BUSINESS | Page 1 SPORT | Page 1 INDEX QATAR 3 – 8, 30 – 32 28, 29 COMMENT 1 – 8, 14 – 16 REGION 9, 10 BUSINESS ARAB WORLD 10, 11 CLASSIFIED 9 – 13 SPORTS 1 – 12 INTERNATIONAL 12 – 27 GCC joint action review HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani yesterday received a telephone call from Kuwait Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmed al-Jaber al-Sabah, related to bilateral relations and ways to enhance them. “They also reviewed the course of GCC joint action and the Doha preparations to host the 35th session of GCC summit which is scheduled to be held in December,” the official Qatar News Agency (QNA) said. Sidra Medical and Research Centre (Sidra) announced yesterday its first patent application, to the US Patent and Trademark Office, for the first non-invasive technique for monitoring cancer progression. The technique, invented by Sidra researchers Dr Francesco Marincola and Dr Mohamed Haris, is for the use of non-invasive Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) to detect levels of the Creatine Kinase (CK) enzyme inside a patient’s cancerous tissue. Page 3 NIGERIA | Unrest Suicide bomber kills 47 in school massacre A suspected Boko Haram suicide bomber disguised in school uniform killed 47 students in northeast Nigeria yesterday, in one of the worst attacks against schools teaching a so-called Western curriculum. Page 12 -1.18 -1.50% Latest Figures TUESDAY HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani meeting with Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh at the Emiri Diwan yesterday. The minister handed over to the Emir a written message from Iranian President Hassan Rohani on bilateral relations and issues of common interest. Qatar makes progress in fight against diabetes By Joseph Varghese Staff Reporter I n what could be termed a significant achievement in its fight against diabetes, Qatar has substantially progressed in global ranking in terms of prevalence of the disease, according to the latest ranking of the global diabetes federation. This was revealed by a top official of Qatar Diabetes Association (QDA) yesterday at a press conference to reveal the future activities of Action on Diabetes. Dr Abdullah al-Hamaq, managing director, QDA, emphasised that it was a “remarkable achievement” in the initiatives to counter diabetes in the country. “According to the seventh edition of the Diabetes Atlas of International Diabetes Federation, Qatar is at the 10th position in the prevalence of diabetes. Earlier we were ranked seventh globally,” al-Hamaq said. “It shows that our efforts are paying rich dividends. This will give us more energy and motivation in our efforts to contain and counter this dreadful disease. We are going ahead with many initiatives and Dr al-Hamaq: Qatar Diabetes Association managing director diabetes awareness programmes to reach out to the larger public in the country.” The official pointed out that most of the GCC countries were in the list of high prevalence of diabetes according to the latest ranking. “Saudi Arabia has the highest prevalence rate in the Mena region while Egypt has the highest number of people suffering from diabetes. Countries such as Kuwait and Bah- rain are among the countries with high prevalence of diabetes.” Herluf Thomsen, Action on Diabetes senior project manager at NovoNordisk, highlighted that the year 2014 had been the best one in Qatar so far in its fight against diabetes. He pointed out that there had been significant achievements in the last three years of joint efforts by Action on Diabetes. “This public private partnership to fight diabetes is a very unique one in the world itself. During the entire project in three years, 22,000 people were screened for diabetes while 14,000 were screened in 2014 alone. At this rate we might even be able to screen the entire people of the country, given the size of population.” However he cautioned that concrete efforts were necessary to raise diabetic awareness among the country’s population. “Nearly a quarter of the population might turn diabetic by 2030 unless they are educated well and follow practices such as healthy eating habits and physical activities.” So far, some 22,618 school children were educated on healthy lifestyle and 1,092 healthcare professionals were provided with diabetic education, he added. Page 31 Vol. XXXV No. 9538 November 11, 2014 Moharram 18, 1436 AH www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals QU forges ahead with medical college plan Qatar University’s new College of Medicine will offer a six-year programme, leading to a Doctor of Medicine degree QATAR | Technique Sidra seeks patent for new procedure +96.28 +0.70% in QATAR | Diplomacy 77.47 +23.71 +0.13% d In brief NYMEX 13,788.40 he is A R 8 7 AT 19 Q since Emir receives message from Iranian president QE 17,597.64 bl GULF TIMES DOW JONES pu Entrepreneurs vow to support govt goals Compact 2022 World Cup will create great atmosphere, says Oliver Kahn T he new Medical College, scheduled to open at Qatar University (QU) in September 2015, is to enrol both male and female students, who will take some courses in a segregated environment and others in a co-educational set up. “Efforts will be made to attract Qatari students to pursue careers in medicine with support for also enrolling long-term expatriates,” QU revealed in a statement yesterday. The College of Medicine, the plan for which was approved by the Board of Regents of QU during its meeting on October 30, will enrol up to 50 students in its first academic year (2015-2016). It will offer a six-year programme, which leads to a Doctor of Medicine degree (MD). Male and female students will attend general courses in other colleges - such as biomedical sciences, chemistry and others - in a gender-segregated environment, while specialised courses and clinical teaching will be offered jointly. “The design of the new Medical College building will emphasise societal values by providing gender-segregated leisure facilities,” the statement said. During the meeting, the Board also approved the college’s organisational structure, its budget and the appointment of Dr Egon Toft as vice president for Medicine and Health and dean of the College of Medicine. The medical education programme will combine coursework and clinical learning. Students will be working with patients in a clinical setting from the first year while medical sciences coursework will extend throughout the course of the study in an integrated way. Clinical teaching will be arranged in co-operation with the Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), the Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC) as well as other leaders in the healthcare sector in Qatar. The programme will also benefit from collaboration opportunities with important partner programmes within QU such as pharmacy, biomedical sciences, nutrition and public health. “The establishment of the college addresses the need for Qatar-trained physicians and medical professionals and will make invaluable contributions to strengthening the healthcare and education sectors in Qatar overall” Dr Toft said. “Communication and interactive programmes will be implemented with schools in Qatar with the aim to encourage students – in particular, Qatari students - to pursue a career in medicine,” he explained. Dr Abdulatif al-Khal, member of the steering committee for the College of Medicine at QU and deputy chief of staff for Graduate Medical Education at Hamad Medical Corporation, said the college aimed to attract highly competitive students and outstanding local and international academics. “The classes will be focused on delivering a high quality education leveraging the most advanced learning systems. Students need to achieve a high standard that allows them to meet the requirements for moving smoothly in their undergraduate studies and on to residency or fellowship programmes at HMC and other healthcare systems in Qatar and abroad in order to prepare them for their professional lives as highly competent and independent physicians.” Dr Asmaa al-Thani, a member of the college steering committee and head of the Department of Health Sciences at the College of Arts and Sciences and director of the Biomedical Research Centre at QU, said the aim was to create a sustainable source of highly qualified physicians to serve the needs of the Qatari healthcare system. “We need to attract more Qatari students to pursue careers in medicine and also to support long-term expatriates interested in pursuing the profession, in order to contribute to the rising demand for locally-rooted family physicians. This will not happen overnight but an important first step has been taken and I am confident that Qatar University has what it takes to make this promising project a great success.” The second phase of the implementation plan for the college begins immediately when the new members will join the college’s Steering Committee, including leaders and experts from QU, HMC and PHCC. In addition, a new member from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education in the US will be appointed to QU College of Medicine’s international advisory board. Consumer sentiment in Qatar �highest’ in Mideast N-talks �fail to make progress’ C AFP Tehran onsumer sentiment in Qatar is the “highest in the Middle East” with a peak score of 97.2, according to a new survey. Consumers in Qatar are “extremely optimistic” about all five indicators measured in the MasterCard Consumer Confidence Index, a release said yesterday. When compared to the previous edition of the survey released last year, consumers are more optimistic about the stock market (97.8 vs. 91.7), regular income (97.5 vs 95.7) and quality of life (97.3 vs 97.2). Consumers also remain very optimistic about employment (95.5 vs 99.4), despite a slight decrease in its score when compared to the previous edition of the index. The indicator for economy remained same as last year with a score of 98. The latest findings also indicate that male respondents are more optimistic than the female ones about the coming months (97.5 vs 96.9), and that consumers below the age of 30 years (98.2) are more optimistic than older respondents (96.2). “We are delighted to note that consumer confidence of the Qatari populace is now highest in the Middle East,” said Raghav Prasad, general manager (Gulf Countries) MasterCard. The MasterCard Consumer Confidence Index is based on a survey conducted between July and August this year “Consumers are most optimistic about the stock market, and this outlook reflects the stability of the Qatari economy and the investment opportunities that the government is creating by diversifying the economy.” Across the Middle East, the consumer confidence level remains “very optimistic” with positive scores for all five indicators, despite slight declines when compared to the previous edition of the index released six months ago. Consumers are most optimistic about regular income (86.2 vs 83.9) and employment (83.6 vs 80.9), whereas results indicate a decline in consumer’s confidence about quality of life (74.0 vs 78.1) and the stock market (75.6 vs 78.1) their sentiment in relation to the economy has remained the same, at 80.3. The Middle East’s aggregate score of 78.5 remains higher than that of Asia/Pacific (63.3) and Africa (78.1), as was the case in the previous survey. In the Middle East, Qatar (97.2) overtakes Saudi Arabia (96.3) as the market leader with the highest level of consumer confidence, followed by the Oman (94.6), Kuwait (92.6), the UAE (88.7), Egypt (78.6) and Lebanon (12.4). The MasterCard Consumer Con- fidence Index is based on a survey conducted between July and August this year and involving some 12,205 respondents aged 18-64 in as many as 27 countries within Asia/Pacific, Middle East and Africa. This is the 42nd survey of Consumer Confidence conducted since 1993. Respondents were asked five questions pertaining to their six month outlook on the economy, employment prospects, the local stock market, their regular income prospects and their quality of life. The results of their responses were converted in five component indexes, which were averaged to form the MasterCard Index of Consumer Confidence (MWICC) score. The MWICC Index score and the five component index scores range from 0-100 where 0 represents maximum pessimism, 100 represents maximum optimism and 50 represents neutrality. T he latest nuclear talks in Oman between Iran and Western powers ended yesterday without any progress, a senior Iranian negotiator said. “We can no longer talk about progress in the negotiations, but we are optimistic that we can reach an accord” before the final November 24 deadline, Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said, quoted by Isna news agency, after two days of talks between Iranian, US and EU officials. A US official said earlier that the talks in Oman, which ran into an unexpected second day between world powers and Tehran, were “tough, direct and serious”. State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said the US remained “very focused on making progress and see- ing if we can get a deal done before the deadline”. “There’s still time to do so,” she told reporters in Washington. US Secretary of State John Kerry and Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohamed Javad Zarif met on Sunday and again yesterday in Muscat with the EU negotiator Cathy Ashton. The talks will now move to a lower level between political directors from Iran and the group called the P5+1 Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the US. They will meet in Oman “for a yet to be determined amount of time”, Psaki added. The talks had initially been set to only take place on Sunday, but Kerry’s schedule had been planned to allow for additional time “if we thought there was a reason for him to stay a little bit longer”. Kerry “wouldn’t have stayed had he felt it wasn’t productive to continue to stay”, she added. Page 10 Gulf Times Tuesday, November 11, 2014 3 QATAR Sidra seeks US patent for new technique S idra Medical and Research Centre (Sidra) announced yesterday its first patent application, to the US Patent and Trademark Office, for the first non-invasive technique for monitoring cancer progression. The technique, invented by Sidra researchers Dr Francesco Marincola and Dr Mohamed Haris, is for the use of non-invasive Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) to detect levels of the Creatine Kinase (CK) enzyme inside a patient’s cancerous tissue. CK is an enzyme found in the heart, brain, skeletal muscle and other tissues. Patients suffering from cancer tend to have higher levels of CK; measuring the presence of which helps determine existence or progression of cancer. Sidra’s new procedure has both diagnostic and patient management implications. The MRI-based technique requires patients to receive an injection of phosphocreatine solution, which is visualised by an MRI, helping doctors get a clear image of what is happening inside. It will help assess whether a tumor is benign or aggressive without the need for a biopsy. This will have a significant impact on the treatment and recovery times of patients as it has the potential to help them embark on required treatment programmes faster - particularly if CK expressions determine tumor malignancy. Using diagnostic markers determined through this technique will also help in drug design; enabling clinicians to see Dr Marincola and Dr Haris which drug combinations are most effective, as well as in monitoring patients’ medication intake. “Today marks what we hope will be the first of many cutting-edge breakthroughs and milestones that the research arm of Sidra will bring to enhancing patient care in Qatar” “Detection of CK expression in vivo, meaning inside the patient’s tissue without the need for sample removal, provides a definite diagnostic marker for tumor malignancy, as well as response to treatment. Our invention will allow for routine examinations of cancer patients and improve the ability to track cancer progression by increasing detection sensitivity and delivering a high-resolution image of what’s happening inside,” said Dr Mohamed Haris, principal investigator, Sidra. “We are looking forward to embarking on the next phase – clinical trials - so that all the measures and protocols are in place before this new technique is ready for launch. While there is a possibility that further trials and research can take time, we are excited to showcase that Sidra is a serious contender in the research genre.This patent is testament to the commitment and dedication of the Sidra research team and our efforts to bring pioneering research capabilities to Qatar,” said Dr Francesco Marincola, chief research officer, Sidra. “Today marks what we hope will be the first of many cutting-edge breakthroughs and milestones that the research arm of Sidra will bring to enhancing patient care in Qatar. Innovation in patient care is at the heart of Sidra’s mission and the new technique demonstrates Sidra’s commitment to being a leading provider of world-class care,” said Dr Mohamed Fathy Saoud, vice-chairperson of the board of governors and chairman of the executive committee, Sidra. Gulf Times Tuesday, November 11 , 2014 4 QATAR Qatar-Uganda ties reviewed HE the Minister of Labour and Social Affairs Dr Abdullah Saleh Mubarak al-Khulaifi holding talks with Uganda’s Minister of State for Youth, Labour, Employment and Industrial Relations, Mwesigwa Rukutana, in Doha yesterday. They discussed bilateral relations and the means to enhance them as well as a number of issues of joint interest. Three expatriates get jail sentence for theft T he Criminal Court has jailed three Asian expatriates who stole electricity equipment from a house under construction, reported Arrayah newspaper. The Criminal Court convicted three Nepalese expatriates for their involvement in the theft of electricity equipment from the new house of a citizen and another house belonging to his brother. However, the paper has not reported what the stolen equipment was. The court awarded a one-year sentence to the first and the second accused while awarding a 6-month jail sentence to the third accused. The judgment includes a directive for the deportation of the three from the country after the completion of their jail period. The Al Rayyan police investigated the case after the citizen lodged the complaint. The contractor who undertook the construction informed him that equipment were stolen both from the new house and also from the house of the citizen’s brother which is in the immediate neighbourhood. The security person on duty at the compound informed the house owner that he had seen the accused at the place at the time when the robbery took place. On being questioned, the first and second accused admitted to their involvement in the theft and it led to the arrest of the third accused who purchased the stolen items. Gulf Times Tuesday, November 11, 2014 5 QATAR Official Qatar, Myanmar set up diplomatic ties Qatar, Ethiopia joint panel meets QNA Yangon QNA Doha Presidents of Brazil and Benin to arrive in Doha today T T he Qatari-Ethiopian joint mini-committee for bilateral co-operation held a meeting yesterday at the Foreign Ministry. It was co-chaired by HE the Assistant Foreign Minister for International Cooperation Affairs Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdurrahman bin Jassim al-Thani and Ethiopian Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Berhane Gebre-Christos. Presidents of Brazil and Benin, Dilma Rousseff and Thomas Boni Yayi, respectively, will arrive in Doha today. HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani will discuss with the two leaders ways to enhance bilateral relations in various fields. The meeting reflects the importance of bilateral relations between Qatar and Ethiopia HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani yesterday endorsed Cabinet Decision No. 59 of 2014 enforcing the rules of Law No. 24 of 2002 on retirement and pensions of Qatari employees with the following companies: CH2M Hill International B V Company, The Investors Group Company, Event ICOM Capital Management Bank Qatar, Al-Rayan Brokerage Company, and Al-Rayan Investment Company. he flag of Qatar was hoisted yesterday over its embassy’s headquarters in Myanmar, marking the beginning of diplomatic relationship between the two countries. On the occasion, the Acting Charge d’Affaires at the Qatari embassy in Yangon, Abdul Aziz bin Abdullah al-Haj, held a reception ceremony which was attended by a number of officials at the Ministry Foreign Affairs of Myanmar and heads of diplomatic missions accredited to the country along with representatives of Arab and Muslim communities in Yangon. Al-Haj welcomed the attendees expressing his pleasure over development of relations between the two countries, hoping this step would be a beginning of a new phase of co-operation, promotion of bilateral relations and developing them in order to serve the interests of both countries and their peoples in all fields. Acting Charge d’Affaires at the Qatari embassy in Yangon, Abdul Aziz bin Abdullah al-Haj, attending the flag-hoisting ceremony yesterday. Abdul Aziz bin Abdullah al-Haj with guests at the reception ceremony. In a statement to the Qatar News Agency (QNA), Sheikh Mohamed said that the meeting reflects the importance of bilateral relations between Qatar and Ethiopia, adding that during these meetings the two sides will follow up the official visits exchanged between the two countries. The meeting discussed agreements that had been signed between the two countries in addition to exchange of views on prospects of co-operation in agriculture, culture, tourism, mining and energy sectors, he added. He said that they agreed on creating opportunities for co-operation between the Ethiopian and Qatari companies along with adopting some projects on the basis of partnership between the two countries. Emir to attend opening of Advisory Council session HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani will attend the opening of the 43rd ordinary session of the Advisory Council today. Emir issues amendment law HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani yesterday issued law No. 20 of 2014 amending some provisions of law No. 25 of 2005 on commercial registration. The law is applicable from the date of issue and is to be published in the official gazette. Emir endorses Cabinet decision Two new decrees issued HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani issued Emiri Decree No. 48 of 2014 yesterday endorsing a memorandum of understanding for co-operation in the field of meteorology between governments of Qatar and Saudi Arabia, signed in Riyadh on 1.3.2011. The Emir also issued decree No. 49 of 2014 endorsing an agreement between governments of Qatar and Sweden on the exchange of information pertaining to custom issues and its attached protocol, signed in the city of Paris on 6.9.2013. Instruments of ratification HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani issued the following instruments of ratification yesterday: 1. Approving a draft agreement between the United Nations and the government of Qatar on hosting the 3rd United Nations Congresses on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, signed in the city of Vienna on 22.9.2014. 2. Approving the ratification of an agreement on economic and trade cooperation between governments of Qatar and Brazil, signed in the city of Brasilia on 20.1.2010 3. Approving the ratification of the statute of the GCC Emergency Management Centre. 6 Gulf Times Tuesday, November 11, 2014 QATAR Qatargas holds career guidance programme for QU students QNA Doha Q atargas has met with students at Qatar University’s College of Business and Economics as part of Hayyakum, a recruitment-oriented outreach programme launched earlier this year that specifically targets nationals. The programme aims to meet students at their place of study and respond to their questions regarding a specific discipline and assist them by providing them with information to enable them to make decisions about their future careers. Representatives of the company delivered pres- Qatargas �Hayyakum’ campaign. entations on topics such as investment and financial market and institutions to male and female students alike. Qatargas has enhanced the campaign to focus on specific skill sets – finance in this case. The focus on a specific discipline allows students to have a clearer, in-depth understanding of the qualifications and skills required for jobs within that area and provide them with an insight into the roles and responsibilities undertaken within the discipline, the company said. Qatargas has a National Graduate Development Programme that provides every graduate with an Individual Development Plan (IDP), consisting of on-the-job learning and formal training. Graduates have the opportunity to develop their behaviuoral competencies with focus on areas such as communication and information sharing, planning and organising, teamwork, job knowledge and problem solving. Gulf Times Tuesday, November 11, 2014 7 QATAR Badr al-Meer and Philippe Anric at the official opening of The Airport Hotel. Airport Hotel set to offer travellers �best experience’ H amad International Airport (HIA) has officially unveiled two of its latest facilities —The Airport Hotel and Vitality Spa. Located in the south node of the airport, the 100-room The Airport Hotel and Vitality Spa offer passengers passing through HIA a range of services and flexibility, depending upon their travel needs and schedules, according to a statement. Whether travelling on business or for leisure, with family or without, The Airport Hotel is designed to meet the needs of all global and regional travellers, who can book a room package for as long or as short a stay as they require. They can also just drop in to the Vitality Spa for a swim in the 25m swimming pool or enjoy a massage, the statement said. Badr al-Meer, chief operating officer of HIA, said: “The opening of The Airport Hotel and Vitality Spa is another important milestone for Hamad International Airport. We are delighted that we can now offer our passengers this sophisticated facility that has been designed with careful consideration of their requirements while they are our guests in Doha.” Philippe Anric, The Airport Hotel general manager, added: “Our focus at the hotel is to offer the very best hospitality experience to all our guests, whether they are staying with us for one hour or one day. We look forward to welcoming passengers to The Airport Hotel.” Guests can choose from superior, deluxe and executive rooms or executive suites, which can be booked for 0-3, 3-6, 6-12 or 12-24 hours, giving them the opportunity to rest in between flights or use the room as a base while they explore the boutiques and restaurants spread over 40,000sqm at HIA. Hotel guests can enjoy more than 70 retail outlets offering a wide selection of designer labels, high street fashion, electronics and gourmet foods, as well as over 30 cafes and restaurants offering a selection of global cuisine. Guests and non-staying guests can benefit from the services provided at the Vitality Spa, which includes a 25m swimming pool, full-service gym equipped with cardiovascular machines and the support of a personal instructor, as well as two squash courts. Passengers can also choose from a wide variety of treatments at the Vitality Spa, which have been specially designed to relieve the fatigue of travelling. There are three treatment rooms for men and two for women, and a hydrotherapy bath is also available in both the male and female spa areas. 8 Gulf Times Tuesday, November 11, 2014 QATAR Qapco health awareness day focuses on heart problems O Transport infrastructure experts meet at the 7th Annual Bridges and Highways Middle East conference yesterday in Doha. PICTURES: Thajudeen New road projects will ease congestion: official By Joey Aguilar Staff Reporter T he ongoing construction of bridges, roads and highways in the country, which causes traffic snarls now, would soon contribute to easing congestion, an official of Qatar’s Ministry of Transport has said. Surface transport adviser Abdul Ghaffar A H Chaudhry said traffic jams usually happen when massive construction projects take place in a city such as Doha. “Surely there are delays expected but all these projects and mega projects work on achieving a less congested city,” Chaudhry said on the sidelines of the 7th Annual Bridges and Highways Middle East conference in Doha yesterday. He said these challenges can happen in the next three to four years until infrastructure projects are handed over and become operational. “This will be there for a couple of years until you see the road scheme finalising and more interchanges opening up,” he added. Traffic snarls in many parts of Doha had been the subject of complaints by motorists especially during peak hours. In the morning, for example, it takes 45 minutes to an hour for commuters reach their destinations: from their homes to offices and schools. Chaudhry said delivery agencies such as Public Works Authority (Ashgal) and Qatar Rail are trying their best to provide the best alternative solutions for Surface transport adviser Abdul Ghaffar A H Chaudhry. these challenges until road and rail schemes are finalised. “These projects stamp out of how to achieve that very robust master plan for Qatar and de- fine what projects we need,” he added. However, the official noted that some priorities are dictated externally especially in meeting a deadline imposed by an event (FIFA 2022 World Cup). Noting the eventual goal of the projects is to achieve the Qatar National Vision 2030, he stressed the importance of holding such a conference which focuses more towards the planning and delivery of high quality highways and bridges on time. The two-day international summit has gathered together officials and representatives from companies and providers that are changing Qatar’s urban landscape with new transport infrastructure. It features various exchanges on how to create roads, bridges and other mega projects that last 120 years or more. Chaudhry will be part of the panel in today’s morning session titled: “Delivering bridge and highway projects on-time through effective planning and stakeholder management.” The discussion will tackle some issues such as establishing clear communication strategies to expedite approvals and reduce project delays; how to avoid changes in requirements and scope; managing “the complexity and demands presented by the use of US and UK codes for design and construction in Qatar;” among others. Experts from other GCC countries will also address some key issues in constructing highways and bridges. ver 250 Qapco employees participated in a health awareness day, with special emphasis on cardiovascular risks and how to prevent heartrelated diseases. The event, held in connection with World Heart Day, was organised in conjunction with Kulluna, the health and safety national campaign spearheaded by Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) and co-ordinated by Hamad International Training Centre. On the occasion, the “Kulluna for a healthy heart” team and its mobile unit visited the Qapco plant in Mesaieed. The Arabic word “Kulluna” means �all of us’. During the day, Qapco employees were invited to complete health check-ups that included tests for Body Mass Index and blood pressure. As heart disease remains the leading cause of death in men and women in Qatar and around the world, the Kulluna trained staff also presented and discussed risk factors for developing coronary artery diseases, such as high blood pressure, obesity, the impact of cholesterol, tobacco and diabetes. Overall, the importance of healthy lifestyles and physical activities were strongly highlighted as important measure playing a key role in preventing the risk of heart-related diseases. Qapco employees were also given booklets providing insight on how to maintain a healthy heart in order to reduce the risks of developing heart-related diseases. Qapco vice chairman and CEO Dr Mohamed Youssef al-Mulla stated: “At Qapco, as a responsible organisation, and in alignment with the Qatar National Vision 2030, we believe in raising awareness about the importance of healthy lifestyles and fitness among our employees and our community. “As such, the benefits of the national campaign �Kulluna for a healthy heart’ driven by HMC are evident and benefit the Qatari society as a whole. I thank the �Kulluna for a healthy heart’ team for having visited Qapco. Together, we encouraged the Qapco staff to make more hearthealthy choices.” Qapco, as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility programme, is investing in projects that support three key areas: employee and family welfare, education, and sports. Qapco employees participating in the Kulluna event. Canon’s new DSLR camera features innovative flicker detection C anon Middle East has launched in Qatar its new DSLR camera, the EOS 7D Mark II, which builds on the class-leading performance of the iconic EOS 7D, and harnesses technologies found in the flagship, professional EOS-1D X. Completely rebuilt and redesigned, the EOS 7D Mark II can capture an incredible 10 frames per second (fps) without a drop in resolution, and features a new 65-point cross-type AF system and Dual DIGIC 6 processors. The camera boasts a new 20.2 MP APS-C CMOS sensor with a native ISO 100-16,000 range, expandable to ISO 51,200. Together with an advanced highresolution 150k pixel RGB+IR metering sensor and innovative flicker detection, the EOS 7D Mark II ensures beautifully exposed images. The EOS 7D Mark II’s high speed of 10fps is due in part to a newly designed shutter and mirror drive mechanism, with 200,000-cycle shutter durability. A new cutting-edge flicker detection feature ensures images are only shot when light levels are at their brightest level - intelligently analysing the light source and detecting flickering light the eye simply can’t see. The EOS 7D Mark II builds on its predecessor’s movie reputation with a new suite of pro- standard recording features. Superior AF performance is executed by Canon’s unique Dual Pixel CMOS AF technology, enabling shooting with smooth, accurate focus. In a first for EOS, both Movie Servo AF speed and tracking sensitivity can be customised, giving complete control for pull-focus effects and transitions between subjects. The camera captures every split second of the action in Full HD quality, with a choice of frame rates from 24p to 60p for smooth movement and slow motion effects. The EOS 7D Mark II has improved weather resistance and a tough magnesium alloy chassis as well as built-in GPS and a digital compass. As part of the world renowned EOS System, the EOS 7D Mark II supports a number of accessories, including a new battery grip that enables longer, more stable shooting throughout the day. Upgraded Mowasalat call centre soon: official The Mowasalat’s upgraded call centre would be able to provide better services to customers soon, a senior official of the company’s IT department said yesterday. Some more advanced features have been added to the centre and the customers, mainly those making inquiries on taxis, are expected to get their services most possibly before the end of this year, he said. “We are working on to provide those services by the end of this month itself so that customers would be benefited at the earliest,” said the official. With the upgrading of the call centre the customers would be able to receive faster services on such issues as booking of taxis, their availability and even on their movement on the roads, he said. Right now, apart from Mowasalat’s Karwa taxis, the operators and customers of Capital and Profit taxis are also using the services of the Mowasalat call centre. The bookings and availability of the three taxis are done through the centre, it is understood. The official said bus passengers are also similarly served by the company. “Even while one is waiting at the bus stop, he could learn whether his bus is operating or where its current location is,” he said. The arrangement is already available at 37 bus stops across the country. However, the company is not sure if the facility is made use of by many passengers, said the official. 711 entries received for Katara Arabic novel contest Katara, the Cultural Village Foundation’s Arabic Novel Prize has received some 711 entries until October 31 when the contest closed. Dr Khalid bin Ibrahim alSulaiti, the general manager of Katara, said that such participation is unprecedented. Further, it indicates the importance of Katara Prize as it is much needed to enrich the Arabic literature and Arabic novel in particular. The organising committee received 475 unpublished novels and 236 published novels. Dr al-Sulaiti pointed out that the majority of entries are from 2014 and a limited number from 2013. The entries from 2012 are not being considered for the prize. A total of 157 novels were submitted by women from different Arab countries, representing 22% of the overall entries. The Arab Spring countries have also the largest number of entries, with Egypt in the forefront. Gulf Times Tuesday, November 11, 2014 9 REGION Comoros offer for Kuwait’s stateless puts focus on plight The bidoons numbered 106,000 in 2011, according to a Human Rights Watch report based on Kuwaiti government statistics AFP Kuwait City Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei meets Iraqi Vice President Nuri al-Maliki in Tehran yesterday. Tehran �ready to help’ Iraq in fight against IS militants AFP Tehran I ran said yesterday that it was at Iraq’s disposal to help its neighbour battle the Islamic State militant group, media reported. Vice President Eshaq Jahangiri made the pledge during talks in Tehran with his Iraqi counterpart, former premier Nuri al-Maliki. “In the face of terrorism, we must use all means... Iran is ready to place all of its abilities at Iraq’s disposal,” Jahangiri said, the website of Iranian state broadcaster Irib reported. To help counter a lightning IS offensive launched on June 9, Iran has supplied Iraqi Kurds with weapons and sent military advisers to Baghdad, while also denying it had deployed ground troops. However, early last month Iranian television published a rare picture of its elite Quds Force chief, Major General Qassem Suleimani, on an Iraqi battlefield alongside Kurdish peshmerga forces. And in September, a senior Iranian military official threatened to attack deep inside Iraq if the militants approached the border between the two countries. Tehran, which has refused to join the international coalition against IS, advocates regional support for the Iraqi and Syrian governments, and says that air strikes are insufficient. Jahangiri yesterday dismissed the coalition strikes as a “show” and criticised the US-led campaign for not taking “concrete measures to dry up financial supplies” to the militants. Maliki, meanwhile, said “wider co-operation and coordination are needed to prevent greater dangers” that lie ahead. Iraq’s ex-prime minister, who stepped down in August in favour of Haidar al-Abadi following a protracted political crisis, also met Iran’s supreme leader. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei praised Maliki’s “courage” during eight years in power, and said his decision to step aside helped to prevent instability in Iraq. In October, Abadi also visited Tehran to discuss Iraq’s battle against the IS offensive. The mainly Shia neighbours have been close since the ouster of Saddam Hussain in the US-led invasion of 2003, with Tehran’s role becoming increasingly open in recent years. Iraq president’s Saudi visit raises hopes of thaw Reuters Riyadh I raqi President Fouad Masoum will visit Riyadh today, Saudi state media reported, raising hopes of a tentative thaw in relations. Although Iraqi officials have visited Saudi Arabia for multilateral meetings on several oc- casions in recent years, bilateral talks have been rare since Riyadh closed its Baghdad embassy in 1990 following Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait. Since the appointment in August of Haidar al-Abadi as Iraq’s prime minister, however, Saudi Arabia has made cautious moves towards rapprochement, swiftly sending him a message of congratulations and hinting it may reopen its Baghdad embassy. “The Saudis want to give Abadi more time to see what he is going to do. They gave him a good welcome when he was appointed and opened the door. But they understand there is a big struggle inside the Shia house and are not sure how far he can deliver,” said Mustafa Alani, an Iraqi security analyst with close ties to the Saudi government. Saudi Arabia invited Iraq’s foreign minister in August to a meeting in Jeddah which built a regional coalition against the Islamic State militant group. Western countries including the United States believe Saudi Arabia could play an important role in persuading Iraq’s Sunni Arab community to support Baghdad against Islamic State. K uwait’s announcement that tens of thousands of stateless people will be offered citizenship of the impoverished African nation of Comoros has highlighted their decadesold plight. But a representative of the community whose members demand Kuwaiti citizenship rejected the offer as “totally impractical”. The stateless people, known as bidoons, insist they were born and raised in Kuwait and thus have full rights to claim citizenship. Kuwait says a majority of the bidoons belong to other countries and that only 34,000 of them qualify for consideration of citizenship after meeting a set of stringent conditions. The emirate insists it has documented evidence to prove its claims, saying the bidoons are mainly from neighbouring Iraq and Saudi Arabia, as well as a few thousand from Iran, Jordan and Syria. The bidoons numbered 106,000 in 2011, according to a Human Rights Watch report based on Kuwaiti government statistics. The figures show that while 34,000 bidoons qualify for consideration of citizenship, 42,000 are Iraqis, 26,000 are of other nationalities, mainly Saudi, and the status of 4,000 is unknown. The government based its findings on secret information which it refuses to share, HRW said. Kuwait says apart from those eligible to apply for citizenship, other bidoons or their ancestors crossed into the country illegally and destroyed their passports in order to gain access to generous A file handout picture released by the official website of Iran’s defence ministry on September 23 shows a drone during an unveiling ceremony in Tehran. US drone replica test flight successful: Iran AFP Tehran I ran said yesterday that a copy of an American drone downed over its territory in 2011 had successfully completed its first test flight, promising to release footage of the experiment. Tehran captured the US RQ-170 Sentinel in December 2011 while it was in its airspace, apparently on a mission to spy on the country’s nuclear sites, media in the United States reported. Iran said it had taken control of the ultra hi-tech drone and forced it down in the desert where it was recovered nearly intact. Washington says the drone crashed after experiencing a technical glitch. In May, a military official said Iranian engineers had successfully built a replica of the American drone and that it would soon take a test flight. Images broadcast by state television at the time appeared to show two nearidentical drones. “As promised, we have conducted the flight and a film of it will be broadcast shortly,” General Amir-Ali Hadjizadeh, commander of the Revolutionary Guards air wing, was quoted as saying by the corps’ own website. Apart from a fast-moving ballistic weapons programme, Iran has been producing drones since 2010 which the defence ministry says are capable of firing missiles with a range of 1,000km. Tehran says its weapons programmes are purely for defensive purposes, but the United States has often voiced concerns. Stateless people demonstrate in Jahra, 50km northwest of Kuwait City, in this January 25, 2013 file photo. welfare programmes, including free housing. The secretary general of the Kuwaiti Bidoons Committee, Nawaf al-Bader, said none of the 34,000 identified as eligible three years ago have been granted citizenship. “Government claims that bidoons belong to other countries are false and unsubstantiated. If these claims were true, why has the government not deported them,” said Bader, a bidoon himself. The actual number of bidoons was much higher than official figures, he said, with between 40,000 and 50,000 of them unregistered. A few years ago, the government established a special agency to resolve the bidoon problem and named it the Central Agency for Illegal Residents, the official name of bidoons in Kuwait. The government recently started offering bidoons some services. It has started appointing them as public school teachers and allowing some to seek private sector employment. It has been paying school fees for thousands of bidoon children whose fathers are registered, as well as issuing them birth, marriage and death certificates. But Bader insists the services have not been offered to all bidoons as many remain deprived and live in “misery”. Parliament has repeatedly passed legislation allowing the government to naturalise 4,000 bidoons each year, but most of the laws have not been implemented. Authorities have given no indication of the potential cost of the Comoros deal, but activists on social networks claim it would amount to billions of dollars. But Bader said offering bidoons Comoros citizenship was “totally impractical” and that Sunday’s announcement was met with “anger and rejection” by his community. Comoros is an archipelago state located off eastern Africa and is a member of the Arab League. A member of parliament’s human rights committee, MP Faisal al-Duwaisan, described the move as “very grave” and vowed to question the prime minister if the government implements the decision. For the past three years, police have broken up with force bidoon protests calling for citizenship and other basic rights. Hundreds have been arrested and put on trial accused of illegal demonstrations and assaulting police. Lawmaker Nabil al-Fadhl in April proposed sending to a desert camp stateless people convicted of breaching public security and protesting. 10 Gulf Times Tuesday, November 11, 2014 REGION/ARAB WORLD Egypt group backs IS as Iraq probes leader’s fate AFP Baghdad T he leader of the Islamic State organisation won the allegiance of Egypt’s deadliest militant group yesterday as Iraqi authorities investigated reports he had been killed or wounded in a US air strike. Syrian President Bashar alAssad meanwhile said he was ready to study a UN plan for local ceasefires in the battle-scarred northern city of Aleppo. Egypt’s Ansar Beit al-Maqdis, which has carried out a string of deadly attacks from its stronghold in the Sinai Peninsula, said it was pledging its loyalty to the self-declared IS “caliph”, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. Speculation has swirled that Baghdadi, whose group has seized large parts of Iraq and Syria, was killed or wounded in a US strike on Friday on militant leaders in northern Iraq, but there has been no confirmation. In a recording posted on its Twitter account, Ansar Beit alMaqdis promised its loyalty to IS and urged other Muslims to do the same. “We announce our pledge of allegiance to the caliph Ibrahim Ibn Awad... to listen and obey,” the audio recording said, using another name for Baghdadi. “We call on all Muslims everywhere to pledge allegiance to the caliph and support him.” It was the most significant vow of support for IS in the region outside Iraq and Syria, suggesting its influence over militant groups is overshadowing its once dominant Al Qaeda rivals. Ansar Beit al-Maqdis, which means “Partisans of Jerusalem”, has killed scores of police and soldiers since the Egyptian army ousted Islamist president Mohamed Mursi in July last year. IS declared a “caliphate” in areas under its control in June, imposing its harsh interpretation of Islamic law and committing widespread atrocities. Concerned after it overran large parts of Iraq from its previous base in Syria, Washington forged a coalition of Western and Arab allies to launch air raids against the group in both countries. The US military said yesterday that the coalition had carried out 23 strikes in Syria and 18 in Iraq between November 7 and November 10. The Pentagon said earlier that strikes late on Friday hit a gathering of IS leaders in areas of the northern Iraqi city of Mosul, sparking reports that Baghdadi may have been killed or wounded there, or in a separate strike in western Anbar province. The death of the elusive IS leader would be a major victory for the coalition, but US and Iraqi officials have so far been unable to confirm he was targeted. It is unclear whether officials even know if he was at the gathering, given the dearth of intelligence from IS-held areas of Iraq and Syria. A Pentagon spokesman said yesterday the US “cannot confirm” Baghdadi’s status, suggesting last week’s strike had hit lower “tactical level leadership” of IS. The battle against IS has in recent months overshadowed the civil war in Syria, where disparate rebel groups are fighting to overthrow President Bashar alAssad’s regime. Clashes there continue to claim lives every day but Assad said yesterday he was ready to consider a plan from UN envoy Staffan de Mistura to “freeze” fighting in the northern city of Aleppo to allow for aid deliveries and lay the groundwork for broader peace talks. “President Assad has been informed by de Mistura of the main points of his initiative,” the Syrian president’s office said. “(Assad) said it was worthy of study and that work on it is needed... in order to re-establish security in Aleppo.” Nuclear deal in balance as US, Iran end talks in Oman The US State Department says the talks have proved “tough, direct and serious” while adding “there is still time” for progress AFP Muscat A hard-fought nuclear deal hung in the balance as Iran and the United States ended talks yesterday in Oman, with signs the haggling will continue until a November 24 deadline. Over the past two days US Secretary of State John Kerry and Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohamed Javad Zarif sought to overcome deep differences, allay mutual suspicion and bring 12 months of diplomatic brinkmanship to the point of a breakthrough. As each laid out their demands in private, warnings came that a final agreement may prove elusive, but in their only public comments in over 10 hours of talks neither man revealed what remains unsolved in the long-running bid for a comprehensive accord. Asked if they were making progress, as they appeared briefly for photographers, Zarif replied: “We will eventually.” Kerry said: “We are working hard. We are working hard”. US President Barack Obama said on Sunday that a “big gap” remained on how the West can have “verifiable, lock-tight assurances” that Iran cannot obtain a nuclear weapon. “We may not be able to get there,” Obama told CBS News. After the talks ended yesterday, the US State Department said they have proved “tough, direct and serious” while adding “there is still time” for progress. The Iranian delegation is under pressure to deliver a quick and total lifting of US, UN and European sanctions under a final deal. Obama, however, said sanctions would only be “slowly reduced” if Tehran meets its obligations. The key sticking point is thought to be the number and type of uranium-enriching centrifuges Iran should be allowed to keep spinning in exchange for sanctions relief and rigorous inspections of its nuclear sites. Iran denies it is seeking a bomb and says its nuclear programme aims to produce atomic energy to reduce the country’s reliance on fossil fuels, requiring a massive increase in its ability to enrich uranium in coming years. The duration of a final settlement plan between Iran and the P5+1 group—Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States plus Germany—also remains contested, with Iran speaking of five years and world powers suggesting at least double that. Some analysts have said a deal may already be out of reach. “A full-fledged agreement is no longer possible before the deadline. What is still achievable is a breakthrough that could justify adding more time to the clock,” said Ali Vaez, senior Iran analyst at the International Crisis Group. “What is needed is a courageous political decision that neither side appears compelled to take until the 11th hour.” The talks have already been extended once—when a July 20 deadline was missed. Despite the logjam, neither side has indicated it would walk away from the table. The meetings in Muscat followed the revelation that Obama reportedly wrote to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to push for a deal, arguing the Islamic Republic and the West have shared regional interests. This apparent reference to the fight against Islamic State militants in Syria and Iraq was played down by Kerry, however, with the US diplomat saying “there is no linkage whatsoever” with the nuclear talks. Domestic politics are also a factor, given the loss in midterm elections of the Senate by Obama’s Democrats to the Republican party, members of which have consistently bridled at the White House’s negotiations with Iran. If talks go sour in the coming weeks it is thought the US Congress may respond with fresh sanctions on Iran. Obama has the power to veto them, but the prospect of new penalties could push already protracted deal-making towards being untenable for the Iranian government. Exhibition visitors look at the screaming pots of artist Babak Golkar in Tehran. Art exhibition in Tehran is something to scream about Reuters Dubai A contemporary art gallery in central Tehran is giving Iranians a chance to let out their frustrations by screaming into clay pots sculpted by a Vancouver-based artist, exhibiting in the country of his ancestors for the first time. The earthen pots, some of which resemble traditional water jars, are designed not for containing liquids but to relieve the stresses of urban life - noise, traffic and pollution - if only for a moment. “When logic fails to explain, it becomes natural to scream. The (pots) reflect many conditions that we are faced with, E gypt’s parliamentary elections will be held before the end of March 2015, President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi told a visiting US business delegation yesterday, his office said. Electing a new parliament is a key step in a road map announced by the army after it ousted Mohamed Mursi, Egypt’s first freely elected president, on July 3, 2013. “Egypt will achieve its third milestone announced in the post-July 3 road map... of holding its parliamentary elections before an international economic conference scheduled in the first quarter of 2015,” Sisi was quoted as telling the US delegation, according to a statement issued by his office. The planned economic conference aims to attract foreign investments to kick-start the country’s battered economy. Sisi, then army chief, ousted Mursi and announced a political road map that envisaged adopt- ing a new constitution, to be followed by presidential and parliamentary elections. While the new constitution was adopted in January 2014, the presidential election, which Sisi won, was held in May. The Supreme Electoral Commission announced in June the start of preparatory procedures for holding the parliamentary polls. The commission recently said the date for the parliamentary polls will be fixed after a law finalising the constituencies was issued. Egypt’s first parliament after the 2011 uprising that toppled veteran autocrat Hosni Mubarak was dissolved after a court ruling in June 2012. Since then, Egypt’s presidents have enjoyed both executive and legislative powers. The US business delegation, comprising representatives from more than 60 firms, is visiting Egypt to discuss investments in the country. The nearly 160-member delegation is thought to be the biggest such US business group to visit Egypt since the 2011 uprising. He, like many contemporary artists who have departed from traditional mediums such as painting and sculpture, had difficulty finding a place to work with experimental and performance-based mediums until Sazmanab, a privately funded art centre founded by Kashani, stepped in. Kashani, a self-taught artist and curator, set up the centre in 2009 to counter the “dearth of contemporary art studies” in Iranian universities. The art centre is one of dozens of privately owned galleries set up in the last 10 years in Tehran, mostly in the northern, wealthier parts of the city of about 8mn. Sazmanab, however, is downtown, close to Iran’s uni- versities and the former embassy of the United States. “We want to reach people that aren’t just in the art scene,” Kashani said. More than 500 people, including students, artists, industrial workers and their families visited Sazmanab to see the Screaming Pots exhibition which runs until Friday. Much of Iranian art conforms to Iran’s political and religious narratives and it is commercially risky for artists to strike out on their own, even though some do. “Iran’s art scene, I felt, is at a crossroad where engaged and critical artists seem to be frustrated with its art market and are wanting to go beyond that,” Golkar said. US blacklists Saleh, rebel commanders Parliamentary polls by March-end: Sisi AFP Cairo often unexplained with logic,” artist Babak Golkar told Reuters by e-mail from Canada last week, shortly after his exhibition opened. Gallery creator Sohrab Kashani said it has been packed with stylish Iranians screaming into vessels of various shapes and sizes. Some are designed to amplify sound, some to mute, but all made with the same clay that is typical of parts of Iran. Golkar said he had decided the time was right to return to Tehran after years of avoiding exhibiting there. “I was physically gone for a long time but mentally never left. To come back and engage actively and not as a passive tourist was a true privilege,” he said. AFP Washington T A man pulls a suitcase past demolished huts set on fire, as he leaves Taghyeer (Change) Square in Sanaa yesterday. Authorities had deployed riot police and used bulldozers to demolish the huts set up by pro-democracy protesters when they had camped in the square to demand a regime change in 2011. These temporary shelters had not been removed from the square after protesters vacated it last year. It was not immediately apparent who had set the demolished huts on fire. he United States hit Yemen’s former president Ali Abdullah Saleh and two Houthi rebel commanders with sanctions yesterday, two days after Saleh walked out on the new government. The US Treasury said it was blacklisting Saleh, Abdullah Yahya al-Hakim and Abd alKhaliq al-Houthi “for engaging in acts that directly or indirectly threaten the peace, security, or stability of Yemen”. The US action followed Saturday’s UN Security Council sanctions on the three men, for threatening peace in the impoverished country. The UN sanctions prompted Saleh to pull his General People’s Congress party out of the justformed unity cabinet, plunging the country back into political crisis after months of attempts to foster a peace deal between Saleh: hit with sanctions Saleh, the Houthi insurgents believed allied to him, and their political rivals. The Treasury said the three men “have, using violence and other means, undermined the political process in Yemen and obstructed the implementation of its political transition, outlined by the agreement of November 23, 2011 ... which provides for a peaceful transition of power in Yemen.” The sanctions freeze any assets the three might have in US jurisdictions and forbids Ameri- cans from doing business with them. Saleh was the turbulent country’s president from 1990 to 2012 before he was forced to step down following nationwide protests. The US Treasury said that since then he has “reportedly become one of the primary supporters of violence perpetrated by individuals affiliated with the Houthi group”. Hakim, the Treasury said, was implicated in plotting a coup attempt against Yemen President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi as the Houthi forces sought to take over Sanaa. The Treasury added that Hakim remained in Sanaa in September “to organise military operations so as to be able to topple the Yemeni government” if peace efforts failed. Rebel commander al-Houthi was behind several attacks and attempted attacks on the Yemen government and foreign diplomatic facilities over the past year, the Treasury said. Gulf Times Tuesday, November 11, 2014 11 ARAB WORLD UN sets up Gaza war inquiry Israeli soldier, woman killed in Palestinian knife attacks The attacks come as Israel struggles to contain a growing wave of violence which has spread from East Jerusalem to Arab towns and villages inside the country AFP Jerusalem A n Israeli soldier and a woman were killed and two others wounded yesterday in two separate Palestinian knife attacks as months of unrest in Jerusalem spread across Israel and the occupied West Bank. Yesterday’s violence began in Tel Aviv where a Palestinian teenager from the northern West Bank stabbed a 20-year-old soldier, who died later in hospital. The assailant fled but was arrested. Hours later, another Palestinian attacked three Israelis outside Alon Shvut settlement in the southern West Bank, killing a young woman and wounding two other people before a security guard shot and critically wounded him. The bloodshed took place after months of clashes and un- rest in and around annexed East Jerusalem which spread to Arab areas of Israel at the weekend after police shot dead a young Arab-Israeli during a routine arrest operation. Since the summer, Israel has significantly increased police presence on the streets in a bid to rein in the unrest, but has been unable to stop a growing number of attacks by lone Palestinians, most of them in Jerusalem. But yesterday’s violence was further afield. “A car stopped at the hitchhiking stop at the entrance to Alon Shvut, the driver got out of the car and stabbed three civilians who were standing there,” police spokeswoman Luba Samri said of the incident in the southern West Bank. A woman of about 25 was killed and two men were lightly to moderately wounded, medics said. Police said all three were Jewish settlers. Their attacker, who was identified as Maher Hamdi alHashlamon, was shot and seriously wounded by the settlement’s security guard. He was taken to a Jerusalem hospital, police said. Palestinian security sources said Hashlamon was from the southern city of Hebron. Earlier, a Palestinian teenager from a refugee camp in the northern West Bank stabbed an Israeli soldier outside a Tel Aviv train station before fleeing the scene. He was later arrested. “It was apparently an attack with nationalist motives. The suspect is a resident of the Nablus area,” police spokeswoman Samri said. The attacker was identified as 17-year-old Nureddine Abu Hashiyeh from Askar refugee camp near Nablus. His father, Khaled, said he was a painter and decorator by trade and had left for Tel Aviv on Sunday. The attacks came as Israel struggles to contain a growing wave of violence which has gripped annexed East Jerusalem for the past four months, but which has recently spread to Arab towns and villages inside the country. Anger initially erupted in Jerusalem in early July over the murder of a Palestinian teenager by young Jewish extremists. It has been fuelled by religious tensions at the Al Aqsa mosque compound, as well as by moves to expand settler presence in the Reuters United Nations U A forensic policewoman works at the scene of the stabbing attack in Tel Aviv yesterday. occupied eastern sector of the holy city. Since August, there have been four deadly Palestinian attacks in Jerusalem—three of which were “hit-and-run” attacks which killed five Israelis—and one attempted drive-by shooting. All four perpetrators, who acted alone and came from East Jerusalem, were shot dead, sparking further unrest. Since July, police have arrested some 900 Palestinians for public order offences in East Jerusalem and indicted around a third of them. But at the weekend, the unrest spread after police shot dead a 22-year-old Arab-Israeli in Kufr Kana near the northern city of Nazareth, triggering a wave of rioting in Arab areas, some of which continued until early yesterday. Police claim the officers fired warning shots before shooting directly at him. But relatives say Kheir Hamdan was killed “in cold blood”, with CCTV images apparently contradicting the official version and showing an officer shooting at him as he was backing away from the scene. Following two days of clashes, 24 Arab-Israelis - 10 of them minors - were in court yesterday on charges of stone-throwing and other public order offences, police said. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed on Sunday that anyone breaking the law would be “punished severely”. “We will not tolerate disturbances and riots. We will take determined action against those who throw stones, firebombs and fireworks, and block roads, and against demonstrations that call for our destruction.” N Secretary General Ban Ki-moon yesterday named a retired Dutch general to head an inquiry into attacks on UN facilities during Israel’s recent war against Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip and the use of UN sites to store weapons. UN spokesman Farhan Haq told reporters the investigation would be “an internal and independent United Nations Headquarters Board of Inquiry into certain incidents that occurred in the Gaza Strip between July 8 and August 26, 2014”. The world body has said that tens of thousands of dwellings were damaged or destroyed in 50 days of fighting between Israel and Palestinian militants, and 108,000 people were left homeless in an impoverished, isolated territory. In one incident, more than a dozen people were killed at a UN school during Israeli shelling. Israel has cited militants’ use of UN facilities to store rockets as a reason for targeting them. Haq said Patrick Cammaert, a retired Dutch general and former force commander of the UN peacekeeping mission in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, will head the investigation. Other inquiry members will be Maria Vicien-Milburn of Argentina, Lee O’Brien of the United States, Pierre Lemelin of Canada and K C Reddy of India. On the mandate of the investigation, Haq said “it will review and investigate a number of specific incidents in which death or injuries occurred at, and/or damage was done to United Nations premises.” Arab-Israeli town seethes with anger over shooting AFP Kufr Kana, Israel A fter days of clashes, the smell of teargas hangs heavy in the air in Kufr Kana, a hilltop Arab town simmering with resentment after Israeli police killed one of its own. Although residents of this biblical town in Galilee are trying to resume some semblance of normal life, there is still a great deal of anger over Saturday’s shooting of 22-year-old Kheir Hamdan during an apparently routine arrest. Israel’s Arab minority, which constitutes just over a fifth of the population, have long complained of being marginalised. But over the weekend, decades of frustration exploded in anger following the shooting. “His only crime was to be an Arab,” reads a huge banner hung up in front of the family home, reflecting a sentiment unanimously held throughout the town and beyond. Hamdan was shot after attacking a police van with a knife. Police claim the officers fired warning shots before shooting directly at him. But relatives say he was killed “in cold blood”, with CCTV images showing an officer shooting at him as he was backing away from the scene. “This was a barbaric act,” said Rauf Hamdan, his father. “Even barbarians wouldn’t have done that!” Hamdan said his son was the victim of “a cold-blooded execution”. “They think the Arabs are cockroaches and that their blood is worthless,” he spat. “Arab blood is worth something and Israel should understand that.” Arab Israelis are the descendants of 160,000 Palestinians who remained on their land when the Jewish state was established in 1948. Today, they number 1.7mn and frequently complain of being treated as second-class citizens. In Arab areas, unemployment levels are higher, access to higher education is complicated and transport infrastructure often underdeveloped, lobby groups say. Following Hamdan’s death, some 2,500 people demonstrated in Kufr Kana. Police clashed with angry youths who threw stones, burned tyres and waved Palestinian flags, in a show of anger which drew a sharp retort from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “We will not tolerate disturbances and riots. We will take determined action against those who throw stones, firebombs and fireworks, and block roads, and against demonstrations that call for our destruction,” he said on Sunday. And he warned he would look into “revoking the citizenship” of anyone calling for Israel’s destruction—a threat clearly aimed at Israel’s Arab minority. Yesterday, his Internal Security Minister Yitzhak Aharonovitch expressed his “full backing” for the actions of those who shot Hamdan. His remarks drew a furious response from Kufr Kana mayor Mujahed Awadeh, who denounced them as “a stain on Israel’s democracy”. “If Kufr Kana was a Jewish town, he would have had to resign,” he said. “But this is an Arab village.” In a bid to honour Hamdan’s memory, some hung up Palestinian flags and others could be seen wearing traditional keffiyeh headdresses. Among them was a young man called Farhan Khatib, who said Kufr Kana had been engulfed in an atmosphere of “sadness and fear” since Saturday. After two days of observing a general strike, shops in this town of 18,000 had reopened their doors and the municipality sent workers to try and clean the streets after the surge of violence as a dozen police looked on from Kufr Kana’s entrance. ;17ŏ4' +08+6'& Be a part of the new zing at ZĞĂĚ͕ ŝŶƚĞƌĂĐƚ ǁŝƚŚ ĂŶĚ ƐŚĂƌĞ ƚŚĞ ďĞƐƚ ĐŽŶƚĞŶƚ ŽŶ ƚŚĞ ƌŝĐŚ ƐŽĐŝĂů ŵĞĚŝĂ ƉůĂƚĨŽƌŵ ŽĨ YĂƚĂƌ͛Ɛ ůĞĂĚŝŶŐ ŶŐůŝƐŚ ĚĂŝůLJ� sŝƐŝƚ ŽƵƌ ǁĞďƐŝƚĞ ĨŽƌ ŶĂƚŝŽŶĂů ĂŶĚ ŐůŽďĂů ŶĞǁƐ͕ ƉƌĞƐĞŶƚĞĚ ǁŝƚŚ ŝŶĨŽŐƌĂƉŚŝĐƐ ĂŶĚ ŐĂůůĞƌŝĞƐ� >ĞĂƌŶ ǁŚĂƚ͛Ɛ ŚĂƉƉĞŶŝŶŐ ŝŶ LJŽƵƌ ŽŚĂ ŶĞŝŐŚďŽƵƌŚŽŽĚ � &ŝŶĚ ƚŚĞ ďĞƐƚ ŝŶƚĞƌǀŝĞǁƐ ĂŶĚ ĨĞĂƚƵƌĞƐ ŽŶ ƐƉŽƌƚƐ͕ ďƵƐŝŶĞƐƐ͕ ĞŶƚĞƌƚĂŝŶŵĞŶƚ͕ ĨĂƐŚŝŽŶ͕ ůŝĨĞƐƚLJůĞ͕ ƚĞĐŚŶŽůŽŐLJ͕ ĞŶǀŝƌŽŶŵĞŶƚ ĂŶĚ ŚĞĂůƚŚ Ăƚ ƚŚĞ ĐůŝĐŬ ŽĨ Ă ďƵƚƚŽŶ� >ŽŐ ŽŶƚŽ www.gulf-times.com &ĂĐĞŬ͕ dǁŝƚƚĞƌ͕ /ŶƐƚĂŐƌĂŵ Arab-Israeli youths burn tyres in Kufr Kana yesterday. 