al Ghazali, L. Dettori Ponfeigh, Debbie Mountain, Liam Jones Amico Mio, Y. Bentaher, Marco Monteriso Qatar Gold Sword Distance: 2200m Running Time: 2:26:77 Taraf , J. Smart, B.Doyle Racing legend Frankie Dettori jumps for joy after winning the Qatar Gold Trophy with Dubday at the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club (QREC) in Doha yesterday. RIGHT: Jockey B Doyle and Taraf pose after winning the Qatar Gold Sword race yesterday. victory with Archers Prize which was trained by Z Mohsen. Blackdown Fair, ridden by Gary Carter, finished second, while Under The Radar, who had Harry Bentley in the saddle, ended in third spot in the 1600m race. Also yesterday, Raddad was a convincing winner in the Qatar Gold Trophy as jockey Asad Al Seyabi celebrated a rare win in the 2,000m race. Trained by A Marzooqi, Raddad clocked a time of 2:10.81. Al Majh’Hoor, ridden by Doyle, finished second while Al Anga, who had W J Lee in the saddle, finished in third spot. In other winners yesterday, Stephan Ladjadj won race one and five while popular British jockey Bentley clinched races three and four. Yesterday’s feature race event was the precursor to the blue riband of the season, The Emir’s Sword set to be stage at the end of this month. Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Thani-owned Assy (AmerMargouia) was the winner of the ExxonMobil Qatar-sponsored Qatar Gold Sword in 2014. ExxonMobil were the official partners of the Qatar Gold Sword race yesterday also. “ExxonMobil Qatar and QREC share a long and fruitful partnership,” Sheikh Mohamed bin Faleh Al Thani, Chairman of the QREC, said. “We thank ExxonMobil Qatar for its ongoing support Spirit of Qatar wins SuperCat race one DOHA: Respective race one victories in the SuperCat Lite, SuperVee and SuperCat categories at the inaugural UIM Qatar Cup went to Victory S-3, Outerlimits and Spirit of Qatar 20 at Doha Bay yesterday afternoon. Qatar’s Mohammed Al Nasser and Nasser Al Nasser reached the chequered flag in fourth position in their Supercat Lite race but Ali Al Neama and Billy Moore were in superb form to win the SuperCat race. Victory S-3’s Arif Saif Al Zafeen and Nadir bin Hendi qualified on pole for the 10-lap SuperCat Lite race and managed to fend off a strong field to pass the chequered flag seven seconds ahead of eventual race runnersup Robert Nunziato and Dan Lawrence in The Hulk. Team Abu Dhabi’s Faleh Al Mansoori and Rashed Al Tayer qualified third and rounded off the podium positions, while Mohammed and Nasser Al Nasser climbed from fifth, at the expense of Grant Bruggemann and Gary Ballough in Smart Marine, to snatch fourth place. LA Marine retired on the last lap and Smart Marine succumbed one lap before. Victory S-3 in action during race one of the SuperCat Lite category at Doha Bay yesterday. Spirit of Qatar 20’s Al Neama and Moore had claimed pole for the SuperCat race on Wednesday and they were not to be denied an emphatic victory on home waters. They brought their MTi to the finish of the 12-lap race 16 seconds in front of the Outerlimits crew of Joe Sgro and Steve Curtis — the winners of the SuperVee category. The Kiwi crew of Wayne Valden and Chris Hanley were third in Pro Floors Racing and Jay Cooke and Randy Sweers were fourth. Twisted Metal’s Brett Furshman and Billy Glueck retired on lap six. Pole Position qualifying for Saturday’s Qatar round of the 2015 UIM World Offshore 225 Championship took place at lunchtime on Doha Bay. EFE Project topped the times with a quickest lap of 1min 57.671sec. Bigchefs-EFE Project qualified second albeit over two seconds behind. The first C1 and C2 races for an impressive array of Qatari, Kuwaiti and Bahraini teams took place yesterday morning on the shorter Inshore course. Ten laps were on the agenda for the C1 fleet and Kuwait’s Mohammed Turki Jumaa snatched a 3.12 second victory from Qatar’s Jassim Abdullah Al Buainain. An impressive 10 boats took the start and Kuwait’s Khaled Ahmed Al-Hassan rounded off the podium. Six C2 boats ran for nine laps in their opening race and the Kuwaiti Ahmed Sulaiman Al-Fassam reached the chequered flag with a margin of just under six seconds from fellow countryman Ahmed Fouad Abul. Qatar’s Rashid Al-Muhannadi was third. Today is a more relaxed day for the international crews and the local aqua bike racers take centre stage in front of the pit area. After a briefing and technical checks, the Pro Marathon competitors have a 30-minute practice session from 1pm, before their race starts at 1.45pm. Both the Inshore and Offshore courses are then open for afternoon testing for the remainder of the UIM Qatar Cup field. THE PENINSULA for horse racing in Qatar, which serves