BUSINESS | Page 1 INDEX QATAR 2 – 13, 34, 35 REGION 32, 33 BUSINESS 1 – 10, 14 – 20 15 CLASSIFIED ARAB WORLD INTERNATIONAL COMMENT 14 16 – 31 SPORTS 11 – 14 1 – 12 Platini ready to move League matches for 2022 World Cup in The Ministry of Interior yesterday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the General Authority of Customs for the introduction of Al Nadeeb, the single-window system for Customs clearance. Page 6 +1.15 +1.49% d Qatar has strongly condemned the incursion of Israeli forces into the Al-Aqsa mosque and their attempts to prevent worshippers from entering it. It also denounced the repeated assaults on the mosque and the provocative visits there by Israeli settlers. The Foreign Ministry affirmed in a statement to the official Qatar News Agency (QNA) that the state “deplores the violations by Israel against the holy sites and the right of the Palestinian people as well as its violation of the freedom of worship”. Pages 12, 15 Single-window system for customs clearance -270.62 -1.96% he is A R 8 7 AT 19 Q since Qatar condemns Israeli violations QATAR | Memorandum 78.34 +93.13 +0.54% bl PALESTINE | Provocation Strong winds are forecast inshore in Qatar today, along with moderate daytime temperature. High seas have been forecast offshore. Dusty and partly cloudy conditions are expected to prevail, according to Qatar’s Meteorology Department. NYMEX 13,528.67 THURSDAY Vol. XXXV No. 9533 November 6, 2014 Moharram 13, 1436 AH www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals Call for action on education In brief Strong winds likely today QE 17,476.97 Latest Figures GULF TIMES QATAR | Weather DOW JONES pu Qatari Diar to own 70% in Oman multi-use project SPORT | Page 1 HH Sheikha Moza sets a challenge for world governments, donors and civil society to live up to their education promises By Joseph Varghese Staff Reporter HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani with South Korean President Park Geun-hye during the official reception for the Emir at the presidential Blue House in Seoul yesterday. Agreements boost Qatar-Korean ties Q atar and South Korea yesterday signed a series of agreements and memorandums of understanding to expand bilateral relations and strengthen co-operation. HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani and South Korean President Park Geun-hye witnessed the signing of the agreements. The Emir, who was on a two-day ofп¬Ѓcial visit to South Korea, earlier yesterday held a session of official talks with President Park at the Blue House in Seoul. The session was attended by members of the official delegation ac- companying the Emir and a number of Korean ministers and senior officials. After the talks HH the Emir and the Korean president witnessed the signing of an agreement on military cooperation and a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on co-operation in healthcare and medical sciences between Qatar’s Supreme Council of Health and South Korea’s ministry of health and welfare and of a memorandum aimed at encouraging communication and exchange of visits of youth delegations and experts. They also witnessed the signing of a MoU between the central banks of the two countries and another one between Qatar’s Ministry of Information and Communication Technology and its counterpart in South Korea. A memorandum of understanding was also signed on co-operation for investment in third countries between the Qatar Investment Authority and the Office of the Prime Minister of Korea, through the integration of Korea’s technology and Qatar’s capital as part of what is known as the Integration Initiative. HH the Emir was accorded an ofп¬Ѓcial reception upon arrival at the presidential Blue House. Page 34 H H Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, chairperson of the Education Above All Foundation, has called for universal primary education to be the п¬Ѓrst priority for development agenda post-2015 and set a challenge for the world governments, donors and civil society to live up to their promises to the 58mn children who are denied a primary education. Taking part in a discussion, “Education Post-2015: The Unп¬Ѓnished Agenda”, at the WISE summit yesterday, HH Sheikha Moza said “political will” was needed for the realisation of the objective. “We need to commit to the principle that education should be at the centre of development goals, as an enabler of all other areas of development. Once we have that commitment, we can come together to make it happen by galvanising partners, getting the right aid architecture, getting resources to the most marginalised and securing better accountability from all parties.” Sheikha Moza emphasised that with this combination of factors, it would be possible to get all children into primary education. “Every child denied a primary education is one child too many. The children who remain out of school are the most marginalised, and are therefore most in need of assistance. If we break our promise again, we are putting our dignity at risk.” The plenary session deliberations suggested to increase funds and accountability for pledges to education, innovate to stretch funds, deepen youth, civil society engagement on the unacceptability of the situation, boost funds for disaster and humanitarian purposes, get better data and use it and prioritise quality primary education for the marginalised. Speakers at the forum highlighted the lack of funds in primary education. One of the speakers pointed out that the yearly spending for primary education globally stood at $26bn which is equivalent to the global spending on military expenses for a week. GraГ§a Machel, founder, GraГ§a Machel Trust, said that it was a pity that the world leaders had not yet learned from the wars and conflicts that have happened already. “The world has all the resources. We must learn to negotiate to resolve the differences rather than going to war.” To Page 10 2 Gulf Times Thursday, November 6, 2014 QATAR Minister appoints heavy transport regulatory panel PM receives dignitaries HE Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani meeting with the president of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and a Vice-President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Craig Reedie who is in Qatar to participate in the third edition of Doha International Sports Forum (Doha GOALS). The Prime Minister pointed out that Qatar is keen to co-operate with WADA in the fight against doping. Craig Reedie praised the measures taken by Qatar to tackle doping. HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani holding talks with Turkish Minister of National Defence, Ismet Yilmaz, in Doha yesterday. They reviewed the means to enhance co-operation and the latest international and regional developments. Cabinet condemns Saudi terror attack QNA Doha T he weekly Cabinet meeting, chaired by HE the Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani, yesterday condemned the attack by militants on a gathering in Al Ahsa district of Saudi Arabia in which at least eight people were killed. The late Monday assault on the gathering coincided with the annual Ashura commemoration. Following the Cabinet meeting, HE the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Ahmed bin Abdullah al-Mahmoud, made a statement saying that the Cabi- net expressed its condemnation of the attack and affirmed Qatar’s solidarity with Saudi Arabia “in the face of such acts of terrorism, reiterating the State of Qatar’s п¬Ѓrm position against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations”. He said that then the Cabinet reviewed the topics on the agenda. The Cabinet approved a draft law regulating the receiving of Zakat funds. Under the provisions of the bill, “Only” the Zakat Fund Department of the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs shall receive and handle Zakat money. The relevant authority might entrust to some associations or private institutions or compa- nies to receive these funds for a speciп¬Ѓed period of time, after the approval of the Minister of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs. No parties and persons within the State shall take any measures or actions that collect or receive Zakat, for the purpose of spending in any of its channels without obtaining the Zakat Fund Department’s approval. The Cabinet approved two draft decisions of the Minister of Labour and Social Affairs on regulating fundraising and foreign transfers by private charity associations and institutions and on the issuance of specimens of establishment contracts or documents for private charity associations and institutions. The draft decisions included the following provisions: A. Regulating fundraising and foreign transfers, Cabinet expressed its condemnation of the attack and affirmed Qatar’s solidarity with Saudi Arabia “in the face of such acts of terrorism, reiterating the State of Qatar’s firm position against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations” B. Specimen contracts or documents of incorporation and the statute for private associations and institutions, C. The inadmissibility of the fundraisers without a permis- sion from the charity organizations’ regulating authorities, D. The necessity for the association or institution to have a checking account under its name in one of the local banks E. The funds can only be used for the purposes which it was raised for F. The prohibition of using the name of the State of Qatar in any foreign remittances for any purpose, and prohibition of any foreign remittances for any purpose, without obtaining a permission from charity organisations’ regulating authorities. The Cabinet also approved the accession of the State of Qatar to the membership of the Middle East regional agency for aviation safety. The agency aims to enhance the aviation safety in the Middle East on effective basis, through controlling aircraft altitudes, analysing radar data, airworthiness and licensing systems. The Cabinet reviewed the following topics and took the appropriate decision: 1. The letter by HE the Minister of Development Planning and Statistics, Chairman of the Standing Committee for Population on the observations and suggestions related to the study of “population and water in the State of Qatar.” 2. The letter by HE the Minister of Economy and Commerce on the results of the 94th regular session of the Economic and Social Council, of the Arab League, held in Cairo - September 2014. HE the Minister of Transport Jassim Seif Ahmed al-Sulaiti has issued Decision No. 50 of 2014 naming the chairman, vice-chairman and members of the heavy transport regulatory committee and set their term and the committee’s powers in line with Cabinet Decision No. 35 of 2014. The committee includes Ministry of Transport representative Rashed Taleb al-Nabet as chairman and Ministry of Interior representative Brigadier Mohamed Saad Al Kharji as vicechairman. Members of the committee are Salem Salem al-Manai as representative of the Ministry of Economy and Commerce, Nasser Shahin al-Muraikhi as representative of the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, Ali Abdullatif al-Misnad as representative of Qatar Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The committee’s term is a renewable three-year stint and it will meet for the first time on Sunday before holding at least one biweekly meeting or when necessity arises. The committee is responsible for the regulation of heavy transport and proposing the appropriate mechanism in this regard, setting rules of the nationalisation of heavy transport activities, and the regulation of commercial processes between owners of equipment and businesses, and equipment operators. Assistant FM meets Arab human rights committee chief HE Assistant Foreign Minister for International Co-operation Affairs Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim al-Thani yesterday met the chairman of the Arab Human Rights Committee Hadi al-Yami and the delegation accompanying him. The meeting reviewed relations between Qatar and the Arab Human Rights Committee. Gulf Times Thursday, November 6, 2014 3 QATAR PM opens international human rights conference QNA Doha H E the Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa alThani yesterday opened the International Conference on Security and Human Rights Challenges in the Arab Region. Over 400 delegates are taking part in the two-day event organised by Qatar’s National Human Rights Committee (NHRC), along with a number of partners, at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel. The participants include some Arab interior and justice ministers, representatives of international and Arab human rights organisations, representatives of a group of security institutions and research centres working in the п¬Ѓeld of security and human rights, in addition to a wide participation of government entities and civil society groups. GCC Secretary General Abdullatif al-Zayani attended the opening session along with the Arab HE the Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani attending the International Conference on Security and Human Rights Challenges in the Arab Region, in Doha, yesterday. League’s assistant secretary general and legal affairs Premier meets delegates HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani yesterday met a number of heads of delegations participating in the International Conference on the Challenges to Security and Human Rights in the Arab Region at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel. HE the Premier met Iraq’s Interior Minister Mohamed Salem al-Ghabban, Somalia’s Minister of Interior and Federal Affairs Abdullahi Godah Barre, Sudanese Justice Minister Mohamed Bishara Dousa and head of the Arab Network of National Institutions for Human Rights Mohamed Fayek. They reviewed bilateral relations. chief Wagih Hanaп¬Ѓ, Arab Parliament Speaker Ahmed Mohamed al-Jarwan, and Arab Network for National Human Rights Institutions Chairman Mohamed Fayek. Addressing the opening session, NHRC Chairman Dr Ali bin Samikh al-Marri underlined the importance of discussing the impact of security challenges on human rights and ways to promote these rights without jeopardising the security of Arab countries and ensuring that national security isn’t used as a pretext for vio- lating human rights. The Secretary General of Arab Interior Ministers Council, Dr Mohamed bin Ali Kuman,in his address, said the conference presents an opportunity to build bridges of co-operation between security departments and human rights organisations. Kuman thanked HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani for his constructive role in supporting joint Arab action, and praised Qatar’s pioneering efforts in various п¬Ѓelds. 4 Gulf Times Thursday, November 6, 2014 QATAR Ooredoo’s Nojoom cinema promotion back O oredoo has announced that its 2-for-1 Nojoom cinema promotion is back, offering members the chance to redeem two cinema tickets for the same Nojoom Points’ value as one ticket, in time for upcoming blockbuster movie releases in November. Nojoom members would normally redeem a single movie ticket for 1,600 Nojoom Points, but, until November 22, they can get a second ticket free for the same amount of Nojoom Points. The promotional cinema tickets will be valid at movie theatres in Villaggio and City Center Doha. There are no restrictions on the time and day when tickets can be used, so that customers can visit the cinemas during the week and on weekends. The promotion, which was п¬Ѓrst introduced earlier in the year, has been re-launched due to popular demand, as Ooredoo aims to continually enhance the Nojoom membership experience in 2014, the company has said in a statement. November will see a host of blockbusters released in cinemas, including Dumb and Dumber To, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 and The Penguins of Madagascar. Ooredoo keeps delivering new ways to give back to Nojoom members and has announced several partnerships this year, including with Joyalukkas, Ahli Bank, Barwa Bank, Uber and Azadea Qanz Cards, the statement adds. Every Ooredoo customer with a Qatar ID can enrol as a Nojoom member, which enables him/her to earn Nojoom Points each time s/he purchases an Ooredoo service or uses Nojoom’s earn partners. There are currently over 150 Nojoom partners in Qatar and abroad where points can be redeemed. 6 Gulf Times Thursday, November 6, 2014 QATAR MoI and Customs sign accord to introduce single-window system T he Ministry of Interior (MoI) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the General Authority of Customs for the introduction of Al Nadeeb, the singlewindow system for customs clearance. The MoU was signed by public security Staff Director General Maj Gen Saad bin Jassim al-Khulaiп¬Ѓ and General Authority of Customs chairman Ahmad bin Ali al-Mohannadi yesterday in the presence of a number of directors of MoI departments. Al-Khulaiп¬Ѓ said the MoU would strengthen co-operation between the two sides and would help provide better electronic services related to customs clearance for all sectors in the state, including the MoI. Al-Mohannadi said the Al Nadeeb system would help unify customs procedures and facilitate complete customs clearance in less than 15 minutes, in addition to promoting and facilitating integration with government agencies working in the security and economic п¬Ѓelds and other bodies related to customs clearance. The approvals can be granted elec- Staff Maj Gen al-Khulaifi with al-Mohannadi at the MoU signing ceremony. tronically through the system and will provide clients with a facility for online follow-up of Customs clearance transactions from anywhere in the world. He added that the authority has signed MoUs with other government agencies, which help exchange data and important infor- mation for Customs procedures. The co-operation with MoI will have a clear imprint in terms of expediting procedures. Besides, it is a fundamental pillar of the e-government project, Hukoomi, working within the framework of the objectives of Qatar National Vision 2030. Kahramaa holds awareness lectures Q atar General Electricity and Water Corporation (Kahramaa) organised a series of awareness lectures on the quality of drinking water and the company’s role in providing high-quality and safe water for in country. A team from conservation and energy efficiency department as well as the water laboratory of Kahramaa visited schools to educate students about the highquality of water provided by the corporation. The visit included various activities to increase students’ awareness of the water quality. The lectures included conducting daily tests by state-of-the-art equipment to check and verify water quality. Experiments proved that Kahramaa wa- ter complies with the highest standards of the World Health Organisation (WHO) and other health, safety and environment (HSE) standards. The lectures come within Kahramaa’s role to educate society, students in particular, on water quality from desalination plants to the users in order to promote their responsibility towards drinking water and conserving it. Kahramaa is a stateowned corporation that has the privilege of being the sole transmission and distribution system owner and operator for the electricity and water sector in Qatar. Since its inception in 2000, Kahramaa has operated as an independent corporation on a commercial basis. 8 Gulf Times Thursday, November 6, 2014 QATAR Some 300 representatives of local and international companies attended the meeting. Civil works at 35 metro stations вЂ�accomplished’ By Ayman Adly Staff Reporter C ivil works of some of the 35 stations of the Doha Metro Project have been accomplished, a senior official of the Qatar Railways Company (Qatar Rail) said yesterday. “Qatar Rail is also keen to maintain the concept of sustainability and environment friendly construction and all our contractors have four-star rating in this regard,” deputy CEO Hamad al-Bishri explained. He was addressing the п¬Ѓrst industry awareness day for Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing (MEP) companies, that was attended by almost 300 representatives from both local and international п¬Ѓrms. The open meeting was aimed at getting to know the capabilities of such companies to pre-qualify for Qatar rail projects as subcontractors for the main project contractors. “We will continue holding such meeting with both local and intentional companies because we need great and continuous support from all Hamad al-Bishri potential qualiп¬Ѓed partners to accomplish our massive projects,” affirmed al-Bishri. He said that the project has multiple phases and involved a myriad of works; architectural, civil, mechanical, electrical, excavation and others. However, the project is proceeding well according to the scheduled plan. Yesterday’s meeting was also a good opportunity for local companies to meet their counterparts of international companies and study the possibility of forming consortiums or joint ventures. Simultaneously, Qatar Rail introduced these to both the techni- cal and contractual requirements to be able to assume work at its project. “There will be a link at our website for companies to upload their proп¬Ѓles, what they are and what they can offer and their capabilities. Then a special committee from both Qatar Rail and the Design and Billing Contractor will assess these companies and prequalify them for the project tenders,” said the Qatar Rail deputy CEO. Project tenders for various related works will be offered in the п¬Ѓrst and third quarters of next year and they will be awarded in the fourth quarter for the fourth year. The Tunnel Boring Machines recently brought from Germany are now in the assembly phase in Doha and are expected to be operational soon. Further, all the deep excavation works are progressing well according to Qatar Rail officials. “The event was a good initiative to further boost the country’s economy and would reflect positively on local companies. For instance, they can introduce themselves to the global market and study possible business opportunities.” Gulf Times Thursday, November 6, 2014 9 QATAR Qatar-Finland school formally inaugurated Q atar-Finland International School (QFI School) hosted an official opening ceremony yesterday in the presence of Qatar’s Education and Higher Education Minister HE Dr Mohamed Abdul Wahed Ali al-Hammadi and Finland’s Education, Science and Telecommunication Minister Krista Kiuru. “This is the п¬Ѓrst time in the history that Qatar and Finland are practically joining hands to deliver better education and creating something new,” Minister Kiuru said on the occasion. “As the representative of the Finnish government, I am happy to see this partnership in a broader context – as an important milestone in the friendly and ever developing relationship between our countries.“ QFI School provides globally high performing Finnish educational practices tailored for the Qatari context. A primary school for boys and girls, the institution is now open for grades 0, 1 and 2 for children aged 5-7. Expansion towards grade 6 commences in 2015. The main language of instruction is English. Admission is in progress. “For us the child comes п¬Ѓrst -- al- ways,” said Principal Juha Repo. “Our job as educators is to sustain high school standards by supporting the development of each and every one of our students. We believe that the best way to provide high-quality education is through the joy of learning.” QFI School operates through partnership with the campus-based school of the University of Jyvaskyla, Finland. In the 2013 QS World University rankings, the Faculty of Education of the University of Jyvaskyla ranked in the top 100 globally. “The roots of the Finnish teacher education and the Finnish school system were established at the University of Jyvaskyla,” explained Matti Manninen, rector of the university. “A 130-year-old wall text in the old HE Sheikha Hind bint Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, Cahir and other officials with the graduates at the reception. Sheikha Hind honours graduates H E Sheikha Hind bint Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani honoured graduates of the Centre for Development and Population Activities (Cedpa) Global Women in Management Programme (Gwim) at a reception held in Doha this week. This event marked the end of a two-week workshop, run by Plan International USA in partnership with ExxonMobil, which provided intensive training and skills development for women community leaders from Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Qatar. The event was attended by a number of prominent community and business leaders. ExxonMobil has supported the Cedpa Gwim programme for 10 years, providing intensive training and skills development for more than 700 women globally. More than 190 women from several Middle Eastern countries participated in the workshop – including 19 from Qatar. The intensive training workshop is designed to prepare women leaders from non-proп¬Ѓt organisa- tions and civil society to assume increased leadership, responsibility and accountability and is intended to bolster skills in project and п¬Ѓnancial management, fundraising and proposal development, strategic communication, advocacy and women’s economic empowerment programme design and delivery. This year’s programme, which began on October 26, was held for the п¬Ѓrst time in Doha, and had the participation of 17 women. Bart Cahir, president and gener- al manager for ExxonMobil Qatar spoke at the event, acknowledging Sheikha Hind’s support for Gwim. “At ExxonMobil Qatar, we believe that human potential is at the root of every successful economy – it encourages individuals to be greater achievers, and also to become better members of the community. “Programmes such as Gwim also meet the objectives of the Qatar National Vision 2030 – particularly its Human Development Pillar, which endeavours to enhance women’s capabilities and empower them to fully participate in the economic and political spheres of society.” Gwim responds to the call for interventions that advance women in the economy and give women greater control over economic resources that impact the health and development of their families, communities and nations. The programme trains women who are already involved in their communities and helps them to improve and expand their efforts. festivity hall of the university declares that “we are pursuing the best of the youth”. We are happy to collaborate with the Ministry of Education of Qatar in developing ever better schools for the children of the world.” Finnish education has repeatedly been declared one of the best in the world by major global ranking studies such as PISA, TIMMS and PIRLS. 10 Gulf Times Thursday, November 6, 2014 QATAR EAC gets QR2.4mn from Qatar Airways E ducate A Child ( EAC), a global programme of the Education Above All Foundation, received QR2.4mn donation as part of the Qatar Airways partnership. The funds will go towards beneп¬Ѓting children in co-funded education programmes in more than 30 countries worldwide, driving toward EAC’s vision of a world where every individual has the opportunity to learn through a quality education. EAC was launched in 2012 by HH Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, chairperson of Qatar Foundation, as a catalyst to help break down the barriers preventing children from being in school. EAC is working with global and local organisations to turn commitments into action. Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, Akbar al-Baker, said: “Qatar Airways is honoured to be a communications ambassador for the EAC initiative, championing its messages to a worldwide audience through our travelling public. The funds presented today symbolise the overwhelming support received from our passengers, together with the matched funds from Qatar Airways, and highlights the en- thusiasm which this initiative has drawn from all corners of the globe.” Senior Vice President of Contracts and Procurement at Qatar Airways, Mohsen Alyafei, presented the cheque to EAC representatives in a ceremony held at the World Innovation Summit for Education in Doha. Marcio Barbosa, chief executive officer of Education Above All, said: “Qatar Airways is a special partner, a leading Qatari company supporting a Qatar-based international NGO. We appreciate the resources that al-Baker and the Qatar Airways team have put towards raising awareness of the issue of out of schoolchildren and their п¬Ѓnancial contribution towards accelerating our efforts to close the gap.” The funds represent a commitment made by Qatar Airways to match funds donated by passengers aboard its flights in seat back envelopes. Cabin crew introduce the EAC programme and invite passengers to donate any amount, in any currency. The collection programme started following a memorandum of understanding between EAC and Qatar Airways in April 2013, and continues. HH Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, Chairperson of Education Above All (EAA), at the launch of the Kakuma Pilot Project during the World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE) 2014. Following her witnessing of the signing between the two partners of the project, EAA and UNHCR, Her Highness takes a group photo with UNHCR’s Assistant High Commissioner Janet Lim and the partners of Kakuma. PICTURE: AR al-Baker/HHOPL EAA launches education project in Kenyan camp By Joseph Varghese Staff Reporter E Qatar Airways officials with Barbosa after presenting the cheque. ducation Above All (EAA) along with UNHCR, the UN refugee agency, signed an agreement with a number of partners to launch a four-year, holistic education pilot project in the Kakuma Refugee Camp in Kenya, on the sidelines of the World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE) yesterday. HH Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, chairperson of EAA took part in the launch event and witnessed the signing of the agreement. Janet Lim, UNHCR’s assistant high commissioner, representatives of the partnering organisations were also present on the occasion. HH Sheikha Moza recollected her visit to the Kakuma refugee camp two years ago and spoke about the scale of education challenges facing displaced children and their families, and the pressure on aid in a protracted refugee situation. Following the visit, Her Highness worked with UNHCR to establish a model education programme in Kakuma. The EAA Kakuma Project results from two years of development and collaboration with private and public sector stakeholders. HH Sheikha Moza said: “We are bringing together different sec- tors and partners to work together for the п¬Ѓrst time in a holistic way, with education at the core. The goal is to use education to help the refugees develop the conп¬Ѓdence to build their futures and be productive members of the community, whether it is in Kakuma, in their homeland or somewhere else.” Janet Lim said: “Education is often a vital lifeline to a future for a refugee. It’s a crucial part of restoring hope and purpose for people living in incredibly difп¬Ѓcult circumstances. We’re both grateful for and excited to see this project taking off.” Leonardo Pinheiro, director of Strategy, Policy and Research for EAA, said: “The Kakuma Project represents an innovative approach to providing education in a conflict-affected community. Not a relief effort, the EAA Kakuma Project focuses on improving camp infrastructure and providing educational opportunities to residents of all ages in order to give them the conп¬Ѓdence, skills and knowledge necessary for selfreliance.” The project will seek to address all the factors that currently prevent refugee camp residents from receiving education such as health and nutrition, livelihood, food security, water and sanitation and energy effecting changes that will positively impact the community as a whole. The project is expected to reach more than 70,000 individuals. It also seeks to promote the education and development of the surrounding Kenyan host community. EAA, which is funding the project, will co-ordinate the efforts of a wide range of industry partners, including experts in construction, project management, solar technology, sports, and water and sanitation, to create a multi-sector ecosystem conducive to the provision and sustainability of quality education. The project will offer educational interventions from early childhood education to vocational training and literacy classes. Foreign Ministry donates $40mn for EAA’s Gaza efforts Q atar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has signed an agreement to donate $40mn from the Qatar Development Fund to support Education Above All’s (EAA) Al Fakhoora programme being carried out in Gaza. The funds will be used to rebuild and re-equip damaged schools and uni- versity buildings, as well as to provide international scholarships for students who wish to pursue studies in disciplines which respond to Gaza’s needs. The fund will also support training programmes for professionals in both education and health sector. In effect, the agreement will more than double the number the students who are able to beneп¬Ѓt from Al Fakhoora scholarships to complete their higher education. Dr Ahmed bin Mohamed al-Meraikhi, director of Qatar Development Fund, said: “Our contribution will support the efforts to repair the damages incurred on the eight universities in Gaza. Of the universities in Gaza, the Islamic University and the University College of Applied Sciences have incurred the worst damages. It is also estimated that more than 110 schools were destroyed. In addition to its commitment to reconstructing education facilities Al Fakhoora will provide psy- chosocial and social programmes to the people in Gaza.” Marcio Barbosa, chief executive ofп¬Ѓcer, EAA, said: “EAA is grateful for the leadership contribution made by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) and the Government of the State of Qatar. This represents a milestone to- wards the achievement of Al Fakhoora’s current mission of reconstructing and rehabilitating educational facilities in Gaza. MOFA’s donation is testament to the recognition by the State of Qatar of the urgent need to improve the lives of people in Gaza through education.” Call for action HH Sheikha Moza bint Nasser taking part in the EAA plenary during WISE 2014 yesterday. PICTURE: Maher Attar/HHOPL Vodafone to support WISE Accelerator programme V odafone Qatar will support the World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE) Accelerator programme. The announcement was made yesterday during the 2014 WISE summit being held at the Qatar National Convention Centre. The WISE Accelerator is a new programme designed to support the development of innovative projects in education. It relies on the expertise of qualiп¬Ѓed mentors and partners to provide projects with effective strategies and concrete support in order to ensure their development. This year, п¬Ѓve projects in the EdTech п¬Ѓeld were selected to join the programme. These projects will be followed for one year, a period during which they beneп¬Ѓt from tailor-made mentorship in order to address their speciп¬Ѓc needs. In addition, the WISE Accelerator will serve as an intermediary to connect them to an international network that will create opportunities to share knowledge and п¬Ѓnd support from donors and investors. Four out of the п¬Ѓve projects, selected by a committee of п¬Ѓve experts in the п¬Ѓeld of business and education, are in the mobile telecoms sector which shows that enterprises are increasingly aware of the importance mobile technology can play in improving people’s learning prospects and teacher–student engagement especially in emerging markets. The selected projects that make use of mobile technology are Ustad Mobile, Sterio.me, Kytabu Textbook Subscription and Strengthening Teacher Subject Knowledge via Mobile Technology. Vodafone aims to support the programme by mentoring the entrepreneurs, and providing professional advice in business planning, strategic development and organisation, п¬Ѓnancial planning, communication and marketing. Vodafone will also explore the funding of these projects through its commitment to innovation in mobile education and by contributing to the UN Millennium Development Goals. “Vodafone is delighted to extend its support to the new WISE Accelerator programme and to the WISE initiative in the promotion of innovation in education. Vodafone has the required expertise for mentorship of these projects and looks forward to guiding these entrepreneurs in their quest to improve education using mobile technology,” said Kyle Whitehill,CEO, Vodafone Qatar. “Partnering with Vodafone, one of the world’s largest telecommunications companies, will no doubt greatly beneп¬Ѓt the WISE Accelerator entrepreneurs. We welcome Vodafone’s participation in the WISE community and we thank them for their support,” said Stavros Yiannouka, CEO, WISE. “Partnering with Vodafone, one of the world’s largest telecommunications companies, will no doubt greatly benefit the WISE Accelerator entrepreneurs...” From Page 1 Aicha Bah Diallo, chair of Forum of African Women Educationalists, said: “What is needed is not just donor money but coordinated money.” Laila Bokhari, state secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister of Norway, said: “Reaching the most vulnerable is a priority we are committed to. We need to show leadership from the very top to show the importance of the commitment to education.” At the turn of the millennium, the UN led a process that resulted in the creation of the Millennium Development Goals, including MDG2 – achieve universal primary education. With about 420 days before the deadline of the MDGs, the п¬Ѓnish line remains in the distance with 58mn children lacking access to fundamental human right to education. 