12 Gulf Times Tuesday, November 11, 2014 AFRICA TRIAL AVIATION GRAFT FUNERAL Eight members of Rwandan sect jailed Military helicopter goes down in restive area Police probe SA president over home spending Zambia holds requiem for late president Rwanda’s high court convicted eight people yesterday of inciting rebellion for marching to President Paul Kagame’s residence to deliver what they said was a message from god, and sentenced them to five years in prison. The seven women and one man, arrested in July 2013 outside Kagame’s home, belonged to a sect called The Inseparable Heroes of Jesus and Mary, and hoped to pass on a message that criticised his leadership, the prosecution told the court. Kagame has secured international praise for rebuilding Rwanda after ethnic genocide in 1994. The Nigeria military said one of its helicopters made an emergency landing in the restive northeast on Monday, while witnesses and a security source reported that the chopper crashed with several foreigners on board. Defence spokesman Chris Olukolade said the helicopter left on a training mission at about 9.30am (0830 GMT) from the airport in Yola, capital of Adamawa state, which is under a state of emergency because of Boko Haram’s violent uprising.The pilot executed “a controlled forced landing four minutes after take-off”, Olukolade said. “There is no casualty recorded.” South African police are investigating President Jacob Zuma over a $23mn taxpayer-funded refurbishment project at his rural homestead, according to parliamentary papers. In a written police response to lawmakers published yesterday, police confirmed that an investigation into spending at Zuma’s Nkandla home “has been initiated”. Zuma, who was re-elected in May, has insisted that he had no knowledge of the work on his home, including the construction of a swimming pool, private clinic and amphitheatre. His government has insisted all the refurbishments were security related. Zambia yesterday held a final requiem service for president Michael Sata ahead of his burial today, after a week of lying in state in the capital city. Clerics from different faith groups led prayers in parliament, in a ceremony attended by diplomats and politicians, including the country’s founding president Kenneth Kaunda and Sata’s predecessor Rupiah Banda. The public had until Sunday been streaming in to view the body of the 77-year-old leader who died on October 28 in a London hospital while undergoing treatment for an undisclosed illness. “His wish and desire Suicide bomber kills 47 in Nigeria school AFP Abuja A suspected Boko Haram suicide bomber disguised in school uniform killed 47 students in northeast Nigeria yesterday, in one of the worst attacks against schools teaching a so-called Western curriculum. The explosion ripped through an all-boys school in Potiskum just as students gathered for morning assembly before classes began, causing panic and chaos. The massacre came just a day after the release of a new Boko Haram video in which the Islamist group’s leader, Abubakar Shekau, again rejected Nigerian government claims of a ceasefire and peace talks. Students at the Government Comprehensive Senior Science Secondary School were waiting to hear the principal’s daily address when the explosion happened at 7.50am (0650 GMT). Several witnesses described the blast as “thunderous” and the bloody aftermath as a scene of abandoned footwear, charred school books, bags and body parts. “There was an explosion detonated by a suicide bomber. We have 47 dead and 79 injured,” national police spokesman Emmanuel Ojukwu said, adding that Boko Haram was believed to be responsible. Ojukwu also confirmed local media reports that the bomber was disguised as a student at the school, which has more than 1,000 pupils aged 15 to 20. Yobe state governor Ibrahim Gaidam ordered the immediate closure of all public schools in the Potiskum area and slammed the government in Abuja for failing to tackle the insurgency. “Urgent action must be taken right now to restore a fast-waning public confidence by doing whatever it takes to stop the escalating violence,” he said in a statement. Student Adamu Abdullahi said those at the centre of the blast near the principal’s office were flung in all directions and others were knocked off their feet. “I found myself under the weight of another student, who fell over me. I’m certain he was dead. I was dazed and disorientated for a moment,” he told AFP. “When I realised what had happened, I managed to push the body on top of me and started running like everyone else. It was confusion all over. Everybody was hysterical. “I saw many people on the ground. Human flesh and blood were splattered all over the place... I ran out of the school and went home. “When my father saw me he was terrified. I didn’t realise my white school uniform was stained with human blood and bits of flesh.” The dead and injured were taken to the Potiskum General Hospital just 100m away. Boko Haram, which wants to create a hardline Islamic state in northern Nigeria, has previously carried out deadly attacks on schools teaching a so-called Western curriculum. In February, gunmen killed at least 40 students after throwing explosives into the dormitory of a government boarding school in Buni Yadi, also in Yobe state. In July last year, 42 students were killed when Boko Haram stormed dormitories in a gun and bomb attack on a government boarding school in the village of Mamudo, near Potiskum. Boko Haram’s most high-profile attack on a school came in April, when fighters kidnapped 276 girls from the town of Chibok in Borno state, also in northeast Nigeria. More than six months later, 219 of the girls are still being held. The attack will again raise concerns about the level of security at schools in northern Nigeria— Abdullahi said the establishment was “not properly fenced”. Potiskum has been repeatedly targeted in deadly attacks blamed on Boko Haram, including last Monday, when a suicide bombing killed at least 15 at a Shia religious ceremony. Yobe is one of three northeastern states that has been under a state of emergency since May last year. But violence has continued unabated and Boko Haram has seized at least two dozen towns and villages in recent months, raising doubts about the government’s ability to control the region. Governor Gaidam said President Goodluck Jonathan “has a very urgent responsibility to explain... why murderous and callous insurgent and criminal attacks are still on the rise”. Boko Haram fighters were seen in a new video obtained by AFP on Sunday parading a tank in an unidentified town that they apparently now control and Shekau preaching to locals. The message in the 44-minute video appeared to be aimed at reinforcing Shekau’s claim that he has created a caliphate within Nigeria. Shekau, who has previously expressed solidarity with other jihadi groups and leaders, seemed to associate territory under his control with a wider, global caliphate. But he does not submit to the authority of any other leader. Reeva hits the shelves Copies of the book Reeva: A Mothers Story by June Steenkamp, the mother of Reeva Steenkamp who was killed by South African athlete Oscar Pistorius, are pictured in a book shop in London yesterday. Copies of June Steenkamp’s memoir sharing details about the lives of her daughter Reeva and her relationship with Oscar Pistorius, who was sentenced to a five-year jail term over her death, have hit the shelves in the UK. The cortege arrives for a memorial service was to develop this country. His wish and desire was to bring economic development,” said Bishop Alick Banda. Bishop Banda called on the country’s new leader to fulfil Sata’s wish of enacting a new constitution, a process which has been marked by delays. AU chief in urgent talks on Burkina Faso crisis AFP Burkina Faso T he head of the African Union held urgent talks in Burkina Faso yesterday on the west African country’s political transition following the ouster of veteran president Blaise Compaore. With the military regime that took power after Compaore’s exit under heavy international pressure to quickly hand over to a civilian government, delicate negotiations loomed to hammer out a transition plan. “We have come to participate in a solution,” Mauritania’s president and current AU head Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz said after talks with LieutenantColonel Isaac Zida, the officer the army installed to lead the nation after Compaore fled. Abdel Aziz’s visit came a day after the opposition and civil society groups agreed on a blueprint for transition that provides for new elections in a year. The deal now has to be negotiated with the military. The blueprint was handed over to the military yesterday, but a range of sensitive questions must still be resolved, including who will serve as interim president and the allocation of seats in the interim parliament. After publicly embracing Zida, the AU head went straight into private talks with the soldier in a lounge at Ouagadougou airport. No details emerged from their discussion, which preceded talks in the city itself between Abdel Aziz and other parties to the political process. “The African Union has not come to sanction Burkina Faso,” Abdel Aziz stated on emerging from the talks with Zida, adding that a settlement would come from “the Burkinabe people”. The AU chief then travelled to a luxury hotel in the capital for meetings with opposition politicians and leaders of civil society, as well as loyalists who had backed the increasingly unpopular Compaore in office. “The African Union is there to accompany them (the parties to transition). They have already taken the essential steps for more democracy in their country,” Abdel Aziz said. Though Zida’s regime rejected a recent ultimatum from the AU to stand down within a fortnight, Abdel Aziz said he wanted “to congratulate” all parties to the succession crisis and urged them to go on working together “in tranquility, security and social peace”. Compaore first seized power in a 1987 coup that killed his predecessor and former comrade-in-arms Thomas Sankara, a widely popular Marxist and reformer under whom the name of the country was changed from Upper Volta to Burkina Faso, meaning “Land of Upright People”. Compaore fled the country under pressure from mass demonstrations and unrest, with parliament set ablaze, in protests against measures to change the constitution to extend his 27-year rule. He has found refuge in another former French colony, neighbouring Ivory Coast. Compaore fled the country under pressure from mass demonstrations and unrest, with parliament set ablaze Zida, the second in command of the presidential guard, was installed in power by the military at the expense of army chief of staff general Honore Traore. The army soon aligned itself fully behind Zida to oversee a democratic transition. The opposition and civil society groups now have to negotiate their transition blueprint with the army to lay the groundwork for the nomination of a transitional president and the return of civilian rule. The current blueprint provides for elections in November 2015, with an interim civilian president, a 25-member government and a transitional parliament with 90 seats. A major question is who might become the transitional president in the deeply poor, landlocked and cotton-producing nation of some 17mn people, many of whom are subsistence farmers. Henri Ye, head of the commission that crafted the blueprint, said the military “has received the document. They’re going to work on it and see what comes next”. Mali to declare 108 Ebola-free after quarantine Agencies Geneva M ali is preparing to release 108 people from Ebola quarantine in a tentative step towards declaring it has contained an outbreak. Mali became the sixth West African country to report a case of Ebola when a 2-year-old girl died last month, leading to an urgent search for anyone who may have been infected during her 1,200km bus trip from Guinea to the Malian town of Kayes. The Malian ministry of health is expected to confirm later that 29 people who may have had contact with her during a two-hour stopover in Bamako, along with 12 people in Kayes, can be released from a 21-day quarantine today. A further 67 contacts, including three relatives who travelled with her and 33 healthcare workers, are due to be given the all clear on Saturday. “If all goes well, by this Saturday all 108 contacts we were following up will be safe and will have completed their 21 days,” WHO representative Ibrahima Soce Fall said. Two further contacts who got off the bus in a village called Niamiga have been traced to Paris and Dakar and are still being monitored, a WHO spokesman said. They are thought to be at low risk, as are about 37 contacts who have not been traced. If there are no new cases, Mali will be declared Ebola free on December 6, twice the maximum incubation period for the disease. “We need to remain vigilant and to strengthen surveillance and the capacity to respond to any new cases that might come in as Mali shares an 800km border with Guinea,” said Fall. Medical aid agency Doctors Without Borders called yesterday for a change of strategy in the fight against Ebola in Liberia, to fund rapid response teams rather than huge isolation units. The charity, known by its French initials MSF, said it is seeing a decline in the number of patients admitted to case management centres in Liberia for the first time since the outbreak started. But new hotspots continue to emerge and the global response must adapt to this new phase of the epidemic, added MSF, which has around 3,300 staff across Liberia and neighbouring Sierra Leone and Guinea. “Financial support is starting to flow into the country and huge resources are being put into constructing large-scale Ebola isolation centres,” said Fasil Tezera, MSF head of operations in Liberia. “Isolation units in Monrovia and some other parts of the country now have ad- equate capacity and we must adapt the strategy if we want to stay ahead of the curve and beat the epidemic. If there are no new cases, Mali will be declared Ebola free on December 6 “Priority should be given to a more flexible approach that allows a rapid response to new outbreaks and gets the regular healthcare system safely up and running again.” MSF says its 250-bed ELWA3 centre in Monrovia is treating around 50 patients, while in the northern town of Foya, at the epicentre of the outbreak, the number of patients fell to zero on October 30, with no confirmed cases since. But the charity said case numbers could rise again, as happened in Guinea following two significant dips in admissions to MSF facilities. MSF said the fight to contain the epidemic should now focus on deploying teams quickly to new hotspots to isolate patients, trace people who have been in contact with the sick, organise safe burials and carry out disinfection. “In Foya, we believe this comprehensive approach, as well as active engagement by the community, has led to a steady reduction of cases across the county,” said Nico Heijenberg, MSF emergency co-ordinator. The UN World Health Organization is reporting around 5,000 deaths and 13,000 infections globally, although it has warned that this official toll could be the tip of the iceberg. The WHO has also confirmed a slowdown in the spread of the virus in hardest-hit Liberia, where 2,697 people have died out of a total of 6,525 cases. But officials from various UN agencies and the Liberian government have warned against complacency. Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has ordered four soldiers and their commanding officer to be punished for their actions during a protest over an Ebola quarantine in August, a government statement said. One boy was shot dead and others were injured when soldiers and police deployed to quell a protest against a decision to quarantine in the West Point neighbourhood in the capital Monrovia following an attack on an Ebola holding centre. The Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) initially denied responsibility for the violence, but an inquiry board was later set up to investigate the incident. “The findings from the Disciplinary Board of the AFL concluded that a Platoon Commander and four enlisted men were guilty of indiscretion and exhibited indiscipline on August 20, 2014,” the statement issued late on Sunday said. Gulf Times Tuesday, November 11, 2014 13 AMERICA US rules would expand white collar crime informers Reuters Washington U S regulators are working on rules that would require investment advisers, credit card firms and check cashers, among others, to serve as informers on white collar crime, a senior US official said yesterday. The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, known as FinCEN, is working on rules that would require those entities to file formal reports notifying US authorities of any suspicious trading by employees or outside parties, said David Cohen, US Treasury undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence. Banks, brokerages and mutual funds are already required to file suspicious activity reports, or SARs, with FinCEN to fight insider trading and money laundering. But US regulators have been working for several years on how to expand the rules to hedge funds and others to close a big gap in US anti-money laundering enforcement. Cohen said there was an “expanding universe” of entities that are important to the financial sector and have insight into financial crime, including commodity hedge funds and retail foreign exchange dealers. “If we are to be as effective as possible in countering illicit finance, we must begin applying appropriate record-keeping, reporting and program require- Obama presses for tough �open Internet’ rules US President Barack Obama took a strong stance yesterday on new �net neutrality’ regulations being drafted by the Federal Communications Commission AFP Washington U S President Barack Obama voiced support yesterday for “free and open Internet” rules to protect against putting online services that don’t pay extra fees into a “slow lane.” Obama endorsed an effort to reclassify the Internet as a public utility to give regulators more authority to enforce “net neutrality,” the principle barring Internet service firms from playing favourites or opening up “fast lanes” for services that pay fees for better access. In a statement, Obama said he wants the independent Federal Communications Commission to “implement the strongest possible rules to protect net neutrality.” Obama’s comment comes amid heated debate among online industry sectors as the FCC seeks to draft new rules to replace those struck down this year by a US appeals court, which said the agency lacked authority to regulate Internet service firms as it does telephone carriers. “’Net neutrality’ has been built into the fabric of the Internet since its creation - but it is also a principle that we cannot take for granted,” Obama said in a statement. “We cannot allow Internet service providers to restrict the best access or to pick winners and losers in the online marketplace for services and ideas.” Obama said that while the FCC is an independent agency, he wants the regulatory body to maintain key principles of net neutrality. He said the rules should ensure “no block” of any legal content, to ensure that an Internet firm does not block one service such as Netflix to promote a rival one. Another key principle endorsed by Obama would prohibit “paid prioritisation” that would allow one service to get into a faster lane by paying extra. “No service should be stuck in a �slow lane’ because it does not pay a fee,” Obama said. “That kind of gatekeeping would undermine the level playing field essential to the Internet’s growth. So, as I have before, I am asking for an explicit ban on paid prioritisation and any other restriction that has a similar effect.” Obama said he wants the rules to bar any “throttling” or slowing of content at the discretion of the service provider. He also said he wants the same rules to apply to mobile broadband, which was not covered in the earlier regulations. To accomplish this, Obama said the rules should reclassify consumer broadband service as a public utility - a move that has been fiercely opposed by the companies that would be affected. Obama’s statement places him squarely in the camp of many consumer activists and online services and against industry sectors involved in Internet delivery. The FCC is redrafting its rules after the court decision struck down its regulations in a case brought by US broadband giant Verizon. Verizon and its allies have argued that the FCC lacks authority to interfere with their business, and that Congress never decided these companies were regulated utilities or “common carriers.” Scott Belcher, who heads the Telecommunications Industry Association, said the reclassification “would set the industry back decades, and threaten the private sector investment that is critically needed to ensure that the network can meet surging demand.” In a Seattle Times column on Sunday, National Cable & Telecommunications Association chief Michael Powell said this kind of regulation is “a rusty sledgehammer that has been sitting in the garage for 20 years.” Walter McCormick at the US Telecom Association said Obama’s proposal would be “a shift that will redefine the Internet, insert the government deeply into its management and invite other countries to do the same.” Others welcomed the initiative. Nuala O’Connor, president of the Center for Democracy and Technology, said the proposals “is one way to ensure everyone has equal access and the opportunity to thrive in the digital economy.” The consumer group Common Cause said the plan would “preserve the innovative capacity of the Internet and ensure that its transformative power extends to all consumers - not just those who can afford a fast lane.” FCC chairman Tom Wheeler welcomed Obama’s statement but offered no timetable for the new rules. A top Bank of England regulator warned last week that the over-zealous application of antimoney laundering rules is hampering British banks abroad and cutting off poorer countries from global financial markets. Banks, including HSBC and Standard Chartered , have been fined hundreds of millions of dollars by US regulators in recent years, and banks fear they could be held liable even if they are only indirectly connected to someone involved in money laundering. ments to those entities,” Cohen said in a speech at an American Bankers Association conference. The filing of SARs took on new urgency for the financial industry in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on the US as federal lawmakers moved to require banks to become more aggressive in tracking money flows by terror groups. Greater regulator scrutiny has also prompted some banks to stop dealing with risky clients entirely, even if such business is legal, a process known as “de-risking.” T he US Postal Service said yesterday hackers stole sensitive personal information from its employees in a large data breach this year, and got some customer data as well. The postal service said in a statement it “recently learned of a cybersecurity intrusion into some of our information systems” and was cooperating with the FBI and other law enforcement agencies in an investigation. It said the hackers appeared to have gotten “identifiable information about employees, including names, dates of birth, social security numbers, addresses, beginning and end dates of employment, emergency contact information and other information.” A USPS spokesman said the breach affected as many as 800,000 people who are paid by the agency, including employees and private contractors. The statement said hackers also penetrated payment systems at post offices and online where customers pay for services. It said the customer data included “names, addresses, telephone numbers, email addresses and other information” but that there was “no evidence that any customer credit card information from retail or online purchases” had been compromised. The Washington Post, citing unnamed sources, said Chinese hackers were suspected in the breach. The news comes with US President Barack Obama in China for high-level talks, amid heightened concerns about cyberattacks believed to originate from China. The statement said some postal systems were taken offline over the weekend “as part of the cybersecurity intrusion mitigation efforts.” mistakes,” he said. “So even as we promote financial integrity through regulatory and enforcement actions, financial institutions need not �de-risk’ to protect themselves.” FinCEN was to issue a statement later yesterday that should help the financial industry maintain accounts with money transfer businesses despite their risks, Cohen said. The Treasury also plans to hold a public forum in January to address compliance with regard to money service businesses. NYC’s largest subway hub opens to commuters Commuters walk through the newly opened Fulton Center train station in lower Manhattan yesterday in New York City. The station was scheduled to open in 2007 as part of the rebuilding effort of lower Manhattan after 9/11, but the project ran into cost overruns and years of delays. The original plan for the facility, which has a glass and steel shell and 66,000 sq ft of retail and office space, was projected at $750mn and nearly doubled to $1.4bn before it was finished. The station features a 10-ft-high glass opening, or oculus, which sits above an atrium that lets sunlight down into two levels below street level. N Korea’s release of two Americans �small gestures’ AFP Beijing P resident Barack Obama yesterday dismissed North Korea’s release of two imprisoned Americans as “small gestures”, saying nuclear-armed Pyongyang must change its attitude on atomic weapons if it wants improved ties. “We have been consistent in saying that when and if North Korea becomes serious about denuclearisation on the peninsula and is prepared to have a conversation around that topic, then the US is going to be very open to try to arrive at a solution,” Obama told reporters in Beijing. “Until that time, there is going to be a core problem between us,” he added, speaking during a meeting with Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott. Both Obama and Abbott are in China to attend the AsiaPacific Economic Co-operation forum annual summit. Obama said that while he was happy for the families of the freed Americans, it was going to take more than “small gestures like the ones that we saw, the release of these individuals” for relations to improve. “Until this point we have not seen serious engagement on the part of Pyongyang to deal with that problem,” he said, referring to the nuclear issue. US citizens Kenneth Bae and Matthew Miller were released after a secret mission to North Korea by US intelligence chief James Clapper. Clapper spent less than a Postal Service says hackers got employee data AFP Washington In response, many banks have shut down accounts for clients they view as risky, such as money service businesses that transfer billions of dollars in remittances to economies, from Somalia to South America, for fear the cashdealing firms could be exploited by money launderers. Cohen urged financial institutions to continue dealing with risky clients, despite the recent large fines against banks. “These enforcement actions were not taken because of minor day in Pyongyang, conducting talks with senior offices but did not meet leader Kim JongUn, before flying out with the two freed men to an airbase in Washington state on Saturday, a US senior administration official said. Obama elaborated on Clapper’s mission, saying issues such as Pyongyang’s atomic programme were not discussed. “It did not touch on some of the broader issues that have been the source of primary concern when it comes to North Korea, in particular, its development of nuclear capacity,” Obama said. North Korea has expressed interest in reviving long-stalled six-party talks with the US and others on the nuclear issue, but Washington insists Pyongyang must first show a tangible com- mitment to denuclearisation. No “high level policy discussions between Jim Clapper and the North Koreans” took place, Obama said. Bae, a Korean-American, was detained for two years. The 46-year-old was arrested in November 2012 and later sentenced to 15 years’ hard labour for “hostile acts” against North Korea, having been accused of trying to “topple” the hermit kingdom. According to his family, Bae was held while leading a tour group as the owner of a travel agency he ran in neighbouring China. Miller, 24, was sentenced to six years hard labour by the North Korean Supreme Court following his arrest in April after he allegedly ripped up his visa at immigration and demanded asylum. iPads, iPhones �vulnerable to cyberattacks’ US Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Matthews Burwell talks about the upcoming healthcare exchange enrolment period at the Center for American Progress yesterday in Washington, DC. Burwell said the Obama Administration projects that 9.1mn people, including new applicants and returning customers, will be enrolled in 2015. Low 2015 Obamacare enrolment forecast Reuters Washington T he US administration yesterday dramatically cut expectations for 2015 Obamacare enrolment, saying between 9mn and 9.9mn people will enrol in private health plans, compared with a Congressional Budget Office (CBO) forecast of 13mn. An Obama administration report, released just before the start of 2015 open enrolment on Saturday, also reduced the official count of 2014 enrolment to 7.1mn people as of October 15, from 7.3mn in August. The change resulted in part from 112,000 people losing coverage because of unresolved application issues involving their citizenship or immigration status. CBO, which has been a leading enrolment forecaster for Obamacare up to now, predicted that the private insurance marketplaces set up by the Affordable Care Act, better known as “Obamacare,” would reach a mature 25mn paying customers by 2017. Reuters Boston C ybersecurity researchers have warned that a bug in Apple Inc’s iOS operating system makes most iPhones and iPads vulnerable to cyberattacks by hackers seeking access to sensitive data and control of their devices. Cybersecurity firm FireEye Inc published details about the vulnerability on its blog yesterday, saying the bug enables hackers to access their devices by persuading users to install malicious applications with tainted text messages, emails and web links. The malicious application can then be used to replace genuine, trusted apps that were installed through Apple’s App Store, including email and banking programs, with malicious software through a technique that FireEye has dubbed “Masque Attack.” These attacks can be used to steal banking and e-mail login credentials or other sensitive data, according to FireEye, which is well-regarded in cybersecurity circles for its research. “It is a very powerful vulnerability and it is easy to exploit,” FireEye Senior Staff Research Scientist Tao Wei said in an interview. Officials with Apple could not be reached for comment. Wei said that FireEye disclosed the vulnerability to Apple in July and that representatives with the company have said they were working to fix the bug. News of the vulnerability began to leak out in October on specialised web forums where security experts and hackers alike discuss information on Apple bugs, Wei said. Wei said that FireEye decided to go public with its findings after Palo Alto Networks Inc last week uncovered the first campaign to exploit the vulnerability, a new family of malicious software known as WireLurker that infects both Mac computers and iOS. 14 Gulf Times Tuesday, November 11, 2014 AMERICA Brown’s parents to tell UN about police violence By Jon Swaine/Guardian News & Media New York T he parents of Michael Brown, the unarmed 18-year-old who was shot dead by a police officer in Ferguson, Missouri, will this week tell the UN that the city’s police chief must resign and that his department should be taken over by the federal government. Lesley McSpadden and Michaelt Brown Sr were yesterday travelling to Geneva, Switzerland, to tell the UN’s committee on torture that police in Ferguson are “systematically targeting and harassing” black people in a “predatory and degrading manner”. They say that their son was treated as “less than human”. The couple alleges in a report to the committee that both the killing of their son and the militarised police response to protests over his death in the St Louis suburb violated the UN’s convention against torture, to which the US is a signatory. “The US must take steps to address the torture and/or cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment of Michael Brown and other unarmed black and brown persons killed by law enforcement” as well as of peaceful protesters, they say in their 13-page report. In addition to the resignation of chief Thomas Jackson and the placement of his police force in federal receivership, McSpadden and Brown request the immediate arrest of Darren Wilson, the officer who shot their son dead following an altercation at Wilson’s SUV. The 28-year-old officer has been in hiding since shortly after the August 9 shooting. They also call on Missouri governor Jay Nixon to apologise to protesters for what they call the “intimidation and excessive force” used against them by police, and for amnesty to be given to those demonstrators who were arrested during the intense clashes. McSpadden and Brown are expected to present their brief to the committee during its scheduled sessions tomorrow or on Thursday. They state in their re- Bush likes idea of Jeb vs Clinton Reuters Dallas N ever mind the potential for name fatigue. Former US President George W Bush likes the idea of a 2016 presidential matchup between his Republican brother Jeb Bush and Democrat Hillary Clinton. In an interview as part of the rollout of a book he has written about his father, former President George H W Bush, Bush said he is urging Jeb to try to make it three Bush presidents. Jeb Bush, 61, is a former twoterm governor of Florida who is considering entering the Republican presidential nomination race for 2016 and says he’ll make up his mind by year’s end. “He’s had the experience necessary to be president. He understands what it means to be a leader. He can appeal to different voter groups in an attractive way,” George W Bush said. “He’s got vision,” said Bush, adding, that if Jeb decides to run, “I’m all in” with helping him. Any concerns Americans might have about a third president named Bush would be tempered by the presence of Hillary Clinton in the race, since her husband, Bill Clinton, served two terms as president, said Bush. “There are some people that’ll say there’s no way I’m going to vote for somebody with that name,” said Bush. “Of course if he were to run against Hillary Clinton then I think the name issue would somewhat dissipate and then people would pick which one would be the leader. But neither one of them has declared and I really don’t know if Jeb is going to run.” Hillary Clinton, who lost the Democratic presidential nomination in 2008 and went on to serve as President Barack Obama’s secretary of state from 2009 to 2013, is favored to win the party’s nomination if she tries again for the White House. She has said she will make up her mind early next year. In the interview, conducted on Friday at the George W Bush presidential library in Dallas, the former president, 68, was more willing to talk about current events than he has been in the years since he left the White House in early 2009. He expressed concern about the rise of the Islamic State militant group in Iraq and Syria and said he backs Obama’s goal of destroying the group. “I’m hopeful that it works. If it doesn’t the administration is going to need to adjust,” Bush said. The former president was relaxed and at ease with his place in history. He left office with a 34% approval rating from Americans weary of the Iraq war he launched in 2003 and struggling under a collapsing economy. Now, as many former presidents experience, he is looked on more fondly. A Gallup poll last June said he was viewed favorably by 53% of Americans. Bush shrugged when asked about his improved image. “There’s a long reach to history and people will analyse the decisions I made for a long time coming, and it will be in context with other presidents and other decisions,” he said. Sticking to his pledge not to criticise Obama, Bush said the only thing that surprised him about Republican victories in last week’s midterm elections was how many there were. As far as Obama’s struggles in his sixth year in office, Bush said Republican President Ronald Reagan had similarly crushing midterm results in 1986. Bush did not mention the thumping he suffered in the 2006 elections in his own sixth year in office, when Democrats captured control of Congress. “I have a theory that after six years or seven years or eight years they (voters) kind of get tired of you no matter who are you. And given all the exposure a president gets these days people begin to say, well, when’s the next person going to show up? It was certainly my case. And presidents shouldn’t take that personally,” he said. The book, 41 - A Portrait of My Father, is a heartfelt tribute to his 90-year-old father, who is confined to a wheelchair and whose memory, Bush writes, has faded. He charts the elder Bush’s career from Texas oilman to Republican president who considered not seeking re-election in 1992 because of the toil on his family. He describes how his father was believed to be on his death bed with pneumonia two years ago, but survived and went on a parachute jump for his 90th birthday. But the book is revealing about George W Bush himself. Bush, who published a memoir called “Decision Points” in 2010, again defends his controversial war in Iraq, pushing back against critics who feel he had a go-italone strategy, noting that he assembled a substantial coalition against Iraqi leader Saddam Hussain in 2003, just like his father did against Saddam in 1990-91. “For the sake of our security and the Iraqi people, I hope we will do what it takes to defeat ISIS and allow Iraq’s democratic government a chance to succeed,” he writes. port that Brown’s “intentional, arbitrary killing” amounts to torture under the 30-year-old UN treaty, whose first article states that it covers “severe pain or suffering” inflicted intentionally by a public official “based on discrimination of any kind”. They claim that Wilson acted with “brazen confidence that he would not be punished” and that this has been borne out by the apparent reluctance of authorities to prosecute him, as well as Wilson remaining in his job on full pay while placed on administrative leave. The couple adds that the treatment of Brown’s “grotesquely mutilated” body, which was left lying on the street among housing estates on Canfield Drive for more than four hours in the August sunshine, “traumatised countless neighbours”. This only reinforced the longstanding humiliation felt by the city’s majority-black population at the hands of its near-unanimously white police force, according to McSpadden and Brown. Police who cracked down on demonstrations over Brown’s death with teargas, rubber bullets and other weapons also inflicted “cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment” on protesters, according to the couple’s report, which was co-written with a law professor and two human rights attorneys. The police response has already been roundly criticised by regional leaders such as Claire McCaskill, Missouri’s senior US senator, as well as pressure groups such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch. McSpadden and Brown travelled to Geneva as Ferguson continued to brace for the possibility that further unrest might follow the announcement of a decision by a grand jury considering bringing criminal charges against Wilson, who is widely expected not to be indicted. James Knowles, Ferguson’s mayor, said in an interview last week that the city should “prepare for the worst” and “there are expectations that demonstrations … probably will break out in several places”. Rumours swirled throughout the weekend about the extent of police preparations for an imminent decision, fuelled partly by photographs posted to social media of military Humvees and armoured vehicles spotted in recent days around the St Louis region. Mike O’Connell, a spokesman for Missouri’s department of public safety, told the Guardian that “they have nothing to do with Ferguson or St Louis or an upcoming grand jury decision” and were likely in the region for “some sort of routine training”. Asked whether the jurors had begun deliberating or were still being presented with evidence, Ed Magee, a spokesman for the county prosecutor, Bob McCulloch, said in an e-mail yesterday morning: “We do not comment on grand jury proceedings.” Snowstorm in Minneapolis Traffic on Interstate 35 slows to a crawl during the season’s first snowstorm in Minneapolis yesterday. Snow is forecast in the region over the coming days. Laundry detergent pods dangerous for kids: study AFP Washington L aundry detergent pods could be dangerous for young children, researchers warned yesterday, as reports grow of kids under six swallowing the capsules in the US. The detergent pods - on US shelves since 2010 - are just the right size for a single load of laundry, eliminating the need to measure out a liquid or powder. More than 17,000 incidents from 2012 and 2013 were reported to US poison control centres of children under six being exposed to the detergent chemicals - equivalent to one child every hour - according to the new study. “Laundry detergent pods are small, colourful, and may look like candy or juice to a young child,” said co-author Marcel Casavant, toxicology chief at Nationwide Children’s Hospital and medical director of the Central Ohio Poison Center. “It can take just a few seconds for children to grab them, break them open, and swallow the toxic chemicals they contain, or get the chemicals in their eyes.” In one case, the child died, while some 769 children were hospitalised, a rate of more than one a day. Two-thirds of the cases were among toddlers - children just one or two years old. Children who put the capsules in their mouths can quickly swallow a large quantity of concentrated chemicals, the Nationwide Children’s Hospital researchers warned. Nearly half the children, 48%, vomited after ingesting the detergent, the study found. Other effects included coughing or choking, eye pain, drowsiness and pinkeye. Most of the detergent capsules are sold in clear, easy-to- open containers. One manufacturer last year switched to an opaque package with an additional latch and a warning label, but the study authors said this was not enough. “It is not clear that any laundry detergent pods currently available are truly child resistant; a national safety standard is needed to make sure that all pod makers adopt safer packaging and labeling,” said senior author Gary Smith, director of the Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. He urged households with young children to use traditional detergent. Emergency in Hawaii A White House date and other nuggets from Bush’s new book Reuters Dallas Y oung George W Bush once had a blind date with the daughter of President Richard Nixon. It didn’t go so well. Bush recalls the incident in an anecdote-filled book being released this week about his father, former President George H W Bush, called 41 - A Portrait of My Father. The elder Bush was a member of the House of Representatives from Texas in the late 1960s when he arranged a blind date for young George W. with Tricia Nixon. The son made his firstever trip to the White House to pick her up. “During dinner, I reached for some butter, knocked over a glass, and watched in horror as the stain of red wine crept across the table. Then I fired up a cigarette, prompting a polite suggestion from Tricia that I not smoke,” he wrote. “The date came to an end when she asked me to take her back to the White House immediately after dinner.” Bush calls the book a “love story” about his father. In it, he writes of the family’s concern when the elder Bush declared his intention to go on a parachute jump to mark his 90th birthday earlier this year. Asked what his birthday wish was as he prepared to jump, George H W Bush said: “Make sure the parachute opens.” While the book is heartfelt in its praise, Bush writes that his father and White House staff should have been more active in explaining to Americans why he broke his “no new taxes” pledge as part of a 1990 budget agreement, an issue that hurt the Re- publican president among conservatives and was a factor when he lost his 1992 re-election bid to Democrat Bill Clinton. “By taking the issue to the people, a president can build up public support and change minds in Washington. Unfortunately, George Bush did not do that for the budget agreement of 1990, and the bitterness that resulted from his broken pledge damaged his standing within the party,” Bush writes. The elder Bush had a serious illness two years ago. In December 2012, he was hospitalised with pneumonia. The family feared the worst and gathered at his bedside. The elder Bush put his hand on granddaughter Jenna’s pregnant belly and said, “There’s death and there’s new life.” “We all left the room sobbing,” Bush writes. This November 9 US Geological Survey handout photo shows a new breakout from the June 27 lava flow, near the transfer station in Pahoa, Hawaii. The lava flow has slowed in recent days, but it remains an emergency and Hawaii Governor Neil Abercrombie has requested a Presidential Disaster Declaration to unlock federal resources to help local emergency measures. According to the Honolulu Star newspaper, non-residents are barred access to the flow, and barricades have been installed and are guarded by National Guardsmen. Gulf Times Tuesday, November 11, 2014 15 ASEAN Protest against fuel price hike plan Myanmar rejects Dhaka plea to restart Rohingya repatriation DPA Yangon M Indonesian workers shout slogans during a rally in Jakarta yesterday. Thousands of workers staged a rally against the government’s plan to raise the fuel price. Thailand police to push back more than 200 boat people Reuters Bangkok M ore than 200 boat people held in southern Thailand will be pushed back out to sea, police said yesterday, despite calls by rights group to stop a policy that puts would-be asylum seekers at risk. Around 259 people were found at sea on Saturday and were arrested for illegal entry. Their discovery around 3km from the coast follows what one NGO said was a “major maritime exodus” from neighbouring Myanmar of Rohingya, a mostly stateless Muslim minority group from the country’s west. “On average around 900 people left by boat from the middle of last month. We saw a major maritime exodus of nearly 10,000 people,” said Chris Lewa of the Arakan Project, a Rohingya advocacy group, adding that increasing desperation was one reason for the departures. Authorities in Thailand’s Kapoe district said it was unclear whether any of the group were Rohingya but interviews with some of the group showed they were heading for Malaysia to find work or, in the women’s’ cases, join their husbands. The 259 will be put back on boats and sent back to Myanmar, said Police Colonel Sanya Pra- kobphol, head of Kapoe district police. “They are Muslims from Myanmar ... They are illegal migrants,” Sanya told Reuters by telephone. “If they come in then we must push them back ... once they have crossed the sea border into Myanmar then that’s considered pushing them back. What they do next is their problem.” Tens of thousands of Rohingya Muslims have fled Myanmar’s Rakhine state since 2012, when violent clashes with ethnic Rakhine Buddhists killed hundreds and made about 140,000 homeless. Many were Rohingya, who now often live in apartheid-like conditions and have little or no access to jobs, schools or healthcare. The boats often sail from Myanmar and Bangladesh to Thailand where, as Reuters reported last year, human trafficking-gangs hold thousands of boat people in brutal jungle camps until relatives pay ransoms to secure their release. Testimonies from Bangladeshi and Rohingya survivors in an October Reuters Special Report provided evidence of a dramatic shift in human-trafficking tactics. Sanya said the 259 people were currently being held at a community hall and that his team were “looking after them like relatives” but that they would soon be put back on boats. “Who will feed them? I’m struggling day to day to feed them,” said Sanya. “No country wants an outsider to come in to their house.” Thailand was downgraded in June to the lowest category in the US State Department’s annual ranking of the world’s worst human-trafficking centres, putting it in the same category as North Korea and the Central African Republic. The same month, the Thai military vowed to “prevent and suppress human trafficking”, after having seized power from an elected government on May 22. yanmar has rejected a request from Bangladesh to immediately begin accepting back refugees living in camps across the border, an official said yesterday. “President Thein Sein said that Myanmar stands ready to receive the refugees from Bangladesh by our four rules,” presidential spokesman Ye Htut said on Facebook, referring to rules for citizenship that include proof that both parents were Myanmar citizens. Bangladesh is trying to restart a repatriation process that stalled in 2005 to return Rohingya Muslims who have fled Myanmar during the past two decades. But the Myanmar government and the mostly Buddhist ethnic community of the western frontier state of Rakhine reject the Muslim group’s claim to citizenship, and refer to them as “Bengalis.” Thein Sein and Bangladesh President Abdul Hamid met in Beijing on Sunday ahead of an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting. “He (Thein Sein) said that it’s impossible to receive them back urgently,” Ye Htut said. Rohingya do not qualify for full Myanmar citizenship by birth as their ethnic identity A Rohingya woman carries her sick baby to a clinic at Dar Baing Muslim refugee camp near Sittwe, Rakhine State, western Myanmar yesterday. is not recognised under the country’s 1982 citizenship law. Myanmar has agreed to receive more than 2,000 refugees from Bangladesh whose claims have been verified, although the government has disputed Bangladeshi announcements calling the refugees Rohingya. There are more than 200,000 Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, including about 30,000 who are documented and staying in two official camps in Cox’s Bazar, according to the UN Refugee Agency and the Refugee Relief and Rehabilitation Commission in Bangladesh. Eight missing after two cargo ships collide DPA Hanoi E ight people were missing after two cargo ships collided off Vietnam at the weekend, authorities said yesterday. The collision between the Phuc Xuan 68 and the Nam Vy occurred around 1:30 am Sunday (1830 GMT Saturday) off the coast of Khanh Hoa province. The Phuc Xuan 68 sank straight away but three of the 11 crew were rescued. “The most likely thing is that eight crew were not sunk with the ship. If they were trapped inside the ship, rescue work will be very difficult,” said Nguyen Anh Vu, head of Vietnam Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre. Ha Hong Thai, 37, one of the surviving crew members, said the ship sank within a minute of the collision. “I grabbed a life jacket and jumped off the ship, but after jumping out into the sea, looking back, I did not see the ship any more,” Thanh Nien newspaper quoted Thai as saying. New joust over sea dispute expected at Asean summit AFP Yangon F resh diplomatic sparring over who owns what in the South China Sea is likely to break out this week at a major regional summit in Myanmar, after a year in which China jacked up tensions in the resource-rich waters. Rival claims have gnawed away at ties between Southeast Asian nations including Vietnam and the Philippines and regional powerhouse China, which claims nearly all of the sea, including waters near its smaller neighbours’ shores. The issue has also become a key testing ground for diplomacy between China and the US, which has cosied up to the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) as part of a wider eastwards foreign policy “pivot”. Leaders including US President Barack Obama, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will gather in Naypyitaw for the two-day Asean summit from tomorrow which also takes in an expanded list of dignitaries for the East Asian Summit. When he meets Asean leaders Obama “will highlight US leadership in addressing maritime territorial disputes,” according to National Security Advisor Susan Rice. Other security issues, such as countering the rise of self-proclaimed Islamic State and the Ebola epidemic, will also be on the table, she added. Beijing has been accused of aggression after boosting naval patrols in waters contested with the Philippines and positioning an oil rig in seas disputed with Vietnam in May, sparking deadly anti-Chinese riots. It has given ground on lowlevel talks with Asean towards a multilateral, binding code of conduct to governing the seas. But analysts and diplomats are sceptical of a tangible deal, as China prefers bilateral talks with its smaller neighbours, allowing it to exert its massive economic and political leverage in a region dependent on Chinese trade. That leaves expectations low for any movement on the seemingly intractable South China Sea squabble, which ritually dominates regional diplomacy forums. The waters are a vital shipping lane also believed to contain vast oil and mineral deposits. Parts are also claimed by Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam. “I don’t see any breakthrough in Naypyitaw or anytime soon,” one Southeast Asian diplomat said ahead of the summit. “Let’s face the reality that it’s a complex issue and in addition, Asean is dealing with China, a major Asian and world power.” Observers say a softening A girl wearing a hat and tanaka paste on her face gets out of a fountain after releasing water in it, at one of the main intersections of Naypyitaw yesterday. Leaders from Asean, East Asian and other countries will gather for the Asean summit this week in Myanmar’s capital. of Chinese rhetoric in recent weeks, including the removal of the oil rig from Vietnamese waters and two high profile diplomatic visits to Hanoi, does not amount to a strategy shift from Beijing. “China waxes hot and cold and moderates its behaviour prior to Asean summits,” said Southeast Asia expert Carl Thayer. “Some rabbit might be pulled out of the hat to impress the end of year summit meetings, but nothing substantial has occurred or is likely to occur.” In early October Chinese state media said a 2,000 metre runway had been completed on Woody Island, part of the contested Paracels, in an apparent bid to build up bridgeheads in the area. A few weeks later Vietnam’s Deputy Defence Minister Lieutenant-General Do Ba Ty issued a stark warning that China “unilaterally plans to take the East Sea,” using the Vietnamese term for the South China Sea. “This struggle will move to another phase, even more drastic and complex,” he told the National Assembly. While China singes relations, the US has moved in to bolster its alliances. Obama, who arrives in Myanmar from a major Beijing summit, will meet Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung in Naypyitaw. The meeting comes after a US agreement to partially ease a 40-year ban on arms sales to its one-time war foe, citing some “modest” progress in human rights. In April, Washington also signed a defence pact with the Philippines, which is outraged that China has effectively taken over the contested Scarborough Shoal. That deal will eventually allow thousands of US troops to be stationed in the country. But American efforts to make friends have irked China, which insists it is seeking its own amicable resolution to disputes in its neighbourhood. At an Asean security meeting in August, China accused its rival superpower of deliberately stoking tensions in the South China Sea and rejected a proposal by US Secretary of State John Kerry for a freeze on provocative actions in the region. With no deal in sight the issue looks set to worry relations between Washington and Beijing for years to come, said Bill Hayton the author of The South China Sea — the struggle for power in Asia. “So the region is condemned to a complex game of diplomatic and military competition for the next few decades at least,” he added. 16 Gulf Times Tuesday, November 11, 2014 AUSTRALASIA/EAST ASIA A South Korean farmer protester holds up banner reading �Farmer is Human’ during a rally against the China and South Korean government’s Free Trade Agreement in front of the Gyeongsangnam-do Provincial Hall in Changwon city, South Korea. COMPETITIVE EDGE DISAPPROVAL NO EXCHANGE EMERGENCY IMPORTS China-Seoul free trade pact alarms Taiwan Abe approval rating sags amid talk of snap election South Korea fires warning shots at North patrol �Butter refugees’ slam pre-Christmas shortages Taiwan’s government yesterday expressed alarm at China’s free trade agreement with South Korea. Seoul had announced yesterday it had effectively reached a free trade deal with China. It expects to sign by year-end the pact that will eventually remove tariffs on over 90% of goods. Government spokesman Sun Lih-chyun described the news as a “most worrying event” for the island. Taiwan competes fiercely with South Korea in products ranging from textiles, semiconductors and flat panels to machine tools and steel items. “South Korea will be able to sell its products cheaper in the mainland, thus lowering the competitive edge of Taiwan-made products,” Sun told AFP. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s approval rating fell in a public opinion poll published yesterday amid speculation the government is considering calling a snap election. National broadcaster NHK surveyed 1,527 people and found support for Abe’s government had fallen eight percentage points from last month to 44%, the lowest since Abe’s government began two years ago. Of those surveyed, 38% said they disapproved of Abe, up four percentage points from last month. Of those surveyed, 76% said they saw no need for an election, while 74% said next year’s sales tax increase to 10% from 8% should be delayed or scrapped altogether. South Korean troops fired warning shots yesterday as a North Korean patrol approached the border inside the heavily fortified Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) that separates the rivals. There was no exchange of fire and the North Korean patrol eventually moved away from the military demarcation line (MDL) marking the border, a defence ministry spokesman said. The spokesman said the incident - the latest of several - occurred at about 9:40am (0040 GMT), when around 10 North Korean soldiers were observed moving towards the border line. “After issuing verbal warnings, our side fired around 20 warning rounds,” he said, adding that the North Korean patrol later retreated. Japanese shoppers are up in arms over a serious butter shortage that has forced Tokyo to resort to emergency imports, as some grocers limit sales to one block per customer. Stores are trumpeting the arrival of new supplies with posters in the windows announcing “We have butter!” With Christmas cake-baking season approaching, social media has been abuzz over the shortage, with Twitter user @justastarter1 claiming to be a “butter refugee” after trailing between shops without success. The agriculture ministry said the problem is linked to a broiling summer that left the nation’s cows exhausted and unable - or unwilling - to generate their usual milk supply. Xi, Abe meet as big-power rivalries take Apec stage AFP Beijing T he leaders of China and Japan yesterday held an ice-breaking summit after two years of dangerous animosity, as world leaders including Barack Obama gathered for an Asia-Pacific meeting spotlighting intensifying big-power rivalries. Xi Jinping and Shinzo Abe met in Beijing’s Great Hall of the People in what the Japanese prime minister said was a “first step” towards repairing the fractured relationship between the world’s second- and third-largest economies. US President Obama flew in still wounded by the Democrats’ defeat in the US mid-term elections and with relations between Washington and Moscow in the deep freeze, while his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin arrived a day earlier and quickly signalled his desire for ever-warmer ties with an increasingly assertive China. The gathering is the biggest event yet hosted by the Chinese president, who took office last year and spotlighted his country’s expanding world profile Sunday by declaring a bright future ahead for the vibrant Pacific Rim - with a confident China at its heart. The annual two-day summit of AsiaPacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) typically sees pledges of amity and trade convergence, often balanced by tense sideline exchanges on festering geopolitical problems. Beijing and Tokyo’s historically frosty relations have plunged to their lowest in decades over competing claims to Japanese-controlled islets in the East China Sea. Abe told Japanese media that he asked Xi to establish a hotline aimed at preventing clashes at sea, adding “I think we will start working on concrete steps toward it”. But a Japanese official said the islands were not specifically mentioned during the 30 minutes of talks, Japan’s Kyodo news agency reported. The meeting appeared strained, with footage of the two leaders’ initial handshake showing them looking deadpan and Xi not responding to Abe’s greetings. “Severe difficulties have emerged in Sino-Japanese relations in recent two years and the rights and wrongs behind them are crystal clear,” China’s official news agency Xinhua quoted him as saying. Apec brings into focus the developing big-power rivalry involving Washington, Beijing and Moscow. Russia is under Western economic sanctions over its seizure of Ukraine’s Crimea region and role in that country’s separatist war. No Obama-Putin meeting is known to be scheduled, but Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott has vowed to confront the Russian strongman over Malaysia Airlines flight MH17, which was brought down over eastern Ukraine in July, with 38 Australians among the 298 dead. The West has accused pro-Russian rebels of blasting it out of the sky with a missile and Moscow of impeding investigations. Russia denies the accusations. Russia and China both regularly express impatience with a perceived American domination of world affairs and often move in tandem on the UN Security Council, vetoing or abstaining from US-led initiatives. Increasing use of their rouble and yuan currencies meant that “the influence of the dollar in the global energy sector will objectively decline”, Putin told Apec delegates. “This is not bad for the global economy, nor for the world of finance or for the energy markets.” He and Xi met on Sunday in Beijing, Reuters Gwangju, South Korea A China’s President Xi Jinping shakes hands with Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe during their meeting in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. with the Chinese leader warmly calling for the once-bitter Cold War rivals to continue to “harvest” the fruits of their friendship. “No matter the changes on the global arena, we should stick to the chosen path to expand and strengthen our comprehensive mutually fruitful co-operation,” Xi said. China and the US have already jousted in Beijing over differing visions of AsiaPacific trade integration, adding to persistent discord over commerce, human rights, cyber-espionage, and territorial disputes. The White House has said it expects “candid and in-depth conversations” between Obama and Xi. As well as the row with Japan - a US security ally Washington is bound by treaty to defend if attacked - Beijing’s growing assertiveness in the South China Sea has also rankled rival claimants to its strategic waters. Another likely discussion topic between Xi and Obama is North Korea, following the surprise weekend release Lighting up the way! of two Americans who were imprisoned by the secretive state. Beijing is Pyongyang’s closest ally, and the prisoner release could fuel speculation on the mercurial North’s motives for its latest move. The event culminates today with a formal leaders’ summit. Apec kicks off a week of high-level summitry that will see Obama and other top leaders travel next to Myanmar for the East Asia Summit, followed by G20 talks in Brisbane, Australia. Australia lagging on renewables AFP Sydney A The Story Bridge in Brisbane being lit up as part of the G20 Cultural Celebrations ahead of the G20 Leaders Summit later this week. China eyes extradition treaty with Australia AFP Beijing A ustralia is considering an extradition treaty with China to assist Beijing in repatriating corrupt officials, a report said yesterday, as Asia-Pacific ministers backed attempts to deepen anti-graft efforts. Foreign Minister Julie Bishop told the Australian Financial Review that the treaty would be part of a declaration against corruption to be signed at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) meeting in Beijing. “China has requested one and it’s under consideration, with a number of other countries,” Bishop said in Beijing. “It’s a Chinese operation in pursuit of Chinese economic fugitives abroad.” Since taking office, Chinese President Xi Jinping has made the graft fight a central theme of his administration as public anger swells over widespread corruption. In July, China launched its socalled “Fox Hunt” - a campaign to repatriate corrupt officials or their family members who have moved abroad, taking ill-gotten gains with them. Australia is considered a haven for corrupt Chinese officials, with their money thought to find its way into legitimate assets such as property and bank accounts. The Australian city of Brisbane is hosting a meeting of the world’s S Korea awaits Sewol verdict biggest economies at the G20 talks this weekend, at which activists have also urged leaders to address corruption. Transparency International and partners, including Amnesty International and Oxfam, issued an open letter calling on the G20 to stop the flow of stolen money and end financial secrecy. “As long as there are places in the global financial system where illicit financial flows can find a safe harbour and there are people to help hide these funds there will be millions more around the world who suffer,” it said. The letter, also signed by Archbishop Desmond Tutu, claimed some $1tn was siphoned from developing countries each year via opaque corporate ownership structures which allow them evade tax or hide funds. “G20 governments must collect and publish the identity of the real, living people who ultimately own and control companies and other legal entities to make it easier to track the origin of corrupt or illicit funds,” it said. “They should publish information about revenue, profits, numbers of staff, tax liabilities and taxes paid on a country-by-country basis. “This needs to be public for citizens to see the impact of companies in their communities and to make it easier to scrutinise where money is earned and where it may be going missing,” it added. ustralia is falling behind China and the US in tackling climate change, with new investment in renewable energy falling by 70%, a study released yesterday said. The independent Climate Council report found that while Australia had high per capita carbon emissions, it had moved from being a leader to a laggard in terms of one of the most common means of combating climate change - renewable energy. “The future of Australia’s renewable energy industry remains highly uncertain due to a lack of clear federal government renewable energy policy,” said the report, entitled Lagging Behind: Australia and the Global Response to Climate Change. “Consequently investment in renewable energy in 2014 has dropped by 70% compared with the previous year.” Since coming to power last year, conservative Prime Minister Tony Abbott has scrapped a tax on carbon emissions and defended the use of coal as crucial to Australia’s prosperity. Meanwhile the largest emitters of greenhouse gases, China and the US, are leading the way in terms of developing and investing in renewable energy, while other nations were increasingly embracing carbon pricing schemes, the report said. “We’ve had a loss of 70% of new investment in renewable energy in this country, and when you compare that with the US and China, which are powering ahead - China particularly at record levels - it’s a pretty sorry state of affairs,” the council’s Tim Flannery said. Flannery added that uncertainty about the Australian government’s position on renewables was resulting in investment heading overseas. “The big international companies are just looking across-the-board and saying �there’s a favourable environment here in Texas or there in Europe or China, we’ll put our money there’,” he told the ABC. Australia’s climate action is in the spotlight ahead of this weekend’s G20 leaders summit in Brisbane, with Canberra resisting pressure to put the item on the agenda. South Korean court is set to rule on whether the captain of a ferry that capsized killing more than 300 people, most of them children on a school trip, should be put to death for culpable homicide in a case that triggered widespread grief and outrage. A three-judge panel in the southern city of Gwangju will hand down verdicts and sentencing today in the trial of captain Lee Joon-seok, 68, as well as 14 crew members, who face jail terms if convicted. The overloaded Sewol capsized on April 16 while making a turn during a routine voyage to the holiday island of Jeju. The crew were among the first people to be rescued from the ship, while the mostly teenage passengers waited in their cabins. The public outcry provoked by the tragedy led to concerns over whether the crew would be able to get a fair trial, with private sector lawyers largely shunning the defendants. Only one crew member was represented by a private lawyer. “I think the prosecutors have been under very heavy pressure,” said Cheong Yeong-seok, a law professor at Korea Maritime and Ocean University. During the five-month trial, families in the gallery occasionally made emotional outbursts. “In my opinion, the death penalty which prosecutors demanded is too much for the captain’s charge. But the public opinion was too negative and the situation from the gallery in the courtroom wasn’t good,” said Cheong. Death sentences are rare in South Korea, which has not carried out an execution in more than 15 years. Kim Hymn, a maritime lawyer advising the government on payment of damages to victims in the sinking, said he believed the crew received a fair hearing. “I think it has been a fair trial given the defendants and their lawyers have made enough arguments in favour of them, despite public criticism,” he said. Only 172 of the 476 passengers and crew were rescued. Of the 304 confirmed dead or still missing, 250 were schoolchildren. The crew on trial have said they thought it was the coastguard’s job to evacuate passengers. Video footage of their escape triggered outrage, especially after survivors testified that crew repeatedly told passengers to stay put. Three crew members in addition to Lee face homicide charges, with prosecutors seeking life prison terms. Prosecutors sought prison terms ranging from 15 to 30 years for the other crew on trial, who face lesser charges, including negligence. There are 58 people on death row in South Korea, according to the justice ministry, but the last time the country carried out an execution was in December 1997, when 23 convicts were hanged. Lee, the captain, has apologised to the families of the victims and said he never intended to harm anyone. Some of the crew made tearful apologies following their lawyers’ closing speeches, which argued that the defendants were mostly too badly trained to handle the disaster. Gulf Times Tuesday, November 11, 2014 17 BRITAIN OFFBEAT PEOPLE LAW AND ORDER CRIME ACQUISITION Locked-in ordeal inspires bookshop pajama party Geldof to fire up charity hit 30 years on to fight Ebola �Terror suspect smiled during arrest’ City worker who bit off broker’s nose in club jailed Brazil billionaire buys Gherkin for £700mn After a tourist was locked in a London bookshop, the retailer invited 10 avid readers to a pajama party at one of its shops. “The only thing you have to worry about is what you will read next. And whether someone will let you out the next morning ... but that shouldn’t be a problem” wrote the book retailer Waterstones about their “Sleepover” action at the large shop near Piccadilly Circus. The marketing gag was inspired after an American tourist was locked in at a Waterstones shop after browsing late in the day. After police did not respond to his calls for help, the tourist posted messages on Instagram and Twitter about being locked in at the Trafalgar Square outlet for two hours before being let out. Musician and philanthropist Bob Geldof, who in 1984 inspired a generation of rock stars to record a charity single for Africa, will raise money to combat Ebola with a new version of the song. Geldof, frontman for Irish new wave band The Boomtown Rats, pulled together the Band Aid supergroup for “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” three decades ago to help those affected by famine in Ethiopia. Geldof confirmed at a conference in London that the song would be re-recorded. The new line-up is expected to include boy band One Direction and singers Ed Sheeran and Sam Smith, British media reports said. A man arrested in connection with a suspected Remembrance Day terror plot smiled as he was led away by police, witnesses said yesterday. The 27-year-old man was arrested by armed officers who surrounded his car in a residential street in west London. Counter-terror detectives continued to question the four men aged between 19 and 27 at a secure police station in south London yesterday. Police swooped last Thursday and Friday, after intelligence suggested a plot to attack an individual was in the final stages of planning. Officers stopped a hatchback driven by the oldest suspect in Southall. He was surrounded by marksmen and dragged from the car. A City worker who bit the nose off a broker in the middle of a crowded nightclub after a row over a spilt drink has been jailed for nearly two years at the Old Bailey. Johnathan Ball, 26, sank his teeth into Christopher Woolcott on the dance floor at Babble City in the City of London. CCTV footage showed both men enjoying themselves with their own friends in February last year. A scuffle broke out after a drink was spilt and Ball grabbed hold of his victim’s head, got him on the floor and sank his teeth into the front part of his nose. He bit through the cartilage and flesh and tore off the front part of his nose. Woolcott needed a skin graft to repair the damage done to his face. The distinctive Gherkin building in the City of London has been snapped up by a Brazilian billionaire. Safra Group, the investment giant owned by Brazilian Joseph Safra, paid more than £720mn for 30 St Mary Axe, according to the Financial Times. The price was not disclosed. The Gherkin, as it is nicknamed, went on sale in July after German property firm IVG Immobilien struggled with debts. IVG had bought the 180m high building, which has 40 floors, in 2007 from insurance group Swiss Re for £600m. The sale to Safra was announced just weeks after another highprofile deal in which Safra took joint control of banana specialist, Chiquita. Labour leader denies crisis in party Miliband critics are cowards: Kinnock Agencies London E d Miliband has told business leaders he does not accept there is crisis of confidence in his leadership of the Labour Party. At a CBI conference in central London Miliband was asked whether he believed there was a crisis of confidence in his leadership. He responded with a blunt “no” and went on to answer the next question. Earlier shadow business secretary Chuka Umunna admitted there was a small minority of MPs critical of the Labour leader, but said the majority back an Ed Miliband-led election campaign. However his pledge of support for Miliband’s leadership was almost derailed when the senior Labour MP appeared to mix him up with his brother David during an interview with Sky News’ Eamonn Holmes. Umunna, himself touted as a possible replacement for Miliband, argued that Labour is within “touching distance” of Downing Street. “Yes you get people sounding off,” Umunna told Sky News. “But at the end of the day we have seen a tiny minority of people giving off-the-record, anonymous briefings. “There are a small minority who have gone on the record, but the overwhelming majority of our candidates, our MPs, shadow ministers, everybody is concentrated on winning what we know will be a tough election.” In his response to being asked about an alternative to the Labour leader, Umunna mistakenly said Miliband’s brother David then corrected himself. “I know from my constituents a united Labour party in ensuring we get Dave, er we get Ed Miliband into Number 10. I know ultimately that’s going to make a difference to their lives.” Other senior Labour figures have been publicly rallying around Miliband. Miliband loyalists rally around Labour party leader, saying hostile and anonymous briefing is undermining his authority Guardian News and Media London L Opposition Labour Party leader Ed Miliband prepares to address the Confederation of British Industries (CBI) annual conference in London yesterday. 3,000 restaurants told to improve kitchen hygiene London Evening Standard London D iners are being urged to “look before you book” ahead of their Christmas parties as London restaurants are ranked lowest for hygiene. Figures yesterday revealed that 3,112 restaurants in the capital have been warned to improve by inspectors. This is the equivalent of nearly one in five — almost double the national average, according to the Food Standards Agency. The watchdog also revealed that 1,729 restaurants in London are rated 0 or 1 — the lowest possible rankings for food hygiene. The FSA has launched a campaign calling on would-be customers to do their research in the run-up to the party season. This means going online at food.gov. uk/ratings to check a restaurant’s hygiene score before booking. Amy Skinner is backing the FSA campaign after suffering food poisoning twice — at a chain restaurant and at a small independent one. The resourcing and talent adviser from Hackney said the experience has left her cautious about eating out. “Having food poisoning was a horrible experience and has made me much more cautious about eating out” The 27-year-old said: “Having food poisoning was a horrible experience and has made me much more cautious about eating out. I’m really aware there’s so much we don’t see as consumers about how a restaurant is run and how clean the kitchen really is. “Now, I always check the food hygiene rating when I go out to make sure it’s up to scratch.” The majority of restaurants in the capital are deemed up to standard. More than 15,000 have a rating ranging from 3, which means “generally satisfactory”, to 5, which is “very good”. This is under the Food Standards Agency’s Scores on the Doors scheme, which all local authorities in London are signed up to. However, other restaurants have been told by inspectors they must improve hygiene standards. La Forchetta in Upper Street in Islington; the Sports Bar and Grill at Marylebone station; Golden Pagoda restaurant in Gerrard Street and Caffe Ritazza at Euston station are among 205 in the capital given a 0 rating on the FSA website. This means they need “urgent” improvement. Even establishments favoured by the rich and famous have been told they need to improve. The Chiltern Firehouse was given a 2 rating by hygiene inspectors after an assessment last June. Models Lily Cole and Cara Delevigne are among celebrities who have dined at the restaurant, which was told improvement was needed on food hygiene. The Chiltern Firehouse said at the time that the “vast majority” of the issues highlighted had already been rectified. abour critics of Ed Miliband are warning his supporters that they are in danger of exacerbating internal unease about his leadership by attacking party loyalists who say they are reflecting concerns they hear on the doorstep. As the former Labour leader Neil Kinnock accused the critics of cowardice and a “tendency towards political suicide”, one MP warned of a horrible atmosphere over the “cack-handed” response of Miliband’s team. Lucy Powell, who was promoted to the shadow cabinet last week to take a key role in Labour’s general election team, highlighted concerns at senior levels of the party when she warned that five days of hostile briefing against Miliband was undermining his authority. The shadow Cabinet Office minister told Pienaar’s Politics on BBC Radio 5 Live: “These things often feed themselves. When you have continuing anonymous stories being floated around that somehow Ed has lost the confidence of his MPs, that feeds a wider concern in the public whether he has the leadership qualities to lead his own party, let alone the country. So that doesn’t help.” Beckham in Hanoi Powell, who said “cowardly” attacks on Miliband would create the worst of all worlds, issued a put-up-or-shut-up challenge to Miliband’s critics. She said: “They are feeding the beast and they are feeding the monster in terms of the press. That is the worst of all worlds – that we continue to have this conversation in this way. So show your colours and put names to quotes or let’s just move on and have a different conversation.” Caroline Flint, the shadow energy and climate change secretary, acknowledged that some Labour MPs were nervous about the party’s prospects. Flint told the Sunday Politics programme on BBC1: “Some of my colleagues are having jitters. Part of that is that we’ve always said that this is not a done deal, this election. This is going to be hardfought. We’ve said that from 2010 and Ed has been saying it since he was elected our leader. We have to fight for the right to represent the country in Westminster.” Lord Kinnock, who faced regular sniping during his nine years as leader of the Labour party between 1983 and 1992, launched a withering attack on Miliband’s critics. He told The World This Weekend on BBC Radio 4: “The so-called threat is certainly not substantial. Not only because all of the sources, so called, of the threat are common in their anonymity and cowardice and their tendency towards political suicide but because there is no real substance in what they are saying. “The claims they are making, in so far as you can identify them, Cyclist left for dead in hit-and-run London Evening Standard London A Former England forward David Beckham waves to a crowd of fans as he arrives at a local restaurant in downtown Hanoi yesterday. Beckham is on a one-day-long business trip to Hanoi to promote a drink brand for which he is commercial representative. are totally unjustifiable because after four years Ed Miliband is a leader of proven courage, of high intelligence. He has a quality of great leadership which is being calm, resilient under fire.” The strong language from Kinnock upset critics of Miliband who say it is their duty to voice concerns about his leadership amid widespread worries that he is failing to connect with voters. Alistair Darling, the former chancellor, gave voice to some of these concerns when he said that Miliband “needs to show” he is prime ministerial material. In an interview with the Sunday Times, the former chancellor said: “The best way of dealing with adversity is to lead. If you retreat, if you feel sorry for yourself, if you start mumbling and muttering, your enemies will take advantage of it. The best form of defence is attack. So attack. On all fronts.” All but a handful of critics believe that Miliband will lead Labour into the general election next year because Alan Johnson, the only candidate who could unite the party, has repeatedly ruled himself out of contention. The former home secretary told the Sunday Times that standing as Labour leader was a “definite no-no”, adding: “We can win with Ed as leader and I can help him do that.” Lord Falconer of Thoroton, the former lord chancellor who is in charge of Labour’s preparations for government, said there was “absolutely zero chance” of a change of leader before the election. woman was yesterday questioned by police after a cyclist was knocked off his mountain bike and reportedly left for dead on a country road less than half a mile from his family home. Snowboarding enthusiast Robert Worrall, 31, was found sprawled on the A24 in Beare Green, near Dorking, by a passerby at 1.25am on Sunday. Police and ambulance crews battled to revive him but he was pronounced dead at the scene. Family and friends flooded Twitter and Facebook with tributes to Worrall, who had been cycling to an all-night garage. His mother Ann, a learning support worker at the private Box Hill School, wrote a message to wellwishers on her Facebook page: “Just to let all my friends know my youngest son Robert was killed cycling to the local garage. It was a hit-and-run. We are obviously devastated. Live your lives strongly, with courage and love in his memory.” His brother Michael thanked people for their thoughts, adding: “We are all going to miss him.” A 47-year-old woman from the Horley area who was arrested for drink-driving and failing to stop at the scene of an accident in connection with the death has been released on bail until a date in December. Detective Sergeant Gary Wright said: “I would appeal to anyone who knows they were driving on this road at this time to come forward with any information they may have. “It might also be that you know of someone who has returned home later than expected, or you have noticed some damage on a vehicle that was not there the day before.” Worrall studied at East Surrey College in Redhill and had worked for grounds maintenance company Groundscapes for nine years. He was a keen DJ and had performed at friend Claire Mole’s wedding last month. Mole, a hairstylist, wrote: “You’ll be forever in our hearts, Rob. You were a top bloke. You impressed all our guests. We couldn’t have asked a better person.” 