to strengthen and protect a sport fostered by our forefathers,” he added. “It is our hope that events like the prestigious Qatar Gold Sword Race further elevate the status of horse racing excellence not only in Qatar, but also throughout the region and around the world.” ExxonMobil Qatar shares Qatar’s view that elevating the country’s status in the international sports arena helps highlight Haashed, J. Smart, Marco Monteriso Kassam, Jassim Al Ghazali, J.P Guillambert opportunities for long-term investments in the country and further strengthens Qatar’s role as an international business and investment hub. Events like The Emir’s Sword, Qatar Gold Sword Race, the Qatar ExxonMobil Open tennis event, and the 2022 FIFA World Cup add prominence to Qatar’s position in the global sports arena. Racing resumes next week on February 11 and 12. THE PENINSULA 2015 Qatar Cup – Race 1 Results SuperCat Lite/Super Stock 1. Nadir Bin Hendi (ARE)/Arif Saif Al-Zafeen (ARE) Victory S-3 34min 07.2sec 2. Robert Nunziato (USA)/Dan Lawrence (USA) The Hulk S-1 34min 14.6sec 3. Faleh Al Mansoori (ARE)/Rashed Al-Tayer (ARE) Team Abu Dhabi 5 35min 13.8sec 4. Mohammed Al Nasser (QAT)/Nasser Al Nasser (QAT) Spirit of Qatar 94 35min 16.2sec SuperVee 1. Joe Sgro (USA)/Steve Curtis (GBR) Outerlimits 43 38min 07.8sec Brett Furshman (USA)/Billy Glueck (USA) Twisted Metal 30 (Did not finish) SuperCat 1. Ali Al Neama (QAT)/Billy Moore (USA) Spirit of Qatar 20 37min 51.9sec 2. Wayne Valder (NZL)/Chris Hanley (NZL) Pro Floors Racing 51 38min 27.5sec 3. Jay Cooke (USA)/Randy Sweers (USA) Racing for Cancer/Fast Boats 33 38min 29.9sec 4. Dan Lawrence (USA)/Ron Roman (USA) Motley Crew 00 39min 39.6sec C1 1. Mohammed Turki Jumaa/Mohammed Saud Alrzaihan (KUW) 42min 28.30sec 2. Jassim Abdullah Al Buainain/Hassan Nasser Al Buainain (QAT) 42min 31.42sec 3. Khaled Ahmed Al Hassan/Hamad Youssef Al Sharah (KUW) 43min 19.10sec 4. Abdullah Youssef Mohammed/Abdullatif Al Omani (KWT) 43min 52.93sec C2 1. Ahmed Sulaiman Al Fassam/Nasser Bader Al Fassam (KUW) 28min 31.98sec 2. Ahmed Fouad Abul/Abdullatif Mohammed Al-Omani (KUW) 28min 37.77sec 3. Rashid Al Muhannadi/Mohammed Jassim Al Harkan (QAT) 28min 59.98sec 4. Hamad Youssef Al Sharah/Abdulrazak Ahmed Al Hassan (KUW) 31min 04.80sec UIM World Offshore 225 Championship – Pole Position result 1. EFE Project 1min 57.461sec 2. Bigchefs – EFE Project 2min 01.370sec 3. Besiktas – Isiklar 2min 01.805sec 4. S.T.F.A. 2min 06.953sec Today’s Schedule 1pm-1.30pm: Practice Pro Marathon 1.45pm-2.15pm: Pro Marathon Race 2.30pm–4.30pm: Inshore and Offshore testing FRIDAY 6 FEBRUARY 2015 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 22 SPORT Qatar Rally kicks off in Doha Action begins with Umm Wishah special stage, drivers from 11 nations taking part DOHA: The 2015 QMMF Qatar International Rally officially got under way with the ceremonial start outside the Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation’s headquarters on Salwa road in Doha yesterday. Ahead of a dozen cars and competitors from 11 nations lie 12 punishing desert special stages that will decide the outcome of the opening round of the FIA Middle East Rally Championship (MERC). Nine of the drivers attended the official pre-event press conference at the QMMF on Thursday afternoon. “For sure, I have the local experience,” said top seed and defending champion Nasser Saleh Al Attiyah. “I have raced here since 2002 and won the event 11 times in 12 years. But this rally is not easy. It never has been. It is fast, technical and experience counts for a lot.” Saudi Arabia’s Yazeed Al Rajhi has a strategy for success. “I will drive flat out for three stages and see what happens and where I am in relation to Khalid (Al Qassimi) and Nasser. If I am close, then I will push. If not, then I will settle back. I need to finish and score points.” Both Iranian Subaru Imprezas safely passed scrutineering checks at the QMMF on their Qatar debut. “This is a big thing for Iran to be involved in an FIA championship and for us to be here in Qatar for the first time,” said Ali Mergarha. “We are not here to win. We are here to gain experience on some terrain that is actually quite similar in places to the tracks we have near Shiraz. We will host the MERC in May and I hope everyone will come to Iran and support our rally.” The QMMF also hosted an FIA Action for Road Safety seminar yesterday, with delegates from the Syrian Automobile Club attending the event that was introduced by Hani Shaban, a long-time organiser of motor Quotes Qatar’s Nasser Saleh Al Attiyah “For sure, I have the local experience. I have raced here since 2002 and won the event 11 times in 12 years. But this rally is not