12 Gulf Times Thursday, November 6, 2014 QATAR Defence minister meets Turkish delegation Sovereignty critical for Palestinians, says Qatar QNA New York Q atar has stressed the importance of sovereignty for the Palestinian people in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem, and for the Arab population in the occupied Syrian Golan over their natural resources, emphasising the need for Israel to abide by its obligations under the international humanitarian law in order to reach a comprehensive and just settlement to the Middle East crisis, which is the demand of the international community as a whole. This came in Qatar’s statement to the UN Second Committee (Economic and Financial) on the item No 60 entitled вЂ�Permanent sovereignty of the Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and of the Arab population in the occupied Syrian Golan over their natural resources’ which was delivered by HE Sheikh Salman bin Jassim al-Thani, member of Qatar’s delegation participating in the 69th session of the UN General Assembly. The statement pointed out that the report, prepared by the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), showed that more than 1bn square metres of Palestinian territories has been seized by Israel since the onset of the occupation, adding that in 2013, 663 Palestinian structures, including homes, were demolished, displacing more than 1,000 people and over 1bn square metres of Palestinian land has been seized by Israel since the onset of the occupation. The report also noted that the stringent restrictions imposed by Israel on the movement of Palestinians and its discriminatory policies, including access to land and water allocation, do not only undermine any chance to achieve a just peace in the region, but also harm the environment and natural resources and hinder the development and livelihood in Palestine. The statement expressed Qatar’s concern about these important issues included in ESCWA’s report, as well as what the report showed of the soaring levels of food insecurity and vulnerability, affecting 1.5mn Palestinians, and the negative trend of the economy of the occupied Palestinian territory, as the unemployment rate was recorded at 38.5% in Gaza, compared to 18.2% in the West Bank. Qatar’s statement warned that Israel’s continued construction of settlements and the wall inside the occupied Palestinian territory and its exploitation of Palestinian natural resources would have undoubtedly disastrous consequences in worsening the humanitarian crisis, pointing out that the Israeli practices also extend to the occupied Syrian Golan as Israel continues to occupy the Syrian Golan illegally, The statement also stressed that such practices are incompatible with the relevant UN resolutions and violate the international humanitarian law and the international human rights law. HE the Minister of State for Defence Affairs Major General Hamad bin Ali al-Attiyah met here yesterday with the Turkish minister of national defence Ismet Yilmaz and his delegation who are currently visiting Doha. During the meeting they exchanged views on topics of mutual interest. They also discussed issues related to the current situations in addition to military co-operation between the two countries. The meeting was attended by the Turkish ambassador to the State of Qatar Ahmet Demirok and a number of Armed Forces’ senior officers. International schools move to revamp security I nternational schools in Qatar with a considerable number of Western expatriate students have taken several steps to improve security measures. This comes in response to advice issued by the US embassy in view of a recent anonymous posting on an extremist website, which encouraged attacks against American and other Western teachers in the Middle East. One of the international schools in Doha, where measures have been taken in view of this notiп¬Ѓcation and related information, has issued a circular stating the steps taken to boost security as well as some dos and don’ts for parents of students. In the circular addressed to parents, the school authorities point out that they have taken note of the advice by the US mission and speciп¬Ѓc advice issued by the British embassy to British schools, besides information from some other sources. The school has advised its security staff to be even more alert and vigilant at this time and implemented a new “lock down” procedure to enable all students and staff to be safe and secure if a threatening incident happens outside the school or on the campus. It has also updated its evacuation and “lock down” equipment. The school has reviewed and practised evacuation procedures to allow for quick and efficient evacuation of the school buildings should a threat be detected there. Stricter security measures have been put in place at the school gates to ensure that visitors sub- mit their ID in return for a visitors’ pass. In addition, the two entry gates have been reviewed to make them more secure during the day. The school has monitored security and travel advice from a number of embassies and other sources, contacted other schools to discuss security measures and asked for advice and support from the local authorities. The management has urged parents to be understanding and patient even if it means some inconvenience. Citing the safety of students and staff as the “utmost priority”, the school has requested parents to follow the security advice, be prepared to hand over their ID if asked to do so by the security staff, contact the school if they see any suspicious behaviour or have any information relevant to security, and ensure that the school has up-to-date contact details, especially telephone numbers and e-mail addresses, so that it can contact parents quickly in the unlikely event of an emergency. The school notes that while it is taking the possible threats seriously, it is not over-reacting as it understands there is no speciп¬Ѓc planned threat against international schools in Qatar. It has requested parents to remain calm and not to do anything that may cause children to become unnecessarily frightened. Besides the US embassy posting, the sources mentioned by the school in its circular (for obtaining security advice and related information) include general advice from the British embassy, reports from Australia and newspaper articles from the UK. Kempinski launches resort at Pearl-Qatar K empinski has announced that its flagship resort, Marsa Malaz Kempinski, The Pearl - Qatar, will welcome its п¬Ѓrst guests on December 1. Marsa Malaz Kempinski will be the European luxury hotel company’s second hotel opening in Qatar and seventh in the Gulf, with two more hotels in the Middle East scheduled to open in the coming year. Guests can book now for the new waterfront destination via kempinski. com The new city-resort is located on its own secluded island at the The PearlQatar and is the п¬Ѓrst ultra-luxury hotel in one of Doha’s most sought-after locations, according to a statement. It offers 281 rooms and suites, and meeting-conference facilities, including a Grand Ballroom measuring 1,100sqm (11,538sqft), which is ideal for VIP delegations or weddings. Marsa Malaz Kempinski also features an exclusive beach located in a private bay, along with outdoor swimming pools, water sports facilities, a 3,000sqm (32291.7sqft) Spa by Clarins, a tennis court and yacht jetties, the statement adds. General manager Wissam Suleiman said on the soft opening, “This is an important milestone as we anticipate welcoming our п¬Ѓrst guests this com- The Marsa Malaz Kempinski. ing December and the wider community in Qatar, as our facilities progressively open. Our new waterfront destination showcases the п¬Ѓnest of European luxury, heritage and architecture blended with traditional Arabian elements. From the opulent and grand rooms and suites to our remarkable service standards, this hotel is set to become a benchmark for bespoke luxury in Qatar and the wider region.” Marsa Malaz Kempinski will offer bespoke dining and entertainment options for all guests upon completion early next year. Visitors can select from six different types of restaurants, two cafГ©s, al fresco beach-side dining, a sophisticated lounge and an “unprecedented” rooftop lounge with large open-air terraces, the statement points out. Marsa Malaz Kempinski is only a 10-minute drive from West Bay and a 30-minute drive from Hamad International Airport. The new resort is also closely located to numerous entertainment and shopping options at the Porto Arabia and Medina Centrale districts of The Pearl-Qatar, as well as in close proximity to Katara – the Cultural Village, Doha Golf Club and Lagoona Mall. Brazil Festival starts today at MIA park By Joey Aguilar Staff Reporter T he 10-piece Samba Chula de Sao Braz, one of Brazil’s most unique musical groups, is expected to usher in a lively celebration of the three-day Brazil Festival from today until Saturday at the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) park. Featuring authentic Samba music, the free concert will be the band’s Middle East debut over the weekend. In a press statement, Qatar Museums said the Qatari audience will also have the opportunity to learn Samba drumming or participate in the samba dance and Capoeira workshops. “The festival celebrates Brazil with music, story-telling, football and stands selling Brazilian food,” organisers noted. Drumming workshops starts at 2.45pm today and another session at 8pm. It will start at 3pm tomorrow and another session will be held at 7.45pm. On Saturday, the session starts at 1pm. Participants will be using authentic Brazilian instruments such as the Surdo (large bass drum), Ago-go Bell and Snare Drum. “They will experience some of the passion, energy and rhythms associated with Brazil,” organisers said. For the Brazilian Samba, some styles are danced solo and others with a partner. A workshop will also be conducted from today (3.45pm) and tomorrow (6.30pm). It will be more of dancing and working out to a great mix of music including traditional samba and remixes of popular songs. Children and family members can participate in reading sessions in Arabic and English from 3pm to 7.30pm. The programme was developed in collaboration with resident Brazilian artist and п¬Ѓlmmaker Luciana Ceccatto Farah. Talented local story tellers such as Khalid al-Mohannadi and Maryam alSubaiey will join the group. Children will also enjoy the facepainting in the colours and images of Brazil’s wildlife. They will be guided in making masks inspired by carnival costumes of Rio de Janeiro. Those who want to learn unique Brazilian martial arts can join the Capoeira workshop which will be held for three days.The festival also features authentic Brazilian regional specialties and street foods especially during the concert. Gulf Times Thursday, November 6, 2014 13 QATAR Experts make presentations at HMC’s annual research day School nurses take part in workshop M Sixty nurses from independent schools participated in a workshop on “The new World Health Organisation (WHO) Child Growth Standards for independent school students aged five to 19”. Nurses were introduced to the new standards and trained on how to apply them properly. The workshop was jointly organised by the Supreme Council of Health, Hamad Medical Corporation and the Primary Health Care Corporation. ore than 300 senior leaders and researchers from across Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) came together recently for Annual Research Day 2014. The event showcased the research efforts of HMC staff and highlighted the role of research and its application in improving patient care. This year’s Annual Research Day embraced the theme “Honouring the Past, Celebrating the Present, Shaping the Future”. Delegates heard presentations from research experts at HMC on a number of topics, including “Research in the context of an academic health system”, “Building the foundations for the future of research” and “Honouring the pioneers of HMC research”. During his presentation, Dr Ibrahim Janahi, executive director of research at HMC, said: “Research is important in creating the evidence base that can be used to drive forward changes in clinical practice to improve outcomes for our patients. It also enables us to understand the causes and mechanisms of diseases and support the development of new treatments and therapies.” Awards were presented to researchers during the event, recognising the best research carried out in 2013. Annual Research Day 2014 PHCC’s Saha w Ajer programme ends P Dr al-Kuwari and Dr Janahi making a presentation to Dr Jassim al-Suwaidi, senior consultant and executive director of cardiology. award winners included Dr Hamdy Shokr, specialist, anaesthesia - Best Oral Presentation Award; Dr Ahmed Malki, Qatar University - Best Poster Presentation Award; Dr Khalid al-Ansari, Paediatric Emergency Centre, Al Sadd, and Dr Tawfeg Ben Omran, paediatrics, Hamad General Hospital - Best Publication Award; Dr Mohamed Hammoudeh, senior consultant, rheumatology - medicine - Best Researcher Award; and Department of Surgery - Best Department Award, for their outstanding performance in research. HMC managing director Dr Hanan al-Kuwari emphasised the role of research at HMC, saying: “Research, along with education and health, is one of HMC’s three pillars and plays a central role in ensuring that our patients receive the highest possible standard of care. Annual Research Day 2014 has given us the wonderful opportunity to come together and celebrate the valuable work undertaken by our researchers that we are all very proud of.” Dr Janahi said: “This year alone, we have approved more than 400 projects, nearly double the number in 2012, and anticipate that around 600 new projects will be approved by the end of 2014.” rimary Health Care Corporation (PHCC) concluded the Saha w Ajer programme which was launched in the beginning of Ramadan and addressed to employees from the public and private sector. During the programme, the corporation measured the weight of all the participants who had the desire of reaching the ideal weight. They were also provided with healthy tips by a PHCC nutritionist and a qualiп¬Ѓed nursing team. At the end of Ramadan, PHCC nurses remeasured and followed up on the weight of the participants to check the results. Then, participating employees received an appreciation certiп¬Ѓcate and a gift for taking part in the programme. More than 30 employees from different corporations such as Qatar Foundation for Elderly Care, the Ministry of Economy and Trade, Supreme Education Council, Umm Salal municipality, Al Rayyan TV, Kahramaa and Qatar Foun- dation participated in this initiative. Omar al-Yafee, public relations manager at the Ministry of Municipality and Urban Planning, explained that the ministry is actively working with PHCC through the consolidation of the concept of preventive health for staff. He also emphasised the importance of targeting employees from public and private companies to focus on obesity and develop appropriate methods to mitigate the dangers of the disease. Abdullah Anbar, a public relations official at Kahramaa, stressed that the programme was a good opportunity to raise awareness about health education among all the Qatari society. Mansour Hassan al-Naimi, manager of Public Services Department at Umm Salal municipality, recognised the efficiency of the programme. Saha w Ajer has been a very accurate programme because it aims to look after employee’s health Some of the participants who were honoured. and wellness”, he stated. Huda Mohsen, public relations manager at PHCC, said that “the awareness campaign organised by the corporation aimed to highlight the risks of the obesity and other problems associated with it, and also to offer the ways of prevention, since it has become largely prevalent in our society and is considered the cause of other diseases”. Dr Hebah Abu Halawah, head of health awareness, highlighted that “the programme aims to combat obesity and promote the health through dietary habits. It was a good initiative to invest in during the holy month to improve the nutrition and avoid diseases as diabetes”. “The messages carried by the Saha w Ajer programme aims to educate the participants on the importance of physical activity during Ramadan, as well as keeping proper dietary habits”, she stated. Weight-loss contestant sets his sights on target M ohamed al-Emadi, who lost 30kg since June this year, is one of the achievers of the second edition of the BeFit programme, organised by the Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) and wellness solutions provider VLCC. Though 1,000 applicants attempted to join the competition, only 120 were selected. Like the inaugural programme of 2013, this year’s edition also began on National Sport Day (NSD) in February. The participants are given diet and exercise advice from the VLCC panel of experts and are weighed at regular intervals. They have a year to lose as much weight as they can, with the winner grabbing QR100,000 and the runner up winning QR25,000. While weight loss is the deciding factor for determining the winner, the true success and challenge lie in inducing a healthy lifestyle change that lasts – in keeping with the spirit of National Sport Day - being healthy, free of preventable diseases as well as being active, truly engaged in everyday life. Al-Emadi, 42, faced the most difficulty when he п¬Ѓrst started the programme. “It took me a few weeks just to get used to the change in the food I can eat as well as the daily exercise.” “During my weekly consultations with VLCC, they measure my weight as well as body composition. According to these measurements I still have 50kg of fat that I need to lose – and I’m not stopping until I lose it all.” Al-Emadi visits the VLCC headquarters in Doha every week during which the centre’s experts examine his body weight as well as review his progress in terms of diet and exercise. “I walk daily anywhere between an hour and an hour and a half. It was also difficult at the start, just because I was so overweight, but it is now more comfortable and I greatly enjoy the walks.” It quickly became apparent to al-Emadi that exercise alone would not be enough for him to reach his weight-loss goals. “I completely changed the way I eat. For example, instead of my usual, rather fatty breakfast, I now have some water and then later eat an apple and drink some low-fat milk. The rest of my meals largely consist of grilled food with very little to no oils used.” High-protein food, such as chicken breast, takes longer for Winners of research project under Al Bairaq announced Q atar University Centre for Advanced Materials (QUCAM) has announced the winners of the 8th cycle of the “I am A Researcher” module under its Al Bairaq Programme at an awards ceremony recently. Al Bairaq is supported by Unesco Doha Office (partner), RasGas (platinum sponsor), Maersk Oil Qatar (gold sponsor) and Shell Qatar ( silver sponsor). Group Quluwa from Omar Bin Al Khattab School comprising Abdullah al-Mohannadi, Abdullah alHaroon and Abdullah al-Marri won п¬Ѓrst place with their project “Manufacture of Low-cost CIS Solar Cells”. The group also won for Best Documentary Film entitled “Our Solar Cell” and for Most Popular Group on Social Media. In second place was Group Al Dana, comprising Ahmad Jassim, Mohamed al-Hajri, and Abdullah Alsulaiti from Tareq Bin Ziad School who presented “Preparation and Characterisation of Microcapsules Containing Linseed Oil and its use in Self-Healing Coatings”. Group Al Hasbah comprising Fatma al-Siddiqi and Maryam Hamed Alyafei from Al Arqam Academy was placed third. CAM director Dr Mariam alMaadeed thanked the sponsors and partners for their support and stressed the importance of the programme in building a generation capable of research and development Two Al Bairaq participants in the lab. towards achieving Qatar National Vision 2030. RasGas head of National Development Thamer AlKaabi said Al Bairaq provides a unique platform for engaging Qatari secondary students in п¬Ѓelds which are critical for the long-term development of their future educational and professional careers. Sheikh Faisal bin Fahad alThani, deputy managing director, Maersk Oil Qatar, said: “The sci- entiп¬Ѓc and technical education for students together with a focus on research and innovation are closely aligned with our commitment to building the skills and capacity in future generations equipped to deliver a strong, diversiп¬Ѓed and healthy knowledge economy in Qatar”. Maha al-Mannai, collaboration manager, Qatar Shell Research and Technology Centre University, said: “By sponsoring the Al Bairaq pro- gramme and the eighth season of вЂ�I am a researcher’, Qatar Shell continues to demonstrate its commitment to Qatar University, while engaging in the transfer of knowledge and sharing of best practices with the country’s student population.” Unesco Doha Office education programme specialist Dr Faryal Khan said Al Bairaq offers a vibrant platform to potential young scientists – girls and boys alike – to explore a career in science. “It plants a seed in their young minds to help make choices in pursuing a scientiп¬Ѓc career. Other countries in the region can learn important lessons from the Al Bairaq experience at Qatar University. Unesco is proud to be a partner in this important initiative.” Al Bairaq supervisor Dr Noora alThani stated that the programme was able to create an innovative ecosystem, encouraging the students in the love of science and research and development. The ceremony also awarded winners in the Art in Science competition – Group Eqmash, Omar Bin Al Khattab School; Instagram competition – Group Al Fas, Omar Bin Abdulaziz School; and Most Active Group on Social Media – Group Al Dana, Tareq Bin Ziad School. CAM associate researcher Dr Aboubakr Abdullah was named Best Professor while Eman Hassan from Al Arqam Academy was named Most Co-operative Teacher. the body to digest and this is thought to be one of the possible reasons behind the increased feeling of fullness. Increased protein consumption may also lead to improved appetite control, reduced calorie intake (essential for weight loss), and better weight management over a longer period of time. These beneп¬Ѓts are not limited to meat lovers alone. Vegetarians and those who simply dislike meat can enjoy many high-protein vegetables such as sun-dried tomatoes, soybean sprouts, winged beans, and garlic. Other good vegetable sources of protein include spinach and peas. Protein is also the building block for muscle growth. After strenuous exercise, the body needs time and a certain amount of protein in order to repair and grow its muscles. Proper rest and nutrition after a workout are therefore vital to developing the body to its utmost potential. 14 Gulf Times Thursday, November 6, 2014 REGION Saudi says Qaeda militants behind deadly attack AFP Riyadh S audi authorities blamed militants linked to Al Qaeda, and a cabinet minister was sacked yesterday, after an unprecedented attack that killed Shia worshippers. A royal decree dismissed Culture and Information Min- ister Abdlaziz Khoja. Masked gunmen in the kingdom’s east late on Monday killed at least six Shias, including children, during the celebration of Ashura. The attackers were “followers of the deviant ideology”, interior ministry spokesman General Mansur al-Turki told Saudi media, using a term often employed by authorities to describe Al Qaeda. Activists in the Shia-populated region gave AFP the names and ages of seven people they said had been gunned down in Al Dalwa, a town of several thousand people. Five of the victims were aged 18 or younger, including 15-year-old Mohamed Husain al-Basrawi, and the youngest to die, Mahdi Eid al-Musharef, aged nine. The activists also named 12 people they said were wounded. The interior ministry gave a different toll of six dead, up from five reported initially. Police said nine were wounded. Yesterday officials including the area’s governor, Prince Badr bin Mohamed, visited those recovering from their injuries, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported. The royal decree dismissing Khoja came hours after the information minister announced the closure of a privately owned television channel. The decree, published by SPA, did not give speciп¬Ѓc reasons for his removal but said it came “at his request”. “Thank God I served my religion, my nation and my king for nearly a half century, faithfully and with honour”, Khoja tweeted. In his rare comments on Twitter, he had denounced sectarianism. “Saudi Arabia is a kingdom of humanity, founded on Islam. Our motto is tolerance, co-existence...” he posted following the shootings. Protests and sporadic attacks on security forces have occurred in Shia areas of Eastern Province. The attack was a “cowardly Qaboos to miss birthday celebration Washington denies Saleh pressured to leave Yemen The State Department says statements about “alleged threats by the US ambassador to former president Saleh to leave the country are completely false” AFP Washington/Sanaa W ashington yesterday denied reports that it was pressuring Yemen’s former president Ali Abdullah Saleh, who has been threatened with UN sanctions for obstructing peace, to leave the country. Saleh’s party, the General People’s Congress, said the ex-leader, who stepped down in early 2012 after a year of Arab Spring-inspired protests, received an ultimatum from the US embassy in Sanaa to leave by tomorrow or face sanctions. But a State Department spokesman said statements by the party spokesman about “alleged threats by the US ambassador to former president Saleh to leave the country are completely false”. “There have been no meetings between the ambassador and GPC officials at which any such statements have been made,” said US spokesman Edgar Vasquez. The GPC spokesman had denounced any such moves as “blatant interference in the internal affairs of Yemen”. “It is an unacceptable demand because no foreign party has the right to request that a Yemeni leaves their country,” the GPC spokesman said in a statement. The party said it had been approached by the American embas- sy through an intermediary telling Saleh to leave Yemen by 5pm tomorrow. It called on Saleh’s supporters to mobilise in order to “face any eventuality”. The development came only hours after diplomats in New York said the UN Security Council was poised to impose sanctions on Saleh for obstructing peace in Yemen. A US-drafted proposal to the Security Council would slap a visa ban and an assets freeze on Saleh and two of his allies, Shia Houthi rebel commanders Abd al-Khaliq al-Houthi and Abdullah Yahya alHakim. A committee of the council met on Tuesday to discuss the proposed sanctions and the talks were “constructive”, a diplomat said. The 15 members of the council now have until tomorrow evening to raise objections before the proposal returns to the sanctions committee for action. Saleh served as Yemen’s п¬Ѓrst president after uniп¬Ѓcation in 1990 before being forced to step down in February 2012 under a regional peace plan. But he is seen as prime backer of the rebel Houthi movement that seized the capital Sanaa in September and has since spread its control into central and west Yemen, in deп¬Ѓance of a UN peace plan. Vasquez added that the United States continued to support efforts by President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi and Prime Minister Khalid Bahah to form a government in a country seen as key in the п¬Ѓght against Al Qaeda. In Sanaa yesterday, a FrenchAlgerian was killed and another man was wounded in a shooting by Shia rebels who have overrun the capital, security and diplomatic sources said. Both were Salaп¬Ѓst students and residents of Sanaa, and “it wasn’t French interests that were targeted” in the shooting, a Western diplomat said. The wounded man was said to be French-Moroccan. They were stopped at a checkpoint in the capital on suspicion of carrying explosives, leading to an argument in which the FrenchAlgerian stabbed a Shia rebel before he was shot dead himself, the security source said. A suspected US drone strike killed an Al Qaeda commander in central Yemen, a security source said yesterday. “Shawki al-Baadani, alias Khawlan al-Sanaani and also Abu Maissara al-Hanki, was left dead by a drone raid” that killed 20 Al Qaeda п¬Ѓghters this week in the region of Rada, the source said. The source said that Baadani was among the most wanted leaders of Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, or AQAP, seen by the United States as the militant network’s deadliest branch. Baadani was suspected to have been the brains behind a 2012 bomb attack on an army parade which killed nearly 100 soldiers in the capital Sanaa. The attack was later claimed by Al Qaeda. On Tuesday, tribal sources and witnesses reported that twin drone strikes killed at least 20 suspected Al Qaeda militants near Rada, the focus of deadly п¬Ѓghting between the militants and advancing Shia rebels. Reuters Muscat O man’s Sultan Qaboos, in Germany for medical treatment since July, said yesterday he would miss annual celebrations of his birthday this month. Many Omanis have been praying publicly for the safe return of their 73-year-old ruler after nearly four months abroad. In a video message broadcast on state television, Qaboos offered greetings to Omanis on the occasion of his birthday, which falls on November 18 and is celebrated in Oman as a national day. “The divine will has dictated that the occasion this year falls while we are outside the dear homeland for reasons you know,” said Qaboos. “But, by God’s grace, He prepared the good results that will require a follow-up in accordance with the medical programme during the coming period,” he added, without giving any further details. Sultan Qaboos usually presides over an annual military parade in Muscat on his birthday. Oman’s royal court last month told Omanis ahead of the Eid alAdha holiday that Sultan Qaboos was in good health. In his message, Qaboos also greeted Oman’s armed forces, saying he remained committed to “equip them with whatever is necessary to carry out their duties and to deliver on their noble task of protecting the homeland and safeguarding its gains”. Saudi beheads drug smuggler Students take part in a rally in Sanaa yesterday against the occupation of Sanaa University by Shia Houthi fighters. Iran acid attacks sharpen vigilantism row Reuters Beirut I t is a question all Iranians are asking: who is stalking the streets of Isfahan, throwing acid into women’s faces? There have been at least four attacks in the busy city in central Iran in recent weeks. The crimes coincided with the passage of a new parliamentary bill that allows private citizens to enforce “morality” laws. The bill has sparked a clash between hardline politicians, who overwhelmingly support it, and moderates including President Hassan Rohani. The split is an illustration of the wider political challenges Rohani faces from his hardline opponents. Acid attacks - an excruciating assault used in many countries to rob women of their looks - are rare in Iran and authorities, including conservative clerics, were quick to condemn them. But in a country where volunteer militia operate as the selfappointed guardians of Islamic behaviour, it is inevitable that suspicions have fallen on religious vigilante groups - so much so that one issued a statement to deflect accusations. Ansar-e-Hezbollah, a plainclothes militia which has conducted вЂ�morality patrols’ to enforce Islamic dress, blamed “the enemy” for the acid attacks that it said were carried out to “strike a blow against security”. Attempts to reach the group for further comment were unsuccessful. Police have arrested a handful of suspects but not yet charged anyone. Thousands of people took to the streets of Isfahan, and hundreds in Tehran, two weeks ago to protest that not enough was being done to п¬Ѓnd the assailants. Local media, which have suggested there may have been twice as many attacks as officially conп¬Ѓrmed, said some Isfahani women had received text messages threatening them with attack if they did not respect the dress code, or hijab, which in Iran means covering the hair and wearing modest clothing. “If you don’t observe your hijab, then you will be sprayed with acid,” read one anonymous text message received by a women that the Iranian Students’ News Agency identiп¬Ѓed as Haniya. “If the acid spraying is related to hijab, then why aren’t the authorities giving their views about this?” she said. Special police units are often deployed in Iran’s cities to enforce the hijab, pulling aside women they consider to be overly madeup or allowing their hair to spill out from underneath the obligatory headscarf. But groups like Ansar-e-Hezbollah have also long played a role in enforcing social laws, pressuring women to dress more conservatively or confronting unmarried couples who appear in public together. They have also helped the government crack down on political dissent, such as during the protests which followed the disputed 2009 presidential elections. Though officials have denied links with these militant groups, there is an overlap between their activities and that of the Basij, a militia that is overseen by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, experts say. The acid attacks happened as Iran’s conservative-dominated parliament was passing its mo- rality bill, which essentially gives legal protection to groups like Ansar-e Hezbollah that seek to enforce Islamic behaviour. That bill, which critics say will give free rein to vigilantes, has drawn a battle line between the hardliners and Rohani, who has struck a moderate tone on social issues. “We can’t just treat one issue, bad hijab, as the ultimate evil from morning to night,” Rohani said in a speech two weeks ago in which he implicitly criticised the bill, ac- Hunger-striker вЂ�should not mix sport and politics’ A British-Iranian woman who is on hunger strike after being jailed for attending a men’s volleyball match should not use sport to make political points, Asia’s Olympic chief said yesterday. Kuwait’s Sheikh Ahmed alFahad al-Sabah, president of the Olympic Council of Asia, said Ghoncheh Ghavami’s protest could send out “wrong messages”. The 25-year-old law graduate from London has been refusing food or liquids since Saturday and heinous crime contradicting Islam and its values”, said Abdullatif al-Zayani, secretary general of the Gulf Cooperation Council. Two Saudi policemen and two suspects allegedly linked to the incident died in a shootout in Qassim region, north of Riyadh, the day after the attack. Fifteen other suspects were arrested. over a delay in the confirmation of her one-year sentence. “Don’t see it only that she has a British passport. If she’s Iranian, she doesn’t have to use this benefit for politics in sport,” Sheikh Ahmed told reporters in Bangkok. “We have to see it from both sides. If she’s using this... nationality for a political situation, we will reject it because we don’t want anybody to use sport for politics.” He added: “In sport we want peace and solidarity. If somebody will use it for wrong messages, we can resist. You have to know that there are different cultures around the world, it’s not only one culture.” Sheikh Ahmed was speaking at a meeting of the Association of National Olympic Committees, of which he is also president. He said he had spoken to Iran and was awaiting their report on the matter. Ghavami was arrested on June 20 after attempting to attend a men’s volleyball match between Iran and Italy in Tehran’s Azadi (“Freedom” in Farsi) Stadium. cording to the Shargh newspaper. “Iranian women are Muslim women of virtue who are all supporting hijab. So a few people in this country should not consider themselves the custodians of morality,” said Rohani, himself an Islamic cleric. By that time, parliament had already passed the bill. “This deп¬Ѓnitely does seem to be a slap back at Rohani by the parliament,” said Faraz Sanei, Iran researcher for New York-based Human Rights Watch. “The Rohani administration is clearly on the record as being very, very sceptical of Ansar-e-Hezbollah and enforcing of morality laws by vigilante groups.” In a small victory for the Rohani administration, Ansar-e-Hezbollah called off plans to start morality patrols in Tehran in September, after the interior ministry said anyone carrying out such activities would need permission from the government. The morality bill still faces some п¬Ѓnal hurdles before becoming law, but the support of parliament is a boost for militia groups and a blow to Rohani, according to Amir Farshad Ebrahimi, a former member of Ansar-e-Hezbollah who now works as a journalist in Germany. Saudi Arabia beheaded a Pakistani yesterday for trafficking heroin hidden in his stomach into the kingdom, the interior ministry said, the latest in dozens of executions this year. Mohamed Sadiq Hanif was arrested during his attempt to smuggle “a large amount” of heroin, the ministry said in a statement carried by the official SPA news agency. Last month, Saudi authorities beheaded four Pakistanis convicted of smuggling heroin into the kingdom. The beheading yesterday in the eastern town of Khubar raises to 63 the number of death sentences carried out in the kingdom this year. Oil pipeline catches fire An oil pipeline near the Saudi capital Riyadh caught fire yesterday after an accidental explosion, the civil defence department said. There were no injuries. “The fire has been brought under control... and measures are being taken to contain the leak of petroleum products. Special teams from the company managing the pipeline are on scene,” Mohamed al-Hammadi, a civil defence spokesman, said in a statement. The blaze erupted after the line, which runs along a highway, was “accidentally damaged” by work in the area, Hammadi said. Kuwaiti out of Guantanamo A Kuwaiti citizen held at the detention centre in Guantanamo Bay since 2002 without charge has been transferred home, the US Defence Department said yesterday. A periodic review board found that holding Fouzi Khalid Abdullah al-Awda was no longer necessary to protect US security, it said. Gulf Times Thursday, November 6, 2014 15 ARAB WORLD UK to send more personnel to train Iraqi forces AFP Baghdad B ritain will send more security personnel to Iraq to help train forces for their battle against the Islamic State militant group, Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said yesterday. The United Kingdom, which is supporting US-led air strikes aimed at driving IS militants out of signiп¬Ѓcant parts of Iraq, is already training Kurdish forces in the country. “We will be stepping up our training effort. We’re talking to our coalition partners about how the... additional training is going to be provided, in training centres in and around Baghdad,” Fallon told journalists in the Iraqi capital. The training would be for battalions able to leave the frontlines, he said, without specifying if it would involve Iraqi soldiers, police or both. The exact number of trainers that would be sent had not yet been decided. “One particular area of expertise we have is in counter-IED (improvised explosive devices). We’ve learnt from Afghanistan in dealing with roadside bombs and car bombs and we have some specialist knowledge to contribute,” said Fallon. Britain already has a “small number of people” in Baghdad, and “will be looking now to see how we can strengthen that, the liaison work that we’re doing in the ministries and the security agencies here”, he said. The ministry of defence said last month that a “small, specialist team” of soldiers was providing training to Kurdish forces in the country’s autonomous north on the use of heavy machineguns. And it said in a statement yesterday that Britain would be increasing the training on offer to the Kurds “to include infantry skills such as sharp-shooting and п¬Ѓrst aid, alongside the provision of further equipment”. Fallon met with Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi, Kurdish regional president Massoud Barzani and other senior Iraqi and Kurdish officials during the trip, on which he visited both Baghdad and the northern city of Arbil, the ministry said. Prime Minister David Cameron has ruled out sending combat troops back into Iraq, wary of committing to a new conflict six Jordan recalls envoy over Israel’s Aqsa вЂ�violations’ Jordanian Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh accusea the Israelis of violations and incursions, stopping people from worshipping freely, and allowing extremists to enter Reuters Jerusalem/Amman I ncreasing strife over Jerusalem’s most volatile holy site plunged relations between Israel and Jordan into crisis yesterday, with Amman recalling its ambassador for the п¬Ѓrst time since the countries’ 1994 peace treaty. In a sign of tensions, a Palestinian rammed his car into pedestrians in Jerusalem’s city centre yesterday, killing an Israeli paramilitary border policeman before he was shot dead by police. More than a dozen people were injured. The incident occurred after п¬Ѓerce clashes between Israeli police and Palestinians at the entrance to the Al Aqsa mosque, Islam’s third most sacred place. Palestinian officials said Israeli forces had crossed the threshold of the mosque for the п¬Ѓrst time since 1967. Israeli police denied going into the house of worship. Just as Israel was grappling with the second deadly Palestinian attack in Jerusalem in two weeks - and the risk of a third Palestinian uprising - Jordan added a new dimension to the conflict by recalling its envoy. Speaking in Paris as he prepared to meet US Secretary of State John Kerry, Jordanian Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh said Amman withdrew its ambassador because of the situation at the Al Aqsa mosque compound. “We have sent repeated messages to Israel directly and indirectly that Jerusalem is a red line,” Judeh said. He accused the Israelis of violations and incursions, stopping people from worshipping freely, and allowing extremists to enter. “These violations are infuriating” to Muslims worldwide, he said. The kingdom’s official Petra news agency said Jordan would lodge a complaint with the UN Security Council over Israeli actions in the city and at the compound known to Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary, housing the Al Aqsa mosque and golden Dome of the Rock shrine. Israeli foreign ministry spokesman Emanuel Nahshon said Jordan’s move was wrong and did not contribute to calming tensions. “We expect Jordan to condemn the premeditated violence which is directed from Ramallah, and the murder of innocents which is has caused,” Nahshon said in a statement. Jordan’s step came a little over a week after Israel and Jordan marked the 20th anniversary of their peace treaty. At a ceremony on October 26 recognising the milestone, Jordanian ambassador Walid Obeidat sounded a cautionary note over a campaign by Israeli ultranationalists to lift a de facto ban by Israel on Jewish prayer at the sacred compound. Obeidat said that any change to the status quo there would ultimately imperil the accord, Israel’s second peace agreement with an Arab state after a treaty with Egypt in 1979. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has issued public assurances that he would keep existing arrangements for Muslim prayer in place at the compound. The site has been run by Jordanian religious authorities before and after Israel’s capture of East Jerusalem from Jordan in the 1967 war. Amnesty slams Israel over Gaza civilian toll AFP London T he Israeli military displayed “shocking disregard” for civilian lives in Gaza during its devastating 50-day war on militants in the Palestinian territory, Amnesty International said in a report yesterday. Israel rejected the Londonbased rights group’s п¬Ѓndings, saying it produced “no evidence” to back up its claims in what was effectively “a propaganda tool for Hamas”. Amnesty documented eight instances in which Israeli forces attacked homes in Gaza “without warning”, killing “at least 104 civilians including 62 children”. “The report reveals a pattern of frequent Israeli attacks using large aerial bombs to level civilian homes, sometimes killing entire families,” Amnesty said. While possible military targets were identiп¬Ѓed in some cases, “the devastation to civilian lives... was clearly disproportionate”, it added. The report charged that when it appeared to have failed to identify “any possible military target” in a Gaza residential building, Israel may have “directly and deliberately targeted civilians or civilian objects, which would constitute war crimes”. “The report exposes a pattern of attacks on civilian homes by Israeli forces which have shown a shocking disregard for the lives of Palestinian civilians, who were given no warning and had no chance to flee,” said Philip Luther, Amnesty’s director for the Middle East and North Africa. Amnesty said “Palestinian armed groups also committed war crimes, firing thousands of indiscriminate rockets into Israel killing six civilians including one child”. But the push for change by several far-right Israeli lawmakers and settler activists has enraged Palestinians and drawn denunciation from their leaders. Hamas claimed responsibility for the car ramming attack, saying it responded to “continued Zionist crimes” against Al Aqsa. Two weeks ago, a baby and a woman were killed in a similar road rampage in Jerusalem. Last week, Israel closed the compound in Jerusalem’s walled Old City amid increasing IsraeliPalestinian violence around it. The move infuriated Jordan’s King Abdullah, who is the official custodian of the sacred compound. The last full closure was in 2000, when the second Palestinian uprising, or Intifada, began shortly after the then Israeli opposition leader, Ariel Sharon, visited Al Aqsa. Daniel Nevo, Israel’s ambassador to Jordan, said the Israeli government was very sensitive to Amman’s position on Al Aqsa and to the pro-Western kingdom’s wider role in a Middle East increasingly torn by sectarian conflict. “Our greatest fear nowadays is that someone is trying to create disturbances on the Temple Mount in order to ignite the region, in order to harm both Jordan and Israel,” Nevo told Israel Radio. “I believe that the common interest of Israel and Jordan is to survive ISIS (Islamic State insurgents) and the extremists to the north and the east.” The right-wing Netanyahu said the latest attack in Jerusalem was a direct result of what he termed incitement by Hamas and Western-backed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas over the situation at the holy compound. months from a general election. Britain was one of the main members of the US-led “coalition of the willing” that invaded Iraq in 2003 and overthrew dictator Saddam Hussain. The last British forces withdrew from Iraq in 2011. Britain has not participated in air strikes by the coalition against IS in Syria, where the militant group has also seized signiп¬Ѓcant territory. Lebanon parliament extends mandate AFP Beirut L A Palestinian holds a Molotov cocktail before throwing it towards Israeli police during clashes on the outskirts of Jerusalem near Shuafat refugee camp yesterday. EU official condemns plans for new settler homes in East Jerusalem EU foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini yesterday condemned Israel’s plans to build another 500 settler homes in annexed East Jerusalem, ahead of her first visit to the Jewish state later this week. Going ahead with the new settler homes risks undermining efforts to get the Middle East peace process back on track, Mogherini said. The European Union was leading efforts to get the talks restarted “but this decision represents yet another highly detrimental step which undermines the prospects for a two-state solution”, she said in a statement. 18 die in collision It “seriously calls into question Israel’s commitment to a peaceful negotiated settlement with the Palestinians”, she added. Voicing a sense of exasperation, Mogherini said that since previous pleas “have gone unheard, I call on the Israeli authorities to reverse (the plans) and put an end to its settlement policy in East Jerusalem and in the West Bank”. Mogherini is due to visit Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Gaza and Ramallah on a three-day trip beginning tomorrow meant to be “a signal of the priority given to the region by the EU”, a spokesperson said earlier this week. Egypt under п¬Ѓre at UN rights council AFP Geneva T People look at a burnt bus after it collided with three other vehicles, including a tanker truck, yesterday in Egypt’s Nile Delta city of Damanhur, 160km north of Cairo. At least 18 people were killed when the bus packed with high school students crashed. Medics were not immediately able to say how many of the dead were children because the bodies were badly burned after the vehicles burst into flames. ebanon’s parliament voted yesterday to extend its mandate until 2017, postponing elections again amid political stalemate and insecurity tied to the conflict in neighbouring Syria. The decision came the day after Al Qaeda’s Syrian affiliate threatened to carry out new attacks in Lebanon against the Shia Hezbollah movement which is п¬Ѓghting in Syria to bolster President Bashar al-Assad. “The parliament voted by 95 votes out of 97 members present to extend its mandate until June 20, 2017,” a parliamentary source said. Only two lawmakers voted against the extension, but 31 boycotted the session altogether in protest over the controversial decision. A few dozen people gathered outside parliament to protest the decision, pelting the cars of arriving lawmakers with tomatoes and eggs. “It’s unacceptable,” Paul Abi Rashed, an environmental activist, said. “We’ve raised our children on the idea of democracy that we inherited from our grandparents, and now no one cares. Even the politicians themselves aren’t convinced about the reasons for this extension.” Parliamentary elections were originally scheduled for the middle of 2013, but MPs approved a 17-month extension of their mandate on May 31, 2013. However, the political stalemate and security concerns that motivated last year’s extension have only deepened in the intervening period. The country has been without a president since Michel Suleiman’s term ended on May 25 because lawmakers have failed to agree on a successor. And the war in neighbouring Syria, which has raised existing tensions between Lebanon’s Shia and Sunni residents, has spilled over with increasing regularity. The decision to extend parliament’s mandate divided the country’s two main political blocs, but those voting in favour cited both the deadlock over the presidency and the security situation. he UN’s top human rights body took Egypt to task yesterday for a litany of rights abuses, including its crackdown on supporters of ousted Islamist president Mohamed Mursi, journalists and activists. In the Human Rights Council’s п¬Ѓrst review of Egypt’s rights record since 2010, which covers the period since long-ruling leader Hosni Mubarak was toppled to the turbulent ousting of Mursi, several Western envoys voiced alarm at the worsening human rights situation in Egypt. Rights groups including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch said the situation is unprecedented and urged the council to order an international probe into the crackdown, mass arrests and unfair trials. But Egypt hit back, insisting that the government of Abdel Fattah al-Sisi had made human rights a priority since toppling Mursi in June last year. “The prioritisation of human rights is at the core of the political life of the new administration,” Egyptian Minister of Transitional Justice Ibrahim elHeneidy told the council. “Egypt will fulп¬Ѓl its international obligations,” he said. But Western diplomats voiced doubts. US envoy Keith Harper cited in particular the government’s crackdown on Mursi suppporters in July and August 2013 that “resulted in a large number of deaths of Egyptian citizens”. “We are concerned about the lack of accountability for those accused of human rights abuses” in these incidents, he told the council. Sisi’s government began clamping down on Mursi supporters after the Islamist president was ousted in July 2013, leaving at least 1,400 dead and more than 15,000 jailed. Hundreds have also been sentenced to death after often speedy trials. Over a period of just a few days of clashes in Cairo in August 2013, police killed hundreds of protesters. Britain’s Karen Pierce raised concern over “the numbers of detainees in pre-trial detention, reports of mistreatment or torture, use of mass trials and trial irregularities (and) retention of the death penalty”. She also decried the decreasing space for civil society and the media to operate”. 16 Gulf Times Thursday, November 6, 2014 AFRICA RIGHTS INQUIRY INSURGENCY CRIME HIT AND RUN Bail application for jailed Swazi editor delayed Two-year probe into Marikana drawing to close 200 arrested in UN raids over DR Congo massacres CCTV captures S.Africa police being robbed Kenyan Muslim preacher shot dead: police The bail application for a jailed Swazi magazine editor and a prominent human rights lawyer was deferred yesterday, amid wrangling over court procedures. Bheki Makhubu, editor of The Nation, and Thulani Maseko, a member of Lawyers for Human Rights Swaziland, have been in custody since March. The pair were sentenced to two years in prison after being found in contempt of court. They had published articles critical of the chief justice and the lack of impartiality in the authoritarian kingdom’s justice system. Supreme court judge Ahmed Ebrahim yesterday said the proper procedure had not been followed in lodging the bail application. A two-year probe into the killing of 34 striking miners in South Africa is drawing to a close, with lawyers yesterday recalling the horror of the shooting in final arguments. The 34 strikers were gunned down by police at the Lonmin platinum mine in Marikana north of Johannesburg during a work stoppage in August 2012. “Looking day-in and day-out at pictures of bodies shot to pieces by assault rifles dulls our outrage at what is, and should be, unacceptable in a constitutional democracy,” said one of the commission’s lawyers, Matthew Chaskalson. “Remember every victim who died at Marikana... as an individual human being with a family and a life.” Authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo arrested 200 suspects in connection with massacres in the troubled east of the country that left over 100 dead, the UN said yesterday. The suspects taken into custody for the killings which began in October in the Beni area included Ugandan Muslim rebels, who have widely been blamed for the massacres. Police and UN peacekeepers carried out the operation jointly as part of “an operational strategy against (the attacks) in Beni”, United Nations mission spokesman Charles Bambara said, adding “weapons, munitions, bombs and radios” were also seized. Two South African police were robbed of their guns and locked in their own van on Tuesday. The officers had stopped for lunch at a roadside stall in Johannesburg. The robbery was caught on the camera of a business. Footage shows four men walking past the police van and then disappearing from view beneath a tarpaulin where the officers were lunching. They remerge the officers, forcing them into the back of the vehicle. They lock the van and leave. People helped the officers out. They then called for backup and a chase ensued. Three suspects were arrested and three firearms confiscated, including the two the gang had just stolen. Gunmen in the Kenyan city of Mombasa have shot dead a moderate Muslim cleric, a vocal opponent of the radical preachings of Somalia’s Al Qaeda-linked Shebaab insurgents. The shooting is the latest in a series of killings of preachers, amid power struggles between rival Muslim factions. Salim Bakari Mwarangi was shot late Tuesday by gunmen riding a motorbike as he left after prayers at the Bilal mosque in Mombasa, a key port as well as important tourist hub for the country’s Indian Ocean coastline. “Gunmen on a motorbike slowed down, shot at him and sped off,” Mombasa police chief Robert Kitur said. ANC wants control of SA media, says mogul Guy Fawkes Day AFP Pretoria T Children celebrate Guy Fawkes day in Soweto yesterday. Burkina army urged to hand over power African leaders are attempting to bring the crisis to an end AFP Burkina Faso T hree west African leaders held talks behind closed doors with Burkina Faso’s new military leader yesterday to pressure him into swiftly handing over power to a civilian government after the fall of president Blaise Compaore. The presidents of Nigeria, Ghana and Senegal flew into Ouagadougou after Canada suspended its aid to the impoverished west African nation and other nations considered similar moves. Lieutenant-Colonel Isaac Zida, the interim leader appointed by Burkina Faso’s military, told unions on Tuesday that he would return the country to civilian rule within two weeks, a day after the African Union threatened sanctions if the army failed to relinquish power within that timeframe. The military has п¬Ѓlled the power vacuum left by Compaore, who was deposed Friday after 27 years in power by a violent popular uprising that some had likened to the Arab Spring. There was little ceremony as the leaders—Nigeria’s Goodluck Jonathan, Ghana’s president John Dramani Mahama and Macky Sall of Senegal—were driven to a luxury hotel near the presidential palace for the talks with Zida, an AFP reporter said. The three presidents later met leaders of opposition parties, democracy groups and senior legal officials, with one party leader afterwards calling for a transition government led by a civil society п¬Ѓgure rather than a politician or military chief. Former prime minister Roch Marc Christian Kabore, leader of the Movement of the People for Progress, said: “It’s obvious we have to п¬Ѓnd someone who has no clear political affiliations so as not to have a biased view on the transition.” The leaders were also meeting with civil society and religious groups in a bid to п¬Ѓnd a rapid end to the crisis. The army’s decision to take the reins in the aftermath of Compaore’s exit sparked angry protests at home and prompted threats of sanctions from abroad. But top brass claimed that “power does not interest us” and pledged to install a unity government with a “broad consensus”. Zida has repeated the promise in meetings with opposition and civil society leaders as well as foreign envoys. “If everyone agrees, there is no reason that the transition (from military rule) shouldn’t be done within two weeks,” Zida said on Tuesday, according to union leader Joseph Tiendrebeogo. Mogho Naba, the “king” of Burkina Faso’s leading Mossi tribe, told AFP he had met Zida on Tuesday. “They came to tell us that they would hand back power to civilians,” he said. “The country should regain peace and quiet.” The army has made similar pledges over the past couple of days, without taking concrete action. Under the constitution, which has been suspended, the parliament speaker was supposed to take over as transitional leader. But the whereabouts of current speaker Soungalo Ouattara, a close Compaore ally, are unknown. French president Francois Hollande said Tuesday that Paris helped evacuate Compaore to prevent a potential “bloodbath”. Compaore and his wife are staying in a government mansion in Yamoussoukro, the capital of neighbouring Ivory Coast. Ivorian president Alassane Ouattara has said Compaore “can stay as long as he wishes”. Meanwhile, international donors whose funding is crucial to the impoverished country, are watching the situation with concern. Canada, which provided some $35.6mn in aid to Burkina Faso between 2012 and 2013, raised the pressure on Tuesday by suspending assistance. It said funding would be restored when a “legitimate and accountable civil authority has been re-established”. Washington said it was still “gathering facts” but could yet withdraw its $14mn annual aid package. Opposition leaders have met with international mediators from the United Nations, regional bloc ECOWAS and the African Union, which has named Togo’s former prime minister Edem Kodjo as a special envoy to the landlocked west African nation. Not all opposition leaders are against the military playing a role in the transition. “We have to see what model is best for the situation and the context,” said the opposition’s main leader Zephirin Diabre. The ousted ruling party, the Congress for Democracy and Progress, has also expressed willingness to “work with the transitional authorities”. Ouagadougou is largely returning to normal. Last week, thousands of protesters had gone on a rampage against Compaore’s bid to extend his rule, setting parliament and other public buildings ablaze. he South African press is facing huge pressure from the ruling ANC, which wants “total control” of the media, the chairman of the continent’s largest media company said yesterday. “Government and the ANC, through its national democratic revolution, want total control,” Naspers chairman Ton Vosloo told the Cape Town Press Club. “Our free and independent press and media will be facing huge challenges in the not-too-distant future in preserving the very freedom they enjoy to speak out against the erosion of this freedom, corruption and other ills.” South Africa’s ANC-led government has been regularly criticised in recent years for attacks on the press, particularly after pushing a muchderided secrecy bill through parliament. It is yet to be signed into law by president Jacob Zuma, but would make many aspects of investigative journalism a crime. The party, meanwhile, has repeatedly called on South Africa’s media to racially trans- form their ownership. But Vosloo said most companies already had signiп¬Ѓcant black ownership. “All in all, those who complain about transformation should have a good look at the facts,” he said. “My answer to the complaints (is) the ANC does not like a free and independent owned press.” Vosloo worked as a journalist and newspaper editor before joining Naspers management in 1984. Since then, the company has diversified from print to pay television, e-commerce and mobile services. It generated 62.7bn rand ($15bn) in revenue in the last financial year. Vosloo retires from his position as chair in April 2015, when former CEO Koos Bekker will take on the role. This is not the п¬Ѓrst time Vosloo has warned against the ANC. In 1993, he told the Rhodes Journalism Review the party would turn out as bad as the apartheid government. “When the real pressures are on, they’re going to behave as badly as the Nats (National Party) did,” he said at the time. “Never trust a politician. That’s my motto.” Boko Haram targets French-owned plant AFP Lagos S uspected Boko Haram п¬Ѓghters stole dynamite and pick-up trucks from a French-owned cement works in Nigeria after robbing a bank, in a raid to fund and pursue their campaign of violence in the northeast of the African nation. The attack in Ashaka, in Gombe state, on Tuesday came after the Islamists robbed a bank, blew up a police station and razed a political party ofп¬Ѓce 20km away in Nafada. Both incidents again demonstrated Boko Haram’s apparent ability to strike at will and further punctured govern- ment claims that a ceaseп¬Ѓre deal has been reached to end п¬Ѓve years of bloodshed. Boko Haram funds its operations in part through bank robberies and has previously stolen vehicles including armoured personnel carriers, weapons and ammunition from the Nigerian military. Unlike previous attacks in recent months in the far northeast, the militants did not attempt to hold the town, leaving when they secured their loot. French diplomats in Nigeria said none of its nationals was taken in the raid. The head of the Lafarge group, Bruno Lafont, said operations had not been affected. Godman’s followers вЂ�attacked rescuers at site of collapse’ AFP Lagos F ollowers of one of Nigeria’s most popular preachers attacked emergency service workers, preventing them from accessing the site of a deadly building collapse, an inquest was told yesterday. “The п¬Ѓrst three days (after the collapse) were marred by the so-called church sympathisers and the crowd,” said the head of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, Femi OkeOsanyintolu. “By the time we attained momentum after 96 hours a lot of things had gone bad.” A total of 116 people, 84 of them South Africans, were killed when a guesthouse for foreign followers of TB Joshua’s Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN) collapsed in Lagos on September 12. Joshua, known to his congregation as “The Man of God”, was scheduled to give evidence at the coroner’s inquest into the tragedy. But the self-styled miracle worker, who claims that he can see the future, was not in court, despite the coroner having warned that he faced arrest if he did not appear. Osanyintolu told the hearing that it was only after the intervention of the Lagos state governor that rescue workers could get to the stricken building on the sprawling SCOAN compound. The LASEMA general manager said South Africa’s Lindiwe Ndwandwe, 33, (C) who was trapped five days inside the rubble of the guesthouse. there was “no effective crowd control” in the aftermath of the collapse, which engineers have blamed on the addition of extra floors to the guesthouse. “The crowd impeded our operation. They did not allow our personnel and equipment to come in. They frustrated the emergency workers at the scene,” he added. Instead of allowing trained rescue workers with specialist equipment to search for survivors, only church members and volunteers were allowed to pick through the rubble, he said. “There were restrictions of emergency responders to the scene of the collapse. On the п¬Ѓrst day, we were assaulted, especially my humble self,” he continued. “We were not allowed to do documentation. Photographs of the incident were not allowed. “We asked for the manifest to know the number and identities of the people in the building, we were not given. We asked for the building plan, we were not given.” Expert witnesses at the hearing have previously ruled out sabotage from a lowflying aircraft or an explosion, as suggested by Joshua and SCOAN members. Osanyintolu, a medical doctor, also rejected the theory: “On observation, bodies were not mutilated. They were not disjointed... the bodies were not burned.” The court has heard that the guesthouse did not have planning permission and that other structures on the site, including the church’s main auditorium, were structurally defective. “The Man of God has not been personally served the witness summons,” his lawyer, Olalekan Ojo told the court when asked about his client’s whereabouts. “He was unavoidably absent when the sheriff went for the service. We don’t want the impression to be created he is avoiding the court.” Expert witnesses at the hearing have previously ruled out the theory of aerial sabotage or an explosion and the court has been told that the guesthouse did not have any planning permission. Ojo refused to accept the witness summons on behalf of Joshua, saying he was not authorised to do so, but promised to tell the court when his client would be available. Similarly, the building contractors did not receive their summonses because they could not be identiп¬Ѓed or located, he added. Coroner Komolafe said: “We want Joshua to know that the court is not persecuting anybody but (trying) to п¬Ѓnd the truth. He should come. Gulf Times Thursday, November 6, 2014 17 AMERICAS US man held in immigration detention for over 3 years Reuters New York D avino Watson languished in a detention centre in Buffalo, New York, for 3-1/2 years awaiting deportation on orders from immigration authorities. The only problem: Watson is an American citizen. Now the Jamaican-born Watson, released in 2011, is suing the US government and a handful of immigration officers in federal court claiming he was unlawfully detained. He alleges officials ignored his repeated claims that he was naturalised and that he would have been released had there been a more thorough investigation into his background. Watson’s case is the latest example of US citizens and legal residents suing the government after being ensnared in a system meant to improve immigration enforcement. About two dozen suits have been п¬Ѓled since the system was put in place in the late 1990s, but Watson’s lawyers say his case involves the longest detention. The others allege unlawful detention periods ranging from a few days to several months. Under US law, Immigration and Customs Enforcement may issue a so-called “detainer” request to local law enforcement in order to investigate an arrested person’s residence status. Watson pleaded guilty in 2007 to charges of selling cocaine and served an eight-month sentence in a programme for young, nonviolent offenders. According to Rocky road for Obama as Republicans seize Senate Republicans cruised to victory in midterm elections, gaining control of both houses of Congress in a stinging setback for President Obama and his fellow Democrats Reuters Washington P resident Barack Obama faced a political rebuke and a curb on his policy ambitions yesterday after Republicans seized control of the US Senate and captured their biggest majority in the House of Representatives in more than 60 years. Tuesday’s midterm elections gave Republicans control of both houses of Congress for the п¬Ѓrst time since elections in 2006 and the п¬Ѓrst time since Obama entered the White House nearly six years ago. The president, who has lurched from crisis to crisis and whose unpopularity made him unwelcome to many fellow Democrats running for office, had scheduled a news conference late yesterday. He called a series of Democratic and Republican lawmakers on Tuesday night, the White House said. On Wednesday, he spoke with Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell, who is poised to become the Senate’s new majority leader and with whom Obama has a frosty relationship. At a news conference in Louisville, Kentucky, McConnell said he believed Obama was interested in moving forward on trade agreements and tax reform, two issues at a Washington standstill in the face of political differences. “This gridlock and dysfunction can be ended. It can be ended by having a Senate that actually works,” McConnell said. Obama plans to meet with congressional leaders from both parties at the White House tomorrow to take stock of the new political landscape. It was “a pretty ugly night” for Democrats, said Representative Steve Israel, chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, speaking on MSNBC. Republicans ran races across the country that pilloried Obama and his policies. The White House tried in advance to portray the results as not being a repudiation of Obama’s leadership, but Democrats were stunned by the extent of the Republican gains even in governors’ races that had favoured Democrats. Despite the Republican gains, the election was not necessarily an endorsement of their policies. Initiatives championed by Democrats to raise the minimum wage and legalise possession of small amounts of marijuana succeeded in a handful of states where they were on the ballot. When the new Congress convenes in January, Republicans will be armed with their biggest majority in the House since Democratic president Harry Truman’s п¬Ѓrst term in the late 1940s. With some races yet to be decided, NBC News projected Republicans would win at least 244 seats in the 435-seat chamber. The Republican takeover will force Obama to scale back his ambitions to either executive actions that do not require legislative approval, or items that might gain bipartisan support, such as trade agreements and tax reform. It also will test his ability to compromise with newly empowered political opponents who have been resisting his legislative agenda since he was п¬Ѓrst elected in 2008. Americans elected him to a second and п¬Ѓnal four-year term in 2012. In stock market reaction to the results, the energy sector gained on bets that new legislative measures could be favourable. One of the п¬Ѓrst tests could be a bill to approve the Keystone XL crude oil pipeline from Canada, a project about which Obama has voiced reservations. Republican Senator John Hoeven said in an interview yesterday that he has enough votes to pass a bill early in 2015 that would approve TransCanada’s long-languishing $8bn pipeline project. “It’s really a good chance to see if the president’s willing to work with us,” Hoeven said. The S&P Energy sector rose more than 1.5% on hopes Republican control of the Senate will lead to reform of crude and natural gas export laws and motivate the Obama administration to include those energy exports in new, or broader, trade agreements. New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, a possible presidential candidate in 2016 who cam- Genetic data explored for cancer treatment Reuters San Francisco A major California university hospital is exploring ways to gather and use genetic information gathered from cancer patients, hoping to break new ground in a fledgling п¬Ѓeld of genomic medicine. The University of California San Francisco said in an interview it is working on a new project with Silicon Valley startup Syapse. Using Syapse’s technology, it wants to build a store of genetic data about various metastatic cancer cases with patients’ consent, theoretically sharpening treatment or even coming up with new therapies. 8mn women miss cervical cancer screenings Eight million US women have not been screened in the last five years for cervical cancer, even though regular checkups can help prevent the fatal disease, US health authorities said yesterday. About one in 10 women, or 11.4%, aged 21 to 65 have gone years without screening, said the report by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention based on national registry data from 2007 to 2011. “Every visit to a provider can be an opportunity to prevent cervical cancer by making sure women are referred for screening appropriately,” said CDC principal deputy director Ileana Arias. “We must increase our efforts to make sure that all women understand the importance of getting screened for cervical cancer. No woman should die from cervical cancer.” It plans to announce its initiative today. The application of genomics to cancer care is a rapidly developing п¬Ѓeld. Companies such as Foundation Medicine Inc are taking specimens from tumour cells to п¬Ѓnd changes or vulnerabilities that can inform care. But UCSF hopes its use of data analytics can set it apart: Few hospitals are setting aside resources for a database of genetic and medical information that a panel of experts can analyse as part of routine care. What is unique about UCSF’s methods is that its medical school is sequencing DNA from tumors and taking blood samples to assess overall cancer risk, said Robert Nussbaum, the medical geneticist leading the project. Nussbaum said he hopes to use the data to identify patients for targeted therapy as opposed to the usual chemotherapy. Watson’s lawsuit, п¬Ѓled last week in federal court in Brooklyn, a detainer request triggered his transfer from a New York correctional facility to immigration detention. A spokesman for ICE declined to comment on the Watson case. ICE says detainers are critical for the government to be able to identify, and deport, criminal aliens being held in federal and local custody. The detainers have come under п¬Ѓre from local governments and immigration advocates claiming they are costly and can be misapplied, with cases of citizens like Watson or legal residents being transferred to federal detention facilities. “We are all at risk if this can happen,” said Mark Flessner, one of Watson’s attorneys from the п¬Ѓrm Holland and Knight. “If there isn’t a procedure that allows citizens to be immediately released without any kind of due process it just points to the broken system.” Detainers were mistakenly placed on 834 US citizens and 28,489 permanent residents between 2008 and 2012, according to data from the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse run out of Syracuse University. About half the lawsuits brought by citizens against the government have been settled and the rest are pending, said Mark Fleming of the Chicagobased National Immigrant Justice Center and co-counsel representing Watson. More than 250 municipalities have passed ordinances to limit compliance with the federal de- tainer requests. The New York City Council earlier this month passed a bill mandating local police decline ICE detainer requests unless a federal judge issues a warrant. Watson moved to the US as a teenager and says he became a citizen in 2002 after his father was naturalised. His case languished in court before a federal judge appointed lawyers that fought for his release. Watson is suing individual ICE agents and the government for unspeciп¬Ѓed damages. Teenage girl who ran prostitution ring jailed AFP Ottawa A Senator Mitch McConnell (centre), Republican of Kentucky, is flanked by his wife Elaine Chao and fellow Senator Rand Paul during his victory celebration at a hotel in Louisville, Kentucky, on Tuesday. The veteran Senate minority leader defeated his Democrat opponent Alison Lundergan Grimes. paigned for fellow Republicans around the country, said the Senate results put the burden on Obama. “We need to get things done ... and put things on the president’s desk and make the president make some decisions,” Christie said on CBS This Morning. He cited tax reform, a national energy policy and job stimulation as pressing needs. A one-term senator before he became president, Obama has often been faulted for not developing closer relations with lawmakers, particularly with McConnell, who won a tough reelection battle against Democrat Alison Lundergan Grimes. McConnell will replace Democrat Harry Reid as Senate majority leader. Reid has been one of Obama’s top political allies and helped steer the president’s signature healthcare law through the Senate in 2010. “Some things don’t change after tonight. I don’t expect the president to wake up tomorrow and view the world any differently than he did when he woke up this morning. He knows I won’t either. But we do have an obligation to work together on issues where we can agree,” McConnell said in his victory speech in Louisville. In Tuesday’s rout, Republicans won in places where Democrats were favoured, pulled out victories where the going was tough and swept a number of governors’ races in states where Democrats were favored, including Obama’s home state of Illinois. Republicans needed six seats to win control of the 100-member Senate. By early on Wednesday, Republican candidates had picked up seven Democratic seats: Arkansas, Colorado, Iowa, Montana, North Carolina, South Dakota and West Virginia. Democrats had dominated Republicans in the Senate, 53-45 with two independents, going into the election but Republicans will now outnumber them 52-45 with two independents. Louisiana’s US Senate race will be decided in a Dec. 6 runoff. In the House, Republicans had held a 233-199 advantage before Tuesday’s vote. NBC News projected they would hold at least 244 seats and as many as 249 seats. The last time Republicans controlled both houses of Congress under a Democratic president was 1995-97 during Bill Clinton’s administration. Once the euphoria of their victory ebbs, Republicans will be under pressure to show Americans they are capable of governing after drawing scorn a year ago for shutting down the government in a budget п¬Ѓght. That will be a factor in their ambitions to take back the White House in 2016. Partisan battles could erupt over immigration reform, with Obama poised to issue executive actions by year’s end to defer deportations of some undocumented immigrants. Rocket blast probe Deceased legislator headed for re-election An incumbent Democratic state representative in Washington was headed for a decisive re-election victory yesterday even though he died last week, results indicate. Roger Freeman, a first-term representative from Federal Way, a city between Seattle and Tacoma, had 53% of the vote, compared to 46.9% for his Republican challenger, Jack Dovey. Freeman, 48, died last week after a battle with cancer. His death came after ballots were mailed to Washington voters, where all voting is done by mail. “This is extremely rare,” said Brian Zylstra, a spokesman for the secretary of state’s office. “But there are protocols in place.” Once all ballots are finalised in coming weeks, if Freeman wins the vote, Democrats still will hold on to his seat in the state House of Representatives, Zylstra said. Democrats in Freeman’s district, which spans two counties, will select three names for a temporary replacement and the King and Pierce County councils will vote to appoint one of those candidates to the seat for one year. Justices inclined to let п¬Ѓsherman off the hook Reuters Washington U This October 28 Nasa TV file photo shows the Orbital Sciences Corp Antares rocket, with the Cygnus spacecraft onboard as it suffers a catastrophic anomaly moments after launch from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport Pad 0A, at Nasa’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. Orbital Sciences Corp said yesterday a preliminary probe into last month’s unmanned rocket blast shows an engine failure was to blame for the explosion shortly after liftoff. The type of engines used to power the Antares rocket were a pair of decades-old Ukrainian-designed AJ-26s, that were refurbished by Aerojet Rocketdyne. teenage girl was jailed for six-and-a-half years on Tuesday for drugging and beating girls as young as 13 into prostitution in Canada’s capital Ottawa after luring them through social media. The 18-year-old ring leader was only 15 when she was arrested along with two other girls in 2012. She had faced a maximum sentence of three years under Canadian law for youths, but prosecutors took the rare step of asking that she be sentenced as an adult, which carries a much higher penalty. One of her accomplices was previously sentenced to three years in prison while the other is still awaiting sentencing. Acting on their own without adult guidance, the girls used social media to lure victims to a suburban Ottawa home where they would be encouraged or forced to take drugs, and then delivered up to adult clients. If they refused, they were threatened with violence and blackmail. One victim was forced kicking and screaming into a man’s car at a gas station. She escaped but was quickly caught and dragged back. Another’s clothes were ripped off in the basement of a house and she was photographed naked. The youngest victim’s mother dropped off her daughter at the home of one of the accused for a sleepover. The girl returned home distraught the next day, wearing makeup, heels and a trenchcoat that didn’t belong to her. The court heard that one of the accused would send photographs of a new recruit to prospective men from her cellphone, and if they agreed, she would send the girl by taxi to the man’s home to sell sex. Police eventually broke up the prostitution ring in June 2012 after one of the victims complained to her mother, who informed authorities. S Supreme Court justices expressed a desire yesterday to reel in the federal government for prosecuting a Florida п¬Ѓsherman under a whitecollar crime law for disposing of undersized red grouper п¬Ѓsh while he was under investigation. During a one-hour oral argument in the case, a majority of the court seemed inclined to rule in favour of п¬Ѓsherman John Yates. But it remained unclear how the justices would write such a ruling, with some not appearing to buy his arguments hook, line and sinker. Yates could have faced a 20-year prison sentence after being convicted under a records-keeping provision of the 2002 SarbanesOxley Act, passed by Congress to guard against corporate fraud of the sort committed by companies including Enron Corp and WorldCom Inc. He was ultimately sentenced to 30 days in prison. Several justices appeared concerned that the US Justice Department interpreted the law too broadly. It penalises the destruction, concealment or covering up of “any record, document or tangible object.” Justice Anthony Kennedy joked that if Congress had wanted the law to cover more than just white-collar fraud, it could have been called the “Sarbanes-OxleyGrouper Act.” The case began in August 2007 when officials measured п¬Ѓsh on Yates’s boat and found that 72 were smaller than permitted, violating federal п¬Ѓshing regulations. A crew member testiп¬Ѓed at trial that Yates ordered him to throw the undersized п¬Ѓsh overboard and replace them with larger ones. Yates later told officials they were the same п¬Ѓsh that had been inspected earlier. The justices were critical of the Justice Department’s decision to prosecute Yates. Justice Antonin Scalia wondered “what kind of mad prosecutor would try to send this guy up for 20 years?” 