18 Gulf Times Tuesday, November 11, 2014 BRITAIN Exam choices holding pupils back, says minister Agencies London T oo many young people are still making exam choices that will hold them back for the rest of their lives, Nicky Morgan has warned. For years, take-up of maths and science after age 16 was far too low, the education secretary suggests, with many teenagers still unaware that these subjects are becoming increasingly important for more and more careers. Morgan’s comments came at the launch of a new independent campaign which aims to increase the numbers of students taking maths and physics at A-level by 50% over the next three years. As little as a decade ago, young people were being told that maths and sciences were the subjects you did if you wanted to go into a specific career, such as medicine, pharmacy or engineering, she said. “If you wanted to do something different, or even if you didn’t know what you wanted to do, then the arts and humanities were what you chose, because they were useful, you were told, for all kinds of jobs. “Of course we know now that that couldn’t be further from the truth. That the subjects that keep young people’s options open and unlock the door to all sorts of careers, are the STEM subjects science, technology, engineering and maths.” The skills someone gains from studying these types of subjects are useful in almost any job, Morgan argued - including the creative and beauty industries and even the legal sector. “That’s why I believe it is so important that young people are aware of the opportunities that these subjects bring. Because these are not nearly as popular as they should be.” Figures show that in 2011, less than a fifth (19%) of girls who scored an A* in GCSE physics went on to study the subject at A-level, while for boys the figure was under half. And fewer than two-thirds of girls who achieved the top grade in GCSE maths took the subject at A-level. “These figures show us that too many young people are making choices at age 15 which will hold them back for the rest of their lives,” Morgan said. She insisted that the government has made “significant” progress, with around 1,000 more girls taking physics each year along with 2,000 more taking maths compared to 2010. Maths is also now the most popular A-level subject, and there has been an increase in entries for the sciences. But Morgan said that more needs to be done, and the new Your Life campaign will help to “dispel the myths” around STEM subjects. “They’re not stuffy, boring subjects for people who don’t get outdoors much, far from it,” she said. “They are key, cutting edge, fastpaced areas of work, and they’re behind some of the most exciting new developments in this country and around the world. “Nor are they subjects that you can only succeed in if you went to the right school, or had the right connections. In fact, quite the opposite. Success in the sciences is one of the biggest drivers of social mobility, enabling young people from a range of backgrounds to access highly paid careers and opportunities.” Morgan also said that there needs to be action to boost the number of young women studying maths and science. “If we want to make the most of half of our workforce if we want to eliminate the gender pay gap and we want that same half of the workforce to succeed in jobs that boost our economy, we must make sure that teenage girls don’t feel, and certainly are not told, that certain subjects are the preserve of men,” she said. Cameron allays fears on EU plans Reuters London P rime Minister David Cameron yesterday said Britain should not be willing to stay in the European Union “come what may”, as his main political rival said the promise of a referendum on membership of the bloc was creating uncertainty for businesses. In a bid to quell dissent among his own lawmakers and win back voters who have defected to the anti-EU UK Independence Party, Cameron has pledged to renegotiate Britain’s EU ties before offering a membership referendum in 2017 if he is re-elected next year. “Britain’s future in Europe matters to our country and it isn’t working properly for us at the moment Opposition Labour leader Ed Miliband told business leaders that those who “flirt” with pulling Britain out of the EU were putting millions of jobs at risk by generating uncertainty. But, Cameron said ignoring that there was a debate over Europe would be the “worst thing to do”. “Britain’s future in Europe matters to our country and it isn’t working properly for us at the moment, and that is why we need to make changes,” Cameron said. “Simply standing here and just saying: �I will stay in Europe, I will stick with whatever we have, come what may’ ... that is not a plan and that won’t work.” The prime minister said the level of investment into Britain under his Conservative-led government showed that the issue was not a deterrent. Miliband, hoping to cash in on fears among some business groups that a Conservative election win could cost them unfettered access to the EU’s single market of 500mn people, said Britain’s national interest was being damaged. “Every nod and wink to those who want to leave sends a message to potential investors that we are not open for business, that our country is a dangerous bet,” he said. “Trying to use exit as a threat has actually weakened our influence in Europe, not strengthened it ... I will not be part of it. If I am prime minister I will never risk British businesses, British jobs, British prosperity by playing political games with our membership of the European Union.” Cameron has in recent months battled other EU countries over the leadership of the EU executive, the Commission, and the EU budget, and has provoked warnings from other EU leaders with talk of trying to limit immigration from within the EU. Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne arrive on the carpet before the 2014 MTV Europe Music Awards at the SSE Hydro Arena in Glasgow, Scotland. Grande, Minaj shine at MTV awards AFP Glasgow P op stars Ariana Grande and Nicki Minaj sparkled at the MTV Europe Music Awards on Sunday, held in the Scottish city of Glasgow for the first time. After opening the show with a thumping performance dressed in a futuristic silver leotard, Grande won best female artiste and best song for her hit Problem. “I’m excited, I’m very very grateful and very happy,” the Florida-born 21-year-old said backstage at the event. Pop star and rapper Nicki Minaj was praised for her slick hosting of the awards. Dressed in a sheer black catsuit, Minaj danced under a cascade of sparks before per- forming a debut of a new song, Bed Of Lies, then breaking into her raunchy hit Anaconda. English-Irish superstar boy band One Direction scored a hat-trick of awards, picking up the best pop, best live act and biggest fans awards, which are the result of votes by fans themselves. “Our fans really are amazing! Thank you so much for your amazing support! 3 EMA’s!! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!” singer Louis Tomlinson wrote on Twitter. Though they won the most awards, they band were unable to attend to collect them in person. The absence of member Zayn Malik in their video message left fans questioning his whereabouts. Canada’s Justin Bieber was awarded best male, pop star Katy Perry won best look and US rapper Nicki Minaj poses for pictures after being awarded the title �Best Hip Hop’ during the 2014 MTV Europe Music Awards (EMA) in Glasgow, Scotland. best video, and singer Enrique Iglesias won best world stage performance. Londoners flock to �sea’ of poppies London Evening Standard London L ondoners stayed up “right through the night” to pay tribute at the ceramic poppy field at the Tower of London as the awe-inspiring display neared its climax. Amid the solemnity, there was also jubilation that one of the capital’s most breathtaking but short-lived artworks — Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red — was granted a stay of execution following the Evening Standard’s Save Our Poppies campaign. David Cameron, who announced plans to keep part of the exhibition open for longer, said: “The extraordinary poppy display at the Tower of London has caught the imagination of people across Britain and it was a privilege to visit it on Saturday with my family. I’m pleased an important section of this memorable display will now be saved permanently for the nation at the newly refurbished Imperial War Museum. “It will help future generations remember the huge sacrifice British men and women down the ages have made for our freedom.” Mayor Boris Johnson said: “There have understandably been calls to allow more people to see them. The authorities at the Tower of London have listened, and they have taken action. “They deserve to be congratulated, just as they deserve congratulations for their courage in staging this display — and without a penny, so far, of public support.” He added: “Yes, there will be a sense of loss and of bereavement among the public when the poppies finally go. That is sad, and inevitable; and it is also fitting and in perfect keeping with the message of that field of mortal flowers.” An astonishing four million people are expected to have viewed the display by the time the last poppy is planted just before 11am today. Plans include keeping part of the field intact until the end of this month so that every Londoner will have the chance to pay their respects. Two features of the work — the “Weeping Window” cascade of poppies from a window of the Tower and “Wave”, a curling surge of poppies by the Tower entrance — will go on a threeyear tour of the UK before going to the Imperial War Museums in London and Manchester. Guards at the Tower said there were “people here 24 hours, right through the night”. Royal Corps of Signals veteran William Dedman, 78, from Merton, said: “My grandfather served in World War I, part of his heel was blown away. But those soldiers never talked about it. Being here today is very emotional. I’m glad they extended the poppies because so many people wanted to come and see it.” Holding his grandfather’s World War I service medal sent by the King, Walworth-born William Richards, 87, said: “My grandfather was in the flying corps and my father always said that he was very special. It’s very special for me being here today.” Beyonce, though rumoured to be a surprise guest, did not attend, but was awarded best song with a social message for her song “Pretty Hurts”. The theme of the awards was time travel to mark 20 years since the first one was held, and clips of the previous award shows were played. Actor and singer David Hasselhoff was applauded as he walked on stage in a kilt. Irish band U2 returned to perform in their fourth appearance at the EMAs, playing “Every Breaking Wave”. And rock musician Ozzy Osbourne took to the stage to accept a global icon award, remarking “I can’t believe it, it’s just incredible.” Guitar legend Slash appeared on stage to pay tribute to Osbourne, telling the audience “He scares the hell out of most people and all bats. But to me is a gentle man and a gentleman.” New bid to reach Stormont deal Agencies London A French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian (left) and British Defence Secretary Michael Fallon walk through the “Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red” installation of ceramic poppies in the moat area of the Tower of London yesterday. serious effort is being made to address powersharing difficulties at Stormont, Martin McGuinness said. The parties are involved in political talks, convened by Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers, aimed at finding a new way forward on disputes causing logjams in the administration. Historic probes into Troubles incidents have been hit by significant cuts to public finances, with the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), the police ombudsman and the coroner’s service all facing resourcing challenges. It follows disagreement over welfare reform and other budgetary issues as well as more longstanding differences over controversial parades, the legacy of the past and flags. The deputy first minister said: “In the context of the present discussions it is fair to say that a very serious investigation is taking place as to how we can resolve the challenges to this administration as a result of policies be- ing directed at us from London.” He said the block grant from Westminster which pays for public services had been “undermined” to the tune of more than £1bn. The Northern Ireland secretary has said the government would seriously consider any proposal from Stormont to fund a new mechanism to investigate the events of the Troubles. Villiers said she could not promise money would be forthcoming, due to constraints on public finances, but said any suggestion would be “looked at with care” by Prime Minister David Cameron and Chancellor George Osborne. There have been growing calls for the government to contribute to potential new structures to investigate Northern Ireland’s toxic past and the treatment of victims of violence. Villiers has said it was also vital that the Executive implemented efficiency programmes within the public sector to free up more funds for priority issues. The talks resume in Belfast tomorrow and the Cabinet member said it was time for the parties to “buckle down” and strive for consensus. Gulf Times Tuesday, November 11, 2014 19 EUROPE European comet mission gears up for tough probe landing Reuters Berlin/Frankfurt E uropean scientists will this week make the first attempt to land a probe on the surface of a comet, the climax of a decade-long project to unlock some of the secrets of the universe. Spacecraft Rosetta caught up with comet 67P/ChuryumovGerasimenko in August. Tonight the team at the European Space Agency (ESA) will decide whether to give the final go-ahead to release a lander from the craft. Comets – celestial bodies of dust, ice and complex molecules – are remnants of the birth of our 4.6bn-year-old solar system. The probe’s mission is to gather samples from the comet to analyse the development of Earth and other planets. “It’s basically a time machine containing clues to the composition of the solar system,” Fred Jansen, Rosetta mission manager, said in a briefing ahead of the landing attempt. The three-legged lander, called Philae, is due to be released tomorrow at 0835 GMT on its descent towards the surface, which will take a nail-biting seven hours. During that time, Philae will send back information on the dust and gases it encounters as it nears the comet. The timing, angle and speed of the release are crucial because, once on its way, there is nothing the scientists on the ground can do to change the trajectory of the box-shaped 100kg lander. Adding to the risks for a safe landing is the fact that the comet’s surface is not smooth, as initially hoped, but instead marked by craters, cliffs and boulders the size of houses. “We have to be a bit lucky,” Rosetta flight director Andrea Accomazzo said. “If the lander lands in proximity of a boulder, there is nothing we can do. This is the part that worries me the most because we have no control over it.” If the landing, expected to be confirmed on Earth at around 1600 GMT, is successful, Philae will start sending back pictures and measurements. This photo released by the European Space Agency on December 20 last year shows an artist impression of Rosetta’s lander Philae (back view). PMs row over Kosovo on historic visit to Belgrade AFP/Reuters Belgrade S erbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic openly clashed with his Albanian counterpart Edi Rama over Kosovo during a fence-building visit yesterday, the first to Belgrade in 68 years by an Albanian leader. Vucic visibly got angry at a press conference after Rama called on Serbia to recognise the “irreversible reality” of Kosovo’s independence. Belgrade refuses to recognise the breakaway former Serbian province populated mostly by Albanians, which formally declared its independence in 2008. “I had not expected a provocation from Mr Rama, that he would talk about Kosovo, because I don’t know what he has to do with Kosovo,” a visibly upset Vucic said. “I have to reply to him because I will not allow anybody to humiliate Serbia in Belgrade. Kosovo is part of Serbia under the constitution and it has nothing to do with Albania nor will it ever have,” Vucic said. He appeared visibly trying to keep his anger under control. Having repeated that “it is my job to say that nobody will humiliate Serbia”, Vucic underlined that Kosovo was not on the agenda of the talks, nor was it discussed during the leaders’ one-to-one meeting before the press conference. Rama had told reporters that the two sides had different positions over Kosovo “but there is only one reality – independent Kosovo is recognised by 108 states in the world”. “This is a reality that is irreversible and this reality should be respected,” Rama said. “The independence of Kosovo made the Balkans more stable and peaceful,” he added, also calling for the rights of the 60,000-strong ethnic Albanian minority in southern Serbia’s Presevo valley to be respected. Rama was due to visit them today. Following Vucic’s fierce reaction, Rama denied his comments were a provocation “because Kosovo is a reality and the sooner we recognise it the faster we can move on”. Relations between Serbia and Albania have been tense over Vucic (right) and Rama at the news conference after their meeting in Belgrade yesterday. Rama, the first Albanian prime minister to visit Serbia in 68 years, urged Belgrade yesterday to accept the independence of majority-Albanian Kosovo and was accused by Vucic of �provocation’. Kosovo and the ethnic Albanian minority living in southern Serbia. Serbia sees Kosovo as the cradle of its nation and faith, but the vast majority of its 1.8mn people are ethnic Albanians who seceded in 2008 almost a decade after Nato went to war to halt a wave of ethnic cleansing. The region has largely stabilised since the collapse of Yugoslavia in the 1990s – of which the 1998-99 Kosovo war was the final chapter – but widespread poverty, joblessness and political disagreements continue to fuel tensions. Rama, in an interview with Reuters, warned that much was still at stake, and said the EU should move more quickly to bring in the rest of the Western Balkans, amid deep misgivings within the 28-nation bloc over the wisdom of further expansion. Both nations want to join the European Union. “Enlargement fatigue, okay, but there is also patience fatigue that is threatening the Balkans; if the patience ends, it’s better we don’t predict what can happen,” he said. “Whoever thinks that the Balkans are out of Europe so it’s not a European problem is deadly wrong.” Rama’s visit had already been postponed from October 22 when a diplomatic row erupted over an abandoned soccer match between Serbia and Albania in Belgrade. The game was halted when a drone carrying a flag of “Greater Albania” flew over the pitch, triggering a brawl between players and a pitch invasion by Serbian fans. Italian quake experts win in �science on trial’ appeal AFP/Reuters Rome S even Italian scientists who faced jail for failing to predict a deadly 2009 earthquake were cleared yesterday of manslaughter convictions that had sparked international outrage. The seven men were sentenced to six years in jail in October 2012 after a court in the mediaeval town of L’Aquila found them guilty of causing multiple deaths by having negligently downplayed the risk of the town being hit by a major earthquake just days before the killer tremor struck in April 2009. But after a month-long appeal trial in the mountain town east of Rome, that verdict was overturned by a panel of three judges which concluded that six of the seven had committed no crime. Judge Fabrizia Ida Francabandera said there was no case to answer, according to video streaming of her reading the verdict, absolving the defendants of a six-year jail sentence handed down two years ago. The judges partially upheld some of the charges against one defendant, Bernardo De Bernardinis but downgraded his sentence to a two-year suspended prison sentence that will not lead to him having a criminal record. “The credibility of Italy’s entire scientific community has been restored,” said Stefano Gresta, the president of the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology, whose predecessor, Enzo Boschi, was one of the most eminent of the defendants. Franco Coppi, one of the lawyers for the scientists, said: “It is very pleasing that our arguments have been upheld although we remain profoundly sorry for the families of the victims and understand their reactions.” But Stefania Pezzopane, an Italian senator and former president of the Aquila region, called the appeal decision “disconcerting and contradictory”. The precise reasons for the verdict will not be made clear until the full written judgment is released in several months’ time. The prosecution may seek to have the convictions reinstated via a final appeal to a higher court. The defendants had been backed by outraged scientists from across the world. Numerous critics claimed that their prosecution had put science itself on trial, warning that experts would stop offering any kind of risk assessments if they were opening themselves up to potential litigation. Many compared the sentencing to the persecution of 17thcentury astronomer Galileo, who, under threat of torture, was forced to recant his assertion that the Earth moves around the Sun. The journal Nature called the original verdict “perverse” and the sentencing “ludicrous” given the acknowledged impossibility of predicting earthquakes. The seven convicted men were all members of a Major Risks Committee which met in L’Aquila on March 31, 2009, six days before the 6.3-magnitude quake struck the town, triggering the collapse of many inadequately constructed buildings within its walls and in surrounding villages. The 28-second quake, which struck in the middle of the night, left thousands homeless, and five years later L’Aquila has only partially been rebuilt. The prosecution in the case had depicted the experts as having irresponsibly offered reassurances that persuaded citizens who might otherwise have sought refuge outside or in safer buildings to stay in their homes. The Risks committee had been convened after a series of smaller tremors in the run-up to the deadly quake. Key to the prosecution case was a statement by Bernardinis, then the deputy director of the Civil Protection Agency, describing the seismic activity as posing “no danger” to residents. Although the defence pointed out that was only one of many observations made by the various committee members, the prosecution succeeded in persuading the solitary judge in the first trial that the experts had offered “disastrous reassurance” to L’Aquila citizens when they should have been making it clear there was a very real risk of a quake. US writer David Wolman, who carried out a major investigation into the initial trial, concluded that the scientists had been unjustly convicted largely because of the difficulty many ordinary people have in understanding scientific advice. “Where a career scientists hears the word �improbable’ and knows that rare events do occur, a non-scientist hears �improbable’ as shorthand for �it ain’t gonna happen’,” Wolman wrote in an essay on the case for online magazine Matter. At the heart of the case was whether, under political pressure, the government-appointed experts gave an overly reassuring picture of the risks facing the town. Over the centuries, L’Aquila A file photo taken on April 8, 2009 shows an aerial view of the village of Onna, located some 10km of the Abruzzo capital L’Aquila, two days after a violent earthquake hit the area. had already been hit by deadly and destructive earthquakes three times, and it was shaken by a number of tremors in the months leading up to the 2009 tragedy. Families of victims of the earthquake, and lawyers representing them in the civil case against the defendants, called the ruling “shameful” and pledged to appeal. Space crew make successful return from station DPA/AFP Moscow T Search and rescue team members approach the Soyuz TMA-13M capsule with the International Space Station (ISS) crew of Gerst, Surayev and Wiseman after its landing near the town of Arkalyk in northern Kazakhstan. Below: Ground personnel carry Wiseman shortly after the spacecraft landing, while Surayev is seen gesturing to teammate Gerst. hree astronauts made a successful return landing yesterday after spending 165 days aboard the International Space Station (ISS), flight control in Moscow said. “It is good to be back, even though gravity sucks right now!” German astronaut Alexander Gerst wrote on Twitter after landing near Arkalyk in northcentral Kazakhstan. Russian commander Maxim Surayev controlled the Soyuz spacecraft during its three-hour return trip and deployed parachutes for the landing. Also on board was Reid Wiseman of the US space agency Nasa. Television footage showed the astronauts huddled in sleeping bags and blankets on the snowcovered steppe, before they were carried away by ground personnel. “Earth smells amazing, it is good to be back on our #BlueDot,” Gerst tweeted. The astronauts will undergo medical rehabilitation to revive their weakened muscles, bones and immune systems. The three men smiled broadly from reclining chairs as medical personnel tended to them amid patches of snow on the barren steppe just northeast of Arkalyk, Kazakhstan, where they landed. Surayev flashed a V for victory sign while Wiseman pumped his fist as they waited to regain their land legs after nearly half a year of weightlessness. “Everything was in the spirit of co-operation, so I think that everybody needs to learn and follow the example of the ISS crew members,” Surayev said. “Let’s try to live together side by side. This is the most important thing.” During their five and a half months in the ISS, relations between Russia and the West have deteriorated sharply over the Ukraine conflict. A native of Kuenzelsau in southwestern Germany, Gerst was the eleventh German in space. German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who was on a visit to Kazakhstan’s capital Astana yesterday, sent his congratulations to Gerst. “I hope that what the astronauts saw from above, a world without borders, reminds us occasionally that we have bigger problems on earth than border conflicts,” he said, adding that water rights and environmental issues should be treated as issues that are just as pressing. Among the research carried out by the astronauts were experiments on skin ageing and on metals for turbines. While in space the crew traveled more than 70mn miles (112.7mn km), Nasa said. The “bulls-eye” touchdown was executed amid low clouds and fog “following a flawless descent back into the atmosphere,” according to Nasa TV. The spacecraft was pulled onto its side by its parachute upon arrival, which Nasa TV added was not uncommon. The US space agency said the “departure of Wiseman, Gerst and Surayev marks the end of Expedition 41”, referring to their mission to the ISS to carry out equipment repairs, maintenance and experiments. Surayev was on his second long ISS mission, having now spent a total of 334 days in space, while the other two astronauts were on their first trip. Surayev handed over the ISS command to US astronaut Barry Wilmore, who remains on board with Russians Yelena Serova and Alexander Samokutyayev. Three fresh astronauts, including Italian female astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti are poised to join them on November 24. They will launch from Kazakhstan on November 23, Nasa said. Nasa lost its ability to reach the space station when the shuttle programme ended in 2011 after 30 years. The US space agency has helped fund private companies in a push to restore US access to the ISS. In the meantime, the world’s astronauts must rely on Russia’s Soyuz spacecraft to get to the ISS and back, at a cost of $70mn per seat. There are 15 country participants in the ISS programme, though the US and Russia contribute the lion’s share of funds for the project. 20 Gulf Times Tuesday, November 11, 2014 EUROPE Residents complain of stench in Moscow Catalans step up drive for secession after vote AFP Barcelona C atalonia’s nationalist government prepared yesterday to step up its secession drive after more than 2mn people voted in a symbolic independence referendum which Spain’s central government dismissed as “useless”. The head of the Catalan regional government Artur Mas called Sunday’s vote, which was ordered blocked by the constitutional court at Madrid’s request, “a total success” after the overwhelming majority of those who took part supported independence. “The people of Catalonia have made it very clear that we want to govern ourselves. It is an old aspiration, which dates back centuries and remains perfectly alive,” he added in Barcelona after polls closed. The Catalan government said yesterday that a total of 2.3mn people had taken part in the vote, surpassing its initial estimate of 2.25mn, despite legal challenges and objections from the central government. The vast majority of those who took part, 80.7%, voted for independence, it added. Anti-independence par- ties boycotted the referendum, which was organised by thousands of pro-independence volunteers, saying that the results were skewed in favour of a break from Spain. There was no official electoral roll but the regional government said 5.4mn Catalans and resident foreigners aged 16 and above were eligible to vote. Mas said that his government would now push to hold an official referendum and would seek international support to help persuade the Spanish government to allow it to go ahead. “We deserve to vote in a legal and binding referendum and this is what we are going to try to do,” he added. Analysts said the turnout did not show there was enough support for outright independence but it strengthened Mas’s hand in his showdown with Spain’s Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy. “If we see this as a five-set tennis match, yesterday was the first set which Mas won. Now starts the second set and it depends on Mariano Rajoy,” said Gabriel Colome, political science lecturer at Barcelona’s Autonomous University. The total number of votes in favour of independence was less than the number cast in the last regional elections in 2012 for the People queue yesterday at the Palau Robert in Barcelona to vote in the non-binding referendum for independence, a day after the �official’ voting date. Catalans who weren’t able to vote on Sunday are able to vote in various places provided for the occasion, until November 25. four Catalan nationalist parties which called the referendum, he added. “They expected to get much more. This means that in a hypothetical real referendum they have a problem,” Colome told AFP. If Mas opts to hold early elec- tions, the symbolic referendum results indicate that nationalist parties will not be able to secure a majority in the regional assembly that would allow them to unilaterally declare independence as some have proposed, he added. Spain’s Justice Minister Ra- fael Catala dismissed the vote as “fruitless and useless” and said it was “devoid of any kind of democratic validity”. State prosecutors were continuing to investigate whether Catalan authorities breached court injunctions by opening polling stations in schools and AFP Moscow other public buildings, he added after the polls closed. The leader of the Catalan branch of Spain’s ruling conservative Popular Party, Alicia Sanchez Camacho, urged the authorities to take action against Mas over the referendum. “Those who violate the law have to face the consequences,” she told a news conference in Barcelona. Mas had originally planned to hold an official yet non-binding vote on independence, inspired by the referendum held in Scotland in September which was authorised by Britain and which resulted in a “No” vote. Asked about Catalonia’s symbolic referendum, British Prime Minister David Cameron said London wants Spain “to stay united”. “Our belief about referendums and things like that is these things should be done through the proper constitutional and legal frameworks. They should be done within them, and not outside them,” he added. Proud of its distinct language and culture, Catalonia, a region of 7.5mn, accounts for nearly a fifth of Spain’s economy. Demands for greater autonomy have been rumbling for years, but the latest bid has pushed the issue further than ever before. Minister resigns over botched polling abroad DPA/AFP/Reuters Bucharest R A woman walks past an election poster reading: �Stop the lie!’, �Choose a normal Romania!’ and �IOHANNIS PRESIDENT’, in Bucharest. Romanians will vote in the presidential run-off on Sunday, with incumbent Prime Minster Victor Ponta currently leading in the first round against Klaus Iohannis. omania’s foreign minister, Titus Corlatean, resigned yesterday over the botched balloting process for expats in the ongoing presidential elections. Corlatean stepped down after protests by thousands of Romanians living abroad who were unable to vote in overwhelmed embassies and consulates because of the lack of facilities and shortage of polling booths, in the first round of polling on November 2. Socialist Prime Minister Viktor Ponta is facing the centre-right mayor of Sibiu, Klaus Iohannis, in the election run-off on Sunday. The diaspora’s votes could play an important role in case of a close race. About 10,000 protesters took to the streets in Romania on Saturday to accuse the government of “hobbling” the vote of Romanians abroad. The first round was won by Ponta with 40% of the vote, ahead of Iohannis with 30%. However, Iohannis won 46% Vatican to rein in sales of papal blessings By Philip Pullella, Reuters Rome R ino Pensa has been making personalised papal blessings on parchment for 65 years, a mainstay of his small business creating intricately lettered scrolls marking milestones like baptisms and marriages. The Vatican has decided that as of January 1, his workshop and about 60 other producers and stores that have been in the papal blessing business for decades will no longer be allowed to make or sell them, a decision vendors say could cost up to 500 jobs. The Vatican’s office of papal charities, the Apostolic Almonry, sent a letter to calligraphers and stores in April reminding them of a 2010 decision that their concessions would end this year. The Vatican would resume making all parchments, as it did before the 1950s. “After more 60 years, I feel like an old rag that is being thrown away,” Pensa said in his calligraphy workshop in Rome, where he, his wife and son produce parchments for the Vatican as well as diplomas and elaborate certificates for other clients. Calligraphers and store owners sent several appeals to Pope Francis, arguing the move contradicted his defence of workers’ rights. He has yet to respond. The Vatican’s letter spoke of a “return to the origins” when Pope Leo XIII allowed papal blessings on parchments to be sold at the end of the 19th century to raise funds for charities. All were then produced inhouse. At the Vatican, they cost from €6 to €30 depending on the model, how much is computer generated, and how much handdecorated. They include flower designs, sketches of Rome churches, a photograph of the Pope and script lettering. While the Vatican capped the price outsiders could charge – €26 for plain models and €52 for elaborate ones – vendors were selling some for more than twice that. “We have had a lot of problems with that,” said Monsignor Diego Ravelli of the papal alms office, adding that the estimate of 500 jobs imperilled was “greatly exaggerated”. of the vote among Romanians living abroad, compared to just under 16% for Ponta. Corlatean pledged to ensure that the second round on November 16 would go more smoothly, but he also said he would not be able to boost the number of polling stations because it would be illegal. Election officials dismissed Corlatean’s claims and outgoing president Traian Basescu – Ponta’s long-standing political rival – accused him of “disinformation”. In the statement announcing his resignation, Corlatean stood by his argument that he was forbidden from adding more polling stations. “I refuse to violate the law and cannot accept that the ministry is obliged to violate the law for the political interests and considerations (of Basescu and Iohannis), he said. The vote is being seen as a crucial test for the former communist country, which is grappling with recession and allegations of high-level corruption. Following the protests, Corlatean had been told by the prime minister to ensure that the November 16 run-off vote ran smoothly or lose his job. Ponta told reporters yesterday that he had accepted Corlatean’s resignation and had appointed former foreign intelligence head Teodor Melescanu, a veteran politician, as interim foreign minister. Melescanu quit the espionage post in September and had joined the presidential race as an independent candidate. “First discussions will be at the electoral bureau to find out what can be done and which are the ways to ensure voting participation (abroad),” Ponta said. The Romanian embassy in Paris called in French police as tempers flared as people waited to vote on November 2. Analysts estimate there are up to 4mn Romanians living abroad, primarily in richer western Europe. Although only a fraction of them vote in elections, they have the power to influence the outcome. Outgoing president Basescu won by a margin of 70,000 votes in 2009 after trailing in opinion polls, largely because he secured more than three-quarters of the 148,000 ballots cast by the diaspora. A foul odour enveloped the Russian capital throughout the day yesterday, with concerned Muscovites flooding authorities with complaints and officials scrambling to locate the source of the stench. Predictably, wits in Moscow had a field day, with many joking that the gates of Hell opened up in the city of some 12mn. Residents of Moscow began complaining early yesterday of the “unpleasant smell of sulphur, hydrogen sulfide and oil products in the air”, MosEcoMonitoring, an environment watchdog in Moscow, said in a statement. The concentration of hydrogen sulphide in the air briefly exceeded the norm while the sulphur dioxide was within limits, the watchdog said. Authorities warned Russians against panic. “The smell of hydrogen sulfide is not dangerous,” the emergencies ministry spokesman told AFP. Moscow’s chief toxicologist Yury Ostapenko also sought to allay fears. “The appearance of smell is more unpleasant than dangerous,” he said, speaking on radio. “This is unpleasant but it makes no sense to worry that we are going to get sick right now.” By yesterday evening the stench eased but the mystery deepened when the authorities said a local oil refinery was to blame but its owner denied any problems. The emergencies ministry pointed the finger at faulty air filters at a refinery in southeastern Moscow but Gazprom Neft, the oil arm of state gas giant Gazprom, which controls the refinery, denied the claim. “The refinery is working in an ordinary mode,” Gazprom Neft said in a statement on Monday evening, adding that its own labs did not register any spike in the concentration of hydrogen sulphide. “Did the gates of Hell open up in Moscow?” one Russian, writing under the nickname Yurii Eagle, asked on Twitter. “What is this smell?” “Let me remind you that Interstellar also begins with the smell of smoke, dust and all of that,” said another Twitter user, referring to a new science fiction film depicting an apocalyptic future on Earth. In 2010, amid the worst heatwave in its history, noxious smoke enveloped Moscow as fires burned outside the Russian capital. The smoke crept into apartments, offices, stores and even underground into the Moscow metro, forcing Russians to wear surgical masks or flee the debilitating combination of smog and high temperatures. Italy’s singing nun releases her first album Cristina Scuccia, the singing nun who won Italy’s version of The Voice, releases today a first album containing an unlikely cover of Madonna’s 1984 hit Like a Virgin. On her way to victory in the television singing contest, the 26-year-old from Sicily became a global Internet sensation with tens of millions clicking on YouTube recordings of her covers of Alicia Keys’s No One and Bon Jovi’s Living on a Prayer. Now, despite the misgivings of some church traditionalists, she is planning to build on that success with the release of a collection of songs entitled Sister Cristina. In an interview with Italian television ahead of the release she insisted her showbiz career would not radically change her life based in a Milan convent, and defended the choice of Madonna’s raunchy single as one of the tracks on the album. “I looked at the words without thinking of the past: the defining characteristic of Christians is being able to see everything with a new eye,” she said. In earlier interviews, Scuccia had said the song struck a chord with her because she felt its account of being “touched for the very first time” was akin to her experience of finding God. Berlin Wall light installations surface on eBay Papal blessings on parchment are pictured at a calligraphy workshop in Rome. The Vatican has decided that as of January 1, about 60 other producers and stores that have been in the papal blessing business for decades will no longer be allowed to make or sell them, a decision vendors say could cost up to 500 jobs. The Vatican gets €3 for each parchment made by outsiders. By excluding them, they will give more money to the needy. “It’s not a souvenir. You are not paying for a blessing but contributing to the Pope’s charities,” Ravelli said. About 337,000 blessings were made in 2013, nearly two-thirds by the Vatican. In 2013, €1.25mn was disbursed, most to help needy Italians pay for rent or utilities. Some light installations that marked a 15km route tracing the path of the Berlin Wall have been stolen, police said, and have surfaced on eBay – with a €7,999 ($10,000) price tag. The installation, the so-called Border of Light, was the highlight of celebrations that ended on Sunday marking the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. The 3m-high installations were used to release about 7,000 white balloons into the Berlin night sky, culminating in the weekend ceremonies commemorating the breaching of the Cold War barrier on November 9, 1989. Police said that some of the installations, which traced the Wall’s path through the centre of Berlin, had gone missing overnight. “Actually this is theft,” a police spokesman said, but noted that the owners of the installations, Die Kulturprojekte GmbH, had not lodged a complaint. The daily newspaper BZ reported that the first balloon holder had been put up for sale on eBay for €7,999. Austrian toddler dies from �punishment’ shower A two-year-old Austrian girl died yesterday after allegedly being put in a scalding-hot shower by her father as a punishment, the hospital where she was being treated said. “Despite all the doctors’ efforts the child died at midday from her serious injuries,” said Christoph Mierau, a spokesman for the Vienna Hospitals Association. The girl had been in intensive care for two weeks. Prosecutors are investigating the parents, who have two other children, for alleged mistreatment of a minor with fatal consequences. Gulf Times Tuesday, November 11, 2014 21 EUROPE Relatives and friends of the victims of the Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 disaster attend a commemoration with images of victims projected on a screen at RAI in Amsterdam. Grieving Dutch hold memorial for MH17 slain AFP Amsterdam T A pro-Russian gunman stands guard yesterday next to parts of the Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 at the crash site near the village of Hrabove, some 80km east of Donetsk. New news service to battle �propaganda’ AFP/DPA Moscow R ussia launched a new state-funded foreign news service yesterday to challenge the “aggressive propaganda” of the West and provide an “alternative interpretation” of global events. The new media brand, Sputnik, is the reworked foreign language service of the state-owned RIA Novosti news agency and Voice of Russia radio, which underwent a major rehaul last December under the leadership of notorious anchorman Dmitry Kiselyov. Launching Sputnik before an audience including diplomats and government officials, Kiselyov said the new outlet will propagate a “multi-coloured” world where “Russia is Russian”. “We are against aggressive propaganda that is now being fed to the world and which forces a unipolar construction of the world,” he said. “We believe that it is unrealistic, that it leads humanity toward suffering and blood, and that there will be nothing good along this path.” Kiselyov is well-known as an anchor of weekend programming on the Rossiya channel, where he at one point boasted that Russia could turn the US into radioactive ash. In another infamous talk show appearance, Kiselyov suggested that homosexuals should be banned from donating blood and their hearts burned if they are involved in a car accident. RIA Novosti was hastily disbanded in December and Kiselyov put at the helm of the newly-created Rossiya Segodnya. While RIA Novosti continues to use the brand in the Russian language, its foreign language website and social networking pages now redirect to SputnikNews. In March Kiselyov was blacklisted by the European Union due to his “propaganda supporting the deployment of Russian forces in Ukraine”. He said the new company would focus on radio and online formats, hiring up to 70 people in each of its “hubs” around the world, including all of the former Soviet countries, Washington, Beijing, and several European capitals. Russia has been waging an information war over the crisis in Ukraine at a time when relations with the West are at their lowest point since the Cold War. Kiselyov did not say how much the expansion will cost, saying merely that reports that the state subsidies earmarked for RIA Novosti and RT were tripled are untrue. he Netherlands held a sombre and emotional memorial yesterday for the 298 people who died when Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 was shot down over war-torn eastern Ukraine in July. “What if the holiday had started a day later? What if the plane had been late? What if I wake up and realise it was all just a dream?” Prime Minister Mark Rutte told the memorial ceremony in Amsterdam, attended by 1,600 of the bereaved. “But there is no what if? Only the harsh reality of 298 dead,” he told the ceremony, also attended by King Willem Alexander and Queen Maxima, as 298 large candles burned in memory of the victims, two-thirds of them Dutch. “They will not be forgotten, the beautiful, warm and touching memories are forever,” Rutte said, with flags flying at halfmast around the Netherlands. Many of those killed on the flight were children, starting their summer holidays on the doomed Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur flight, and their classmates ceremoniously placed flowers among the candles. King Willem (left) and Prime Minister Rutte (second left) are seen with Queen Maxima (second right) and Princess Beatrix at the national memorial for the victims of Malaysian Airlines MH17, at the RAI convention centre in Amsterdam. Right: Relatives and friends of the victims of the Malaysia Airlines Flight MHI7 disaster grieve during the ceremony. Anton Kotte, who lost three relatives in the crash including his son, said the time since the disaster had been like riding a train that never stopped with the other bereaved. “We didn’t know each other but we are partners in misfortune and we stare out the window,” said Kotte. “Today the train has stopped, in Amsterdam. We have another chance to reflect. We wear white armbands with the words �We shall never forget you’.” Mourners from the different countries affected read out the names and ages of all those killed, in a ceremony broadcast live on Dutch television and radio, marked by musical performances by famous Dutch artists. Gita Wiegel, 13, who lost her mother on the flight, said: “The idea that I wouldn’t see her for four weeks was awful, but this is so much more awful. My mother wanted the best for me, and that’s why I go on with my life, for her. I want her to be able to look down on me from above and be proud of me.” A trumpet rendition of The Last Post was followed by a minute’s silence. Ukraine and the West say the Boeing 777 was shot down by separatist fighters using a BUK surface-to-air missile supplied Putin accuses Kiev forces of stalling MH17 probe Russian President Vladimir Putin said yesterday that the investigation of the MH17 crash site is stalling due to Kiev’s constant shelling of the rebelcontrolled area in eastern Ukraine. Putin told Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak that rebels were not hindering access to the site of the Malaysia Airlines crash, in which 298 people died in July when the aircraft came down in an area controlled by pro-Russian separatists. “Of course the rebels are not shooting, that is done by the various military groups fighting on the side of Ukraine’s official authorities,” Putin was quoted as saying by state news agency RIA-Novosti. “The opposite side is constantly shelling this territory and that does not permit comprehensive working at the site of the crash,” Putin told Razak as the two met on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation summit in Beijing. Ukraine and the West blame Russia for supplying the separatists with the Buk surface-to-air missile that shot down the Boeing 777 plane on July 17, while Moscow and the rebels have pointed the finger at Kiev. Five more coffins of passengers who were on the Amsterdam-Kuala Lumpur flight were flown to the Netherlands on Saturday for identification. by Russia, but Moscow strongly denies the charges, pointing the finger at Kiev. So far 289 victims have been identified among body parts recovered from the site by a team led by investigators from The Netherlands but Dutch Foreign Minister Bert Koenders warned on Saturday that some remains may never be recovered. Five more coffins of remains as well as personal effects flew to the Netherlands on Saturday, where they are to be identified. Experts from The Netherlands have made four trips to the crash site since a fragile ceasefire deal was signed in early September between rebels and government forces. The visits come after international investigators were forced to halt an initial probe at the crash site in August due to heavy fighting. A preliminary report by Dutch investigators in September found the jet was hit by numerous “high-energy objects”. Ukraine accuses Russia of further military build-up DPA Moscow/Kiev A n alleged Russian military presence on Ukrainian territory drew renewed condemnation from Kiev yesterday as officials reported an evergrowing contingent of forces from Moscow in separatist-held areas in Ukraine’s east. “Significant numbers of armoured vehicles and personnel continue to arrive in the districts controlled by militants,” Ukrainian National Security Council spokesman Andriy Lysenko said in Kiev, according to an official transcript. He added that Russian and separatist troops are being concentrated along the demarcation line which divides them from government troops. Separatists in the Donbass region have said they would like to secede from Ukraine and eventually join Russia. The recent military build-up began after they held elections on November 2, which Kiev and the West rejected as illegal. Lysenko said Ukraine spotted some 50 trucks on Saturday towing artillery howitzers from Russia towards the Ukrainian city of Snizhne, east of Donetsk. The Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) has said that its observers saw a similar convoy on the same day in the same region, consisting of more than 40 unmarked trucks, 19 of which were towing howitzers. It said the lorries “contained personnel in dark green uniforms without insignia”. The OSCE observers spotted another convoy of nine unmarked tanks in southern Donetsk that day. On Sunday the OSCE said it observed another two convoys east of Donetsk with 17 unmarked trucks each, many of which were towing artillery systems. The OSCE did not say where the convoys might have come from, but Lysenko said on Sunday that Ukraine had no doubt that they were from Russia. Separatist leaders denied this, saying that the armour and heavy weapons were their own. Russia also vehemently denies that any of its troops are fighting in Ukraine. Trucks without licence plates tow a 122mm howitzer artillery piece yesterday through Makiivka. New unidentified armoured columns rumbled toward the pro-Moscow rebel stronghold in eastern Ukraine yesterday as fears grew of a return to all-out fighting in the war-torn region. Violence continues in the region despite a ceasefire brokered between various factions in early September. Lysenko said yesterday that two Ukrainian soldiers were killed and five injured during the past 24 hours. Scandinavian jet �nearly crashed into Russian warplane’ AFP London A Scandinavian airliner carrying 132 passengers nearly crashed earlier this year into a Russian warplane that was flying covertly, a study of RussiaWest military incidents said yesterday. Swedish media reported that the two planes came within 90m of each other in the air some 80km southeast of the Swedish city of Malmo on March 3. “A collision was apparently avoided thanks only to good visibility and the alertness of the passenger plane pilots,” the European Leadership Network (ELN) think-tank’s report said. The Scandinavian Airlines Boeing 737 was on its way from Copenhagen to Rome. The Russian reconnaissance plane “did not transmit its position”, said the report entitled Dangerous Brinkmanship: Close Military Encounters Between Russia and the West in 2014. The narrowly avoided incident would have been “comparable to the tragedy of flight MH17 over eastern Ukraine”, it said, referring to the downing of the Malaysia Airlines plane on July 17 in which 298 people died. The report listed a total of 45 incidents so far this year – almost all of them linked to air and naval war games in different parts of the world including the Pacific. The SAS incident was classified as “high risk”, along with two others: the alleged abduction of an Estonian security service operative by Russian agents from an Estonian border post on September 5 and the reports of “foreign underwater activity” off the Swedish coast last month. The study also counted 11 “serious incidents with escalation risk” including four cases of “harassment” of US and Swedish planes in international airspace by armed Russian fighter jets. Among the 11 were also two cases of Russian aircraft con- ducting close overflights over Canadian and US ships in the Black Sea and Russian aircraft violating Swedish airspace on a mock “bombing raid” mission and Russian planes conducting a mock attack on the heavilypopulated Danish island of Bornholm. The Soviet Union’s last leader Mikhail Gorbachev on Saturday warned that the world was on the “brink of a new Cold War” at an event to mark 25 years since the Berlin Wall’s fall. 22 Gulf Times Tuesday, November 11, 2014 INDIA LIFESTYLE CRIME JUDICIARY ADMINISTRATION TRAGEDY No beef at Burger King’s new outlet in Delhi Nursery student allegedly molested Verdict in Mishra murder case deferred to Dec 8 Kashmir secretariat opens in winter capital Five of family die in Delhi factory fire Burger King is famous as the home of the beefy Whopper hamburger, but not in India, where the American fast food empire opened its first franchise on Sunday featuring chicken, lamb and vegetarian fare. The debut of the chain’s New Delhi branch marks the 100th country to have a Burger King restaurant, the Miami-based company said in a statement. “The Burger King team spent months developing a unique locally sourced menu that has been researched and tested by more than 5,000 customers across eight cities,” for its beef-free establishment in India. The company said among the “innovative” items on its Delhi menu are Whoppers made from mutton and chicken, and a paneer melt sandwich. Angry parents and guardians yesterday staged a demonstration alleging that a nursery student at a Kolkata school was allegedly molested. According to the parents, the incident happened on November 3 when the victim was allegedly touched inappropriately by a staff member while they were being taken for an outing in a school bus. The matter came to light after the child told her parents about the ordeal on Sunday. “The school has been trying to hush up the matter; it has been more than a week but no action has been taken,” said one of the parents. The parents and guardians claimed they were apprehensive of the security of the children and demanded that the school launch a probe. A New Delhi court yesterday set December 8 for delivering verdict in the 39-year-old case of the murder of the then railway minister Lalit Narayan Mishra. District Judge Vinod Goel was set to pronounce the verdict yesterday but deferred it. Four followers of the Hindu sect Anand Marg - Gopalji, Ranjan Dwivedi, Santoshanand Avadhuta and Sudevananda Avadhuta - are facing trial in the case. As railway minister, Mishra had gone to Samastipur on January 2, 1975, to declare open the SamastipurMuzaffarpur broad-gauge railway line. A bomb explosion on the dais seriously injured him. He was rushed to the railway hospital at Danapur where he died the following day. The Jammu and Kashmir civil secretariat yesterday started functioning from Jammu in the winter capital after six months in Srinagar. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah was given the traditional guard of honour on his arrival at the secretariat that houses the offices of the chief minister, his ministerial colleagues and all top bureaucrats. A contingent of the Jammu and Kashmir Police presented arms to Abdullah. Because of the model code of conduct in force ahead of state assembly polls, the chief minister’s press conference was not organised in the secretariat. Following more than a century-old tradition, the secretariat and all other top offices shuttle on a six-month basis between Jammu and Srinagar. Four children were among five members of a family who died due to suffocation as a fire broke out at a small, paper-plate making unit in New Delhi yesterday. The fire broke out around 3.14am at the factory located in Begampur in west Delhi. Eight fire tenders were rushed to the spot and fire fighters managed to douse the flames by 6am, an official said. “Five people died due to suffocation,” said the fire official. “All the victims belonged to Bihar. At the time of the incident, they were sleeping in the two-room factory,” Deputy Commissioner of Police Vikramjeet Singh said. He said the factory was run by Pintu Shah, whose son Niranjan died in the incident. India vows to do everything to bring back fishermen Bhopal gas leak victims stage hunger strike in Delhi IANS New Delhi A mid reports that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has spoken to Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse on the issue of five Indian fishermen sentenced to death in the island nation, India said yesterday that it is “examining all avenues and “will do everything possible to ensure” their return. External affairs ministry spokesman Syed Akbaruddin said the Indian High Commission in Colombo has got the judgment from a Sri Lanka lower court on the sentencing of Emerson, P Augustus, R Wilson, K Prasath and J Langlet who were sentenced to death by the Colombo High Court on October 30 on charges of drug trafficking. He said the judgment is more than 200 page long and in Sinhalese. India has hired “the best legal brains” in Sri Lanka to fight the case. The lawyers are examining the judgment.” “We are examining the best avenues to proceed so that the five fishermen can be brought back home safely. What is the best process is a work in process. We will do everything possible to ensure the return of the five fishermen in accordance with Sri Lankan legal process,” he added. Akbaruddin also said that India accords “very high priority” to the matter. “We are exploring a variety of avenues to ensure their return,” he said, adding that they have not arrived at a conclusion on the avenues on which to proceed. “It is a delicate matter,” he said, and added that “we haven’t reached a situation where we could say the situation has reached a happy conclusion.” Last week, India’s High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Yash Sinha met the five fishermen at Colombo’s Welikada prison and assured them of every effort to secure their early release and repatriation. Activists urge the government against overlooking any environmental crimes committed by companies in its quest to lure foreign investment Agencies New Delhi V A child looks on as a group of Bhopal gas tragedy survivors stage a hunger strike in New Delhi yesterday. Greenpeace: govt moves will hurt environment AFP New Delhi M oves by the government to block Greenpeace funds and weaken environmental protection laws send a “chilling message,” the head of the lobby group said yesterday, as he urged the prime minister to release the money. Kumi Naidoo also called on India not to lose sight of the environment in its campaign to boost economic growth, saying the country of 1.2bn had a leading role to play in saving the planet. New Delhi tightened controls on foreign fund transfers to Greenpeace India in June after the Intelligence Bureau accused activist groups of “stalling development projects” by protesting against power projects, mining and genetically modified food. The new government has also been accused of watering down environmental rules after it allowed polluting industries to operate closer to national parks, and said small coal miners could expand production by 50% without seeking public approval. “It’s been a little bit of a shock to see the allegation being made that civil society is acting against the national interest,” Naidoo said in an interview. “The clampdown of Greenpeace on the one hand as well as the watering down of certain aspects of the current environmental legislation does send a very chilling message.” “It’s been a little bit of a shock to see the allegation being made that civil society is acting against the national interest” The Greenpeace executive director urged against governing “in a way where we pretend as if we don’t have children and their children coming afterwards” and said leaders should not be driven purely by “the tyranny of quarterly reporting cycles where businesses have to show profit.” “India has a leadership role to play if we are to succeed in securing this planet for future generations,” he said, adding that he hoped to meet the environment and home ministers before leaving the country tomorrow. Naidoo defended Greenpeace’s record in India, citing a solar energy project in the eastern state of Bihar and a campaign against Indian energy group giant Essar’s plans to mine coal in central Madhya Pradesh state, which he said would damage one of India’s oldest forests. India’s biggest corporate groups have flocked to business-friendly Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whose government swept to power in May elections on a pledge to revive the ailing economy. Since coming to power, his Bharatiya Janata Party has pushed through a series of long-awaited moves that will make it easier for companies to win approval for new projects. But it has faced criticism over the environmental impact of these moves. Naidoo, who is South African, said he had appealed personally to Modi to release Greenpeace’s funds after the Delhi High Court recently directed authorities to unblock them. ictims of the Bhopal gas disaster, suffering deformities and illnesses, staged a hunger strike in the Indian capital yesterday for increased compensation ahead of the 30th anniversary of the tragedy. Holding signs that read “Justice for Bhopal,” about 100 mainly women and children gathered at a protest site in New Delhi, including first and second generation victims of the world’s worst industrial accident. Bhopal activist Satinath Sarangi said a handful of the protesters would fast indefinitely in the hope of attracting Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s attention to the plight of the victims of the 1984 disaster. “We have come here with the hope that the present government led by Mr Modi will correct the wrongs done by the previous government and ensure gas victims are given extra compensation,” he told the crowd. Sarangi also urged Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party-led gov- Cooks stage protest ernment, which won power in May on a pledge to revive the economy, against overlooking any environmental crimes committed by companies in its quest to lure foreign investment. Asked what the death of Warren Anderson, who headed the Union Carbide at the time of the disaster, means to the victims, Sarangi said: “His death will only affect his criminal liability alone as the principal accused.” Thousands of people were killed when 40 tonnes of lethal methyl isocyanate gas spewed from the Union Carbide chemical plant in Bhopal on December 2, 1984. The disaster killed 8,00010,000 people within the first three days, according to data from the state-run Indian Council of Medical Research, but hundreds of thousands more suffer the consequences. “I remember people running from their homes to try and get away from the gas, children dead in the streets,” said Premlata Chaudhary, 67, who lives in her ancestral village less than a kilometre from the plant. “I remember covering my face and my children’s, just grabbing them and running,” said Chaudhary, who lost one of her six children in the disaster. Chaudhary, who suffers from respiratory and stomach problems, said her Rs25,000 ($406) in compensation from the com- Monkeys create panic in Shimla IANS Shimla M Daily wage cooks who are hired in the government schools of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh as part of the �mid-day meal scheme’, shout slogans and wave utensils during a protest in New Delhi yesterday. The workers were demanding permanent employment with better facilities including insurance. pany was finalised 15 years after the disaster. “In 2010, a group of ministers decided to pay additional compensation of Rs1 lakh (Rs100,000) but left as many as 93% survivors without any specific or legal reason. We are calling upon this government to correct that and pay Rs1 lakh to all those affected,” said Rashida Bee, president of the Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Stationery Karamchari Sangh. “In these 30 years, we have fought at all levels - state, national and international. But even today we await justice. The government needs to fulfil the promises made to us,” Balkrishna Namdeo of Bhopal Gas Peedit Nirashrit Pension Bhogi Sangharsh Morcha, said. The protest site has victims with placards reading messages like “Revise the figures of curative petition now!”, “Justice for Bhopal now!” The protesters yesterday demanded the Modi government attempt to speed up legal action for greater compensation. The Indian government in 2012 filed a petition in the Supreme Court asking for higher compensation from the company, which was initially set at $470mn in a settlement reached in 1989. US-based Dow Chemical, which bought Union Carbide after the disaster, insists that all of the company’s liabilities were settled in the 1989 agreement. arauding monkeys prowling in gangs on the streets of this popular tourist resort has created panic among residents and tourists with a woman being their latest victim. A mother of two died last week after falling off the roof of her house. According to the police, Mamta Sachdeva was on the balcony when she was attacked by the simians. She jumped off the balcony in panic. In another incident, a girl was bitten by a langur in her school on Friday. “They have been causing havoc by biting passersby, stealing food and brawling on the streets,” said local resident Ambika Sharma. “It’s an extremely dicey situation once again as the wildlife officials tasked with managing the monkeys have failed to check the menace,” she added. Shimla Municipal Corporation deputy mayor Takinder Panwar charged the government with failure to contain the menace. “On aver- age, more than 100 dog bite and over 60 monkey bite cases are being reported every month in the Rippon Hospital (which was set up in 1884 by the British rulers and functioned as the government district hospital) alone,” he said. Panwar said the monkey menace has reached an alarming proportion and needs to be tackled scientifically. Kuldeep Singh Tanwar, state convener of farmers’ outfit Kheti Bachao Sangharsh Samiti, said that selective killing of the marauding simians is the only solution. “The state high court in 2011 restrained the state government’s decision to allow farmers to shoot monkeys that have been destroying their crops and fruits. Since then the previous (Bharatiya Janata Party) and the present government (Congress) have failed to convince the court about the need to declare to go for selective killing,” Tanwar said. Coming down heavily on the state government, a division bench comprising Chief Justice Kurian Joseph and Justice V K Ahuja on January 6, 2011, directed authorities to stop issuing permits to kill monkeys. Gulf Times Tuesday, November 11, 2014 23 INDIA Nearly third of ministers charged with crimes Reuters New Delhi A ttempted murder, waging war on the state, criminal intimidation and fraud are some of the charges on the rap sheets of ministers Prime Minister Narendra Modi appointed to the cabinet on Sunday, jarring with his pledge to clean up politics. Seven of 21 new ministers face prosecution, taking the total in the 66-member cabinet to almost one-third, a higher proportion than before the weekend expansion. At least five people in the cabinet have been charged with serious offences such as rape and rioting. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said any suggestions there were criminals in the cabinet were “completely baseless.” “These are cases arising out of criminal accusations, not cases out of a crime,” he told reporters yesterday, adding that Modi had personally vetted the new ministers. Ram Shankar Katheria, a lawmaker from Agra, was appointed junior education minister yet has been accused of more than 20 criminal offences including attempted murder and promoting religious or racial hostility. Katheria was not immediately available for comment and a mo- bile phone number given by his office was switched off. The inclusion of such politicians does not sit easily with Modi’s election promise to root out corruption, and has led to criticism that he is failing to change the political culture in India where wealthy, tainted politicians sometimes find it easier to win votes. “It shows scant respect for the rule of law or public sentiment,” said Jagdeep Chhokar, co-founder of the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) which campaigns for better governance. “Including these people in the cabinet is a bad omen for our democracy.” Modi won the biggest par- liamentary majority in three decades in May with a promise of graft-free governance after the previous government led by Congress Party was mired in a series of damaging corruption scandals. Soon after coming to power, Modi called for courts to fast track cases against politicians in an effort to curb political criminality in the world’s largest democracy. Cases in India’s overstretched judicial system often drag on for years. Yet Modi’s cabinet includes twice as many politicians facing criminal charges as the previous Congress one. Hansraj Gangaram Ahir, the new junior chemicals and fertilizer minister, was another eye-catching choice. He is charged with around 20 offences, including intent to wage war against India, criminal intimidation and abetting a mutiny. Ahir did not respond to requests for comment, and it was not immediately clear what incidents the more serious charges pertained to. His secretary said the cases were politically motivated. Ahir is best known for helping unearth corruption in the coal industry while he served on a parliamentary committee. Shrikant Sharma, a spokesman for Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), said it was up to courts to decide if ministers were guilty, and said many of the charges related to political rivalries. The BJP is led by Amit Shah, the closest aide of Modi, who is accused of ordering police to carry out three extrajudicial killings and running an extortion racket when he served under Modi as home minister in Gujarat almost a decade ago. He has denied the charges. He is facing a trial in Mumbai. The number of lawmakers charged with offences has more than doubled in the last two decades. About a third of federal and state legislators face charges, the ADR said. Politicians facing criminal charges are twice as likely to win an election as their untainted peers, making them the preferred choice of candidates for political parties in India, according to a study published last year by the group. In office, these politicians are sometimes accused of enriching themselves or their backers by siphoning off money from government spending. “We hear again and again the country’s leaders promise to clean up the system,” said Satish Misra, a political analyst at the Observer Research Foundation. “Self interest prevails over principles. That is why the system never changes.” Ahead of trust vote Shiv Sena decides to sit in the opposition IANS Mumbai B arely two days before the Bharatiya Janata Party minority government in Maharashtra headed by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is to seek a vote of confidence, its former ally Shiv Sena yesterday decided to sit in the opposition. However, there is no immediate danger to the survival of the Fadnavis ministry as the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) with its 41 members said it will extend “unconditional external support” to the BJP government in case of voting in the interest of political stability. Announcing the Sena’s position, party spokesman Neelam Gorhe said: “We have sent a letter signed by Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray to the legislature secretariat. In the letter we have requested that the name of Sena legislature party leader Eknath Shinde should be announced as leader of opposition at the earliest.” She added that the Sena’s claim was by virtue of its position as the second largest party with 63 legislators in the 287-member assembly, with the Congress having 42 and NCP 41. The BJP is the single largest party with 121 members after one of its legislators died recently and one pre-poll ally, the Rashtriya Samaj Paksha. The Shiv Sena’s announcement came even as Thackeray on Sunday gave a two-day ultimatum to the BJP to declare that it would not seek NCP’s support in the confidence vote. Revenue Minister Eknath Khadse, however, expressed optimism that the BJP government would not only win the floor test but also complete its full five-year term. “It is the Shiv Sena’s decision... we are not worried as many of their legislators have already assured us of support. There are sufficient MLAs (legislators) to help us secure a majority,” Khadse claimed, as the party has to ensure 144 votes falling in its kitty tomorrow. Earlier in the day, Gorhe indicated the party’s mood when she said talks with the BJP on powersharing and other pending matters had been stalled. The Sena’s 63 members came wearing traditional Maharashtrian orange turbans, raising slogans and symbolically occupied the opposition benches in the assembly as the three-day assembly session started yesterday. Besides, the Sena also plans to contest for the post of assembly speaker, scheduled prior to the vote of confidence tomorrow. The Sena’s move was apparently triggered by NCP president Sharad Pawar’s reiteration of his party’s “unconditional external support” to the BJP in the interest of political stability in the state and to avoid fresh elections. “We do not want to destabilise the government. We want a stable government in the state. The NCP legislators will take a decision at the relevant time for whom to vote or not,” Pawar said, implying that his party was the key to the government’s survival. He also ticked off the Shiv Sena by saying that “the NCP did not require anybody’s advice on whom to support or not.” Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis arrives at the Legislative Assembly in Mumbai yesterday. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, who has been given the additional portfolio of Information and Broadcasting, addresses a press conference in New Delhi yesterday. Also seen are Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore (right) who is the minister of state for Information and Broadcasting, and Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Prakash Javadekar. Ministers take charge after cabinet revamp Jaitley gets additional charge of I&B; Gowda loses railways and Harsh Vardhan health ministry Agencies New Delhi S everal new ministers started work yesterday, a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi expanded his cabinet and reshuffled ministries in a move aimed at speeding up economic reforms. Twenty-one new ministers were sworn in on Sunday, following which the portfolios were announced. Among the prominent faces who took charge were Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, Health Minister J P Nadda and Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley also took additional charge of the information and broadcasting ministry. Harsh Vardhan, who was removed from the health ministry, Modi to address parliament, engage diaspora in Australia AFP New Delhi N arendra Modi will address Australian parliament during his upcoming visit to the country - the first by an Indian prime minister in 28 years, an official confirmed yesterday. The trip comes just two months after Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s tour of India, during which the two countries sealed a long-awaited nuclear energy deal. “Besides addressing the parliament in Canberra during this first PM visit since 1986, Modi will also hold a major event with the Indian community in Sydney where we expect a crowd of at least 15,000 people,” foreign ministry official Ashok Wadhwa said yesterday. Modi’s public address in Sydney is expected to be similar to his New York visit in September, where he was greeted like a rock star as he addressed a sellout crowd of several thousand members of Indian diaspora at the Madison Square Garden. The foreign ministry described Modi’s historic visit to Australia as part of its efforts to �re-engage’ Australia and its businesses. Modi will also be meeting top business leaders and politicians in Australia in efforts to improve economic ties between the two countries. “We have overlapping economic interests, particularly in the resources sector where India has already invested around $10bn,” said Wadhwa. There will be four different events where Modi will interact with CEOs and business leaders in Australia. “This also includes a special reception that will be held by the Australian premier for Modi, with a select audience in attendance at the Melbourne Cricket Ground,” Wadhwa added. The Indian government said that contentious issues of the past, such as racist attacks on the Indian student community in Australia, had been resolved. took over as the new science and technology minister. D V Sadanand Gowda, who was replaced by Prabhu as the railway minister, took charge as the law and justice minister. Some prominent names who will take over today are Ministers of State for Parliamentary Affairs Rajiv Pratap Rudy and Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and Rural Development Minister Birendra Singh. Speaking to reporters, Jaitley said: “Earlier too, I have been the information and broadcasting minister, but then print media was more and very little electronic media. But now radio and digital media have grown tremendously.” Parrikar, who is a former chief minister of Goa, said indigenisation of defence manufacturing and higher transparency were his top priorities. Nadda’s appointment as health minister comes amid a controversy over All India Institute of Medical Services whistleblower Sanjiv Chaturvedi demanding a Central Bureau of Investigation probe into his removal as the institute’s chief vigilance officer. It was reported that Nadda had written to the then health minister, Harsh Vardhan, for Chaturvedi’s removal as CVO. Others who assumed office were Sanwarlal Jat as minister of state (MoS), water resources; Babul Supriyo as MoS, urban development; V K Singh as MoS, programme implementation,;Vijay Sampla and Krishan Pal as MoS, social justice and empowerment; Y S Chowdary as MoS science and technology and P Radhakrishnan as MoS road transport, highways and shipping. Others who also assumed office included Bandaru Dattatreya as labour and employment minister, Jayant Sinha as MoS, finance, Jitendra Singh as minister for development of northeast region (DoNER), Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore as MoS, information and broadcasting and Sudarshan Bhagat as MoS, rural development. This was the first ministry expansion since Modi took over as prime minister in May after leading the Bharatiya Janata Party to a landslide election victory. Modi earlier promised a lean government but industry heads welcomed the expansion, saying it was needed to speed up economic reforms. India now has 66 ministers, junior ministers and ministers of state. Modi has promised to get India back to the 8% GDP growth path, up from the below 5% of the previous two years. New minister to promote yoga Yoga-loving Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday appointed a new minister to promote the ancient discipline along with various systems of traditional medicine. Shripad Yesso Naik is to take charge of the Department of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (AAYUSH). It was previously part of the Health Ministry. The Bharatiya Janata Party government earlier announced the National Aayush Mission to give a push Film festival starts West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and film star Amitabh Bachchan, his son Abhishek and daughter-in-law Aishwarya Rai watch as actor Shah Rukh Khan lights the traditional lamp during the inauguration of the 20th Kolkata International Film Festival at the Netaji Indoor Stadium in Kolkata yesterday. The annual film festival started in 1995 and is the second oldest international film festival in India where more than 137 films from 60 countries will be showcased. to alternative medicine with a special focus on Ayurveda. It envisages setting up departments and hospitals offering traditional medicine to improve healthcare services in the country. Modi, a vegetarian who has been practicing yoga for years, is a proponent of traditional medicine and yoga. He has called on the UN to observe an international yoga day and also discussed the practice with President Barack Obama during a visit to US. Explosion heard near NIA office An explosion was heard near an office of counter-terrorism National Investigation Agency in Kolkata yesterday, police and home ministry officials said. A senior police official investigating the incident said no trace of explosive had been found in the area near the NIA office. “There was a loud explosion-like sound heard around 7pm in the area. We reached the spot but there was no trace of any explosive,” Rajeev Kumar, commissioner of Bidhannagar City Police, under which the area falls, said. A home ministry official said nobody had been injured. The official said the ministry planned to send a team from Delhi to investigate. The NIA is investigating an earlier explosion in Burdwan, near Kolkata, in October that the agency believes was a botched plot by Bangladeshi militants to kill Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. 24 Gulf Times Tuesday, November 11, 2014 LATIN AMERICA Defiant Mexican official refuses to relent for massacre gaffe Reuters Mexico City D espite sparking outrage by saying he had “had enough” when grilled by reporters over the abduction and apparent massacre of 43 trainee teachers, Mexico’s attorney general was unrepentant yesterday and said he would do it all again. Venezuela grant for 1,000 Palestinian students Jesus Murillo tried to cut short a news conference on Friday evening, arching his eyebrows with the aside “Ya me canse”, or “I’ve had enough”. His words quickly went viral on social media, and protesters painted the hashtag .YaMeCanse ... de miedo (I’ve had enough ... of fear) on the gates to his office. A group of protesters set fire to the wooden door of the cer- emonial presidential palace in Mexico City’s historic city centre on Saturday night, as anger over the government’s handling of the case mounts. Asked if his phrase was unfortunate, a defiant Murillo told local television yesterday: “No. I was tired and that is the truth. “Naturally, I have no reason to lie, I’m as human as the next person and I also get tired,” he said, when asked if he would say it again. “I have slept four hours a night for 30 days, and that day I had been awake for 40 hours.” The government says corrupt police in league with a local drug gang abducted and apparently murdered the 43 trainee teachers in the southwestern state of Guerrero in late September. President Enrique Pena Nieto took office two years ago vowing Strike lifted V MCT Information Services Mexico City M Employees of aerospace firm Embraer assemble in front of the headquarters of the company, in Sao Jose dos Campos, 100km from Sao Paulo, Brazil, yesterday. Workers at Embraer suspended a strike over a pay claim as their union said it would ask the courts to rule on their demand for a 10% wage rise. The decision was backed by almost 8,000 workers of the 10,000 who downed tools last Wednesday at the firm’s Sao Jose dos Campos headquarters, the metalworkers’ union said. exican journalists reported that President Enrique Pena Nieto and his wife possess a posh mansion built to their taste by a company that has grown fat with government contracts. Pena Nieto has not reported the mansion, worth an estimated $7mn, on his official declaration of assets in the past two years, the team said. The report may test his image as a leader who claims to battle corruption and fight for the rule of law. Known as Casa La Palma, the mansion was built by a subsidiary of Grupo Higa, which has earned hundreds of millions of dollars in contracts under Pena Nieto, according to reporters for Aristegui Noticias, a news portal headed by Carmen Aristegui, a radio and television journalist. The mansion has an underground parking garage, an elevator, seven bedrooms, marble floors and a system of recessed mood lighting that changes colours. Two distinctive palm trees jut above its white exterior. The president’s wife, Angelica Rivera, told a magazine that the mansion belongs to her and her husband, and that it will be their home once they leave Los Pinos, the official presidential residence in Mexico City’s Chapultepec Park. The deed to the mansion, however, remains in the name of a subsidiary of Grupo Higa. Rivera’s claims of ownership of the mansion might not seem newsworthy, except for the explosive events of the past week. Opponents hail criticism of Colombia dams plan MCT Information Services Neiva, Colombia O pponents of a Chinese plan to construct several dams along Colombia’s longest river said they were encouraged by an international human rights panel’s report that noted “tension” between Latin American mega-projects and “the full exercise of human rights.” The report, issued by the Organisation of American States’ (OAS) human rights commission, addresses testimony last month in Washington by Colombians who protested alleged human rights abuses, including forced displacement, in connection with plans to dam sections of the nearly 1,000-mile-long Magdalena River. “The response by the OAS encourages us to continue to resist these mega-projects and to urge the government to adopt a development model other than the mining and energy megaprojects they favour,” said Miller Dussan, a university professor and opposition leader who went to Washington to protest the development plan. The Colombian dispute points up a common theme across much of Latin America: how the needs of Third World countries to improve the standard of living with massive public works can bump up against the human rights of those affected by such projects. The master plan for more than a dozen dams, power plants and canals was drawn up by Hydrochina, a government-owned Chinese engineering and power developer that probably would be the contractor for some of the facilities. Hydrochina also has projects underway in Ecuador and Bolivia. In addition to the issue of residents being forced from their land to make way for the reservoirs the dams would create, the plan raises environmental questions that opponents say the government has not fully investigated. Those include “rising temperatures, that could affect agricul- ture and the future of the river itself,” said Dussan, a philosophy professor at Neiva’s University of southern Colombia. In a separate, e-mailed statement, Emilio Alvarez Icaza, executive secretary of the OAS’ Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, said rights conflicts created by mega-projects were “not exclusive to Colombia. We are following with close attention what is happening in various countries in the region.” Development of the Magdalena River has already begun, with construction of the $1bn El Quimbo dam and hydropower complex near Neiva. The project, being built by the Italian-Colombian company Emgesa, is expected to produce enough electricity to light 8% of the homes and businesses in Colombia. But El Quimbo is displacing thousands of mostly poor farmers and peasants, who have mounted numerous protests and blockades, saying they will be illegally forced from their homes after being excluded from the decision-making process. his earlier comments yesterday, Twitter users posted new messages decrying his attitude. “Murillo ... amid the chaos and corruption, the only thing you are doing is engendering violence” said one. The government says it found the charred remains of dozens of bodies in a garbage dump and in a river, and that three men detained in the case admitted setting fire to the victims. But the government does not yet have scientific evidence that the remains were of the 43 missing trainee teachers because almost all of them were so badly burned that they could not be identified even with DNA testing. Murillo said yesterday that two pieces - a knee joint and another fragment - could possibly be identified and have been sent to a specialist forensics lab in Austria. Pena Nieto �given mansion for awarding firm contracts’ Agencies Caracas enezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has announced the beginning of the Yasser Arafat Scholarship Programme, which aims to train 1,000 Palestinians in fields like medicine. “We will train at least 1,000 doctors, quickly, now. It is a hard goal but we can’t fail on this, we have no excuses. It will be difficult but we will train at least 1,000 Palestinian students. I just ordered the ministry of education to expand the programme not just in medicine, we also will enable them to study engineering, architecture and every field of knowledge,” Maduro announced, in an address in front of the newly arrived Palestinian student delegation to Caracas, the Venezuelan capital. The scholarship programme is named after the former head of the Palestine Liberation Organisation, and the first president of the Palestinian Authority. Maduro said that he cried with emotion when he saw the images of the Palestinian students, who landed and started to dance in their first minutes in Venezuela. “We want to see you dance again,” said the president. After hearing that, the Palestinian students started to dance again in front of the president, who received from them a Arab headdress, and gave them his jacket. “Today, Palestine enters to the heart of Venezuela,” Maduro said. More than 20 of the Palestinian students are from Gaza and the rest from the West Bank. They were picked up in Jordan by a plane sent from the Venezuelan government, that also brought 10 tonnes of humanitarian aid for Gaza. In May, Venezuela announced that the South American country will supply oil to Palestine. In August, Maduro publicly accused Israel of pursuing “a war of extermination against the Palestinian people,” and has compared Gaza to Auschwitz. to restore order in Mexico, where about 100,000 people have died in violence linked to organised crime since 2007. But the shocking case of the trainee teachers has upended his efforts to focus public attention away from violence and onto a raft of economic reforms he has pushed through Congress, and his attorney general’s comments have drawn fury. As soon as Murillo defended Mexico awarded a contract on November 3 to a Chineseled consortium for a highspeed rail link between Mexico City and Queretaro, a centre of the aerospace industry. China Railway Construction Corporation, a mammoth concern that built up much of China’s high-speed rail system in the past decade, led a consortium that was sole bidder on the project, which has been valued at between $3.7bn and $4.3bn. The award came before Pena Nieto headed Sunday to Beijing for a state visit and to attend a summit of leaders in the Asia Pacific region. But in a stunning move certain to put in jeopardy Mexico’s relations with China, Pena Nieto’s government rescinded the award late Thursday, reacting to claims by opposition National Action Party legislators that the bid was rigged to favour the Chinese-led consortium. Authorities said the bidding would be reopened for six months to allow more companies to participate. One of the members of the Chinese-led consortium is Constructora Teya, a Mexican company owned and controlled by Grupo Higa. Pena Nieto’s office released a statement on Sunday afternoon saying that Rivera, who had “consolidated her fortune . . . over a long professional career,” struck a deal in January 2012 for the Grupo Higa subsidiary to accept a down payment of 30% for the mansion and finance the rest over an unspecified term. The five-paragraph statement did not specify the value placed on the property, the terms of the loan or acknowl- edge any wrongdoing in having the first lady accept a loan from a major government contractor. Had the China Railway bid stood, it would have been the latest stroke of fortune for Grupo Higa that began when Pena Nieto, who many saw as the new face of the ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party, was governor of the state of Mexico from 2005 to 2011. The state wraps around much of the capital. Under Pena Nieto, the company’s subsidiaries built a regional hospital in specialised medicine, a highway leading to the largest airport in the region, and numerous other projects. One subsidiary, Eolo Plus, provided aircraft for his 2012 presidential campaign. Still others provided cement and other materials to the state. The Mexican news team under Aristegui estimated the value of state contracts to Grupo Higa’s companies while Pena Nieto was governor at $652mn. Grupo Higa launched a subsidiary in 2008 that would begin building a mansion in the posh Lomas de Chapultepec district of the capital the day after Pena Nieto announced publicly that the television actress known to the public as La Gaviota, or Seagull, for one of her roles in a popular soap opera, had become his girlfriend. Pena Nieto and Rivera married in 2010. It was around then that a prominent architect, Miguel Angel Aragones, began collaborating with the president and his wife on the design of the mansion, including six bedrooms for the six children in the combined marriage, the Aristegui news team reported. Farc rebels jailed for killing tribesmen Agencies Bogota A Colombian native guards escort seven alleged Farc members accused of murdering two leaders of their tribe in Toribio, department of Cauca, Colombia. n indigenous court has convicted seven Farc guerrillas of murdering two leaders of the Nasa tribe in western Colombia, sentencing them to between 40 and 60 years in jail and 20 lashes. The harshest sentence - 60 years prison time - was handed down to Carlos Ivan Silva, who confessed to killing two native leaders on Wednesday. The victims were removing billboards praising the late leader of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, Guillermo Leon Saenz, also known as Alfonso Cano, when they were murdered. Four other defendants were sentenced to 40 years each for having “fired indiscriminately on other members of the community” alongside Silva, said the leader of the Northern Cauca indigenous councils association, Gabriel Pavi. Two teenagers also arrested were sentenced to 20 lashes and will be held at a rehabili- tation centre until age 18, at which point a new assembly will reconsider their cases. The verdicts and sentences were determined after four hours of debate by an assembly of some 3,000 members from the indigenous reserve in the Cauca province. When crimes are committed in aboriginal territory, the punishment for the accused is decided by the community and not the ordinary justice system. Pavi had said Friday the guerrillas were captured “in uniform and with rifles” and that “all are indigenous.” In Colombia, indigenous authorities have jurisdiction over their own territory, unless it contravenes the constitution or the laws of the country. Colombia’s indigenous population reached 1.4mn in 2005, according to the latest official figures, out of a total population of 48.3mn. Following the trial, the weapons used by the guerrillas were destroyed in front of the tribal court. The sentences will be served in the state prison at Popayan, capital of Cauca. Gulf Times Tuesday, November 11, 2014 25 PAKISTAN/AFGHANISTAN Special courts soon to hear terror cases The special courts will be set up in each province to deal with terrorism-related cases that surface during the ongoing military operation in the country Internews Islamabad T he federal government of Pakistan has decided to set up five special courts to hear cases related to terrorism registered under the controversial Protection of Pakistan Act (PPA) 2014. A senior law ministry official revealed that special courts will be established in each province including one in the capital to deal with terrorism-related cases that surface during the ongoing military operation in the country. “Names for the special court judges have been shortlisted, now we will forward these names to the respective high courts chief justices for consultation,” the official added. Similarly, law secretary Barrister Zafarullah Khan also confirmed that the government has given the green light for the establishment of special courts across the country. Commenting on the move, an active lawyer Chaudhry Faisal Hussain urged the government to appoint competent, honest and brave judges. He cautioned that the move will provide a legal cover to enforced disappearances in the country. Marred by controversy, the PPA act, which allows security forces to detain suspects for up to 60 days without disclosing their location or allegations against them, was challenged by Jamate-Islami (JI) chief Sirajul Haq earlier this year. However, the case has not been fixed for hearing. In his petition, the JI chief requested the apex court to strike down the entire law as it violates the fundamental rights and Principles of Policy laid down in Part-II (Chapter-I) of the Constitution. The petition contended that the vires of PPA are inconsistent Islamabad likely to have first advocate general The government of Pakistan has decided to create a post of advocate general for Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), for the first time. A senior official in the law ministry said yesterday that the government has decided to appoint Mian Abdul Rauf as the first advocate general. A summary has already been sent to the prime minister in this regard. The official justified creation of the AG office says the capital city is a federating unit under Article 1 of the Constitution with its own separate high court and bar council. Lawyer Chaudhry Faisal Hussain, however, opposed the move saying the AG’s post only exists in provinces. Before the new post’s creation, the government should have amended Islamabad Bar Council Act 2013, wherein it is mentioned that chairman of the council will be an advocate general. and in negation of fundamental rights provided in Articles 2-A, 4, 8, 9, 10, 10-A, 12, 14, 15, 19-A, 23, 24 and 25 of the Constitution. It is further said that the state is responsible for providing security and no citizen shall be deprived of life or liberty in accordance with law. Raising objections over the government’s plan to set up special courts, the petition said, “The establishment of Special Courts is in violation of Article 10 and 10-A of the Constitution.” The JI chief further stated that the definition of enemy, alien and combatant enemy in the PPA Act is not in consonance with the Constitution. Weighing in on the issue, former Additional Attorney General for Pakistan Tariq Mahmood Khokhar, who headed the missing persons’ cell in the Supreme Court, said that geographical distinction for special courts does not make sense as it excludes Azad Jammu Kashmir (AJK), Gilgit-Baltistan and most crucially Fata and Pata. Interestingly, it was learnt that the defence ministry had recommended at least eight special courts. However, the law ministry officials claimed that five courts would be sufficient to deal with the current number of cases in the country. According to the section 8 of PPA Act, the government in consultation with the chief justice of the concerned high court may appoint any individual as a judge of the special court, who has served as a sessions judge in any province of the country or has been an advocate of the high court for a period of not less than ten years. Nawaz Sharif leaves for Germany DPA Islamabad P akistan Minister Nawaz Sharif left for Germany yesterday for a two-day official visit to discuss trade and security ties, an Islamabad official said. Sharif’s meeting with Chancellor Angela Merkel would be followed by a lunch in his honour, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Tasnim Aslam said. Sharif will also meet the pres- ident of the German Parliament and address a business forum organised by Pakistan Board of Investment. A government official said that the topics of extremism, terrorism and Afghanistan would also be discussed during the visit. Germany is Pakistan’s fourthlargest trading partner and its largest in the European Union, with bilateral trade of $2.5bn dollars annually. There is also a Pakistani diaspora of over 70,000 in Germany, including 2,300 students. Pakistan schools network observes anti-Malala day AFP Islamabad A n association of Pakistani schools held an “I am not Malala” day yesterday, condemning young Nobel peace laureate Malala Yousafzai for what it called her support for controversial novelist Salman Rushdie. Education campaigner Malala was shot in the head by the Taliban in October 2012 but recovered and went on to win this year’s Nobel peace prize. The 17-year-old has been hailed around the world for standing up for girls’ rights to education, but the response to her in Pakistan has not been universally positive, with some seeing her as a “Western agent” on a mission to shame her country. The All Pakistan Private Schools Federation last year barred its members from buy- Malala Yousafzai ing Malala’s memoir I am Malala because of what the group said was its “anti-Pakistan and anti-Islam content.” It said the book, written with British journalist Christina Lamb, was too sympathetic to British novelist Rushdie. Rushdie in 1989 became the target of an Iranian fatwa, or religious edict, calling for his murder for allegedly blaspheming Islam and the Prophet Muhammad in his book The Satanic Verses. Mirza Kashif Ali, the president of the schools’ federation, said in a statement it was “clear that Malala has nexus with Salman Rushdie and Taslima Nasrin, and also has alignment with Salman Rushdie’s ideological club”. “We severely condemned the chapter of the book in which Salman Rushdie’s book has been mentioned as freedom of expression by Malala while referring to father’s views,” Ali said. He said walks, seminars and press conferences were held to highlight the “I am not Malala” day. Bangladeshi author Nasrin was forced to flee her homeland in 1994 after radical Muslims accused her of blasphemy over her novel Lajja (Shame), in which a Hindu family is perse- cuted by Muslims. Blasphemy is a sensitive issue in Pakistan also, where it can carry the death penalty. Malala’s book describes her life under the Taliban’s brutal rule in northwest Pakistan’s Swat valley in the mid-2000s, hints at her ambition to enter Pakistani politics and even describes her father’s brief flirtation with Islamic fundamentalism as a youngster. The book describes public floggings by the Taliban, their ban on television, dancing and music, and the family’s decision to flee Swat along with nearly 1mn others in 2009 amid heavy fighting between the militants and Pakistani troops. Malala, who lives in Britain where she went for treatment after being shot, was jointly awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in October alongside India’s 60-year-old Kailash Satyarthi for their championing of children’s rights. Court remands four suspects in lynching AFP Islamabad A Pakistani anti-terrorism court yesterday remanded in custody four people accused of killing a Christian couple for alleged blasphemy, officials said. Shehzad Masih, a bonded labourer, and his pregnant wife Shama Bibi were beaten by a mob of 1,500 people then thrown on top of a lit furnace last week in a crazed reaction to rumours they had thrown pages of the Holy Qur’an into the garbage. The horrific incident took place on November 4 in the tiny hamlet of Chak 59 near the town of Kot Radha Kishan, 60km southwest of Lahore. It has sparked protests across Pakistan by Christians and outrage among rights activists. Police have arrested more than 40 suspects. “The police produced four suspects in anti-terrorism Pakistani Christians protest against the murder of a couple, in Lahore yesterday. court and the judge remanded them into police custody for further interrogation till November 19,” a prosecution official said. He said 39 more suspects were already in jail, out of a total of some 60 suspects named in the lynching of the Christian couple. Some 900 students from Lahore’s missionary schools staged a demonstration outside Lahore Press Club against the murders. Taliban bombs kill 10 Afghan policemen AFP Kabul T Nawaz Sharif wo Taliban bombs killed at least 10 policemen in Afghanistan yesterday, officials said, the latest attacks against the security forces who are suffering huge casualties as US-led Nato troops pull out. Seven police, including their commander, died when a suicide bomber detonated his explosives next to a group of officers in Logar province, south of Kabul. “A suicide attacker on foot this morning targeted an Afghan local police commander in Puli Alam, killing him and six others,” Abdul Hakim Eshaqzai, Logar’s provincial police chief, said. The attacker, who was wearing a military uniform, struck as the commander was arriving at his office for a meeting. Logar’s media spokesman Din Mohamed Darwish confirmed the attack. Also on Monday, a remotecontrolled bomb hit a police car in Jalalabad city in the east of Afghanistan, killing three police, Ahmad Zia Abdulzai, the provincial spokesman said. Another roadside bomb blast left two civilians wounded in the capital Kabul. The Taliban have stepped up attacks as the withdrawing Nato-led forces leave Afghan security forces to fight the insurgents on their own. Hair transplants: new weapon of mass seduction AFP Islamabad M ohamed Shahid’s eyes lit up when he saw his once bald cousin come home one day with a head full of hair and a strutting gait to match. A handsome but follicallychallenged young man, he decided the time was ripe to restore his honour, battered by years of taunts that follow the barrenheaded and the beardless in Pakistan. In the northwestern city of Peshawar, home to underground Taliban hideouts and a gateway for trade to Afghanistan, men go about their business in the crowded dusty streets, their faces covered by bushy black beards that would make Captain Haddock proud. The city’s roads are filled with giant billboards of celebrities once bald but now all smiles. They extol the virtues of manhood restored surgically with a few well-placed tufts of hair. “When I saw my cousin return from his procedure, I was in shock. I said to myself: I have to have it too,” said the thirtysomething excitedly as he prepared to have the procedure at a local hair transplant clinic. “Hair is like our weapon against society.” In Pakistan, hair is synonymous with virility to the point that even some Taliban fighters buy ointments to give their long locks and beards a lustrous finish. Woe to those without: they are labelled “ganjas”, a deeply derogatory term. “Here, calling someone a �ganja’ is a stigma but over there (in the West), saying �bald’ is not that bad,” explained Dr Humayun Mohmand, one of the first doctors to offer the treatment in Pakistan. Mohmand opened his practice in the early 2000s, but transplants, done under local anaesthetic, did not take off immediately. The breakthrough moment came at the end of 2007, when Nawaz Sharif, who was balding when he was deposed as prime minister by General Pervez Musharraf eight years earlier, returned from exile with a full head of hair. “After the hair transplant... by Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif (his brother, the chief minister of Punjab province) this has be- Pakistani doctors treating a patient for hair transplants at a clinic in Islamabad. come very popular,” said doctor Fawad Aamir at his Peshawar clinic, among a group of patients seeking new manes. “(Before) they were very afraid of this, that something is going to happen, that cancer will develop, that infection will lead to the brain.” Among them was the son of Farid Khan Khattak, a big man who fills the room with hearty laughter. “My son had some kind of inferiority complex because he had some gaps in his hair,” he said. “One of my friends told me that instead of a hair transplant I should buy a motorbike for my son. But my son insisted: �Instead of a motorbike I want a transplant’, so it’s for his happiness.” Since 2006, Mohmand has conducted 8,000 operations compared with 1,000 during the previous five years. In Pakistan’s conservative society where arranged marriages remain the norm, surgeons recall the anguish of patients whose engagements have been scuppered by baldness. “One of my clients had lost a lot of hair and two or three marriage proposals did not mature,” said the doctor of a female patient. “After that, she came to give me the invitation to her wedding. That day, she had tears in her eyes. She said, �You are the person who has made my life’.” Today, there are nearly 120 hair transplant clinics in Pakistan, according to official figures, with a dozen in Peshawar. The operation generally costs from $400-$1,000, with some top clinics charging up to $6,000 – a fraction of what it costs in the West, but still well out of reach for most Pakistanis. Many clients come from abroad, in particular the Pakistani-Afghan diaspora who come to see their friends and family — and return more hirsute. Maihan, a cook from Denmark, finds himself in one such clinic in Peshawar. The young Afghan knows that the shavenheaded Bruce Willis look isn’t displeasing to the fairer sex in the West. “In Europe, in Canada, in Australia and in the United States, the girls don’t care, but here guys must have long hair,” he said. Hairless heads aren’t the only worry. Doctor Asif Shah says he has also performed a number of beard transplants on patients keen to show their piety with a healthy growth. Fawad Aamir recalls with pleasure the visit of a Taliban commander’s son who had grown frustrated with his patchy beard while fellow Islamist rebels proudly sported bushy specimens. “A doctor tried to convince the man that �you don’t grow beard because this is the beard given to you by God’,” he said. “And he said �No, I want to have this like Mohamed, peace be upon him.’ “So we went ahead and six months later he had a very big beard and he was very happy.” 26 Gulf Times Tuesday, November 11, 2014 PHILIPPINES Life becomes exciting for actress Ramos as she turns 24 Manila Times Manila A ctress Rhian Ramos may have just turned 24, but she has certainly come a very long way. Her birth month of October saw her receiving several blessings, with exciting news of acting projects, endorsements and a string of meaningful celebrations.Among the highlights of her 24th birthday included a special production number on GMA Network’s Sunday All Stars (SAS) on October 26, and just a week before that, joining the final leg of the Vios Cup at the McKinley Hill West Street Circuit as a legitimate race car driver on October 19. This was quite a feat for Rhi- an, who learned to drive just late 2013, showing just how determined she is to take all that she does to the next level. Professionally, after triumphant outings on TV in the series, My Destiny and Magpakailanman, Rhian is set to star in the lead of an indie film opposite Piolo Pascual under the direction of former Smokey Mountain singer Jeffrey Hidalgo. “The film is eyeing release in international film festivals,” she excitedly told Manila Times. Rhian first made a splash on television playing Leah Lazaro in 2006’s Captain Barbell opposite Richard Gutierrez, and in one of her most memorable roles as Jodi and Jenna in Stairway to Heaven opposite Dingdong Dantes. Just this month, Rhian has also been chosen to endorse loaded.com.ph, an online gaming site for Smart and Talk �N Text subscribers. Loaded, she shared, reminds her of the fun centres she used to frequent as a little girl as the classic games are available through the website. Meanwhile, following a string of birthday parties for her family and fans, Rhian decided to pay it forward this week, by holding belated celebrations with her favourite charities, Child Haus, a home for sick children, and the Graces home for the aged. “I’ve had a lot of challenges that I’ve had to overcome in my career and I am so thankful to be where I am now. I’m so excited to see what’s in store for me at 24,” she concluded. Rhian Ramos: exciting times ahead Lacson sees politics in typhoon rehabilitation By Joel M Sy Egco Manila Times Rehabilitation czar Panfilo Lacson discusses reconstruction work in typhoon Haiyan-stricken areas during a stakeholders forum attended by Vice President Jejomar Binay and UN Assistant Secretary General Haoliang Xu. dent Benigno Aquino to skip Tacloban and visit Guiuan town in Eastern Samar to commemorate the first year of Yolanda. Lacson said the DILG contributed P230.4mn for Tacloban as requested by Romualdez himself for the rehabilitation of the city hall, public market and the city centre. The mayor, he added, even asked to “realign” some funds. “We will continue to extend a hand of co-operation to Tacloban. We will not give up on Tacloban. Nobody will be left out,” Lacson vowed. Earlier, Romualdez criticised the government for the “very slow” response and expressed hopes that the projects will pick up in January. He lamented that because of red tape, shortage of manpower and lack of resources, the recovery of the city was only about 50%. Malacanang also yesterday vowed that the government will ensure the proper implementation of the Comprehensive Rehabilitation and Recovery Plan in Yolanda areas. “The president and the cabinet remain focused on ensuring that the CRRP programmes, Tough life projects and activities are implemented properly, and that the �build back better’ principles are followed,” Secretary Hermino Coloma of the Presidential Communications Operations Office said. Vice President Jejomar Binay, who was also present in the forum, said President Benigno Aquino issued Administrative Order 44 to expedite the con- struction of houses for families rendered homeless by Typhoon Yolanda. AO 44 streamlines the process of issuance of permits, certifications, clearances and licenses for housing and resettlement projects in Yolanda affected areas. It directs all government agencies concerned to observe these protocols or face sanctions for non-compliance. T A woman looks for plastic bottles to sell on a street in Manila. Child, three others hacked to death in Compostela F our relatives, including a 13-year-old boy, were brutally hacked to death in the troubled southern Philippines, police said yesterday. dog handler in the southern Philippines narrowly avoided death after his dog alerted him to a bomb just before it exploded, police said yesterday. Officer Manuel Ynid was only injured when the bomb hidden in a cardboard box exploded in the strife-torn southern port city of Zamboanga late Sunday, said the city police spokesman Chief Inspector Ariel Huesca. Ynid and his bomb-sniffing Belgian Malinois called Diego were part of a team that was investigating an earlier explosion at a massage parlour, Huesca said. The first bomb had caused no casualties but as Ynid was approaching a cardboard box, the dog reacted, indicating it had detected a bomb. Just as they moved away from the box, the bomb inside exploded, wounding Ynid although the dog was unharmed. Security officials said the bomb was made from ammonium nitrate and was possibly set off with a mobile phone. Ynid is in stable condition while Diego, a three-year veteran who found a bomb in a public square last month, was given a week to recover from the stress, police officials said. Authorities are still trying to determine who might have been behind the bomb blast. Zamboanga has been the scene of rebel activity in the past. Last year, die-hard guerrillas occupied parts of the city, resulting in three weeks of urban battles that left more than 240 dead. The military is also carrying out operations in the islands south of Zamboanga, against the Abu Sayyaf, an Al Qaedalinked extremist group blamed for the country’s worst terror attacks including bombings and kidnappings. Manila police step up security measures over bomb threat By Jaime R Pilapil Manila Times AFP Davao AFP Zamboanga A P residential adviser on relief and rehabilitation Panfilo Lacson yesterday chided Tacloban City Mayor Alfred Romualdez for causing delays in the city’s rehabilitation efforts, saying the local executive had politics in mind instead of the quick recovery of the city from super typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda). “You should forget personal and political agenda and think about your constituents,” Lacson said during a stakeholders forum in reference to the local chief executive whose performance he described as “below par.” Lacson said Romualdez lacked political will, unlike the local executives from other areas that were similarly ravaged by the typhoon. He also accused Romualdez of hosting antigovernment protests following the discovery of placards bearing anti-government slogans at the back of city hall. “We are calling on all local government chiefs to put the interest of your constituents before any personal or political agenda you may have,” he added. It was estimated that more than P6bn have been poured to various projects in the city but Lacson bewailed Tacloban was slow “over-all.” The rehabilitation chief’s statements negated that of Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas, who claimed that there was no problem with government efforts in Tacloban City, the bailiwick of the opposition Romualdez clan. Roxas, in an interview last week, said the DILG released P200mn for Tacloban. He was defending the decision of Presi- Bomb sniffing dog saves handler Local residents discovered the hogtied bodies of the four farm caretakers in Compostela Valley about 970 kilometres south of Manila, said Superintendent Antonio Rivera, police spokesman for the southern island of Mindanao where the killings happened Sunday. The four bodies were covered with stab wounds and had their faces covered with cloth, the police said. Authorities suspect the killings may be related to a land conflict in the largely feudal region where violence is often used to settle disputes between families over property and politics. In one of the worst cases, 58 people, including lawyers and journalists, were murdered in Mindanao in November 2009 allegedly by members of a powerful political clan who were trying to prevent a challenger from running against one of their members in an upcoming election. he Manila Police District Office (MPDO) yesterday stepped up security measures against what it described as possible “bombings” targeting government, private, business and religious buildings and establishments. In a memorandum, a copy of which was obtained by Manila Times, dated November 10, 2014, Malate Police Station commander and Supt. Romeo Mendoza Odrada reported to acting MPDO director Rolando Nana that “pre-emptive and hardening measures” against the “bombings” had been implemented. The memorandum, however, did not identify who the supposed bombers would be. “In line with the directives of higher headquarters regarding police visibility within our AOR (Areas of Responsibility), elements of this station conducted aggressive patrol and inspection particularly at vital installations such as (Meralco), power unit, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, hotel and motels such as Ambassador Hotel, Orchid Garden Hotel, Aloha Hotel, Victoria Court, Mercury Drug Stores, malls, schools, universities, gasoline stations, markets and churches,” it read. Meralco is the Manila Electric Co and Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas is the Central Bank of the Philippines. In addition, according to the memorandum, “the elements of this station’s anti-crime conducted clearing operations of vendors and pedicab drivers at the vicinity of Ospital ng Maynila and Baywalk.” Baywalk is a stretch of Roxas Boulevard in Manila facing Manila Bay. The Odrada memorandum apparently was in reaction to reports on twin bombings in Zamboanga City in Mindanao on Sunday evening that left a member of a police antibomb squad wounded. The attacks, according to Gen. Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr., chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), could be a diversionary tactic of the terrorist Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) to distract ongoing intensified military operations against the bandits in Sulu and Basilan, also in Mindanao. “We are looking into that (ASG angle). I still cannot say if the group was behind the bombings,” Catapang said in a news conference at Camp Aguinaldo, the AFP’s General headquarters, in Quezon City (Metro Manila) also yesterday. He added that he was planning to go back to Zamboanga City to allay fears of the people there about the apparently uneasy peace in the city. Also yesterday, Chief Supt. Wilben Mayo, the Philippine National Police spokesman, told Manila Times that they have not monitored any specific threat against Pope Francis when he visits the country early next year. A number of foreign governments earlier warned that the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) had issued a threat against the Pope and that it would carry out in one of Francis’ foreign travels. Basilan Bishop Martin Jumuad said the government should not take the ISIS’ threat lightly. The Pope will arrive on January 15 and will stay for five days. While his schedule has not been disclosed, he is expected to spend time with survivors of Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) in Tacloban City, Leyte. Gulf Times Tuesday, November 11, 2014 27 SRI LANKA/BANGLADESH/NEPAL Bangladesh cleric held over death of TV host AFP Dhaka B angladesh police said yesterday they have arrested a hardline Muslim preacher for allegedly inciting the murder of a popular television host. Sheikh Nurul Islam Faruqi, the 60-year-old chief cleric of a Dhaka mosque and host of television shows on Islamic issues, was found tied to a chair with his throat slit at his home in the capital in August. Police suspect he was murdered by Ansarullah Bangla, a little-known group of hardline Islamists whose members were Opposition agrees to work on reforms IANS Colombo S everal opposition political parties in Sri Lanka yesterday announced that they have agreed to work together to push for constitutional reforms in the country including abolishing the executive presidential powers. The leader of the main opposition United National Party, Ranil Wickremesinghe, said that the opposition wants to ensure good governance by bringing in amendments to the constitution. Leaders and representatives of the opposition held a joint media conference where they spelt out their demands to the government of President Mahinda Rajapakse. Democratic Party led by former army commander Sarath Fonseka, former Sri Lanka cricket captain and now legislator Arjuna Ranathunga as well as minority Tamil and Muslim political parties are among those who have decided to work together in the campaign. Fonseka said that the political parties, which are part of the campaign, have decided to put aside their differences to work together. Led by a prominent Buddhist monk, Maduluwawe Sobhithathero, the campaign already had the support of Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) lawmaker Athureliya Rathanathera, who is part of the government. Former president Chandrika Kumaratunga has also extended her support for the campaign which seeks reforms before the next presidential election. There are speculations that a Presidential election will take place in January next year and President Mahinda Rajapakse is expected to seek a third term in office. Meanwhile the opposition said it will stage a major political rally in Colombo tomorrow to gather support for the abolishing of the executive presidency and other constitutional changes. and felt we had a breakthrough in the murder investigation after seeing the uploaded video of a speech by Mozaffor.” accused of killing an atheist blogger last year. Yesterday police said they had arrested 35-year-old preacher Mozaffor bin Mohosin after video footage of him calling Faruqi an “apostate” emerged. “We’ve arrested him for inciting the murder. He has been remanded for two days for questioning,” police spokesman Monirul Islam said. “We have seen the video in which he (Mohosin) could be seen seeking Faruqi’s punishment because he promoted (Sufi) shrines in his programmes.” He said: “We suspected the involvement of an extremist group behind Faruqi’s murder “We have seen the video in which he (Mohosin) could be seen seeking Faruqi’s punishment because he promoted (Sufi) shrines in his programmes” The joint commissioner said: “During his interrogation, Mozaffor denied direct involvement in the murder but said a number of people came to visit his mosque and madrasa to hear his speech.” Metropolitan Magistrate Mo- T he second phase of the tiger census project using camera trapping method begins today in Bangladesh’s mangrove Sundarbans. At least two infrared cameras will be installed in each of 132 identified spots within about 3,000sq km area in Bangladesh part of the Sundarbans to capture tigers’ photos for 40 days without any recess. Divisional forest officer Zahidul Kabir said a total of 78 infrared cameras will be used in the 132 identified spots in phases in the tiger census that Faruqi’s murder triggered protests by moderate Islamic groups, who called a nationwide strike to demand the culprits’ swift arrest. In the last decade, Islamic militants in Bangladesh have killed around 100 people seen as critical of Islam, including secular and cultural activists and bloggers. They have also bombed Sufi shrines which were deemed un-Islamic. Last year six people including a 60-year-old man who called himself a Sufi master were slaughtered at their home in a similar fashion to Faruqi. Police have not yet solved those cases. Lanka calls off search for victims at landslide site DPA Colombo S ri Lanka has called off search operations for the bodies of those killed in a landslide in the central part of the country, Minister of Disaster Management Mahinda Amaraweera said yesterday. The death toll in the October 29 disaster is officially listed at 34, but the military, which conducted recovery operations, found only 14 bodies at the site at Meeriyabedda, Koslanda, some 200km east of the capital Colombo. The others are believed to be buried in the landslide, Amaraweera said. Some 58 families evacuated from the area would be housed in an abandoned tea factory for three months. After that, new houses will be built for them by the state, Amaraweera said. Some 330 persons were living in the affected area, but at the time of the landslide some 75 children had left for school and most others had gone to work on the tea plantation. Survivors sitting at a relief camp in central Sri Lanka after a landslide hit the Koslanda area, some 200km east of Colombo, last week. IANS Agartala, India A rms and drug smuggling, terrorism, circulation of fake currency notes and border crimes are among the issues to be discussed when border guards of India and Bangladesh meet on November 17, an official said in the Indian state Tripura’s capital Agartala yesterday. “The BSF (Border Security Force) officials would ask the BGB (Border Guard Bangladesh) officials to dismantle the camps of northeast India terrorists, who have been running many camps in Bangladesh despite many such camps were destroyed by the security forces of that country,” a senior BSF official said. He said: “At least 55 camps of northeast India militants are still functional in different parts of Bangladesh and opposite to Tripura, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Assam’s borders with that country.” The northeast militant outfits running camps in Bangladesh territories include National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Isak-Muivah), United Liberation Front of Asom and National Liberation Front of Tripura. “After Bangladesh security forces undertook occasional crackdowns against the northeast India militants, some terrorists have taken shelter in the jungles of neighbouring Myanmar,” the BSF official said on the condition of anonymity. Inspector generals of three frontiers of BSF in northeast India - Tripura, Meghalaya, Mizoram-Cachar - would hold a four-day long border management meeting from November 17 with BGB officials at Tamabil in Bangladesh’s Sylhet district. Meghalaya frontier Inspector General of BSF Sudhesh Kumar would lead the Indian team while Bangladesh delegation would be led by BGB’s additional director general (northeastern region) Mohammad Latiful Haider. Experts call for reforms in Nepal’s prisons IANS Kathmandu E xperts in Nepal have urged the government to upgrade prison facilities and invest in rehabilitation programmes for inmates, as the conditions in jails have deteriorated. “Detention facilities in Nepal do not meet basic safety standards. If there is an earthquake, most prisons will collapse,” Gobinda Mani Bhurtel, chief of the central jail in Kathmandu, said in an interview with Xinhua. Representatives from the office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Nepal (OHCHR-Nepal) have pointed out the inhuman conditions inside detention cells where both the inmates and prison personnel have to cope up on a daily basis. “In most prisons across Nepal, international standards on the separation of petty criminals from hardcore ones, convicts from accused, and young inmates from adults are not respected,” OHCHR-Nepal reported. Following a visit to various prisons across the country last week, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) urged the authorities to improve prison management to protect the rights of prisoners. “Several commissions that were formed in the past have recommended measures to improve the safety and wellbeing of inmates. Had these recommendations been acted upon, jails in Nepal would have reached international standards,” said Sudeep Pathak, member, NHRC. According to Bhurtel, over Dhaka prepares to count tigers By Mizan Rahman Dhaka hammad Tarique Moinul Islam Bhuiyan passed an order placing Mozaffar on two days’ police remand. Mohosin has denied the charge, he said. The gruesome murder highlighted the growing faultline between hardline Islamists in Muslim-majority Bangladesh and the country’s centuriesold tradition of Sufi-inspired moderate Islam. Hardline Islamists say that worshipping at Sufi shrines is anti-Islamic. The police spokesman said Mohosin regularly preached at a Dhaka mosque attended by militants from the Ansarullah group. Border troops to discuss terror, crimes will be conducted till June next year. He said the second phase of census is going to kick off through installment of infrared cameras at Nilkamal area of Hiron Point in the Sundarbans on Tuesday. A team of 30 trained workers will participate in the second phase of the tiger census, Kabir, also co-ordinator of project, added. In the first phase of the Bangladesh-India joint tiger census project, completed in April this year beginning November 1, 2013, a total of 89 infrared cameras were used to capture tigers’ photos within a 3,000sq km area in Bangladesh part of the Sundarbans. However, the result of the first phase of the census was not made public yet. The project is being implemented with financial assistance from the World Bank. A survey of 2004 showed that the total number of Bengal Tigers in Bangladesh part was 440. The UNDP conducted the census using pugmarks (footprints). For the survey conducted in this April, a team of Wildlife Institute of India trained forest staff on setting cameras in the forest. The world’s largest mangrove Sundarbans is the only abode of Royal Bengal Tigers. But the Sunderban’s Royal Bengal Tiger is fast becoming extinct. the last few years, the overall condition in prisons in Nepal has worsened. Bhurtel underscored the importance of treating inmates as human beings, adding that there is a need to improve their living conditions both during their incarceration and after they are released. “While they are under detention, inmates should be taught some skills so that when they get out of prison, they can earn a living and would not commit crimes anymore,” Bhurtel said. Overcrowding has been identified as a major problem in Nepal’s jails. According to the department of prison management, all 74 prisons across the country are overcrowded. Statistics reveal that prisons house inmates more than double their capacities. A jail located close to the popular Annapurna circuit has recently been termed �a torture house’. Human rights watchdogs found 520 inmates �packed like sardines’ in a space meant for only 60 people. Inmates cannot even stretch their legs to sleep and there are only seven toilets for males, and three for females. Overcrowding often results in fighting among inmates. It is also the cause of diseases, especially respiratory ailments. A former prisoner, nicknamed “Pilot” by his gang, said that when he was in prison, he used to share his detention ward with some one hundred other prisoners. “Pilot,” who is in his thirties, was sentenced to five months in prison after seriously injur- ing a man during a gang fight. He was jailed at the Central Jail in Kathmandu, which has a capacity of only 1,200 but was housing more than 2,500 inmates when “Pilot” was there. The central jail has only 22 employees that attend to 2,527 inmates. Because of lack of funds and inadequate prison personnel, the prisoners themselves have created their own internal management system to help in maintaining order inside the prison facility. Experts recognise the need to improve the professional skills of prison staff to avoid internal conflicts. They acknowledged that prison staff lacks the proper training, particularly on how to impose discipline among the inmates or teach them some skills as part of their rehabilitation. Bangladesh president at APEC summit Bangladesh’s President Abdul Hamid, second left, and his wife Rashida Hamid, left, posing as they are welcomed by Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan, right, upon arrival for Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit banquet at the Beijing National Aquatics Center in the Chinese capital yesterday. Top leaders and ministers of the 21-member APEC grouping are meeting in Beijing from November 7 to 11. Senior officials of India’s home ministry and Narcotics Control Bureau would also be present in the meeting. “Smuggling of arms and drugs and using northeastern states as corridors for their illegal hauling would also be discussed in the meeting. We would ask the BGB officials to take stringent steps to prevent such clandestine trading,” the BSF official added. He said the BSF and BGB troopers are now holding coordinated patrolling along the border and the meeting would discuss about intensifying such joint patrolling in the sensitive and porous borders. “Bangladesh security forces in the recent past have seized huge fake Indian currencies and arrested a large number of people involved in circulating the fake currencies. We would ask the BGB officials to share the information (with BSF) gathered about the fake currencies and their roots,” the official added. In the meeting, the BSF would also propose to the BGB to hold mutual cultural and sports events on both sides of the border and adjoining cities and villages as part of the confidence building measures. The official said that the BSF would also ask their BGB authorities to take effective measures to prevent attacks on BSF troopers and Indian villagers by the bordering people of Bangladesh. Four Indian northeastern states of Tripura, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Assam share an 1,880-km border with Bangladesh. The mountainous terrain, dense forests and other hindrances make the unfenced borders porous and vulnerable, enabling illegal immigrants and intruders cross over without any hurdle. India is erecting a fence and putting up floodlights all along the 4,096-km India-Bangladesh border in West Bengal, Tripura, Assam, Meghalaya and Mizoram to check transborder movement of militants, prevent infiltration and check border crimes. Climate change meeting kicks off IANS Kathmandu A n international conference on “mountain people adapting to change” kicked off in Kathmandu on Sunday, aiming at providing a platform to discuss best ways to help mountain communities to deal with adverse impacts of climate change. The four-day conference, jointly organised by the Nepal government and the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), attracted more than 200 scientists, experts, government representatives and stakeholders from 22 countries, Xinhua reported. Govind Raj Pokhrel, vice chair of Nepal’s national planning commission, said at the inauguration ceremony that Nepal’s poverty rate, which stands at 23% now, could rise again “if we fail to tackle climate-induced disasters and climate change.” This year alone, natural disasters have cause huge damage to the country’s infrastructure facilities, excluding individual houses, he said, adding: “If we cannot minimise the impacts of climate-induced disasters, more people will find themselves below poverty line.” David Molden, director general, ICIMOD, said that mountain people have developed a huge diversity of options to adapt to different mountain environments. 28 Gulf Times Tuesday, November 11, 2014 COMMENT Chairman: Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Attiyah Editor-in-Chief : Darwish S Ahmed Production Editor: C P Ravindran P.O.Box 2888 Doha, Qatar [email protected] Telephone 44350478 (news), 44466404 (sport), 44466636 (home delivery) Fax 44350474 GULF TIMES End of the road for Lee after positive dope test The world of badminton is in a state of shock after it was revealed that Malaysian ace Lee Chong Wei has failed a dope test. Lee, who has spent about 300 weeks as the world number one without ever winning an Olympic or world Championship gold, has been one of badminton’s greatest icons, especially in Malaysia, which has been literally stunned into silence since the news became public three days ago that traces of the anti-inflammatory drug dexamethasone were found in his samples at a lab in Oslo. Lee is loved as much for his exploits on the court as for his mild disposition off it—his image as a role model enhanced by his image as a family man and doting father. However, despite winning a whopping 55 titles globally, he has had to play second fiddle to Chinese heartthrob Lin Dan who has been hogging most of the limelight over the past few years by claiming two Olympic and five World Championship crowns. Lee now faces a two-year ban, which would effectively put an end to his career as he will be 34 when the punishment ends. It’s an unfortunate way to end a career especially when he was gearing up for one last shot at Olympic glory – at the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro. Lee posted messages on his official Twitter and Facebook accounts thanking fans for their support and denying using drugs to gain an advantage. “I just want to thank every one of you who had faith in me through this difficult time. There are so many unanswered questions and I hope to clear my name soon,” he wrote. “I never cheated nor will I ever rely on banned substances.” Lee said in April he intended to play on until the 2016 Games in the hope he would finally win a gold medal to go with the silvers from Beijing in 2008 and London four years later. Even his great rival Dan had put off retirement in the hope of winning his third straight Olympic medal. However, the prospect of witnessing the rivals battling it out like a pair of ageing prize-fighters for one final grudge match is no longer a possibility after Lee’s positive test. The substance he tested positive for – dexamethasone – is, however, not a performance enhancing drug, the kind of which cheats use to gain undue advantage over their rivals. This may come as some consolation to his adoring fans, but the damage has already been done. Lee is loved as much for his exploits on the court as for his mild disposition off it To Advertise [email protected] Display Telephone 44466621 Fax 44418811 Classified Telephone 44466609 Fax 44418811 Subscription [email protected] 2014 Gulf Times. All rights reserved Silk Road aims to cement China’s emerging role As the balance of power within the global economy shifts, it is inevitable that the international economic architecture will have to evolve By John Kemp London/Reuters T he New Silk Road Economic Belt - from China across Central Asia and Russia to Europe - and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road - through the Malacca Strait to India, the Middle East and East Africa - have become the centrepiece of China’s economic diplomacy. “The Silk Road, no longer just a concept in history books, has evolved into a story of modern logistics and Sino-European co-operation,” Yang Jiechi, China’s top diplomat, told a conference this month. The belt and the road, as China’s diplomats refer to them, are the focus of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit in Beijing this week. They aim to cement China’s emerging role at the heart of the 21st century economy. China’s President Xi Jinping has pledged $40bn to a new Silk Road fund for investing in infrastructure, resources and industrial and financial co-operation across Asia. Chinese diplomats have also been busy promoting a new Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, promising to provide half of its $50bn start-up capital, to help build ports, roads, power projects and other desperately needed infrastructure across the region. The Silk Road fund and Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank pose a direct challenge to the traditional primacy of US-dominated financial and trade institutions in the region, including the International Monetary Fund, World Bank and Asian Development Bank, all of which were set up following the US victory in World War Two. US diplomats have been manoeuvring furiously to limit the impact of China’s economic diplomacy. In the past month, Australia and South Korea both declined to join the new Infrastructure Investment Bank following intense lobbying from officials in Washington, which went all the way up to Secretary of State John Kerry and President Barack Obama himself. Officially, US diplomats are concerned about governance standards at the new institutions. There are fears about the large share of the voting rights that will go to China and the willingness of the new institutions to lend for projects that do not meet the social and environmental criteria currently employed by multilateral development banks. There is nothing new in the idea that countries seek to turn financial capital into political power Under intense pressure from the US, the World Bank and Asian Development Bank will no longer finance coal-fired power stations due to concerns about climate change. But many countries, including India, have indicated they intend to continue building coal-fired plants to bring electricity to millions of homes that are currently without secure and affordable access to modern energy. US officials fear the new Chineseled institutions will lend to projects that are unable to secure financing from other multilateral institutions, rendering the conditionality ineffective. But there is a deeper, unspoken fear that the new institutions will be used to enhance China’s leadership at the expense of the US and its traditional allies in Asia including Japan, South Korea and Australia. In the run-up to the Apec summit, US diplomats have sought to keep the focus on the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a proposed US-led regional trade deal, rather than the broader Free Trade Area of the Asia Pacific, promoted by China. It is part of a mounting economic, political and military competition between the US and China across the region. Asia-Pacific is not the only area where the post-war economic and financial leadership of the US and its network of allies is being challenged. The US pivot to Asia is being matched by a similar move on the part of Russia, which has sought to reduce its dependence on the US and Europe by upgrading its economic ties with China. In the past six months, Russia has signed two major deals to supply natural gas to China, which has become Russia’s most important trading partner. In July 2014, China, Russia, India and Brazil reached agreement on a $100bn New Development Bank to be headquartered in Shanghai. China and Russia have also been busy promoting economic and military ties across Central Asia through the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. The major financial and economic institutions, which experts sometimes call the “international financial architecture”, no longer correspond to the balance of power and the shifting centre of gravity in the world economy. The International Monetary Fund, World Bank and regional development banks are all dominated by the US and its allies in terms of voting rights, capital structure, headquarters location and staffing. Efforts to reform them to give a greater role to China and the other fast-growing developing economies have largely proved unfruitful. The multilateral lending institutions are severely undercapitalised and have nowhere near enough resources to meet the enormous infrastructure needs across Asia, Africa and Latin America. The result is that many multilateral institutions appear to be outdated, too small and entrenched in colonialist approaches to development. There is still an assumption that economies of developing countries are defined by their relationship with their more developed counterparts. But that world has vanished over the last decade. More than half the exports from developing economies were sent to other developing economies in 2013, according to the World Trade Organisation (“International Trade Statistics 2014”). Countries in Asia sent more than 60% of their exports to other nations in Asia and to Africa and the Middle East, compared with just over 15% each to North America and Europe. As the world’s greatest export powerhouse, China has accumulated vast foreign exchange reserves and is now becoming a major supplier of capital. Prior to the financial crisis, that capital was tied up passively and uselessly in US Treasury bonds. Now China wants to use its capital more productively to invest in infrastructure in its major trading partners and at the same time buy more economic and political influence. There is nothing new in the idea that countries seek to turn financial capital into political power. Britain pursued the same approach in the 19th century, and the US has done so successfully since World War Two. Market access and capital can all be traded for various forms of influence. The Marshall Plan traded US economic assistance in European reconstruction for a pro-American orientation in European foreign policy. As the balance of power within the global economy shifts, it is inevitable that the international economic architecture will have to evolve. Some Western foreign policy specialists have naively assumed that emerging markets would become integrated into existing post-war, Western-dominated structures of power and governance. But it was always at least as likely that those institutions would have to adapt and change to accommodate the rising economic and financial power of emerging markets. Just as access to American markets and capital was once a key component of US diplomacy, China is now employing its financial and trade muscle to win friends and influence. Taavi Kotka, a former IT entrepreneur who now runs the project as Estonia’s chief information officer, presents the e-residency IDs project in Tallinn. Estonia is the first country to offer digital e-residency IDs to people worldwide, a move designed to spur growth by allowing foreigners to do e-commerce in and from this small but innovative member of the European Union. Estonia aiming to be e-commerce superpower By Maris Hellrand and Mary Sibierski Tallinn/AFP T he small Baltic country of Estonia hopes digital innovation will turn it into a global superpower in e-commerce by offering foreigners e-residency IDs, and opening the door to doing business online throughout the European Union. Estonia says it is the first country to offer e-residency identification cards to people worldwide, and the novel venture dubbed “10mn Estonians” is set to take effect in December. “Estonia has reached the limit of growth that can be achieved through savings and efficiency, so in order to keep our country growing, we need to increase the client base with global companies that are connected to the Estonian economy,” says Taavi Kotka, a former IT entrepreneur now chief information officer for the EU and eurozone member state. “We can offer them a hasslefree business and administrative environment and a foothold in the EU,” he told AFP, explaining the opportunities outlined on Estonia’s e-residency website. In theory, anyone could apply for e-residency, and for the equivalent of 50 euros ($62), obtain an Estonian digital ID card providing access to a multitude of government and private sector e-services that slash the cost of doing business - without conferring citizenship rights. Arne Ansper, a cyber-security expert with the Tallinn-based Cybernetica IT company, describes the e-residency ID card as “a tool for secure and legally binding online communication with other parties”. “Estonia has reached the limit of growth that can be achieved through savings and efficiency” Entrepreneurs from China, India or Saudi Arabia could use e-residency to set up shop in Estonia and do business anywhere in the 28-nation EU via the Internet, says Kotka. All transactions can be done remotely using digital signature, he added. Although the European Union recognises digital signature, most states in the bloc currently do not have a reliable service. So far, nearly 10,000 people have expressed interest in acquiring e-residency, with roughly a third hailing from the US, followed by Finns, Russians, Britons, Canadians, Indians and Bangladeshis among others. The first IDs are expected to be issued by year’s end. Initially, around 7,600 companies with a majority share of foreign capital already operating in Estonia stand to benefit the most. These businesses generate around 60% of Estonia’s exports and 36% of employment. According to Indrek Kasela, a partner at private equity fund Amber Trust, doing business the old fashioned way does not come cheap. “Up to now this has cost our companies tens of thousands of euros a year in travel, legal fees, courier costs and time. E-residency would allow us to handle all administrative work online,” he told AFP. Digital IDs are not new to Estonia. Many of the 1.3mn Estonians have embraced using a digital ID for a wide range of government services since 2002. Around 95% of Estonians file their taxes online and the digital signature facility has been used more than 180mn times to endorse everything from bank transactions to contracts. Estonians can also vote online or start up a company with a few mouse clicks and keystrokes within the space of an hour. A range of features has been put in place to ensure security and transparency, including hard-to-crack 2048-bit encryption and so-called X-road-enabled systems requiring two PINs to complete a transaction. Estonian officials maintain that so far, the system has not been hacked or abused. To apply for e-residency, an individual needs to explain their connection to Estonia or substantiate their interest in using its digital services. Initially an applicant must come to Estonia in person to provide biometric data like fingerprints to the police and border guards, but plans call for embassies to process applications possibly next year. Interior ministry spokesman Mihkel Loide admitted that while “e-residency itself will not create new risks but may, indeed, amplify the existing ones, such as digital fraud and other cyber-crimes”. “The Estonian government is assuming the responsibility to correctly identify people, so we can assume that if there is any doubt, the government will refuse to issue the card,” cyber-security expert Ansper told AFP. Officials insist any abuse of e-residency IDs will be nipped in the bud with a revocation notice that is just a mouse click away. 30 Gulf Times Tuesday, November 11, 2014 QATAR Speaker, Italian leader hold talks Defence minister meets US commander The Speaker of Advisory Council HE Mohamed bin Mubarak al-Khulaifi met yesterday with Giovanni Ardizzone, president of Sicilian Regional Assembly, Italy. They discussed bilateral relations in parliamentary fields and the means to enhance them. Secretary-General of the Advisory Council Fahad bin Mubarak al-Khayareen attended the meeting. HE Minister of State for Defence Affairs Major General Hamad bin ali-Al Attiyah met with Commander of US Special Operations Command Central Maj Gen Michael Nagata in Doha yesterday. During the meeting they exchanged views on matters of common concern and discussed issues related to the current situations and the joint military co-operation. The meeting was attended by US ambassador to Qatar Dana Shell Smith and a number of ranking armed forces officers. 