easy. It never has been. It is fast, technical and experience counts for a lot.” Saudi Arabia’s Yazeed Al Rajhi Riders taking part in the 2015 QMMF Qatar International Rally pose for a picture at the QMMF headquarters in Doha yesterday. Dakar Rally winner and defending champion Nasser Saleh Al Attiyah (fifth left) is seen along with other drivers. A dozen cars and competitors from 11 nations will be competing in the 12 punishing desert special stages that will decide the outcome of the opening round of the FIA Middle East Rally Championship (MERC). PICTURES BY: BAHER AMIN sport in Syria and the assistant clerk of the course of the QMMF Qatar International Rally, and moderated by Austrian consultant Claudia Gruber-Filippits. Tomorrow (Friday), special stage action gets under way with a run through the opening Umm Wishah special stage from 09.53hrs. This is followed by stages at Al-Shabana (10.21hrs) and Al-Kharsaah (10.54hrs), before crews return to the Qatar Aqua Park for a regroup and midday service. The three special stages are repeated at 1.22pm, 13.50pm and 2.23pm today before cars are kept overnight in a Parc Ferme at the Aqua Park. The event finishes at the QMMF on Saturday afternoon. THE PENINSULA 2015 QMMF Qatar International Rally Starters: Edith Weiss, the only female rider speaking during the pre-event press conference of Qatar International Rally. RIGHT: Qatar’s Nasser Saleh Al Attiyah. 1. Nasser Saleh Al Attiyah (QAT)/Matthieu Baumel (FRA) Ford Fiesta RRC; 2. Khalid Al Qassimi (ARE)/Chris Patterson (GBR) Citroën DS3 RRC; 3. Yazeed Al Rajhi (SAU)/Michael Orr (GBR) Ford Fiesta RRC; 4. Abdulaziz Al Kuwari (QAT)/Killian Duffy (IRL) Ford Fiesta RRC; 5. Abdullah Al Kuwari (QAT)/Enda Sherry (IRL) Ford Fiesta R5; 6. Khalifa Al Attiyah (QAT)/Adel Hussein (QAT) Ford Fiesta RRC; 7. Khalid Al Suwaidi (QAT)/John Higgins (IRL) Ford Fiesta RRC; 8. Salah bin Eidan (KUW)/Vili Oslaj (SLO) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX; 11. Rashid Al Naimi (QAT)/Arif Yousef Mohammed (ARE) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X; 14. Mohammed Ghalehbani (IRN)/Seyedmassood Vahedi (IRN) Subaru Impreza; 15. Edith Weiss (GER)/Vicky Psarakis (GRE) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX; 16. Ali Mesgarha (IRN)/Vahidreza Vahdatinikzad (IRN) Subaru Impreza “I will drive flat out for three stages and see what happens and where I am in relation to Khalid (Al Qassimi) and Nasser. If I am close, then I will push. If not, then I will settle back. I need to finish and score points.” Ali Mergarha of Iran “This is a big thing for Iran to be involved in an FIA championship and for us to be here in Qatar for the first time. We are not here to win. We are here to gain experience on some terrain that is actually quite similar in places to the tracks we have near Shiraz. We will host the MERC in May and I hope everyone will come to Iran and support our rally.” Al Attiyah says smart navigation key to victory in MERC opener BY RIZWAN REHMAT DOHA: Dakar Rally champion Nasser Saleh Al Attiyah starts the 2015 FIA Middle East Championship campaign on home soil, knowing his mantra of success is based on making few mistakes on what is expected to be a challenging terrain. The first round of the Qatar International Rally kicks off today with Al Attiyah itching to get behind the wheel of his Ford Fiesta along with co-driver Mathieu Baumel. “We have prepared well for this event. This event doesn’t mean we have to show speed all the time,” Al Attiyah said ahead of today’s start. “You don’t have to be clever. You should have less number of punctures, less damage to your car. That will help you win Qatar Rally,” the 43-year-old Qatari said with his trademark smile in place. Al Attiyah, a bronze medallist at the London Olympic Games in skeet shooting, said he wants to make use of the home advantage that he enjoys. “This is an event I have won 11 times. This race is special for me. It feels like home. I would like to win again,” Al Attiyah said. Al Attiyah, clearly Qatar’s most popular sports personality, said he had regained energy after a gruelling Dakar Rally challenge he won in Argentina and Chile. “I am quite ready. I am ready. We did 9000kms in Dakar Rally. We didn’t have any problem. But in the last 10 days I was tired but thanks to Aspetar I recovered Ludo Loffreda, in action during the free practice session of Radical ME Cup, at the Losail International Circuit yesterday. Ashkanani on pole for Porsche Cup Nasser Saleh Al Attiyah carries out a pre-event test in the Qatar desert. really quickly. Thanks to their expert help I feel ready,” he warned. Al Attiyah said the 12 special stages were carefully charted by QMMF, the