18 Gulf Times Thursday, November 6, 2014 ASEAN Festive celebration Witness: Slain reporter’s body exhumed AFP Yangon T Cambodian people watch fireworks during the first day of the three-day Water Festival in Phnom Penh yesterday. Cambodia restarted its annual water festival which is one of the main festivals people celebrate from November 5- 7, attracting thousands from other provinces of the country, after more than 350 people died in a stampede while millions were celebrating the end of the annual Water Festival in 2010. Suu Kyi says reforms in Myanmar вЂ�stalling’ AFP Yangon M yanmar’s reform process is “stalling”, opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi said yesterday, warning the US against over-optimism before a visit by President Barack Obama to the former pariah state. Suu Kyi, who has long looked to the West to bolster her efforts to promote democracy, voiced caution at the pace of reforms since the country began emerging in 2011 from almost a halfcentury of military rule. “There have been times when the US government has seemed over-optimistic about the reform process,” she told reporters at her National League for Democracy party (NLD) headquarters in Yangon. “This reform process started stalling early last year,” she said, adding that she would question whether any major positive changes had happened “in the last 24 months”. The Nobel laureate’s remarks come a week before she is due to hold talks with the US leader as part of his two-day visit to Myanmar for a regional summit. Obama, who is also scheduled to meet Myanmar’s former general turned-reformist leader Thein Sein, is likely to reiterate a call he made last week for “in- Myanmar’s pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi talks to reporters during a news conference at the National League for Democracy party head office in Yangon yesterday. clusive and credible” elections next year. Thein Sein’s quasi-civilian regime has earned international plaudits and the removal of most Western sanctions in return for reforms, including releasing most political prisoners and allowing Suu Kyi and her party into parliament. But the government has faced growing accusations that it has backtracked on rights issues in Pirate Bay co-founder to be extradited in a month Reuters Bangkok T hai police said yesterday the co-founder of the п¬Ѓlesharing website The Pirate Bay, who was arrested this week at the Laos border, would be extradited to Sweden to serve a jail term within the next month. Fredrik Neij, 36, is being questioned in the capital Bangkok after he was detained yesterday at a checkpoint in the northeastern town of Nong Khai. “A Swedish national was brought here today. He will be put in a detention room ... staff from the Swedish embassy will then interrogate him,” Police Lieutenant Colonel Nuttavuth Sangduen, deputy superintend- ent of Nong Khai Immigration, told Reuters. “It will take less than a month to extradite him.” Neij told reporters in Bangkok that his arrest was “expected” but did not offer any further explanation. The Pirate Bay, launched in 2003, provided links to music and movie п¬Ѓles that were stored on other users’ computers. Swedish subsidiaries of prominent music and п¬Ѓlm companies had taken The Pirate Bay to court claiming damages for lost revenue. Neij, who also goes by the alias “TiAmo”, is the last of the website’s founders to be detained after dodging a 2009 conviction for copyright violations along with three other site operators — Peter Sunde, Gottfried Warg and Carl Lundstrom. recent months, with journalists jailed in several high-proп¬Ѓle cases and dozens of activists arrested. Suu Kyi, who spent a total of 15 years under house arrest under junta rule, is due to contest the elections in October or November next year. But the veteran campaigner is currently barred from taking the presidency -- a position appointed by parliament -- because of a clause in the junta- drafted constitution. This bars anyone with a foreign spouse or children from taking the top political office —a provision widely thought to have been written speciп¬Ѓcally to thwart her political rise. Suu Kyi, 69, said she did not object to the clause because it blocks her political aspirations “but because it is intended to keep one particular citizen out of the presidency... a constitu- tion should not be written with one person in mind”. Her party this year gained around 5mn signatures on a petition to end the army’s veto on amending the charter. Parliament has agreed to discuss the possibility of changing several parts of the constitution -- including the provision that bars Suu Kyi -- in debates expected to coincide with Obama’s visit next week. A majority of more than 75% of parliament is currently required to change the constitution, however, and unelected soldiers effectively have the п¬Ѓnal say because they make up a quarter of the legislature. Suu Kyi said Myanmar’s reforms were not going in reverse. But she added that her historic meeting last week with Thein Sein and military top brass and other parties had fallen short of expectations. In a monthly speech published in state-backed media yesterday, Thein Sein acknowledged that Myanmar faced significant challenges, including holding next year’s polls as well as ending multiple conflicts in ethnic-minority border areas. But he urged all sectors to “find common solutions” to the problems in the fastchanging nation and work to create a “culture of dialogue”. he body of a journalist shot dead while in the Myanmar army’s custody has been exhumed and sent for an autopsy, a witness said yesterday, after his death sparked international concern. The powerful army issued a rare statement last month saying soldiers had shot Aung Naing in an insurgency-prone eastern border region, claiming he was a member of a rebel group who had tried to escape. His wife Thandar, who has vehemently denied the military version of events, travelled to Mon state where the body was buried to be present at the exhumation along with activists, local security forces and members of Myanmar’s Human Rights Commission. “The body was exhumed this afternoon and taken to Mawlamyein hospital,” said Nay Myo Zin, of the Myanmar Social Development Network who was present at the site. “It has not been destroyed but decomposed,” he said, adding that initial appearances suggested Aung Naing had been beaten. The US has urged a “transparent” investigation into the death, which comes as Myanmar is facing heat over a string of high-profile prosecutions of journalists. The country’s reform record is under increased scrutiny before a visit by US President Barack Obama and other world leaders for a regional summit next week. President Thein Sein has announced that the Human Rights Commission would investigate the shooting, although there were few details about the scope of the probe in a country where the military was long accustomed to impunity. Aung Naing was a former member of the democracy movement and acted as a security guard for opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi during mass protests in 1988. His wife said she had received a message of support from Suu Kyi, who is now an MP, expressing hope that the “truth be revealed”. Myanmar’s former junta handed out long jail sentences to journalists while choking off information with some of the world’s most draconian censorship rules. But reforms under a quasicivilian government have been hailed as the country opens up to the world after decades of isolation. Police suspect journo killed man then reported the murder Reuters Pekanbaru A n Indonesian journalist is suspected of murdering a man and then reporting news of the killing shortly afterwards, police said yesterday. Police arrested Edison Purba, a journalist covering crime for the Pekanbaruexpress.com website, last week along with two others suspected of the robbery and killing of a man after he withdrew money from a bank in Pekanbaru city on Sumatra island. “According to evidence, Edison was involved,” said Pekanbaru chief detective Hariwiyawan, adding that Purba had regularly contacted police for news about crime. Purba was believed to have returned to the scene of the killing to report on it, according to police and media. Pekanbaruexpress.com published his report along with a photograph Purba took of the victim lying on a blood-stained road. In the report, Purba identiп¬Ѓed the victim a s Mulyono, 35, but said the killer and motive were not known. Police arrested Edison and two other suspects after one of them turned himself in. “One of them didn’t get the money that was supposed to be split among them. That was why he confessed to the police,” Hariwiyawan said. INVESTIGATION Call to reopen tourist murder case Myanmar has asked Thai police to reopen their investigation into the murder of two British tourists due to concerns two Myanmar suspects were tortured into confessing, officials said yesterday. Two Myanmar suspects were arrested after confessing to the crimes but have since recanted their statements, saying they confessed only because they were tortured. Britons Hannah Witheridge, 23, and David Miller, 24, were killed on the Thai island of Koh Tao on September 15. The National Human Rights Council of Thailand (NHRC) has opened an official investigation into the allegations and found signs of possible physical abuse. Officials at the NHRC confirmed yesterday that multiple requests for hearings with relevant police were ignored by investigators, who said they “were busy” and had “other priorities.” The NHRC also confirmed that the two suspects’ parents have formally submitted a petition to the body to investigate the torture allegations. In response, the Myanmar embassy in Thailand submitted an official request to reopen the investigation. Malaysia, Netherlands press for access to MH17 site AFP Putrajaya T he leaders of Malaysia and the Netherlands vowed yesterday to keep pressing for access to the crash site of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 and bring to justice those responsible for downing the plane in Ukraine. Prime Minister Najib Razak met with his visiting counterpart Mark Rutte in Malaysia to discuss the Dutch-led investigation into the July 17 disaster, which killed 193 Netherlands citizens. Malaysia says 44 of its nationals also were among the 298 people aboard the Amsterdamto-Kuala Lumpur flight when it was brought down over strifetorn eastern Ukraine. “We agreed that the priority Malaysia’s Prime Minister Najib Razak addresses the media as the Netherlands Prime Minister Mark Rutte (left) looks on during a joint press conference at the prime minister’s office in Putrajaya yesterday. should be to recover the wreckage, so that experts can identify both the cause of the incident, and the parties responsible,” Najib told reporters during a joint press brieп¬Ѓng after their talks. Investigations have been hampered by problems accessing the crash site as clash- es continue nearby between Ukrainian government forces and pro-Russian separatists. Kiev and the West say the Boeing 777 was blown from the sky by separatist п¬Ѓghters using a surface-to-air missile supplied by Russia. Moscow strongly denies the charge and has suggested the plane was shot down by a Ukrainian fighter jet. “Malaysia is committed to bring the perpetrators of MH17 to justice, and we must do everything possible to ensure that justice is done,” Najib said. An initial report issued in September by Dutch investigators found MH17 was hit by multiple “high-energy” objects, apparently backing up the missile theory. The report did not apportion blame. The government of Russian President Vladimir Putin has been accused by the West of creating the conditions for the disaster through its support — which Moscow also denies — of the rebels, and obstructing the investigation. Najib said “we have preliminary knowledge (of what took place) but it has to be backed by solid evidence.” He did not elaborate. There have been calls for the case to be referred to the International Criminal Court. But Rutte, who flew to Malaysia aboard MH19 - the re-numbered former MH17 -- said culpability in the crash was still too unclear for that. Rutte has been vocal in his criticism of Russia’s lack of cooperation in the probe but both leaders refrained from harsh statements in the briefing. Gulf Times Thursday, November 6, 2014 19 AUSTRALASIA/EAST ASIA вЂ�SECTION 400’ PUT OFF FUNDING A HOSPITAL BIZARRE COMMUNITY EFFORT Atomic test site returned to Aboriginal owners France delays ruling on Sewol owner’s daughter Canberra to step up Ebola fight in western Africa More dead dogs found dumped in Japan river Helicopter and boats help shepherd stranded whales Defence land used by Britain to test atomic bombs was returned yesterday to its traditional Australian Aboriginal owners, with the area set to be developed as a tourist site. The handover of 1,782sq km to the Maralinga Tjarutja people was marked by a ceremony in the remote South Australian outback after it was excised from the Australian Defence Department’s Woomera training site. The land, called “Section 400” was used by the British government for secretly testing atomic bombs in the 1950s and 1960s. “The Maralinga Tjarutja people have waited far too long for this to become a reality,” Defence Minister David Johnston said in a statement. A French court yesterday delayed a decision over whether to extradite on embezzlement charges the daughter of the South Korean tycoon blamed for a ferry disaster that killed more than 300 people. Yoo Som-Na is wanted in South Korea on suspicion that she embezzled some 6mn euros ($7.5mn) from subsidiaries owned by the family company Chonghaejin Marine Co. South Korean authorities believe that the alleged embezzlement contributed to safety defects that led to the April disaster that claimed more than 300 lives. If extradited and convicted in South Korea, Yoo Som-Na faces up to 45 years behind bars. Australia will fund an Ebola treatment clinic in Sierra Leone, Prime Minister Tony Abbott said yesterday, responding to pressure from the US and others to do more to tackle the deadly outbreak at its West African source. Australia will provide A$20mn ($17.5mn) to staff a 100-bed treatment centre that will be built by Britain and run by Aspen Medical, a private Australian company. “We anticipate about 240 staff required to do the job,” Abbott told reporters in Sydney. Abbott’s government had raised concerns that any medical staff infected with the disease would not have access to treatment and would face a dangerous 30-hour evacuation flight home. Japanese officials said yesterday that the number of bodies in a bizarre dog dumping case had reached nearly 70 animals, days after police launched a criminal investigation. Authorities said they had found almost 30 more dead dogs, following the discovery last week of 40 canine corpses by a river in the eastern part of the country. The newly discovered bodies were mainly small breeds, such as Chihuahuas and Toy Poodles, a local police officer said. The site in Tochigi prefecture is some 20km from the original dumping site. “Police are investigating a possible link between the case today and last week,” the officer said. About 100 people, with help from Coastguard boats and a helicopter, refloated 21 pilot whales yesterday morning after a mass stranding on the east coast of New Zealand’s North Island, the Department of Conservation said. Spokesman Peter Huggins said up to 70 whales in two separate groups had entered the Ohiwa Harbour near the east coast city of Whakatane late on Tuesday. Twenty-five had died after stranding and a further 11 had been euthanised after they were found to be beyond rescue. The group was jubilant after the refloating saying, “We did it! Whales last seen heading to deeper water, massive community effort.” HK students plan to take democracy call to Beijing Reuters Hong Kong S tudents calling for full democracy for Chinese-ruled Hong Kong are hoping to take their protest to Communist Party rulers in Beijing and are expected to announce details of their new battle plan today. The plan signals a shift in the focus of the protests in the former British colony away from the Hong Kong government which has said it has limited room for manoeuvre. But China is highly unlikely to allow any known pro-democracy activists into Beijing, especially if the trip coincides with this weekend’s Asia-Paciп¬Ѓc Economic Cooperation (Apec) forum there. “I think one of the ways we can solve this problem is to go to Beijing personally and have a direct dialogue with Beijing officials on this matter since the (Hong Kong) government claims that all decisions have to be passed up to the NPC,” Alex Chow, leader of the Hong Kong Federation of Students (HKFS), said last week, referring to China’s parliament, the National People’s Congress. The protesters blocked key roads leading into three of Hong Kong’s most economically and politically important districts for weeks. The campaign drew well over 100,000 at its peak and hundreds remain camped out at the main protest site in the Admiralty district, home to government offices and next to the main п¬Ѓnancial district. The HKFS has not said whether its planned trip was to coincide with Apec, which would mean, if allowed, it would take place in front of an audience of world leaders. Another student leader, Nathan Law, said details would be revealed today. Hong Kong leader Leung Chunying signalled on Tuesday that a much-anticipated plan to link the Shanghai and Hong Kong stock markets had been delayed as a result of the protests and urged society to pull together to restore order in the city Man kills self over 200 hours in overtime every month A Japanese court has ordered a restaurant chain and two personnel to pay more than half a million dollars damages to the family of a man who killed himself after being forced to work nearly 200 hours overtime a month. Tokyo District Court said the president of Tokyo-based Sun Challenge, a steak house chain, and another official had been culpable in failing to stop the unidentified employee from working excessive hours. “With only one holiday given to him every several months, the psychological load of prolonged work and power harassment caused his mental disorder,” said presiding judge Akira Yamada, according to a Kyodo News report. Yamada ordered the company and its two officials to pay a total of 58mn yen ($510,000) to the parents of the man, who was 24 when he took his own life in November 2010. The employee began working for Sun Challenge in 2007 and was appointed restaurant manager in July 2009. In the seven months before he hanged himself, he had worked an average of 190 hours overtime every month and had taken just two days off. He had also been subjected to physical violence and verbal attacks by his supervisor. The ruling was “epoch-making”, a lawyer for the man’s parents told Kyodo, noting that unusually in a suicide claim, there had been no finding of comparable negligence on the part of the employee to offset the blame attached to the company. “This is a ruling that encourages workers suffering from prolonged work and power harassment,” the lawyer, who was not named, was quoted as saying. Japan’s culture of long working hours and unpaid overtime is regularly criticised as a leading cause of mental and physical illness among employees. The term “karoshi”, which means “death by overwork”, entered the lexicon a few years ago amid a surge in the number of people dying because of stress-related problems, or taking their own lives. Taiwan defence minister visits disputed Spratlys Protesters holding yellow umbrellas march towards the China liaison office in Hong Kong demanding the release of people arrested in mainland China for their support to the Hong Kong pro-democracy movement. China has ruled Hong Kong since 1997 through a “one country, two systems” formula which allows wide-ranging autonomy and freedoms not enjoyed on the mainland. The protesters are demanding fully-democratic elections for the city’s next chief executive in 2017, not the vote between pre-screened candidates that Beijing has said it will allow. A survey by Hong Kong University’s Public Opinion Programme on Tuesday showed that the HKFS has become the most popular political group in the city. Yesterday, Regina Ip, a former Hong Kong security chief and a top adviser to the city’s embattled leader proposed HKFS be given seats on the committee that nominates candidates for chief executive, broadcaster RTHK reported. Ip said the com- mittee should include young people and women and could cut back on agriculture and п¬Ѓsheries representatives, according to the report. Pro-Beijing groups have increasingly criticised the impact the protests are having on business. Data on business conditions in the city’s private sector economy released in the HSBC Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) show the strongest pace of deterioration in October in three years. The chairman of the pro-Beijing Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong, Tam Yiu-chung, said earlier this week he would help convey the students’ message to Beijing if they stopped occupying main roads, RTHK reported. Tam was also quoted as saying a trip by the students to Beijing during the Apec meeting would not be successful. T aiwan’s defence minister yesterday visited a disputed island in the South China Sea, the п¬Ѓrst such trip by a Taiwanese military chief for more than п¬Ѓve years, amid growing tensions in the region. Yen Ming, together with two legislators and several reporters, flew to Taiping, a Taiwanadministered island which is part of the Spratlys - a chain also claimed in whole or in part by China, Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines and Brunei. The defence ministry conп¬Ѓrmed the visit but declined to provide details. Yen inspected the coastguards guarding the island and called for peace, saying it was not Taiwan’s desire to spark tensions there, the state Central News Agency reported. Australians pay tribute to вЂ�visionary’ Whitlam AFP Sydney T A portrait of Gough Whitlam is placed outside the Sydney Town Hall. housands of mourners turned out yesterday for the memorial service of former leader Gough Whitlam, hailing him as a remarkable politician who helped shape modern Australia, including Prime Minister Tony Abbott who was booed. Abbott was joined by six former Australian leaders, Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Peter O’Neill, Hollywood star Cate Blanchett and almost 2,000 other dignitaries and members of the public for the service at Sydney’s Town Hall. Many more watched the proceedings on a large screen in front of the building, with the crowd cheering for past and present Labor leaders while heckling others from the ruling Liberal Party, most notably Abbott. Four air force jets marked the occasion in a brief flyover above Sydney’s central business district in the “missing man” formation. “The Whitlam touch is on us all. He touches us in our dayto-day lives, in the way we think about Australia, in the way we see the world,” said Graham Freudenberg, a close friend and former speech-writer for the Labor prime minister, who died last month aged 98. “He touches, still, the millions who share his vision for a more equal Australia, a more inde- Australians gather in tribute to former prime minister Gough Whitlam at a memorial service at Sydney’s Town Hall. pendent, inclusive, generous and tolerant Australia, a nation conп¬Ѓdent of its future in our region and the world.” Although Whitlam was in power for only three years - from 1972 to 1975 - before being controversially sacked, he launched sweeping reforms of the nation’s economic and cultural affairs. Academy Award winner Blanchett spoke of how some of Whitlam’s reforms, including free tertiary education and healthcare, helped her pursue a career as an actress. “I was but three when he passed by but I shall be grateful till the day I die,” Blanchett said. “The effect on the geo-cultural, political map of Australia made by Gough Whitlam is so vast that wherever you stick a pin in you get a wealth of Gough’s legacy.” Aboriginal leader Noel Pearson also hailed Whitlam’s achievements, adding that they might never be repeated again by modern-day governments “whose priorities are to retain power rather than reform”. Whitlam’s oldest son, Tony, a former politician and judge, said his family was greatly touched by the outpouring of affection and respect from the public. On Monday, a message of condolence to Whitlam’s family from Pope Francis was read out at a memorial mass in Rome, The Sydney Morning Herald said. Whitlam established diplomatic relations with the Vatican in 1973. 20 Gulf Times Thursday, November 6, 2014 BRITAIN PEOPLE PROPOSAL LEGAL CRIME ENTERTAINMENT Pippa вЂ�set to land NBC Today spot’ Call for tougher checks to prevent taxi sex attacks Journalist sues Ireland over French murder case Two men arrested over вЂ�hate crime’ BBC defends Doctor Who storyline The Duchess of Cambridge’s sister Pippa Middleton is about to become a correspondent for NBC’s Today show, according to reports. Pippa, 31, is said to be taking part in a test shoot in Utah before being signed up for regular reports for the US programme on subjects such as lifestyle and health, according to the New York Post’s Page Six site. The party planner, who was propelled into the spotlight thanks to the royal wedding in 2011, gave her first ever television interview to the show in June in a chat with journalist Matt Lauer. Pippa, who is a columnist for Waitrose, discussed the difficulties of her new-found fame and described her nephew Prince George as “a very dear boy.” Ministers called for local authorities to ensure enhanced security checks are carried out on cab drivers to protect passengers from sex attacks. Transport minister Baroness Kramer is writing to Transport for London and town halls across the country urging them to make “full use” of new powers to probe the background of individuals applying for taxi licences. “People need to feel safe when using a taxi or private hire vehicle,” she told The Standard. “We have made it easier for local authorities to carry out checks on people who want to drive taxis or private hire vehicles. These checks should ensure that violent and sexual criminals aren’t allowed behind the wheel of a taxi.” An Irish court yesterday began hearing the highprofile case of a British journalist suing Ireland for wrongful arrest over the murder of a French woman in a remote spot in 1996. Sophie Toscan du Plantier, the 39-year-old wife of a celebrated French film producer, was found beaten to death at her holiday home in County Cork in southwest Ireland. Briton Ian Bailey, a former freelance journalist who has long lived in Ireland near the home where she was staying, was twice arrested for questioning but was never charged. The civil case for damages is being heard in the High Court in Dublin before judge John Hedigan. Bailey was in court for the start of the proceedings. Police have arrested two men suspected of carrying out a homophobic attack while wearing pink tutus on Halloween night. Robert Kingsford, 21, was beaten as he tried to protect his 18-yearold friend who was being punched in Surbiton, Surrey, in the early hours of Saturday morning. Kingsford suffered severe cuts and bruises, black eyes and swollen lips after being kicked and stamped on the floor. His father, Brian, appealed for help to catch the culprits by posting a picture of his son in hospital on Facebook. Scotland Yard said two men, both aged 26, were arrested on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm and common assault. The BBC has defended the dark themes of its most recent Doctor Who storyline after complaints from some viewers. The November 1 edition of the show - the first of a two-part climax to the series - saw the Doctor - played by Peter Capaldi - and sidekick Clara Oswald (Jenna Coleman) caught up in a plot dealing with the afterlife, which then led into an invasion of earth by the Cybermen. In a response to the complaints, the BBC said it was stated within the episode that some of theories about the afterlife could be “distressing”. And it said the themes were considered to be “appropriate”. Landlord under п¬Ѓre for racist pub party Charles turns вЂ�prince of twirls’ London Evening Standard London A landlord was at the centre of a race row yesterday after hosting a Ku Klux Klanthemed Halloween party at his Brixton pub. Simon Tickner blacked-up in a witch doctor costume and was paraded around the Queens Head by a black partygoer dressed in a Klansman’s outп¬Ѓt, who was also pictured giving an apparent Nazi salute. When a woman complained on Facebook that the party was inappropriate, she received an obscene response, apparently from the pub’s account. Photographs of the event went viral on Twitter as locals condemned the party. Yesterday Lee Jasper, the race relations campaigner, joined a growing chorus of criticism. But Tickner, 45, was unrepentant about the event. He said he was planning to give up the lease on the pub in Stockwell Road, adding: “It was one hell of a party.” Nisha Damji, a PR worker, was horriп¬Ѓed when photographs from the party appeared on her Facebook timeline. She said: “Because I was friends on Facebook with the Queens Head they were able to see the conversation I was having with my friends about it. “The response I received was beyond shocking. I was threatened with sexual violence and called names.” Pub-goers hit out at the “racism” and “misogyny” online yesterday, while Jasper told the Standard the party was “beyond the pale”. He added: “This isn’t the Fifties era of вЂ�no blacks and no Irish’ — they have totally misjudged the climate of modern Brixton.” Jabeer Butt, deputy chief executive of the Race Equality Foundation, said: “It’s shocking. The people saying вЂ�a black person dressing up makes it okay’ are wrong too.” Tickner said he was “not interested” in the criticism. He added: “The whole point of this place is that it’s inclusive. It was a party where 75% of guests were black and no one complained.” Arrivals are better educated than British workforce Guardian News and Media London E The Prince of Wales was more than happy to give traditional dancing a whirl as he visited Campeche in Mexico — although he looked a little relieved when it was over. Prince Charles, in a beige suit, twirled a handkerchief above his head as he took part in the dance, known as a Sarao Campechano. Dancer Carlos Javier Zamorano, 20, praised the prince’s footwork, saying : “Even though he doesn’t know the steps his dancing was really good — he tried, that’s the most important thing. I’m surprised he did it. If he had more practice he would be very good.” Plan to cut London arts funding attacked London Evening Standard London B ritish cultural life will be damaged if funding is cut in London, arts leaders said yesterday in a п¬Ѓghtback against calls to divert cash to the regions. Leading п¬Ѓgures warned that London’s role as a global capital of culture could be threatened by “simplistic” calls from MPs to “re-balance” spending. The culture select committee yesterday published a report calling for “a clear arts funding imbalance in favour of London” to be rectiп¬Ѓed both in terms of Arts Council grants and in the distribution of Lottery funds. Mayor Boris Johnson said the report had reignited the “overly simplistic вЂ�London vs the Regions’ debate” based on “spurious calculations”. He added: “London is one of the great world cities for culture, attracting visitors in the millions, which helps generate EU migrants add ВЈ20bn to economy, claims study billions for the economy of the whole country. Sacriп¬Ѓcing this particular golden goose for a bit of glib London-bashing will do little to improve cultural provision in the regions and would be an act of sabotage for one of our country’s greatest assets.” Peter Bazalgette, chairman of the Arts Council, said the division of spending should be adjusted but it was important to recognise how much national organisations based in London were doing across the country — and how many of them, such as English National Ballet, did most of their work elsewhere. He added: “London is now the world capital of culture. If you have a centre of excellence, you don’t damage it.” Nicholas Hytner, director of the National Theatre, said the Arts Council should focus on п¬Ѓnding alternative sources of funding for regional arts groups rather than “draining” more cash from national organisations. The National Theatre has suf- fered a 25% cut in grants since 2010 yet its nationwide audience is far bigger. “More people now see the NT per year in their local theatres and cinemas regionally than see the NT on the South Bank in London,” Hytner said. Alex Beard, chief executive of Royal Opera House, said it supported fair public funding for regional arts, but added that the investment in London “continues to bring other beneп¬Ѓts to the UK economy through tourism and host of related industries”. Marcus Davey, chief executive of the Roundhouse, said they had partners across the country as well as internationally and none of them wanted the position of London weakened. Figures outside London also leapt to its defence. Alex Poots, artistic director of the Manchester International Festival, said some of their most valued partners were in the capital. “The thriving arts scene in Manchester is good for London, and vice versa,” he said. uropean migrants to the UK are not a drain on Britain’s п¬Ѓnances and pay out far more in taxes than they receive in state beneп¬Ѓts, a new study has revealed. The research by two leading migration economists at University College also reveals that Britain is uniquely successful, even more than Germany, in attracting the most highly skilled and highly educated migrants in Europe. The study, the Fiscal Impact of Immigration to the UK, published in the Economic Journal, reveals that more than 60% of new migrants from western and southern Europe are now university graduates. The educational levels of east Europeans who come to Britain are also improving with 25% of recent arrivals having completed a degree compared with 24% of the UK-born workforce. It says that European migrants made a net contribution of ВЈ20bn to UK public п¬Ѓnances between 2000 and 2011. Those from the original 15 EU countries, including France, Germany, Italy and Spain, contributed 64% – ВЈ15bn more in taxes than they received in welfare – while east European migrants contributed 12%, equivalent to ВЈ5bn more. The research by UCL’s cen- Star turnout tre for research and analysis of migration was undertaken to “fill the void” in the debate on immigration in which the contribution of unrestricted migration from within the EU has become the centre of intense political and public concern. Prof Christian Dustmann, co-author of the study and director of the centre, said: “A key concern of the public debate on migration is whether immigrants contribute their fair share to the tax and welfare systems. Our new analysis draws a positive picture of the overall fiscal contribution made by recent immigrant cohorts, particularly of immigrants arriving from the EU.” The study shows that not only are European migrants more highly educated than the UKborn workforce but they are less likely to be in receipt of state benefits He said that the educational qualiп¬Ѓcations of new migrants to Britain, especially from western and southern Europe, was now extraordinarily high and higher than any other EU country. He said the UK would have had to spend ВЈ6.8bn on education to build up the same level of “human capital”. The study shows that not only are European migrants more highly educated than the UK-born workforce but they are less likely to be in receipt of state beneп¬Ѓts – 43% less