400 experts to attend public transport meet Q atar’s public transport sector stands to gain substantially from the deliberations and exhibition of equipment to be held as part of the UITP Large Events Summit and Taxi Conference at the Qatar National Convention Centre from November 25. Nasser al-Khanji, executive director, Mowasalat and chairman of summit’s organising committee, said in a statement yesterday that the participation of more than 400 delegates and 50 exhibitors from across the world would help in understanding the genuine needs and requirements of the local public transport sector. The event also expects the participation of about 30 ministers from participating nations. Nearly 60 experts will make presentations. Khalid Kafoud, corporate communications manager, Mowasalat, said Qatar Rail and Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy will be event’s partners and while Mowasalat and Qatar Rail officials at the announcement on UITP Summit yesterday. PICTURE: Jayan Orma China’s Higer will be overseas strategic sponsor. He said: “The UITP (International Union of Public Transport) is a globally acclaimed platform working for the development of public transport and sustainable mobility and the forum is also involved in the industry as a large promoter of innovations.” The three-day meeting offers enormous exposure, prestige and legitimacy for the country to emerge as a vibrant economy with improved quality of life and economic well-being duly supported by a superior public transport system and public mobility of international standards, he added. Kafoud said Mowasalat is working round the clock to improve the residents’ access to public transport through the introduction of reforms. This year’s summit, he said, will focus on the safety and security aspect for larger events transportation. “The meeting also aims to attract and enhance investments for putting in place efficient and effective public transport system in place long before the country hosts such mega events as the 2022 FIFA World Cup.” Hassan al-Marwani, director, Qatar Rail, said the rail company is counting on events such as the UITP Summit to highlight the latest global developments in the transport sector. Al-Marwani, an engineer, hoped the event would bring together many stakeholders from different countries who are capable of exchanging expertise. The Qatar Rail official said the main motivation behind the company’s projects is to serve all those who live in Qatar even while the company hopes to serve large spectator groups arriving for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The conclave is held under the patronage of the Prime Minister and Interior Minister of Qatar HE Sheikh Abdulla bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani. The event is held under the guidance of the Minister of Transport HE Jassim Seif Ahmed al-Sulaiti, who is also vice-president of the UITP Mena region. Surveillance under way for respiratory diseases T he Public Health Department (PHD) has enhanced the alertness for winter season when respiratory diseases usually escalate as surveillance of acute respiratory conditions and influenza-like illnesses continues. Additionally, monitoring of persons arriving from Ebola-affected regions has not revealed any confirmed case of Ebola in Qatar so far. The Supreme Council of Health (SCH) has also notified that the seasonal flu vaccine is readily available at the Primary Healthcare Centres for all public and in particular for those at greater risk of severe respiratory illnesses: persons with chronic morbidities like diabetes mellitus, heart diseases, renal diseases, or low immunity, in addition to the elderly. Further, several training activities are under way to maintain the national alertness and reinforce capacities of leaders and healthcare staff of the institutions involved in early preparedness and response. Surveillance reports, however, did not register any new confirmed case with Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Corona Virus (MERS-CoV), apart from the two Qatari cases reported in last October, where one case has completely recovered, while the other is still kept under intensified medical care due to his critical condition. Both cases have tested negative for the serological investigation during the first week of supportive treatment and isolation, as monitoring of potential contacts of the two patients was actively implemented and recommendations of preventive practices were communicated with the close contacts at the community level as well as the healthcare institutions. The health protection and communicable diseases control department early preparedness and response package includes surveillance coupled with monitoring of suspected cases and contacts, laboratory confirmation, case management and isolation of infected cases with ensuring availability of supportive medications and seasonal flu vaccine, infection prevention and control measures, in addition to health education for vulnerable population groups. C-Ring Road stretch opens QRC launches �warm winter’ campaign T T he Public Works Authority (Ashghal) yesterday opened a portion of C-Ring Road to traffic, extending from the Jabor bin Ahmed intersection (Ramada junction) to the Al Kinana intersection. Fully operational to traffic, this stretch of C-Ring Road has been widened from three lanes to four in each direction as part of phase four of the C-Ring Road development project, so as to improve traffic flow and reduce congestion in the area. Ashghal is currently working on phase four of the CRing Road project, which is expected to be completed by the end of the year. As part of this phase, works are taking place in both directions of Salwa Road starting from right after the Al Asiri intersection towards the Jabor bin Ahmed intersection and The Centre roundabout, which will be converted to a signal-controlled intersection. This stretch of C-Ring Road has been widened from three lanes to four in each direction. This phase also includes works on C-Ring Road starting from the Ramada junction until mid-way before the Rawdat alKhail intersection. Ashghal is working round the clock to expedite the implementation of this phase of the C-Ring Road project. Works are taking place seven days a week, with the same number of labourers working during the day and night in order to complete the work by the end of December as scheduled, while all four phases of the C-Ring Road project will be completed in Q2, 2015. he Qatar Red Crescent (QRC) yesterday launched �warm winter 2014-2015’ campaign, a seasonal programme organised for eighth consecutive years to distribute winter assistance to the poorest families in needy countries. This year’s campaign will target needy families in Syria and Palestine and refugee camps in Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey and north Iraq, in addition to Afghanistan and Kashmir, which were hit by floods and landslides. The assistance will be provided in the form of blankets, winter garments and other necessities such as heaters. Issa Mohamed al-Ishaq, head of investment at QRC, said that the targeted aid to be distributed during the campaign would include 10,000 blankets, 5,000 blazers for school- Rashid al-Mohannadi, Ahmed al-Khulaifi, Saad al-Kaabi, Issa al-Ishaq and Nayef al-Mohannadi at the QRC press briefing yesterday. children, 10,000 mattresses, 10,000 pillows, 10,000 heaters, 500 gifts for the elderly (mattress, pillow and blanket) and heating oil for 2,000 families (100 litres per family). “The aid amounts to around QR5mn. This is an initial estimation and could be increased if actual circumstances dictate so. We also hope to receive more donations for the designated purpose,” al-Ishaq added. Saad bin Shahin al-Kaabi, director, resources development department, QRC, said previous campaigns were highly successful Vodafone hosts CSR and sustainability experts Link road to be closed for work V A s part of the North Road enhancement project, the Public Works Authority (Ashghal) will close a road that connects Al Shamal Road with Al Torfa Road (see map). The closure will start on November 14 and last for eight months. During this period, users of Al Shamal Road in both directions heading towards the Al Duhail area can use Al Duhail Road or Al Ebb Street as alternative roads. The diversion is being implemented to facilitate completion of the construction of new service roads and Al Duhail interchange as part of the North Road enhancement project. odafone Qatar recently hosted a group of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and sustainability experts to discuss trends, best practices and case studies in the field and shed light on the growing role of sustainability within an organisation’s business model and strategy. The roundtable, coinciding with World CSR Day 2014, is one in a series of events Vodafone is planning to organise as part of its ongoing CSR Majlis programme, which aims to provide an open platform that facilitates dialogue and knowledge-sharing between peers representing both the public and private sectors. Vodafone named Ernst & Young as knowledge partner for the event. Dinesh Aggarwal, senior manager, Ernst & Young, Clean Energy & Sustainability Services, gave a presentation on the role of CSR and sustainability and the growing impact of the latter on the way businesses are done. He also shared a few live cases to emphasise that sustainability is pivotal to the survival of a business today. He said: “While the Qatar government is doing its bit by initiating programmes like SDIR, Tarsheed, Estedama to promulgate the culture of sustainability, it is for the organisations to recognise and endorse and not only enrich its business DNA but contribute towards a sustainable national economy.” Estedama-Qatar National Project for Sustainable Development was also part of Vodafone’s CSR Majlis. Estedama is a platform that helps develop sustainable social and economic growth by raising awareness about environmental issues and empower people to act in their society. Attendees joined Vodafone and Ernst & Young in a debate on how CSR and sustainability should be deeply engrained within a company’s business strategy instead of being considered as a cosmetic and publicity element. Some of them showcased examples of how both practices have developed within their organisations to become an integral factor of success. in easing the suffering of needy and vulnerable people in areas of conflict and natural disasters in different parts of the world. He also expressed confidence that the people of Qatar would be generous with their donations in supporting this initiative. Dana Haidan, head, CSR, Vodafone Dana Haidan, head, CSR and sustainability at Vodafone Qatar, said: “As a global company with very local roots, corporate social responsibility ranks high on our agenda and our aim is to continue to make a real contribution to society.” “Vodafone Qatar firmly believes that CSR should stretch well beyond mere charitable activities to encompass our integrity in everything we do and to ensure that the initiatives we spearhead are of true and genuine value to the larger National Vision of 2030,” she added. Vodafone will hold the CSR Majlis, with different themes, on a quarterly basis. Gulf Times Tuesday, November 11, 2014 31 QATAR Representatives from AoD partners at the announcement yesterday. PICTURE: Najeer Feroke Action on Diabetes unveils new initiatives By Joseph Varghese Staff Reporter A ction on Diabetes (AoD), a joint venture of Qatar’s largest public and private organisations, yesterday unveiled a number of initiatives to fight the disease. AoD partners, including the Supreme Council for Health (SCH), the Hamad Medical Corporation, the Qatar Diabetes Association, the Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC), Maersk Oil Qatar and Novo Nordisk, provided the details of the activities so far and the future plans while celebrating three years of AoD’s success. According to the Qatar STEPwise report in 2012, 16.7% of Qataris are estimated to be diabetic while the International Diabetes Federation predicts that 25% of all Qataris will have diabetes by 2030 if the diabetes challenge is not addressed and lifestyles not modified. Sheikh Dr Mohamed bin Hamad al-Thani, director of Public Health, SCH said: “Diabetes is one of Qatar’s greatest health challenges but Action on Diabetes’ work since 2011 illustrates what can be achieved when we all work together for the good of everyone in Qatar. The SCH is proud to confirm our continued com- HMC boosts awareness activities Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) will host a series of events during the month to increase awareness of diabetes risk factors, symptoms and prevention in recognition of World Diabetes Day held on November 14 every year. “Through HMC’s public awareness campaign, and the events we are holding in association with World Diabetes Day, we aim to increase public awareness of diabetes risk factors, symptoms and prevention. Our fundamental goal is helping the public identify their risks and encouraging the adoption of a healthy lifestyle,” said Dr Mahmoud Zirie, senior consultant and head of HMC’s Endocrinology, Diabetes Division. mitment as a strategic partner in helping AoD encourage behaviour change in 2015 and beyond,” To mark World Diabetes Day on November 14, AoD will host its fourth annual Diabetes Screening Awareness Village at Katara this Friday and Saturday. The AoD Screening Bus will be staffed by professional diabetes educators and separate tents will educate visitors about the importance of a healthy diet and exercise. Maersk Oil Qatar, a strategic partner of AoD will jointly host the annual Maersk Oil Qatar and Qa- Dr Mahmoud Zirie He added that exercise and diet are important elements in managing the disease, as well as preventing or delaying the onset of diabetes. As part of its World Diabetes Day celebrations, HMC is holding a number of public screenings. tar Petroleum (MOQP) Challenge this weekend at Fuwerit, where 30 corporate teams will compete. All funds from registration fees will once again go towards funding the Al Bawasil childrens’ camp for those with diabetes. Over the past three years, Action on Diabetes has screened 22,000 people for the condition, with the help of partners; engaged with thousands of people through awareness campaigns and supported five courses to further educate doctors, nurses and diabetes educators about the These started on November 2 and will last throughout the month. On Thursday, HMC will participate in a three-day exhibition at Katara Village with Action on Diabetes. HMC will also host a series of information sessions at local elementary and secondary schools where nurses and cafeteria supervisory staff will be taught how to manage diabetes in the school environment. HMC will also host public screenings at local malls every Friday and Saturday during the month of November. An exhibition is also planned for November 20-21 at Sealine Beach Resort in Mesaieed. Other planned events include a symposium for clinicians as well latest techniques in treatment and support. Dr Mohsin Mismar, manager of the Adult Health Division at the PHCC said: “I am pleased to reaffirm our commitment to Action on Diabetes and we look forward to seeing hundreds of people visit this year’s Diabetes Village at Katara. Diabetes awareness has come a long way in Qatar over the past three years, and continuing our partnership was an easy decision for us.” He continued that a pilot programme of setting up a diabe- as education and screening events at both Al Wakrah and Al Khor Hospitals.. Earlier this year, HMC launched an awareness campaign designed to increase public understanding of diabetes and to empower residents to take control over their health. Running in three phases, the campaign focused on risk factors in the first phase and is currently shedding light on diabetes symptoms. The third phase of the campaign which will start in February 2015, will focus on healthy living and prevention. The campaign will provide strategies to manage and prevent diabetes and other lifestyle-related conditions. tes registry is going on in some health centres under PHCC and the project will be implemented at other health centres soon. Ahmed Saeed al- Kuwari, technical liaison manager, Maersk Oil Qatar, said: “Maersk Oil Qatar is focused on supporting social investment programmes that make a meaningful difference to the lives of people living in Qatar. There is no better example of this than Action on Diabetes, which seeks to address one of Qatar’s greatest health challenges.” Al Furjan outlets now open for business T he Ministry of Economy and Commerce (MEC) has started delivering completed shops at the Al Furjan (neighbourhood) Markets to winning applicants. The winners were selected through a draw and the lease contracts would be managed through Ezdan Real Estate and Waseef. The tenants are expected to start operations at their newly-delivered shops as soon as possible. Expressing happiness at signing the delivery contract, Qatari shopowners have stressed that such an initiative will serve the interests of different neighbourhoods’ inhabitants and also boost the local economy. “I got a shop at Rawdat Al Hamam and would immediately start preparing it to operate as a supermarket. This is a much-needed business in the neighbourhood and we expect to have a good turnout of customers. The MEC should expand the project and include more areas; as a start, though, it is really laudable,” said Mubarak al-Qahtani, one of the new shopowners. Ahlam al-Ubaidli, a Qatari woman who rented one of the shops, lauded the idea behind the Al Furjan Markets. Such shops earlier existed in many neighbourhoods but they almost disappeared in the massive urban development in recent years. “Reproducing the Al Furjan Markets has become an urgent need that will ease the lives of many people and cater to their demands. Besides, the comparatively low rents of these outlets would greatly help young people commence their own business, which would reflect positively on the economy of the country,” she pointed out. Hamad Abdulla, who will start a laundry, said he has already started preparing and occupying the place and it will be ready to receive customers soon. Other shopowners expressed similar opinions, but also wished that the MEC study the idea of adding shops providing other kinds of goods and services, such as mobile stores and car mechanics. The Al Furjan project includes 44 markets across various neighbourhoods in the Doha, Al Rayyan and Al Daayen municipalities. These comprise some 645 shops with a monthly rent of QR6,000 each. In all, 2,593 Qataris had applied for shops and the draw winners were announced by the ministry in June. Besides the shops, which are planned to provide daily services to neighbourhoods such as grocery, barbershops and laundry, a selection of banks would be allowed to instal ATMs there. The project is a joint initiative of various entities to curb “unreasonable” hike in the rents of commercial outlets and accordingly control the prices of consumer goods and services. Participants in the project include the MEC, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Municipality and Urban Planning, Qatar Chamber and Qatar Development Bank. Pan-Arab science contest encourages new talent A total of 58 science projects created by more than 100 Grade nine to 12 students from nine countries across the Middle East and North Africa have been installed at the Qatar National Convention Centre as official entries for the 5th Intel Science Competition Arab World 2014. The projects were entered into six categories: energy and transportation; engineering; mathematical and computer sciences; chemistry and biochemistry; health sciences; and social sciences. A grand award will be given to the overall winning project at a closing ceremony. The students have qualified for the pan-Arab science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) competition by winning their home country’s science competitive heats. “The Intel Science Competition Arab World is more than a competition; it is a valuable educational programme encouraging continued learning and the pursuit of scientific knowledge,” said Dr Ayman Bassil, head of Research Training at Qatar Foundation (QF) Research and Development. QF welcomes some of the brightest young scientific minds to the competition. It hopes to inspire many students towards promising careers in science and later contribute to supporting knowledge-based economies in their home countries. In a press statement, Bassil said QF plays a crucial role in contributing to human development locally, regionally, and internationally. “This competition is firmly in line with this role.” The Intel Science Competition Arab World aims to empower Arab students with skills and greater proficiency in STEM subjects. It also aims to raise confidence and experience in these subjects in the Arabic language. The international contest also encourages cultural exchange and social interaction. Visiting students had the opportunity to become acquainted with Qatari culture during a visit to Katara – the Cultural Village. Fawziya Abdulaziz al-Khater, director of Education Institute, Supreme Education Council, reiterated the importance of STEM saying it equip students with the skills needed to contribute towards an Arab future based on knowledge, innovation and scientific research. Intel Corporation (Ltd.), the research and development division of QF for education, science and community development, and Qatar’s Supreme Education Government and QF officials at the opening of the 5th Intel Science Competition Arab World 2014 in Doha on Sunday. Council have jointly organised the three-day competition. Hosted in Qatar for the first time, the event provides students with the opportunity to compete on an international stage, according to QF. The opening was attended by Dr Wyatt Hume, executive director of Education, Training and Development at QF; Taha Kha- lifa, Intel general manager for the MENA region; and Rabea Mohammed al-Kaabi, Undersecretary of Qatar’s Ministry of Education and Higher Education. “With sufficient training, these students will have the opportunity to contribute positively to the development of society and the growth of the economy,” Khalifa said. Dr Hume speaks to the participants and guests. 32 Gulf Times Tuesday, November 11, 2014 QATAR Stage set for international boat show T he second Qatar International Boat Show (QIBS), which begins today at Mourjan Marinas in Lusail City, has attracted several exhibitors, mainly owners of luxury yachts, cruises and dhows, along with a number of industry professionals. The show will be formally opened this afternoon by HE the Minister of Economy and Commerce Sheikh Ahmed bin Jassim bin Mohamed al-Thani. Among the local boats berthed for the expo are an unnamed luxury dhow belonging to a Qatari enthusiast, yachts such as Gulf Craft Majesty 101 (31m in length), Amer Yachts 92 (28m), Behnemar 90 (27.5m), Al Omar Marine 88 (27m) and Gulf Craft 88 (27m). The luxury dhow, sold to an unspecified buyer, was built in Qatar by Al Mannai Marine at the Al Khor shipyard. Al Mannai Marine has since moved its manufacturing to the Al Ruwais ship- yard as it has a larger capacity. The 150-tonne dhow is 30m in length and incorporates the latest advancements in technology while maintaining the traditional look of a Qatari dhow. As such, it is the first of its kind in a luxury dhow category with yacht specifications. Such dhows could take anywhere between 18 months and two years to build, and at present Al Mannai Marine has six dhows in production. Its exterior is made of solid teakwood, while the interiors are designed and made in Italy. It has five bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms of Onyx and marble, and the interior fit-out cost in excess of QR2mn ($550,000). Speaking yesterday on board the newly-built yacht, Essa alMannai, chairman of SnowComms, organisers of the QIBS, and founder of Al Mannai Marine, introduced the dhow and its special features. Essa al-Mannai speaking yesterday aboard a new luxury yacht at Lusail Marina. “The Qatar International Boat Show is not just a boat show held in the country but is an event of international importance,” he said. “It showcases modern Qatar and its ambitions, and QIBS has been supported by the Qatari government as well as blue-chip Qatari corporate brands to stage a truly world-class event. This dhow from Al Mannai Marine showcases the very best of Qatar’s maritime capabilities.” In total, there will be over 75 boats on display, with brands as celebrated as Azimut, Sea Ray, Princess, Ferreti, Riva, Gulf Craft, Sunseeker, Prestige, Itama, Al Shaali Marine, San Lorenzo, Benetti, Sunreef, Esen Yachts, Ares, Lagoon, Amer Yachts, Cranchi, Everglades and more. Other acclaimed exhibitors include Lurssen and Blohm + Voss – the two largest shipbuilders in the world, Palmer Johnson, Tan Services, Al Badi, Alfardan, Al Omar Marine, Art Marine, Concept Marine, Cranchi, Gulf Craft, Gulf Yachts, Kaldari Marine, Lingawi, QMSF, Royal Marine, Seas & Deserts, Shrao, Speed Marine, Sunseeker, YCO and many more. Also on the schedule of many visitors will be a tour of the Nakilat (NDSQ) shipyard, situated in Ras Laffan, tomorrow. The shipyard covers a total area of 58,000sqm and includes a massive ship construction hall (270m long x 65m wide x 45m high), which is capable of simultaneously accommodating four vessels completely under a shelter. The visit will showcase the massive potential that Qatar has among international shipyards, together with Qatar’s vision in the maritime industry. Faysal Mikati, vice-president of QIBS, said: “The five-day expo is being increasingly recognised around the world as a major shop window for boats and services in the maritime industry, especially in the Gulf region. We have no doubt that the show will be even more successful than that of last year, and we look forward to welcoming everyone to witness firsthand the special role that Qatar has carved out for itself in the international boat show circuit.” Exhibition to highlight QRC participates in workshop to improve livelihoods in Mena region Qatari artist’s works Q A new exhibition from one of Qatar’s best-known artists is opening at the Qatar Museums Gallery, Building 10 in Katara, today. As a pioneer of Qatar’s modern art movement, Yousef Ahmad’s artistic journey has spanned more than three decades and his work has been influenced by his surroundings and emotional ties with Qatar’s culture and traditions. The “Yousef Ahmad: Story of ingenuity” exhibition highlights the Qatari artist’s body of work through a selection of his most striking artworks from his early career in the 1970s until today. It showcases three phases in Ahmad’s artistic development, from the early oil paintings that include the historic depiction of Al Zubarah Fort, to his mixed media calligraphic pieces and then through to his new conceptual artworks presenting his ability in developing an innovative artistic style. Ahmad’s exhibition marks the highpoint of Qatari artistic talent included in a number of dynamic and exciting exhibitions that have opened in venues Yousef Ahmad with one of his works. across Doha. These include exhibitions and events at Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art and the Museum of Islamic Art in an ongoing celebration of art, creativity and heritage. Ahmad is renowned for his distinct and flexible style and his mastery of different media – from charcoal to calligraphy and oil painting earlier in his career. Thousands of visitors to Katara will now have the opportunity to see artworks that have been exhibited around the world, including the US, Europe and the Middle East. His strong affection for Qatar is evident both in the inspiration he draws from the country in his work but also the me- dia and materials he uses. His work celebrates the gentle quietness of Qatar’s sea, the flat expanses of its desert and the serene openness of the sky. His connection is strengthened by his use of materials, including local palm trees from which he produces handmade paper and in using desert pigments from the ground and earth of Qatar to create earthy and rustic effects. Describing the exhibition, Ahmad said: “As a local artist who has had the privilege to train abroad, I find so much in our environment that excites and inspires me.” The exhibition will be on display until February 14, 2015. atar Red Crescent (QRC) has participated in a four-day regional workshop to examine ways of improving livelihoods in the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region. The workshop was held by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent (IFRC) at the International Humanitarian City in Dubai under the title, “Introduction to Livelihood”. The attendees included representatives of eight Arab national societies from Qatar, Palestine, Syria, Jordan, Iraq, Yemen, Lebanon and Morocco. Delivered by instructors from IFRC and the British Red Cross, the workshop covered topics such as “What are livelihoods?”, “How do disasters and conflicts affect livelihoods?”, “People’s coping strategies”, “Different types of livelihood assistance”, “What is involved in livelihood assessment and analysis?”, “How to target effectively?”, “Job creation and small entrepreneur interventions”, “Promoting durable solutions through socioeconomic empowerment and microfinance interventions” and “Enhancing the capacity of communities to generate income”. Workshop participants at the International Humanitarian City. The workshop’s agenda included group exercises to exchange ideas, contemplate approaches to the issues at hand and share the outcomes with other trainees. The purpose of the workshop was to promote a better understanding of livelihoods among relief workers, identify opportunities to establish income-generating projects, raise awareness of how to integrate livelihood, food security, nutrition and gender programmes through discussions backed by examples and evidence, and explore possible options to support liveli- hood projects across the region. On the sidelines of the event, the participants made a field visit to IFRC premises and warehouses in the International Humanitarian City to take a look at relief items, the process of vehicle preparation and despatch of humanitarian assistance to disaster-hit regions. Ajyal Youth Film Festival to celebrate homegrown talent with 20 Made in Qatar films T he second Ajyal Youth Film Festival, presented by Doha Film Institute (DFI), will shine the spotlight on a selection of locally produced films in the Made in Qatar section. A showcase of 20 films made by Qataris and other Qatar residents, including independent Qatari productions as well as winners of the institute’s filmmaking challenges, will be screened on December 4 and 5 at Katara – the Cultural Village. Fatma al-Remaihi, acting chief executive officer of DFI and director of Ajyal Youth Film Festival, said: “Our Made in Qatar programme is a highlight of the festival as it underlines our mandate of supporting a homegrown film culture here in Qatar. Made in Qatar 1 will showcase several short films made as part of a collaboration between DFI and Seha, the National Health Insurance Scheme for Qatar, through which the directors have made films about Qatar’s tradition of care. Those films will screen alongside the following independent projects: 10%, directed by Yousef Almodhadi, about a man obsessed with his mobile phone that lands him in all kinds of trouble; Amreeka Laa by Hind al-Ansari, which narrates the story of Yousif, who wants to go to university in New York City while his father is vehemently opposed to the idea; The Big A scene from Amreeka Laa by Hind al-Ansari. A still from Qarar by Ali al-Ansari. Dream by Nadia Tabib, about a 10-year-old Algerian boy born in Qatar who hopes to become a champion swimmer; He Will Steal It by Abdulaziz al-Saadi, on the temptation and moral dilemma of a boy who spots a driver leave his mobile phone in the car without locking it; New Day by Ali Ali, which depicts an ill woman who prays for assistance until one day she receives news that changes her life; Qarar by Ali al-Ansari, a suspenseful tale of a young married couple trying to survive an epidemic that has turned people into zombies; and T Boy by Maryam al-Sahli, a film that sheds light on immigrant workers through the life of an IT professional who ends up in a job making tea. The Made in Qatar 2 pro- gramme includes seven independent productions. These are After My Death, directed by Mohamed al-Hamadi, wherein the soul of a recently deceased young woman is in for some bitter surprises as she pays a visit to her mother, her husband and her girlfriends; Coucou by Meriem Mesraoua, which captures the distorted reality of a senile mind through the life of 80-year-old Samira. Her fragile mental state shatters when an upstairs neighbour’s laundry lands on her balcony; Hind’s Dream by Suzannah Mirghani, about a young Bedouin woman who spends weeks alone when her husband is away. Their tent is her world yet her dreams travel afar; Kings and Queens of Qatar by Shamir Allibhai focuses on Qatar’s women’s chess team, the nation’s first generation of female players at the 40th World Chess Olympiad held in Istanbul; Lumiere by Aisha Abduljawad, an abstract symphony of images that plays on the stark contrast between light and shadow, open and closed spaces and urban and natural landscapes; Public Phone by Ethar Ahmed Hassaan and Leena al-Musalmani, where four people from different backgrounds make calls to all corners of the world and show they are all united in their human struggles; and Temsah by Latifa alDarwish, on the life of Abdulaziz as he prepares to visit Dubai’s comic convention hoping to find a publisher for Skanwah, the first comic book from Qatar. Made in Qatar 2 also includes dRain by Papanapattu Ganesh. six winners of the Tarsheed Short Filmmaking Competition organised in collaboration with Kahramaa in celebration of Earth Day 2014 to raise awareness about water and electricity conservation. These are 7amood Kahraba by Mohamed Abdulla Shaheen on 7amood’s obsession with electricity, using as much as he can, going off the hook when he goes one step too far; dRain by Papanapattu Ganesh, a video that shows conserving water is almost as easy as wasting it and the results are a whole lot tastier; Monsters directed by Nesma Sherif and Islam Sherif, which puts forth the message that saving water and conserving energy are as easy as flipping a switch but some people seem to need more encouragement than others; Reasons Why You Need to Conserve Water and Electricity by Tala Abu Samaan, which dispenses information on water and electricity consumption and provides practical tips to save energy and reduce harm to earth; Secure the Future by Hadi al-Marzouki, an animated short film that forces viewers to consider important issues like wasting water without using a single word; and Takrir by Ghassan Kairouz, in which a Korean refrigerator, a German toilet, a French washing machine and a Chinese lamp teach a lesson on water and electricity consumption. Made in Qatar 1 will screen on December 4, at 7pm, at the Katara Drama Theatre and Made in Qatar 2 on December 5, 5.45pm, at the Katara Opera House. Both screenings are free of charge but ticket reservations are required to secure a place. The full programme will be announced tomorrow and tickets go on sale on November 18. For more information, visit www.dohafilminstitute.com/ filmfestival MANSION TAX | Page 2 GAS TIES | Page 15 London prime property still a good bet Russia and China add to $400bn deal Tuesday, November 11, 2014 Moharram 18, 1436 AH DRIVE FOR EXCELLENCE: Page 16 GULF TIMES RasGas gets British Standards Institution recertification after a rigorous audit BUSINESS Delayed Shariah body key to Dubai hub ambitions Bloomberg Dubai Board members of Entrepreneurs Organisation Qatar at their recent meeting in Doha. EO has announced new plans to support the government’s diversification goals and growth target through boosting SMEs and new business ventures. EO Qatar looks to support economic goals of govt T he Qatar Chapter of Entrepreneurs Organisation (EO) has announced new plans to support the government’s economic goals for diversification and growth through SMEs and new business ventures. The 2014-15 plan was approved at a board meeting at the Qatari Businessmen Association office at West Bay. The process began two months ago with a �strategy summit’ and focuses on three key priorities for the year. These priorities will be implemented in a new yearly plan to engage a greater number of Qatari entrepreneurs, provide them with more learning opportunities, and increase collaboration with and support to government organisations such as Qatar Development Bank, Qatar Business Incubation Centre, Social Development Centre and Enterprise Qatar. Patrick Forbes, president of Entrepre- neurs Organisation Qatar, said EO would do this by playing a unique role in Qatar and draw on its members and their experiences to support small businesses and entrepreneurs. “EO is the catalyst that enables entrepreneurs to learn and grow from each other, leading to greater business success and an enriched personal life. We are focused on peer-to-peer learning and support, which is something no other organisation can provide. The government has set objectives for SME growth, and our members are fully committed to playing a positive role and helping other entrepreneurs to succeed”, he said. Efforts to engage a greater number of Qatari and expat entrepreneurs have resulted in strong membership growth, with an increase of 65% since June 2014. EO Qatar vice-president Abdulsalam Abu Isa said the high calibre of members has been a key reason for new applications. Kuwait mulls spending cuts as oil revenues fall The chapter has created a busy calendar of learning events, led by learning chair Khalifa al-Haroon, giving members access to two events a month in addition to social meetings. EO members will be taking part in various activities organised by the Global Entrepreneurship Week, which will be held in mid-November. A �CEO lunch’ series has started with an �inspirational talk’ by Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdullah al-Thani that drew on his expertise as an advisory board member for the London Business School. The �Evening Workshop’ series has drawn talks by industry leaders such as Prof Amy Sanders of Northwestern University in Qatar, who gave a presentation on the tools and thinking needed to create a strategic social media plan. The events were widely attended by members of EO Qatar and figures from the local entrepreneurship ecosystem. EO Qatar is the country chapter of EO �Qatar, UAE least vulnerable to oil fall’ Q AFP Kuwait City Oil-rich Kuwait yesterday ordered cabinet ministers to “rationalise spending” after considering measures to counter the sharp decline in oil prices, an official statement said. “The government asked ministers to control expenditure and rationalise spending in such a way to serve citizens and achieve the country’s higher interests,” said a statement following the weekly cabinet meeting. The statement said the cabinet had studied proposals presented by the finance ministry about the slide in oil prices and “emphasised it will continue with capital spending and projects under the development plan”. Oil income makes up around 94% of public revenues in the emirate which pumps around 3.0mn bpd. Oil prices have lost around 30% of their value since June, amid a surplus in supplies and a weak global economy, hitting the state coffers of energy-dependent countries like Kuwait. The head of parliament’s budget committee, lawmaker Adnan Abdulsamad, has said if oil prices continue at the current level, the budget surplus would shrink to just $3.1bn from $45bn last year. The emirate has decided to end subsidies on diesel, kerosene and aviation fuel as a first step in revising heavily-subsidised electricity, water and petrol. Local media said Kuwait’s fiscal reserves grew to $548bn as of June 30. Kuwait has a native population of 1.25mn and is also home to about 2.8mn foreigners. Global, a dynamic network of more than 10,000 business owners in 46 countries with an average annual sales of $27mn. Members of EO Qatar are all self-made entrepreneurs and own successful businesses that meet global minimum revenue requirements. The organisation’s membership is a diverse mix of Qataris and expatriates from Europe, the Middle East, North America and Asia. The EO Qatar Chapter was established in 2009 and currently has more than 20 members who employ nearly 3,000 staff. Members of EO Qatar are involved in various sectors including public relations, legal services, hospitality, wireless communications, multi-media, on-line services, business process optimisation, publishing, consumer product manufacturing, retail, green technologies and renewable energy. EO Qatar is established as a branch of the Qatar Businessmen Association. If Dubai is serious about becoming a hub for the global Islamic economy, it may need to put its centralised Shariah board in place. A year after the emirate set out plans to be an Islamic economic hub; it is seven months behind schedule in setting up a body that Moody’s Investors Service said would help spur the emirate’s sukuk market. Dubai is still deliberating with the federal government to establish the board, according to Abdulla Mohammad al-Awar, chief executive officer of the Dubai Islamic Economy Development Centre. “Today the initiative is not at a stage that it could be launched,” al-Awar said in an interview in Dubai on October 29. “We are in discussion with the federal authorities, such as the central bank, to make sure they’re involved in the decision.” While Ernst & Young estimates that Islamic financial assets are set to almost double to $3.4tn by 2018, regulations in the industry are underdeveloped. Institutions typically turn to their own Shariah scholars to determine if products comply with Islam’s principles. A central board may help overcome differences, said Khalid Howladar, the Dubai-based global head of Islamic finance at Moody’s. Dubai, one of seven emirates that make up the UAE, planned to establish its board in the first quarter as it sought to become a global centre for Islamic finance, e- commerce, fashion and arts, education, tourism, standards and certification, and an export hub of Halal food. “A board could be helpful to have the broader UAE aligned with centralised principles,” Omar Shaikh, executive board member at the Islamic Finance Council UK, an adviser to companies and governments on Shariah finance, said by phone on November 5. “They provide a final authority which allows standardisation of interpretations and avoids scenarios of conflicting Shariah opinions creating market confusion.” Malaysia was one of the first countries to set up a Shariah authority as part of its central bank, he said. It is home to the world’s biggest sukuk market. “There would be more confidence in the Shariah policies and procedures if there was some central bank involvement,” Howladar at Moody’s said by e-mail on Wednesday. “Some of the complexity of the sukuk market issuances from the UAE could be reduced if there was more harmonisation.” The central bank didn’t respond to an e-mail and calls requesting comment last week. Even without a central board, the UAE is poised to be the world’s third-biggest issuer of Islamic bonds for a third consecutive year, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. It was the secondbiggest in 2011. Still, PricewaterhouseCoopers said in a report last month that Islamic banks are challenged by a perception among customers that they aren’t “true” to Shariah values. The UAE Federal National Council, a half-elected advisory council with some parliamentary powers, plans to push for a central Shariah board, a committee member said last week. ��Having a central Shariah board will change misconception that some people have about the conformity of Islamic banking products with Shariah,’’ Ali al-Nuaimi said by telephone November 5. ��It would help unify procedures and prevent breaches by some banks that only look for making profit.’’ Lower oil prices are likely to have a bigger impact on private players in the Middle East and North Africa’s oil and gas industry than on government-related entities atar and the UAE are the least vulnerable to the present weakening crude, even as lower oil price could slow economic growth for the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) and weaken the operating environment for the corporate and infrastructure sectors, according to global credit rating agency Standard & Poor’s (S&P). A prolonged period of lower government revenue amid GCC governments’ high infrastructure spending plans may push up sovereign and government-related entity capital market issuance and place a greater responsibility on the private sector to fund investments, it said. On average, hydrocarbon revenues constitute 46% of nominal GDP (gross domestic product) and three-quarters of total exports for the GCC. Therefore, the recent drop in hydrocarbon prices, if sustained, could have a significant impact on the region’s economic and financial indicators. “We view Bahrain and Oman as most vulnerable to a decline in the hydrocarbon market, and Qatar and the UAE as the least vulnerable. While the Gulf countries’ significant oil and gas reserves are key supports for their sovereign credit ratings, their economies’ concentration in the hydrocarbon sector is also a significant vulnerability,” it said. Expecting total credit in the GCC banking system to grow by about 10% annually in 2014 and 2015 as banks take advantage of growing economies, recovering corporate asset quality, and ample financing opportunities, it said the system’s asset base will likely climb to roughly $2tn by yearend 2015, by its estimates, up from $1.7tn as of year-end 2013. Low production costs continue to support the credit quality of GCC commodities producers, the report said, adding the recent fall in oil prices and resultant pressure on government budgets is likely to bring this issue to the fore. It may result in higher feedstock costs for commodities producers in the region over the coming years. Lower oil prices are likely to have a bigger impact on private players in the Middle East and North Africa’s oil and gas industry than on government-related entities. That said, upstream players typically operate under production-sharing agreements that cushion the impact of lower prices, and the production cost is very low. The fiscal pressures Gulf sovereigns are facing as a result of recent commodity price declines, and the consequent potential for energy subsidy reform, could pave the way for more cost-reflective tariffs in GCC markets. “If oil prices remain above $80/barrel over the next few years, as we expect, they will continue to benefit RasGas projects. This is because about 60% of liquefied natural gas sale contracts are indexed to crude oil prices,” it said. The reduction in oil prices over the past six months does not markedly dampen the success of the RasGas projects because of the compellingly low breakeven pricing for oil on these deals (in the low double digits for Brent). “We believe that GCC transportation companies may keep tapping the sukuk market to fund infrastructure development, as they have done historically through entities such as the Civil Aviation Authority,” it said. Islamic finance lends itself naturally to project finance (particularly when it is asset-backed in nature) because of the need under Shariah to have an asset linked to a transaction. Project finance sukuk are potentially attractive not just to investors in more conventional project finance instruments but also to those looking specifically at Islamic assets. The implementation of the Basel III framework for banks makes it more difficult for banks to fund long-term and large projects. Saudi Arabia has adopted new regulations for financial services firms, and “we anticipate that Kuwait and Qatar will soon introduce similar controls,” it added. 2 Gulf Times Tuesday, November 11, 2014 BUSINESS OIL FALL OFFICIAL DATA TURKISH JV CBK STATEMENT $106MN BOOST Turkish Airlines Q3 profit almost doubles Egypt consumer inflation quickens in October Oversubscribed Avivasa float valued at $746mn �Concerns over buyer cash behind bond cancellation’ Israel cabinet okays steep tax hike on mining firms Turkish Airlines’ third-quarter net profit almost doubled compared with the same period a year ago due to lower oil prices and a rise in passenger numbers. The carrier reported a net profit of 1.37bn lira ($607mn), up from 705.1mn lira a year earlier and above an average forecast of 1.16bn lira in a Reuters poll of analysts. Sales rose to 7.17bn lira in the quarter, the company said in a statement with the Istanbul stock exchange yesterday. That was a 26% rise from a year earlier, and beat the poll forecast of 6.89bn lira. In the first nine months of the year, the airline’s passenger numbers rose 14% to 41.4mn. Egypt’s annual urban consumer inflation quickened to 11.8% in October from 11.1% in September, the official statistics agency CAPMAS said, while the less volatile core measure fell. Inflation had fallen in September after a rise this summer triggered by the government’s introduction of fuel price increases. Mohamed Abu Basha of EFG-Hermes, said he had predicted a smaller increase. “It came above expectations and that’s solely due to the jump in the category of education”, he said, noting that the back-toschool period usually spurs a price hike but not the 25% registered by CAPMAS for October. British insurer Aviva and Turkey’s Sabanci Holding completed the flotation of a 19.7% stake in their Turkish joint venture pension unit Avivasa yesterday, valuing the firm at 1.68bn lira ($746mn). The company is expected to be listed as AVISA on the Istanbul stock exchange from Thursday and will trade at 47 lira per share, Aviva and brokerage Ak Yatirim, which managed the sale, said in statements. The offering was almost three times oversubscribed, with 7.04mn shares sold against demand of 19.8mn, Ak Yatirim said in a stock exchange filing. Commercial Bank of Kuwait said yesterday it cancelled its 120mn dinar ($412.7mn) capitalboosting bond last week over potential perception concerns about where some of the buyers were getting cash to participate in the issue. The lender, the Gulf state’s fifth-largest by assets, said on November 4 that despite attracting sufficient attention for the deal, unspecified “legislative and technical issues” had forced it to end the sale process. CBK said several of its customers who have ongoing credit facilities with the bank obtained external funding to subscribe to the bond. Israel’s socio-economic cabinet yesterday unanimously approved a proposal to sharply raise taxes on mining activities, saying government coffers would grow by 400mn shekels ($106mn) a year. In a final report issued last month, a government-appointed committee recommended a progressive tax of 25% after companies reach an annual return on investment of 14%, rising to 42% for a return above 20%. The plan still needs parliamentary approval. Israel currently takes in about 23% in taxation from mining companies but that would ultimately rise to between 46% and 55%. QR8.7bn London realty development seeks Qatar investment The Eaton Place, London, which has a guide price of £25mn. The high value prime markets – the top 5% to 10% of homes by value – have already been impacted by increased stamp duty, the introduction of an annual tax on enveloped dwellings (ATED) and the closure of certain tax loopholes, said Sophie Chick (right), senior research analyst at Savills. London prime property still a good bet; mansion tax could cast a cloud By Denise Marray Gulf Times Correspondent London T he latest research by global real estate firm, Savills, shows that prime London property remains an attractive proposition for those who have deep enough pockets to buy. Prices have levelled off a bit, but long-term prospects look good. There is just one potential cloud on the horizon: the much talked about mansion tax that could be introduced if the Labour party were to win the general election next year. “The UK’s prime housing market is expected to slow in the run up to next year’s election and resume steady growth thereafter, but if it were to be introduced, a mansion tax could change the outlook dramatically. Such a tax could negatively impact five year growth by an average of five percentage points,” the report said. Sophie Chick, senior research analyst at Savills, said, “Owners and buyers will be rightly factoring it into their decisions as the election approaches. It would take some time for the markets to accurately price in the impact of a mansion tax, but the threat of it has already slowed the market. If it becomes clear that a mansion tax is to be introduced after May 2015, we would expect an immediate price adjustment before the market more rationally finds its level.” Chick pointed out that the high value prime markets – the top 5% to 10% of homes by value – have already been impacted by increased stamp duty, the introduction of an annual tax on enveloped dwellings (ATED) and the closure of certain tax loopholes. The rate of price growth has, she noted, begun to slow, particularly in London. Given the uncertainties around a possible change of government next year, Savills has forecast tow scenarios: a central scenario, and a second based on its estimates of the number of properties in different price bands over £2mn and the scale of possible mansion tax charges given current Labour party proposals. The central forecast would see av- BREAKINGVIEWS Qatar SWF displays new prudence in pivot to Asia By Una Galani Hong Kong Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund is displaying new prudence in its pivot to Asia. The Qatar Investment Authority has announced it will join forces with China’s CITIC Group to invest $10bn in the country over five years. The tie-up reflects the challenges of putting large sums to work on the mainland compared with Qatar’s traditional hunting ground in Europe. Creating value will be the tricky part. The alliance with China’s top state-owned company is the latest move by the QIA fund as it ramps up its exposure to Asia. In October, Qatar bought a near-20% in the Hong Kong operator of Sogo department stores for $616mn. Earlier this year it picked up a stake in Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba and invested in new partner CITIC as the Chinese company completed a backdoor listing on the Hong Kong stock exchange. Past investments include stakes in Agricultural Bank of China (Agbank) and in privately-held CITIC Capital. Qatar’s decision to join hands with a statecontrolled partner reflects the limited opportunities big funds have to invest in China, especially those trying to write large cheques. Even buying Chinese stocks is not straightforward. After waiting two years, Qatar recently received a $4.9bn investment quota to access China’s domestic capital markets. That is still a small sum for a country that the International Monetary Fund estimates will generate a current account surplus of $57bn in 2014. While Qatar continues to make acquisitions and direct investments in the West, it appears to be taking a softer approach in Asia. That reflects a wider recalibration of Qatar’s foreign policy to a more measured style. The challenge will be to make its new partnership turn a profit. China’s state-owned entities typically lag their private sector peers when it comes to creating value. Just take Agbank. The lender’s Hong Kong-listed shares - of which Qatar owns 17% - have underperformed the benchmark Hang Seng index by 5% since Agbank listed in 2010. Though Qatar’s new approach may be more prudent, success is far from guaranteed. The author is a Reuters Breakingviews columnist. The opinions expressed are her own. erage prime UK house prices slipping -0.5% in 2015, assuming no further increases in the taxation of high value properties. Growth would be expected to resume post election, averaging 22.7% over the next five years across all prime London markets. However, a mansion tax, if implemented in the form most recently discussed, would according to their estimates, trigger average price falls of 5.0% across prime London in 2015 and 3.0% across the prime regions. In a worst case scenario, the value of prime London properties over £10mn could fall by 10% and homes worth over £3mn regionally would fall 7.0%. Homes below the mansion tax threshold would not escape its effect, but the proposed progressive structure of the tax would limit the trickledown effect, with small falls of 2.0% anticipated. By 2017, according to their analysis, the top end of the market would absorb the tax change. The £1mn to £2mn end of the market would see less of a rally, being more affected by mortgage regulation and expected interest rate rises, similarly the £2mn to 3mn market remains impacted by the top rate of stamp duty The prime market already accounts for a disproportionately high share of the total tax take, with £2mn-plus sales accounting for just 0.3% of the housing market, but generating over £1bn in stamp duty,” says Lucian Cook, head of UK residential research at Savills. Tax receipts for two central London boroughs generate £54mn more in stamp duty than the combined total for Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, the North East, North West and Yorkshire & the Humber. “We would favour a revision of the council tax system,” Cook says. “This would be more equitable, without the potential unintended consequence of punishing owners of lower value homes, or those who are equity rich but cash poor.” The latest statements of intent on the mansion tax have come from Labour, who would hope to raise £1.2bn. They favour a progressive tax, with properties valued between £2mn and £3mn paying £3,000 per year, with higher value homes contributing significantly more. Savills estimates that there are some 97,000 homes worth over £2mn in the UK, of which some 40,000 are worth between £2mn and £3mn, and a further 30,000 between £3mn to £5mn. To raise £1.2mn – and allowing for tax leakage from stamp duty and inheritance tax as values fall – the charge for homes worth between £3mn to £5mn could be in the order of £7,000 a year, rising to £125,000 for the estimated 1,500 properties worth over £20mn. Looking at the UK as a whole, the report shows that there are attractive investment opportunities beyond the somewhat saturated London market. Regionally, the recovery is yet to become fully established and the market has capacity for price growth to continue through next year, albeit averaging just 1.0%. Five year growth is forecast to average 23.9% across the UK, outperforming prime London, with prime commuter and lead city locations expected to show the strongest growth. London is seeking investments from Qatar in its real estate sector with Chestertons, an international property agency, all set to unveil QR8.7bn �Royal Wharf’ project, a series of luxury mixed-use developments by Oxley and Ballymore. The Royal Wharf - which will create a new town centre complete with 3,385 new riverside properties, providing homes for approximately 10,000 residents in London will be showcased at W Doha Hotel and Residences, West Bay from November 13 to 15. Prices for these properties start from QR1.5mn and the project is located close to the Emirates Air Line, London’s only cross-river cable car. “London, unlike any other property market is a key hub for Qatar-based property investors. It is a versatile global capital as it offers the best prospects for the investors in terms future growth,” Samuel Warren, director of international residential developments, Chesterton Humberts, said. The �Royal Wharf’ project will include two new parks and three pocket parks, a high street with nearly 5,000 sq m of shops, restaurants and significant new community infrastructure including a school. This residential centrepiece of the transformation of the Royal Docks in East London launched its second phase on October 24 this year in London. The Royal Wharf - which will create a new town centre complete with 3,385 new riverside properties in London - will be showcased at W Doha Hotel and Residences DIFC looks to double in size in a decade, says governor Reuters Dubai D ubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) is on track to double in size over the next decade with companies from China and South-east Asia set to fuel its next phase of growth, the governor of the financial free zone said yesterday. The zone’s expansion illustrates the shift away from traditional financial centres such as London and New York due to the increasing wealth of emerging market economies, and the increasing importance of the Middle East as a hub. DIFC has its own labour laws and court system separate from the wider UAE. Since opening a decade ago, it has risen to become a prominent financial hub in the Middle East, with many international banks, law and advisory firms and insurance companies using it as their regional base of operations. The Dubai International Financial Centre is seen illuminated at dusk. The DIFC’s expansion illustrates the shift away from traditional centres such as London and New York due to the increasing wealth of emerging market economies, and the increasing importance of the Middle East as a hub. “We’ve been growing very fast, in terms of the number of companies and people that are working in the DIFC, and if you extrapolate that, we’ll manage to double everything in the next 10 years,” DIFC governor Essa Kazim told reporters at a media event. “Chinese and Southeast Asian companies are showing a strong interest in the region so we are working with them to capitalise on Dubai and the DIFC as a hub for their businesses to expand. That is where I feel the growth will hap- pen.” The doubling in size would be in terms of floor space, the number of people working in the centre and the number of companies there, Kazim added. In total, around 17,000 people worked in 1,147 companies based in the area at the end of August, according to figures provided by the centre. The DIFC currently has around 15.2mn sq ft of office and other space, such as retail and hotels, and plans to add an extra 10.2mn sq ft have already been announced. DIFC Investments, the investment arm of the free zone, raised $700mn from a 10-year sukuk earlier this month that will help to fund its real estate development as well as pay off existing debt. There were no plans to sell further Islamic bonds at the present time, chief financial officer Rajesh Pareek told the event, saying the money that was raised from the sukuk was sufficient for its needs. Gulf Times Tuesday, November 11, 2014 3 BUSINESS QSE nears 13,800 on strong buy support MSCI to list GIS in its EM index Global index compiler MSCI (Morgan Stanley Composite Index) will include Gulf International Services (GIS) in its emerging market index. MSCI also increased the weights and removed the adjustment factor for three stocks in the UAE and four in Qatar, citing relaxed foreign ownership restrictions, a Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE) spokesman said. GIS is the holding company for Gulf Drilling International, Al Koot, Gulf Helicopters and Amwaj. When MSCI upgraded the UAE and Qatar to emerging market status in May, it cut the weightings of a number of companies by a factor of 0.5 because of limits on foreign ownership. Now, however, in the review that will take effect at the end of November, MSCI has removed the adjustment factor for QNB, Industries Qatar, Commercial Bank and Doha Bank. Qatar had recently eased foreign ownership limits in the listed companies, following an Emiri decree, as part of efforts to attract more foreign investments into its capital market and also to enhance liquidity. MSCI is considered one of the leading providers of international equity indices, with about $3trn of funds benchmarked against its indexes globally and some $321.9bn invested in exchange-traded funds linked to the MSCI indexes. By Santhosh V Perumal Business Reporter S trong buying – especially in the transport, telecom and consumer goods stocks – yesterday lifted the Qatar Stock Exchange to near the 13,800 level. Foreign institutions and local retail investors’ net buying led the 20-stock Qatar Index (based on price data) to gain for the third straight session by 0.7% to 13,788.4 points. Small and micro caps, particularly, kept up the bullish momentum in the market, which is up 32.84% year-to-date. The index that tracks Shariah-principled stock was seen gaining slower than the other indices in the bourse, where realty and banks together accounted for more than 56% of the total trading volume. The Total Return Index rose 0.7% to 20,565.27 points, the All Share Index by 0.71% to 3,483.74 points and the Al Rayan Islamic Index by 0.49% to 4,595.42 points. Market capitalisation gained 0.73%, or more than QR5bn, to QR744.56bn with small, micro, mid and large cap equities adding 1.37%, 1.11%, 0.88% and 0.69% respectively. Transport stock appreciated 1.99%, followed by telecom (1.56%), consumer goods (1.11%), insurance (0.84%), banks and financial services (0.78%), industrials (0.47%) and realty (0.07%). More than 73% of the stocks extended gains with major movers being QNB, Doha Bank, Dlala, Gulf Warehousing, Al Meera, Gulf International Services, United Development Company, Mazaya Qatar, Vodafone Qatar, Ooredoo, Nakilat and Milaha. However, Qatar National Cement, Al Khaleej Takaful and Barwa bucked the trend. Foreign institutions’ net buying rose to QR51.18mn against QR31.35mn the previous day. Qatari retail investors turned net buyers to the tune of QR2.62mn compared with net The 20-stock Qatar Index yesterday gained for the third straight session by 0.7% to close at 13,788.4 points. sellers of QR22.42mn on Sunday. However, domestic institutions turned net profit-takers to the extent of QR37.64mn against net buyers QR7.27mn on Sunday. Non-Qatari individual investors’ net selling fell to QR16.16mn compared to QR16.2mn the previous day. Total trade volume fell 23% to 12.88mn shares, while value rose 3% to QR902.58mn and transactions by 15% to 10,003. The telecom sector’s trade volume plummeted 59% to 0.83mn equities, value by 16% to QR34.98mn and deals by 35% to 328. The insurance sector saw its trade volume plunge 48% to 0.32mn stocks, value by 47% to QR18.57mn and transactions by 22% to 270. The market witnessed a 41% shrinkage in the real estate sector’s trade volume to 5mn shares, 48% in value to QR164.01mn and 13% in deals to 1,869. The banks and financial services sector reported a 15% decline in trade volume to 2.24mn equities, 18% in value to QR257.09mn and 26% in transactions to 3,274. However, the transport sector’s trade volume more than tripled to 1.34mn stocks and value also more than tripled to QR75.03mn on more than doubled deals to 643. There was a 23% surge in the industrials sector’s trade volume to 1.8mn shares, 25% in value to QR220.69mn and 19% in transactions to 2,744. The consumer goods sector’s trade volume expanded 21% to 1.35mn equities, value by 89% to QR132.2mn and deals by 55% to 875. In the debt market, there was no trading of treasury bills and government bonds. Gulf markets continue to recover; Arabtec lifts Dubai Reuters Dubai Most stock markets in the Middle East gained yesterday, led by Dubai, where construction firm Arabtec Holding rose sharply after a key shareholder bought a stake in a major Egyptian property developer. Dubai’s index jumped 2.8%, its biggest daily gain in three weeks, as Arabtec, which dominated trading volumes, surged 8.8%. Abu Dhabi state fund Aabar Investments, a major shareholder in Arabtec, bought a 5.1% stake in Egypt’s second-largest listed real estate developer Palm Hills on Sunday. “It shows there is a strong commitment (by the UAE) to support the Egyptian economy, especially in the real estate sector,” said Sebastien Henin, head of asset management at The National Investor in Abu Dhabi. “We could imagine it might sooner or later benefit Arabtec, for example with a new project.” Arabtec is already involved in a $40bn project to build a million housing units in Egypt, the company’s largest project to date. Abu Dhabi’s benchmark rose 1.1% on the back of blue chips Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank and Aldar Properties, up 3.8 and 5.1% respectively. Shares in investment firm Waha Capital, which posted strong third-quarter results on Sunday, jumped 5.5% to 3.08 dirhams and were the most heavily traded stock in the market. Waha made a net profit of 301.2mn dirhams ($82mn) in the quarter, up from 107.1mn dirhams in the year-ago period. On Sunday, the stock surged 7.0%, breaking technical resistance at 2.85 dirhams, the late October peak. This triggered a bullish right triangle formed by the highs and lows since mid-October and pointing up to 3.16 dirhams. It faces strong resistance at 3.20-3.28 dirhams, the September and July peaks. Saudi Arabia’s index rose 1.1%, largely on the back of the banking sector. Al Rajhi Bank, the country’s largest listed lender, rose 1.2% and Samba Financial Group, the third-largest bank by assets, jumped 3.1%. Weak oil prices are keeping investors away from petrochemicals, and a shock restatement of 18 months of earnings by Mobily last week dampened demand for all telecommunications firms, making banks the most attractive Saudi sector for now, said Henin from The National Investor. “A lot of cash came back to the market after the end of National Commercial Bank IPO and I guess they are looking for investment opportunities,” he said. The kingdom’s biggest bank completed its 22.5bn riyal ($6bn) share offer last week with the retail portion 23 times subscribed. Banks who had run the deal returned excess funds to investors on Sunday. Egypt’s benchmark added 0.9%, largely on the back of Commercial International Bank (CIB), which gained 2.8%. Cairo-based Naeem brokerage said it expected CIB to publish its third-quarter results after the market closes on Tuesday and maintained a “buy” recommendation. Kuwait’s index edged down 0.7% as heavyweight Burgan Bank dropped 3.8% after saying it would open subscriptions for a 102.6mn dinar ($353mn) rights issue next Sunday, a move which will dilute the existing shares. Oman’s bourse added 0.3% and shares in Oman Telecommunications were up 0.6% after it reported a 3.1% rise in third-quarter profit on Monday, meeting analysts’ expectations. Elsewhere in the Gulf, Bahrain’s measure slipped 0.6% to 1,434 points. 4 Gulf Times Tuesday, November 11, 2014 BUSINESS HK-China stock trading scheme to start on Nov 17 Link allows foreigners to buy more China stocks; could create world’s third largest equity market; launch of scheme was expected on November 17; move is milestone in opening-up of China capital markets; Chinese retail investors can buy foreign shares directly for first time Reuters Hong Kong/Shanghai A long-awaited trading link between Hong Kong and Shanghai will launch on November 17, a crucial step towards opening China’s capital markets that will give foreign and Chinese individual investors unprecedented access to each others’ stock exchanges. The announcement by Hong Kong and Chinese regulators yesterday comes as China is making a big push to widen the use of the yuan, with Canada and Malaysia becoming the latest addition to a growing list of trading hubs for the currency. The so-called Stock Connect trading scheme could boost the average daily value of stock trading in Hong Kong by about 38% by 2015, French bank BNP Paribas estimates, and may ultimately lead to the creation of the world’s third largest stock exchange. The project will at the same time provide a channel for Chinese savers to start moving some of the $8tn of private wealth currently in deposits into overseas stocks. “This marks an important milestone in the liberalisation of the mainland’s capital account,” said Hong Kong Monetary Authority CEO Norman Chan. “It will also propel the development of offshore renminbi business in Hong Kong to new heights.” Chinese markets rallied as the launch date was announced. The Stock Connect programme was originally expected to launch on October 27, but that unofficial deadline passed, leading to speculation that the programme might be held up by technical or political hurdles. Hong Kong’s leader CY Leung hinted last week the recent pro-democracy protests in the city had Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing chief executive Charles Li (left) and chairman Chow Chung-kong during a news conference on the Shanghai-Hong Kong Stock Connect in Hong Kong yesterday. Hong Kong and Shanghai will link their stock exchanges on November 17, regulators said yesterday. played a role in the delay. Industry participants had also said uncertainty over the taxation of capital gains was a possible sticking point. Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Ltd CEO Charles Li said yesterday the tax regime for the trading link would be announced before the launch next week. “I wouldn’t waste time agonising about it,” he told reporters. If the two stock markets become further integrated, they would form the world’s third-largest equity market with a $5.6tn capitalisation, according to Allianz Global Investors. China already operates several cross-border investment schemes but these are restricted to spe- cific firms that must apply for a license to participate. Giving foreigners easier access to Chinese stocks could provide support for an ongoing stock market rally and liquidity to upcoming Chinese stock market listings. Chinese stocks have been among the world’s worst-performing in recent years, down nearly 25% from five years ago. But they have been rallying since summer and look set to post their best annual performance since 2009. The Shanghai Stock Exchange said yesterday regulators are ready to experiment with resuming same-day settlement for stocks after a long freeze, a move that would put Hong Kong and mainland Chinese exchanges on the same settlement regime and eliminate a big operational mismatch. Meanwhile, Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Ltd (HKEx) CEO Charles Li said yesterday that a tax regime for a landmark stock connect scheme linking the Shanghai and Hong Kong bourses will be announced before the launch of the scheme. Li also told a media conference that a system enhancement to allow short selling in Shanghai �A’-listed stocks in Hong Kong is expected to be in place by early 2015. Earlier on Monday, the Hong Kong and Chinese regulators announced that the long-awaited trading scheme will be launched on November 17. Russia’s VTB may delist from London in favour of China Reuters Beijing V TB, Russia’s No 2 bank, may delist from the London Stock Exchange (LSE) in favour of Chinese bourses as sanctions imposed in the Ukraine crisis hit its ability to raise capital in Western markets, its chief executive said yesterday. VTB shares have traded in London and Moscow since 2007, when the bank raised about $8bn in an initial public offering. In total, it has raised over $14bn in public share issues and has received state support to boost its capital. The Western sanctions imposed on VTB over Russia’s role in the conflict in Ukraine limit its ability to raise funds – including capital – in the United States and Europe. “We are not satisfied with the LSE’s position,” Andrei Kostin, President and Chairman of the management board of VTB, and an ally of President Vladimir Putin, told reporters on the sidelines of an Asia-Pacific summit in Beijing. “We will seriously consider our participation in the London Stock Exchange. We are looking at Chinese bourses.” In an interview with Russia state television channel Rossiya-24, he added any Chinese listing was unlikely this year. He gave no time-frame and did not say how much VTB might raise. VTB shares were trading at 4.08 kopecks yesterday, close to the price of its latest share offering in 2013. VTB received 214bn roubles ($4.8bn) in capital in September when the Finance Ministry bought preferred shares as part of wider support for the banking sector. VTB’s Tier 1 capital ratio – a measure of its ability to absorb losses – fell below 10% in the first six months of the year as an economic slowdown in Russia and political tensions drove profits down 82%. Sensex hits new record; rupee rallies IANS/Reuters Mumbai A benchmark index of Indian equities markets yesterday touched a new high of 28,027.96 points, its fifth high in six trading sessions, but ended the day’s trade flat barely 6.10 points or 0.02% up. The 30-scrip Sensitive Index (Sensex) of the S&P Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) had touched a high of 28,010 points in the intra-trade session on November 5, surpassing its previous high of 27,969.82 points recorded on November 3. Healthy buying spree was witnessed in fast moving consumer goods (FMCG), consumer durables and healthcare stocks. However, heavy selling was observed in capital goods, oil and gas and bank sectors. The Sensex, which opened at 27,919.45 points, closed trade at 27,874.73 points, up 6.10 points or 0.02% from the previous day’s close at 27,868.63 points. The Sensex touched a high of 28,027.96 points and a low of 27,764.75 points in the intra-day. The S&P FMCG index gained by 211.32 points, while consumer durables index increased by 97.57 points and healthcare index went up by 70.49 points. However, the capital goods index was down 161.02 points, followed by oil and gas index which was lower by 142.09 points and bank index which fell by 105.02 points. The wider 50-scrip Nifty of the National Stock Exchange also closed trade in positive territory. It ended 7.25 points or 0.09% up at 8,344.25 points. Meanwhile, the rupee strengthened yesterday, tracking emerging market currencies as the dollar weakened following weaker-than-expected US jobs data, although caution ahead of consumer inflation data later this week tempered some of the gains. The rupee also failed to get much of a lift from shares, which hit their latest record highs earlier in the session but ended flat as investors booked profits. Traders are looking ahead at the consumer prices data due tomorrow, amid rising expectation the Reserve Bank of India could opt for earlier-than-expected cuts in interest rates should inflation continue to ease. “Markets will watch out for the CPI data for immediate direction. Outlook for rupee broadly remains positive but global dollar strength will have some effects on the rupee,” said Hari Chandramgethen, head of foreign exchange trading at South Indian Bank, predicting a range of 61.30 to 62.30 for the week. The partially convertible rupee closed at 61.4950/5050 per dollar compared with 61.6425/6525 on Friday. The unit had hit an intra-day low of 61.6750 in the previous session, its lowest level since Oct. 17. The gains tracked higher emerging market currencies after data on Friday showed US employers added 214,000 new jobs to their payrolls last month, a bit smaller than economists on Wall Street had expected. Asian stock markets mixed AFP Shanghai A sian markets were mixed yesterday, with Japanese shares succumbing to profit-taking while Hong Kong and Shanghai rallied after a launch date was announced for a trading link between their stock exchanges. The dollar retreated from multi-year highs despite another record close on Wall Street that came in response to broadly upbeat jobs data. Tokyo slipped 0.59%, or 99.85 points, to finish at 16,780.53 after ramping up gains of more than 10% in the previous six sessions as the Bank of Japan unveiled fresh monetary easing measures. Hong Kong rose 0.83%, or 194.46 points, to 23,744.70 and Shanghai jumped 2.30%, or 55.50 points, to 2,473.67. Seoul closed up 0.95%, or 18.36 points, at 1,958.23 while Sydney fell 0.45%, or 25.1 points, to 5,524.0. Dealers in Hong Kong and Shanghai Japanese shares succumb to profit-taking while Hong Kong and Shanghai rally after announcing launch date for stock trading link cheered news that the delayed trading link between the two stock exchanges would start on November 17. The connection is expected to allow the equivalent of $3.8bn a day in crossborder transactions. However, the euphoria over the announcement was tempered by news that Chinese inflation was unchanged at 1.6% in October, well off the government’s target of 3.5% and adding to fears about the strength of the world’s number two economy. Data on Saturday also showed growth in exports and imports slowed last month. The result weighed on the dollar, which slipped from a seven-year high against the yen. The greenback was at 113.96 yen yesterday, down from 114.62 yen in New York Friday and well off the 115.39 yen in Tokyo earlier Friday. The euro bought $1.2480 and 142.14 yen against $1.2456 and 142.78 yen in US trade. Japan’s Nikkei slipped on the stronger yen. “Given that a great deal of the market’s gains over the last several days and months have come on the back of a stronger US currency, its weakness naturally invites profit-taking,” said Nomura Securities equity market strategist Junichi Wako. But he added that “a severe sell-off is unlikely”, partly because the Bank of Japan and government pension funds are known to be buying on the dip. On oil markets US benchmark West Texas Intermediate for December delivery rose 20 cents to $78.85. Brent crude for December was up 31 cents at $83.70 in afternoon trade. Gold was at $1,171.30 an ounce, compared with $1,144.92 late Friday. In other markets, Taipei added 1.54%, or 137.36 points, to 9,049.98; Wellington rose 0.95%, or 51.35 points, to 5,470.34 and Manila closed 0.19% lower, giving up 13.60 points to 7,192.12. Gulf Times Tuesday, November 11, 2014 5 BUSINESS Japan firm to buy 80 Boeing planes AFP Tokyo J A view of the Boeing 737 MAX 8, a more fuel-efficient variant of the world’s most widely flown jetliner. Japan aircraft leasing giant SMBC Aviation Capital said yesterday it has placed an order for 80 Boeing planes in a deal worth up to $8.5bn. apanese aircraft leasing giant SMBC Aviation Capital said yesterday it has placed an order for 80 Boeing planes in a deal worth up to $8.5bn. The company, owned by Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group and trading firm Sumitomo Corp., said its purchase of the 737 MAX 8 aircraft marked the single largest order for the plane by a leasing company as it looks to further tap the lucrative sector. SMBC, the world’s third-biggest aircraft lessor, already has a stable of more than 370 planes which it rents to carriers, with 95 airline customers. The 737 MAX 8 – a 200-seat, single-aisle, fuel-efficient plane – is Malaysian lender Cagamas adds amortisation to $12bn sukuk issue Malaysia’s state-backed mortgage lender Cagamas Bhd has broadened the scope of its 40bn ringgit ($12bn) bond and sukuk issuance programme by adding the use of a novel amortisation format, a regulatory filing showed. Cagamas’s mandate as the national mortgage corporation and the leading issuer of AAA debt securities in Malaysia is to facilitate home ownership but, is also exploring ways to develop a deeper and more liquid domestic bond market. An amortising bond is structured in a way that gradually reduces the value of the bond over a fixed period of time, meaning the borrower pays off the full amount before the final maturity date. Amortising bonds are commonplace, but the format is rare for sukuk. Last year, Dubai’s Emirates airline launched the first such sukuk in the international market, a 10-year $1bn deal with an average weighted life of five years. Cagamas said it had received confirmation from its Shariah advisers and the capital market regulator for the proposed change to its issuance programme. This would not affect the programme’s AAA credit rating from RAM Rating Services, the company added. In 2012, Cagamas broadened its range of issuance with the introduction of an agency-based sukuk known as wakala, which is acceptable to Islamic investors from outside Malaysia for trading in the secondary market. China inflation hovers near 5-yr low in October Reuters Beijing C hina’s annual consumer inflation remained near a five-year low in October at 1.6%, further evidence that the world’s second-largest economy is cooling and reinforcing expectations that authorities will roll out more measures to support growth. Analysts polled by Reuters had expected annual consumer inflation to be 1.6% in October, the same as September, which was the weakest reading since January 2010. On a monthly basis, consumer inflation was flat in October, the National Bureau of Statistics said yesterday. That compared with 0.1% expected by economists. “The risk of deflation has risen as the economy is expected to slow further in the next few quarters,” ANZ economists said in a research note. “This is a significant risk ... which requires China’s policymakers to monitor the situation closely and take action swiftly,” ANZ said, suggesting the central bank could inject money into the system more frequently to keep the financial system working smoothly. Facing mounting risks to growth and rising risks of deflation, Beijing is widely expected to continue rolling out a steady stream of stimulus measures in coming months, though most economists believe it will hold off on more aggressive action such an interest rate cut unless conditions sharply deteriorate. President Xi Jinping said on Sunday that the risks facing China’s economy are “not that scary” and even if China’s economy were to grow 7%, that would still rank it at the forefront of the world’s economies. But signs are growing that the economy is continuing to lose momentum despite a raft of earlier stimulus measures, putting the government’s official 2014 growth target of 7.5% at increasing risk. The producer price index fell 2.2% from a year ago, its 32nd consecutive decline, as sluggish demand curbed the pricing power of companies, the National Bureau of Statistics said. The market had expected a 2% fall in producer prices after a drop of 1.8% in September. Many Chinese companies are already facing rising borrowing costs as banks grow more reluctant to lend. Yu Qiumei, a senior statistician at the National Bureau of Statistics, said worsening factory price deflation in October was mainly caused by a drop in oil prices and over-capacity problems that have plagued some sectors for years. China has cut retail prices of gasoline and diesel seven times in a row since late July as international oil prices fell. “The worsening PPI weighed on the manufacturing industry, providing more evidence that China’s economic growth will remain under pressure in 2015. Policymakers should take more measures to boost the economy,” said Li Huiyong, an economist at Shenyin & Wanguo Securities in Shanghai. the main rival to the Airbus A320neo. “Our expectation is that much of these aircraft...will be placed in the highgrowth, emerging markets, particularly in Asia where... (there is) a lot of demand,” SMBC Aviation’s chief executive Peter Barrett told a press briefing in Tokyo. The $8.5bn deal for 737 MAX 8 aircraft marks the single largest order for the plane by a leasing company “Certainly, we would also expect many of these aircraft will go to LCC (low-cost carrier) airlines.” In July, SMBC Aviation announced an order from Airbus for 115 singleaisle A320s in a deal worth around $11.7bn at list prices. The announcement yesterday comes less than a week after a property flagship led by Asia’s richest tycoon Li Ka-shing said it planned to buy up to 60 passenger jets in a series of transactions that amount to more than $2.5bn. SMBC’s latest deal comes amid fierce competition in the industry with a proliferation of budget carriers in the Asia Pacific region. China has lifted a six-year ban on creating private airlines, helping fuel demand for aircraft, and smaller passenger planes are increasingly in demand in Asia as budget carriers cash in on the region’s growing middle classes by expanding their reach to less prominent cities. Airbus, Boeing and Embraer – in their 20-year forecasts for the industry – have all said the Asia Pacific is the key market to enter because of the burgeoning middle class. 6 Gulf Times Tuesday, November 11, 2014 BUSINESS Asia-Pacific leaders call for faster free-trade deal AFP Beijing U S President Barack Obama and other Asia-Pacific leaders called yesterday for a deal to be reached “as soon as possible” on a proposed free-trade agreement, which has added to China-US discord, at a regional summit in Beijing. Obama and leaders from 11 other Pacific Rim countries including Japan, Canada, Australia and Mexico instructed negotiators to build on “significant progress” and push toward a conclusion of difficult talks on the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) free-trade idea. “With the end coming into focus, we have instructed our ministers and negotiators to make concluding this agreement a top priority ... to reap the real and substantial benefits of the TPP agreement as soon as possible,” a statement said. The TPP countries met on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit hosted this year by Beijing. Washington has for years pushed the TTP, which proposes a loosening of trade restrictions, but notably excludes the world’s second-largest economy China. But the talks have become bogged down amid resistance from some prospective members wary of opening up domestic markets, notably Japan. Obama said he was “seeing momentum building”, in remarks to reporters. But a US official who spoke on condition of anonymity said: “This is not an agreement which is about to get signed. This will take a period of time to finish off some of the difficult issues.” China wants the 21-member Apec meeting to endorse a stronger commitment to the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP) idea, a longer-term concept for the entire region that would build on the TPP and other free-trade initiatives. US Trade Representative Michael Froman told reporters in Beijing on Sunday that FTAAP was a Taiwan alarmed by China, Seoul free trade pact AFP Taipei T aiwan’s government expressed alarm yesterday at China’s free trade agreement with South Korea, the island’s strong trade competitor, and urged the opposition to stop boycotting a planned services pact with Beijing. South Korea announced earlier yesterday it had effectively reached a free trade deal with its giant neighbour China. It expects to sign by year-end the pact that will eventually remove tariffs on over 90% of goods. Taiwan’s government spokesman Sun Lih-chyun described the news as a “most worrying event” for the island. Taiwan competes fiercely with South Korea in products ranging from textiles, semiconductors and flat panels to machine tools and steel items. “With the agreement, South Korea will be able to sell its products cheaper in the Chinese mainland, thus lowering the competitive edge of Taiwan-made products there,” Sun told AFP. The China deal will mark another crucial step forward in South Korea’s push for greater access to global markets, he said, adding that Seoul has already signed free trade deals with 50 other countries. China is Taiwan’s largest trading partner, with two-way commerce amounting to $97.24bn, nearly 22% of the island’s foreign trade, in the nine months to September. According to a study by the economic ministry, Taiwan’s overall exports are expected to decline by 1.34 percentage points or $3.75bn after the trade agreement between China and South Korea becomes effective. The exportreliant island currently only has free trade deals with Singapore, New Zealand, Panama, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Honduras and El Salvador. Taiwan and China in June 2010 signed an Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement, which was widely seen as the boldest step yet towards reconciliation following their split in 1949 at the end of a civil war. Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (centre) and his delegation walk along a carpet during a meeting at the Great Hall of the People on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation Summit in Beijing yesterday. “long-term aspiration”. TPP, meanwhile, was “the major focus” of US economic policy toward the Asia-Pacific, he stressed. Some Chinese analysts and state media have framed the TPP as an attempt to check Beijing’s growing economic clout, allegations Washington dismisses. Russian President Vladimir Putin, who also is attending Apec, said in an interview last week that TPP was designed to benefit the United States. He added that Russia and China’s absence in the scheme “will not promote the establishment of effective trade and economic co-operation”. Facing Western sanctions over Russia’s policies toward Ukraine, Putin has aggressively sought closer trade ties with China. China, Russia to settle more trade in yuan, says Putin Reuters Beijing Russia and China intend to increase the amount of trade settled in the yuan, President Vladimir Putin said yesterday in remarks that would be welcomed by Chinese authorities who want the currency to be used more widely around the world. Speaking at an Asia Pacific conomic Co-operation summit in Beijing, Putin also ruled capital controls for Russia and vowed to keep its foreign debt level below 15% of gross domestic product. “As part of our cooperation with this country (China), we intend to use national currencies in mutual transactions,” Putin said. “The initial deals for rouble and yuan are taking place. I want to note that we are ready to expand these opportunities in (our) energy resources trade.” Spurred on by their often testy relations with the United States, Russia and China have long advocated reducing the role of the dollar in international trade. Curtailing the dollar’s influence fits well with China’s ambitions to increase the influence of the yuan and eventually turn it into a global reserve currency. With 32% of its $4tn foreign exchange reserves invested in US government debt, China wants to curb investment risks in dollar. The quest to limit the dollar’s dominance became more urgent for Moscow this year when US and European governments imposed sanctions on Russia over its support for separatist rebels in Ukraine. Regarding Russia’s economic problems, Putin said he was hopeful speculation against the rouble, would stop soon, arguing there was no fundamental reason for its slide. Obama: TPP trade deal picking up pace Reuters Beijing U S President Barack Obama said yesterday he sees momentum building for a Washingtonbacked free trade agreement in the Asia-Pacific, after arriving in Beijing on the first leg of an eight-day Asia tour. US officials had ruled out a major announcement on the ambitious 12-country Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) in Beijing, where Obama will attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) forum and meet Chinese President Xi Jinping. But business leaders attending the Apec forum have been looking for signs of progress on the TPP, especially as China is pushing for a separate trade liberalisation framework called the Free Trade Area of the Asia Pacific (FTAAP). Obama said the TPP, in a deadlock largely due to disagreement between the United States and Japan over how widely Japan will open its doors to farm exports, had the potential to be an “historic achievement”. “During the past few weeks our teams have made good progress in resolving several outstanding issues regarding a potential agreement. Today is an opportunity for us at the political level to break some remaining logjams,” Obama said at a meeting of TPP leaders at the US embassy. “What we are seeing is momentum building around a Trans-Pacific Partnership that can spur greater economic growth, spur greater jobs growth, set high standards for trade and investment throughout the Asia-Pacific.” Some see a proposed study on the FTAAP plan, which will be presented to US President Barack Obama smiles during a meeting with leaders from the Trans-Pacific Partnership at the US embassy in Beijing. Top leaders and ministers of the 21-member Apec grouping are meeting in Beijing from Friday to today. Apec leaders for approval this week, as a way to divert attention from the TPP, which excludes China. “With the end coming into focus”, TPP leaders said in a statement issued after the meeting that they remained open to including “other regional partners that are prepared to adopt its high standards”. Obama arrives in China seeking to show renewed commitment to his administration’s much-touted strategic “pivot” toward Asia, widely seen as an effort to counter China’s rising influence. The TPP is at economic core to that rebalancing effort. His challenge will be to overcome scepticism among some Asian allies as to whether the United States can fully engage with the region at a time when it is preoccupied with global crises ranging from the fight against Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria, the spread of an Ebola outbreak and the conflict in Ukraine. At the same time, the drubbing Obama’s Democrats took in this week’s midterm congressional elections, defeats that were blamed by many on his questions about his leadership, will hardly strengthen his position in talks with China or with allies in the region. Many may see him as a diminished leader on the world stage in the final two years of his presidency. Obama’s focus on Asia business ties on the first day of his visit underscored his efforts to strike a balance between seeking deeper economic cooperation with a rising China while also challeng- ing Beijing with the US pursuit of the TPP. The choice of the US embassy as the venue for the meeting is not likely to be lost on Beijing, which has expressed interest in one day joining TPP talks. Newcomers to the TPP, however, would have to meet high standards on issues such as intellectual property rights and the role of state-owned enterprises, which are already sources of tension in US-China relations. Though negotiations have been slow-moving, one of the areas where a new Republican-controlled Congress might actually help Obama is by easing passage should a trade deal be reached. The TPP would establish a freetrade bloc stretching from Vietnam to Chile and Japan, encompassing about 800mn people and almost 40% of the global economy. Obama was also due to speak to a conference of corporate chief executives in Beijing a day after Xi assured them that risks faced by China’s economy were “not so scary”. For his part, Obama comes to China boasting a resurgent US economy. This could give him added economic clout as he attends regional summits in Beijing and Myanmar and a G20 summit in Brisbane this week, even if his political capital at home appears to have waned. In their meetings on Tuesday and Wednesday, Obama also plans to press Xi about China’s aggressive behaviour in pursuit of maritime claims in Asia and US concerns about Chinese cyber-spying, White House aides say. But mindful of the mutual need for constructive relations between the two countries’ closely intertwined economies, Obama will also seek improved cooperation on regional and global problems. BlackBerry seeks partnerships with Beijing firms Bloomberg Beijing From left: John Chen, executive chair and CEO of Blackberry, Greg Boyce, chairman and CEO of Peabody Energy, Vietnam’s President Truong Tan Sang, Steve Mollenkopf, CEO of Qualcomm and Shu Yinbiao, president of the State Grid Corporation of China, attend a dialogue at the Apec CEO Summit at the China National Convention Centre (CNCC) in Beijing yesterday. BlackBerry chief executive officer John Chen said he’s interested in partnerships to expand in China, the world’s largest smartphone market, after meeting the heads of Xiaomi and Lenovo Group. BlackBerry’s strengths in security, encryption and privacy are in demand in China and there may be opportunities for agreements on technology licensing, distribution or manufacturing, Chen said in an interview yesterday in Beijing, where he was attending the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation CEO Summit. During the summit, Chen said he met with Xiaomi’s CEO Lei Jun, and Lenovo’s head Yang Yuanqing. These meetings with China’s two largest smartphone vendors come at a time when BlackBerry is trying to return to growth after declining phone shipments dragged it to net losses in each of the past three years. “It does seem that a more efficient way is to have a good partner to be here,” Chen said in the interview. “I’m here this time to look at what opportunities there may be. We have not really focused on this market. It’s a huge market but it’s a very highly competitive market too.” Chen said he also met Cher Wang, chairwoman of Taoyuan, Taiwan-based HTC Corp. Chen took the helm a year ago to lead a turnaround after shipments of its smartphones plunged in the past four years as it struggles to compete with touch-screen devices produced by Apple Inc. and Samsung Electronics Co. The Hong Kong native outsourced some production, sold property and focused on business customers by bringing back phones with signature physical keyboards and offering more software-based services. The changes have helped put the Waterloo, Ontario-based company on track for break-even cash flow by the end of this fiscal year and for a return to profit the next year, Chen reiterated today. In 2013, there were 19.2 million smartphones shipped with the BlackBerry operating system compared with 51.1 million units in 2011, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. The company in September released its new squarescreened Passport smartphone which sold 200,000 units in its debut. Gulf Times Tuesday, November 11, 2014 7 BUSINESS SAUDI ARABIA Company Name QATAR Company Name Zad Holding Co Widam Food Co Vodafone Qatar United Development Co Salam International Investme Qatar & Oman Investment Co Qatar Navigation Qatar National Cement Co Qatar National Bank Qatar Islamic Insurance Qatar Industrial Manufactur Qatar International Islamic Qatari Investors Group Qatar Islamic Bank Qatar Gas Transport(Nakilat) Qatar General Insurance & Re Qatar German Co For Medical Qatar Fuel Co Qatar Electricity & Water Co Qatar Cinema & Film Distrib Qatar Insurance Co Ooredoo Qsc National Leasing Mazaya Qatar Real Estate Dev Mesaieed Petrochemical Holdi Al Meera Consumer Goods Co Medicare Group Mannai Corporation Qsc Masraf Al Rayan Al Khalij Commercial Bank Industries Qatar Islamic Holding Group Gulf Warehousing Company Gulf International Services Ezdan Holding Group Doha Insurance Co Doha Bank Qsc Dlala Holding Commercial Bank Of Qatar Qsc Barwa Real Estate Co Al Khaleej Takaful Group Aamal Co Lt Price 89.80 65.90 19.44 26.30 18.28 17.13 103.80 132.10 224.90 86.40 46.10 85.70 48.70 110.10 24.65 45.80 12.10 218.30 188.20 42.00 98.10 122.00 26.50 24.49 31.95 204.90 126.50 112.00 50.40 21.94 197.00 181.00 58.20 129.90 19.24 34.00 59.80 59.00 73.90 47.85 50.00 14.66 % Chg 5.65 0.61 1.25 2.94 -0.54 -0.29 1.96 -1.34 1.35 0.70 0.11 0.35 0.83 0.18 1.44 0.66 -0.33 0.60 1.18 0.00 1.13 1.67 0.38 4.21 0.00 5.40 -0.32 0.18 0.20 1.11 0.10 2.26 4.86 2.20 -0.21 0.00 0.67 5.36 0.00 -1.14 -1.57 -0.61 Volume 1,263 691,947 644,532 645,907 172,813 70,170 195,119 6,923 522,890 55,765 76,337 71,869 130,238 73,472 367,809 12,420 66,900 38,744 93,378 10,425 184,678 84,528 1,166,793 245,337 339,358 34,617 8,212 506,830 28,608 409,599 342,142 781,664 789,900 1,207,629 253,350 70,928 215,547 1,982,936 238,633 35,907 SAUDI ARABIA Company Name Saudi Hollandi Bank Al-Ahsa Development Co. Al-Baha Development & Invest Ace Arabia Cooperative Insur Allied Cooperative Insurance Arriyadh Development Company Fitaihi Holding Group Arabia Insurance Cooperative Al Abdullatif Industrial Inv Al-Ahlia Cooperative Insuran Al Alamiya Cooperative Insur Dar Al Arkan Real Estate Dev Al Babtain Power & Telecommu Bank Albilad Alujain Corporation (Alco) Aldrees Petroleum And Transp Fawaz Abdulaziz Alhokair & C Alinma Bank Alinma Tokio Marine Al Khaleej Training And Educ Abdullah A.M. Al-Khodari Son Allianz Saudi Fransi Coopera Almarai Co Saudi Integrated Telecom Co Alsorayai Group Al Tayyar Amana Cooperative Insurance Anaam International Holding Abdullah Al Othaim Markets Arabian Pipes Co Advanced Petrochemicals Co Al Rajhi Co For Co-Operative Arabian Cement Arab National Bank Ash-Sharqiyah Development Co United Wire Factories Compan Astra Industrial Group Alahli Takaful Co Aseer Axa Cooperative Insurance Basic Chemical Industries Bishah Agriculture Bank Al-Jazira Banque Saudi Fransi United International Transpo Bupa Arabia For Cooperative Buruj Cooperative Insurance Saudi Airlines Catering Co Methanol Chemicals Co City Cement Co Eastern Cement Etihad Atheeb Telecommunicat Etihad Etisalat Co Emaar Economic City Saudi Enaya Cooperative Insu United Electronics Co Falcom Saudi Equity Etf Filing & Packing Materials M Wafrah For Industry And Deve Falcom Petrochemical Etf Gulf General Cooperative Ins Jazan Development Co Gulf Union Cooperative Insur Halwani Bros Co Hail Cement Herfy Food Services Co Al Jouf Agriculture Developm Jarir Marketing Co Jabal Omar Development Co Al Jouf Cement Saudi Kayan Petrochemical Co Knowledge Economic City Kingdom Holding Co Saudi Arabian Mining Co Malath Cooperative & Reinsur Makkah Construction & Devepl Mediterranean & Gulf Insuran Middle East Specialized Cabl Mohammad Al Mojil Group Co Al Mouwasat Medical Services The National Agriculture Dev Najran Cement Co Nama Chemicals Co National Gypsum National Gas & Industrializa National Industrialization C Maadaniyah National Shipping Co Of/The National Petrochemical Co Rabigh Refining And Petroche Al Qassim Agricultural Co Qassim Cement/The Red Sea Housing Services Co Saudi Research And Marketing Riyad Bank Al Rajhi Bank Saudi Arabian Amiantit Co Lt Price 49.88 18.64 13.50 66.63 25.51 21.88 23.00 23.88 42.35 18.76 112.38 11.86 40.03 56.56 24.06 58.52 109.81 23.27 51.82 64.79 69.08 53.01 75.06 24.30 21.70 138.21 22.01 35.13 106.89 28.19 53.70 52.00 84.69 32.24 103.67 43.91 45.30 60.92 30.25 47.49 38.40 69.75 31.40 35.90 69.91 183.75 48.33 190.50 15.69 27.12 59.86 9.57 58.68 16.49 36.33 109.25 33.00 61.43 49.94 33.50 40.54 18.51 26.07 79.46 26.80 103.94 50.77 188.25 53.22 21.95 14.06 20.64 18.54 36.08 28.40 79.75 74.45 22.33 12.55 130.04 39.33 33.10 14.10 35.50 32.95 30.33 47.01 34.56 32.01 25.99 15.01 97.99 53.61 19.20 19.05 65.25 16.19 % Chg 3.27 0.76 0.00 0.54 2.04 -0.09 1.63 -1.61 2.82 1.68 -1.59 -1.08 -0.72 3.78 1.39 1.47 0.02 0.74 -9.60 0.62 -1.14 -0.60 -0.52 0.00 0.93 1.13 -3.89 0.95 0.30 6.62 1.32 1.34 1.74 2.81 -0.99 1.78 0.82 2.87 1.07 -0.59 -0.21 0.00 0.58 2.60 -1.88 9.92 0.44 0.41 0.00 0.59 0.72 0.42 -3.22 0.12 -0.44 0.92 0.00 0.62 1.03 0.00 0.20 0.27 5.12 2.11 2.29 -0.74 1.62 0.39 4.37 1.53 -0.21 2.18 -1.70 0.22 9.69 0.00 1.69 4.93 0.00 0.81 0.03 0.15 2.17 3.92 0.98 3.41 0.28 2.86 0.25 0.04 -0.20 1.22 -0.63 0.63 1.49 1.18 1.50 Volume 141,421 1,272,518 108,714 403,691 395,709 405,187 1,103,092 262,246 848,572 113,228 12,967,677 487,349 569,192 341,590 378,312 216,524 21,348,566 1,052,902 164,503 648,013 396,402 730,775 465,942 171,442 2,983,056 548,366 51,350 1,949,913 451,309 251,538 141,092 1,298,030 776,470 86,087 173,267 289,678 737,242 619,084 816,030 1,165,139 338,727 288,869 508,354 198,077 42,481 842,928 159,579 91,972 2,601,479 23,663,539 1,193,269 307,791 23,627 435,850 1,089,322 284,526 902,362 1,430,070 84,182 256,042 50,519 857,251 37,907 1,790,203 1,047,928 8,410,406 1,643,994 677,983 3,479,689 7,055,223 29,218 514,002 5,816,696 81,942 203,191 289,332 1,722,130 584,829 47,759 2,667,452 966,376 1,607,314 168,891 1,597,317 1,006,598 36,936 139,857 45,210 4,786,517 2,545,268 1,452,413 Saudi British Bank Sabb Takaful Saudi Basic Industries Corp Saudi Cement Sasco Saudi Dairy & Foodstuff Co Saudi Arabian Fertilizer Co Al Sagr Co-Operative Insuran Saudi Advanced Industries Saudi Arabian Coop Ins Co Salama Cooperative Insurance Samba Financial Group Sanad Cooperative Insurance Saudi Public Transport Co Saudi Arabia Refineries Co Hsbc Amanah Saudi 20 Etf Saudi Re For Cooperative Rei Savola Saudi Cable Co Saudi Chemical Company Saudi Ceramic Saudi Electricity Co Saudi Fisheries Al-Hassan G.I. Shaker Co Saudi Hotels & Resort Arabian Shield Cooperative Saudi Investment Bank/The Saudi Industrial Development Saudi Industrial Export Co KUWAIT Lt Price 58.97 42.20 105.61 111.44 31.05 123.03 156.74 41.51 25.85 55.48 34.10 47.60 15.23 31.30 74.89 33.20 11.65 82.27 11.60 69.25 137.59 16.61 33.12 85.88 35.06 47.69 28.26 20.96 58.87 % Chg 3.58 2.23 0.94 2.00 0.81 0.84 -0.01 0.29 1.69 -1.32 0.12 2.85 0.00 2.15 4.16 0.00 1.75 0.33 0.09 2.08 0.83 0.00 0.33 0.59 1.51 1.00 2.43 2.44 0.74 Volume 266,417 635,635 3,539,834 48,814 1,135,787 91,127 66,700 266,643 1,068,376 531,939 149,027 892,061 857,890 1,774,593 1,105,624 328,461 943,342 377,333 21,279 1,832,540 458,697 65,138 422,317 180,899 984,179 1,464,905 529,438 KUWAIT Company Name Securities Group Co Sultan Center Food Products Kuwait Foundry Co Kuwait Financial Centre Ajial Real Estate Entmt Gulf Glass Manuf Co -Kscc Kuwait Finance & Investment National Industries Co Kuwait Real Estate Holding C Securities House/The Boubyan Petrochemicals Co Al Ahli Bank Of Kuwait Ahli United Bank (Almutahed) National Bank Of Kuwait Commercial Bank Of Kuwait Kuwait International Bank Gulf Bank Al-Massaleh Real Estate Co Al Arabiya Real Estate Co Kuwait Remal Real Estate Co Alkout Industrial Projects C A’ayan Real Estate Co Investors Holding Group Co.K Markaz Real Estate Fund Al-Mazaya Holding Co Al-Madar Finance & Invt Co Gulf Petroleum Investment Mabanee Co Sakc City Group Inovest Co Bsc Kuwait Gypsum Manufacturing Al-Deera Holding Co Alshamel International Hold United Industries Co Mena Real Estate Co National Slaughter House Amar Finance & Leasing Co United Projects Group Kscc National Consumer Holding Co Amwal International Investme Jeeran Holdings Equipment Holding Co K.S.C.C Nafais Holding Safwan Trading & Contracting Arkan Al Kuwait Real Estate Gulf Finance House Ec Energy House Holding Co Kscc Kuwait Slaughter House Co Kuwait Co For Process Plant Al Maidan Dental Clinic Co K National Ranges Company Kuwait Pipes Indus & Oil Ser Al-Themar Real International Al-Ahleia Insurance Co Wethaq Takaful Insurance Co Salbookh Trading Co K.S.C.C Aqar Real Estate Investments Hayat Communications Kuwait Packing Materials Mfg Soor Fuel Marketing Co Ksc Alargan International Real Burgan Co For Well Drilling Kuwait Resorts Co Kscc Oula Fuel Marketing Co Palms Agro Production Co Ikarus Petroleum Industries Mubarrad Transport Co Al Mowasat Health Care Co Shuaiba Industrial Co Kuwait Invest Co Holding Hits Telecom Holding First Takaful Insurance Co Kuwaiti Syrian Holding Co National Cleaning Company Eyas For High & Technical Ed United Real Estate Company Agility Kuwait & Middle East Fin Inv Fujairah Cement Industries Livestock Transport & Tradng International Resorts Co National Industries Grp Hold Marine Services Co Pearl Of Kuwait Real Estate Warba Insurance Co Kuwait United Poultry Co First Dubai Real Estate Deve Al Arabi Group Holding Co Kuwait Hotels Co Mobile Telecommunications Co Al Safat Real Estate Co Tamdeen Real Estate Co Kscc Al Mudon Intl Real Estate Co Kuwait Cement Co Ksc Sharjah Cement & Indus Devel Kuwait Portland Cement Co Educational Holding Group Bahrain Kuwait Insurance Kuwait China Investment Co Kuwait Investment Co Burgan Bank Kuwait Projects Co Holdings Al Madina For Finance And In Kuwait Insurance Co Al Masaken Intl Real Estate Intl Financial Advisors First Investment Co Kscc Al Mal Investment Company Bayan Investment Co Kscc Egypt Kuwait Holding Co Sae Coast Investment Development Privatization Holding Compan Kuwait Medical Services Co Injazzat Real State Company Kuwait Cable Vision Sak Sanam Real Estate Co Kscc Ithmaar Bank Bsc Aviation Lease And Finance C Arzan Financial Group For Fi Ajwan Gulf Real Estate Co Manafae Investment Co Kuwait Business Town Real Es Future Kid Entertainment And Specialities Group Holding C Abyaar Real Eastate Developm Lt Price 120.00 102.00 335.00 136.00 226.00 690.00 71.00 214.00 36.00 87.00 730.00 435.00 650.00 970.00 670.00 300.00 330.00 69.00 47.50 75.00 520.00 96.00 0.00 1.52 126.00 44.00 85.00 1,020.00 415.00 71.00 0.00 14.50 0.00 112.00 42.50 160.00 62.00 780.00 81.00 45.00 68.00 130.00 88.00 405.00 118.00 31.50 100.00 0.00 265.00 0.00 42.00 0.00 95.00 460.00 60.00 85.00 86.00 79.00 630.00 150.00 166.00 0.00 104.00 154.00 124.00 172.00 85.00 0.00 246.00 0.00 43.50 0.00 22.50 98.00 315.00 100.00 860.00 48.00 83.00 190.00 48.50 206.00 130.00 15.00 130.00 170.00 89.00 162.00 100.00 620.00 25.00 445.00 86.00 430.00 95.00 1,380.00 168.00 0.00 58.00 150.00 510.00 700.00 36.00 310.00 69.00 51.00 102.00 43.00 81.00 280.00 65.00 60.00 0.00 73.00 48.00 58.00 49.00 246.00 57.00 60.00 0.00 44.00 106.00 158.00 39.50 % Chg 1.69 0.00 0.00 -4.23 0.00 0.00 7.58 0.00 -5.26 -2.25 1.39 -1.14 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 -3.06 0.00 0.00 -1.03 0.00 0.00 -1.56 2.33 -2.30 0.00 -1.19 -1.39 0.00 -9.38 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 3.33 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 4.84 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.61 1.01 0.00 0.00 0.00 -2.33 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 -1.16 0.00 -3.66 10.00 0.00 -5.68 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.18 0.00 0.00 1.65 0.00 1.16 0.00 -8.16 0.00 0.00 -1.96 0.00 3.23 0.00 0.00 -4.90 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 -5.56 -3.26 -3.57 0.00 0.00 -5.66 1.14 -1.15 0.00 0.00 1.47 0.00 0.00 0.00 -3.85 -3.77 0.00 -5.26 0.00 0.00 -3.77 -3.77 -5.49 -1.22 0.00 -2.99 -1.64 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 -2.00 0.00 -5.00 -7.69 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 -4.82 Volume 1,164 1,139,500 19,176 728 91,996 1 500 23,928 200,000 2,162,868 5,630 302 210,000 1,422,627 8,634 157,611 782,005 54,480 1,242,110 367,820 1,000 720,500 1,558,150 4,101 1,946,912 20,071 2 852,000 4,396,230 50,508 500 5,000 30 5,000 580 31,984 1,200 41,452 10,500 1 128,430 7,887,808 304,000 50,100 1,168,139 10,145,311 96 25,200 177,494 3,000 114,400 910 11,988 1,000 15,900 9,697 600 687,752 6,815,051 40,000 1,544,811 3,639,026 19,500 50 20,017 829,106 50,615 161,842 50 215,499 392,001 9,841 70,000 495 30,150 1,053,050 15,000 3,000 662,895 4,587,016 313,250 812,974 826 10,000 107,042 20 538,904 550,000 3,744,427 343,250 2,471,600 16,025 163,010 799,550 760,902 6,056,128 1,080,150 15 2,816,759 2,174,435 146,900 500 30,000 3,535,000 411,052 1,403,762 42,550 3,106,450 78,036 750 8,354,142 Company Name Dar Al Thuraya Real Estate C Al-Dar National Real Estate Kgl Logistics Company Kscc Combined Group Contracting Zima Holding Co Ksc Qurain Holding Co Boubyan Intl Industries Hold Gulf Investment House Boubyan Bank K.S.C Ahli United Bank B.S.C Al-Safat Tec Holding Co Al-Eid Food Co Al-Qurain Petrochemicals Co Advanced Technology Co Ekttitab Holding Co S.A.K.C Kout Food Group Real Estate Trade Centers Co Acico Industries Co Kscc Kipco Asset Management Co National Petroleum Services Alimtiaz Investment Co Kscc Ras Al Khaimah Co Kuwait Reinsurance Co Ksc Kuwait & Gulf Link Transport Human Soft Holding Co Automated Systems Co Metal & Recycling Co Gulf Franchising Holding Co Al-Enma’a Real Estate Co National Mobile Telecommuni Al Bareeq Holding Co Kscc Union Real Estate Co Housing Finance Co Sak Al Salam Group Holding Co United Foodstuff Industries Al Aman Investment Company Mashaer Holdings Manazel Holding Mushrif Trading & Contractin Tijara And Real Estate Inves Kuwait Building Materials Jazeera Airways Commercial Real Estate Co Future Communications Co National International Co Taameer Real Estate Invest C Gulf Cement Co Heavy Engineering And Ship B Refrigeration Industries & S National Real Estate Co Al Safat Energy Holding Comp Kuwait National Cinema Co Danah Alsafat Foodstuff Co Independent Petroleum Group Kuwait Real Estate Co Salhia Real Estate Co Ksc Gulf Cable & Electrical Ind Al-Nawadi Holding Co K.S.C Kuwait Finance House OMAN Lt Price 146.00 23.50 118.00 810.00 168.00 29.50 82.00 65.00 500.00 232.00 63.00 0.00 226.00 930.00 52.00 880.00 44.00 320.00 110.00 570.00 68.00 130.00 188.00 73.00 380.00 375.00 108.00 70.00 82.00 1,540.00 0.00 160.00 23.00 85.00 0.00 84.00 166.00 54.00 79.00 64.00 445.00 435.00 95.00 128.00 64.00 39.50 108.00 146.00 350.00 158.00 24.50 1,000.00 82.00 445.00 78.00 375.00 770.00 148.00 760.00 % Chg 0.00 -4.08 -1.67 0.00 0.00 -1.67 1.23 -2.99 -1.96 -0.85 -1.56 0.00 0.00 0.00 -1.89 0.00 4.76 0.00 3.77 0.00 -1.45 0.00 0.00 -2.67 1.33 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 2.22 -2.30 0.00 -1.18 6.41 0.00 -2.47 0.00 0.00 1.16 0.00 0.00 -1.54 -3.66 -1.82 -1.35 0.00 1.28 -3.92 0.00 0.00 0.00 -1.27 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 Volume 10 4,632,750 213,068 23,500 2 223,000 100 1,225,500 138,588 1,531,200 170,100 711,124 70 5,398,668 10,000 500 17,686 40,045 270 130,000 600,000 310 248,854 526 4,940 1,160 26,376 305,000 158,001 10 9,306,700 816,410 2,442,735 24,000 594,000 491,523 1,500 200 588 332,422 70,205 292,500 450,200 10,050 26,076 30,000 15,000 3,392,240 2 595,900 117,000 993,396 1,247 59,455 100 1,338,248 OMAN Company Name Voltamp Energy Saog United Finance Co United Power Co United Power/Energy Co- Pref Al Madina Investment Co Taageer Finance Salalah Port Services A’saffa Foods Saog Sohar Poultry Shell Oman Marketing Shell Oman Marketing - Pref Smn Power Holding Saog Al Shurooq Inv Ser Al Sharqiya Invest Holding Sohar Power Co Salalah Beach Resort Saog Salalah Mills Co Sahara Hospitality Renaissance Services Saog Raysut Cement Co Port Service Corporation Packaging Co Ltd Oman United Insurance Co Oman Textile Holding Co Saog Oman Telecommunications Co Sweets Of Oman Oman Orix Leasing Co. Oman Refreshment Co Oman Packaging Oman Oil Marketing Company 0Man Oil Marketing Co-Pref Oman National Investment Co Oman National Engineering An Oman National Dairy Products Ominvest Oman Medical Projects Oman Ceramic Com Oman Intl Marketing Oman Investment & Finance Hsbc Bank Oman Oman Hotels & Tourism Co Oman Holding International Oman Fiber Optics Oman Flour Mills Oman Filters Industry Oman Fisheries Co Oman Education & Training In Oman & Emirates Inv(Om)50% Oman & Emirates Inv(Emir)50% Oman Europe Foods Industries Oman Cement Co Oman Chlorine Oman Chromite Oman Cables Industry Oman Agricultural Dev Omani Qatari Telecommunicati National Securities Oman Foods International Soa National Pharmaceutical-Rts National Pharmaceutical National Packaging Fac National Mineral Water National Hospitality Institu National Gas Co National Finance Co National Detergents/The National Carpet Factory National Bank Of Oman Saog National Biscuit Industries National Real Estate Develop Natl Aluminium Products Muscat Thread Mills Co Muscat Insurance Company Modern Poultry Farms Muscat National Holding Musandam Marketing & Invest Al Maha Petroleum Products M Muscat Gases Company Saog Majan Glass Company Muscat Finance Al Kamil Power Co Interior Hotels Hotels Management Co Interna Al-Hassan Engineering Co Gulf Stone Gulf Mushroom Company Gulf Invest. Serv. Pref-Shar Gulf Investments Services Gulf International Chemicals Gulf Hotels (Oman) Co Ltd Global Fin Investment Galfar Engineering&Contract Galfar Engineering -Prefer Financial Services Co. Flexible Ind Packages Lt Price 0.44 0.14 1.23 1.00 0.00 0.15 0.65 0.91 0.21 2.03 1.05 0.64 1.04 0.18 0.37 1.38 1.49 2.45 0.56 2.11 0.40 0.48 0.41 0.29 1.67 1.35 0.15 2.45 0.26 2.23 0.25 0.38 0.31 0.00 0.42 0.00 0.45 0.52 0.22 0.00 0.23 0.00 5.51 0.63 0.02 0.07 0.14 0.17 0.00 1.00 0.72 0.56 3.64 2.40 1.45 0.66 0.16 0.52 0.00 0.10 0.00 0.07 2.05 0.62 0.15 0.70 0.00 0.36 3.75 0.00 0.30 0.16 0.00 0.00 1.65 0.00 2.41 0.83 0.29 0.15 0.31 0.00 1.25 0.12 0.08 0.42 0.15 0.19 0.17 10.50 0.12 0.16 0.43 0.16 0.06 % Chg 1.40 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.10 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 -1.75 0.24 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.60 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.93 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 6.06 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.05 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.69 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.67 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.53 -8.42 0.00 3.33 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 Volume 22,613 67,587 5,260 16,720 244,214 29,500 2,000 290,331 197,500 58,900 31,000 549,200 228,319 44,487 6,534 62,000 32,100 300,000 10,000 12,000 110,663 80,749 273,009 10,000 95,091 - Company Name Financial Corp/The Dhofar Tourism Dhofar Poultry Aloula Co Dhofar Intl Development Dhofar Insurance Dhofar University Dhofar Power Co Dhofar Power Co-Pfd Dhofar Fisheries & Food Indu Dhofar Cattlefeed Al Batinah Dev & Inv Dhofar Beverages Co Computer Stationery Inds Construction Materials Ind Cement & Gypsum Pro Marine Bander Al-Rowdha Bank Sohar Bankmuscat Saog Bank Dhofar Saog Al Batinah Hotels Majan College Areej Vegetable Oils Al Jazeera Steel Products Co Al Sallan Food Industry Acwa Power Barka Saog Al-Omaniya Financial Service Taghleef Industries Saog Gulf Plastic Industries Co Al Jazeera Services Al Jazerah Services -Pfd Al-Fajar Al-Alamia Co Ahli Bank Abrasives Manufacturing Co S Al-Batinah Intl Saog Lt Price 0.13 1.00 0.18 0.53 0.53 0.20 1.47 0.00 0.00 1.28 0.18 0.17 0.26 0.25 0.05 0.00 0.00 0.22 0.70 0.36 1.13 0.50 5.50 0.46 0.00 0.74 0.33 0.00 0.39 0.35 0.55 0.75 0.21 0.05 0.00 % Chg 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 4.29 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.48 0.00 0.00 Volume 80,000 11,900 6,500 239,370 548,551 54,158 504,000 200,000 - UAE Company Name National Takaful Company Waha Capital Pjsc Union Insurance Co Union National Bank/Abu Dhab United Insurance Company Union Cement Co United Arab Bank Abu Dhabi National Takaful C Abu Dhabi National Energy Co Sudan Telecommunications Co$ Sorouh Real Estate Company Sharjah Insurance Company Sharjah Cement & Indus Devel Ras Al Khaima Poultry Ras Al Khaimah Co Rak Properties Ras Al-Khaimah National Insu Ras Al Khaimah Ceramics Ras Al Khaimah Cement Co National Bank Of Ras Al-Khai Ooredoo Qsc Umm Al Qaiwain Cement Indust Oman & Emirates Inv(Emir)50% National Marine Dredging Co National Corp Tourism & Hote Sharjah Islamic Bank National Bank Of Umm Al Qaiw National Bank Of Fujairah National Bank Of Abu Dhabi Methaq Takaful Insurance #N/A Invalid Security Gulf Pharmaceutical Ind-Julp Invest Bank Insurance House Gulf Medical Projects Gulf Livestock Co Green Crescent Insurance Co Gulf Cement Co Foodco Holding Finance House First Gulf Bank Fujairah Cement Industries Fujairah Building Industries Emirates Telecom Corporation Eshraq Properties Co Pjsc Emirates Insurance Co. (Psc) Emirates Driving Company Al Dhafra Insurance Co. P.S. Dana Gas Commercial Bank Internationa Bank Of Sharjah Abu Dhabi Natl Co For Buildi Al Wathba National Insurance Intl Fish Farming Co-Asmak Arkan Building Materials Co Aldar Properties Pjsc Al Ain Ahlia Ins. Co. Al Khazna Insurance Co Agthia Group Pjsc Al Fujairah National Insuran Abu Dhabi Ship Building Co Abu Dhabi National Insurance Abu Dhabi National Hotels Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank Abu Dhabi Aviation Lt Price 1.04 3.08 1.10 6.34 2.00 1.36 7.00 5.85 1.00 0.95 0.00 3.90 1.14 1.27 1.61 0.81 3.80 3.21 1.00 8.85 130.00 1.22 1.17 6.90 6.00 1.88 3.35 4.25 13.30 1.01 0.00 3.07 2.76 1.20 2.54 3.00 0.91 1.30 3.99 4.14 18.90 1.35 1.45 11.45 1.10 7.11 4.30 7.70 0.61 1.71 1.80 0.99 5.35 6.10 1.54 3.33 44.55 0.65 6.57 300.00 2.16 6.80 3.16 6.58 8.00 3.40 % Chg 9.47 5.48 0.00 -1.71 0.00 -2.86 0.00 0.00 2.04 5.56 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 -3.01 1.25 0.00 0.00 -1.96 1.72 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.00 0.00 0.66 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 -3.19 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.80 0.00 0.00 0.44 1.85 0.00 0.00 0.00 3.39 0.00 0.00 7.61 0.00 0.00 -4.94 5.05 0.00 0.00 -1.35 0.00 -6.90 0.00 -9.71 1.70 3.76 -2.86 Volume 7,000 54,273,479 2,139,019 8,145 800,408 534,326 5,000 9,232,020 1,000,000 122,200 291,599 500 133,702 311,250 1,460,248 302,709 29,000 1,775 3,544,204 1,688,565 64,410,075 4,015,897 1,293,027 22,000 172,346 24,649,660 15,509 3,707 30,500 344,854 402,149 35,840 BAHRAIN Company Name United Paper Industries Bsc United Gulf Investment Corp United Gulf Bank United Finance Co Trafco Group Bsc Takaful International Co Taib Bank -$Us Securities & Investment Co Seef Properties Sudan Telecommunications Co$ Al-Salam Bank Delmon Poultry Co National Hotels Co National Bank Of Bahrain Nass Corp Bsc Khaleeji Commercial Bank Ithmaar Bank Bsc Investcorp Bank -$Us Inovest Co Bsc Intl Investment Group-Kuwait Gulf Monetary Group Global Investment House Kscc Gulf Finance House Ec Bahrain Family Leisure Co Esterad Investment Co B.S.C. Bahrain Duty Free Complex Bahrain Car Park Co Bahrain Cinema Co Bahrain Tourism Co Bahraini Saudi Bank/The Bahrain National Holding Bankmuscat Saog Bmmi Bsc Bmb Investment Bank Bahrain Kuwait Insurance Bahrain Islamic Bank Gulf Hotel Group B.S.C Bahrain Flour Mills Co Bahrain Commercial Facilitie Bbk Bsc Bahrain Telecom Co Bahrain Ship Repair & Engin Albaraka Banking Group Banader Hotels Co Ahli United Bank B.S.C Lt Price 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.40 0.23 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.21 0.00 0.17 0.32 0.30 0.86 0.18 0.05 0.17 501.75 0.26 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.21 0.86 ` 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.82 0.00 0.66 0.16 0.88 0.00 0.68 0.47 0.35 2.20 0.84 0.06 0.81 % Chg 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 -8.95 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 -9.40 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.95 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.58 0.00 0.00 0.00 -0.61 Volume 14,345 175,000 121,917 12,600 5,000 2,300 204,000 200,000 71,760 500 62,970 7,500 2,000 15,000 43,000 23,226 15,000 4,500 5,000 24,900 38,345 1,965 5,880 201,223 525,000 LATEST MARKET CLOSING FIGURES Gulf Times Tuesday, November 11, 2014 8 BUSINESS DJIA WORLD INDICES Company Name Exxon Mobil Corp Microsoft Corp Johnson & Johnson General Electric Co Wal-Mart Stores Inc Procter & Gamble Co/The Jpmorgan Chase & Co Chevron Corp Verizon Communications Inc Pfizer Inc Coca-Cola Co/The At&T Inc Merck & Co. Inc. Intel Corp Intl Business Machines Corp Visa Inc-Class A Shares Walt Disney Co/The Home Depot Inc Cisco Systems Inc 3M Co United Technologies Corp American Express Co Mcdonald’s Corp Unitedhealth Group Inc Boeing Co/The Goldman Sachs Group Inc Nike Inc -Cl B Du Pont (E.I.) De Nemours Caterpillar Inc Travelers Cos Inc/The Lt Price 96.62 48.86 108.15 26.48 79.41 89.27 61.92 118.15 50.84 30.10 42.42 35.11 58.14 33.39 164.16 250.80 89.73 97.42 25.02 157.30 108.99 92.24 95.10 94.46 124.69 191.16 94.51 70.28 102.17 102.87 % Chg 0.03 0.37 -0.05 0.27 0.81 0.16 0.73 -0.55 -0.04 0.60 0.22 0.57 -2.02 -0.58 1.29 -0.65 -0.30 -0.24 -1.22 0.48 -0.08 -0.02 0.00 0.91 0.19 0.24 0.78 -0.18 0.40 0.49 2,742,726 11,345,951 2,529,617 6,087,217 3,278,824 1,951,919 3,855,709 2,131,324 6,030,254 5,925,540 2,731,645 7,003,613 5,866,728 9,857,996 2,122,943 922,821 2,429,581 966,308 14,877,256 388,108 738,564 768,207 1,696,906 1,063,948 813,771 478,078 676,650 553,707 779,318 448,052 FTSE 100 Company Name Wpp Plc Wolseley Plc Wm Morrison Supermarkets Whitbread Plc Weir Group Plc/The Vodafone Group Plc United Utilities Group Plc Unilever Plc Tullow Oil Plc Tui Travel Plc Travis Perkins Plc Tesco Plc Standard Life Plc Standard Chartered Plc St James’s Place Plc Sse Plc Sports Direct International Smiths Group Plc Smith & Nephew Plc Shire Plc Severn Trent Plc Schroders Plc Sainsbury (J) Plc Sage Group Plc/The Sabmiller Plc Rsa Insurance Group Plc Royal Mail Plc Royal Dutch Shell Plc-B Shs Royal Dutch Shell Plc-A Shs Royal Bank Of Scotland Group Rolls-Royce Holdings Plc Rio Tinto Plc Reed Elsevier Plc Reckitt Benckiser Group Plc Randgold Resources Ltd Prudential Plc Petrofac Ltd Persimmon Plc Pearson Plc Old Mutual Plc Next Plc National Grid Plc Mondi Plc Meggitt Plc Marks & Spencer Group Plc London Stock Exchange Group Lloyds Banking Group Plc Legal & General Group Plc Land Securities Group Plc Kingfisher Plc Johnson Matthey Plc Itv Plc Intu Properties Plc Intl Consolidated Airline-Di Intertek Group Plc Intercontinental Hotels Grou Imperial Tobacco Group Plc Imi Plc Hsbc Holdings Plc Hargreaves Lansdown Plc Hammerson Plc Glencore Plc Glaxosmithkline Plc Gkn Plc G4s Plc Friends Life Group Ltd Fresnillo Plc Experian Plc Easyjet Plc Dixons Carphone Plc Direct Line Insurance Group Diageo Plc Crh Plc Compass Group Plc Coca-Cola Hbc Ag-Cdi Centrica Plc Carnival Plc Capita Plc Burberry Group Plc Bunzl Plc Bt Group Plc British Sky Broadcasting Gro British Land Co Plc British American Tobacco Plc Bp Plc Bhp Billiton Plc Bg Group Plc Barclays Plc Bae Systems Plc Babcock Intl Group Plc Aviva Plc Astrazeneca Plc Associated British Foods Plc Ashtead Group Plc Arm Holdings Plc Antofagasta Plc Anglo American Plc Aggreko Plc Admiral Group Plc Aberdeen Asset Mgmt Plc 3I Group Plc #N/A Invalid Security Lt Price 1,253.00 3,386.00 170.80 4,338.00 2,223.00 207.25 862.00 2,538.00 506.50 409.40 1,675.00 192.55 402.00 937.70 749.50 1,556.00 656.00 1,224.00 1,047.00 4,234.00 1,963.00 2,543.00 254.00 379.20 3,543.00 455.30 457.90 2,328.50 2,233.50 377.00 869.50 3,013.50 1,042.00 5,255.00 4,080.00 1,438.50 1,135.00 1,443.00 1,182.00 195.40 6,505.00 927.00 1,067.00 483.30 476.20 2,046.00 76.40 237.80 1,106.00 292.10 3,060.00 204.90 341.90 413.00 2,749.00 2,445.00 2,808.00 1,242.00 633.50 1,040.00 605.00 325.75 1,418.00 324.00 263.30 321.60 733.00 1,021.00 1,542.00 400.00 273.30 1,852.50 1,384.00 1,021.00 1,361.00 299.80 2,516.00 1,110.00 1,516.00 1,716.00 374.20 885.00 726.50 3,595.00 438.05 1,668.00 1,052.50 234.25 461.20 1,080.00 524.00 4,595.50 2,965.00 1,060.00 876.00 714.00 1,356.00 1,539.00 1,192.00 449.60 406.00 0.00 % Chg 1.29 0.71 1.43 0.77 1.05 0.14 0.76 1.04 0.00 2.43 1.52 4.39 1.13 -0.89 1.77 -0.83 0.46 0.58 0.19 1.51 0.15 1.48 -2.91 1.01 1.14 2.04 -1.08 0.11 0.13 0.56 0.29 -0.84 1.07 1.94 -1.26 0.07 1.52 2.34 0.17 1.40 0.62 0.87 0.85 1.49 2.15 0.05 0.17 0.76 0.18 0.38 1.39 0.79 0.06 2.58 -0.29 1.66 1.01 1.22 0.56 -0.19 -0.25 0.14 0.07 1.00 -0.53 0.03 -0.14 0.00 0.46 -0.84 0.77 1.56 -1.21 1.59 0.07 -0.79 0.72 0.63 -0.20 0.41 0.19 -0.34 -0.14 0.43 -0.74 -0.48 0.29 0.04 0.99 0.47 -0.19 -0.03 0.27 1.63 0.52 1.49 -0.62 0.65 -1.89 1.56 1.50 0.00 Volume 2,242,447 548,810 8,642,389 259,544 449,665 46,021,269 762,035 2,467,427 2,087,669 1,600,707 282,687 39,714,168 2,998,004 6,810,371 851,078 1,742,513 688,715 443,018 1,014,187 1,516,551 188,449 252,240 10,472,939 1,425,616 1,148,836 2,233,444 1,840,927 1,801,846 2,309,892 3,902,932 3,032,578 2,248,879 1,063,544 759,688 593,250 1,489,286 1,341,116 425,338 758,114 7,109,010 293,178 3,405,457 672,756 1,380,834 5,077,498 455,201 59,944,385 5,959,157 987,123 4,635,635 270,251 3,487,831 1,113,998 7,964,719 312,810 310,074 912,153 370,889 11,009,556 612,231 1,187,395 19,186,558 3,271,990 1,715,830 2,937,774 1,968,914 1,218,711 1,743,381 1,448,511 1,697,730 1,580,497 2,702,287 1,902,770 1,726,794 211,824 7,408,152 374,997 1,251,867 870,265 247,973 8,259,251 2,409,198 1,946,636 1,283,533 17,812,947 5,811,653 3,327,915 17,151,018 2,393,307 983,544 2,572,184 1,199,974 291,480 1,043,978 1,735,979 1,616,040 3,887,101 592,190 554,813 1,216,158 808,774 - TOKYO Company Name Inpex Corp Daiwa House Industry Co Ltd Sekisui House Ltd Kirin Holdings Co Ltd Japan Tobacco Inc Seven & I Holdings Co Ltd Toray Industries Inc Asahi Kasei Corp Sumitomo Chemical Co Ltd Shin-Etsu Chemical Co Ltd Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings Kao Corp Takeda Pharmaceutical Co Ltd Astellas Pharma Inc Eisai Co Ltd Daiichi Sankyo Co Ltd Fujifilm Holdings Corp Shiseido Co Ltd Jx Holdings Inc Lt Price 1,404.00 2,199.50 1,448.50 1,427.00 3,890.00 4,298.00 780.80 949.00 394.00 7,417.00 565.30 4,313.00 4,873.50 1,752.50 4,308.50 1,700.50 3,718.50 1,686.50 457.40 % Chg 4.39 0.57 1.22 -1.14 -1.08 -0.09 0.88 0.96 0.77 0.16 -0.14 -2.31 -0.68 -1.49 -1.41 -1.05 -1.41 -1.60 0.77 Indices Volume Volume 5,182,200 2,636,300 5,352,300 2,271,000 3,316,200 1,425,800 7,863,000 6,361,000 10,383,000 916,600 5,639,700 1,506,000 1,941,100 5,503,600 1,052,700 2,294,100 3,485,900 3,551,100 9,821,600 Lt Price Change Dow Jones Indus. Avg S&P 500 Index Nasdaq Composite Index S&P/Tsx Composite Index Mexico Bolsa Index Brazil Bovespa Stock Idx Ftse 100 Index Cac 40 Index Dax Index Ibex 35 Tr 17,596.98 2,036.49 4,650.31 14,690.72 44,704.07 53,173.35 6,593.09 4,215.48 9,332.23 10,261.10 +23.05 +4.57 +17.77 -0.11 +89.41 -49.50 +25.85 +25.59 +40.40 +134.80 Nikkei 225 Japan Topix Hang Seng Index All Ordinaries Indx Nzx All Index Bse Sensex 30 Index Nse S&P Cnx Nifty Index Straits Times Index Karachi All Share Index Jakarta Composite Index 16,780.53 1,360.11 23,744.70 5,501.42 1,105.65 27,874.73 8,344.25 3,301.00 23,037.70 4,965.39 -99.85 -3.56 +194.46 -20.68 +9.59 +6.10 +7.25 +14.61 +343.55 -22.04 TOKYO Company Name Bridgestone Corp Asahi Glass Co Ltd Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Meta Sumitomo Metal Industries Kobe Steel Ltd Jfe Holdings Inc Sumitomo Metal Mining Co Ltd Sumitomo Electric Industries Smc Corp Komatsu Ltd Kubota Corp Daikin Industries Ltd Hitachi Ltd Toshiba Corp Mitsubishi Electric Corp Nidec Corp Nec Corp Fujitsu Ltd Panasonic Corp Sharp Corp Sony Corp Tdk Corp Keyence Corp Denso Corp Fanuc Corp Rohm Co Ltd Kyocera Corp Murata Manufacturing Co Ltd Nitto Denko Corp Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Nissan Motor Co Ltd Toyota Motor Corp Honda Motor Co Ltd Suzuki Motor Corp Nikon Corp Hoya Corp Canon Inc Ricoh Co Ltd Dai Nippon Printing Co Ltd Nintendo Co Ltd Itochu Corp Marubeni Corp Mitsui & Co Ltd Tokyo Electron Ltd Sumitomo Corp Mitsubishi Corp Aeon Co Ltd Mitsubishi Ufj Financial Gro Resona Holdings Inc Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Holdin Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Gr Bank Of Yokohama Ltd/The Mizuho Financial Group Inc Orix Corp Daiwa Securities Group Inc Nomura Holdings Inc Sompo Japan Nipponkoa Holdin Ms&Ad Insurance Group Holdin Dai-Ichi Life Insurance Tokio Marine Holdings Inc T&D Holdings Inc Mitsui Fudosan Co Ltd Mitsubishi Estate Co Ltd Sumitomo Realty & Developmen East Japan Railway Co West Japan Railway Co Central Japan Railway Co Ana Holdings Inc Nippon Telegraph & Telephone Kddi Corp Ntt Docomo Inc Tokyo Electric Power Co Inc Chubu Electric Power Co Inc Kansai Electric Power Co Inc Tohoku Electric Power Co Inc Kyushu Electric Power Co Inc Tokyo Gas Co Ltd Secom Co Ltd Yamada Denki Co Ltd Fast Retailing Co Ltd Softbank Corp Lt Price 3,826.00 580.00 302.60 0.00 178.00 2,326.00 1,527.00 1,522.00 30,840.00 2,732.00 1,757.00 7,187.00 870.00 499.80 1,436.50 7,216.00 381.00 675.40 1,418.00 289.00 2,344.00 6,530.00 53,700.00 5,274.00 19,660.00 7,060.00 5,175.00 12,370.00 6,076.00 687.30 1,040.50 6,712.00 3,588.50 3,529.50 1,530.00 3,992.00 3,534.00 1,208.50 1,056.00 12,055.00 1,385.50 734.20 1,652.50 7,407.00 1,227.00 2,281.00 1,126.00 630.90 656.10 470.80 4,463.00 652.70 203.20 1,570.50 942.70 715.20 2,891.50 2,458.00 1,686.00 3,582.50 1,420.50 3,423.50 2,614.50 4,137.00 8,698.00 5,425.00 16,820.00 261.00 6,542.00 7,313.00 1,801.50 439.00 1,410.00 1,120.00 1,428.00 1,260.00 645.30 6,919.00 380.00 41,430.00 7,721.00 % Chg -0.08 -0.51 2.79 0.00 1.71 1.68 2.14 0.30 -0.02 -0.92 -1.32 0.67 -0.40 0.22 0.10 -1.54 -1.55 -0.38 0.04 0.70 3.81 0.77 0.00 -0.47 -1.53 1.29 -0.71 -1.75 0.50 -0.49 -0.48 -1.54 -1.54 0.54 -1.03 -1.11 -0.56 1.00 -0.09 -0.90 1.35 0.85 -1.58 -1.61 0.57 2.01 0.81 0.38 -0.14 0.21 0.81 -1.30 0.10 -0.16 -0.87 0.22 0.64 0.27 -0.15 0.18 0.28 1.11 -0.02 -0.34 0.51 0.95 0.48 0.08 -4.06 0.01 -1.69 0.69 -1.02 -3.16 -1.18 -2.25 -0.42 -1.21 4.40 -2.11 -0.76 Volume 2,313,300 4,213,000 49,960,000 12,868,000 3,812,200 3,515,000 2,599,300 164,400 4,000,000 4,210,000 1,283,800 13,067,000 14,267,000 4,139,000 1,078,700 14,476,000 14,318,000 12,102,700 15,743,000 20,790,000 1,167,400 178,400 1,705,900 822,500 621,000 1,064,800 1,003,900 1,029,500 8,976,000 8,055,500 10,408,700 4,634,700 2,970,800 4,348,300 1,016,900 4,969,900 3,990,900 1,749,000 372,000 6,386,800 8,712,000 14,208,100 541,200 5,796,400 11,011,800 2,981,400 32,243,500 10,155,900 13,135,000 5,429,900 4,766,000 85,630,000 8,020,200 12,429,000 18,797,100 727,200 758,800 2,152,400 1,471,200 1,901,800 4,497,000 4,488,000 2,102,000 615,000 772,000 312,300 9,263,000 4,699,700 2,711,700 8,376,600 38,918,300 1,958,800 4,756,700 1,339,100 2,747,300 6,226,000 844,600 17,673,500 530,600 9,292,100 SENSEX Company Name Zee Entertainment Enterprise Wipro Ltd Ultratech Cement Ltd Tech Mahindra Ltd Tata Steel Ltd Tata Power Co Ltd Tata Motors Ltd Tata Consultancy Svcs Ltd Sun Pharmaceutical Indus State Bank Of India Sesa Sterlite Ltd Reliance Industries Ltd Punjab National Bank Power Grid Corp Of India Ltd Oil & Natural Gas Corp Ltd Ntpc Ltd Nmdc Ltd Maruti Suzuki India Ltd Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd Lupin Ltd Larsen & Toubro Ltd Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd Jindal Steel & Power Ltd Itc Ltd Infosys Ltd Indusind Bank Ltd Idfc Ltd Icici Bank Ltd Housing Development Finance Hindustan Unilever Ltd Hindalco Industries Ltd Hero Motocorp Ltd Hdfc Bank Limited Hcl Technologies Ltd Grasim Industries Ltd Gail India Ltd Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories Dlf Ltd Coal India Ltd Cipla Ltd Cairn India Ltd Bharti Airtel Ltd Bharat Petroleum Corp Ltd Bharat Heavy Electricals Bank Of Baroda Bajaj Auto Ltd Axis Bank Ltd Asian Paints Ltd Ambuja Cements Ltd Acc Ltd Lt Price 368.55 558.85 2,581.10 2,634.10 470.85 93.35 522.30 2,569.65 911.25 2,739.50 245.15 969.35 922.55 148.10 394.20 146.15 159.35 3,307.80 1,230.90 1,430.95 1,619.40 1,108.70 155.75 371.70 4,165.50 724.50 150.95 1,667.00 1,113.70 771.00 152.00 2,933.10 904.65 1,617.55 3,581.60 481.10 3,442.25 135.85 349.10 643.00 277.75 391.25 766.00 250.90 985.05 2,543.40 460.50 648.90 221.55 1,499.25 % Chg -0.90 0.98 0.75 -0.66 -0.12 2.19 -2.07 -0.12 1.90 -0.11 -0.39 -1.14 -1.88 2.21 -3.77 1.18 1.01 0.59 -0.66 0.82 -2.08 -1.26 -3.56 4.51 -0.03 -0.54 -0.76 -1.05 1.27 1.25 -2.63 1.58 0.58 -0.07 -0.21 -0.81 1.33 1.00 1.32 -1.10 0.91 0.10 0.90 0.76 2.35 0.15 -1.82 0.43 -0.18 -0.63 Volume 4,456,775 1,957,561 108,870 492,878 5,198,254 2,712,258 3,760,198 821,341 4,672,922 1,427,504 2,870,586 2,617,260 808,613 6,132,257 6,924,335 2,865,031 3,208,979 228,281 1,026,427 879,311 3,245,534 480,815 5,444,710 16,542,388 729,840 667,733 5,143,787 1,597,679 1,416,439 849,564 9,635,272 721,513 1,862,476 765,069 30,762 2,160,247 376,618 12,886,441 4,644,566 871,818 1,963,891 3,511,506 1,915,296 3,530,686 1,432,237 120,290 5,004,920 1,632,518 723,107 228,697 Cairn’s share price surged 12.1% to stand at 177 pence yesterday. European stock markets kick off week with gains AFP London E uropean stock markets mostly rose yesterday amid a lack of negative news to dent sentiment, analysts said. London’s benchmark FTSE 100 index added 0.67% to end the day at 6,611.25 points, while in Frankfurt the DAX 30 climbed 0.65% to 9,351.87 and in Paris the CAC 40 rose 0.79% to 4,222.82 points. “European equity markets edged higher in today’s session, as firm Chinese and European economic data improved market sentiment,” said Sucden Research analyst Myrto Sokou. David Madden, a market analyst at online trader IG, observed “no negative news encourages traders to go long.” With today a holiday in much of Europe and the United States, there is little in the way of economic data releases scheduled for the beginning of this week However Milan dropped 0.85% after Italian industrial production contracted 0.9% in September. Wall Street continued to advance yesterday after hitting new records on Friday after the US Labor Department said the American economy added 214,000 jobs last month. While that figure was weaker than forecast, the previous two months’ job gains were revised upward and the US unemployment rate slipped to a sixyear low. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.17% to 17,603.97 points in afternoon trading, while the S&P 500 rose 0.21% to 2,036.18 and the techrich Nasdaq Composite Index climbed 0.30% to 4,646.33. In yesterday’s foreign exchange deals, the single European currency slid to $1.2430 from $1.2456 late in New York on Friday. The euro dipped to 78.30 British pence from 78.48, while the British pound grew to $1.5874 from $1.5869 on Friday. On the London Bullion Market, the price of gold increased to $1,162 an ounce from a $1,154.50 on Friday. In company news, Cairn Energy said it had unearthed another oil find off the coast of Senegal. It comes after the British energy explorer last month said it made its first offshore oil find in in Senegal’s maritime territory, prompting the west African country to say that it aimed to begin pumping its own oil in about five years’ time. Cairn Energy chief executive Simon Thomson described the latest find as “significant” for the company and Senegal. The new discovery was made at Cairn’s SNE-1 well, situated about 100 HONG KONG HONG KONG Company Name Aluminum Corp Of China Ltd-H Bank Of East Asia Bank Of China Ltd-H Bank Of Communications Co-H Belle International Holdings Boc Hong Kong Holdings Ltd Cathay Pacific Airways Cheung Kong Holdings Ltd China Coal Energy Co-H China Construction Bank-H China Life Insurance Co-H China Merchants Hldgs Intl China Mobile Ltd China Overseas Land & Invest China Petroleum & Chemical-H China Resources Enterprise China Resources Land Ltd China Resources Power Holdin China Shenhua Energy Co-H China Unicom Hong Kong Ltd Citic Ltd Clp Holdings Ltd Cnooc Ltd Cosco Pacific Ltd Esprit Holdings Ltd Fih Mobile Ltd Hang Lung Properties Ltd Hang Seng Bank Ltd Henderson Land Development kilometres (60 miles) off the country’s coast. Cairn’s share price surged 12.1% to stand at 177 pence. Mining shares initially rose as commodity prices climbed on reassuring Chinese data, but turned negative on gains by the dollar, which tend to dent demand. Rio Tinto shed 0.49% to 3,024 pence, Anglo American slid 0.29% to 1,360.5 pence and BHP Billiton gave up 0.24% to 1,672 pence. Elsewhere, Britain’s scandal-hit services giant Serco cut its profits outlook and revealed plans to shrink the group after taking an impairment charge of £1.5bn ($2.4bn or €1.9bn), sending shares plunging by almost a third to 215.10 pence. In Lisbon, a rival bid for Portugal Telecom helped the PSI-20 index jump by 5.5% to €8.22. Shares the operator leapt nearly 12% to €1.36 after Isabel Dos Santos, an Angolan businesswoman and daughter of the country’s president offered €1.2bn for PT SGPS holding, which has a 25.6% stake in Brazilian telecommunications operator Oi. The offer could disrupt the ongoing merger of Portugal Telecom with Oi, as well as wrongfoot a bid by Altice, parent company of French cable operator Numericable, to acquire most of Portugal Telecom from the Brazilian operator. Lt Price 3.58 32.30 3.69 5.82 9.79 25.75 14.78 138.60 4.77 5.69 22.80 25.35 96.50 21.65 6.45 16.98 17.28 21.55 21.20 11.48 13.42 67.35 11.94 10.64 9.37 4.04 22.90 130.40 51.60 % Chg 4.37 1.25 0.54 1.22 0.41 1.38 0.14 2.44 1.49 0.71 0.22 0.60 0.00 -0.92 0.31 -5.14 -4.11 3.11 0.00 0.88 0.60 0.30 1.36 -1.12 -0.85 0.00 0.22 0.31 2.89 Volume 41,824,988 1,925,715 507,096,235 36,446,998 11,754,041 8,784,697 5,145,000 4,883,858 45,123,203 225,931,035 43,851,188 4,238,319 17,926,579 20,395,142 106,208,441 12,551,522 50,931,205 4,743,548 21,262,363 20,111,935 9,074,293 2,724,049 67,025,727 9,576,418 2,409,677 4,942,755 4,952,577 1,098,339 2,526,160 Company Name Hong Kong & China Gas Hong Kong Exchanges & Clear Hsbc Holdings Plc Hutchison Whampoa Ltd Ind & Comm Bk Of China-H Li & Fung Ltd Mtr Corp New World Development Petrochina Co Ltd-H Ping An Insurance Group Co-H Power Assets Holdings Ltd Sino Land Co Sun Hung Kai Properties Swire Pacific Ltd-A Tencent Holdings Ltd Wharf Holdings Ltd Lt Price 18.34 183.60 78.10 97.35 5.05 9.00 30.65 9.51 9.21 59.70 74.95 12.82 114.50 101.50 125.70 55.05 % Chg 0.77 4.56 0.19 0.88 1.00 0.33 0.00 0.63 0.33 -2.93 1.63 2.07 0.88 -0.29 2.11 0.00 Volume 9,288,449 22,623,214 18,863,747 4,560,414 333,074,639 18,489,572 3,636,722 16,138,931 88,420,871 41,934,235 2,367,267 6,945,052 5,122,628 1,259,301 21,291,734 3,744,648 GCC INDICES Indices Doha Securities Market Saudi Tadawul Kuwait Stocks Exchange Bahrain Stock Exchage Oman Stock Market Abudhabi Stock Market Dubai Financial Market Lt Price 13,788.40 9,793.20 7,132.91 1,433.56 6,923.26 4,919.21 4,578.99 Change +96.28 +104.55 -49.89 -9.00 +18.10 +52.06 +125.83 “Information contained herein is believed to be reliable and had been obtained from sources believed to be reliable. The accuracy and completeness cannot be guaranteed. This publication is for providing information only and is not intended as an offer or solicitation for a purchase or sale of any of the financial instruments mentioned. Gulf Times and Doha Bank or any of their employees shall not be held accountable and will not accept any losses or liabilities for actions based on this data.” CURRENCIES DOLLAR QATAR RIYAL SAUDI RIYAL UAE DIRHAMS BAHRAINI DINAR KUWAITI DINAR 14 Gulf Times Tuesday, November 11, 2014 BUSINESS New rules proposed to put an end to �too big to fail’ banks New �bail in’ bonds rule set for January 2019; minimum buffer of 16-20% of risk weighted assets; rule to be finalised by G20 summit in 2015; FSB turns attention to implementing post crisis rules Reuters Basel, Switzerland/London G lobal regulators yesterday proposed new rules to ensure that bank creditors rather than taxpayers pick up the bill when a big lender collapses. Mark Carney, chairman of the Financial Stability Board and Bank of England governor, said the plans marked a watershed in ending banks that are too big to be allowed to fail. “Once implemented, these agreements will play important roles in enabling globally systemic banks to be resolved (wound down) without recourse to public subsidy and without disruption to the wider financial system,” Carney said in a statement. After the financial crisis in 2007-2009, governments had to spend billions of dollars of taxpayer money to rescue banks that ran into trouble and could have threatened global financial system if allowed to go under. Since then, regulators from the Group of 20 economies have been trying to find ways to prevent this happening again. The plans envisage that global banks like Goldman Sachs and HSBC should have a buffer of bonds or equity equivalent to at least 16 to 20% of their riskweighted assets, like loans, from January 2019. These bonds would be converted to equity to help shore up a stricken bank. The banks’ total buffer would include the minimum mandatory core capital requirements banks must already hold to bolster their defences against future crises. The new rule will apply to 30 banks the regulators have deemed to be globally “systemically important,” though initially three from China on that list of 30 would be exempt. G2O leaders are expected to back the proposal later this week in Australia. It is being put out to public consultation until February 2, 2015. Carney was confident the new rule would be applied as central banks and governments had a hand in drafting them. “This isn’t something that we cooked up in Basel tower and are just presenting to everybody,” he told a news conference, referring to the FSB’s headquarters in Switzerland. Breaches should be punished by curbing dividends and bonuses, the FSB said. Bank of England governor and chairman of the Financial Stability Board Mark Carney addressing a news conference at the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) in Basel yesterday. The world’s biggest banks should hold a buffer of bonds in case of a collapse so that government bailouts are avoided, a global regulatory body proposed yesterday. Carney said the plans marked a watershed in ending banks that are too big to be allowed to fail. Most of the banks would need to sell more bonds to comply with the new rules, the FSB said. Some bonds — known as “senior debt” that banks have already sold to investors would need restructuring. Senior debt was largely protected during the financial crisis, which meant investors did not lose their money. But Carney said it in future these bonds might have to bear losses if al- lowed under national rules and investors were warned in advance. The new buffer, formally known as total loss absorbing capacity or TLAC, must be at least twice a bank’s leverage ratio, a separate measure of capital to total assets regardless of the level of risk. Globally, the leverage ratio has been set provisionally at 3% but it could be higher when finalised in 2015. Some of the buffer must be held at major overseas subsidiaries to reassure regulators outside a bank’s home country. Banks may have to hold more than the minimum because of “add-ons” due to specific business models, Carney said. Fitch ratings agency said banks might end up with a buffer equivalent to as much as a quarter of their risk weighted assets once other capital requirements are included. Analysts at Citi estimated the new rule could cost European banks up to 3% of profits in 2016. Citi said European banks would be required to issue the biggest chunk of new bonds, including BNP Paribas, Deutsche Bank, BBVA and UniCredit, with Swiss and British banks the least affected in Europe. Bigger fines in less time for FX reveals Libor lessons learned Bloomberg London B ritish regulators are closing in on a settlement in their currency-rigging probe that will yield bigger penalties for more banks in less than half the time spent investigating Libor. The Financial Conduct Authority is poised to reach a settlement as soon as this week with six banks, which together have set aside about $5.3bn in recent weeks for legal matters including the currency investigations, people with knowledge of the talks have said. That’s less than a year and a half since the agency disclosed it was looking into the matter. By contrast, after more than two years fining firms piecemeal for manipulating the London interbank offered rate and related benchmarks, the FCA and its predecessor have reaped £532mn ($849mn) from seven firms. Chief executive officer Martin Wheatley said last month it’s “not a good message” the agency is still investigating Libor. The FCA is working to produce a different narrative on currency rigging, according to the people, who asked not to be named because the talks are private. “There can be little doubt that the FCA has learned lessons from its protracted Libor investigations,” said Jason Mansell, a London-based trial lawyer involved in Libor cases. “The much rumoured multiinstitutional global settlement will enable the FCA to present itself publicly as providing a tough response to global misconduct.” The FCA was the first agency to say, in June 2013, that it was looking at whether the $5.3tn-a-day currency market had been manipulated. Investigations soon opened on three continents as authorities probed allegations that dealers at the world’s biggest banks traded ahead of clients and colluded to rig benchmarks used by pension funds and money managers to determine what they pay for foreign currencies. Barclays, Citigroup, HSBC Holdings, JPMorgan Chase & Co, Royal Bank of Scotland Group and UBS are in settlement talks with the FCA, people with knowledge of the negotiations have said. Lara Joseph, a spokeswoman for the FCA, declined to comment, as did representatives for the six banks. The British regulator already has reached Libor settlements with three of the six banks — Barclays, RBS and UBS — levying £307mn in fines. A two-page FCA document outlining interview protocol for currency investigations, sent to lawyers advising banks last year, was one of the first signs the agency was taking a different tack, according to three people who saw the letters and asked not to be identified because they were private. The document set out a series of requirements for lawyers, including recording employee interviews and sending them to the FCA, one of the people said. That request hadn’t been seen before, according to four lawyers who regularly work on FCA investigations and were involved in Libor cases. After getting pushback about attorney-client privilege, the regulator agreed to accept detailed notes instead, they said. “After Libor, the FCA realised it needed to have greater control over banks’ internal investigations, rather than just accepting evidence,” said Richard Burger, a London-based lawyer who has worked for the regulator. “The more prescriptive approach taken with FX investigations was probably the regulator’s attempt to remedy this.” The FCA has benefited from improved communications with overseas counterparts, according to an agency official involved in the case. A lack of understanding about different legal systems hampered the Libor investigation, the person said. The Financial Conduct Authority is poised to reach a settlement as soon as this week with six banks, which together have set aside about $5.3bn in recent weeks for legal matters The British markets watchdog received 52 requests for help from other agencies on foreign exchange through March, according to its annual report. The US Federal Reserve, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission are pressing to reach accords with some of the same banks at the same time the FCA does, people with knowledge of the matter have said. The FCA may still issue settlements on its own, other people said last week. That willingness to go it alone differs from the agency’s approach on Libor, in which it mostly has coordinated fines with the CFTC and US Department of Justice. The CFTC is striving to announce settlements along with the FCA, as are the Fed and OCC, while the Justice Department probably will take longer, people with knowledge of the probes have said. The Justice Department is pressing to take action against one bank before the end of the year and planning to file criminal charges against individuals next year, the people said. Spokesmen for all four US agencies declined to comment. The FCA isn’t planning to levy fines against individual traders, two people with knowledge of the discussions said in September. In contrast, 11 anonymous warning notices outlining wrongdoing over Libor and related benchmarks have been published by the FCA against traders. The regulator has proposed penalties of as much as £10mn. The fines have been delayed because of possible criminal proceedings. Draghi’s morality tale echoes as euro recovery grinds Bloomberg Paris Mario Draghi’s morality tale on the need for structural reform will resonate this week in data revealing Spain outshone the region’s biggest economies yet again. Reports on November 14 predicted by economists to show a recession in Italy, and marginal growth in France, Germany, and the euro area as a whole, will reinforce a parable the European Central Bank president tells every month. That theme has particular poignancy for Draghi, an Italian whose country has become the poster child of economic sclerosis. Spanish wedding-dress designer Jordi Dalmau says he can see animal spirits taking hold in the economy from the way his creations sell. The lack of buoyancy elsewhere in the 18-nation region, which Draghi blames in part on a lack of effort by governments, may lead officials to cut their economic outlook in December. “After four years of doing nothing other than saving, Spanish people have started spending again,” Dalmau said in a telephone interview from Granollers, close to Barcelona. “Business is going much, much better than in previous years, there’s no comparison.” With growth of 0.5% in the JulySeptember period, the Spanish economy outperformed the German one for a second quarter, something it hasn’t done since 2007. By contrast, the euro-area economy probably expanded 0.1%, according to economists surveyed by Bloomberg News. Eurostat will publish that report following data from France, Germany, Slovakia, the Netherlands, Italy and Portugal. “We expect a very heterogeneous outcome” for this week’s GDP reports, said Daniel Lenz, lead market strategist at DZ Bank in Frankfurt. “Those countries that have undertaken more reforms are now in a better state — the examples of Ireland and Spain demonstrate that.” Draghi has identified “insufficient progress” in structural reforms as a key downside risk to the economy. While the outlook for a modest recovery remains in place, a weakening in momentum signals cuts in the ECB’s staff projections, he said last week after policy makers kept interest rates unchanged. New forecasts are due in December. Euro-area investor confidence unexpectedly improved to minus 11.9 this month from minus 13.7 in October, according to an index published yesterday by the Limburg, Germany-based Sentix research institute. Economists had predicted minus 13.8, according to a Bloomberg News survey. Separate reports showed industrial production in Finland expanded 0.7% in September from August, while it dropped 0.9% in Italy, more than economists’ forecast. In Greece, consumer prices plunged 1.8% in October from a year earlier, a 20th straight decline. The European Commission already lowered its GDP outlook for the euro area and its largest member economies — Germany, France and Italy. In Spain, where growth is projected to accelerate next year, Economy Minister Luis de Guindos has committed that the government will continue the policies that turned the economy around — changes to labour law and measures to encourage enterprise. Unemployment at 24% is still the second-highest in the region, and the government’s budget deficit won’t fall back in line with European Union rules before 2017. Ireland, which exited its bailout programme last December, will expand at the fastest pace in the euro region this year, the commission said. Profit at Banco Santander, Spain’s largest lender, surged 52% in the third quarter as charges for bad loans dropped. Ryanair Holdings, the Irish carrier that’s Europe’s No 1 discount airline, upgraded its full-year profit goal this month, days after Air France-KLM Group and Deutsche Lufthansa said sluggish growth would weigh on demand. Manufacturing data for last month painted a similar picture, with gauges for Ireland and Spain signalling some of the strongest expansions, while a downturn in France accelerated and Italy fell back into contraction. “Most of the signs are that the eurozone countries are still struggling,” said Howard Archer, chief European economist at IHS Global Insight in London. “If the eurozone does do a bit better next year, it’s largely because of external factors — it’s got its problems.” The ECB in Frankfurt has already unleashed a barrage of stimulus, including a negative deposit rate, long-term loans and asset purchases. Draghi said last week that more unconventional measures are being prepared in the event they’re needed, stoking expectations that the ECB will buy government bonds before long. Economists at Nomura International now predict a classic quantitative-easing programme in the first half of 2015, while analysts at BNP Paribas expect a broaden- ing of asset purchases to be announced next month. Investors should “feel more convinced that the euro will depreciate further and that prices of assets on securities from the eurozone’s periphery countries will rise,” said Andrew Bosomworth, managing director at Pacific Investment Management Co in Munich. “From an economic perspective, households and Corps should feel more convinced that the ECB is serious about reflating the eurozone economy.” Back in Granollers, dress-maker Dalmau says sales in Spain, which represents 85% of his revenue, have hit €470,000 ($584,000) so far this year, compared with 400,000 for all of 2013. That’s despite the economic sobriety that has caught up with customers, who no longer take out bank loans for his gowns. “Most clients now come when they’ve got the money to spend,” he said. “So if we’re seeing more of them, it’s a sign of improvement.” Gulf Times Tuesday, November 11, 2014 15 BUSINESS Bullish oil bets cut in sign of growing Opec scepticism Bloomberg New York Speculators are the least bullish on US crude in 20 months as they lose faith in Opec’s willingness to ease a global supply glut. Money managers reduced net-long positions in West Texas Intermediate by 8% in the week ended November 4, US Commodity Futures Trading Commission data show. Long positions retreated to the least since May 2013 while short holdings rose. WTI tumbled into a bear market this year as crude supply expanded from the US to Libya and demand sputtered from Europe to China. Saudi Arabia cut its export charges to the US this month, signalling a preference for market share over prices. The kingdom accounts for almost a third of Opec’s output and the 12-nation group meets in about two weeks to debate supply. “The market needs some Opec action and the only thing we get out of the Saudis is the price cut to the US,” Michael Lynch, president of Strategic Energy & Economic Research in Winchester, Massachusetts, said by phone on November 7. “That makes people think �Gee, this doesn’t look hopeful.’” WTI fell $4.23, or 5.2%, to $77.19 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange in the period covered by the CFTC report, the lowest level since October 4, 2011. Futures climbed 73¢, or 0.9%, to $79.38 at 8:33am. Saudi Arabia reduced the premium of Arab Light to US Gulf Coast benchmarks on November 4 by 45¢ a barrel to the lowest level this year. Discounts for Medium and Heavy grades widened for a fourth month, according to Saudi Arabian Oil Co, the state oil company. “The Saudis declared open warfare with the price cut,” Phil Flynn, senior market analyst at the Price Futures Group in Chicago, said by phone on November 7. “Traders dumped those positions.” The Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries, responsible for about 40% of the world’s oil supply, is scheduled to discuss output policy at a November 27 meeting in Vienna. Its 12 members produced 30.974mn barrels a day in October, according to a Bloomberg survey, more than their collective target of 30mn. Opec cut forecasts on November 6 for the amount of crude it will need to supply for most of the next two decades as the shale-energy boom in the US lessens dependency on the group. Brent for December settlement advanced $1.26, or 1.5%, to $84.65 a barrel on the London-based ICE Futures Europe exchange at 8:34am in New York. Prices slid for a seventh week through November 7, the longest run of declines since November 2001, and are 24% lower this year. WTI added 41¢ to $79.06 a barrel. “The sentiment is really bearish; $75 is the technical target,” Kyle Cooper, director of commodities research at IAF Advisors in Houston, said by phone November 6. In the US, oil production climbed to 8.97mn barrels a day in the week ended October 31, the most in weekly data going back to 1983, according to Energy Information Administration estimates. Drilling rigs targeting oil in the US fell for the third time in four weeks, a signal that the price drop is causing some producers to scale back plans. The Eagle Ford shale formation in south Texas lost the most, dropping nine to 197 rigs, Baker Hughes said on November 7. The combination of horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, has unlocked supplies from shale formations in the central US, including the Bakken in North Dakota and the Eagle Ford in Texas. “We are still in bearish mode and we could go a little further downward,” Tom Finlon, Jupiter, Florida-based director of Energy Analytics Group said by phone on November 7. “We are still substantially below $80 a barrel.” Net longs for WTI declined by 14,580 to 167,906 futures and options combined, the lowest since March 2013, while short positions increased 13,734 to 81,089. In other markets, bullish bets on gasoline slid 1.6% to 30,587 contracts. Futures tumbled 5.4% to $2.078 a gallon on Nymex in the reporting period, the lowest since October 2010. Bearish wagers on US ultra-low sulfur diesel decreased 14% to 30,737 contracts. The fuel fell 2% to $2.4427 a gallon in the report week. Net-long wagers on US natural gas almost tripled to 57,517 contracts. The measure includes an index of four contracts adjusted to futures equivalents: Nymex natural gas futures, Nymex Henry Hub Swap Futures, Nymex ClearPort Henry Hub Penultimate Swaps and the ICE Futures US Henry Hub contract. Nymex natural gas jumped 13% to $4.129 per million British thermal units during the report week. Oil rose to $78.65 on November 7 after US employment gains exceeded 200,000 for a ninth month and the jobless rate dropped to a six-year low. “You’ve got to wonder how many people would be thinking, �Maybe we’ve hit the bottom, let’s go long now,’” Lynch said. “It’s the old adage: buy low and sell high. A lot of people don’t seem to implement it.” Russia, China add to $400bn gas deal with second pact Bloomberg Sydney, Hong Kong C hina and Russia deepened their energy ties with a second blockbuster deal that lessens Russian reliance on Europe and would secure almost a fifth of the gas supplies China needs by the end of the decade. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping signed the preliminary gas-supply agreement in Beijing as US President Barack Obama arrived in the Chinese capital for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. The deal is slightly smaller than the $400bn pact reached earlier this year, shortly after Russia annexed Crimea. Russian oil firm OAO Gazprom is negotiating the supply of as much as 30bn cubic metres of gas annually from developments in West Siberia to China over 30 years, it said. At the same time, another Russian producer, OAO Rosneft, agreed to sell a 10% stake in a Siberian unit to state-owned China National Petroleum Corp. The export of new supplies to Asia increases the possibility of a glut on global energy markets by early next decade. Once deliveries begin, China would supplant Germany as Russia’s biggest gas market, even as relations have soured with the US and Europe over the Ukraine crisis. The gas glut could resemble what’s happened in the iron ore industry, said Kenneth Courtis, chairman of Starfort Holdings and former Asia vice chairman at Goldman Sachs Group. That industry has seen miners ramp up production in the teeth of falling prices, shaking out higher cost suppliers. “There is going to be new supply of natural gas coming from everywhere,” including Australia, the US, Canada and Mozambique, Courtis wrote in an e-mail. The accord “will make Russia rely more on China both economically and politically,” said Lin Boqiang, director of the Energy Economics Research Center at Xiamen University. The Bank of Russia today cut its growth forecast for next year to zero, citing continuing sanctions and oil prices at $95 a barrel. The ruble has depreciated to record levels. “China is probably the only country in the world that has both the financial ability and the market capacity to con- ECB picks Italian, Bulgarian, British artists for new HQ AFP Frankfurt T Russia’s President Vladimir Putin (left) is welcomed by Chinese President Xi Jinping as he arrives for Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) Summit banquet at the Beijing National Aquatics Centre in the Chinese capital on Sunday. China and Russia have deepened their energy ties with a second blockbuster deal that lessens Russian reliance on Europe and would secure almost a fifth of the gas supplies China needs by the end of the decade. sume Russia’s huge energy exports on a sustainable basis over a long period of time,” Lin said yesterday by phone. It gives Putin an opportunity to show Europe and the US that his country won’t be isolated over Ukraine, he said. The two deals could account for almost 17% of China’s gas consumption by 2020, Gordon Kwan, a Hong Kongbased analyst at Nomura Holdings, wrote today in an e-mail. Russia may start selling gas to China within four to six years as part of its agreement with CNPC, Alexey Miller, the chief executive officer of Gazprom, told reporters in Beijing. “Together we have carefully taken care of the tree of Russian-Chinese relations,” Xi Jinping said at a meeting with Putin at the economic forum. “Now fall has set in, it’s harvest time, it’s time to gather fruit.” A second China-Russia agreement adds to pressure on liquefied natural gas suppliers, mainly in Australia where costs to build new plants are high, Adrian Wood, a Sydney-based analyst at Macquarie Group, said yesterday by phone. “There is a general view out there that China is going to underwrite all these projects, that Chinese demand is insatiable,” Wood said. “We’ve never shared that view. This is going to certainly weigh on demand, and therefore there will be even more competition for customers.” Putin called the earlier agreement between state-run Gazprom and its Chinese partners “epochal.” CNPC also signed an initial agreement with Rosneft to acquire 10% of the Vankorneft business. Russia and China also are considering gas supplies from Russia’s Far East, Gazprom’s Miller said. Under the agreement earlier this year, China will import 38bn cubic metres of gas from Russia annually over three decades starting as soon as 2018. Gas will account for more than 10% of China’s energy consumption by 2020, compared with 6% currently, according to the National Development and Reform Commission, China’s national economic planner. he European Central Bank said yesterday it has commissioned new works from three leading contemporary artists to adorn its spectacular new headquarters in Frankfurt. Italian sculptor Giuseppe Penone, Bulgarian installation artist Nedko Solakov and British conceptual artist Liam Gillick “are the winners of the ECB’s international competition for site-specific artworks at its new premises,” the central bank announced in a statement. The artists will create artworks for three different locations at the new premises — a twin-tower glass skyscraper by Vienna-based architects Coop Himmelb(l)au — in the east of Frankfurt. The overall budget for three works is €1.25mn ($1.6mn), the statement added. The competition was launched in February, with a selection committee of internationally renowned art experts drawing up a list of artists from across the EU. In total, 59 artists from the 28 member states were nominated. The shortlisted artists were then asked to submit a proposal and the jury then selected the best proposal for each of the three locations. “The jury has chosen three impressive works, representing European art at its best. We hope they will inspire, spark discussions and shift perspectives,” said jury chief and ECB executive board member Benoit Coeure. The three works are to be inaugurated in the autumn of 2015. The ECB has been housed in a skyscraper in downturn Frankfurt since it was created in 1998. Work began on its new headquarters in the historic Grossmarkthalle (wholesale market) in the east of the city in 2008, and it is now nearly completion. Senior EU aide defends Juncker on Luxembourg tax deals Reuters Paris/Brussels A senior aide defended European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker yesterday against charges of having provided a haven for corporate tax avoidance in Luxembourg, saying the entire new EU executive was committed to stamping out tax evasion. Juncker, 59, who was the tiny Grand Duchy’s finance minister from 1989 and prime minister in 1995-2013, has avoided the media since a network of investigative journalists reported last week that Luxembourg had granted sweetheart deals to some 340 multinationals allowing them to avoid billions of euros in tax. Asked when the Commission chief would answer questions on the affair, his spokesman, Magaritis Schinas, told a Brussels news briefing: “Mr Juncker will choose the moment himself to say what he has to say, either at the G20 or at some other time.” An EU official said Juncker was expected to take part in a news conference in Brisbane, Australia, next Saturday, during the November 15-16 global economic summit. After chairing his inaugural meeting last Wednesday, Juncker said he felt no conflict of interest and would not interfere with an investigation by the Commission’s competition department into Luxembourg’s so-called tax rulings, which enabled companies to pay minimal tax on profits channelled via the country. EU authorities are also investigating corporate tax avoidance schemes in Ireland and the Netherlands on suspicion that they may constitute illicit state aid to business. Global brands such as Pepsico, Amazon, insurer AIG and Deutsche Bank are reported to have benefited from such deals with Luxembourg, a flourishing offshore financial centre with a population of just 560,000. The affair has overshadowed the start of what Juncker has billed as “Europe’s last chance”. His team has promised swift action to revive a stagnant economy and combat mass unemployment by boosting public and private investment and economic reforms. Pierre Moscovici, the European Commissioner for economics, taxation and customs, said what counted was Juncker’s commitment to a new era of cross-border information exchange among tax authorities and steps towards tax harmonisation. “I haven’t talked to Jean-Claude Juncker specifically about this investigation, but I know I have his commitment to move rapidly to a new world of fiscal transparency,” Moscovici told a news conference in Paris. The French socialist said the centreright Juncker had given him the tax portfolio in full knowledge of his record of campaigning against “fiscal dumping” and for greater tax harmonisation in the EU. “He should not be judged on his past,” Moscovici said. “The question now is: is he suited to preside over the Commission? The answer is self-evidently yes. He is more than in his place.” He suggested there could be a deal by the end of this year among 11 eurozone countries to launch a common financial transaction tax — not including Luxembourg or Britain, Europe’s biggest financial centre. The same approach of enhanced co- operation among like-minded European Union countries might be applied to other areas of tax cooperation if the unanimity rule continues to block progress among all 28 member states, he said. Dismissing the idea that the “Lux leaks” affair had fatally weakened Juncker, Moscovici said the veteran politician’s European commitment, experience and political skills made him the right man to lead the Commission. In France, right-wing anti-EU sovereignists Marine Le Pen and Nicolas DupontAignan have called for Juncker to resign. Left-wing and ecologist members of the European Parliament have asked that he appear before the EU legislature to explain his role, but no formal request has yet been issued, parliament officials said. “The Commission is always ready to go to Parliament, provided the appropriate authorities of the European Parliament formulate a request, and the Commission will adapt according to the level and competence formulated in the request by the European Parliament authorities,” Schienas said. Jean-Claude Juncker, Luxembourg’s then-prime minister, arrives at a meeting in Meise, near Brussels, in this October 24, 2013 file photo. A senior aide defended European Commission president Juncker yesterday against charges of having provided a haven for corporate tax avoidance in Luxembourg. Tuesday, November 11, 2014 BUSINESS GULF TIMES BANKING ON KNOWLEDGE Changing currency market dynamics and its impact on financial markets By Dr R Seetharaman The US Federal Reserve ended its record asset purchase programme on 29th October 2014. As a result of this, the US dollar index has strengthened to three-year highs to 87.6 in November 2014 from 77.3 in November 2011. The dollar index strengthened on improving consumer sentiment, improving jobs data and recovery in housing demand. US markets have closed at record highs. Euro, British pound and Japanese yen weakened against the dollar since the announcement of the end of tapering. The economic data weakened in Germany, France and Italy as compared to the earlier months. Eurozone’s unemployment rate remained unchanged at 11.5% in October as compared to last month. In September 2014, ECB projected Eurozone Real GDP growth to increase by 0.9% in 2014, 1.6% in 2015 and 1.9% in 2016. The ECB had cut the deposit rates to minus 0.2% in September 2014 to stimulate the economic growth in eurozone. The euro fell by 9.7% this year to $1.2455. The weakness was due to lower than anticipated growth, contraction in industrial production, slowdown in retail sales, 25 banks failing the ECB stress tests and strengthening of the US dollar. The United Kingdom saw an uptick in housing prices, increase in industrial production and consumer price inflation. The British pound fell by 4.2% to $1.5869. Bank of Japan (BoJ) implemented additional easing measures at the policy meeting on October 31; it increased the monetary base commitment to ¥80tn from ¥60tn. The BoJ has said that until 2% price stability target is achieved, it will increase its holding to Japanese government bonds, exchange traded funds (ETFs) and real estate investments. Japan’s nationwide consumer price index (CPI) rose 1% in September, the inflationary pressures have eased on increase in consumption tax hike coupled with downward pressure on prices due to fall in oil prices, and this raises further possibility of inflation slowdown. The BoJ revised its GDP growth projection for FY14 to 0.5% from 1.0% as of July 2014 and 1.4% as of April 2013. The Japanese yen has fallen by 8.9% to 114.60 against the US Dollar. The Japanese yen may further weaken if inflation target of 2% is not met, this may result in further easing by BoJ. The emerging markets like Russia saw sharp fall in its currency against US dollar on account of end of tapering and uncertainty in revival of economic growth. The Brazilian real fell by more than 8.3% to 2.5587 against the US dollar this year. Russian Ruble has fallen by 42.2% to 46.7232 against the US dollar this year. The Brazilian Real has concerns of high inflation and slowing growth. The Russian Ruble fell on account of political stand-off in Ukraine and a non-performing economy. In China the policymakers have pledged to move gradually towards full convertibility of the yuan, allowing it to be freely bought and sold. The The People’s Bank of China (PBoC) had earlier removed the peg of the yuan against the US dollar in June 2010. Chinese yuan has fallen by 1.1% to 6.1224 against the US dollar this year. The bilateral trade has expanded between Gulf Co-operation Council and China and this will increase usage of the yuan. According to the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT), in December 2013 the yuan overtook the euro as the second most used currency in trade finance. The Indian rupee has shown resilience against the US dollar as compared to the emerging market currencies. The rupee has strengthened by 0.26% to 61.6362 against the US dollar this year. It strengthened on account of reforms being executed by the new stable government, the IMF’s upgrading GDP growth for India and expectations of further reforms resulting in foreign money flowing into the country. The WTI and Brent have fallen 20.1% and 24.7% respectively till date on account of end of tapering program by US Fed, easing concerns on Russia and Ukraine, Libya supply and increase in overall supply of oil coupled with global growth concerns. The Japan’s $1.2tn public pension fund said it plans to make more aggressive bets by slashing the money it puts in domestic bonds and ramping up its in- vestment in stocks. It will raise allocations for Japanese and foreign stocks to 25% each, while reducing its domestic debt allocation to 35% of assets and increasing overseas bonds to 15%. The dramatic portfolio shift of the government pension fund is aimed at boosting the retirement incomes of the fund’s 67mn participants. The financial markets have reacted positively to the BoJ easing plan. The US dollar and Japanese yen will continue to strengthen as inflationary expectations may not match the pace of the BoJ requirement. This is positive for Japan as it is a huge exporter of automobiles, electronics and other accessories. With the Fed ending QE and a countdown to rate hike anticipated in the second quarter of financial year 2015 might keep the currency markets volatile, going ahead. The economies which are able to consolidate the fiscal and monetary policies will be able to revive economic growth. Dr R Seetharaman is Group CEO of Doha Bank. The views expressed are his own. Ooredoo develops global connectivity solution for QNB O RasGas CEO Al-Mohannadi receiving the British Standards Institution recertification for RasGas. RasGas gets BSI recertification F ollowing a rigorous audit, RasGas has been recertified by the British Standards Institution (BSI) for its quality management (ISO 9001:2008), environment management (ISO 14001:2004) and occupational health and safety management (OHSAS 18001:2007) systems. This confirms and reinforces RasGas’ continuous drive for excellence, through a relentless focus on quality, environment and occupational health and safety management systems. “On behalf of the BSI, I would like to congratulate RasGas for driving forward and re-shaping the boundaries of operational excellence via the use of standardisation solutions. The BSI has been privileged to see how RasGas has used standardisation solutions to improve processes and reduce risks in all its operations,” said Omar Rashid, general manager, BSI Qatar. The BSI, which is the world’s first national standards body and a founding member of the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO), presented the recertification to Hamad Rashid al-Mohannadi, RasGas chief executive officer at a ceremony here. “RasGas’ steady focus on accident prevention, maintaining an inherent culture of excellence and commitment to best practice and quality has established it as an industry leader. This ISO and OHSAS recertification encourages RasGas’ management to oversee systematic and continuous improvement of its practices, and encourages the integration and alignment of the organisation’s strategy and operations,” said al-Mohannadi. RasGas received its first ISO and occupational health & safety advisory services (OHSAS) certification in 1999 and has continuously met the world class ISO and OHSAS standards through its stringent RasGas Elements for Excellence (RGEE) programme, which provides an integrated framework of quality, safety, health and environment management systems. The ISO recertification ceremony coincides with the World Quality Day on November 13. World Quality day was introduced by the United Nations in 1990 to increase worldwide awareness in which quality contributes to transitioning a nation’s and an organisation’s growth and prosperity. oredoo and QNB have announced a new agreement for a global connectivity solution to connect the bank’s Qatar headquarters with its overseas branches around the world. The solution deploys Ooredoo’s Global IPVPN service, which offers a fully-managed next-generation private network using submarine and terrestrial cables, connecting major business destinations in more than 100 countries. Ooredoo chief sales & services officer Mohammed Saleh alMarri said, “We use our network leadership to deliver an expanding range of innovative solutions for businesses of all sizes in Qatar. We are proud to be able to offer this new solution for QNB, one of Qatar’s most important companies, which will ensure that QNB’s offices and branches enjoy the same high-standard of connectivity overseas as they do in Qatar.” With a presence in more than 26 countries through its subsidiaries and associate companies, QNB will benefit from the highly-diverse and robust solution that will enable the company to manage operations remotely from its headquarters in Doha. Ooredoo has worked with Al-Marri: Network leadership. a range of leading vendors to develop the solution, delivering the highest possible level of connectivity, security, and speed to ensure the swift and safe international transmission of data. QNB continues to enhance its technological and communication infrastructure with the help of Ooredoo to provide seamless service to customers, wherever they are in the world. QNB Group Information Technology general manager Adel Ali al-Malki said, “QNB is continuing to grow and develop our services around the world, with new branches in new markets every year. We are deploying a world-class global connectivity solution in order to enhance the management of our international operations and have worked with Ooredoo to ensure that we have the support of the very best partners at every phase of this solution’s development.” The advanced connectivity solution is a new feature in the expanding technology partnership between QNB and Ooredoo, which sees the bank deploy a range of advanced solutions with the support of Ooredoo. The two companies signed a first-of-its-kind “service level agreement” last year, providing QNB with early access to cutting-edge technology and breakthrough systems. Ooredoo plays a vital role in ensuring that QNB’s customers enjoy uninterrupted service without connectivity losses between the bank’s main office and its branches and ATMs nationally, and now globally, through the global connectivity solution. Recognising that many Qatari businesses are looking to expand overseas, Ooredoo has invested in developing global expertise and a network of strategic partners in more than 100 countries. Muntajat wins SAP Quality Award Qatar Chemical and Petrochemical Marketing and Distribution Company (Muntajat) has received the SAP Quality Award in recognition of its implementation efforts in business innovation. Muntajat received the award in the Large Enterprise category for partnering with SAP Mena Services on a full-scale Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) project based on SAP’s Rapid Deployment Solutions. SAP Quality Awards celebrate excellence in deploying SAP software and in increasing return on investment. The award was presented to Muntajat Information Technology director Abdullah Fakhroo by SAP Qatar country manager Mohamed Helmy and SAP Mena head of Customer Office Frank Forndron at the SAP Executive Business Forum held in Doha. “Investing in our IT infrastructure is a key differentiator for Muntajat. As a marketing and distribution company, we are always on the lookout for ways to enhance customer experience and drive efficiencies. IT is an important enabler of our strategy. Receiving this recognition testifies our efforts and demonstrates how SAP’s ERP solutions enable us to rapidly scale up our operations and enhance Qatar’s competitiveness in the chemical and petrochemical industry,” Fakhroo said. Qatar’s chemical and petrochemical exports are expected to grow from 10mn tonnes per year to 23mn tonnes by 2020. “Out of our nearly 50,000 ERP customers worldwide, Muntajat stands out for having increased their competitiveness, enhancing resources, and enabling Qatar’s petrochemical growth,” Helmy said. Candelite opens first confectionery store at City Center C andelite, Landmark Group’s leading multi-brand confectionery concept, has opened its doors to residents and tourists of Doha with its City Center branch — the first and largest confectionary store of its kind in Qatar. With 25 outlets in the UAE across major malls in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ras Al Khaima, and Fujairah, Candelite’s latest outlet in Qatar expands the store’s retail footprint to more than 20,000sq ft. Candelite is a unique and colourful concept that houses more than 50 international brands of confectionery across 1,000 SKUs (stock keeping units) with a key focus on retailing candy and chocolate for any occasion. The event was highlighted by the breaking of the ceremonial piñata by kids while the store was formally-inaugurated by Commercial Bank of Qatar CEO Abdulla al-Raisi and Landmark Group Qatar COO Santosh Pai. Candelite business head Manish Jeswani said, “Qatar is the first territory expansion for Candelite outside the UAE and we are excited and confident that our range of confectionery and gift options will prove equally popular among our customers in Qatar as has been in the UAE since our inception in 2011.We are looking to expand in Qatar with stores in Doha at Gulf Mall, Barwa Mall, and Al Rayyan Near Max store, taking our store count to four by early 2015.” Pai said Landmark Group continues to diversify its presence in the retailing sector with the launch of Candelite. “The colourful visual appeal also lives up to the promise of offering the ultimate gratifying experience to the most die-hard candy lover. Candelite would fill a gap in the market and bring premium global brands that offer exceptional value for money. Candelite is our unique treat to the Qatari consumer and we are confident it will evolve as the preferred choice across all age groups,” Pai said. Located near Carrefour and the Food Court on City Center’s Level One, Candelite’s latest store spans a retail area of 1,500 square feet and offers a brand new store experience with its fun, colorful interiors to an exciting product range that includes a variety of candies, chocolates, and gifting options. The concept also offers an exclusive range of candy toys, M&M dispensers, and a premium selection of Butler’s Chocolates. A section is dedicated to Wonka and includes product lines such as Nerds, Runts, and Gobstoppers. The store also retails sugar-free confectionery options, gourmet chocolates, gifting options, and party favours. The Landmark Group said it is proud to be associated with Commercial Bank, a pioneer in credit cards and acquiring services in Qatar. The bank is committed to extending the long and successful banking relationship that has been in place over the years by continually offering state-of-the-art, high-tech, innovative, and competitive payment solutions. Candelite, Landmark Group, and Commercial Bank officials at the ribbon-cutting ceremony. FOOTBALL | Page 4 NBA | Page 7 Atletico beaten by managerless Real Sociedad LA Lakers notch first win of the season Tuesday, November 11, 2014 Moharram 18, 1436 AH CRICKET GULF TIMES Younis, Misbah hit tons as Pakistan declare at 566-3 SPORT Page 2 OPINION �Compact 2022 World Cup will create great atmosphere’ Goalkeeping legend Oliver Kahn says it’s normal for host nations to be criticised and will lead to positive outcomes By Sports Reporter Doha T he only goalkeeper to have won the Golden Ball at a FIFA World Cup has said that Qatar’s compact hosting concept will help in creating a great atmosphere at the 2022 edition of the quadrennial event. Oliver Kahn, who starred in Germany’s run to the final of the 2002 World Cup, further added that it was normal for host nations to be criticised and can lead to positive outcomes. The former Bayern Munich goalkeeper told www.sc.qa: “It is a great concept to have such short distances between venues, and it will add almost an Olympic character and feel to the competition. Brazil was very big, and sometimes the atmosphere was not the same everywhere and suffered slightly, so it will be very nice here where you have everyone in a small place and teams will be able to prepare better.” When asked about Germany’s World Cup triumph this summer, Kahn credited it to intense preparation: “What was the key for Germany this summer? I think it was the organisation and preparation before and during the tournament. And in addition, it is about concentration during the four weeks of the World Cup. When all of this comes together, the result is that you create World Cup winners.” Looking forward to the tournament in 2022, the 2001 UEFA Champions League winner with Bayern Munich said that criticism of major events was normal, and had the advantage of improving conditions in host countries. “Generally I am used to this entire outcry, it happens before any World Cup. It doesn’t matter where it was held, there's always a media debate. In South Africa, it was about security. Ahead of Brazil there was a lot of talk. “There are also justified topics that are always discussed ahead of World Cup tournaments, but it leads to those problems, like workers’ rights here, being improved. “In this regard the World Cup in these countries has a certain advantage, because it highlights those areas which are in need of change.” Kahn added that he had also seen cooling technology work for the first time on his visit to Doha: “I have experienced now how they can cool it all down, outside it is above 30 degrees, inside it is very comfortable. Since money is not an issue here, that is the way it is.” The former Bayern Munich captain also expressed his admiration for current Bayern Munich coach Pep Guardiola: “He takes the word coaching very seriously. He is always coaching for full 90 minutes. “You saw it again against Dortmund. He always has some kind of solution. “Look at the substitution, bringing on Ribery and giving him the clear order to run at Subotic. He likes to change the system, change positions, this flexible football is simply strong. “He just needs to watch out that these many changes in positions don’t hurt the team, as was the case sometimes last year. So he also should not overdo it and make sure the players play in the position that is best suited for them.” Asked whether Bayern Munich goalkeeper Manuel Neuer deserved to win the Ballon D’Or award this year, he said: “The Ballon D’Or is that tennis match between Cristiano and Messi. It is Messi, Cristiano, Messi, Messi, Cristiano... it is a monologue and those who choose the award should change their thinking.” “By my experience, I know it is difficult to give it to a goalkeeper, but the advantage of Neuer is that he is not a goalkeeper. He is more of a libero or center-back than a goalkeeper,” Kahn added. SPOTLIGHT Formula Kite Course Racing Championship begins By Sports Reporter Doha T he inaugural 2014 Formula Kite Course Racing Asian Championship began yesterday with registration for all competitors, practice races and official opening ceremony. President of the Qatar Sailing & Rowing Federation, Khalifa al-Sewaidi, expressed his pride in hosting the new venture while officially declaring the event open in the presence of participants, officials and volunteers. “Being the host nation to an international Kiteboarding event, with the inclusion of five Qatari competitors, after only two years of starting the programme is a great indicator of how the sport is developing in our country. “The progress of the sport in Qatar is evident in the presence of our national team which is eagerly waiting to begin its first kiteboarding race,” he said. “I thank the support given by local companies who have generously offered sponsorship to support this event. In addition to the support from the Qatar Olympic Committee, I express my deep thanks to the National Academy of Professional Training (NAPT), Apollo Enterprises, and The Pearl Qatar for offering services to ensure the success of our upcoming championship.” For the next five days, the championship in which 60 men and 30 women will compete, will run from 9am to 4.30pm daily at Pearl Qatar’s Qanat Quartier, with races ongoing, leading to the grand final being held on November 15. The Qanat Quartier beach has been transformed to accommodate all event participants, with the provision of seating areas and an onsite catering outlet. Live commentary of races will be broadcast on the beach. Although this is an Asian Championship, the Khalifa al-Sewaidi, president of Qatar Sailing & Rowing Federation, declared open the 2014 Formula Kite Course Racing Asian Championship, that began at the Pearl Qatar’s Qanat Quartier yesterday. (Left) Participants during a practice session. PICTURES: Thajudheen event is open to the entire world, allowing all to compete under different age categories. An Asian champion will be crowned, in addition to an open men’s and an open women’s fleet. Khalifa al-Misnad, Omar al-Hammadi, Bader al-Madani, Khalid Festook and Alaa Festook are the Qatari participants who will be competing against worlds’ top kiteboard racers, including course racing world champion Florian Gruber of Germany. 2 Gulf Times Tuesday, November 11, 2014 CRICKET SPOTLIGHT FIRST TEST Shehzad fractures skull but Pak on top Younis wishes good form had come in Pakistan Younis and Misbah hit dominant tons as Pakistan declare at 566 for 3 AFP Dubai H igh-scoring batsman Younis Khan yesterday wished his run of big scores had come in Pakistan where international cricket is suspended due to terrorism. Pakistan have been forced to play international cricket on the neutral venues of United Arab Emirates since terrorist attacks on the Sri Lankan team bus in Lahore in 2009. And Younis missed his home crowds during his sequence of big scores, notching a century in each innings in the first Test against Australia in Dubai and then racking up 213 in the second in Abu Dhabi. He followed this with an unbeaten 100 in Pakistan’s mammoth 566-3 declared on the second day of the first Test against New Zealand. By close New Zealand had reached 15 without loss, still needing 352 to avoid follow-on. Younis said he missed home fans. “It would have been fantastic had all this happened in Pakistan before my own people,” said an emotional Younis. “It’s always a good feeling playing before your home crowd as I did in 2004 against India, then in the next two years so I wish it could happen again in Pakistan before my own people.” Younis hoped teams like India, Australia and England come to Pakistan again. “I wish teams like India, Australia and England come to Pakistan, our people are able to watch the game again and we are doing efforts to bring the game back to Pakistan and I am sure it will happen,” said Younis. Younis said he was considering retirement after he was dropped from the one-day series against Australia before the Tests. “I was considering retirement but my family and friends backed me to go out and now everyday I wake up I say to myself in the mirror that I have a match with myself and can I do it again,” said Younis of his prolific form. “It’s all about motivation and after we lost the one-day series to Australia (3-0 last month) I promised to myself to score big,” said Younis, who also praised batting coach Grant Flower. “He (Grant) works from morning to evening, tough hard work and he doesn’t force me but motivates me and that has worked,” said Younis of the former Zimbabwe opener, now Pakistan’s batting coach. Pakistan batsman Ahmed Shehzad was hit on the side of the head while trying to hook a short ball off New Zealand seamer Corey Anderson in Abu Dhabi. AFP Abu Dhabi A hmed Shehzad hit a career-best 176 before being rushed to hospital with a fractured skull as Pakistan’s batsmen smashed New Zealand around the ground in the first Test yesterday. Younis Khan and Misbah-ul Haq also hit dominant tons to put Pakistan in control on 566 for three declared. But Shehzad’s injury briefly set alarm bells ringing. In the final over before lunch, Shehzad was hit on the side of the head trying to hook a short ball by New Zealand seamer Corey Anderson on the hard Abu Dhabi wicket. Shehzad’s bat struck the stumps for a hit-wicket dismissal and the dazed batsman fell to the ground before walking off. Shehzad was later rushed to a hospital where scans showed he had a minor skull fracture and will be kept under observation for the next 48 hours. Before the drama, he had hit 17 fours and a six in his 371-ball innings. While team managers worried about the opener, Younis went on to smash an unbeaten 100 -- his 28th Test hundred and fourth in five innings. Misbah knocked an unbeaten 102, his third ton in three innings. Azhar Ali missed his hundred after he was dismissed for 87. At the close on the second day New Zealand were 15-0 with Brendon McCullum on nine and Tom Latham on five. They need another 352 to avoid the follow-on. Younis, who scored 468 runs against Australia in a series which ended last week, hit ten fours in his 141-ball knock. He hit a century in each innings in the first Test against Australia in Dubai and followed that with 213 in the Abu Dhabi Test last week. Younis said he wanted to keep his good run intact. “Everyday I wake up I promise myself to keep scoring like this,” said Younis. “Its all about motivation and I am happy that I am keeping that and with that scoring big.” Misbah, who smashed twin hundreds in the second Test against Australia, knocked nine fours and a six off 162 balls. The two veteran batsmen added 193 for the unbroken fourth wicket stand to build on another second wicket stand of 169 runs between Ali and Shehzad. Misbah survived two chances, one on 17 and the other on 20 as fielders failed Benaud fighting skin cancer Sydney: Legendary cricket commentator Richie Benaud revealed yesterday he is battling skin cancer and is undergoing radiation therapy, but said he was coping well. The 84-year-old former Australian captain made his illness public at the Nine Network’s launch for its Australian summer cricket coverage, saying he was receiving treatment for skin cancers on his forehead and the top of his head. “I’m coping with it very well—the doctors are pleased,” he said. “I’m going along slowly. The cancers need to be treated.” Benaud, a much-loved figure in Australian cricket, urged people to take precautions to protect themselves from the sun. “I recommend to everyone they wear protection on their heads,” he said. “Eighty-four-year olds don’t seem to mend as well as they used to. When I was a kid, we never ever wore a cap. I wish I had. You live and learn as you go along,” he added. Benaud attended the Nine Network launch at the Sydney Cricket Ground with its broadcast team, including former cricketers Bill Lawry, Ian Chappell, Mark Nicholas, Brett Lee and Shane Warne. Benaud, who has worked in the commentary box since retiring from Test cricket in 1964, has been out of action since suffering chest and shoulder injuries during a car crash in Sydney late last year. He said he was still recovering from the injuries which included two fractured vertebrae. It prevented him calling a single ball during the Ashes series against to reach uppish shots with Ish Sodhi the luckless bowler on both occasions. It was Younis who reached his hundred first, hitting an uppish shot off McCullum which Tim Southee failed to catch at short midon. Misbah drove McCullum in the same over for three to complete his eighth Test hundred. Pakistan lost Shehzad and Ali in the two sessions after resuming at 269 for one. Ali missed a sharp turner from Sodhi and was bowled. He hit four boundaries off 215 balls. Anderson was the best bowler with 2-68 while Sodhi finished with 2-162. The New Zealanders paid dearly for giving Shehzad a life on Sunday. He had been on 16 when wicketkeeper B J Watling failed to stump him off the bowling of spinner Mark Craig. Craig went wicket-less in his 33 overs. Shehzad, 126 overnight, took some time to open up on Monday. But he then hit a straight six off Craig before running a three to surpass his previous best of 147 against Sri Lanka in Sharjah earlier this year. The remaining two Tests will be played in Dubai (November 17-21) and Sharjah (November 26-30). SCORECARD PAKISTAN I INNINGS (OVERNIGHT 269-1) M Hafeez c and b Anderson 96 A Shehzad hit wicket b Anderson 176 A Ali b Sodhi 87 Younis Khan not out 100 Misbah ul-Haq not out 102 Extras: (lb4, nb1) 5 Total: (for 3 wkts dec; 170.5 overs) 566 Fall of wickets: 1-178 (Hafeez), 2-347 (Shehzad), 3-373 (Ali) Bowling: Boult 26-7-62-0, Southee 23-5-62- 0 (1nb), Craig 33-1-126-0, Sodhi 43-6-162-1, Anderson 19-3-68-2, Neesham 16-0-50-0, McCullum 10.5-1-32-0 New Zealand I innings T. Latham not out 5 B. McCullum not out 9 Extras: (nb1) 1 Total: (for no loss; 7 overs) 15 Bowling: Rahat 3-2-1-0 (nb1), Khan 1-0-4-0, Babar 2-0-6-0, Hafeez 1-0-4-0 Younis Khan smashed an unbeaten 100 in the first Test — his 28th Test hundred and fourth in five innings. (AFP) ROUND-UP Warne backs misfiring Clarke to regain form AFP Sydney S England last southern summer, and he has only just returned to work with the television network. However, Benaud confirmed he would make a return to commentate on Australia’s fourth Test against India at the Sydney Cricket Ground in his home town, starting on January 3. “Progress is slow,” he said. “I’ve been doing a lot of walking. We (with wife Daphne) are out every morning, doing 40-minute walks every morning and it’s showing beneficial effects.” Famed for his beige jackets and engaging commentary, Benaud made his broadcasting debut on BBC Radio in 1960, moved across to BBC Television three years later, and became a full-time cricket journalist and commentator when his playing career ended. He hung up the microphone for British television following the 2005 Ashes series, and has been working for Nine since 1977. hane Warne yesterday said he was concerned about Australia’s batting but backed struggling skipper Michael Clarke to score heavily this summer season. The spin great said the congested home season looms as an opportunity for Australia to win some big trophies and regain the status of the top team in world cricket. Australia begin a five-game one-day series against South Africa this week before a four-Test series against India and tri-series of one-dayers against India and England this domestic season. The World Cup then starts in Australia and New Zealand on February 14. Warne, the second highest Test wicket taker (708) behind Sri Lanka’s Muttiah Muralitharan (800), said Australia had enough matchwinners to win the World Cup, if the right team was selected. While he likes the look of the country’s pace and spin bowling options, he is concerned about the batting after the poor efforts in their recent 2-0 Test series drubbing by Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates. “I thought as a collective group they didn’t bat very well against Pakistan,” he said. “They played pretty poorly, so I’d like to see the batsmen start making some runs. If they do that, I’m sure the bowlers will be able to knock them over. But watch out for Michael Clarke, I think he’ll make a few big hundreds soon.” Clarke has averaged just 27.46 in his last 16 innings and managed just 2, 3, 47 and 5 in his four innings during Australia’s series loss to Pakistan, but Warne believes the captain is poised to start another golden run. “I think they can win the World Cup, they’ve got enough match winners, we’ve got the best captain in the world in Michael Clarke,” Warne said. “I’m sure he’ll find some form ... I think he’s in pretty good touch. I think he’s cleared up his mind a little bit and I think he’ll do pretty good.” INJURED DUMINY TO MISS ODI SERIES WITH AUSSIES South African all-rounder JP Duminy will miss this month’s fivematch one-day series against Australia due to a knee injury, team officials said. Duminy was withdrawn from the series, which begins in Perth on Friday, with patella tendinopathy in his left knee, a team spokesman said. Farhaan Behardien, who is in Australia for the T20 series, will replace him in the squad, while Marchant de Lange has been added to bolster their pace-bowling resources. “JP aggravated his long-standing knee injury during the current T20 series against Australia,” Proteas team manager Mohammed Moosajee said. “This is the same injury that plagued him during the tri-series in Zimbabwe and caused him to miss the Champions League T20. The recommendation from the medical committee is that he returns back to South Africa for a six-week period of rest and rehabilitation, particularly ahead of a busy season at home and the ICC World Cup in three months.” South Africa’s ODI squad will gather in Perth today, ahead of the first match at the WACA on Friday. Duminy scored just two runs as Australia won the deciding T20 by two wickets with one ball to spare in Sydney on Sunday. Cameron White steered the Australians home with an unbeaten 41 off 31 balls to pip the Proteas in a tense decider at Olympic Stadium. Gulf Times Tuesday, November 11, 2014 3 CRICKET SPOTLIGHT India captain Dhoni out of first Australia Test AFP Mumbai TEST SQUAD I Virat Kohli (left) will lead India in the first Test in Brisbane from December 4, with MS Dhoni (right) returning to the helm for the remaining three games. (AFP) ndia yesterday named a jumbo 19-man squad for the four match Test series in Australia starting next month even as captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni was ruled out of the opening match due to injury. Batsman Virat Kohli will lead the tourists in the first Test in Brisbane from December 4, with Dhoni returning to the helm for the remaining three games, the Board of Control for Cricket in India said in a statement. Dhoni has opted out of the ongoing oneday series against Sri Lanka due to a longstanding wrist injury. Dhoni’s injury worries prompted the selectors to include two other wicket-keepers, Wriddhiman Saha and Naman Ojha, in the unusually large touring squad that comprises eight specialist batsmen and five seamers. Right-hand batsman K L Rahul, 22 and leg-spinner Karn Sharma, 27, are the two new faces in the squad, having forced their Mahendra Singh Dhoni (capt), Virat Kohli, Shikhar Dhawan, Murali Vijay, Lokesh Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma, Suresh Raina, Wriddhiman Saha, Naman Ojha, Ravichandran Ashwin, Karn Sharma, Ravindra Jadeja, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Varun Aaron. ODI squad for two matches against Sri Lanka: Kohli (Captain), Rahane, Rohit, Ambati Rayudu, Raina, Robin Uthappa, Axar Patel, Karn Sharma, R Ashwin, Umesh Yadav, Dhawal Kulkarni, Stuart Binny, Vinay Kumar, Kedar Jadhav. way in with strong performances in domestic cricket. Rahul, who can also keep wickets, is the third opener behind Shikhar Dhawan and Murali Vijay, while left-hander Suresh Raina was back in favour after playing the last of his 17 Tests in September, 2012. Ishant Sharma leads the new-ball attack FOCUS that includes Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammad Shami, Umesh Yadav and Varun Aaron. The three spinners in the side are Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Karn Sharma. The tour, which ends with the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand in February and March, gives India a chance to improve their poor record overseas in recent years. India have won just three and lost 14 of their 23 Tests away from the sub-continent in the last four years, enduring 4-0 routs in England and Australia in 2011 and a 3-1 drubbing in England earlier this year. The series opener in Brisbane will be followed by Tests in Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney. The one-day squads for the tri-series against Australia and England from January 16 and the 50-over World Cup will be picked later. Meanwhile, opening batsman Dhawan and all-rounder Jadeja have been rested for the last two ODIs of the Sri Lanka series. Rohit Sharma, Robin Uthappa, Karn, Vinay Kumar and Kedar Jadhav have been selected for the last two games which will be played in Kolkata tomorrow and Ranchi (Oct 16). RECALL Players could return early from corruption bans ICC approves revised anti-corruption code Flexible White still hopeful of World Cup spot Reuters Sydney C ameron White is hoping his flexibility as a batsman might bring an end to his three-and-a-half year exile from one-day international cricket and earn him a place in the Australia squad for next year’s World Cup. The 31-year-old showed his value in a tight spot on Sunday when he hit a nerveless 41 not out from 31 balls to guide the Twenty20 side to a seriesclinching victory over South Africa at Sydney’s Olympic Stadium. “I feel as though I’ve been in good form now for quite a while and it’s good to take advantage of that form,” White told reporters after the match. “It was good to be not out and to get the win.” White, who started his international career as a spin-bowling all-rounder, played the last of his 87 one-day internationals in April 2011 and was not included in the squad for the upcoming ODI series against the Proteas. Twenty20 skipper Aaron Finch, who was included in the squad for the first two matches in Perth, said he had no doubt that White would do a job if called up. “I think his record for Australia speaks for itself,” Finch said. “When you look at that, it’s been pretty outstanding for a long time. At the same time, the side at the moment, there’s some quality players in there. I think it takes a bit of luck at times to find an opening in the team. “But saying that, he’s been in great touch in all forms of cricket for about two-and-a-half years now, so there’s no reason why he wouldn’t be the next guy picked if something was to happen. “And I’m sure if he did come in and fill a spot there he’d do an amazing job.” White, who batted at number six on Sunday just a few days after opening in the first match of the series, said he preferred to be at the top of the order but was happy to play where he was needed. “Given the chance to open the batting simply means I can bat wherever required,” he said. “The one-day team is a really hard team to get into. There’s some really good players in there. “I’ve just got to keep making as many runs as I can and try to be in form when the squad is picked and hopefully get a chance.” The revised code will specifically help Pakistan seamer Mohammad Aamer’s early return to domestic cricket, likely in February next year. AFP Dubai T he International Cricket Council approved its revised anticorruption code yesterday but left it up to home boards to allow banned players to return early to domestic competition. For a player to return to domestic competition before the expiry of his ban would need the agreement of the chairman of the anti-corruption board, Sir Ronnie Flannagan, and the relevant National Cricket Federation, with the approval of the ICC Board, an ICC release explained. The revised code will specifically help Pakistan seamer Mohammad Aamer’s early return to domestic cricket, likely in February next year. Last year, the Pakistan Cricket Board had demanded the ICC relax certain conditions of Aamer’s ban after he pleaded guilty to a spot-fixing crime and then completed the rehabilitation process. Aamer, now 22, was banned along with Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif in a spot-fixing scandal on Pakistan’s tour of England in 2010. Aamer was banned for five years, Butt for ten (with five suspended) and Asif for seven (two suspended). The trio, also jailed in Britain, were charged with orchestrating deliberate no-balls during the Lord’s Test against England in return for money. The ICC said the revised code would close certain ICC RAISES WORLD CUP PRIZE MONEY Dubai: The International Cricket Council yesterday announced a 20 percent increase in prize money for next year’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. The winners will take home $3.975 million, but if a team remains unbeaten that would rise to more than $4mn. “A total of $10 million, an increase of approximately 20 per cent over the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, will be available,” said the ICC. The 2011 edition jointly hosted by India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka had prize money of $8.01 million. “Should a team at the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 win the tournament without losing a match, it will receive total prize money of $4,020,000, while a team that loses one match on the way to winning the tour- loopholes and address the issue of who has jurisdiction in a particular case. The code would also allow a player charged with an offence but who has not been provisionally suspended, to agree to voluntarily suspend him/herself, the ICC said. ICC chairman Naryanaswami Srinivasan, himself suspended in India over a fixing scandal in a Twenty20 league, said: “The process for the revision of the ICC Anti-Corruption Code was exhaustive and has been based on our learning and experiences over the past few years. “This code is now even more robust nament will receive USD $3,975,000.” The team which loses the March 29 final at Melbourne will pocket $1.75 million while the two losing semi-finalists will each get $600,000 each. The four losing quarter-finalists will receive $300,000 each while the winners of each group matches will get $45,000 per match, the ICC said. All six teams eliminated from the first stage will get $35,000 each. The decision was taken at a two-day ICC Board meeting in Dubai while playing conditions were also finalised for the tenth edition of the World Cup, from February 14 to March 29 The ICC also announced that the Decision Review System (DRS) will be used in all 49 matches and that there would and comprehensive and it provides clarity on jurisdictional issues, gives options to the charged Participant and offers more choices to the Anti-Corruption Tribunal.” ICC Chief Executive David Richardson admitted the fight against corruption was still a priority. “The battle against corruption remains one of cricket’s biggest challenges and we remain committed to eliminating this menace from our sport,” he said. Aamer last week told AFP that he was anxiously awaiting the revision of the only be reserve days in the knock-out phase. It also added that there will be no super over in tied matches in the knock-out phase. In case of a tied quarter-final and semi-final, the side finishing in the higher position in the group stage would progress. If the final is tied or if the match is a no-result, then the teams will be declared joint winners. The ICC Board approved cut-off dates for qualification to the 2017 Champions Trophy and the 2019 World Cup. The top eight sides on the ICC one-day rankings on 30 September 2015 will qualify for the 2017 Champions Trophy in England. The cut-off date for the 10-team 2019 World Cup, also in England, was set for 30 September 2017. code and would apply to the Pakistan Board to be allowed to play in domestic matches. “I am waiting for the ICC decision and once it comes I will apply with the PCB to resume my domestic career and then international matches,” said Aamer. The ICC Board also accepted the PCB’s nomination of its former chairman, Najam Sethi, for the ICC Presidency. The presidency is now merely an honorific position with all the power in the hands of the chairman, following a reorganisation in June. Cameron White. (AFP) SC ADJOURNS HEARING ON MUDGAL COMMITTEE REPORT New Delhi: India’s Supreme Court yesterday said it will go through the Justice Mukul Mudgal committee report that probed the allegations of betting and spot fixing in 2013 edition of IPL and also examine whether it could be made public or what parts of it could be withheld. At the outset of the hearing, a bench of Justice T S Thakur and Justice Fakkir Mohamed Ibrahim Kalifulla said they have yet to go through the report. The probe report was submitted to the court Nov 3. That means a decision on whether N Srinivasan, the BC- CI’s sidelined president, will be allowed to stand for re-election on November 20 has been put off by another four days. Senior counsel C.A. Sundaram, appearing for the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), urged the court to see the conclusion of the report and if there was nothing against any of the office bearers, then that can be disclosed. The court said that it had to see the findings of the report, nature of the findings, whether (acts alleged were) illegal, improper, fairness of the entire exercise, a does it not affects the confidence of the people”. 4 Gulf Times Tuesday, November 11, 2014 FOOTBALL SPOTLIGHT STANDINGS Wenger says EPL title is Chelsea’s to lose �At the moment Chelsea are on course for 100 points. If you look at the points they have, if they keep that up nobody will catch them.. There doesn’t look to be anybody capable to challenge them...’ EPL Pos Team P 1 Chelsea 11 2 Southampton 11 3 Man City 11 4 West Ham 11 5 Swansea City 11 6 Arsenal 11 7 Man United 11 8 Newcastle 11 9 Stoke City 11 10 Everton 11 11 Liverpool 11 12 Tottenham 11 13 West Brom 11 14 Sunderland 11 15 Hull City 11 16 Aston Villa 11 17 Crystal Palace 11 18 Leicester City 11 19 QPR 11 20 Burnley 11 W 9 8 6 5 5 4 4 4 4 3 4 4 3 2 2 3 2 2 2 1 D 2 1 3 3 3 5 4 4 3 5 2 2 4 6 5 2 3 3 2 4 L 0 2 2 3 3 2 3 3 4 3 5 5 4 3 4 6 6 6 7 6 GD Pts 17 29 18 25 10 21 5 18 4 18 6 17 3 16 -2 16 -1 15 2 14 -1 14 -2 14 -2 13 -7 12 -2 11 -11 11 -6 9 -7 9 -11 8 -13 7 P W 11 9 11 8 11 7 10 7 11 7 11 6 11 5 11 4 11 4 11 3 11 3 11 2 11 3 11 2 11 2 11 2 11 2 11 2 10 1 11 0 D 0 1 3 2 2 3 5 3 2 4 3 5 2 4 3 3 3 3 3 6 L 2 2 1 1 2 2 1 4 5 4 5 4 6 5 6 6 6 6 6 5 GD Pts 31 27 20 25 14 24 10 23 7 23 5 21 6 20 2 15 -6 14 -2 13 -5 12 -2 11 -10 11 -11 10 -5 9 -9 9 -12 9 -18 9 -5 6 -10 6 W 9 8 6 5 6 5 4 5 4 3 3 3 2 3 2 2 2 2 1 2 D 1 1 3 5 1 4 5 2 4 5 4 4 6 3 4 4 4 2 4 0 L 1 2 2 1 4 2 2 4 3 3 4 4 3 5 5 5 5 7 6 9 GD Pts 21 28 13 25 8 21 6 20 8 19 4 19 4 17 0 17 3 16 -6 14 0 13 -6 13 -5 12 -5 12 0 10 -7 10 -7 10 -8 8 -10 7 -14 6 W 9 8 6 7 6 6 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 4 3 4 3 4 3 3 D 1 2 6 3 5 4 4 4 3 3 2 2 2 4 4 1 3 0 2 1 L 2 3 0 3 2 3 4 4 5 5 6 6 6 5 6 8 7 9 8 9 GD Pts 17 28 16 26 15 24 5 24 6 23 1 22 1 19 1 19 -2 18 -7 18 0 17 -2 17 -2 17 -3 16 -6 13 -10 13 -2 12 -14 12 -5 11 -7 10 W 8 7 5 6 4 4 5 3 4 4 4 3 2 3 3 2 2 2 D 3 2 5 1 5 5 0 6 3 3 2 3 5 2 1 4 3 3 L 0 2 1 4 2 2 6 2 4 4 5 5 4 6 7 5 6 6 GD Pts 24 27 13 23 9 20 -2 19 -3 17 2 17 2 15 1 15 0 15 0 15 -1 14 -5 12 -3 11 -6 11 -5 10 -10 10 -10 9 -11 9 La Liga Pos Team 1 Real Madrid 2 Barcelona 3 Valencia 4 Atletico 5 Sevilla 6 Malaga 7 Celta Vigo 8 Villarreal 9 Getafe 10 Eibar 11 Athletic Bilbao 12 Espanyol 13 Rayo V’cano 14 Granada 15 Almeria 16 Deportivo 17 Elche 18 Levante 19 Real S’dad 20 Cordoba Serie A Pos Team P 1 Juventus 11 2 Roma 11 3 Napoli 11 4 Sampdoria 11 5 Lazio 11 6 Genoa 11 7 AC Milan 11 8 Udinese 11 9 Inter Milan 11 10 Hellas Verona 11 11 Fiorentina 11 12 Palermo 11 13 Sassuolo 11 14 Torino 11 15 Cagliari 11 16 FC Empoli 11 17 Atalanta 11 18 Chievo Verona 11 19 AC Cesena 11 20 Parma 11 Ligue 1 Chelsea’s Diego Costa (second left) celebrates after scoring the winning goal during the English Premier League match against Liverpool. (Below) Arsenal coach Arsene Wenger AFP London A rsenal manager Arsene Wenger all but conceded the Premier League title to leaders Chelsea after seeing his side let slip a one-goal lead in a 2-1 loss away to Swansea on Sunday. Defeat left the Gunners 12 points behind Jose Mourinho’s table-toppers after only 11 league games played. There might be more than twothirds of the season left and the small matter of 81 points to play for, but Wenger believes Arsenal’s London rivals are unstoppable. “At the moment Chelsea are on course for 100 points this season,” said Wenger, who won the last of his three Premier League title as Gunners boss during the 2003/04 season. “If you look at the number of points they have today, if they keep that up nobody will catch them, that’s for INJURY BIG TEAM Wenger added: “We have had a very disappointing week, considering the performances we produced and the end results we got, it’s very disappointing. “We were 3-0 up against Anderlecht and 1-0 up today and in the end we lose two points against Anderlecht and three points today. You have to be capable, once you are 1-0 up and a big team, to win the game. “I don’t know how much damaging it is, but we had an opportunity to come back into the top four.” Swansea manager Garry Monk was understandably delighted with a victory that saw his side leapfrog Arsenal into fifth place. “We had some unfortunate injuries in the week, but I have belief in the squad and it takes a squad not just 11 players,” Monk said. “I think we saw again today that we have that inner belief and mentality. It was certainly what carried us through today. “When we were 1-0 down, I was thinking what we could do. I felt we had the crowd with us and when we got the equaliser, I thought we needed to seize the initiative. That was why I put Bafe on. “We prepared for the best Arsenal side today and we understood just how much they can hurt you, at any moment,” Monk added. “I know they suffered in midweek but they are capable of upping it at any moment. But the way we worked was outstanding. “Of course, we are very happy going into the international break. We have had a tough time, but it was crucial we took points from our last two games. “We won’t always get it right but we have to make sure that we stay in games right until the very end.” SHOCKER Radamel Falcao still struggling with knee problem at United The Guardian London R adamel Falcao is having to ice his left knee following every training session and match to mitigate against further damage following the serious injury he suffered in January. With Falcao is already facing a fight to regain a first-team place, the condition of his knee is bound to be a factor when the club weigh up whether to make his loan permanent next summer. The 28-year-old had suffered anterior cruciate damage in January, an injury that prevented him from playing in Colombia’s World Cup campaign. It was the third severe knee injury of Falcao’s career and ruled him out for eight months. He was unable to return to action until 10 August when he scored in Monaco’s 2-1 defeat to Lorient. It is understood that since arriving at United, Falcao’s need to apply an ice pack on his to last for 90 minutes. It’s disappointing but we have to take it on the chin. “But give Swansea credit...Swansea are a good team.” sure,” the Frenchman added. “There doesn’t look to be anybody capable to challenge them at the moment.” Having relinquished a three-goal lead at home to Anderlecht during a 3-3 Champions League in midweek, the Gunners’ defensive frailties were on display again in south Wales. Alexis Sanchez gave Arsenal a 63rdminute lead at the Liberty Stadium, but two goals in three minutes in the final quarter, from Gylfi Sigurdsson and substitute Bafetimbi Gomis, left Wenger empty-handed. “I think it’s a game that we were quite in control of at 1-0,” Wenger said. “But I felt that we allowed them back into the game by losing some challenges in the middle of the park. You cannot afford to lose them. “It’s unfortunate to lose a game like that but we were not rigorous until the end. “We produced quite a decent performance for 75 minutes but you have Radamel Falcao left knee following any kind of physical exertion has surprised United players over the degree of treatment required. On signing from Monaco, Falcao admitted the injury still concerned him. Having made a first international appearance since the problem, Colombia’s 1-0 defeat to Brazil in Miami, he said: “Because of the injury I felt so nervous. Almost like it was my first time with the national team. And I expect it will be the same before I play my first game for Manchester United. I’m so happy to be back, and I am also happy about being able to join United. Physically I feel spectacular. I have been able to play without any kind of trouble.” While the striker earns at least £190,000 a-week - which is paid by the club - there is also an option for the 20-time champions to make him a United player in the close season. As well as the state of his knee, Falcao’s form will also be closely observed. So far he has managed only one goal in five appearances Colombian and is currently injured due to a calf problem. While Van Gaal is unsure when Falcao might return the manager made it clear last week that a two-forward approach he previously utilised upset the “balance” of the team. Even before the calf injury Robin van Persie was preferred for the 2-2 draw at West Bromwich Albion on 20 October, with Falcao coming on as a second-half substitute. 