hosting body. “I would like to thank QMMF and the people who make this event successful. The stages here won’t be easy to handle. You need a lot of experience. I think organisers have laid out a challenging course. Good job on their part,” Al Attiyah said. Al Attiyah said he is ready for what would be a busy season with plenty of events to look at. “We are so happy to start the season in Dakar Rally. That was a good race for us. We hope we can continue in the same fashion. We have a lot of experience. We can do result here as well. Our target is to win the race,” he said. “This will be a busy year. I would like to welcome Iranian drivers to Qatar for the first time. We look forward to going to Iran for the first ever race in Iran,” Al Attiyah said. Al Attiyah said he had teamedup with Baumel, his new co-driver who brought immediate luck to the Qatari camp. “Yes, I have new codriver. Mathieu was with me for a few events last year. Mathieu is one of the best co-drivers in the world. He shows great skill,” he said. “We started from Dakar 2015. He make a good job and we decided to bring him to Middle East. “I have decided to stick to one driver to make my plans easier to handle. I am so happy to have his services. I think we will have a lot of fun this year,” he added. THE PENINSULA DOHA: Zaid Ashkanani of Kuwait will start from the pole position in Race 1 of the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge ME. Yesterday in the qualifying session at the Losail International Circuit Ashkanani logged the fastest time of 1:59.545. The leader of the championship and double winner in the previous race at Losail, Clemens Schmid from Al Naboda Racing Team impressed in the free practice session whereas Ashkanani clocked the second best time. Besides the Porsche Cup, yesterday the Losail Circuit hosted the free practice sessions of Radical ME Cup. Romain Lutter and Ludo Loffreda were the fastest drivers with a lap time of 2:00.102. Today, the Circuit will host the fourth round of Qatar Challenge. The second race for Radical willbe held today at 5:30pm and the race for Qatar Challenge is at 7:00pm. At 8:15pm, the Race 2 of Porsche GT3 will bring end to the racing action for the night. THE PENINSULA FRIDAY 6 FEBRUARY 2015 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com BREAK TIME 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 1 The Gambler (2D/Drama) – 10:45am, 1:00, 3:10, 7:30, 9:40 &11:55pm; Mortdecai (2D/Action) – 5:20pm Jupiter Ascending (2D/Adventure) – 2:00, 7:00, 9:30 & 11:55pm; 3D – 11:30am & 4:30pm Paddington (2D/Family) – 10:20am, 12:20, 2:20 & 4:20pm Son of A Gun (2D/Action) –7:00, 9:15 & 11:30pm A Most Violent Year (2D/Crime) – 10:10am, 2:40, 7:10, 9:40 & 11:50pm Taken 3 (2D/Action) – 12:30 & 4:40pm Yellowbird (2D/Animation) – 10:30am, 12:30, 2:30 & 6:30pm; Wild Card (2D/Action) – 4:30, 8:30, 10:30pm & 12:30am Stone Hearst Asylum (2D/Thriller)– 11:10am 4:00 & 9:00pm; American Sniper (2D/Action) – 1:30, 6:20 & 11:15pm TV LISTINGS SHOWING AT VILLAGGIO & CITY CENTER TEL: 444933989 444517001 10:10 10:35 11:25 12:15 13:05 13:30 13:55 14:20 15:10 Shamitabh (2D/Hindi) – 12:30, 6:00 & 11:55pm Selma (2D/Drama) – 10:00am, 3:30 & 9:00pm Vitamin (2D/Arabic) – 11:15am, 1:30, 6:10, 8:30 & 11:00pm Mortdecai (2D/Action) – 3:50pm Jupiter Ascending (IMAX 3D/Action) – 10:00am, 12:20, 2:40, 5:00, 7:20, 9:50pm & 12:10am Wild Card (2D/Action) – 1:30, 6:30 & 11:30pm Jupiter Ascending (2D/Action) – 11:00am, 4:00 & 9:00pm The Tale of The Princess Kaguya (2D/Animation) – 2:30pm Yellowbird (2D/Animation) – 5:00pm A Most Violent Year (2D/Crime) – 8:30pm Shamitabh (2D/Hindi) – 10:45pm Yennai Arindhaal (2D/Tamil) – 2:00pm Son of A Gun (2DCrime) – 5:00pm MALL Jupiter Ascending (2D/Adventure) – 7:00 & 9:15pm The Gambler (2D/Drama) – 11:30pm The Gambler (2D/Drama) – 2:30pm 3 American Sniper (2D/Action) – 4:30pm Vitamin (2D/Arabic) – 6:45pm Mariyam Mukku (2D/Malayalam) – 9:00pm 08:00 08:30 09:00 10:00 10:30 11:00 11:30 12:00 12:30 13:00 14:00 14:30 15:00 16:00 17:00 17:30 18:00 19:00 19:30 20:00 20:30 21:00 22:00 22:30 23:00 How It’s Made Airplane Repo Street Outlaws Hellriders Auction Hunters The Liquidator Auction Hunters Tethered Fat N’ Furious: Rolling Thunder Fast N’ Loud How It’s Made How It’s Made Dual Survival Overhaulin’ Kindig Customs The Liquidator Auction Hunters Overhaulin’ Kindig Customs Fantomworks Dual Survival Fast N’ Loud Overhaulin’ Kindig Customs Fantomworks 16:00 16:50 17:15 17:40 18:30 19:20 20:10 20:35 21:00 21:50 22:40 23:30 00:20 01:10 02:00 02:50 Stone Hearst Asylum (2D/Thriller) – 6:30pm 2 23 News Earthrise Al Jazeera World News Inside Story News The Stream News 101 East NEWSHOUR News Inside Story The