likely among migrants in the Hawk training memoir п¬Ѓrst to win top prize AFP London T Actress Gwendoline Christie attends the Harper’s Bazaar Women of the Year awards at Claridge’s Hotel in London. past decade – and more likely to be in employment. They are 7% less likely to live in social housing. The report was criticised as being “shallow” by David Green of the centre-right thinktank, Civitas. He said that by focusing on taxes and beneп¬Ѓts, the report had missed out some vital costs. “People who migrate tend to be young, better educated and energetic. They make good employees here but they are a loss to their own country. If other European countries fail to prosper because their brightest and best have travelled to the UK, we are all worse off,” he said. Green added that the survey also disregarded the waste of human capital involved in too many university migrants working as baristas or waiters. The Conservative Immigration Minister James Brokenshire, responding to the UCL report, said: “Since 2010, we have reformed beneп¬Ѓts, healthcare and housing rules to make them among the tightest in Europe and we continue to see an increase in the number of British citizens in work. In the past, the majority of growth in employment was taken up by foreign nationals; in the last year, three-quarters of it was accounted for by UK nationals. “We are creating a system that is fair to British citizens and those who want to come here legitimately and contribute to our national life, but which is tough on those who flout the rules.” he story of a historian’s experience training a hawk while recovering from her father’s death became the п¬Ѓrst memoir ever to win Britain’s prestigious Samuel Johnson Prize. H is for Hawk by Cambridge university historian Helen Macdonald, 43, was the favourite to win the ВЈ20,000 prize for nonп¬Ѓction. The п¬Ѓrst memoir to win the prize in its 15-year history, the book is an account of Macdonald’s grief over her father’s unexpected death and decision to train a young goshawk, Mabel, a pursuit that came to dominate her life. Macdonald “has written a book unlike any other, about an obsession with a wild creature, brought to life in prose sometimes technical and always striking,” said chair of the judging panel Claire Tomalin. “Writing about wildlife and the environment has never been better or better informed than this.” The book is interwoven with a biography of troubled novelist T H White, author of the Arthurian series The Once and Future King, who wrote his own account decades earlier about his struggle to train a hawk. “She is a conjuring trick. A reptile. A griffon from the pages of an illuminated bestiary. Something bright and distant, like gold falling through water,” Macdonald wrote of her п¬Ѓrst glimpse of the hawk Mabel when she bought her from a breeder. “In a way, Mabel kept me in the world, but it was a very strange world. I was becoming less and less human because I spent so much time with her,” the author told Cambridge News. The prize is open to non-п¬Ѓction categories such as autobiography, current affairs, history, politics, science, sport, and travel. Also shortlisted for this year’s prize were a biography of British politician Roy Jenkins by John Campbell; The Iceberg, a memoir by artist Marion Coutts; slavery history The Empire of Necessity by Greg Grandin; Alison Light’s family history Common People; and Village Of Secrets: Defying The Nazis In Vichy France by Caroline Moorehead. Gulf Times Thursday, November 6, 2014 21 BRITAIN PEOPLE OFFBEAT TREND ENTERTAINMENT CORPORATE Cumberbatch announces engagement in advert Cameron seeks 24-hour sugar ban Poll boost for Labour in marginal Husband surprises Mel B with ВЈ20,000 ring вЂ�No fixed fee’ remittance service launched British actor Benedict Cumberbatch announced his engagement the oldfashioned way yesterday - by placing a notice in The Times newspaper. The 38-year-old star of Sherlock and The Imitation Game is to marry British theatre director Sophie Hunter, 36. The couple have reportedly been dating for several months. Cumberbatch is one of Britain’s most successful actors, known for playing complicated but brilliant figures such as super-sleuth Sherlock Holmes and computing pioneer Alan Turing. The announcement threatens to break the hearts of many of his devoted fans. David Cameron is to enter negotiations with his three children to secure a 24-hour sugar and fizzy drink ban in Number 10. The prime minister did not disclose when the Downing Street showdown with Nancy, Elwen and Florence will occur, although he has previously spoken of his battle to stop the trio drinking too much Coke. The challenge has been made to Cameron by Labour’s Keith Vaz, who is waging a “war on sugar”. He urged the PM to raise awareness of diabetes and introduce measures to cut sugar levels in food and drink. Speaking at Prime Minister’s Questions, Cameron told the Commons that the consequences of diabetes cost the NHS “literally billions of pounds a year”. Labour is on track to take more key marginal seats from the Tories at the next general election, according to a poll. Research by Lord Ashcroft in 12 Conse rvative-held constituencies found Ed Miliband’s party is set to win nine of them. The study looked at seats where the MP had a majority of between 4.8% and 7.1% - including Northampton North, Worcester, Keighley, Cannock Chase and Croydon Central. It found the Tories would currently hang on in just three of them - Kingswood, Blackpool North & Cleveleys, and Loughborough. The results come after a previous round of polling suggested Tories would lose nine out of 11 seats where they had smaller majorities. Former Spice girl Mel B’s husband surprised her by upgrading her wedding ring to a new ВЈ20,000 diamond ring. The 39-year-old star, who married Stephen Belafonte in 2007, has daughter Madison with him. And Belafonte had vowed to renew the band every three years. Mel got the new diamond ring this weekend. “My husband turned up on Sunday and I thought something was wrong and then he just handed me this massive sparkler of a ring. “I thought, it’s so big, it’s so gorgeous, I absolutely love it,” dailymirror. co.uk quoted her as saying. Talking further about the surprise, The X Factor judge said: “He’s very sweet. Every couple of years he gets me an upgrade”. A London-based entrepreneur has launched a “pay-what-you-want” money remittance service. The brainchild of India-born Rajesh Agrawal, Xendpay online international money transaction platform could save customers in the developing world a whopping ВЈ60mn over the next five years. “Xendpay is now potentially the first genuinely no fees international money transfer service to bank accounts, offering you the best exchange rates usually only available to multinational corporations, without compromising on transfer times or reliability,” said the website of the money transfer service. The users of the service can pay what they think the service is worth. Killers вЂ�framed Dewani after ransom plot went awry’ Defence barrister says taxi driver told a fellow inmate that Anni Dewani was shot by accident in quarrel between her captors Guardian News and Media London A nni Dewani was killed in a bungled kidnap and ransom plot after which her killers framed her husband for murder, the trial of Shrien Dewani has been told. Rather than being deliberately targeted for assassination as the prosecution claims, the newlywed bride was shot by accident as her captors argued over whether to rape her, the defendant’s barrister claimed in court. When Anni’s killers realised their mistake, they discussed changing their plan to blackmail by threatening to blame Dewani for the killing unless he paid them. But, having received advice that this was unlikely to work, the gangsters chose instead to cut deals with the South African prosecution service by which they would beneп¬Ѓt from accusing the Briton. The prosecution claimed that Anni Dewani was shot by accident as her captors argued This alternative account of Anni Dewani’s murder in November 2010 was revealed during crossexamination of Zola Tongo, the South African taxi driver who has admitted murder and testiп¬Ѓed for the prosecution as part of a plea bargain deal. Dewani’s barrister Francois van Zyl said he would call as a witness - a convicted criminal named Bernard Mitchell - who claims to have struck up a conversation with Tongo in prison. Van Zyl said Mitchell had been held in a cell not far from Tongo’s in Cape Town’s Malmesbury prison around a year after Anni’s murder. The two men got talking in the prison’s shower block and Tongo allegedly disclosed that Anni had been shot by accident, Van Zyl told Cape Town’s high court. He told Tongo: “Mitchell asked you to tell him whether it was true what he heard people say about the Dewani murder. You did not want to talk, but he convinced you that you could trust him. He asked: why was the woman killed? She was such a pretty girl. Why didn’t they just rape her?” It was at this point, Van Zyl told the court, that Tongo “explained that the plan was to kidnap (Anni) and to hold her hostage but that the whole plan went off the rails. “When your accusers were on the way with her to the place where they wanted to hold her hostage, one of them wanted to rape her. A quarrel ensued and she was shot.” According to Van Zyl’s account of Mitchell’s evidence, Tongo expressed the view that by killing Anni the bungling hijackers had “jeopardised the whole plan”. So the gang adapted their tactics and discussed whether to blackmail Dewani by “threatening him that if he doesn’t pay you the money, you will tell the police that he asked you to kill his wife. “Mitchell said you told him that you were advised this was a stupid plan and that it would be better to frame Dewani – to tell the police that it was Dewani who asked you to kill his wife to take the spotlight off you and the others.” Van Zyl said Mitchell claimed Tongo told him that while the world thought Dewani had killed his wife of two weeks, the reality was that he had “done nothing”. Tongo rejected the defence’s account of the shower-room confession as “nonsense and lies” concocted by someone who “saw this on television”. Anni Dewani was shot once in the neck after the taxi she and her husband were travelling in was hijacked as it passed through the Cape Town township of Gugulethu on November 13, 2010. Passengers flee in panic as bus burns Terrified passengers fled a packed double-decker bus moments before it was engulfed by flames on a busy high street. A police officer on patrol was praised for averting a possible tragedy when he flagged down the bus in Wallington, south London, after spotting smoke coming from a rear wheel arch. The driver pulled up and passengers were led to safety as the rear of the 157 from Morden to Crystal Palace was engulfed by flame at 2pm on Tuesday. Witnesses said that just minutes later a “massive explosion” shattered the bus windows and sent debris flying. Calls grow for poppies exhibition to be extended London Evening Standard London P ressure was growing yesterday for the breathtaking ceramic poppy п¬Ѓeld at the Tower of London to be kept longer as massive crowds rush to see it. With thousands pressing to glimpse the exhibition, created for the centenary of World War I, the Evening Standard has learned that Mayor Boris Johnson called royal palace chiefs to beg for it to run an extra week or two. “The poppy п¬Ѓeld at the Tower is Capital faces shortage of skilled workers: study London Evening Standard London V ital London infrastructure and housing building projects worth tens of billions of pounds are in jeopardy because of a crippling shortage of skilled workers, a report warned yesterday. Armies of trained bricklayers, electricians, plumbers and carpenters are needed to prevent huge costly delays to flagship schemes across the capital, it said. The study, co-authored by consultants KPMG and the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry, estimates that around 605,000 skilled workers will be needed on building sites by April 2015 to complete planned projects in London and the south-east. These include more than 50,000 construction managers, 66,000 carpenters and woodп¬Ѓtters, 41,000 plumbers and 40,000 electricians. Richard Threlfall, UK head of infrastructure, building and construction at KPMG, said: “Unless action is taken now, our housing targets will be missed and infrastructure projects delayed.” As well as huge new housing developments, such as those at Battersea Power Station and Earl’s Court, the workers are also needed to build infrastructure projects such as Crossrail and the Thames “supersewer” tunnel. The biggest construction boom in decades will require more than 29,000 newly qualiп¬Ѓed workers being hired by the industry each year up to 2017, but less than half that level are currently being trained. The report, called Skills to Build, partly blames schools and career advisers for fostering “negative perceptions” of jobs in construction trades. The shortage is also driving up the cost of hiring skilled workers, adding millions to construction bills. As a result bricklayers are reportedly earning more than ВЈ100,000 a year while carpenters are charging up to ВЈ200 a shift. Don O’Sullivan, managing director of London developers Galliard Homes, said labour rates had surged by between 10% and 20% since the summer of last year, with bricklayers seeing the biggest increases of all. Over the same period, average earnings for all workers have risen by little more than 1%. As many as 400,000 workers in the industry were laid off during the recession, many moving abroad to look for employment in a huge “brawn drain”. Another 400,000 are due to retire over the next п¬Ѓve to 10 years. Colin Stanbridge, the chief executive of LCCI, said: “Our members have long spoken to us about their difficulties recruiting sufficiently skilled workers. The detailed п¬Ѓndings of this report highlight how grave skills shortages are in the construction sector, with signiп¬Ѓcant deficits of capable workers across numerous trades and professions.” a unique and poignant focus of remembrance in this centenary year,” the mayor told the Standard. “It has grown rapidly in popularity, to such an extent that it is now a global visitor attraction. “I’m keen to explore whether we can keep the exhibition open for longer, to give as many people as possible the chance to see something so incredible, while easing the pressure on numbers.” But Historic Royal Palaces, the agency which runs the Tower of London, intends to start dismantling the installation in exactly a week on November 12 — the day after Armistice Day. A spokes- woman said an extension was “unlikely” and the exhibition’s transient nature was part of the artists’ intention to illustrate the frailty of lives lost in the war. A team of 8,000 volunteers has been lined up to start removing and cleaning poppies and then to dispatch them to buyers who have paid ВЈ25 each, raising ВЈ11.2mn for six services charities. Johnson also spoke to Michael Day, the chief executive of Historic Royal Palaces. A source said: “It may be a battle to keep the poppy п¬Ѓeld open but the public demand to see it is overwhelming. “The mayor thinks a fantas- Campari Calendar tic job has been done but does not want people to miss out and wants to keep crowds safe.” The installation, by Paul Cummins and Tom Piper, features 888,246 ceramic poppies — one for each British life lost in the 1914-1918 conflict. It opened on August 5 and was visited by the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh — but as the spreading sea of red neared completion it caught the public’s imagination more than ever. Visitors were last week asked to delay their trips due to high levels of congestion during school halfterm, while Tower Hill Tube sta- Car crash sparks п¬Ѓght involving 25 men London Evening Standard London P French actress Eva Green poses during the presentation of the 2015 Campari calendar in Shoreditch, central London, yesterday. Eva Green is the face of this new edition entitled вЂ�Mythology Mixology’ featuring photographs by Julia Fullerton-Batten. Only 9,999 copies are printed. tion was closed last weekend for planned line upgrades. Johnson fears that crowds will become a torrent as people become more aware of the exhibition and realise that there is a strict deadline before it disappears forever. Special safety barriers have already had to be erected to stop people leaning over to see the poppies from the queues. City Hall officials say public safety could have been endangered but for a routine maintenance closure of Tower Hill underground station, which slowed the crowds down. olice were yesterday questioning four men after a brawl involving around 25 people erupted following a car crash in a busy shopping street. The п¬Ѓght broke out as rescue workers treated the driver and two teenage girls, who had to be cut free from the wreckage of a black Audi. Witnesses said the car smashed into traffic lights and rebounded across Sydenham Road after apparently swerving to avoid on oncoming motorcycle at 8.20pm on Tuesday night. A second car was also involved in the collision. The two female passengers were taken to hospital but their injuries were not serious. Police officers called to the scene were forced to intervene as several groups began п¬Ѓghting after a clash between two men caught up in the accident outside Selim’s Kebab House. The owner of a nearby restaurant said: “There was a loud bang and I saw two girls being treated by the ambulance men. Then it just kicked off, with people shouting and punches being thrown. I locked the doors and locked my customers inside.” Another witness said: “It all became very heated afterwards and both sides over-reacted. I saw people being detained and taken away.” Four men were arrested on suspicion of affray and assaulting police. No one was seriously hurt. Witnesses said a motorcyclist who caused the driver of the car to swerve had been targeted for allegedly causing the smash. Chris Newman, 26, who was sitting in a restaurant opposite, told the Standard: “We heard a loud bang and I looked up to see the car sliding across the street with its wheels missing. It was a big crash and a big impact. “The driver was out in the street saying вЂ�did you see what he did?’ I don’t know what he was talking about but it seemed like it might have been the motorcyclist who made him swerve. “The Audi was completely written off and parts of the car were strewn all over the four lanes of the junction. 22 Gulf Times Thursday, November 6, 2014 EUROPE RADICALISED RECKLESS CONSTRUCTION SYMBOL OF IMPUNITY CRACKDOWN GLOBAL EFFORTS 16-year-old Dutch girl held on way to join Islamic State Italy floods hit agriculture amid claims of neglect Controversial son of Putin’s top ally dies Pope sacked official for вЂ�selling’ annulments Top EU officials to visit Ebola-hit west Africa A 16-year-old Dutch girl allegedly on her way to Syria has been intercepted by Hungarian police. The girl was on a train from the Hungarian capital Budapest to Belgrade in Serbia on October 29 when police stopped her because she had forged documents, Hungary’s CounterTerrorism Centre (TEK) said. “Our data showed that the Dutch citizen of Moroccan descent was in constant contact with social media sites run by Islamist extremists for propaganda and recruitment purposes,” TEK said in a statement. Dutch authorities had registered the 16-year-old as missing, and suspected she wanted to join the Islamic State group in Syria, according to TEK. Floods coursed yesterday through Italy, damaging agriculture and reviving a controversy over environmental neglect. Italy’s agricultural heartland in the fertile north was particularly heavily hit by the flooding. National agriculture association CIA said mud and water had destroyed orchards and vineyards in the regions of Tuscany, Liguria and Veneto. Near Milan, heavy rain swelled the Po River by almost 2m in 24 hours, farmers’ association Coldiretti said. Italy’s unstable, mountainous landscape leaves it vulnerable to flooding and landslides, a problem long made worse the abandonment of farmland and reckless construction. The eldest son of President Vladimir Putin’s chief of staff, who held a senior banking post but became a symbol of impunity among the Russian elite, has died, his employer said yesterday. The 37-year-old deputy chairman of state development bank VEB, Alexander Ivanov, achieved notoriety in 2005 when he killed an elderly woman with his car in Moscow, but was cleared of all charges. The LifeNews website, known for its close links to the authorities, said Ivanov was swimming in the sea in the United Arab Emirates with his daughter and drowned as he tried to save her in high waves. Pope Francis revealed yesterday that he had sacked a church court official who had been caught offering to facilitate marriage annulments for cash. The shock revelation came in candid remarks to students attending a course at the Roman Rota tribunal, the equivalent of the Supreme Court for canon law, the body of Church rules. “We have to be very careful that the procedure does not become a kind of business - and I am not talking about something we know nothing about,” the 78-year-old Pope said. “Some time ago, I had to dismiss from a tribunal someone who was saying вЂ�for $10,000 I will do both the civil and the ecclesiastical procedure’.” Senior EU officials will travel next week to west Africa to see how to improve and coordinate European efforts in fighting the deadly Ebola virus. Ebola coordinator Christos Stylianides and Health Commissioner Vytenis Andriukaitis will visit Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea from November 12 to November 16, the European Commission said yesterday. The new European Commission headed by Jean-Claude Juncker discussed the Ebola epidemic - which Stylianides said requires a coordinated European response when it held its first meeting yesterday. “Affected countries have few skilled staff. They badly need reinforcements,” Stylianides said. Start-up nibbles huge halal food market with test for pork content AFP Paris A Relatives stand in front of wreaths and graves of Ukrainian soldiers at the Lychakiv cemetery in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv. Ukraine peace plan hangs by a thread AFP Kiev T he ceaseп¬Ѓre in Ukraine hung by a thread yesterday after President Petro Poroshenko accused proRussian rebels of endangering the peace process and ordered troop reinforcements to eastern cities. In another sign of how far apart the two sides are drifting, Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk announced he was cutting the rebel-held Donetsk and Lugansk regions off from central government subsidies, so as not to п¬Ѓnance “terrorists.” Artillery explosions could be heard early yesterday around the airport in Donetsk, where Ukrainian soldiers have been holding out for weeks against surrounding separatist forces. Following salvos of Grad multiple rockets and cannon п¬Ѓre, black smoke rose from the nearby government-held village of Peski. Two soldiers were killed and nine wounded in the past 24 hours that saw “intensiп¬Ѓed” shooting incidents, Ukrainian military spokesman Andriy Lysenko said. “Also, the delivery of signiп¬Ѓcant amounts of military hardware and personnel from Russia to territory controlled by rebels hasn’t stopped,” the spokesman said, reiterating constant allegations denied by Moscow - that Russia is п¬Ѓghting on the rebel side. Ceaseп¬Ѓre observers representing government forces, rebels, Russia and the European security body OSCE met in Donetsk, but there was little immediate detail available about the results of the talks. But the already tattered truce, which was signed September 5, has looked ever more fragile since rebels deп¬Ѓed the government Sunday and held leadership elections that they described as legitimising their two self-declared independent states. Ukrainian authorities say they are preparing for the worst, following rebel threats to expand their territory. Poroshenko said late on Tuesday he had ordered troop reinforcements to cities across the east to guard against a “possible offensive in the direction of Mariupol, Berdyansk, Kharkiv and Lugansk.” “We are obliged as the Ukrainian state not to allow the spread of this cancerous tumour, to ensure the blockade of this territory,” he said at a meeting with defence chiefs. “Today, several new units and groupings have been formed, which will already allow us to stop any possible attack,” Poroshenko said. “The supplying of our armed forces with the very latest technology - offensive, reconnaissance, guided systems - is continuing quite effectively.” Russia said it “respected” the rebel elections, but Kiev, the European Union and US all said that the polls had badly damaged the peace process, which was based on giving rebel areas autonomy, not independence. Reflecting EU concerns, new European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker said yesterday that Kiev will be his п¬Ѓrst trip outside the European Union. Addressing the meeting of defence ofп¬Ѓcials, Poroshenko said that in the wake of what he called “pseudo” elections, he was asking parliament to rescind the law offering autonomy to the rebels, who are based around Donetsk and Lugansk. The separatists adopted a conciliatory tone, saying that they were ready to try and resurrect the peace process. “We are prepared to work on a new version of the agreement,” said the selfdeclared Donetsk and Lugansk people’s republics in an unusual joint statement. But Yatsenyuk likewise signalled the government was taking a tougher line, announcing an end to subsidies for the eastern regions. “We don’t want to п¬Ѓnance imposters and conmen,” he said. “As soon as the terrorists clear out of there and we get back the territory, then we will pay every person the welfare payments they have the right to.” “To pay today is to directly п¬Ѓnance terrorism,” he said. “The terrorists should get out of this territory and Russia should stop supporting them.” Gas and power supplies will continue, he said. “Our citizens are on this territory and the government will not allow these people to freeze, because this would lead to humanitarian catastrophe.” Ukraine’s small army has been badly mauled during the more than half-year of battles. Nato chief Jens Stoltenberg said on Tuesday in Brussels that Russia continues to arm, train and support the rebels, with special forces inside Ukraine and more troops detected moving troops along the border. Analysts say the Ukrainian government’s biggest fear is the threat of an offensive by Russian-backed separatists to capture Mariupol and then push along the coast to establish a land corridor linking Russia to Crimea - another Ukrainian region, which was invaded and annexed by Russia in March. French start-up is hoping to take a slice of the multi-billion dollar halal food market with a device allowing diners to п¬Ѓnd out within minutes whether a dish contains pork. Capital Biotech has received orders from as far aп¬Ѓeld as Turkey, Chile and Indonesia for its вЂ�Halal Test’ which tests within 10 minutes whether a food contains pork meat, forbidden for Muslims and Jews. Launched only a fortnight ago, the company has won nearly 100,000 euros ($135,000) in orders, a “surprise” according to co-founder Jean-Francois Julien. The company acknowledges that the test, a one-use device costing 6.90 euros, does not constitute a complete вЂ�halal’ test, which also requires information about how the animal was slaughtered. But it “allows you to dispel a one-off doubt, for example when you are on holiday or when a new halal product hits the market,” said Julien. To use the device, the cautious diner mixes a small amount with hot water and inserts a small strip into the mixture. The strip tests for pork proteins and takes less than 10 minutes. France’s 5mn Muslims (the largest population in Europe) have been hit with food scandals - in 2011, вЂ�halal” sausages were discovered to contain pork - and want to be sure they are not eating forbidden food, said Abbas Bendali from marketing п¬Ѓrm Solis. Capital Biotech believes how- ever that 70% of its sales will eventually come from professionals who want a quick way of testing whether food is suitably for non-pork eaters. Bendali said the cost of the device would inevitably deter individuals “at a time of economic crisis.” “It’s difficult to invest seven euros to test a bowl of pasta that costs three,” he said. Muslims are more reassured by “a genuine Halal certiп¬Ѓcate,” he said. But the п¬Ѓrm is not limiting itself just to pork, hoping to make itself the п¬Ѓrm of reference for tests on all types of food allergies. It intends to launch soon a range of tests for soya, egg or almonds - all potential allergens - in ready meals. The п¬Ѓrm will then roll out tests for gluten, peanut or milk. In the long-run, the start-up plans to extend its quick-п¬Ѓre testing to pharmaceutical products. However, Faycal Bennatif, marketing director of the world’s top biological analysis group Euroп¬Ѓns, told AFP it was not down to the consumer to perform quality tests on food products. In the wake of the horsemeat scandal that rocked Europe last year, Euroп¬Ѓns has been inundated for requests to test meat products but has not developed a quick-п¬Ѓre test. “We work with DNA sequencing in the lab which is not at all the same method,” said Bennatif, adding he was “dubious” as to how efficient the new quick tests were. Capital Biotech’s “halal tests” do not require authorisation to be launched on the market, estimated at 5.5bn euros ($6.8bn) in France alone, although authorities will examine the reliability of the testing method. Turkey seeks life term for mining disaster P rosecutors have demanded life imprisonment for eight executives of a coal mine company in Turkey operating a facility where 301 workers were killed in May in the country’s worst mining accident, media reported yesterday. Prosecutors in the western city of Manisa are seeking life terms on a record 301 counts of manslaughter against the suspects, who were arrested and placed in pre-trial detention in May. Twenty-nine other employees of the Soma Mining company have also been charged with involuntary manslaughter and face between two to 15 years in prison if found guilty, news agency Dogan reported. A trial is expected to begin in the coming weeks. Those facing life imprisonment include the chief executive of Soma Mining, Can Gurkan, who is also the son of the company’s owner. An explosion followed by the collapse of a mine at Soma in the west of the country killed the 301 miners in Turkey’s worst-ever industrial accident. Most were killed by carbon monoxide poisoning. Expert reports pointed to several safety violations at the mine, including a shortage of carbon monoxide detectors, ceilings made of wood instead of metal, and a lack of high-quality gas masks. Soma Mining has denied any responsibility. Cameron has problem with other leaders: Juncker AFP Brussels N ew European Commission chief JeanClaude Juncker yesterday accused British Prime Minister David Cameron of having a “problem” with other EU leaders, stoking a bitter budget battle between London and Brussels. Juncker opened his п¬Ѓrst press conference as head of the EU’s powerful executive arm with an attack on what he called unjustiп¬Ѓed criticisms by both Cameron and Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi at a summit in October. But he reserved his harshest words for Cameron, who is п¬Ѓghting Brussels over a budget backpayment demand for 2.1bn euros ($2.6bn) against the backdrop of a possible referendum on Britain’s EU membership in 2017. “I am not the type who trembles, in front of prime ministers or at any other time,” said former Luxembourg prime minister Juncker. “I don’t have a particular problem with Mr Renzi, whom I have great respect for. “I don’t have a problem with Mr Cameron, Mr Cameron has a problem with the other prime ministers.” Juncker is well known for his often blunt way with words but his remarks still raised eyebrows in Brussels where his predecessor Jose Manuel Barroso was more guarded, stressing the importance of keeping Britain in the EU and doing everything possible to meet its demands. But in recent months, there have been signs of a growing impatience with Cameron, a feeling that enough may be enough given that his EU-bashing seems driven by domestic political concerns. The stridently eurosceptic UK Independence Party is set to steal another parliamentary seat from Cameron’s Conservative Party later this month, putting the prime minister under huge pressure from restive supporters attracted by UKIP’s anti-immigration stance. Reports this week said German Chancellor Angela Merkel had warned Cameron he was approaching a “point of no return” with his own proposals for immigration controls. “For the п¬Ѓrst time, Cameron is pushing his country toward a вЂ�point of no return’ in terms of its EU membership,” Der Spiegel said, citing unnamed German ofп¬Ѓcials. If Cameron imposes a quota on EU citizens moving to Britain, violating a core EU principle of freedom of movement, “then that would be it,” it cited one government source as saying. Juncker’s comments came a day after he told the European Parliament the British and Italian premiers had misled their citizens by saying one thing during the October summit and another to the media afterwards. Cameron had said he had confronted other leaders at the summit, bluntly refusing to pay the budget bill and claiming that his EU peers had in effect bushwacked him. Renzi meanwhile had vowed at the summit to make public the cost of European Union “palaces” in a row over Italy’s own budget projections. On Tuesday, Renzi hit back, demanding “respect” from Juncker. “I’m not going to go to Brussels to have what needs to be done explained to me, and I told Barroso and Junker that,” he said. “I’m not going to Europe to say вЂ�please listen to us’, I’m not going with my hat in hand.” Juncker responded in kind yesterday. “I am not the chief of a gang of bureaucrats. We are senior officials, we are political men,” he told the press conference. “To say that the Commission must not interfere in dossiers that fall under the EU economic coordination, to say that one will not take lessons from Brussels bureaucrats, these things I dislike.” Cameron strongly opposed Juncker’s appointment, seeing him as an insider and federalist who would not adopt the EU reforms Britain demands. The premier has vowed to renegotiate Britain’s relationship with the EU then hold a membership referendum in late 2017, provided that he is re-elected next May. Juncker, 69, is a seasoned conservative politician and EU insider who led Luxembourg for 19 years and also headed the Eurogroup of countries which use the euro at the height of the single currency’s debt crisis. He won a reputation for plain speaking and also for standing up against the more powerful EU states, particularly economic powerhouse Germany. “I will respond to any unjustiп¬Ѓed criticism of the Commission, from wherever it comes,” he said yesterday. “There will be no more attacks without a response.” European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker rings a bell as he chairs the first official meeting of the EU’s executive body in Brussels yesterday. Gulf Times Thursday, November 6, 2014 23 EUROPE POWER PLAY RATINGS NOD FOR CABINET TEARS OF JOY RETURN TO POWER Putin beats Obama again in Forbes power ranking Poll confirms surge for newcomer Podemos New government takes charge in Latvia Top French award goes to book on Spain civil war Borisov invited to form Bulgaria government For a second year in a row, Russian President Vladimir Putin has beaten Barack Obama to the title of world’s most powerful leader as ranked by Forbes. In a year in which Russia annexed Crimea, stoked a conflict in Ukraine and clinched a multi-billion dollar gas pipeline deal with China that Forbes called the world’s largest construction project, Putin remained on top. Third prize went to Xi Jinping. Pope Francis was number four and German Chancellor Angela Merkel number five. Among 12 newcomers are Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at number 15 and Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the self-proclaimed caliph of the Islamic State group at 54. Spanish political newcomer Podemos would come a close third in a parliamentary election, a closely-watched official poll indicated yesterday, confirming a surge of support for the upstart that has shaken up Spain’s two-party system. Spaniards have become disillusioned with the ruling People’s Party and the opposition Socialists following a string of corruption scandals and a six-year economic downturn. Podemos (вЂ�We can’), founded by ponytailed academic Pablo Iglesias in January, was the most popular party in the survey from the Centre for Sociological Investigations (CIS), with 17.6% of those polled saying they would vote for it, compared to 14.3% for the Socialists and 11.7% for the PP. Latvia’s parliament yesterday approved a new cabinet under Prime Minister Laimdota Straujuma, who kept most of the same faces but brought in a new finance minister. The government’s proposed action plan - with a focus on national security amid tensions with Soviet-era master Russia, family welfare and economic growth - passed by 61 votes to 39 in the 100-seat one-chamber Saeima. There are a handful of new arrivals including 53-year-old Finance Minister Janis Reirs, a former banker who most recently headed the parliamentary budget and finance committee. A former psychiatrist, Lydie Salvayre, yesterday won France’s top literary prize, the Goncourt, for her book Pas pleurer (Don’t cry) in which she interweaves the voices of her mother and a French writer during the Spanish Civil War. Salvayre beat off competition from favourites Kamel Daoud, an Algerian first-time novelist, and French best-selling author David Foenkinos to win the prize. “I am very happy, I’m very moved,” Salvayre said following the announcement, made in line with a 100-year-old tradition at Paris’s Drouant restaurant. Many of Salvayre’s books have been adapted for the stage and she has been translated into over 20 languages. Bulgarian President Rosen Plevenliev yesterday designated conservative Boyko Borisov as prime minister, paving the way for his return to power less than two years after he resigned amid nationwide protests. Borisov, 55, has a week to present a cabinet to parliament. He is yet to say whether he has enough support for that. His GERB party won the most seats in snap elections a month ago, but fell well short of a majority, capturing 84 of the 240 seats. On Tuesday, the Reformist Bloc, with 23 seats, promised to support Borisov and GERB, but even that left him 14 seats short of a majority. Georgian coalition in danger as minister, party quit Reuters Tbilisi G eorgia’s foreign minister quit yesterday and one of six parties in the ruling coalition pulled out, depriving it of a parliamentary majority in a rift over the pace of integration with the West. Foreign Minister Maya Panjikidze, who cited threats to Georgia’s pro-Western course, and a junior minister resigned following the dismissal of the former Soviet republic’s pro-Western defence minister by Prime Minister Irakly Garibashvili. Garibashvili said he remained committed to closer ties with the West. But the defection of the Free Democrats, led by sacked minister Irakly Alasania, from the Georgian Dream coalition increases political instability in the country of 4.5mn crossed by pipelines that carry Caspian oil and gas from Azerbaijan to Europe. “We have left the coalition,” Alasania declared after his party met