10-man Atletico beaten by managerless Sociedad AFP Madrid L a Liga champions Atletico Madrid remain four points behind leaders Real Madrid as they fell to a 2-1 defeat at managerless Real Sociedad after being reduced to 10 men. Sociedad are expected to announce the appointment of former Manchester United manager David Moyes in the coming days and on this performance there was plenty to encourage the Scot after Mario Mandzukic had fired Atletico into an early lead from Raul Garcia’s fine low cross. Carlos Vela curled home a wonderful equaliser five minutes later and the Mexican was then extremely unfortunate to see a yellow card for diving when he appeared to have been felled by Diego Godin inside the area. Godin showed the athleticism and awareness that has made him one of the best centre- Pos Team 1 Marseille 2 Lyon 3 PSG 4 Bordeaux 5 Nantes 6 St Etienne 7 Monaco 7 Rennes 9 Metz 10 Stade Reims 11 Toulouse 12 Nice 13 Montpellier 14 Lille 15 Bastia 16 Evian Gaillard 17 Caen 18 Guingamp 19 Lens 20 Lorient P 12 13 12 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 Bundesliga Pos Team P 1 Bayern Munich 11 2 Wolfsburg 11 3 Bor. M’bach 11 4 Hanover 11 5 Hoffenheim 11 6 B’ Leverkusen 11 7 Augsburg 11 8 Mainz 11 9 Paderborn 11 10 Cologne 11 11 Schalke 11 12 Frankfurt 11 13 Freiburg 11 14 Hertha Berlin 11 15 Bor. Dortmund 11 16 W. Bremen 11 17 SV Hamburg 11 18 Stuttgart 11 Pakistan gears up for South Asian women’s tournament Real Sociedad’s forward Imanol Agirretxe celebrates a goal. backs in world football to prevent Sociedad going in front just before the break as he raced back to clear off the line after Imanol Agirretxe had latched onto Miranda’s awful backpass and rounded Miguel Angel Moya. Atletico’s task became much tougher just four minutes into the second period when Guilherme Siqueira was shown two quickfire bookings to leave the visitors with just 10 men. Vela had another penalty appeal waved away when he clashed with Mandzukic inside the area and the Croatian international could have restored Atletico’s lead at the other end when he turned Cristian Ansaldi’s low cross just wide. However, Diego Simeone’s men were struggling to retain possession for any period of time and were finally punished eight minutes from time when Imanol Aggirretxe powered a header home at the near post. Pakistan hosts the third South Asian women’s football championship this week. The third edition of South Asian Football Federation (SAFF), featuring eight teams including India and Afghanistan, will run in Islamabad from November 11-20, the first time a highprofile regional women’s event has been held in Pakistan. The Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) promised tight security, after a suicide attack at a border post with India last week killed nearly 60 people. Gulf Times Tuesday, November 11, 2014 5 FOOTBALL SPOTLIGHT FOCUS Guardiola: Bayern better than last year PSG too strong for Marseille as title race tightens up Bayern Munich’s Spanish head coach Pep Guardiola. DPA Munich �We played with a lot of intensity and it’s a great victory which counts a lot for us’ B ayern Munich coach Pep Guardiola says his side are playing “better” than at this stage last season. The German champions top the Bundesliga undefeated, have already won their group in the Champions League in record time for a German club and are in the last 16 of the German Cup. Last season, Bayern smashed a series of records on their way to a league and cup double in Guardiola’s first season in charge after Bayern had won the Champions League, Bundesliga and German cup under Jupp Heynckes. “The results show that we are on the right path,” Guardiola told the Bayern website in a report published yesterday. “We are making consistent progress and are playing better than last year at this stage.” Bayern are on a run of 17 consecutive competitive matches without defeat, including 14 wins. After 11 league matches, Bayern have 27 points, a four-point lead over Wolfsburg. Last season, however, they had one win and two points more after 11 games. Guardiola said that by “better” he meant the style of play was getting closer to his ideal. “We are a bit better because we are playing more and running less,” he said. The improvement comes despite the success of last season and the World Cup tournament in summer, two factors which might have led to a dip in form. “The players are working outstandingly. They are always there mentally. But we are not yet playing the way I want. We can improve in many small details,” Guardiola said. The former Barcelona coach said the small details could prove decisive, and referred to last season’s exit to Real Madrid in the semi-finals of the Champions League. Three of Real’s goals came from set-pieces and Guardiola said Bayern could learn from that, calling his side’s success from deadball situations “a catastrophe.” Guardiola has players absent this week for the international break and says he will use the time “to analyse what we have done well and what we can improve on.” CARRYING ON Oscar signs new deal with Chelsea Paris St Germain’s Edinson Cavani celebrates his goal against Olympique Marseille during their French Ligue 1 match. AFP Paris P aris Saint-Germain defeated arch rivals Marseille 2-0 at the Parc des Princes on Sunday as the Ligue 1 title race was thrown wide open. The two-time defending champions dominated their visitors from the south in an intense encounter and wrapped up three crucial points thanks to an opportunist strike from Brazilian Lucas Moura and a close-range header from Edinson Cavani. PSG are now just one point behind Marseille as their unbeaten start to the season, in all competitions, continued in the biggest fixture in French football. Lyon, who won their fifth straight match earlier in the day when they downed Guingamp 3-1 at the Stade Gerland, are also breathing down the necks of Marseille and stand two points adrift. The match in the capital struggled to burst into life despite the return of PSG’s Swedish star Zlatan Ibrahimovic who came on with 24 minutes left for his first action since September 21. Marseille coach Marcelo Bielsa looked on in shock with the match 1-0 as his side’s chances of an equaliser took a severe turn for the worse with 12 minutes left when Giannelli Imbula was shown a straight red card for what appeared to be a minor offence. Cavani capped a convincing performance for PSG with a poacher’s header from just outside the six-yard box with five minutes remaining that capped a perfect week for the capital club who also booked their place in the Champions League knockout phase. “We played with a lot of intensity and it’s a great victory which counts a lot for us,” said PSG defender Maxwell. “Zlatan played well when he came on and he gives us a different dimension. He’s a very important player for us so it’s good for him that’s he’s back but we’re all looking forward to some rest now,” added the 33-year-old Brazilian ahead of the international break. Bielsa admitted the red card changed the momentum of the match. “I think the result was justified,” said Bielsa. “We were on top for a while in the first half even if it was 1-0 for them and the second half was balanced until the red card which allowed PSG to get on top. “There are six more matches left in the first half of the season and we have to get back to positive results in order to justify our position at the top.” MONACO HOLD ON Monaco held on for a 1-1 draw at SaintEtienne despite finishing the match with ten men in a stormy encounter at the Geoffroy Guichard stadium. Reims extended their unbeaten run to five matches with a 2-0 victory over Lille, who now haven’t won in the league in five outings. Alexandre Lacazette went top of the Ligue 1 scoring charts with 11 goals as he opened the scoring for Lyon in the eighth minute with a back post header from Nabil Fekir’s cross. Fekir doubled the lead on 20 minutes after converting on the slide a low cross from Christophe Jallet. At that point Lyon seemed in cruise control but they needed Fekir’s second goal, three minutes from time, to finally steady their nerves. The Cup holders pulled a goal back on the stroke of halftime as Sylvain Marveaux’s free-kick came back off the bar and hit Lyon goalkeeper Anthony Lopes before going in. Under steady rain at Saint-Etienne, Lacina Traore saw his shot deflected past Stephane Ruffier to put Monaco 1-0 in front after just 17 minutes. However Saint-Etienne, were handed the first of two dubious decisions on 58 minutes, when Dutchman Ricky van Wolfswinkel was allowed to run clear despite being blatantly offside and he gratefully tucked away the equaliser. Monaco suffered more bad fortune when they were reduced to ten men with 19 minutes left when Tiemoue Bakayoko was shown a second yellow card for a light brush against a Saint-Etienne player that even had the home players appealing to the referee for leniency. “We didn’t create a lot of chances and we were lucky enough to take the lead but we weren’t able to protect the advantage,” said Monaco playmaker Jeremy Toulalan. AFP London B razilian international Oscar has signed a new fiveyear contract with Chelsea that will keep him at Stamford Bridge until 2019, the English Premier League leaders announced yesterday. The 23-year-old attacking midfielder joined the London club from Internacional in 2012 and has since scored 27 goals in 126 appearances, including 92 starts, for the Blues. “I am so happy because I love playing for Chelsea and living in England,” Oscar told the club’s website. “I have enjoyed playing here for two years, and now I have five more, so I am very happy.” Signed originally for a fee of close to £20 million ($32 million, 25.5 million euros) when Roberto di Matteo was Chelsea manager, Oscar has become an increas- ingly influential figure since Jose Mourinho returned for his second spell in charge at Stamford Bridge. Indeed, the Portuguese boss’s decision to deploy Oscar in the number 10 role was widely regarded as a major factor in Juan Mata’s decision to leave Chelsea for Manchester United. Oscar scored twice on his first start for the club in the European Champions League and helped them win the continental second-tier Europa League in 2013. He has also scored 11 goals in 40 appearances for Brazil since making his debut against archSouth American rivals Argentina in 2011, including the hosts’ lone goal in their stunning 7-1 World Cup semi-final loss to Germany in July. Chelsea are currently four points clear of surprise package Southampton at the top of the Premier League table heading into this week’s break for international matches. BOTTOMLINE Tevez gives Juventus fans reason to celebrate The Guardian London F orty words to sum up 40 years. That was the thinking behind Alessandro Del Piero’s birthday post on his official website on Sunday morning. “A number? A frontier? A Lifetime has passed by, another awaits: I am ready. To be, to grow, to become. Son to father, footballer to man. The best I can be. Thanks everybody for never allowing me to feel lonely.” Sentimental, certainly. Overblown, perhaps. But fitting for a player who wears his heart on his sleeve, and whose fans feel a connection to him that goes beyond standard-issue sporting hero worship. The nostalgic among us spent Sunday morning reliving Del Piero’s greatest goals – from that volley against Fiorentina back in 1994 to his World Cup semi-final strike against Germany 12 years later – but also remembering his final Juventus home game in 2012, when the football itself became secondary to his impromptu lap of honour He could not make it back to Turin on Sunday, since he had a match to Juventus’ Carlos Tevez celebrates after scoring a goal. play for his new team, the Delhi Dynamos. There was no Del Piero goal to mark that occasion, the forward instead picking up a booking before being subbed off in the 72nd minute of a 0-0 draw against the Kerala Blasters. But he would be remembered again at Juventus Stadium, where his former teammates took on Parma. “Un capitano, c’è solo un capitano,” sang the Bianconeri’s fans before kickoff, as a banner was hung behind the goal promising Del Piero that “we’ll never forget you”. Those supporters would evoke his memory many more times before the match was over, and yet they would also end the day singing the praises of a new Juventus No10. It feels wrong to describe Carlos Tevez as an heir to Del Piero. They are very different players and very different men, having grown up in radically dissimilar circumstances and followed contrasting paths through their respective careers. In a sense that is what made Tevez the perfect person to inherit Del Piero’s shirt number in the first place. Here was a man who was different enough in approach, and confident enough in himself, not to be weighed down by comparisons. The closest parallel journalists could find for Tevez in Juventus’s history was in fact Omar Sivori, another abundantly talented Argentinian forward with below-average height (although Tevez, at 5ft 8ins, would still have towered over his compatriot) but above-average dribbling ability. Each had a reputation as a trouble-maker, even if Tevez’s refusal to leave the bench at Manchester City does seem rather meek when compared to Sivori’s proclivity for late-night whisky sessions and taking naps during training. Tevez would score a second goal on Sunday, bringing his personal tally to 10 in 14 games for the club this season. Add in last year’s numbers and he has 31 in 62 appearances for the Bianconeri across all competitions, not to mention 12 assists. Not that Sunday was all about him. Juventus would go on to beat Parma 7-0, their biggest victory in 31 years (since they beat Ascoli by the same scoreline on the opening weekend of the 1983-84 season). There were braces not only for Tevez but also for Fernando Llorente and the substitute Alvaro Morata. Stephan Lichtsteiner also chipped in with a fine goal. Juventus got a helping hand from Parma, atrocious in every phase of the game. The Ducali have now lost nine out of their first 11 matches, conceding 28 goals along the way. Their manager, Roberto Donadoni, will not survive many more days like this one. But this was a victory first and foremost for the Juventus manager, Massimiliano Allegri. For the first two months of the season he had stuck faithfully to the 3-5-2 formation used by his predecessor, Antonio Conte, but after succeeding with a four-man defence against Olympiacos in midweek, he lined his team up in a Christmas tree formation against Parma. The experiment could not have gone any better. Allegri insisted afterwards that this was only another tool in Juventus’s tactical arsenal, rather than a tactical blue- print that they must stick to going forwards, arguing that “flexibility is a great resource”. But certainly this has felt like a week in which the manager put his mark on the team. Many have argued over the last two seasons that Juventus would need a new formation to make progress in Europe. On this evidence it may help them domestically, as well. Although we must guard against sweeping conclusions from one game, and especially one against a team as bad as Parma, the new shape seemed to help Llorente. Playing as a lone striker – with Tevez and Roberto Pereyra playing off either shoulder – he held the ball up well and took his chances with confidence. It is noteworthy that he achieved his greatest successes in a similar role for Athletic Bilbao. “I had never won a game 7-0 as a professional,” said the striker afterwards. “I remember one match as a youth player where we won 42-0, with me scoring 11 goals.” A target to work towards, at Juventus, perhaps. In the meantime, a few more days like this one would probably be enough to earn Llorente an international recall to go with the one that his strike partner Tevez just received. 6 Gulf Times Tuesday, November 11, 2014 SPORT SPOTLIGHT Hopkins deserves respect for past but defeat leaves no future Philadelphian looked every minute of his 50-odd years in losing to Kovalev and can no longer try to bend time to his will By Kevin Mitchell theguardian.com T hey say fighters can grow old in a single fight. At least Bernard Hopkins took 26 years in the ring to get to the point where he had no more to give. Whatever equivocation he expressed about his future after losing to Sergey Kovalev over 12 one-sided rounds in Atlantic City on Saturday night, he is done with the fight game. From start to finish in their world light-heavyweight title unification contest the Philadelphian looked every minute and hour, every night and day of his nearly 50 years on the planet. He was knocked down near the end of the first round and beaten up badly in the final moments of the 12th. In between he might have deserved a share of the seventh and 10th rounds but that is taking charity to extremes. This was the most comprehensive beating of his illustrious career and hopefully the only one we will have to witness. Before the fight Hopkins, perhaps the most eloquent boxer in the business, told my colleague Donald McRae: “I have no fear. I have no doubt. I have bent time to my will.” After losing he said in the ring: “I would not disclose anything now. It’s 50:50 what I’m going to do. But I’ve done more than anybody expected me to do in my whole career. I’m fine. But I will think about (retirement). It’s been like that for the last nine years when I turned 40.” Hopkins said beforehand it would be “easy”. It was – for the Russian. Kovalev, unbeaten and indisputably the hardest puncher in his division, went past the eighth round for the first time in 26 bouts and he is established now as a feared and respected champion. Kovalev, a better boxer than many experts gave him credit for, out-thought and out-hit Hopkins in nearly every exchange. Hopkins, surely the fittest 49-year-old in sport, somehow finished upright but this was not a fitness contest and the judges were rightly merciless with two cards of 118-107 and a third of 118-106. I had it 120-107. Catching the fight on tape afterwards did little to dilute the poignancy. I thought Hopkins would be stopped late – for the first time in his 66-fight career – but hoped it would not be so. Pride and a great chin kept him on his feet when lesser men would surely have fallen. Hopkins took his tumble early, going down, embarrassed and confused from a wide-arced right to the temple with 50 seconds of the first round left. What he knew from that point on was there was meat in every one of the Russian’s blows, with full contact or not, and he retreated to the ropes looking for space and time. He got none. But the incontrovertible verities of the fight game are these: you don’t get younger, you don’t get faster. As early as the third Hopkins was reduced to survival mode, each blow draining his strength if not his resolve. There were the odd sneaky rights, the trademark shifting of the Sergey Kovalev (right) punches Bernard Hopkins during their IBF, WBA and WBO Light Heavyweight title fight at Boardwalk Hall Arena in Atlantic City, New Jersey. (AFP) shoulders and the possibility that he could conjure a miracle. But this was not a contest, it was a mugging. Hopkins went the distance for the 26th time, testimony to his commitment and courage but revealing as well: it had been 10 years since he had scored a stoppage win and that with a body shot to beat a faded Oscar de la Hoya, co-promoter of Saturday’s action. When they fought, Hopkins earned $10m and De la Hoya three times that; Bernard’s purse on Saturday was $1m although he shared in the promotion’s revenue with De la Hoya. Where he was really supposed to do the business, however, Hopkins was not up to it. The American’s reflexes were not sharp enough to feint Kovalev into mistake range nor could he avoid the steady, incoming artillery. By halfway his mouth hung open. “Gotta trust your defence, gotta trust your chin,” Naazim Richardson told him in the break before the seventh. Sound advice but his fighter could not deliver. He could neither make a contest of it nor even launch a futile assault. In the game’s unforgiving argot he looked shot. He could not pull the trigger. They entered the second half with Hopkins needing to win every round to give himself even a statistical chance of victory. In truth he needed a knockout. “Only chance we got,” Richardson told him. “If you ain’t capable of doing it, you gotta let me know. Gotta push him back. He can’t fight in close.” He did not need to. By now Kovalev was cruising. He respected Hopkins’ past but not his present. There was no future either for the old man, none except the difficult journey towards the final bell, over the championship rounds as they are known. But this champion was done. The crowd even booed him; they wanted a fight and what they got was a mismatch. The final three minutes of Hopkins’ career were as disappointing for him and his fans as were the preceding 33. He knew he had to stop Kovalev but could do no more than poke out his tongue after shipping another brain-scrambling right to the head. “Big respect,” Kovalev told Max Kellerman at the local microphone. “I’m the next. He touched FOCUS Spurs afraid to play at home: Adebayor By Amy Lawrence theguardian.com E mmanuel Adebayor has admitted that Tottenham’s players are struggling with the pressure of a negative atmosphere at White Hart Lane while they strain to get the message from their new manager, Mauricio Pochettino. “Instead of booing people, which will make it even worse, I think it is sometimes better to support them and give them what they need to perform on the pitch,” he said. “And right now, to tell you the truth, I think a lot of players when they put on the shirt and go out on to the pitch, are finding it hard in the head.” Tottenham fans are understandably airing their frustrations – they have seen their team lose four out of the last five Premier League games at home – and it was telling to hear the PA system blaring out music with conspicuously sharp timing the very second the referee blew the final whistle in the weekend’s loss to Stoke. It seemed like the club were conscious of the possibility for an outpouring of disapproval and did their bit to drown it out. Adebayor says the players are feeling the heat. “It’s kind of hard when you know the first bad ball you make the fans are going to boo you,” he said. “When you are playing in front of your own crowd you want them to support you. But now it is like going through a sad moment and your family not welcoming you home. Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino’s (second right) side has lost four times in last five matches. (Reuters) That’s the worst thing ever because you have nowhere to go. At the moment I don’t know whether we should play at home or whether we should play away. “Obviously I was on the bench against Stoke and, though I could not see everything as clear as night, I could see that nobody wanted the ball. It’s hard for the players. It’s not their fault and it’s not the fans’ fault either because the fans want to see a result, the fans want to see a response and things are not going our way at the moment. We just have to fight as a team and as a club to find a solution. The quicker the better.” Adebayor suggests that it is proving difficult for Tottenham to adapt to the methods preferred by Pochettino, the latest chosen one in White Hart Lane’s white hot seat: “He’s a good manager and we just have to find a way so that we can try to understand what he wants to tell us and how he wants us to play. If every player could do what the manager wants then we would win the Champions League. But at the moment we are not getting the message. To me, he is a good manager and a good man – we just have to get what he is telling us. “We have to get used to him. He is the new manager and it is tough. Tactically, he is working hard, he is trying to make us understand what the opponents will try to do and what we have to do to score goals and win the games. But at the moment there is a blockage somewhere. Hopefully we can overcome that. Football is a funny game. You play one game and score one goal and everybody says �Hey, things have changed for you.’ Maybe we can go out and win the next game 3-0 or 4-0 and that will be it – the fans will be back enjoying Tottenham again. “Then, every weekend I was happy to come in and play for the club because I knew I was going to have fun and enjoy it. Now it is not fun anymore. The critics are there and I welcome them – I take them in a good way and hopefully I will do my talking on the pitch. At the moment things are not going our way, but it cannot go any lower than this. Things can only get better. “Obviously all managers bring their own philosophies, the way they see football, the way they see games and everything. But come on, this the third or fourth manager in two or three years so we just have to stop it now being about the manager.” After the international break, Tottenham ’s next game is at Hull and according to Adebayor, it will almost be a relief to be away. “To be honest, I think so,” he admitted. “I think it might be better to play away from home at the moment because at least we know beforehand we are guaranteed to be booed because they want their home club to win. But when you are playing at home and your own fans start booing you after a few minutes then it is harder.” me with two good punches but not hurt me.” Hopkins was reasonably humble: “He fought a great technical fight, used his reach,” he said. “He definitely has the mechanics and he has patience. Every time he got hit with punches from me he did the right thing and stepped back and I had to reset. Every time I tried to engage he did it on his terms. He had a good right hand over my jab. He stuck to his game plan. “He’s going to be around for a long time, as long as he wants to. I’ve got respect for a guy who wants to fight everybody.” And boxing should respect Hopkins. Still, like everyone who has gone before him in the history of the sport, he has to bow to time not try any more to bend it. Could Kramer’s freak own goal be the lift that Dortmund need? By Raphael Honigstein theguardian.com Helmut Winklhofer can sleep a little easier now. For nearly 30 years, the former Bayern Munich midfielder has been synonymous with the most famous own goal in Bundesliga history. None’s ever quite managed to hoof the ball into their own goal from 30 metres out with so much aplomb before or since. Until Sunday night at the Signal Iduna Park, that is. The Gladbach midfielder Christoph Kramer received the ball with his back to goal and passed it on again … a little too forcefully and casually chipped his keeper Yann Sommer from 45 metres in the process. It was the most fantastic autogol – as our Italian cousins call this regrettable act of footballistical self-penetration – you’ll see this season and for many years to come. “I thought the ball was bouncing up a bit”, the 23-year-old tried to explain later, “but as soon as I hit it, I thought �oh s***’”. Indeed. BVB’s veteran Sebastian Kehl was the first to console the World Cup winner, others followed. “He’s an extraordinary player, this will be nothing more than a curious footnote in his career,” said Jürgen Klopp. Like Winklhofer before him in August 1985, Kramer is unlikely to escape the ignominy of being named November’s goalscorer of the month. Winklhofer refused to receive his medal in the Sportschau studio – but Kramer will probably play along gamely, lovely boy that he is. “That can happen, it’s only human,” Uli Hoeness winced after the final whistle. Kramer was the Germany player who had to be replaced with concussion in Rio de Janeiro, having asked the referee whether it really was the World Cup final that he was playing in. This time, however, he knew exactly where he was and what he was doing. “I have to apologise to my team-mates but I’m angrier about playing 90 minutes of crap” he told reporters, “that mustn’t happen”. By way of mitigation, the whole Gladbach team had actually forgotten to turn up; one measly effort in front of Roman Weidenfeller was all that Lucien Favre’s lame Foals could muster against the far superior black and yellow Borussia. “It was a well deserved win for Dortmund,” admitted the Swiss coach. Gladbach will live with their first defeat in 19 games (in all competitions) even if they could easily have extended their record run in this game. Because, though Dortmund played their best football of the season in the first half, they had nothing to show for it after Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Marco Reus missed the best chances. It took Kramer going rogue to break the deadlock in the 58th minute. Gulf Times Tuesday, November 11, 2014 7 SPORT NBA Lakers notch first win of the season �We were just trying to make them take some tough jump shots’ Chicago Bears defensive player Jon Bostic (left) stops Green Bay Packers Offensive player Eddie Lacy (right) after a three yard gain in the first half of their NFL game at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin on Sunday. NFL 49ers edge Saints in overtime, Cardinals lose quarterback AFP Los Angeles T he San Francisco 49ers prevailed in an overtime thriller with New Orleans after Saints quarterback Drew Brees fumbled and the league-leading Arizona Cardinals won again but suffered a costly blow in defeating the St. Louis Rams on Sunday. Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer went down with a knee injury after being sacked in the fourth quarter of their 31-14 win and was carried off the field. Backup Drew Stanton promptly came through with a go-ahead, 48-yard touchdown pass to John Brown and the Cardinals (8-1) added an interception return for a TD and scored on a fumble recovery that kept them as the surprise team of the season. San Francisco linebacker Ahmad Brooks blindsided Saints quarterback Brees to force a fumble and allow the 49ers to escape New Orleans with a wild 27-24 victory. Brooks’ big play set up Phil Dawson’s winning 35-yard field goal and the 49ers (5-4) prevailed to keep pace in the NFC West despite squandering a 2110 second-quarter lead. Brees, who tossed three scores and two interceptions, put the Saints (4-5) ahead 24-21 with less than two minutes left in the fourth quarter but San Francisco rallied to force overtime thanks to a 51-yard pass from Colin Kaepernick on fourth down that sent up Dawson’s 45-yard game tying field goal. New Orleans had what would have been a game-winning 47yard touchdown pass from Brees to Jimmy Graham wiped out with seconds to play in regulation when Graham was called for pass interference. The freefalling New York Jets stunned the Pittsburgh Steelers 20-13 to snap an eight-game losing streak behind a solid start from Michael Vick. Vick threw two touchdowns and added 39 yards on the ground to become the first NFL quarterback to reach 6,000 yards rushing. Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who had thrown six touchdowns in each of his last two games, was limited to one score and sacked twice as the Jets forced four turnovers. In Seattle, the defending Super Bowl champion Seahawks stayed just two games behind Arizona in their division after Marshawn Lynch rumbled for 140 yards and four touchdowns in a 38-17 win over the New York Giants. Quarterback Russell Wilson ran for another 107 yards and a score in Seattle’s third successive victory. In Oakland, Peyton Manning added to his career record touchdown total with five more TD passes to lead Denver in a 4117 rout over winless Oakland. Manning tossed two scores apiece to Emmanuel Sanders and Julius Thomas and Denver (7-2) stayed in first place in the AFC West. In Detroit, Matthew Stafford fired an 11-yard touchdown pass to Theo Riddick in the final minute to lift the Lions (7-2) past Miami 20-16. Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson had 113 receiving yards and a TD after missing three games because of an ankle injury. Results Baltimore ................21 Kansas City ..........17 Detroit......................20 San Francisco ...27 Dallas ..........................31 NY Jets....................20 Atlanta ......................27 Denver ......................41 Arizona .....................31 Seattle...................... 38 Green Bay ........... 55 Tennessee ..............7 Buffalo.......................13 Miami ........................16 New Orleans ....24 Jacksonville.........17 Pittsburgh .............13 Tampa Bay...........17 Oakland...................17 St. Louis .................. 14 NY Giants ..............17 Chicago .................. 14 AFP New York K obe Bryant and Jeremy Lin scored 21 points apiece on Sunday as the Los Angeles Lakers nabbed their first win of the NBA season, a 107-92 decision over Charlotte. The Lakers, whose 0-5 start was the worst since the club moved to Los Angeles, hadn’t lost six straight to open a season since the 1957-58 Lakers—then based in Minneapolis—lost their first seven. While the current Lakers have avoided a repeat of that dismal start—or worse—Bryant and Lin both said they have a lot of work to do if they want to win consistently. “The one thing about today is we were talking, we were engaged, we were moving, we were trying to make it difficult (for Charlotte),” Lin said of the Lakers’ improved defensive performance. “We were just trying to make them take some tough jump shots.” Offensively, Lin said, he and Bryant are still adjusting to each other. “It’s just a process,” said Lin, who was traded to the Lakers by the Houston Rockets in July. “He’s got to learn to continue to trust me and I have to learn to trust him and what that looks like in terms of when to give the ball to the other person. “It’s not like we’re both coming in inherently trying to be selfish. We both want it to work, we just have to figure out how and today was a step in the right direction.” Carlos Boozer finished with 16 points and Jordan Hill added 12 with a career-high seven assists for the Lakers. Al Jefferson paced the Hornets with 23 points, while Kemba Walker added 17 and Marvin Williams chipped in 11. The Lakers trailed throughout the first half, but outscored the Hornets 34-13 in the third quarter to seize control. Boozer scored eight points during a 16-1 scoring run, with his last basket giving the Lakers their first lead of the night. Lin and Bryant then both hit three-pointers as the Lakers built a 67-59 lead. Ed Davis’ layup with 2.4 seconds left in the third helped Los Angeles take a 76-64 advantage entering the fourth, and the Hornets never got the deficit below eight in the final period. Bryant, a five-time NBA champion with the Lakers, NHL Stamkos’ two goals lift Lightning to 4-3 win AFP Toronto R ight winger Ryan Callahan scored in the shootout to give the Tampa Bay Lightning a 4-3 victory over the Detroit Red Wings at Joe Louis Arena on Sunday. Center Steven Stamkos scored twice and center Tyler Johnson got the goals for Tampa Bay in regulation. Callahan also had two assists and goalie Ben Bishop stopped 17 shots in regulation and overtime. Right winger Johan Franzen and left winger Gustav Nyquist had a goal and an assist each Results Toronto.......................5 Tampa Bay .............4 Edmonton ...............3 Chicago......................5 Vancouver ..............2 Ottawa ........................3 Detroit .........................3 NY Rangers ............1 San Jose ...................2 Anaheim....................1 and center Darren Helm scored for Detroit. Defenseman Niklas Kronwall had two assists and goaltender Jimmy Howard made 27 saves in the first 65 minutes. Elswhere, left winger Benoit Pouliot scored a goal and made an assist as Edmonton defeated the New York Rangers 3-1. Center Ryan NugentHopkins scored his fifth of the season for Edmonton, while right winger Teddy Purcell scored his second of the season into an empty net with 1:27 remaining to seal the win. Goaltender Viktor Fasth made 20 saves for the victory. Carl Hagelin scored the lone goal for the Rangers (6-62), who have lost four of five. Goaltender Henrik Lundqvist stopped 30 shots and took the loss. Toronto goalie James Reimer made 38 saves to top Ottawa 5-3 at Canadian Tire Centre. Toronto winger David Clarkson scored the lone goal of the third period after center Peter Holland had a goal and an assist, and wingers James van Riemsdyk and Josh Leivo and center Mike Santorelli scored goals. Ottawa goalie Robin Lehner stopped just 25 shots while center Kyle Turris and wingers Mike Hoffman and Mark Stone scored goals. Chicago scored three goals in a span of 2 minutes, 34 seconds in the second period to beat San Jose 5-2. Defensemen Trevor Van Riemsdyk, Brent Seabrook and Niklas Hjalmarsson, left winger Bryan Bickell and center Jonathan Toews scored goals for Chicago and goaltender Corey Crawford turned aside 32 of 34 shots for the win. Center Joe Pavelski scored both goals for San Jose while goaltender Antti Niemi stopped 32 of 36 shots. Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant defends Charlotte Hornets forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist in the second half of the game at Staples Center on Sunday. Lakers won 107-92. wasn’t ready to call the victory a turning point, even if it was a positive sign. “You’ve got to start somewhere,” he said, but noted that the Lakers face a tough stretch of games against Memphis, New Orleans and San Antonio in the coming week. “The task just gets harder and harder,” Bryant said, and was echoed by Lin. “We’ve got to play harder every night,” Lin said. “If we play harder every night, we have a chance.” Suns hand Warriors first defeat of the season The Phoenix Suns handed Golden State their first defeat of the NBA season on Sunday, taking full advantage of the Warriors’ miscues in a 107-95 victory. Isaiah Thomas scored 22 points and handed out seven assists for the Suns. Gerald Green and Goran Dragic had 19 points apiece for Phoenix, who out-scored the Warriors 36-16 in the final quarter. Stephen Curry ended with 28 points and 10 assists for the Warriors—who were the last unbeaten team left in the league two weeks into the season. “We turned the ball over in the first half, but eventually they catch up to you,” said Golden State’s Draymond Green, who scored 22 points with nine rebounds and four blocks. “Obviously I’m one of the main culprits, I had five (turnovers) myself. So we’ve just really got to cut down on turnovers and once we do that we’ll be fine.” Golden State had squeaked out a win over Houston on Saturday despite 26 turnovers, and coach Steve Kerr had already predicted that the mistakes would catch up with his team. On Sunday they were also hurt by the absence of guard Klay Thompson, who was sidelined with a sprained right hand. Even so, the Warriors led by eight through three quarters, before the Suns exploded in the final period. Gerald Green scored eight straight points for the Suns to give them an 83-82 lead. He made a pair of three-pointers later in the fourth, the second one giving Phoenix a 95-88 lead with 4:46 to play. Thomas scored seven points down the stretch to seal the come-from-behind victory. Results Brooklyn............. 104 Utah ........................... 97 Oklahoma City101 Toronto .................120 Miami .....................105 Phoenix ................107 Portland ................ 116 LA Lakers ...........107 Orlando ................ 96 Detroit .................... 96 Sacramento ......93 Philadelphia ..... 88 Dallas ...................... 96 Golden State ....95 Denver................ 100 Charlotte ..............92 �Champions of the Sand’ Exhibition Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club general manager Sami Jassim al-Boenain (centre) presents a memento to Qatar Photographic Society president Ahmed al-Khulaifi (right) as World Arabian Horse Organisation (WAHO) president Peter Pond looks on during the opening of the �Champions of the Sand’ Exhibition at the Katara on Sunday. The photographic exhibition is being held on the sidelines of the WAHO Conference which is being held in Qatar from November 8 to November 18. PICTURE: Juhaim 8 Gulf Times Tuesday, November 11, 2014 FORMULA 1 SPOTLIGHT FOCUS Rosberg needs help from friends in Abu Dhabi finale �I know that I will need some help from Felipe or Valtteri or maybe Lewis himself’ Red Bull warns of engine development spending war Reuters Sao Paulo R ed Bull team principal Christian Horner fears Formula One could be forced into a �ridiculous’ spending race from 2016 if the engine rules are not relaxed for next season. Weekend talks at the Brazilian Grand Prix failed to reach any agreement between dominant Mercedes, Ferrari, Renault and Honda on allowing some in-season development on the new V6 turbo hybrid power units. Any changes to the sport’s technical regulations must be agreed unanimously for 2015 but can be pushed through on a majority vote for 2016 and beyond. “With a majority vote, 2016/17/18 can be opened, so we will have to face the pain in 2015 to open it up in 2016/17/18,” Horner told reporters at Interlagos. “Which is ridiculous because we will all end up spending a lot more money over a longer period of time, whereas what should happen is that a window should be opened to allow Renault, Ferrari and Honda to try to close that gap (with Mercedes).” Mercedes have won 15 of 18 races so far and started 17 on pole position. They are sure of winning both championships, ending Renault-powered Red Bull’s run of four in a row. Renault and Ferrari want limited in-season development to help close the gap, but Mercedes argue that would be too expensive and want to reap the rewards of their work. They also say talk of an engine �freeze’ is wrong since 92 percent can still be worked on. Horner said mistakes were made with the 2014 engine rules that allowed a competitor to lock in an advantage without rivals being able to catch up. “Not only have we got an enormously expensive engine, we’ve got an engine that we have got very limited development on,” he said, adding that teams could not bear any additional financial burdens. “Unfortunately, the costs of these power units has driven two teams out of this sport already and it is a big issue,” he added. Failed Marussia and Caterham were both absent from the last two races. Horner was critical of Mercedes and saw little point in further talks because “you can sit in a meeting with people who then change their minds five minutes after they leave the room”. CONSPIRACY THEORY Big boys want independents out, says Sauber boss AFP Sao Paulo Mercedes teammates Lewis Hamilton (left) and Nico Rosberg are locked in a close battle for the driver’s title this season with the Brit leading by 17 points. (AFP) AFP Sao Paulo N ico Rosberg may need some help from his friends, but he is utterly convinced he can win the season-ending “double jeopardy” Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and claim the drivers’ world title. After ending championship leader and Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton’s run of five straight wins, the 29-year-old German shrugged aside concerns over the much-criticised and controversial introduction of double points at the finale. “I find it artificial and I don’t like it in general,” said Rosberg. “Of course, it’s great for me at the moment, but you know that’s just because of the situation.... “There are other sports which have tried the same sort of thing, like Nascar, and they’ve done this very successfully. We need to keep on reviewing it. It’s good to try something and we’ll see how it goes this year.” Rosberg’s cheery demeanour under pressure and his flawless concentration on keeping his title dream alive, earned him much respect as he won Sunday’s Brazilian Grand Prix ahead of Hamilton, but it has also left the sport facing another dilemma. Just as Formula One’s veteran commercial ringmaster Bernie Ecclestone, 84, struggles to control a potential financial crisis, with three more teams threatened by collapse following the demise of Caterham and Marussia, the Abu Dhabi showdown presents a stark contrast. Mercedes team chief Toto Wolff, who has toiled all season to control his embattled drivers as their scrap for glory became increasingly fraught and sometimes acrimonious, said the wrong kind of result would leave Formula One under a dark cloud. “Hopefully double points will not make a difference,” said Wolff, fearing that the exaggerated ruling at one race could decide the title. “It would put a big shadow over the championship if it was turned by a technical issue.” After Sunday’s race, in which Rosberg resisted Hamilton’s pressure for 71 laps, the Briton holds a 17-point lead, having won compared to Rosberg’s five. Wolff, however, believes that whatever the outcome, the man with most points will deserve to take the title. “Whoever has most points at the end the season is the worthy champion,” he said. “Even though if it really comes down to that situation, some of us might have a different feeling about it, it is what it is. “Whoever wins the championship is going to have his name in the record books and that’s it.” Given that the Mercedes pair delivered a record 11th one-two finish on Sunday, another win is in prospect. If it is for Hamilton, he will take the title, whatever Rosberg does - but if Rosberg wins, Hamilton must finish second to be champion. If the race was being run under “normal” points-scoring, Hamilton could finish as low as sixth and take the title. Wolff said he hoped the system, introduced by Ecclestone, would be dropped next year. “Nobody likes the double points,” he said. “We are going to discuss it next time around. I don’t think Bernie likes it, so it is probably something we should be getting rid of for next season.” Rosberg, whose father Keke Rosberg took the title in 1982 after winning only one race in the season, said: “We now have a great finale to look forward to in Abu Dhabi and I’m still believing 100 per cent I can make it. “But, I know, of course, that I will need some help from Felipe (Massa) or Valtteri (Bottas) or maybe Lewis himself.” BOTTOMLINE Alonso set for McLaren switch: report AFP Sao Paulo F ernando Alonso is set to join McLaren, with the former two-time world champion’s move due to be confirmed before the seasonending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on November 23, according to a report on the Autosport magazine website published yesterday. Last month Luca de Montezemolo, the outgoing chief of Ferrari, the Spaniard’s current team, said the 2005 and 2006 world champion would leave the Italian giants at the end of the current campaign, two years before his contract expires, because of their failure to provide him with a car where he could challenge for a third world title. Alonso finished sixth in last weekend’s Brazilian Grand Prix and the 33-year-old is currently fifth in the overall standings for this season. But even with the innovation of double-points for the season’s climax in the UAE, there is no way he can close the gap on the Mercedes’ leading duo of Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg. Autosport added that the only reason why Alonso’s move to McLaren, for whom he drove in one turbulent season in 2007, had not yet been confirmed was because the management of the British team had still to decide on which of their two current drivers, Jenson Button and Kevin Magnusson, would remain to pilot their other car. Button, after finishing fourth at the Interlagos circuit in Sao Paulo on Sunday, said he was still in the dark regarding McLaren’s driver line-up for 2015. “I enjoyed the race and had a great battle with Kimi (Raikkonen),” said Button, world champion in 2009. “To beat both Red Bulls, both Ferraris and a Williams is not a bad day’s work. But that’s all I can do right now—go out and enjoy my racing,” the 34-yearold Briton added. Last month, reigning champion Sebastien Vettel announced he was quitting Red Bull, with whom he was won four successive world titles. That led to reports the German was being lined up for a move to Ferrari, Formula One’s most iconic team. F ormula One’s major manufacturing teams are working to an agenda to streamline the sport and eliminate smaller independent outfits, Sauber team chief Monisha Kaltenborn said yesterday. After two races, in the United States and Brazil, where the grid was reduced to 18 cars after the withdrawal of the Marussia and Caterham teams, and a weekend of tense behind-the-scenes talks aimed at saving three more cash-starved teams, Kaltenborn expressed a view widely-held by many paddock observers. “Looking at the proposals which have been made you have to believe there is some agenda, don’t you?” she said. “The agenda seems to be that people are looking at four or five names to stay in here, and when ideas are offered to us of a yearold chassis or engines which are maybe a different spec or series, there must be an agenda. “As there’s no-one reacting to it in front, we don’t know whose agenda it is. That’s why it’s important we said what we had to on this point because these things are changing every day, RACING ON Mallya says Force India will continue Reuters Sao Paulo F Ferrari’s Spanish driver Fernando Alonso walks around the team garage at the Interlagos track in Sao Paulo for the Brazilian Grand Prix last weekend. (Reuters) but the fact is it cannot remain like this. “It’s no way we want to work and can work and the more these ideas are coming up the more we get the feeling that maybe some people don’t want us to be around—and maybe the sport is supposed to be changed in a very different way.” Agreements between commercial rights holders and the teams say that if the number of cars on the grid falls below 20, the major teams have an obligation to field a third car, but Red Bull boss Christian Horner said they were not thinking of doing that. “Our preference is to have at least 10 healthy competing two-car teams.” Kaltenborn added that she believed some of the manufacturer-backed big teams do not see their Formula One involvement as sport, but purely as business. “The big teams out there use this as a simple sporting marketing platform,” she said. “It’s nothing more for them. We are not out here with, as they are saying, begging bowls. “We don’t need to be a threat to them, but we are part of the show and it’s very disrespectful to behave like this to teams within the sport and even more disrespectful towards the fans.” orce India co-owner Vijay Mallya has rejected speculation about his Formula One team’s finances, saying they will be racing for years to come. Speaking at the Brazilian Grand Prix, where only nine teams competed on Sunday, Mallya said Force India would not be following Marussia and Caterham onto the sporting scrapheap. “All this speculation I think needs to stop,” the liquor baron told Reuters. “It’s not doing anybody any good...the bottom line is we’re OK.” Asked whether Force India would be definitely racing in 2015 and beyond, he replied: “Of course. Absolutely.” Force India, Lotus and Sauber, whose finances have also caused concern, want a more equal distribution of the sport’s revenues. But commercial supremo Bernie Ecclestone told report- ers on Sunday that the teams as a whole shared $900mn in revenues and ruled out extra payments. However, Mallya said Ecclestone had told him he was meeting Donald Mackenzie, co-chairman of rights holders CVC, to discuss the matter today. “If I don’t hear by the end of the week I’ll send him a gentle reminder,” he added. Force India is co-owned by Mallya and the Sahara Group run by Subrata Roy, one of India’s best known tycoons, who is in a Delhi jail over the conglomerate’s failure to refund billions of dollars raised in outlawed bonds. Mallya also has troubles of his own, with an Indian bank declaring him and his grounded carrier Kingfisher Airlines “wilful defaulters”, although a court has halted execution of the decision. A report in Britain’s Sunday Telegraph said Force India had reported a net annual loss of 38.5mn pounds ($61.21mn) to Dec. 31, 2013. That was up from a previous 33.4mn. The team are currently sixth in the championship. Gulf Times Tuesday, November 11, 2014 9 SPORT BOXING �Pacquiao pace, skills will be too much for Algieri’ Reuters Las Vegas A merican challenger Chris Algieri represents a younger, hungrier generation of boxers hoping to take down Manny Pacquiao but the world champion’s coach Freddie Roach is confident the Filipino has both the speed and skills to retain his WBO title. Algieri earned his shot at Pacquiao, a winner of world titles in eight different divisions, by climbing off the canvas twice to earn a split decision victory over Russian Ruslan Provodnikov in June, a win that improved his record to 20-0. Roach recognised the hardhitting New Yorker’s toughness but said Pacquiao had the tools to defend his welterweight crown in Macau on Nov. 22. Foley adds the drop goal to Australia’s playbook American challenger Chris Algieri (left) and Manny Pacquiao “He’s a tough kid and he’s strong,” Roach told The Philip- pine Star. “He doesn’t have the speed and the skills Manny has. But he has the power.” Pacquiao’s (56-5-2) storied 20-year professional career is littered with wins over some of boxing’s biggest names, including Erik Morales, Marco Antonio Barrera, Juan Manuel Marquez, Shane Mosley and Oscar De La Hoya. He suffered successive defeats in 2012 but has got back on track with two impressive wins over Brandon Rios and Timothy Bradley. A win over Algieri could bring the long-awaited super fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr one step closer. “A lot of the guys we fought in the past are retired now,” Roach said. “We’re fighting the new generation. Rios was the first step. And then Bradley. These guys are younger and hungrier.” Pacquiao has not scored a knockout since stopping Miguel Cotto in Nov. 2009, and was himself knocked out by Mar- Klitschko goes it alone with news conference after Pulev spat HAMBURG: World heavyweight boxing champion Wladimir Klitschko went ahead with a press conference yesterday without challenger Kubrat Pulev after a row over who was allowed to attend. The joint conference was planned at a Hamburg hotel ahead of Saturday’s heavyweight fight in the city, but Pulev’s entourage stayed away after being told by Klitschko’s manager, Bernd Boente, not all would be allowed in. Boente refused to allow all six quez in 2012 in his first outing after losing to Bradley the same year. While some have questioned how much gas the 35-year-old of Pulev’s delegation from promoter Kalle Sauerland into the conference, saying the contract stipulated a maximum of three. Pulev countered by saying all or none of his entourage would attend the news conference. Klitschko defends his WBA, IBF and WBO belts against undefeated 33-year-old Bulgarian Pulev. The 38-year-old Ukrainian aims to make it a 17th successive title defence in a fight rescheduled from September when he withdrew with an arm injury. has left after 63 professional fights, Pacquiao will be a strong favourite to beat the 30-year-old American at The Venetian Macao in two weeks’ time. RUGBY France targeting triple Australia revenge �We’re French, every time we don’t move things very much, we fall asleep’ Wallabies coach Michael Cheika admitted after last weekend’s victory over Wales the drop goal was not in Australia’s playbook but given his reputation for attention to detail, it might not be long before it is. Bernard Foley’s (pictured) effort from the pocket at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday crucially put Australia ahead eight minutes from time before the 15-test flyhalf rounded out the 33-28 victory with a 78th minute penalty. “I took a few after the captain’s run on Friday. A couple went over and a couple ended up closer to the corner post,” Foley told Sydney’s Daily Telegraph in Cardiff. “That was my first one at this level and I think I’ve only kicked one in Super Rugby, so it’s not something I do often. “There’s a lot of experience in the pack who knew where we had to be and in that situation it’s always good to have crack and not die wondering.” The Wallabies have benefited from drop goals in the past, most notably when Stephen Larkham dropped a 48-metre bomb to beat South Africa in extra time in the 1999 World Cup semi-final. It had, though, appeared to be a dying art Down Under. Australian teams scored only two in the entire Super Rugby competition this year, compared to 18 successful attempts for South African teams. Australia have spurned the chance to use a drop kick to break the deadlock in two draws against the All Blacks in the last two years—the 18-18 tie in Brisbane in 2012 and the 12-12 result in Sydney earlier this year. In the latter match, Foley was on as a replacement at flyhalf but the Wallabies kept the ball in hand looking for a penalty only to lose possession, and with it the chance of a first win over the world champions in three years. Even if Cheika does not now have his players drilling for drop goals, the fact that Foley felt comfortable improvising the score sits well with the coach’s philosophy that his players should feel free to try something different. “The way we prepare, I’d like to think tight games, if we work hard, we’ll always get them going our way,” Cheika, who brought Foley through as his starting flyhalf at New South Wales Waratahs, said after the match. “Saying that, drop goals are definitely not in our play books. It was Bernard stepping back and taking the shot and he delivered.” AFP Paris F rance have “triple revenge” in mind ahead of Saturday’s international Test against Australia. Philippe Saint-Andre’s team suffered three straight defeats by the Wallabies on their June tour Down Under, and two of those were humiliating. Either side of a dour 6-0 reverse in Melbourne, France were thumped 50-23 in Brisbane and 39-13 in Sydney. “We have to take a triple revenge,” said Saint-Andre on Sunday, a day after Les Bleus cruised to a 40-15 success over Fiji in Marseille while Australia triumphed 33-28 in Cardiff for their 10th successive victory over Wales. “What struck me was the third Test (in June) where we collapsed too quickly. That’s unacceptable when you represent a country, a history, an identity.” Saint-Andre knows his side will have to stand up to the Wallabies in individual battles at the Stade de France in Paris. “Yesterday (Saturday) they won a lot of turnovers. They have individuals who are capable of winning one-on-one duels.” As for his own side, SaintAndre says there is much to work on from the Fiji match, despite running in five tries, including a hat-trick from debu- France coach Philippe Saint-Andre tant wing Teddy Thomas. “We know we still have work to do. We conceded two tries from defensive mistakes and we could have been a bit more patient close to the line. “But at least there was enthusiasm, desire, a team that was lively and enjoyed playing.” The result ensured France did not suffer a fifth straight defeat for the first time since 1982 - GOLF SPOTLIGHT Canadian rookie Taylor triumphs in Jackson Reuters Mississippi R ookie Nick Taylor, helped by three consecutive birdies on the back nine, displayed ice-cool composure to win his maiden PGA Tour title by two shots at the Sanderson Farms Championship in Jackson, Mississippi on Sunday. On a glorious afternoon of unbroken sunshine at the Country Club of Jackson where the greens ran firm and fast, the 26-year-old Canadian surged past overnight leader John Rollins with a sizzling six-underpar 66. Taylor broke clear of a tightly bunched leaderboard with his three-birdie blitz from the 13th, calmly sank a par-saving putt from nine feet at the 16th and could afford a three-putt bogey at the last to post a 16-under total of 272. Rollins, seeking his first PGA they had lost their final Six Nations clash 22-20 at home to Ireland in March before the June tour. But Saint-Andre is wary of his side switching off. “We’re French, every time we don’t move things very much, we fall asleep.” Still, the coach was enjoying a rare success since taking over the reins three years ago—it was only the 12th France win in 30 matches on his watch. And he even found the chance to mock those who have criticised him for constant tinkering. He aligned scrum-half Sebastien Tillous-Borde with flyhalf Camille Lopez for his 13th different half-back pairing in those 30 matches. Yet they both played well and combined expertly. “Apparently it was the 13th (pairing), maybe there will be a 14th or 15th,” said Saint-Andre defiantly. Finally he turned his attention to Racing-Metro’s Thomas, who is likely to be given another outing against the Wallabies despite being partially at fault for Fiji’s first try after a weak attempt at a tackle. “Already he has qualities that you can’t buy in the supermarket—he runs fast, he wins his duels and he scores tries,” said Saint-Andre, who was also impressed with the debuts of South African born Scott Spedding and Alexandre Dumoulin. “For (Spedding’s) first cap it was a quality performance, just as with Dumoulin, who was more than interesting.” Nick Taylor of Canada poses with the trophy after winning the Final Round of the Sanderson Farms Championship at The Country Club of Jackson on Sunday in Jackson, Mississippi. Tour victory in five years, closed with a 73 to finish in a threeway tie for fourth at 13 under, a stroke behind fellow Americans Boo Weekley (66) and Jason Bohn (69). “It’s been a whirlwind of a summer,” a smiling Taylor told Golf Channel after becoming the first Canadian-born player to win on the PGA Tour since left-hander Mike Weir at the 2007 Fry’s Electronics Open. “Six months ago, I was struggling but I kind of kept at it, kind of got hot and the putter started cooperating. Today I putted unbelievable ... it’s pretty surreal and a shock but I am certainly happy with it.” Taylor, the world’s topranked amateur for 21 successive weeks in 2009 before turning professional the following year, secured his PGA Tour card after closing with a 63 at the 2014 Web.com Tour’s season’s finale in September. He began the final round in Jackson four strokes off the pace but got hot early and caught Rollins at the top with five birdies and a bogey on his outward nine. Though Rollins briefly regained the outright lead with a birdie at the par-five 11th, Taylor tightened his grip with a timely three-birdie run, sinking an 11-footer at the 15th to forge two ahead. Rollins ran up a three-putt bogey at the 14th to hand Taylor a three-shot cushion. “I kind of had a feeling where I was coming off 17,” said Taylor, who was born in Winnipeg. “Obviously the last few holes I had some nerves but I was able to make some putts.” McIlroy wins Race to Dubai, Scott aims for revenge AFP Shanghai A dam Scott has called on Australian Open organisers to let him go head-to-head against Rory McIlroy, who secured the European Tour’s Race to Dubai title Sunday without swinging a club. Second-ranked Scott finished tied 12th in the WGCHSBC Champions in Shanghai on Sunday, and said after that he would love to be paired with McIlroy in Sydney for at least the first two days of the event, which begins on November 27. Masters champion Scott had led McIlroy by a shot going down the final fairway in the 2013 Australian Open, but stunned his fervent home fans at Royal Sydney by missing the green with his second shot and making a bogey, while McIlroy stroked home a 15-foot putt for a birdie and victory. “It annoyed me for a little while,” Scott told reporters at Sheshan International Golf Club. “To mess up on the very last hole of the last of the four tournaments I played back home last year was very, very frustrating.” Scott is desperate to atone and would relish the chance to stare down his great rival in a straight duel. “I believe the organisers should take advantage and put Rory and myself together because it does happen occasionally at US Opens where they pair the players according to their rankings.” 10 Gulf Times Tuesday, November 11, 2014 SPORT TENNIS / ATP TOUR FINALS FOCUS Wawrinka routs Berdych in opener �I’m really happy with the way I handled the situation today’ Positive feedback for athletics coaching congress By Sports Reporter Doha T he 1st Aspire Academy �Youth Athletics Coaching Congress’ concluded yesterday at the academy auditorium. The two-day event involved discussions, experiences exchange and workshops with the mass participation of the Qatar Athletics Federation coaches and clubs coaches. Certificates of participation were distributed to local attendees and participants from clubs and QAF. In a common discussion panel, the guest speakers expressed their gratitude and thanks to Aspire Academy and QAF for being behind this interesting initiative, and said they were very excited about what they witnessed in Qatar as perfect organization and professional atmosphere surrounded the participants during the two days Congress in such a state of the art academy. Christopher Earle, Aspire Academy Director of Sports, thanked the participants and the speakers for making this initiative a big success and set an appointment for all to the 2nd edition on the same date next year. He also mentioned that all the lectures and workshops are to be available for all to learn from it and get back to it. As the programme continued yesterday, the speakers and participants were full of praise about the event hosted by Aspire Academy in co-operation with Qatar Athletics Federation. “It’s been a great experience and I really enjoyed it,” said John Godina, four-times World Champion in shot put and CEO of the “World Athletics Centre” and one of the popular speakers of the event. “It’s also great to meet old friends at this congress and to spread knowledge in another part of the world.” The US-American also stressed the importance of such events and the strive of coaches to further educate themselves. “The whole sport is constantly pushed forward by coaches who develop athletes, train and improve them. The better the coaches, the better the athletes, the better the sport!” Qatar Middle Distance Coach Jama Aden, who has coached multiple world record holders as well as World and Olympic champions was also delighted about the output of the congress. “It’s a great thing for Aspire Academy to bring these people from all over the world together and opportunities like here are very important for the development of our Qatari coaches, because it’s the perfect chance to get useful inputs,” says Aden. “I was really impressed by the high-level speakers and great topics that were discussed during these two days. I could exchange a lot of ideas with fellow coaches and there is a lot of useful information and inputs I can take home,” said Efthymios Kyprianou from Cyprus, who expressed perfectly what many participants felt at the end of the event. Stanislas Wawrinka of Switzerland celebrates his win over Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic during their ATP World Tour Finals match in London yesterday. (EPA) AFP London S witzerland’s Stan Wawrinka opened his ATP Tour Finals campaign in scintillating style with a 6-1, 6-1 demolition of Tomas Berdych yesterday. Wawrinka, the reigning Australian Open champion, had been in poor form heading into the prestigious event at London’s O2 Arena, but the world number four was back in the groove against the Czech as he took only 58 minutes to wrap up his Group A opener. The 29-year-old hit 16 winners to only four from Berdych, while the Czech’s 20 unforced errors were also a large part of his undoing. Wawrinka made it to the semi-finals on his Tour Finals debut last year and, on this evidence, will fancy his chances of progressing from a group that also includes world number one Novak Djokovic and US Open champion Marin Cilic, who were scheduled to meet later yesterday. “For me, when I play against him it’s usually tough,” Wawrinka said. “But I can always find a solution. I’m really happy with the way I handled the situation today.” It was another dispiriting Tour Finals start for Berdych, who had lost all four of his previous opening matches at the eight-man tournament. “Unfortunately it was my worst match of the whole season, and I kept it for the start here in the World Tour Finals,” Berdych said. “I’m in the worst possible situation that I can ever be. “I’m going to face Marin and Novak and the only chance to qualify is to beat them. It’s almost a mission impossible, but let’s try.” Karina wins QAFCO tennis After winning his maiden Grand Slam title at the Australian Open in January, Wawrinka has suffered a gradual slump that reached its lowest point over the last month as he lost four of his last five matches, including first round exits in Tokyo, Shanghai and Basel. Despite that woeful run, Wawrinka had won his last four matches against Berdych, including in the group stage of the Tour Finals last year, and he was quick to reestablish his supremacy against the Czech. Wawrinka broke in the second game and refused to release his grip as he landed another break to race into a 5-0 lead before most fans had even got settled in their seats. Berdych got on the scoreboard at last but it was too late to stop the Swiss wrapping up the first set in 25 minutes. There was no let-up from Wawrinka in the second as he out-played the Czech with his mix of power and poise from the baseline. He broke for a 2-1 lead and, with Berdych completely out of sorts, it was no surprise to see Wawrinka break twice more as he sprinted to victory. Roger Federer eased his way into the ATP World Tour Finals with a 6-1 7-6 (0) defeat of Canadian newcomer Milos Raonic in his opening round-robin match on Sunday. The 33-year-old Swiss, competing for a record 13th time at the seasonender, took advantage of some early Raonic nerves to pocket the opening set in 25 minutes but things got tougher. Raonic, the first Canadian to qualify for the tournament, began to do damage with his booming serve and even carved out several break point opportunities as Federer’s level dipped slightly. Six-times champion Federer saved a set point at 5-6 before streaking away in the tiebreak as his opponent buckled. MOTORCYCLING / MOTO2 West ends strong, Ramos bids adieu Agencies Valencia, Spain Q Karina Sarajan poses with her trophy after winning the under-12 girls’ singles title in the QAFCO tennis championships last week. She beat Bianca Lorentz in the final. MMF Racing Team rider Anthony West rode to a strong ninth place at the Valencia Grand Prix and finished the 2014 season on a high note. The 33-yearold Australian had struggled with the wind in qualifying, but took advantage of much better conditions on race day and recovered from his 23rd starting position at a rapid pace. Rising up to 15th after only one lap, he continued to move up through the ranks and was in tenth position by lap five and eighth place by lap six. From that point on, he was in a small group of riders that kept changing positions for the remainder of the race, with West losing out on eighth place against German rider Marcel Schrötter over the last few metres of the race. West finished 12th in the Moto2 standings for the season. “I am happy. After the shocking last three races that I’ve had and also after a bit of bad luck during the season, I think it is a good and strong result to finish the year. This top-ten result will give me and the entire crew a boost of confidence and the right motivation to start testing for the next season, which begins on Wednesday at Jerez,” West said after the race. “The race was not bad, I felt quite good with the bike, as I did in all practice sessions. The only problem during the weekend was that I reached a limit with the lap time and I couldn’t go any faster. We changed the bike a lot over the weekend trying to find further improvements, but in the end, we went back to the settings we had on day one, with only some small modifications. “The wind yesterday made it hard work QMMF Racing Team’s Anthony West (right) leads Tech 3’s Marcel Schrotter (centre) and Gresini’s Lorenzo Baldassarri during the Moto2 race in Valencia on Sunday. to turn the bike, but the conditions were much better today, which helped us a lot. Now our goal is to work hard during the upcoming three days of testing in order to further improve the bike and fix the few issues that we still have, with the aim to return next year even stronger.” While West took his strong finish at the race as motivation for the upcoming threeday test in Jerez, the Valencia Grand Prix marked the end of the partnership between West’s Spanish teammate Roman Ramos and the QMMF Racing Team. Ramos also seemed set to finish the year with a great result and was up in 18th place right ahead of former 125 cc world champion Nico Terol, when he ran off the track and crashed after a small mistake. “It’s a shame because up until my crash it was a good race and without this inci- dent, it would have been a nice end to this season for myself and my crew. I want to thank my guys for all the effort they’ve put in and I also want to thank the federation of Qatar for giving me the opportunity to ride for them this year. Maybe in a not too distant future we will have the chance to work together again, because they are great people and it was a pleasure to be a part of it all.” Gulf Times Tuesday, November 11, 2014 POSTER RUUD GULLIT Former Dutch Footballer Euro �88 winner, AC Milan star Versatile 11 Tuesday, November 11, 2014 SPORT GULF TIMES FOCUS ABATS sponsors Vodafone Qatar team for Amsterdam charity race By Sports Reporter Doha T he Ali Bin Ali Technology Solutions (ABATS) sponsored a team of four members from Vodafone Qatar for a charity marathon in Amsterdam which was held on October 19. The marathon was aimed to raise funds for the Vodafone Foundation Moyo Lesotho Challenge. The Amsterdam Marathon saw 100 Vodafone employees from around the world taking part to raise funds that will be used to provide support to the young people living with HIV/AIDS in Lesotho. Lesotho, which is one of the poorest countries in the world, has the third highest HIV prevalence in the world. According to statistics, almost 41,000 children and young people under 16 years of age are living with HIV in Lesotho. As many as 36,000 of these children do not receive ARV (Antiretroviral) Therapy and suffer from this devastating epidemic. The funds collected from Amsterdam Marathon would facilitate advanced technological options such as mobile money which would assist the children to receive transportation to travel and receive their medication, receive medical diagnosis results via mobile and sending mobile clinics to rural areas which would bring life saving care further and faster. Speaking of the sponsorship, Mohamed AlEbrik, COO-ICT of the Ali Bin Ali Group, said: “We are proud to be sponsoring this event which was initiated by the Vodafone Foundation. We feel that this initiative reflects the values that our group was built on— that people are capable of incredible things. Vodafone Moyo Lesotho Challenge aims in giving children a future they would not otherwise have had, and Ali Bin Ali Technology Solutions (ABATS) is honoured be a part of this worthy cause.” Marc Norris, Chief Commercial Officer of Vodafone Qatar, added: “On behalf of Vodafone Qatar, I would like to thank Ali Bin Ali Technology Solutions for their generous support of a great cause which will have a strong impact on many in a terribly deprived area of the world such as Lesotho." “Our team joined other colleagues to run the marathon, was tasked with raising the highest amount of funds possible and without Ali Bin Ali Technology Solutions (ABATS) we wouldn’t have been able to make it,” he added. NOBLE CAUSE: Vodafone Representatives Markus Bikker (left) and Orlando Pangan (right) with Mohamed AlEbrik, COO-ICT of Ali Bin Ali Group. Strong finish for Doha ladies in Inter-Gulf rugby By Sports Reporter Doha T he Doha RFC ladies teams have been consistently developing their game as they close out the third leg of the Inter-Gulf Rugby Tournaments, marking an exciting year for women’s rugby with 13 teams regularly participating in the tournaments allowing this league to field three divisions for the first time. All around the gulf region, this has also translated to a steadily increasing high standard of women’s rugby that just keeps producing better and better games with every meet. Doha’s first team Oryx had two stellar games within their pool and almost clinched the overall pool champions title before losing to a well drilled Dubai Cones team. The Oryx showed some good handling skills and drove the ball up the pitch well. With some tight passes in the second and third games of the tournament and by managing good pressure, Doha Oryx emerged victorious over both Abu Dhabi and Sharjah. Their control of the game and well-executed tackles kept the flow going while the pace on the pitch kept them in the lead. The final match versus Cones was a great game with the ladies showing determination and quick thinking. There were notable tries from Lyvika Allen-Adekunle in every game, massive support from Irish Amy and newcomer Sasha Hudson displayed a depth of understanding that will surely make her a force on the wing in the tournaments to come. However, some unforced errors and missed tackles hurt the end result and the team fell short of becoming overall tournament winners. The Trojans set out to display their hardwork on the game basics. They came out and played an absolute stormer to open up their tournament. They looked great and in control of themselves and their game versus the Dubai Wasps. The ladies continued to show good coordination between players and the improvement was on display all tournament long. A few wild passes and some dropped balls prevented some wins but the experience gained playing in these tournaments will continue to grow and develop these ladies as the season goes on. “Doha is fortunate that interest is quite high and we are introducing new players to both squads this year but finding some consistency in our approach is proving elusive so the results for both teams aren’t where we would like to be at this point,” Duncan Fairley, the Trojans Coach, says. “But we are working towards consistent success in making full use of the space, drawing in defenders and getting our ball to the wing for the catch and run”. Action from the matches involving Doha RFC ladies teams in the Inter-Gulf rugby tournaments
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