System NEWSHOUR News The Stream NEWSHOUR News Fault Lines News Inside Story NEWSHOUR News Wildlife Warzone Lifelines: The Quest For Global Health Wild Life 14:45 Deadly Islands 15:40 Tanked 16:35 Shamwari: A Wild Life 17:30 Sharkageddon 18:25 Treehouse 19:20 21:10 22:05 23:00 Masters Wild Things With Dominic Monaghan Gangland Killers Treehouse Masters Wild Things With Dominic Monaghan 11:30 Barbie As The Princess And The Pauper Night At The Museum Ploddy Police Car Space Dogs From Up On Poppy Hill Back To The Sea Ploddy Police Car Space Dogs 13:00 A Most Violent Year (2D/Adventure) – 11:15pm 1 13:20 Shamwari: A 15:00 The Tale of The Princess Kaguya (2D/Animation) – 2:15pm Yellowbird (3D/Animation) – 4:45pm 16:15 18:00 A Most Violent Year (2D/Crime) – 6:15pm Stone Hearst Asylum (2D/Thriller) – 8:30pm Yennai Arindhaal (2D/Tamil) – 10:15pm 10:10 10:35 11:00 11:25 11:50 12:15 12:40 13:05 13:30 Son of A Gun (2DCrime) – 2:30pm 2 The Gambler (2D/Drama) – 4:30 & 9:00pm LANDMARK Jupiter Ascending (3D/Adventure) – 6:45 & 11:00pm 3 Yennai Arindhaal (2D/Tamil) – 2:00pm Mariyam Mukku (2D/Malayalam) – 5:00pm Vitamin (2D/Arabic) – 7:15pm A Most Violent Year (2D/Crime) – 9:15pm Son of A Gun (2DCrime) – 11:30pm 13:55 Yellowbird (2D/Animation) – 2:30 & 4:00pm 1 Shamitabh (2D/Hindi) – 5:45 & 10:45pm 14:20 15:00 15:45 16:10 17:00 19:05 19:30 20:20 22:00 22:25 22:50 23:10 23:35 Jupiter Ascending (2D/Adventure) – 8:30pm Stone Hearst Asylum (2D/Thriller) – 2:30pm The Tale of The Princess Kaguya (2D/Animation) – 4:30pm ROYAL 2 American Sniper (2D/Action) – 7:00pm The Gambler (2D/Drama) – 9:15pm PLAZA Jupiter Ascending (2D/Adventure) – 11:15pm Son of A Gun (2DCrime) – 2:30pm 3 The Gambler (2D/Drama) – 4:30pm A Most Violent Year (2D/Crime) – 6:45 & 11:15pm Vitamin (2D/Arabic) – 9:00pm 22:00 Mother 14:30 Community 15:00 Hot In Cleveland 15:30 The Daily Show With 23:30 Waale 17:00 Maharakshak 18:00 18:30 19:00 19:30 20:00 20:30 21:30 22:00 01:00 Aryan Gulf Rangoli Season 4 10 on 10 Hello Pratibha Jodha Akbar Jamai Raja Parwaaz Zee Connect Season 4 Agneepath Best of Fear Files 10:00 Son Of Rambow 12:00 So I Married An Axe Murderer 14:00 Held Up (1999) 16:00 Son Of The Mask-PG 18:00 In A World... 20:00 The Incredible 22:00 00:00 02:00 Burt WonderstonePG15 The Details Bad Milo! In A World... Jon Stewart 16:00 Modern Family 16:30 The Goldbergs 17:00 Late Night With Seth 11:15 Oggy & The Meyers 18:00 New Girl 18:30 How I Met Your 19:00 19:30 20:00 21:00 21:30 22:30 23:00 Cockroaches: The Movie Mother Community Hot In Cleveland The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon The Daily Show With Jon Stewart Modern Family Silicon Valley South Park 12:00 Fight Science 14:00 Megacities 15:00 Mega Factories: 13:00 A Family Supercars 16:00 Mega Reunion 14:45 Grace Of Breakdown Monaco 16:45 The Wolverine 19:00 Ender’s Game 21:00 Tinker Bell And The Pirate Fairy 22:45 The Legend Of Hercules 17:00 Live Free Or Die 18:00 Hunter Hunted 20:00 Mega Breakdown 21:00 Live Free Or Die 22:00 Hunter Hunted 23:00 Breakout C R O S S W O R D HYPER 1 2 3 4 5 14 6 7 8 9 18 23 28 32 33 35 24 25 26 29 Yesterday’s answer By Jerry Scott and Rick Kirkman 30 31 34 36 37 38 How to play Kakuro: The kakuro grid, unlike in sudoku, can be of any size. It has rows and columns, and dark cells like in a crossword. And, just like in a crossword, some of the dark cells will contain numbers. Some cells will contain two numbers. However, in a crossword the numbers reference clues. In a kakuro, the numbers are all you get! They denote the total of the digits in the row or column referenced by the number. Within each collection of cells - called a run - any of the numbers 1 to 9 may be used but, like sudoku, each number may only be used once. 13 19 27 39 40 42 12 21 22 Yesterday’s answer 11 16 20 How to play Hyper Sudoku: A Hyper Sudoku Puzzle is solved by filling the numbers from 1 to 9 into the blank cells. A Hyper Sudoku has unlike Sudoku 13 regions (four regions overlap with the nine standard regions). In all regions the numbers from 1 to 9 can appear only once. Otherwise, a Hyper Sudoku is solved like a normal Sudoku. 10 15 17 Baby Blues 20:00 13:00 My Boys 13:30 Better Off Ted 14:00 How I Met Your Suite Life On Deck Suite Life On Deck That’s So Raven That’s So Raven A.N.T. Farm A.N.T. Farm Hannah Montana Hannah Montana Wizards Of Waverly Place Wizards Of Waverly Place Austin & Ally Girl Meets World Liv And Maddie Violetta Snow Buddies Girl Meets World Violetta I Didn’t Do It Suite Life On Deck A.N.T. Farm Shake It Up Wolfblood Wolfblood 13:00 Total Siyappa 16:00 Neeli Chatri 43 41 44 45 49 46 47 48 T O W N O B O E J O A D S U P T O P S E A M P A T E 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 ACROSS 1 What group founded in 1960 currently has 12 members? 