other leaders of the coalition to discuss the crisis. The Free Democrats have 10 of the coalition’s 83 seats in the 150-seat assembly. The coalition will now need the backing of independent deputies for a majority but a conп¬Ѓdence vote must be called only if seven or more of the 20 cabinet members are replaced. The tensions in the coalition highlight Georgia’s difficulties trying to pursue its goals of joining Nato and the European Union without antagonising Moscow, with which it fought a п¬Ѓve-day war in 2008. Alasania had irked Garibashvili by saying the arrests of several officials in his ministry were politically motivated and meant to undermine supporters of better relations with the West. “Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic integration is the most important thing for me and my team,” Panjikidze told a news conference at which she said four deputy ministers were quitting with her. “My team and I cannot hide the threats that our country faces now,” she said, announcing she was quitting Georgian Dream. Alexy Petriashvili, a member of the Free Democrats, also resigned as the state minister for European and Euro-Atlantic integration. Garibashvili said suggestions by Alasania and his allies that the country’s proWestern foreign policy was under threat were unfounded. “Our foreign policy course is unchanged. It is irreversible,” he said in a statement. “Those ridiculous and naive statements of course will have no effect at all.” Garibashvili said Mindia Janelidze, secretary of a council overseeing security, will replace Alasania as defence minister and said his critics’ statements and actions amounted to sabotage that could harm Georgia’s interests. President Georgy Margvelashvili says the crisis poses “a threat to the efficient functioning” of state institutions and to Georgia’s quest for Euro-Atlantic integration. Georgia signed an agreement with the EU in June which deepened political and trade ties and has long been a US ally, but relations with Moscow are strained and Tbilisi has watched carefully as the crisis in Ukraine unfolded. Russia annexed Ukraine’s Crimea peninsula in March and still occupies the Georgian regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, over which the countries went to war in 2008. Western countries have expressed concern that the Georgian Dream government, п¬Ѓrst formed under billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili in 2012, has persecuted political opponents and used selective justice against them. Dozens of ex-officials, including a former prime minister, defence and interior minister and the mayor of the capital Tbilisi, have been arrested on charges such as abuse of power and corruption since the coalition came to power. Historic parade! Russian students of the Military University dressed in World War II-era uniform perform during a rehearsal of historical parade marking the anniversary of the battle for Moscow in Red square yesterday. During Soviet times, military parades on November 7 was the central holiday of the year and marked the Great October (Bolshevik) revolution. German train drivers strike Reuters Berlin G erman train drivers yesterday started a four-day strike against state-owned rail operator Deutsche Bahn that threatens to harm the economy and prompted a rare intervention from Chancellor Angela Merkel who called for a mediator. Deutsche Bahn’s freight train drivers walked out yesterday and passenger trains will be hit from today. They will stay out until Monday morning, making it the longest strike in the post-war history of the German railway. In a last minute attempt to ward off the strike that is also threatening to disrupt celebrations this weekend marking the 25th anniversary of the Berlin Wall’s fall, Deutsche Bahn urged the GDL train drivers’ union, with its 20,000 members, to accept mediation talks and abandon the strike over power and pay that will disrupt travel for millions. But GDL leader Claus Weselsky, who has been pilloried in the German media for leading his small union into a sixth strike in two months, rejected the renewed mediation offer. Mass selling daily Bild urged its readers to personally call the union leader with their views and published his phone number. Merkel, who rarely comments on industrial disputes, urged the train drivers to act with restraint, saying that mediation between the GDL union and Deutsche Bahn should be considered. “I can only appeal to their sense of responsibility to п¬Ѓnd solutions which do the least possible damage to us as a country - while maintain- ing the right to strike,” Merkel told reporters. The Cologne Institute for Economic Research estimates that a train strike of more than three days could cost the economy up to 100mn euros ($126mn) a day if п¬Ѓrms have to halt assembly lines because of supply shortages. Nearly one-п¬Ѓfth of freight traffic in Europe’s biggest economy is transported by rail. Deutsche Bahn has vowed to maintain around half of freight trafп¬Ѓc despite the strike, with priority given to power plants, steel works, chemical plants and car factories. For passenger traffic, Deutsche Bahn aims to maintain a third of all train services. The network carries 5.5mn passengers and more than 620,000 tonnes of freight each day. The walkout is the latest in a series of GDL strikes. In mid-October the union staged a 60-hour strike over a weekend, halting two-thirds of long-distance trains and leaving millions of passengers stranded at the start of school holidays. The GDL, which represents just 20,000 of the railways’ 196,000 workers, argues that the company is to blame for the crisis by denying the union the right to negotiate on behalf of 17,000 train stewards. It also seeks a 5% pay raise for drivers and a shorter working week of 37 hours, down from 39. Strikes in Germany are rare, with employers and larger unions usually able to resolve their differences at the negotiating table. GDL’s attempt to raise its influence by negotiating for other railway workers is a move that companies and politicians have criticised and want to curb. The government is working on a new law to limit the power of smaller unions like the GDL. French farmers protest cheap food imports, EU rules AFP Paris F lanked by mountains of potatoes in a central Paris square, irate farmers yesterday handed out free fruit and vegetables to all comers in a protest against cheap imported produce. Across the country, farmers dumped manure outside government offices to protest costly EU rules against the polluting nitrates found in the natural fertiliser. Organisers said between 700 and 800 farmers from the Paris region showed up for the demonstration in the capital, bringing in some 60 tonnes of potatoes and 20 tonnes of onions, apples and pears, all grown in the region. A banner reading “I want to eat French products today and tomorrow” stretched across a monument in the middle of the square. “Let us grow French,” shouted Arnaud Rousseau, head of a regional farmers union, FNSEA. Their farms are threatened by the collapse of prices for cereals, milk and vegetables, caused in part by a Russian embargo, said another union leader, Damien Greffin. Thousands of farmers and hundreds of tractors joined protests across the country, from northwestern Brittany to southwestern Toulouse and Pau to eastern Dijon as well as Nancy and Strasbourg in the northeast. They are also protesting increasing government constraints and charges, as well as rising fertiliser prices. The FNSEA is calling for “food patriotism”, demanding that two out of three dishes served in public canteens be made using French produce. At dawn, a group of about 20 activists known as the Young Farmers checked produce aboard trucks heading to the canteens of the economics ministry. “Tomatoes from Morocco, apples from Italy, unlabelled produce: the economics ministry should set an example of Made in France, and that is not the case,” said Samuel Vandaele, the group’s deputy leader. In Toulouse, a line of tractors and pickup trucks unloaded manure outside a government ofп¬Ѓce. “They are cowboys who come to us to tell us we are not in compliance” with a new regulation on fertiliser, one official shouted through a megaphone. The French government in mid-2014 п¬Ѓnally began enforcing a 1991 European Union directive aimed at curbing nitrate pollution, after being found in non-compliance numerous times. Some 63,000 farms have been ordered to make often costly investments to come into compliance. In the central city of Tours, some 350 farmers dumped manure and slurry outside city hall, brandishing posters reading “Manure, we can’t spread it anymore. You can have it, help yourselves.” In western Nantes, in the heart of France’s breadbasket, hundreds of farmers and breeders wore T-shirts emblazoned with the slogan “Proud to Feed You” and “Let Us Produce”, dumping rotten leeks and manure as well as feathers and straw outside the main administrative building. In the champagne growing town of Chalons, more than 1,000 winegrowers - who do not normally join in farmers’ protests - staged a demonstration with the slogan “Get Off Our Backs”. Some 70 tractors drove into the centre of southwestern Pau, causing huge traffic pileups. “We want to show that it’s not going well in the countryside. We want the government to respond to (the effects of) the Russian embargo,” said Young Farmers president for Bourgogne in east-central France. A man throws potatoes as French farmers demonstrated in Dijon yesterday. 24 Gulf Times Thursday, November 6, 2014 INDIA Rebellion is growing in party against Gandhi family Reuters New Delhi R umblings of dissent are growing against the Gandhi family that leads the hapless Congress, п¬Ѓve months after the most resounding electoral defeat in the party’s 129-year history. The Gandhis’ troubles are helping Prime Minister Narendra Modi as he seeks to further his agenda of economic and social reform by winning control of the upper house of parliament. Disgruntled Congress members pasted newspaper over portraits of the mother-son team of Sonia and Rahul Gandhi at a party office in Tamil Nadu on Monday, after a party veteran shunned their leadership and formed his own splinter group. G K Vasan, a former minister, was the latest in a series of regional leaders to quit the party, which was pushed out of office in May, clinging to just 44 of 543 seats in parliament. Vasan’s departure triggered more criticism of the Gandhis and their perceived lack of introspection. Yesterday, Karti Chidambaram, the son of previous п¬Ѓnance minister P Chidambaram, said the Congress leadership should give state chapters of the party more freedom. “We must rethink this highcommand observer culture,” he said. “We cannot wait for Delhi to show the path in every single way.” Congress faced further embarrassment at the weekend when Sonia Gandhi’s son-in-law Robert Vadra shoved away the microphone of a journalist who asked him about allegations he proп¬Ѓted from sweetheart land deals. Vadra was pilloried for his responses of “Are you serious?” and “Are you nuts?” which became Twitter sensations. Analysts said the incident was a reminder of the stand-offish attitudes that led many people to reject the party in May. “The Vadra incident simply smacks of the arrogance of power,” said Sandeep Shastri, a professor of political science at Bangalore-based Jain University. Modi has repeatedly promised a “Congress-free India” to end the domination of a party that has ruled India for most of the 67 years since freedom from British rule. He blames the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty that began with Rahul’s great-grandfather Jawaharlal Nehru for the country’s slow development. Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party took control of two economically important states from Congress in regional elections last month, and is expected to deal the party further pain in another group of state polls that end in December. Congress general secretary Shakeel Ahmad said the party is thinking about ways to improve communication, including better use of social media. He gave no details. Modi’s adept use of technology was widely credited with helping him win the support of millions of young Indians. Congress has taken to Twitter and Facebook more actively since the election but still has a long way to go. The party’s website promises to factcheck statements by Modi’s ruling nationalists “every day”. It was last updated on May 7. In the last seven days, Rahul has been holding meetings with state heads and other party members, brainstorming and inviting suggestions to strengthen Congress in New Delhi. The party aims to increase its membership across India, Ahmad said. “Recovery of the party is not like an electric switch, it will take time,” Ahmad said. “We are waiting and watching people’s disenchantment (with Modi), strengthening the organisation and analysing why we failed.” Janata Dal (S) leader joins BJP Karnataka Janata Dal (S) leader Abdul Azeem who joined the Bharatiya Janata Party yesterday is congratulated by senior BJP leaders Prahlad Joshi, B S Yeddyurappa, Shobha Karandlaje, Jagadish Shettar and others in Bengaluru yesterday. Major parties gear for Delhi assembly polls IANS New Delhi T he Delhi assembly was dissolved yesterday ahead of elections. All three major parties in the national capital - the Bharatiya Janata Party, Aam Aadmi Party and the Congress have started gearing up for fresh polls likely to take place soon. While the election management committee as well as the media cell of the state unit of the BJP held a meeting to discuss poll preparations, the AAP began printing posters for campaigning. “We discussed all issues related to the successful management of the upcoming Delhi (assembly) election and also took note of the shortcomings in the last election (December 2013),” a BJP leader said. BJP’s Delhi unit chief Satish Upadhyay, six of the seven Lok Sabha members from Delhi along with some legislators and office bearers attended the meeting. BJP leader in charge of Delhi Prabhat Jha was also present. After the meeting, Upadhyay told reporters: “We have sought feedback and inputs on how to improve our performance in the upcoming polls from all those present in the meeting. We will leave no stone unturned to win.” The AAP has started printing posters boasting of the work it did in the 49 days when it was in power in Delhi and vowed to take on the BJP and defeat it comprehensively. “We are ready to take on the BJP. The people will choose the AAP and we are conп¬Ѓdent of getting a majority,” an AAP leader said. The Congress too attacked the BJP. “The Congress would teach a bitter lesson to the communal BJP. Congress Party leaders and workers have been п¬Ѓghting for delivering justice to the people of Delhi,” Delhi Congress leader Mukesh Sharma said in a statement. The central cabinet on Tuesday recommended the dissolution of the 70-member Delhi assembly where no political party had enough numbers to form a stable government. The Election Commission also cancelled three assem- bly by-elections in Mehrauli, Tughlakabad and Krishna Nagar which were scheduled to vote on November 25. BJP legislators from these three constituencies were elected to the Lok Sabha in May. Delhi has been under President’s rule since February 17 following the resignation of then chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, who headed a minority AAP government for 49 days. The December 2013 assembly elections in Delhi threw up a fractured mandate. In other political developments, the new BJP government in Haryana said state departments have been asked to review decisions taken by the previous Bhupinder Singh Hooda government after May 16, and submit a report within 15 days. “There were 115 such decisions concerning 23 departments. Some decisions were taken by departments themselves on which the concerned ministers would take further action after proper review,” Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, who heads the п¬Ѓrst BJP government in the state, said. He said further action would be taken on such decisions after the reports are received. The Hooda-led Congress government had announced several decisions and incentives for various categories after the results of the Lok Sabha elections on May 16. These were done in run-up to the Haryana assembly polls held on October 15. In Mumbai, meanwhile, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said his new cabinet would be expanded only after a vote of conп¬Ѓdence in the assembly to be held on November 12. “First the trust vote, then expansion,” Fadnavis said. This effectively throws cold water on the Shiv Sena’s ambitions as it has been demanding its pound of flesh before the minority government goes for a floor test next week. Among other things, the Sena has sought the coveted post of deputy chief minister and 10 ministries or 12 portfolios without the deputy chief minister’s post. Both the BJP and the Sena leaders claim that high-level talks are underway on the issue of power-sharing between the two erstwhile partners. The Shiv Sena also indicated that unless the BJP clariп¬Ѓes its stand on power-sharing by Sunday, the party would consider sitting in the opposition and vote against the government. A special three-day session of the Maharashtra legislature begins on Monday for the swearing in of all the 287 newly-elected legislators followed by the crucial vote of conп¬Ѓdence. According to Sena sources, if it does not get its due before the special session begins, it may sit in the opposition with the possibility of the government failing to pass the conп¬Ѓdence vote. On the other hand, BJP sources say the party would consider sharing power with the Sena only if it votes in favour of the government and helps it pass the floor test since it has insisted on “no pre-conditions” for joining the government. The Congress suffered reverses in both Haryana and Maharashtra assembly elections. President, PM congratulate Singh over Japan honour IANS New Delhi P Sonia and Rahul Gandhi: rumblings of dissent. Tamil actor Karthik joins Congress The Congress in Tamil Nadu, hit by the recent loss of popular leader G K Vasan, yesterday got a shot in the arm with Tamil actor Karthik joing the party. Dissolving his own party, Akila India Naadalum Makkal Katchi, Karthik formally joined the Congress in the presence of state party chief E V K S Elangovan. Karthik’s entry into the Congress comes days after former shipping minister Vasan announced his decision to float his own political party. Karthik is the son of late actor Muthuraman. He had joined the All India Forward Bloc during the 2006 assembly polls. Later, he floated his own party. resident Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday congratulated former prime minister Manmohan Singh on receiving one of Japan’s top national awards, the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Paulownia Flowers. Mukherjee said the “much deserved honour” was a testimony to the immense service rendered by Singh in promoting India-Japan friendship. “(It is a) Matter of joy and pride that Japan has conferred Dr Manmohan Singh with Grand Cordon of the Order of the Paulownia Flowers. Congrats to him,” Modi tweeted. Singh, who was prime minister for a decade until the 2014 elections, was the conferred the award by Japanese Emperor Akihito in Tokyo. Singh is the п¬Ѓrst Indian to be given the honour. The Japanese embassy said that Singh was being hon- oured “in recognition of his signiп¬Ѓcant contributions to the enhancement of relations and the promotion of friendship between Japan and India for about 35 years.” The award is expected to add lustre to Singh’s legacy as prime minister at a trying time for his Congress Party. An MP of the Rajya Sabha, the upper house, Singh has been largely away from the media space for the past six months following his party’s election debacle. The award is also expected to bring into focus Singh’s role in nurturing and fostering crucial international partnerships. The award has come weeks after Modi’s much-trumpeted visit to Japan where warm chemistry between him and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe was on display. Congress officials said Singh’s relationship with Japan goes back several decades. They said Singh, who was the п¬Ѓnance minister in 1991 when the country had to be brought out of foreign exchange reserve crisis, had got promise from Japan of aid that helped the economy ride out the challenge. Singh said soon after the award was announced that he was “truly honoured.” “Japan’s rise as a modern, knowledge-based industrial power has been a source of inspiration for India right from the time of our struggle for Independence,” Singh said. In his message, Mukherjee said: “I am extremely happy to know that the Government of Japan has conferred one of its highest civilian honours upon you, making you the п¬Ѓrst Indian ever to receive this award.” “This important recognition is testimony to the immense service rendered by you over the years for the promotion of India-Japan relations and friendship.” Congress president Sonia Gandhi and her son and party vice-president Rahul Gandhi were among those who congratulated Singh. Sonia described Singh as a “statesman,” saying the award “makes us, as indeed the entire nation, proud.” Former prime minister Manmohan Singh and his wife Gursharan Kaur pose during a photo session after receiving the honour at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo yesterday. 26 Gulf Times Thursday, November 6, 2014 INDIA ENTERTAINMENT ASSISTANCE JUDICIARY CONSPIRACY EDUCATION Mohanlal launches music band, to stage concerts Pension scheme for 4mn families in UP Arrest warrant against Haryana sect leader Police announce reward for capture of militants Credit transfer system from Nov 11: minister After scorching the silver screen for more than three decades, Malayalam superstar Mohanlal is entering the world of music. He has launched music band named Lalisom The Lal Effect. The actor said his band would hold its first show in January. The show would have a Hologram that will project his image in a life-size 3D format. “I wish to give back to all the support they extended to me, through music, and the show will have images of my films and also my life,” said the actor. Lal said he would be travelling with his band across the world to hold stage shows. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav yesterday launched the Samajwadi Pension Scheme for 4mn families, including those belonging to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes and minorities. The scheme will cover 1.2mn SC/ST families along with 1mn minority and 1.8mn poor families, he said. Launching the scheme, the chief minister said it was the biggest social security scheme in the country. Yadav added that his government was committed to helping the economically weaker sections and that many welfare schemes had been set rolling in the past two-and-a-half years by his government. The Punjab and Haryana High Court yesterday issued arrest warrants against a Haryana-based sect leader and another person after they failed to appear in an ongoing case. The court directed the government and the police to ensure that sect leader Rampal of Satlok Ashram near Rohtak and Rashtriya Samaj Seva Committee president Ram Kumar Dhaka are present in the court on November 10. The controversial sect leader’s followers had indulged in vandalism in a court in Hisar town, 240km from Chandigarh in July this year when he was going there to appear in a 2006 murder conspiracy case. The high court had taken notice of the incident and summoned him. Police in Meghalaya yesterday announced a cash reward of Rs1mn for the capture of militants belonging of the Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) and A’chik Matgrik Elite Force (AMEF) operating in the western part of the state. The announcement came in the wake of the police filing a charge-sheet against Social Welfare Minister Deborah Marak and former Congress leader Tennydard Marak for “hatching a criminal conspiracy” with the GNLA to win the February 2013 assembly election. A cash reward of Rs1mn each has been announced for any person providing information leading to the arrest of the ten “most wanted” militants. Human Resource Development Minister Smriti Irani yesterday said the government would launch a new scheme for credit transfer on November 11, a move expected to bring relief to students forced to take a break in their education. Irani said the Indian education system currently does not have a system of credit transfers between institutions and that was a major issue for students who have been forced to take a break in their education. “It is for this reason that the government is now announcing a scheme for credit transfer on November 11,” she said. The scheme is expected to cover students from class nine up to the post graduation level and may also be extended to PhD courses. Economic reforms a long journey, says Jaitley Local govt offers free Wi-Fi to villagers in Kerala By Ashraf Padanna Thiruvananthapuram A village council in Kerala is offering free Wi-Fi Internet connectivity to its people. Villagers can access the Internet by simply logging into the official website of the Trikaripur village government (grama panchayat) in the northern Kasaragod district and entering a onetime password received on the mobile phone. The state’s minister for local self-governments, M K Muneer, will officially launch the free WiFi services on Monday. Kasaragod was the п¬Ѓrst district in the state to get all its local government offices computerised. “Initially, the services will be available in an area of 1.5km in radius, covering our railway station, bus station, government offices, banks and educational institutions coming under the Wi-Fi hotspot,” said A G C Basheer, president of the local government. By the next year, he plans to cover the entire village, extending to 23.31sq km, with a population of roughly 33,000, where women outnumber men by around 2,000. “Initial estimates, since we installed the server and the WiFi routers at our office on the main thoroughfare found that it covers nearly 20% of our households mainly concentrated in the area,” he said. “Wi-Fi connectivity in public places is no more the privilege of urbanites alone.” Trikaripur is among the three dozen grama panchayats in Kerala that received certiп¬Ѓcation of the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) for quality services and environment. Recently, the village went “hitech” offering SMS alerts on п¬Ѓle movements besides installing a kiosk with a touch-screen for citizens to check the status of various services at its administrative office. “We are in the process of digitising all п¬Ѓles at the office and it will become paperless in the next two months, another п¬Ѓrst in the state,” said the young president. The village government was the п¬Ѓrst in the state to introduce e-tenders for awarding work contracts and purchases, despite stiff resistance from the privileged contractors and politicians. It makes the system competitive, transparent and efficient. “We have also launched an intense e-literacy campaign so that everyone can at least open a computer, log on to the Internet and send and receive an e-mail by March next year,” he said. “The instructors will go to their doorsteps with a laptop and help them to create an e-mail ID.” In Kerala, all the 1,200-odd self-governments under the state’s three-tier panchayati raj system are provided with computers where computerised accounting was made mandatory. “Most of these panchayats issue essential certiп¬Ѓcates of birth, death and marriage which the citizens can obtain in just 30 minutes online,” said M Samsuddin, the executive director of the Information Kerala Mission (IMK), the project’s implementing authority. These panchayats, including Trikaripur, will be linked to its payment gateway so that people can make payments like taxes online. “With near total literacy and teledensity, our local governments are undergoing a silent revolution. Their front offices resemble that of any successful private enterprise,” he said. “Trikaripur experience will encourage them to take it forward further.” We have made a beginning but a lot more needed, says finance minister Reuters New Delhi F Members of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Mahaila Morcha (women’s wing), stage a protest against atrocities against women and children, in Bangalore, yesterday. Hundreds of protesters took to the streets to condemn growing crimes against women and children, and called for setting up special courts to handle sexual assault cases, which are on the rise. Man kills daughter’s rapist вЂ�to send a strong message’ AFP New Delhi A man man who tortured and killed his daughter’s alleged rapist before calmly turning himself in wanted to send a message that those who commit such crimes cannot escape justice, his wife has said. The 36-year-old father of six turned himself into police last week and confessed to strangling his neighbour after the man allegedly admitted raping the 14-year-old. The man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, told police he acted after discovering that his daughter was pregnant. According to the police report, the teenager told her father she had been raped by the family’s trusted neighbour and tenant, who had threatened to kill her if she told anyone. A doctor’s report conп¬Ѓrmed the assault, according to police. “I was shocked because we treated the tenant just like our family member. He breached my trust,” police quoted the father as saying. Rapes frequently go unpunished in India, where cases can take years to come to court, and victims often face social stigma. At the family’s dilapidated home in a poor area of New Delhi the teenager stood beside her mother, a dazed look on her face, as relatives and neighbours queued to offer their sympathies. Distraught, the mother said her husband was a gentle man. “I only had the chance to see him briefly and he told me he wanted to warn potential rapists that they can never escape justice,” said the 32-year-old as she wiped away tears. Most of those present fully supported the father’s actions. “We totally sympathise with the family. What is the fault of this young girl or the father? The rapist deserved this kind of treatment,” said next door neighbour Rani Devi, as others nodded in agreement. Sex crimes have been under the spotlight in India since the fatal gang-rape of a 23-yearold student on a moving bus in Delhi in December 2012. Four men were convicted and handed death sentences last year while a п¬Ѓfth died in custody of apparent suicide. None of the others has yet been executed. The case led to tougher laws to deter rapists, although there are still frequent reports of attacks. The father, who made around Rs200 a day selling burgers on a hand-cart, told his wife he had that case on his mind. “He said the convicts in the (December 2012) case were yet to be hanged. He felt our daughter may never get justice, so maybe that’s why he decided to take things in his own hands,” she said. According to the police report, the girl’s father confronted the tenant, becoming enraged when he showed little remorse. “He then attacked the tenant, gagged and strangled him. After that, he heated a steel spatula on the stove and burned the man’s genitals,” investigating officer Arvind Pratap Singh said. Cradling her youngest son in her lap, the victim’s mother appealed to the authorities to “take a lenient view and have mercy on my children.” Her husband remains in police detention. But Singh said that while he felt sympathy for the accused, he had to do his duty. “In my 20 years of police service, I have never come across such a case,” he said. “The п¬Ѓrst instinct of anyone who commits a crime is to run away. But this man walked into the police station on his own and calmly narrated the sequence of events. “As a fellow human being, I have sympathy for the father and the family. But as a police officer, it’s my duty to follow the law.” inance Minister Arun Jaitley said yesterday structural reforms to Asia’s third largest economy could only progress slowly, adding that he backed relaxing labour and land laws hated by business, along with more privatisations. Speaking to an audience of foreign investors, Jaitley said people still needed to be convinced that making it easier to hire and п¬Ѓre workers would create jobs. He did not set deadlines possibly disappointing some in the audience at the Indian edition of the World Economic Forum hoping for a quick reform burst. “There is a lot that has to be done ... I am quite satisп¬Ѓed with the beginning we have made but it’s a long journey,” Jaitley said. He cautioned against rushing into big bang reforms that could trigger a political backlash and derail the government’s agenda. “Reform is the art of the possible,” he said, while promising not to take decisions that would send negative signals to investors. Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to office in May with a mandate to create jobs and kickstart the economy after a long period of low growth. Expectations are mounting that the government will take steps between now and the budget in February to stimulate investment. India recorded better-thanexpected growth of 5.7% in the quarter ending in June, but industrial output and investment has not yet picked up in a sustained way. The government has already taken some steps to make doing business easier and reduce red tape and subsidies. However, Modi has not moved ahead as fast on privatisations or welfare and tax reform as some of his supporter had hoped. Anand Mahindra, managing director of tractors to tech conglomerate Mahindra Group, said that investment in the economy would pick up once companies saw big infrastructure projects restart. “It takes a little while to gather momentum, and the momentum I sense is very positive,” he told reporters. “When you get backhoe loaders out there digging up earth again visibly, you will see a rush of investment,” said Mahindra, whose company also makes backhoe loaders. A land acquisition law passed by the previous Congress government and supported by Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party while in opposition dramatically increased compensation to farmers for land. Stringent rules requiring consensus among sellers have made it difficult for industry to buy land. Jaitley said he supported the higher compensation but wanted to loosen other barriers to land purchases. In addition to an ongoing process of selling off government shares in state-run companies, Jaitely said he was open to privatising so-called “zombie” companies, many of which have hundreds of employees paid by the government but produce nothing. “There are still a large number of companies which are almost on the verge of closure where people are going to lose employment,” Jaitley said. “Given a choice between them continuing in the present state and getting them privatised, the second would be a preferable option.” He did not give more details and it was unclear how much private sector interest there would be in companies that include a British-era uniform factory and a government watchmaker. Jaitley said he hoped a longdelayed bill to allow up to 49% foreign investment in the insurance sector would be passed by parliament within weeks, and said he would consider allowing more foreign investment in railways. Unveiling п¬Ѓrst steps to reform labour last month, India simpliп¬Ѓed employment rules and eased the way for people changing jobs to move social security funds. The government also announced a series of coal field auctions last month, replacing a policy of discretional allocation. Jaitley said the government planned to introduce a similar mechanism for other minerals, without giving details. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley speaks as World Economic Forum founder and executive chairman Klaus Schwab watches during the India Economic Summit 2014 in New Delhi yesterday. Hot air balloon lands tourists inside jail DPA Jaipur A hot air balloon carrying foreign tourists landed in a jail in Rajashthan and caused panic among prison ofп¬Ѓcials who thought a jailbreak was being attempted, police said yesterday. The ballooning adventure that began in Pushkar went wrong on Tuesday after the operator landed the balloon on the jail premises in nearby Ajmer city. “The jail officials were shocked to see this huge balloon descending on their prison from the sky. They immediately sounded an alert and called the police,” area police chief Hanuman Vishnoi said. Vishnoi said the balloon operator told him that he lost control of the balloon owing to strong winds. “Thankfully, all prisoners were in their barracks at that time. We made some initial inquiries into the tourists, who were from the West Indies, and let them go.” Jail authorities charged the balloon operator with “unauthorised entry” and the city administration cancelled his licence, local reports said. Gulf Times Thursday, November 6, 2014 27 INDIA Air pollution вЂ�cutting crop yields by half’ Agriculture hit by both urban and rural pollution as wheat and rice yield decrease significantly, study finds By Azeen Ghorayshi / Guardian News & Media New Delhi A pedestrian crosses as paramilitary personnel keep watch in front of Jamia Masjid during a curfew in Srinagar yesterday. Separatists called for the strike after soldiers fired at a private car on the outskirts of Srinagar on Monday, killing two passengers and critically wounding another two. Curbs imposed in Srinagar IANS Srinagar R estrictions were imposed in some areas of Kashmir’s main city Srinagar yesterday as separatists called for a shutdown against the killing of two men by troops in Badgam district, an official said. “Restrictions have been imposed in Khanyar, Nowhatta, M R Gunj, Rainawari, Safakadal and Nowgam areas to ensure nobody disturbs peace in the city,” a senior police officer said yesterday. Separatist leaders, including Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umer Farooq and Mohamed Yasin Malik, called for a protest shutdown in the Kashmir Valley yesterday against the killing of Faisal Yusuf Bhat and Mehrajuddin Dar in army п¬Ѓring on Monday in Chattergam village. Rajnath calls for combined efforts to fight terrorism Home Minister Rajnath Singh yesterday called on governments across the world to collectively address the issue of terrorist groups. “Governments across the world have to collectively address the issue of safe havens for organised criminal and terrorist groups and their tainted money,” Singh said at an Interpol ministerial meeting and general assembly here. He added: “Lifting banking secrecy and the corporate veil in corruption and terrorist-related cases would go a long way in bringing the criminals to book. States must refrain from organising, instigating, facilitating, participating in, financing, encouraging or tolerating terrorist activities.” Speaking in Hindi, Singh said there was a need for far greater vigilance and stricter provisions so as to make offshore jurisdiction more transparent. He also called on evolving a strategy to tackle cyber crime. “In recent years, the Internet and social media are being increasingly used to instigate communal riots to destabilise the state. We need to strengthen our strategy relating to cyber crime on this momentous occasion of the centenary year of the Interpol,” Singh said. The minister highlighted that the Internet has become the “principal means of communication for extremist groups.” “These specific Internet forums act as a virtual firewall to help safeguard the identities of those who participate. To counter violent extremists, there is an urgent need to strengthen the Global Counter Terrorism Architecture,” he said. The home minister also said there has been a significant increase in international criminal activity. “In the 21st century, there has been a significant increase in the range and scope of international criminal activity.” A ir pollution in India has become so severe that yields of crops are being cut by almost half, scientists have found. Researchers analysed yields for wheat and rice alongside pollution data, and concluded signiп¬Ѓcant decreases in yield could be attributed to two air pollutants, black carbon and ground level ozone. The п¬Ѓnding has implications for global food security as India is a major rice exporter. Black carbon is mostly caused by rural cookstoves, and ozone forms as a result of motor vehicle exhaust, industrial emissions, and chemical solvents reacting in the atmosphere in the presence of sunlight. Both are “short-lived climate pollutants” that exist locally in the atmosphere for weeks to months, with ozone damaging plants’ leaves and black carbon reducing the amount of sunlight they receive. The study looked at both the effects of climate change and the two pollutants on crop yields. “While temperature’s gone up in the last three decades, the levels of smog and pollution have changed much more dramatically,” says Jennifer Burney, an environmental scientist at University of California, San Diego, and co-author of the paper, published in the journal PNAS. “But this was the п¬Ѓrst time anyone looked at historical data to show that these pollutants are having tremendous impacts on crops.” Comparing crop yields in 2010 to what they would be expected to be if temperature, rainfall and pollution remained at their 1980 levels, the researchers showed that crop yields for wheat were on average 36%lower than they otherwise would have been, while rice production decreased by up to 20%. In some higher population states, wheat yields were as much as 50% lower. Using modelling to account for the effects of temperature increase and precipitation changes in that time, they were able to show that 90% of this loss is attributable to the impact of the two pollutants. The results are speciп¬Ѓc to India’s seasonal patterns, the crops, and its high pollution levels, but may extend to other places with similar problems, such as China. Chinese scientists warned in February that severe air pollution is slowing photosynthesis in plants, with effects “somewhat similar to a nuclear winter.” Previous studies had used ex- perimental data looking at the impacts of ozone on plants to extrapolate potential losses, but this is the п¬Ѓrst ever study to use actual historical agricultural and emissions data to account for lower crop yields. “Overall I think it’s a great paper,” says Stanford agricultural ecologist David Lobell. “I think in both India and China there is growing recognition of the toll that poor air quality has on agriculture. This study will certainly add to that recognition.” Lobell and Burney both point out that because black carbon and ozone are short-lived pollutants, they present a clear opportunity for tackling climate change. While long-lived greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide can persist in the atmosphere for decades to centuries, addressing sources of the short-lived pollutants will have more immediately perceptible effects. Measures such as improved cookstove technology for rural areas, or cleaner coal consumption and diesel п¬Ѓlters on trucks in urban ones, could go a long way to improving the impacts on agricultural yields. “Our thought is that these are more politically tractable points of entry for making meaningful change in climate,” says Burney. “There’s a really local beneп¬Ѓt for taking on some sort of costly action.” 