5 What Fox series was set in Newport Beach? 10 Cab locale 14 What sport has divisions called chukkers? 15 Rock band? 16 Wizards 17 Classic 1940s-’50s quiz show 20 Of a bodily partition 21 Winter warmer 22 What are Greek P’s? 23 What automaker makes the Yukon and Acadia? 26 Pace 27 What is the popular name for daminozide? 28 The Police and others 30 CBS procedural 32 What do four gills make? 33 Invited to one’s penthouse, say 34 Muddle 35 À la a siren 61 62 37 School head, slangily 38 Thundered 39 What is hopscotch called in New York City? 40 Some tides 41 What company owns MapQuest? 42 What notorious 1999 computer virus was named after an exotic dancer? 45 States of madness 49 What rating does the Michelin Guide give to “a very good restaurant”? 50 Sacred petitions 51 Mentally pooped 53 Directional suffix 54 Incredulous response 55 ___ Palmas, Spain 56 Response to an oversharer 57 Pots 58 W.W. II inits. 59 Multitude 60 Mercedes roadsters 61 “Scientia potentia ___” 62 C train? DOWN 1 Goes (for) 2 Juice provider 3 What do mahouts ride? 4 Twister 5 What best-selling 2004 young adult novel was written entirely in the form of instant messages? 6 What is the oldest academic quiz competition in the U.S. (since 1948)? 7 Contents of Suisse banks? 8 What is 1/100 of a Danish krone? 9 Carry’s partner 10 Fastidiousness 11 Kama Sutra illustrations, e.g. 12 Converts to currency 13 What California congressman heads the House Oversight Committee? 18 Future profs, maybe M S V I T A R D F R O A I A N E J I T S E R A T S S T A T A Z Z E O A T O O L T M E R I A A N S E R E S T U S E A L T A K E S T G E P E N O M S X S A I O N B L A L I D Y O U 19 Dress smartly, with “out” 23 What were Russell and Anna Huxtable on “The Cosby Show”? 24 Tiny pests 25 Was able to 27 One who makes an impression? 28 Superskinny 29 What was Caleb in the Bible? 31 What word precedes “Eyes,” “Girl,” “Love” and “Mama” in Top 40 song titles? 36 Ones with breaking points? 39 Exhibiting the most civility 41 Oxygen users 42 Sacred pieces 43 What is French for “huge”? 44 Neighbor of Teaneck, N.J. 45 Country singer West 46 Disturbed 47 Not acquired, say 48 Solicits from 52 Morse bit S H R I E E S K T S D P E R M I I C N K O R C O H O R T A B E T N O T A S S T S S I P O L U O X D L T I A M M O K R E M E S A T E D A L E S P E R T ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE FRIDAY 6 FEBRUARY 2015 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 24 MORNING BREAK Car-Free Day PRAYER TIME Fajr (Dawn) 4:57 Shorook (Sunrise) 6:15 Zuhr (Noon) 11:48 Asr (Afternoon) 2:58 Maghrib (Sunset) 5:22 Isha (Night) 6:52 WEATHER Today Saturday Sunday Clear Clear Clear High: 27° Low: 17° High: 24° Low: 16 Weather Conditions: Hazy to misty at places at first becomes moderate temperature daytime with slight dust and relatively cold by night. High: 24° Low: 19 DOHA - SUN & SEA SUN TIDE SEA SUNRISE | SUNSET HIGH | LOW WIND 06:15 17:22 06:30 & 18:15 13:30 & 00:00 15-22/25 KT TODAY THE REGION TOMORROW HI/LO WEATHER HI/LO WEATHER MUSCAT 25/20 Clear 25/21 Partly cloudy MAKKAH 34/24 Clear 35/23 Clear KUWAIT 24/08 Clear 24/14 Clear BAHRAIN 23/13 Clear 23/14 Clear SANAA 24/05 Clear 24/07 Clear RIYADH 23/13 Clear 25/15 Clear DUBAI 26/16 Clear 28/18 Clear BAGHDAD 22/08 Clear 21/13 Mostly cloudy TODAY THE WORLD TOMORROW HI/LO WEATHER ATHENS 17/08 Rain HI/LO WEATHER 16/07 Clear WASHINGTON 04/-3 Partly cloudy 10/02 Partly cloudy SYDNEY 27/18 Partly cloudy 32/20 Clear LONDON 06/01 Partly cloudy 08/03 Mostly cloudy PARIS 06/01 Partly cloudy 08/03 Mostly cloudy ISTANBUL 16/08 Clear 10/04 Mostly cloudy MANILA 29/21 Partly cloudy 30/22 Clear DHAKA 27/16 Partly cloudy 27/17 Partly cloudy DELHI 22/12 Clear 22/12 Chance of storm ISLAMABAD 15/09 Partly cloudy 16/06 Chance of rain Top Grammy contenders find grassroots strength in streaming LOS ANGELES: The old-fashioned radio still reigns as consumers’ top source for finding new music, but at Sunday’s Grammy Awards, online streaming might show itself to be the fast track to industry recognition. With the likes of record-of-the-year nominees Iggy Azalea and Meghan Trainor breaking out on YouTube and streaming services such as Spotify, this year’s Grammys could be a celebration for one of music’s few growing segments. Among the nominees for this year’s top awards — song, record and album of the year — only British soul singer Sam Smith and R&B artist Pharrell Williams had a hit that placed among the top 10 radio songs in total plays in 2014, according to Nielsen SoundScan. “I don’t think anyone who is voting thinks that the Grammys happen in a world where streaming doesn’t exist,” said William Gruger, the social/streaming chart manager at Billboard. The online success of Azalea’s rap hit “Fancy” with singer Charli XCX and Trainor’s ode to full-figured women “All About that Bass” underscore the power that streaming - and its young-skewing consumers - have in elevating a song’s profile at the grassroots. Such is the promise of streaming that Apple Inc bought headphone maker Beats for $3 billion last year, in part for its curated music service. Grammy voters, however, are supposed to cast their ballots only on artistic merit, said Neil Portnow, the president of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, which hands out the awards. “The fact that music is available to consumers via streaming and via download or via traditional product, that doesn’t have anything to do with the awards process itself,” Portnow said. “There isn’t anything about streaming that relates directly to how those awards are given.” But falling album sales and digital song downloads have elevated streaming’s prominence within the industry. In December, Billboard and data compiler Nielsen SoundScan revamped the weekly album chart to include online streaming. Services such as Spotify, Beats and Google’s YouTube helped propel on-demand music streams to 55 percent growth in 2014. “The industry is paying more attention to it especially when Billboard is changing their charts,” said Lyndsey Parker, editor of Yahoo Music. REUTERS People ride their bicycles along a freeway during the Car and Motorcycle Free Day in Bogota, Colombia, yesterday. Residents of Bogota are asked not to use their cars in an attempt to reduce environmental pollution. Photo raises $1.2m to send US pupils to Harvard NEW YORK: It began as a heart-warming photograph of a New York school boy that went viral. Now an online fund has raised $1.2m to send him and his classmates to Harvard. When Vidal Chastanet, 13, bumped into photographer Brandon Stanton in one of the most troubled neighbourhoods in New York, neither had no idea what would happen next. Stanton runs a wildly popular blog with 12 million Facebook followers that profiles pictures of ordinary New Yorkers and captions them with a short quote summing up their life. He featured Vidal dressed in a black hoodie and suppressing a smile, with an inspiring quote saying that school principal, Nadia Lopez, was the person who most influenced him. “She tells us that each time somebody fails out of school, a new jail cell gets built. And one time she made every student stand up, one at a time, and she told each one of us that we matter,” he said. Stanton was so intrigued he went to meet Lopez and started profiling staff and students at Mott Hill Bridges Academy in Brownsville, the neighbourhood with soaring crime rates. Lopez spoke of her dream of taking her deprived pupils to visit Harvard, one of America’s most prestigious universities, to encourage them to think big and broaden their horizons. To fulfill that vision, they set up an online fundraising appeal on January 22, which has now raised more than $1.2m. The money raised will go towards Harvard trips and a scholarship fund for graduates, with Vidal to be the first recipient. Until Vidal spoke out, Lopez said she had been on the verge of quitting, burnt out after four years as principal of a school where she feared she was struggling to make a difference. “I’m going to be very honest, up until this moment I didn’t know I mattered, I didn’t know that anybody cared what I was doing,” NBC filmed her telling students at the school. The story has generated massive media interest, culminating with Vidal, Lopez and Stanton being flown to Los Angeles to appear on popular The Ellen DeGeneres Show. DeGeneres said that discount retailer Target would outfit every classroom at the academy with state-of-the-art technology and give grants to other schools in the community totalling $100,000. “The outpouring of individuals around the world, speaks volumes. It’s about those children,” Lopez told Ellen. “The response has been unbelievable,” said AFP Stanton. Botanists find unknown ‘warty’ orchid species LONDON: British botanists have found a previously unrecorded orchid in the mountains of Cambodia, they said yesterday, ahead of a major orchid show at London’s Kew Gardens. The new species was collected in Cambodia’s Cardamom Mountains as part of an expedition in 2013 and brought back to London. But researchers only discovered it was a new species when it flowered in one of Kew’s glasshouses in December. The tubular maroon flower is about a centimetre long but, while other orchids are known for their delicate beauty, it has a more distinctive look. “What makes