28 Gulf Times Thursday, November 6, 2014 LATIN AMERICA Haiti heads into next crisis after repeated election delays DPA Port-au-Prince H aiti’s next crisis is brewing, this time, a political one. Due to ongoing political conflict, one of the world’s poorest countries has been unable for nearly three years to hold long overdue Parliament and regional elections. Since 2012, 10 senatorial seats have been vacant, as are 130 lo- cal council positions. The next 10 mandates in the 30-seat senate will expire in mid-January. In addition, short of the election of about 100 representatives by January, the lower house will also be dissolved. That means that President Michel Martelly will begin ruling by decree early next year. “Without elections, parliament would be rendered dysfunctional on January 12, thereby creating an institutional vacuum until elections are held and a new legislature is installed,” warned Sandra Honore, UN envoy to Haiti, in September. What will happen in such a scenario is not clear. In May, the US threatened to withhold $300mn in aid if no way was found out of the crisis. Canada has also tried to apply pressure. But it was unlikely that the large donor countries, which include the European Union, will stop sending aid. Such a move would raise the likelihood that the poverty-stricken Caribbean state would sink further into chaos. At issue is a dispute over constitutional reforms carried out in 2010. The reforms set new criteria for organising a permanent election commission. The opposition accepted the reform with strong reservations, and parliament’s efforts to name members to the commission collapsed amid strong resistance among legislators. Row over Colombia plaque unveiled by Charles T he mayor of the Colombian port city of Cartagena says he will ask for a controversial plaque unveiled last week by Prince Charles to be removed. The plaque is in memory of an English naval officer and his troops who laid siege to the city in 1741 in an attempt to take it from the Spanish crown which ruled it at the time. It was unveiled by Prince Charles on his visit to the city last week. The lack of mention of the Spanish losses was criticised by residents. Cartagena Mayor Dionisio Velez, who attended the unveiling with Prince Charles, said that it had never been his intention to “stir this controversy, or hurt the feelings of people”. “A mayor has to avoid errors, but when it’s clear he’s made one, he is obliged to rectify it,” he added. The plaque, in front of the 16th-Century San Felipe fortress, recalls “the valour and suffering of all those who died in combat whilst seeking to take the city”. Guardian News and Media Mexico City T Venezuela вЂ�in grip of tropical diseases’ Relatives and peers of the 43 missing students arrive for a meeting with Mexican attorney general Jesus Murillo Karam at the attorney general building in Mexico City. Humala chides central bank chief for pay hike Reuters Lima P eru’s President Ollanta Humala rebuked the head of the central bank for his 6% salary raise, stating in a letter that the pay hike should be revoked since it tarnishes the bank’s image. The central bank board recently raised Central Bank president Julio Velarde’s annual wages to 617,344 soles ($210,913), nearly triple the president’s salary of 224,000 soles ($76,528) per year. Humala’s letter, dated November 4, was made public by local broadcaster RPP. Central bank and government officials conп¬Ѓrmed yesterday that the letter is authentic. The spat comes amid the worst economic slowdown in the Andean country in п¬Ѓve years, and follows jabs traded between Velarde and the government in April over the bank’s currency policy. to 300,000 people. Cholera also broke out in the country in the aftermath of the devastation, killing more than 8,000 people. Martelly tried in June to circumvent the political obstructions. He decreed that parliament elections were to be held October 26. Beforehand, he moved to secure the promise of support of a broad range of political and social actors in Haiti. But then, nothing happened. The election law, adopted by the lower house, collapsed on resist- ance in the senate. There wasn’t even a proper official declaration about the collapse, and there was little reporting on the developments in the Haitian media. Confusion about the situation has prevailed in diplomatic circles. Even speaking before the General Assembly in September in New York, Martelly could only say that he had “spared no effort” in seeking a consensus among parties and institutions to organise “legislative and municipal elections.” Mexico hopes to п¬Ѓnd missing students after mayor’s arrest Agencies Cartagena Venezuela is in the grip of one of the worst outbreaks of tropical diseases in decades, and the response by public health authorities has been slow and inefficient, two non-governmental groups reported. In 2014, Venezuela had over 150,000 recorded cases of dengue, malaria, and chikungunya, the report said. The country also had 1.2mn fever episodes without a precise diagnoses, according to the report by the Health Observatory and another group called We Defend the Epidemiology of Venezuelan Society. Parliament also failed to pass a crucial election law, with six senators who belong to a radical opposition group boycotting every compromise with the government. The hardliners demanded Martelly’s resignation. The 53-year-old president and one-time musician (nickname, “Sweet Micky”) was elected in 2011 for a п¬Ѓve-year term. Haiti is still reeling from a magnitude 7 earthquake in 2010 that killed an estimated 100,000 “I must emphasise my deep disagreement with this decision, considering you are the official who earns the highest salary in the Peruvian state,” Humala said in the letter. “I must emphasise my deep disagreement with this decision, considering you are the official who earns the highest salary in the Peruvian state” The central bank said it evaluating whether to respond to letter from Humala, a former military officer and left-leaning radical who turned to the right after assuming power in 2011. Peru’s central bank is constitutionally autonomous. Three of its board members are appointed by Congress and another three the executive branch. The bank president is appointed by the Peru’s president and ratiп¬Ѓed by Congress. Earlier this year, Humala’s government faced a wave of criticism for nearly doubling the salaries of his ministers. In Peru, the minimum monthly salary is 750 soles ($256). Peru’s economy has been hit by a drop in key mineral exports this year and is now on track to grow by 3% in 2014 - about half initial government and central bank estimates. In recent months, Velarde has said that a strong economic rebound will only be possible next year if the government cuts red tape holding up investment and mining projects. Velarde has been Peru’s central bank president since 2006. Humala’s decision to reappoint him in 2011 was widely praised by investors. Peru’s inflation rates is one of the lowest in Latin America and is now running slightly above the central bank’s 3% target ceiling. he detention of the fugitive mayor Jose Luis Abarca and his wife, who are suspected of being behind the disappearance of 43 student teachers in the southern Mexican city of Iguala six weeks ago, in co-ordination with a local drug trafficking gang, has raised hopes that the missing will soon be found. “This was the missing piece,” Felipe de la Cruz, the father of one of the missing students, told Milenio TV. “This arrest will help us п¬Ѓnd our kids. It was the government who took our kids.” Abarca and his wife, Maria de los Angeles Pineda, were detained in the early hours of Tuesday in Mexico City by the federal authorities. They were immediately taken to the office of the attorney general for questioning and medical tests. The government is under enormous pressure to п¬Ѓnd the students as a п¬Ѓrst step towards quelling the outrage triggered by the events in Iguala, in the state of Guerrero. The disappearance of the students has highlighted both the degree of collusion of some local authorities around Mexico with organised crime, as well as federal tolerance of this. There have been numerous large emotional demonstrations demanding more action to п¬Ѓnd the students, as well as a few violent attacks on government buildings. More protests are planned for this week. Flood misery Last month the attorney general, Jesus Murillo, said that Abarca ordered the municipal police to “confront the students” on the night of September 26, when he learned they were in town commandeering busses. The students are from the radical Ayotzinapa teacher training college about two hours drive away, and regularly hijack busses to use in protests. Murillo said Abarca’s order stemmed from fears that the students were planning to disrupt an event centered around a speech his wife was giving, designed to promote her bid to replace him as mayor in the next elections in 2015. Abarca and his wife, Maria de los Angeles Pineda, were detained in the early hours of Tuesday in Mexico City by the federal authorities Police п¬Ѓrst opened п¬Ѓre on the buses carrying the students in a series of attacks that left six people dead, including three students. Amid the chaos, dozens of students were arrested after which, Murillo said, they were handed over to members of a local drug gang called Guerreros Unidos. In an interview the day after the events, Abarca had said he was not aware of the gravity of what was going on that night because he was dancing with his wife and then dining with his family. The mayor and his wife went into hiding on September 30, at the same time as reports began to surface of Abarca’s meteoric rise from hat salesman to wealthy Argentina president remains in hospital AFP Buenos Aires A Locals wade through water in front of their flooded home in Pilar, northern Buenos Aires, yesterday. Heavy rains devastated large parts of the province of Buenos Aires, where severe flooding forced residents to use kayaks and makeshift rafts to navigate inundated streets and recover belongings. businessman, as well as allegations of the way, together with Pineda, he had governed Iguala in close co-ordination with Guerreros Unidos since taking office as mayor in 2012. The drug gang, said to control a signiп¬Ѓcant amount of opium poppy production in the mountains around Iguala, reportedly set up checkpoints at the entrance to the city to keep out rival gangs. Guerreros Unidos is one of several offshoots of the oncepowerful Beltran-Leyva cartel that has fallen apart in recent years following the arrest or death of its top leaders. Two of Pineda’s brothers, said to be members of the BeltranLeyva cartel, were killed in 2009. A third brother was also allegedly high up in the gang. It was not immediately clear how Abarca and Pineda were eventually tracked down to the working-class district of Iztapalapa in Mexico City, where they were п¬Ѓnally arrested on Tuesday. Local media published photographs of the very modest house where they reportedly spent their last few days of freedom. One image shows eight small dogs in an almost unfurnished room. Neighbours, looking nervous as they were interviewed by TV journalists at the scene, said they had seen and heard nothing of the raid, which reportedly involved 30 federal agents. Meanwhile, parents of the disappeared were reportedly heading to Mexico City in search of any information about the whereabouts of their children that might emerge from the couple’s arrest. rgentina’s President Cristina Kirchner remained in hospital yesterday for a third day with an intestinal infection. The 61-year-old Kirchner was in “stable” condition, receiving IV antibiotics and treatment for her symptoms, her doctors said. Kirchner was hospitalised on Sunday night with fever and stomach pains that were diagnosed as sigmoiditis, an infection or inflammation in the intestines. Officials have refused to elaborate on her medical status. She had been scheduled to travel to Australia for a G-20 meeting in Brisbane. The Argentine president, who is in her last year in office, has been sidelined by health issues three times now in less than a year. She had resumed her normal work schedule October 21 after resting for 48 hours on doctors orders due to pharyngitis. In July, Kirchner also had to rest for two days due to sore throat and laryngitis. Her recovery time then had to be extended to a week and she cancelled her work schedule and a trip to Paraguay. Kirchner has been sidelined by health issues three times now in less than a year A little over a year ago, the president underwent surgery for an intracranial hematoma. She was then off work for six weeks. In early 2012, she underwent surgery to remove her thyroid after being misdiagnosed with cancer. Gulf Times Thursday, November 6, 2014 29 PAKISTAN/AFGHANISTAN Taliban group warns India after Wagah border blast A Pakistani Taliban group spokesman has warned Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi that attacks in India would take place; The warning follows the deadly suicide attack at Wagah Reuters Peshawar A new Pakistani Taliban group behind this week’s devastating suicide bombing on the Pakistani-Indian border said yesterday the attack was as much aimed at India as Pakistan, suggesting that Indian targets might be next. At least 57 Pakistanis were killed during a popular flag-lowering ceremony on Sunday when a bomber tried to get as close as possible to the border in a possible attempt to cause casualties on the Indian side as well. Ehsanullah Ehsan, a prominent militant and spokesman for the group, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan Jamaat Ahrar (TTPJA), said he had warned Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi that attacks in India were in the pipeline. “I have already conveyed it to Modi ... that if our suicide bombers can carry out attacks on this side of the border, they can easily do it on other side of the border in India,” he told Reuters by telephone from an undisclosed location. “I told him that his hands are red with the blood of Kashmiri mujahideen (п¬Ѓghters) and innocent people of Gujarat for which he would have to pay the price.” He earlier tweeted in English: “You (Modi) are the killer of hundreds of Muslims. We wl (will) take the revenge of innocent people of Kashmir and Gugrat” (sic). An Indian intel- ligence official said the account appeared genuine. Kashmir is a disputed Himalayan territory over which India and Pakistan have fought two of their three wars. Gujarat - misspelt in the tweet - is a western Indian state where more than 1,000 people, most of them Muslims, were killed in inter-religious rioting in 2002, when Modi was its chief minister. India has long accused Pakistani militants of trying to attack its targets, particularly after the 2008 Mumbai attacks in which 166 people were killed when Pakistani gunmen went on a threeday rampage in India’s п¬Ѓnancial capital. Ehsan said, however, that the Sunday attack was speciп¬Ѓcally aimed at the Pakistani military. “I have already conveyed it to Modi ... that if our suicide bombers can carry out attacks on this side of the border, they can easily do it on other side of the border in India” The elaborate border parade, which draws hundreds of people every day, is conducted by the military of both sides, making it a target for Taliban militants п¬Ѓghting to topple the Pakistani government and establish an Islamic theocracy. “We have proudly stated that our target was the Pakistani security forces and their installations in which we succeeded,” Ehsan said. The central Pakistani Taliban group, known as the TTP, has effectively disintegrated this year and split into a range of smaller groups such as TTP-JA who appear to be exploiting their ties to Al Qaeda to broaden their mission beyond Pakistan. Ehsan said that unlike the TTP’s narrow focus on war in the tribal areas on the Afghan border, his outп¬Ѓt sought to attack countries around the region. “The TTP focuses on Pakistan only, while we have a global agenda of jihad and therefore we have people from all over the world including the Arab and Western world for this mission.” TTP-JA has announced its support for the Middle Eastern group Islamic State, whose belligerent anti-Western ideology has begun to inspire militants across South Asia. The group’s openly anti-Indian rhetoric differs from that of the mainstream Pakistani Taliban, who are mainly focused on their insurgency against Pakistani security forces in the volatile tribal northwest of the country. A successful attack on an Indian target would severely affect the already frosty relations between India and Pakistan. Shelling on their disputed Kashmir border is an almost daily occurrence, a constant reminder that a full-blown conflict is always a threat. Further unnerving India, Al Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri, said to be close to TTP-JA, has announced the creation of a South Asia wing of Al Qaeda, threatening to stage attacks on countries across the subcontinent. The new group’s п¬Ѓrst major attack was a botched attempt in September to hijack a Pakistani warship and attack a US navy vessel at a base near the port city of Karachi. On Tuesday, India’s navy withdrew two warships from the eastern port of Kolkata after intelligence agencies warned of an attack on the port and the city. 44 held following lynching of Pak Christian couple AFP Islamabad P olice in Pakistan arrested dozens of people yesterday after a mob beat a Christian couple to death and burned their bodies for allegedly desecrating a copy of the Holy Qur’an. Blasphemy is a serious offence in Pakistan. Local media reported the Christian couple were accused of burning a copy of the Qur’an and throwing it in a rubbish bin in the province of Punjab on Tuesday. Police said their bodies were set on п¬Ѓre in a brick kiln. “We have arrested 44 people, it was a local issue incited by the mullah of a local mosque,” Jawad Qamar, a regional police chief, said. “No particular sectarian group or religious outп¬Ѓt was behind the attack.” Meanwhile, relatives of the couple said yesterday that they were locked inside a brickmaking factory before their murder to prevent them from fleeing their debts. Shehzad Masih and Shama Bibi, who was four months pregnant and a mother to three children, were later beaten surrounded by a crowd of up to 1,500 villagers then thrown on top of a lit furnace, multiple witnesses said. By the time the Muslim mob was done, only charred bones and their discarded shoes remained. Jawad Qamar, a local police official, said according to initial P akistani stocks closed at a record high yesterday, with analysts crediting falling inflation and commodity prices as well as an easing of political tensions. The benchmark Karachi Stock Exchange index of 100 shares closed at 30,593 points, up 217 points or 0.71%. The previous peak of 30,474 points came in July, but the ex- change plunged in August as opposition groups led by politician Imran Khan and cleric Tahirul-Qadri began rallies and a sitin outside parliament to try to topple the government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. Tensions peaked at the end of August when it appeared the military might intervene as it has previously. But the situation has since calmed down and Qadri called off his protest in the capital late last month. “Now the investors’ focus has shifted towards economic mat- ters from the political affairs of the country,” said Mohamed Sohail, the chief executive officer of Topline Securities. On the economic front official data showed that inflation had plunged to a 17-month low, raising investors’ hopes that the central bank might slash the basic interest rate in its next review. “The inflation (rate) has come down to 5.8% and that is 17-month low so investors look forward to corresponding cut in interest rates,” Sohail said. reports events began to unfold more than a week earlier with the death of Shehzad’s father, a local religious healer. “When he died, Shehzad’s wife went to his room and cleaned up the mess. There was a trunk in his room, Shehzad’s wife took the things that could be useful and threw the trash in front of her house,” said Qamar. “The garbage collector collected the trash the next day and told a local cleric that he had collected pages of the AFP Islamabad P akistan’s government said yesterday it had “declared war on polio”, after a damning international report slammed the country’s campaign to tackle the virus as a “disaster”. Cases of the crippling disease have soared to a 14-year high in Pakistan this year, with 235 conп¬Ѓrmed infections — more than double the total for the whole of 2013. Pakistan is one of only three In line with the international fall in commodity prices, especially oil, the government last week slashed petroleum prices by an average of eight percent— the largest price relief ever. Pakistan’s long-moribund economy has shown some glimmers of revival under Sharif’s government. Ratings agency Moody’s upgraded the country’s outlook to вЂ�stable’ from вЂ�negative’ in July, citing its improving external liquidity position and commitment to reforms. countries in the world where polio remains endemic but years of efforts to stamp it out have been badly hit by opposition from militants and attacks on immunisation teams. The problem is concentrated in the northwest, where Taliban militants banned vaccination in North and South Waziristan tribal areas on the Afghan border. Musadik Malik, an aide to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, said the government was launching a new drive against polio focused on “outcomes”. “The prime minister has declared war on polio. The PM Islamabad summons US envoy DPA Islamabad P akistan yesterday summoned the US ambassador to Islamabad to complain about a Pentagon report suggesting that it is granting sanctuary to terrorists operating in neighbouring India and Afghanistan. “Pakistan’s protest over these unwarranted comments was conveyed ... to US ambassador Richard Olson” Pakistani pedestrians walk past the Karachi Stock Exchange yesterday. Qur’an thrown in front of Shehzad’s house from the trash.” Iqbal Masih, Shehzad’s older bother, said that he and his whole family were bonded workers paying off their debts to the brick kiln owner, a man named Mohamed Yousuf — an illegal practice branded by rights groups as akin to modern-day slavery. “We take advance money from the owner and work for him, it has been going on for years. On November 3, the owner had called Iqbal and detained him sensing that he might run away to save his life,” he said tearfully. The allegation against the factory owner was repeated by two other witnesses interviewed by AFP, but denied by his son Khawar Yousuf. “We don’t know what has happened, the family has been working for us for 20 years and we have never noticed anything bad.” “It’s wrong to say that my father locked them up,” he added. Islamabad declares вЂ�war on polio’ Pakistan stocks close at record high AFP Islamabad Pakistanis shout slogans during a protest against the killing of a Christian couple who were burnt alive for alleged blasphemy, in Islamabad, yesterday. According to the Pakistani Foreign Ministry, the latest report by the US Department of Defence on Progress Towards Security and Stability in Afghanistan carries “unsubstantiated allegations” about the existence of terrorist sanctuaries in Pakistan and suggestions that “proxy forces are operating from here against Afghanistan and India.” “Pakistan’s protest over these unwarranted comments was conveyed ... to US ambassador Richard Olson,” the Foreign Ministry said. The spat comes just days before a planned visit by Pakistan’s army chief General Raheel Sharif to the United States. believes every child is his and no child will be left behind,” he told reporters. “We are committed irrespective of the hardship, irrespective of the challenge.” The government hopes to take advantage of the cool winter months, when polio transmission falls off, to strike a decisive blow against the disease, he said. The relaunch comes after the Independent Monitoring Board of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative issued a highly critical assessment of Pakistan’s efforts to tackle the disease. “Pakistan’s polio programme is a disaster. It continues to flounder hopelessly, as its virus flourishes,” the report by a panel of international experts late last month said. It lambasted political commitment and quality of public health leadership as “totally inadequate”. Pakistan is home to 85% of polio cases around the world in 2014. Conspiracy theories about the vaccine being a plot to sterilise Muslims have further added to the challenges of п¬Ѓghting the disease in Pakistan. Pakistan takes EU to WTO over PET trade Reuters Geneva P akistan launched a trade dispute at the World Trade Organisation yesterday to challenge the European Union’s punitive duties on Pakistani exports of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), the WTO said in a statement. Pakistan says the EU has broken WTO rules in the way that it imposed anti-subsidy duties on PET, which is used in synthetic п¬Ѓbres, plastic bottles and food containers. Under WTO rules, the EU has 60 days to try to settle the dispute in direct talks, after which Pakistan could escalate the issue by asking the WTO to set up a panel to adjudicate. Pakistan’s exports of PET were worth just over $200 million last year, according to data from the International Trade Center, a UN-WTO joint venture. Although its exports have grown, sales to the EU have dwindled in the past few years. The EU accounted for over 80% of Pakistan’s foreign sales of PET a decade ago, but less than 10 percent of Pakistani PET exports went to the EU in 2013, a tiny slice of the EU’s $4.3bn of the material. The dispute is the п¬Ѓrst that Pakistan has initiated in almost a decade and its п¬Ѓrst against the EU. It previously launched three disputes - two against the United States and one against Egypt, which was settled in 2006. Afghan rebels suffer вЂ�heavy casualties’ Taliban militants have suffered heavy casualties in southeastern Khost and central Uruzgan province during clearing operations. The Afghan Ministry of Interior (MoI) said in a statement yesterday at least 28 Taliban militants were killed and 47 others were injured during the operations. The statement further added the operations were jointly conducted by Afghan national police, Afghan national army and Afghan intelligence national directorate of security (NDS) forces, according to the Afghan Khaama Press. Other provinces, including Laghman, Kunduz, Nangarhar, Badakhshan, Balkh, Kandahar, Zabul and Paktia provinces were also covered during the clearing operations, the ministry said. The statement by ministry also added that various types of weapons and ammunition were confiscated. 30 Gulf Times Thursday, November 6, 2014 PHILIPPINES Actress Karylle is all smiles with new endorsement deal Manila Times Manila S inger-actress and theatre performer Karylle is still the blushing bride half a year into her marriage to Sponge Cola vocalist Yael Yuzon. Besides her personal happiness, she is also doing a great job juggling her roles as a celebrity and young wife. As if life couldn’t get any better, she just landed a brand new endorsement that is very close to her heart. The It’s Showtime host happily revealed to Manila Times that she is now the brand ambassador of mouthwash brand OraCare, a responsibility she believes she can perform with credibility, what with having a dentist for a dad. According to Karylle, she had learned the importance of oral hygiene at a very young age. “A lot of people don’t regularly go to the dentist so my dad’s always reminding me what I should do in between so I don’t neglect my teeth and oral health in general,” she explained. A self-confessed foodie, she learned from her father that in order to avoid bad breath from spices and the like, brushing is not enough. “A good mouthwash is always necessary,” Karylle declared. “With Oracare, there is no sting or burning sensation that people dislike about mouthwashes. Still, its active ingredient --stabilised chlorine dioxide -- kills bad bacteria and neutralises volatile sulphur compounds, the main culprits of strong mouth odours,” she said like a true dentist’s daughter. Moreover, as a singer and host, oral hygiene is a top priority for Karylle since her mouth and voice are her key tools. “It’s important for me to have a healthy mouth and fresh breath because it gives me a certain level of conп¬Ѓdence while I am performing,” she said. “So at the end of the day, this endorsement is one that’s really up my alley. I’m very happy to be OraCare’s newest brand ambassador,” she concluded with a smile. Karylle: reason to smile Shelter, livelihood main struggles for storm survivors DPA Tacloban City D Typhoon survivor Kristina Cano, 25, puts on socks to her daughter Hannah, seven, prior to her school, inside their makeshift house at Anibong village which was severely damaged by the 2013 Typhoon Haiyan in Tacloban City, Leyte province yesterday. Militants’ ransom showcase causes concern for military The Al Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf apparently posted on social media a short video showing its members with stacks of the Philippine currency, which they said was ransom for two German hostages freed last month AFP Manila T he Philippine military yesterday expressed alarm that rebels may go on an arms spending spree after they posted a video online showing what they claimed to be a multimillion-dollar ransom windfall. The Al Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf apparently posted on social media a short video showing its members with stacks of the Philippine currency, which they said was ransom for two German hostages freed last month. In the video, Abu Sayyaf spokesman Abu Rami claimed the money on display in a jungle setting was the full 250mn pesos ($5.7mn) demanded for releasing the captives. “If this is really ransom money, then they can use it for evil purposes like buying more arms,” military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Harold Cabunoc told reporters. Military chief General Gregorio Catapang also warned that the showcasing of the money may encourage other kidnappings, but said the money on display might not be real. German and Filipino authorities have refused to disclose whether a ransom was paid to secure the release of the Germans. The video was taken off Faceboook and not available for general viewing yesterday. But a major daily newspaper carried a photo grab from the two-minute clip on its front page. A local reporter with Abu Sayyaf contacts who viewed the video before it was taken offline said he believed the video was genuine, although it was not possible to say whether the money was indeed the ransom payment. The Germans — Stefan Okonek, aged in his 70s, and his partner, Henrike Dielen, in her 50s — were freed on October 17 on the remote southern island of Jolo after six months in the hands of the Abu Sayyaf. Philippine authorities said the Germans were snatched at sea as they sailed a yacht near the western Philippine island of Palawan. The Abu Sayyaf, founded in the 1990s with seed money from the Al Qaeda network of Osama bin Laden, is blamed for the worst terror attacks in recent Philippine history. These have included frequent kidnappings for ransom of Christians and foreigners in remote areas of the southern Philippines with minority Muslim populations. Philippine authorities are believed often to help in the ransom negotiations, but never admit any involvement. Ofп¬Ѓcially, the government has a no-ransom policy. The military estimates the Abu Sayyaf only has about 400 armed п¬Ѓghters. But the group enjoys the support of some local communities and is believed to sustain itself through its lucrative kidnap-for-ransom business. Bandits are also known to kidnap people and then sell them on to the Abu Sayyaf. Foreign department urges Filipinos in strife-torn Yemen to return The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) yesterday raised Alert Level 3 in Yemen and urged almost 700 Filipinos there to come home, Manila Times reported. The DFA said the political and security situation in Yemen continues to deteriorate and gave Filipinos there until November 30 to register for repatriation. The depart- ment said it imposed a deadline because the rapid response team (RRT) that would pick up the Filipinos cannot stay there for long. The government has no formal representation in Yemen because its jurisdiction falls under the Philippine Embassy in Riyadh. The DFA said the Philippine Embassy has informed all Filipinos that the alert level has been raised from two (restriction phase) to three (voluntary repatriation). There are 691 Filipinos in Yemen, 508 of which are in Sana’a, the capital city where Houthi rebels are reportedly holed up. The rebels are also responsible for the attacks against civilians by separatists and the members of Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP). “All Filipinos are strongly advised to leave Yemen as soon as possible. Currently, a total deployment ban is imposed and all travel to Yemen including those who are on vacation and returning to Yemen will not be allowed,” the statement from the department said. ays after super typhoon Haiyan wiped out their seaside community in the eastern Philippine city of Tacloban, Pacita de la Cruz and her family constructed a ramshackle hut from debris they recovered. One year later, the family is still living in the same shack, along the road near the city’s seaside airport. “It’s been tough, but we are surviving,” said the 46-yearold mother, sitting on a bamboo bench outside the hut. “But now we’ve been told that we can’t live here anymore because this is a danger zone,” she added, referring to government-designated areas 40 metres or less from the shore. Across the city, 72-year-old п¬Ѓsh vendor Mateo Delingon and his family are also waiting to be relocated from the coastal village of Anibong, where eight cargo and passenger ships smashed into houses at the height of Haiyan’s fury. “We’re not looking forward to it, but we have no choice because we’re not safe here,” said the father of three, as he sat by the door of his makeshift house just opposite one of the grounded cargo ships. “How will I п¬Ѓsh if we’re far away from the sea?” he asked. More than 4mn people were displaced when Haiyan left a swathe of destruction in its path through the Philippines on November 8, 2013. At least 1mn survivors were residents of coastal communities hit by tidal surges as high as 10 metres, and those are being prioritised for relocation. But survivors have complained that most of the resettlement sites were far from their places of work, their children’s schools, health centres and government offices. So far, one year after the disaster, less than 1% of the resettlement houses required have been built, according to the National Housing Authority. “The magnitude of the disaster was so big that government structures and people were overwhelmed by the workload,” said Markus Koth, country coordinator for the German humanitarian organisation Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe (DKH). “There’s still a lot to be done but at the same time, I feel that there’s already much accomplished,” he added. In the worst-hit city of Tacloban, only 250 of more than 70,000 residents living in danger zones have been permanently relocated. The others are still in temporary shelters, bunkhouses, makeshift homes or tents. “We are working very hard to get them all out of there,” said Tacloban City Mayor Alfred Romualdez, after visiting a construction site for permanent resettlement houses. “No one’s going to be left behind,” he added. Almost 90% of Tacloban, a regional hub in the eastern Philippines and a bustling commercial