it different from the others is that it has big warts on the flower part,” said Andre Schuiteman, part of the team who discovered it. He added that researchers had faced challenging conditions to carry out their expedition. “There are indeed illegal loggers and sometimes drug smugglers so we had armed guards,” he said. The new species has not yet been named but belongs to the genus Porpax. The announcement came as the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew in west London prepares to host a festival of orchids from Thursday, although the new find is not part of it. AFP A picture released by the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew yesterday, and taken on November 27, 2014 shows a previously undocumented species of orchid belonging to the genus Porpax, which is so far unnamed, flowering in the glass house at the premises in west London. Internet service to be ‘public utility’ under US plan WASHINGTON: The top US telecom regulator proposed Wednesday to regulate broadband Internet service providers as “public utility” carriers, in a renewed effort to enforce “net neutrality” rules. Federal Communications Commission chairman Tom Wheeler unveiled the plan which aims to prevent Internet providers from playing favorites or blocking some services or allowing others to pay for “fast lanes.” The new proposal comes a year after a federal court struck down the FCC neutrality rules, saying it lacked the authority because Internet providers were not “common carriers” under US telecom law. The plan, which is expected to unleash a fresh legal and political battle, aims to resolve the impasse by reclassifying Internet service providers as regulated entities under the 1934 Telecommunications Act. “The Internet must be fast, fair and open,” Wheeler said in an essay in Wired magazine. “That is the message I’ve heard from consumers and innovators across this nation. That is the principle that has enabled the Internet to become an unprecedented platform for innovation and human expression.” Wheeler said his plan, to be submitted to the five-member commission for a vote later this month, would call for “the strongest open Internet protections ever proposed by the FCC.” He would ban “paid prioritization,” which would allow services to pay for faster connections, as well as “blocking and throttling of lawful content and services.” Wheeler said he would apply the rules to the mobile Internet for the first time as well. “My proposal assures the rights of Internet users to go where they want, when they want, and the rights of innovators to introduce new products without asking anyone’s permission.” Critics of the approach argue that the 1930s-style regulation would choke off investment in the Internet and stifle innovation. Wheeler said, however, that he would use only portions of the “Title II” regulation, “tailoring it for the 21st century, in order to provide returns necessary to construct competitive networks.” He pledged “no rate regulation” or tariffs and said his plans “can encourage investment and competition.” A senior FCC official said the move represents a “light touch” effort which uses only some segments of the 1934 law without imposing fees or other types regulation. The “neutrality” rules aim to ensure that all services have equal access to the Internet, so that a provider such as Verizon or AT&T could not block a service such as Netflix and favor a rival like Hulu. Reaction to the plan, speculation about which has been swirling for days, was swift. Doug Brake at the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, a conservative think tank, said the plan was “an unjustified, overblown response to what has in actuality been a by-andlarge hypothetical concern.” Brake said the plan represents “a strong shift towards a European-style, precautionary regulation” and that it would “Balkanize the Internet into distinct private networks and specialized services.” But the digital rights group Access Now welcomed the move as a win for Internet consumers. “The FCC’s move will be felt far beyond US borders,” said Access Now policy counsel Peter Micek. “Advocates around the world — from Argentina to Turkey to South Korea to the European Union — are fighting for many of the same protections as those being proposed by Wheeler. Global policymakers can now look to the US for clues as to what will help protect all Internet users.” Nuala O’Connor of the Center for Democracy and Technology said the Wheeler plan “has protected the foundation of the democratic Internet. This is an important day for everyone who enjoys the benefits of a fair and open Internet.” AFP
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