city of more than 220,000 people, was destroyed by Haiyan. The city is again buzzing with commercial activity as stores, restaurants, banks and hotels have re-opened. The airport has been rebuilt, but repairs are still being done on the runway. Public transport is back, along with rush-hour congestion as roads and bridges are being п¬Ѓxed. A new public market is also being built. Electricity has been restored in almost the entire city. But livelihood remains a major concern for survivors, which destroyed more than $450mn of crops, livestock and п¬Ѓsheries. In nearby Tanauan town, former п¬Ѓsherman Edwin Cinco has started to raise pigs, drive a rickshaw and sell п¬Ѓsh caught by others to earn a living after losing his boat and failing to receive a new one. “I will do anything to feed my family,” said the 36-year-old father of three young children. “I can’t stand seeing them hungry.” The family used to stay in a tent just a few metres from a beach in the village of San Roque, but Cinco has since built a small wooden house with help from the local government. They have electricity and a deep well for water. His wife, Maricel, planted vegetables in their small front yard, which they share with Cinco’s parents. “Sometimes, we just don’t know where to get money,” she said, crying as she checked on one of her children who had fever. “Our children don’t get enough to eat and I’m worried about their health.” Glints of hope emerge in typhoon-hit Tacloban Reuters Tacloban S itting on a wooden stool as his customers mill around clutching burgers and bottles of beer, Jacques Palami talks enthusiastically about life in Tacloban a year after the central Philippines town was slammed by Typhoon Haiyan. Owner of the brightly-lit pop-up bar Na Ning, Palami is one of a growing number of victims of the strongest storm on record to hit land who are committed to rebuilding the coastal town that many feared was beyond repair. Palami, 26, lost his childhood home and two relatives in the typhoon that destroyed 90% of Tacloban after it hit land on Nov 8, killing, or leaving missing, some 7,000 people. Typhoon Haiyan forced as many as 4mn people to flee their homes as it powered across the central Philippines, packing winds of up to 315 km an hour and causing seven metre storm surges. Palami is among a group of local and foreign entrepreneurs bringing innovation and hope to Tacloban, a city Local and foreign customers visit Na Ning in downtown Tacloban. with a registered population of around 220,000 where a year ago corpses lined the streets and looters ran amok. His bar, a refurbished truck that was used by his family to deliver food to relatives in the storm’s aftermath, is a popular place for locals and foreign aid workers to unwind. “This is the time in Tacloban where people are being creative and innovative because they have to be,” Palami, who named his bar after his grandfather, told the Thomson Reuters Foun- dation. “My vision is for Tacloban to remain on the map.” Palami, who spent 10 years working in Manila and abroad, returned to Tacloban after Haiyan, the deadliest Philippine typhoon on record, determined to help rebuild the city that is about 580 kms southeast of Manila. He set up the bar in January this year and it is now parked just minutes from some of the city’s landmarks -- the cotton candy-coloured Santo Nino church and a shrine said to be on the site of the childhood home of Imelda Marcos, the Philippines’ flamboyant former п¬Ѓrst lady. Jerry Yaokasin, Tacloban’s vice mayor, said the city’s recovery so far has been remarkable but much remains to be done. About 3,000 people are still living in dangerous areas and many more are still struggling to rebuild a livelihood. Tacloban, to all intent and purposes, is now a functioning city with much of the debris cleared, streets buzzing with traffic, children back at school and buildings patched up. The scars are more obvious outside Tacloban, in smaller, more rural municipalities where fallen trees and collapsed homes are still commonplace, and in coastal neighbourhoods where some families are still living in tents. “Many thought we would not be able to recover. People were hopeless, desperate and even suggested we should just abandon the city,” Yaokasin said in a phone interview. But many, like Palami, refuse to give up hope. Filipino actor Jourdan Sebastian and American development worker Justin Capen are the founders of the social enterprise Taclob -- mean- ing “to cover” in local dialect -- that is producing eco-friendly waterproof backpacks made by typhoon survivors. Every purchase of a “Compassion” backpack made of red Japanese truck tarpaulin and denim from jeans donated by Germany triggers a donation of a nylon orange “Courage” backpack that can double up as a floatation device to school children. “Our main premise on doing this was that we would create an opportunity for the survivors ... the ability to give them the dignity of providing for themselves once again,” Capen said at an event this month on the countdown to the Haiyan anniversary. “The backpack (also) gives the children courage so they don’t have to be afraid of storms anymore.” Felipa Balbuana, 36, is one of around 20 employees and typhoon survivors working in a factory on the second floor of a supermarket in downtown Tacloban to produce the backpacks. Balbuana, a mother of four, was a housewife with no sewing experience who lost her home to the storm. She was looking to supplement her husband’s increasingly meagre income as a п¬Ѓsh vendor when Taclob came to her neighbourhood seeking staff. “I’m very happy to have a job,” she said. A resource centre set up by nonproп¬Ѓt organisation Philippines Communitere, based on a similar centre in post-earthquake Haiti, is aiming to provide more work opportunities. Its two main attractions are a 3-D printing lab and a space for local carpenters, welders and handicraft makers. After raising almost $25,000 from a crowd funding platform, the centre officially opens this month with over a dozen typhoon survivors who lost their homes already using the space. A different kind of hope for Tacloban has come from members of a youth choir hoping to win this year’s prestigious National Music Competitions for Young Artists (Namcya), where the nation’s best choirs, pianists and chamber musicians compete. The choir of the St Theresa Educational Foundation of Tacloban, a private school, will represent both the city and Leyte province at the annual Namcya this month in Manila after their planned entry last year was shelved when Haiyan hit. Gulf Times Thursday, November 6, 2014 31 SRI LANKA/BANGLADESH/NEPAL Lankan president seeks court nod for third term Reuters Colombo S ri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapakse has asked the Supreme Court to determine if there is any constitutional obstacle to his becoming president for a third term, something the top lawyers’ association says he cannot do. Rajapakse and his family have a tight grip on Sri Lanka’s economy and on politics which critics characterise as an unusually personalised system of government. He has also been criticised over human rights standards. The government has said it will hold an early election amid some indications its popularity is fading but to secure another term as President Rajapakse must ensure the constitutional path is clear. Rajapakse abolished a twoterm presidential limit in 2010 Passengers stranded after strike hits airport work A four-hour-long strike that paralysed Sri Lanka’s main international airport ended yesterday with the government agreeing to workers’ demand for a pay rise, officials said. Trade unions representing employees at Bandaranaike International Airport, 30km north of the capital, were demanding a minimum salary increase of Rs8,000 ($62). “The government agreed to the demands of the workers and resolved the issue,” an official said. The strike that was launched last evening has brought the operations at the Bandaranaike International Airport to a complete halt. According to airport officials, the baggage belts have stopped running and the arriving passengers have faced severe difficulties. Some 3,000 passengers were held up, unable to leave the country due to the strike, a spokesman for the airport said. Several flight departures were delayed leaving passengers stranded. The authorities accused the strikers of disconnecting electricity power supply at the airport. This has forced the immigration officials to halt electronic operations and work manually, officials said. “The control tower of the airport was operating and could facilitate the landing of inbound flights although the departures are delayed,” an official said. Bandaranaike airport is the biggest international airport in Sri Lanka, and the hub for national carrier Sri Lanka Airlines. contest a third term,” Upul Jayasuriya, president of the Bar Association, said. but the Bar Association says the limit still applies to him as the amendment was brought in during his second term, after he won under the provisions of the earlier constitution. The Supreme Court said yesterday Rajapakse had asked if he could proclaim his intention to seek another term when he completes the fourth year of his second six-year term on November 19, the court’s registrar said in a letter to the Bar Association. He has also asked the Supreme Court to determine if there was any impediment to him being elected for another term, the registrar said in the letter, a copy of which was seen by Reuters. The registrar, MM Jayasekera, told the Bar Association to inform its member of the president’s request, and if they had any points to make, they should submit them in writing. “Our position is he can’t “We have made written submissions and we have also asked the court to give us on opportunity to make oral submissions in open court” “We have made written submissions and we have also asked the court to give us on opportunity to make oral submissions in open court,” he said. Rajapakse, 68, came to power in 2005 and retained the presidency in 2010 on a wave of popularity after the military defeat of ethnic Tamil rebels in 2009, ending a 26-year civil war. The Bar Association argues that he cannot contest for a third term without a parliamentary vote to make the constitutional amendment scrapping the two-term limit retrospective. Then it must be B angladesh has made seven requests seeking data of 17 Facebook accounts starting from January to the end of June of this year. But Facebook sealed access to вЂ�three contents’ for users in Bangladesh following the government’s requests made between July and December last year. The contents, considered вЂ�seditious’ under Bangladesh law, prompted Facebook to take action. It was found in the statistics that they themselves have revealed it recently. Facebook said in its Government Requests Report: “We respond to valid requests relating to criminal cases. Each and every request we receive is checked for legal sufficiency and we reject or require greater speciп¬Ѓcity on requests that are overly broad or vague.” IANS Kathmandu T Mahinda Rajapakse ... eying third term Bangladesh unveils solar power plan for 3mn rural families By Mizan Rahman Dhaka B angladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday unveiled a plan to provide solar home system (SHS) to 3mn more rural families in next three years as part of the scheme to produce 24,000megawatt (MW) electricity by 2021, with 10% from solar power. She said the government is engaged in intense discussion with the neighbouring countries to enhance regional cooperation in the power sector. The prime minister was addressing a function in Dhaka yesterday on the occasion of celebrating installation of 3mn solar home systems in the country by the Infrastructure Development Company Ltd (IDCOL). She said electricity has become as a basic demand of people now. Electricity coverage has been largely increased over the years since 2009 due to the constant stride of the government. “Despite about 38% people of the country still not having access to electricity, in realisation of the election pledge of my party every household will get electricity connection,” she said, adding that existing Sheikh Hasina: “Every household will get electricity connection.” diesel-run pumps and minigrids of the country will be replaced gradually through solar powered irrigation pumps and mini-grid projects. Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith, PM’s adviser Data of 17 Facebook accounts sought By Mizan Rahman Dhaka approved by a referendum. But legal experts backing Rajapakse say he can call an early election after four years in office, and serve again as president if he wins. Government spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella said last month a presidential election would be held in January, nearly two years ahead of schedule. Rajapakse has been accused of rights abuses and nepotism. He insists any relatives in parliament are there because people elected them and not because he chose them. His ruling United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) party won a local election in the southeastern province of Uva in September but with sharply lower support. Rajapakse cut taxes and increased salaries, subsidies and welfare spending in a populist budget last month aimed at winning votes ahead of the polls. In this report, Facebook provided the country-wise statistics of the governments’ requests and their responds. According to Facebook, neighbouring India made 4,559 requests seeking data on 5,958 users, in which case the company responded to 50.87% of the requests made by the Indian government. It also said, “We restricted access in India to a number of pieces of content reported primarily by law enforcement officials and the India Computer Emergency Response Team under local laws prohibiting criticism of a religion or the state.” Upon requests, 4,960 pieces of content were restricted, the report showed. The United States made 15,433 Law Enforcement Requests for Data of 23,667 Users/Accounts, 80.15% of which were duly responded to. Facebook responded to 71.68% of 2,110 requests of Britain for 2,619 accounts. Facebook said requests by governments for user information rose by about a quarter in the п¬Ѓrst half of 2014 over the second half of last year. In the п¬Ѓrst six months of 2014, governments around the world made 34,946 requests for data. During the same time, the amount of content restricted because of local laws increased about 19%. “We’re aggressively pursuing an appeal to a higher court to invalidate these sweeping warrants and to force the government to return the data it has seized,” the company said in a company blog post on Tuesday. Google reported in September a 15% sequential increase in the number of requests in the п¬Ѓrst half of this year, and a 150% rise in the last п¬Ѓve years, from governments around the world to reveal user information in criminal investigations. on energy affairs Towп¬Ѓq-eElahi Chowdhury, State Minister for Power Nasrul Hamid, World Bank country director Johannes C M Zutt also spoke on the occasion with economic relations division secretary Opposition throws spanner in charter drafting works and chairman of IDCOL Mohammad Mejbahuddin in the chair. Later, the PM through a video conference, talked to the beneп¬Ѓciaries of IDCOL solar home system in Char Janajat of Shibchar of Madaripur district, local parliament member and the deputy commissioner of the district. Praising the role of IDCOL in producing renewable energy in the country, Hasina said the government established IDCOL in 1997 for linking the public and private organisations working for large and medium infrastructure development and generation of renewable energy. Over the last 17 years, she said, IDCOL has emerged as a big partner in п¬Ѓnancing infrastructure development and power generation in private sector, she said. The prime minister said protection of environment is very crucial for sustainable development growth, reducing the consumption of fossil fuel. To do this happen, she said, there is need to put in place a smart, clean and efficient energy in place of carbonised fuel. Laying importance on public-private partnership, environmental planning and technological roadmap for building carbon efficient sus- tainable economic growth, the prime minister said, a massive global initiative is required for promoting development of renewable energy. Hasina said the government has formulated the national energy policy after taking ofп¬Ѓce in 1996 giving priority on use, publicity and promotion of renewable energy. In the Vision-2021 of the Awami League, she said, importance was given on generation of alternative renewable sources. The PM said soon after taking office in 2009 her government designed a speciп¬Ѓc plan to increase power generation, expansion of the gridline and promotion of the renewable energy to reach electricity to every house by 2021. All those initiatives helped augmenting solar power production to a large extent, she said, adding the number of SHS was less than 300,000 when Awami League assumes office, which has increased 10 times only in п¬Ѓve years, facilitating about 15mn people to enjoy solar power. Hasina said rural electriп¬Ѓcation has helped bringing momentum in the economic activities of small traders, cottage industries and other occupations in the rural area. Students are getting more time for study. Smuggled turtles seized he rift between ruling and opposition parties in Nepal has further escalated as the January 22 deadline of constitution drafting draws closer, cross-party leaders said yesterday. There is sharp division regarding the process to be adopted and key contentious issues of the new constitution, yet there is no sign of the gap being bridged in the near future. The country’s ruling parties, Nepali Congress and CPN-UML, have come up with a common position on contentious issues to begin the voting process, saying that as they command twothirds of vote in the constituent assembly, their proposal should be discussed. But opposition parties UCPN (Maoist) and Madhes-based parties are of the view that the constituent assembly cannot take up the proposal, for fear of being sidelined from the ongoing constitution drafting process if the proposal is taken to the constituent assembly. Baburam Bhattarai, chairman, political dialogue and consensus committee, a constituent assembly committee responsible for settling the contentious issues of the new constitution, has intensiп¬Ѓed cross-party talks to bridge the gap. Bhattarai is meeting top leaders of the major parties and people hoped this would bring the parties closer and give the new constitution a chance. Leader of banned outfit arrested from Dhaka A leader of the banned militant outfit Harkat-ul-Jihad (HuJI) has been arrested in Bangladesh, police said. Md Ibrahim, 40, was nabbed from Sayedabad area of Dhaka on Tuesday night, said Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s Detective Branch (DB) additional deputy commissioner Saidur Rahman. Detective Branch deputy commissioner Jahangir Hossain Matubbar said that Ibrahim, who recently received terror training abroad, was the chief of the organisation’s operations wing. Details of the arrest will be provided in a media briefing later, said the police official. On Saturday, three HuJI members were held from Dhaka’s Postogola area. Two of them were planning to take training in Pakistan, police said. The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), earlier, arrested some members of the outfit, who were caught with explosives, detonators and other bomb-making materials. Forex reserves reach over $22bn in Oct: top bank Thai policeman and customs officials inspecting confiscated Black Pond Turtles or Hamilton Pond Turtles seized from Bangladeshi passengers’ suitcases during a press conference at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok yesterday. Thai customs seized 669 smuggled Black Pond Turtles or Hamilton Pond Turtles found inside eight suitcases of four passengers upon their arrival at Suvarnabhumi Airport from Dhaka, as the four suspected Bangladeshi citizens fled the arrest, Thai customs said. Bangladesh’s foreign exchange reserves reached over $22bn by the end of October this year, the country’s central bank said yesterday. A Bangladesh Bank spokesman, who declined to be named, said that foreign exchange reserves stood at $22,265.34mn in October after reaching $21,836.66mn in September. The country’s foreign exchange reserve hit an all-time high of $22bn in the middle of August, reflecting the country’s strength from the economic and financial point of view. The central bank reserve had earlier hit $21bn in the middle of June. The BB, which in the last 2013-14 fiscal year (July 2013-June 2014) had purchased around $5bn, has bought over $1bn so far this financial year 2014-15 (July 2014June 2015). Bangladesh, with a population of about 153mn, needs a reserve of about $10bn to meet its import bills for three months in light of an internationally accepted standard. 32 Gulf Times Thursday, November 6, 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 editor@gulf-times.com Telephone 44350478 (news), 44466404 (sport), 44466636 (home delivery) Fax 44350474 GULF TIMES BCCI’s decision to sue WICB is simply not cricket The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is like a dictatorial regime whose raison d’etre doesn’t go much beyond making money. Towards that end it will do anything; trample over friend and foe, make a mockery of ethics and congratulate itself when the job is done without the slightest hint of regret, much less guilt. The BCCI’s latest target is the West Indies cricket Board, which is facing a whopping $42 million suit following its team’s controversial decision to abandon their recent tour of India over a pay dispute. It’s no secret that the WICB is a dysfunctional body – it has been for a long time – but by threatening to crush it underfoot when its very survival is at stake is something only the BCCI can think of. The WICB has stood by the BCCI through thick and thin. In fact, without the support of the Caribbean board, the BCCI probably wouldn’t have become the force it is today. It deп¬Ѓes the spirit of cricket that the Indian board went to the extent of publicly humiliating the WICB without taking into account the cordial relationship they enjoyed in the past. Ideally, the BCCI should have talked to its Caribbean counterpart and sorted out the issue in a digniп¬Ѓed manner. By doing that it would have regained some of its lost goodwill. Also, the BCCI’s claim that it lost millions of dollars because of the team’s pullout is somewhat dicey now because Sri Lanka п¬Ѓlled in for the West Indies at short notice and the matches are being played to full houses. But there are still many who believe that the Indian board is only posturing and that in the end it will settle for much less. West Indies great Brian Lara, for one, is hopeful that the BCCI would eventually tone down its aggression. “I don’t think the BCCI will be that severe on us,” Lara told BBC Sport. “I believe West Indies cricket will be alive. I don’t think anybody has the intention to end our game,” the former top batsman added. But the damage has been done. It is common knowledge that the West Indies’ decline as a cricketing power has left the game poorer. Indeed, the current generation of cricket fans brought up on a diet of quick-п¬Ѓx thrills has no idea what the Calypso Kings brought to the game. A sense of great expectation surged through the crowd when players like Clive Lloyd, Vivian Richards, Malcolm Marshall and Michael Holding and later on Lara walked onto the ground – so much so that it hardly mattered even if you were not a West Indian. Sadly, that is not the case anymore. It will require a total revamp of the West Indies set-up for a change to come about. That is why the Caribbean board needs help at this stage, not a multi-million dollar lawsuit. The Indian board should have dealt with the issue in a dignified manner American Airlines’ first Boeing 787 Dreamliner flying out of the paintshop, sporting the airline’s controversial new livery. Airlines enjoy a new wave of headline grabbing stories New brand identities, unique liveries and the birth of new aircraft are among activities that generate as much news coverage as the usual stereotype stories By Updesh Kapur Doha T here’s been a flurry of activity across the airline business in recent weeks and months – and there’s no sign of it easing up. We’re not talking about mega buck aircraft orders, takeovers, superior product enhancements or even route launches. These are news stories that consistently make headlines yearround. In an industry that never fails to excite and always good at securing column inches in print and online media, the emphasis in recent times seems clearly to be on a fresh wave of stories. New brand identities, unique liveries and the birth of new aircraft are among activities that generate as much news coverage as the usual stereotype stories. Aircraft manufacturers and airlines have been jumping onto the PR bandwagon through feel-good stories – those which are supposed to exude a sense of pride, especially among employees. Any talk of cost-cutting, employee disputes and route closures is momentarily forgotten when such stories surface. Boeing’s newest aircraft, the 787 Dreamliner continues to grab headlines, two years after its debut. As new airline customers take delivery of their п¬Ѓrst 787s, they make noise – and plenty of it. Rightly so, as the Dreamliner is the industry’s newest flying machine with both manufacturer and operator keen to show off their assets. Virgin Atlantic last month celebrated the arrival its п¬Ѓrst 787 which was soon deployed on the London Heathrow – Boston route. This also marked the airline’s 30th anniversary of flying: its п¬Ѓrst ever route was to the US in 1984. Having inducted its п¬Ѓrst new aircraft type for many years, Virgin flew the 787 onwards to Atlanta as a вЂ�thank you’ gesture to US partner Delta which purchased a 49% stake in the British carrier last year. And to top it all, Virgin’s inaugural 787 witnessed two London-based bands performing the п¬Ѓrst ever inflight gig to be streamed live at 35,000 feet over the Atlantic. It was a publicity drive that generated headlines in the UK and US as much as around the world. The Virgin Atlantic PR machine was, as ever, in full flow helped by its entrepreneurial showman, chairman Sir Richard Branson who was onboard the launch flight. American Airlines introduced its п¬Ѓrst 787 to the world last week having rolled out the aircraft from Boeing’s paint shop in Seattle. American’s 787 represents a major fleet enhancement for years and comes 12 months after exiting Chapter 11 bankruptcy to enter a new phase in its history. A moment of pride for American and its employees and one of Boeing’s biggest customers, the US giant is carrying with it controversial baggage of an exterior revamp that was unveiled last year. For aviation enthusiasts, American will not be forgiven for dropping its iconic and instantly recognisable “AA” tailп¬Ѓn logo in distinct red and blue letters separated by an eagle, and the fuselage in simple silver skin with coloured stripes across it. The identity change was American’s п¬Ѓrst for more than 40 years. The airline was lambasted by its own employees as well as a loyal customer base of millions for the change, particularly for dropping the retro “AA” logo. American’s PR supremos are still trying to contain the controversy one year on. It hopes the arrival of the 787 and American’s revamped business will shift criticism away from the livery switch that costmns of dollars to design. A logo is a company trademark that is at the heart of an organisation’s identity, proudly reproduced on all forms of communication channels. It is said that the true test of a logo is if it can be remembered and easily sketched with reasonable accuracy by a child. And it is children that airlines have a soft spot for, lately strengthening partnerships with popular brands to spruce up their proп¬Ѓle and identity. Last week, Taiwanese carrier EVA To Advertise advr@gulf-times.com Display Telephone 44466621 Fax 44418811 Classified Telephone 44466609 Fax 44418811 Subscription circulation@gulf-times.com 2014 Gulf Times. All rights reserved One of EVA Air’s Hello-Kitty-themed aircraft. Hello Kitty takes to the air with selected themed aircraft of Taiwanese carrier EVA Air. American Airlines’ iconic logo and brand identity being phased out. Air operated a scheduled flight from the capital Taipei to Paris with its chairman, a qualiп¬Ѓed pilot, at the helm as captain of the Boeing 777 aircraft. It was no ordinary aircraft. The flight marked the expansion of EVA’s highly popular portfolio of Hello Kitty Jets, named after the п¬Ѓctional Japanese children’s character. The aircraft, painted in Hello Kitty colours, continued EVA’s successful nine-year-old franchise with Sanrio, the Japanese company behind the character. A number of EVA planes sport the livery flying within Asia and selected longer routes from Taipei. But this is not just about a livery. It’s more about the Helly Kitty kids’ experience and the joy of flying. This year, the Hello Kitty brand which is relatively new in the western world, is celebrating its 40th anniversary. No wonder the marketing teams behind both the airline and Kitty brands are enjoying the best of both worlds. EVA’a Hello Kitty Jet experience is a long-term marketing strategy. Passengers travelling on any of the branded flights begin their travels at check-in at the airport with Hello Kitty boarding passes and baggage labels. Onboard cabin crew wear pink aprons featuring Hello Kitty designs. More than 100 in-flight items are decorated with the irresistible characters – that is, of course, if you п¬Ѓnd the characters irresistible. Items include Hello Kitty headrest covers, branded pillows, hand cream, napkins, paper cups, utensils, and snacks and meals. In a further move to capitalise on the marketing drive, EVA Air has created a selection of limited edition Hello Kitty duty free products that fans can purchase during their flights. EVA and Sanrio worked together to launch the п¬Ѓrst generation of Hello Kitty themed jets in 2005. Nine years on, the fleet of six themed aircraft – each with a unique theme – serves destinations such as Japan, Korea, mainland China, Guam and even the US west coast. EVA’s Paris – Taipei route, now in its 21st year of operations, was chosen as the maiden European service to feature Hello Kitty and her friends to further raise awareness of the airline among passengers in Europe and demonstrate the importance of the French route. The marketing approach showing characters joining hands across the entire length of the fuselage is designed to bridge cultural barriers and encourage new friendships from around the world. The Chinese too have been making headlines this year. In April, the country’s п¬Ѓrst-ever home grown commercial jet successfully completed a 30,000km test flight around the world. Last week, the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China’s (COMAC’s) 78-seater jet took to the air for its п¬Ѓrst domestic test flight. As the world’s airlines buy from manufacturers in the US, France, Canada and Brazil, a regional aircraft from China has long been on the cards. It plans to enter commercial operations with Chengdu Airlines by the end of next month marking China’s entry into the manufacturing world dominated by Boeing (the US), Airbus (Europe), Bombardier (Canada) and Embraer (Brazil). COMAC has so far received orders for more than 250 of the J21-700 regional jets, mainly from Asia, heralding a new era in an industry that, as explained earlier, never fails to excite. These are all milestones. The airline industry continues to look to celebrate a new era or simply mark a fresh chapter in its illustrious history. The current year is no different. zUpdesh Kapur is a PR & communications professional, columnist, aviation, hospitality and travel analyst, social and entertainment writer. He can be followed on twitter @updeshkapur Gulf Times Thursday, November 6, 2014 33 COMMENT Tech companies п¬Ѓnd themselves in a bind Apple Inc and Google Inc have announced encryption tools for smartphones in recent months that are so tough to crack that law enforcement agencies aren’t able to get information stored on the mobile devices By Amy Thomson and Adam Satariano San Francisco/Bloomberg U S technology companies are facing escalating pressure to let police and spies tap into smartphone data and e-mails in the name of п¬Ѓghting terrorism. Silicon Valley so far shows no sign it plans to give in. Robert Hannigan, head of the UK’s surveillance agency GCHQ, said this week that Twitter Inc and Facebook Inc were being abused by terrorists and urged more co-operation from the industry. US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) director James Comey similarly criticised technology companies in September for adding new safeguards that prevented law enforcement from gaining access to information stored on mobile devices. Law enforcement and intelligence agencies, hindered by the encryption technology, may lobby for legislation requiring companies to give them access, said Daniel Castro, senior analyst with the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation. That would be similar to how telecommunications companies are required to work with the government on phone taps. Facebook said this week it had recorded a 24% increase in requests, to 35,000, for data from governments around the world, compared with a similar period last year. Facebook supports an effort in the US Senate to require a warrant to compel companies to disclose stored contents of an account, according to Chris Sonderby, Facebook’s deputy general counsel. “ISIS is really freaking people out, with all those people being recruited via social media,” said Victor Asal, director of the center for policy research at the University of Albany, referring to the terror group Islamic State (IS). “It’s really raising concerns to a much higher level than we’ve seen.” The pleas from government agencies leave companies in a quandary. If they comply, technology companies risk being viewed by customers as incapable of protecting privacy. Resistance leaves them susceptible to continued allegations of abetting criminals. “What a number of big companies have started to do is anchor their brands on privacy,” said Brian Nussbaum, a University of Albany professor. “Law enforcement has a hunch that this will become more of a trend as sophisticated encryption becomes more widely available and wants to prevent that door from closing.” The latest round in the debate was sparked by an editorial page article published this week in the Financial Times by Hannigan. Services that encrypt messages or help users hide their identities online, he wrote, had become “the command- and-control networks of choice for terrorists and criminals”. Apple Inc and Google Inc have announced encryption tools for smartphones in recent months that are so tough to crack that law enforcement agencies aren’t able to get information stored on the mobile devices, including photos, text messages, contacts and web browsing histories. The software is so secure that the companies themselves aren’t able to unlock the devices even if they receive requests from government agencies. The two companies make the software that runs on more than 90% of the world’s smartphones. Hannigan’s missive was the latest warning shot from European officials concerned about the Internet’s role in luring an estimated 3,000 young Europeans to join militants in Syria and Iraq. Technology now allows militants to encrypt messages, a practice once the preserve of “the most sophisticated criminals or nation states”, Hannigan said. The pressure puts tech companies in a bind between customers and law enforcement, said Castro. They have implemented tougher encryption to help reassure customers worried about governments snooping on their private lives, as seen in the Edward Snowden leaks from the National Security Agency, according to him. “Citizens right now don’t trust what the government is doing in terms of surveillance, and they don’t want the companies they are handing their information over to handing it over to government agencies,” Castro said. The advances in encryption have left phone companies and Internet providers outside the US stuck in the middle. Until now, police in many countries could ask companies like Vodafone Group Plc and Deutsche Telekom AG to decode traffic when they sensed a threat. With US tech companies holding the encryption keys, carriers can no longer do that. “It’s an international problem because the companies are operating across borders and law enforcement authorities are operating within borders,” said Stephen Deadman, Vodafone’s chief attorney for privacy issues. “It requires a diplomatic solution.” Some analysts said it was ironic that companies such as Google mined the data of customers for commercial gain while restricting the government from doing the same to track down potential threats. “You have security on one side and economics on the other,” said James Lewis, senior fellow and director of the strategic technologies programme at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. Yet others said that view was wrongheaded. Customers give over their information in exchange for using the service, not with the expectation it will be used by the government, Castro said. “Privacy as it relates to government is very different from privacy as it relates to commerce,” he said. Weather report Letters Three-day forecast Green driving Dear Sir, As a lecturer at Qatar Driving Learning Institute, I would like to call on all motorists, both in Qatar and outside the state, to follow the concept of eco-friendly driving to protect our environment and to build a “green globe” for our future generation. Here are my recommendations: zReduce unnecessary idling of your engine. zAvoid unnecessary full-throttle acceleration. zDon’t keep the engine running for a long period of time for heating it at the start of your journey. zDon’t use low gears for an extended period. zUse higher gears as much as possible to minimise engine revolution. zAvoid heavy acceleration and deceleration. zCheck tyre pressure daily (or before every trip). zAvoid hard and sudden braking. zAlways walk short distances. zLeave office and home a little early to escape rush-hour congestion. zAvoid driving with lowpressure tyres that cause unnecessary acceleration to keep suitable speed. zAvoid competitive driving/racing with others. zAlways follow speed limits. zService your vehicle as recommended, especially its engine and fuel system, on time. We can all do our bit to help the environment. Safe and happy driving! Suraweera B D suraweera_08@yahoo.com TODAY A profound loss to Bollywood High: 29 C Low: 23 C Please send us your letters Dear Sir, Strong wind FRIDAY By e-mail editor@gulf-times.com Fax 44350474 Or Post Letters to the Editor Gulf Times P O Box 2888 Doha, Qatar An era ends in Bollywood with the sudden death of actor Sadashiv Amrapurkar who had enthralled п¬Ѓlm viewers with his performance for years. His death is a profound loss to the cinema world. Amrapurkar had, to his credit, two Filmfare awards in his name. In 1984, he also won the award for the best supporting actor for his powerful role in Ardh Satya and in 1991, award for the “best villain” for his portrayal of a ruthless eunuch in Mahesh Bhat’s Sadak. He also played key roles in п¬Ѓlms like Aankhein, Ishq and Coolie No 1. High: 27 C Low : 21 C Clear SATURDAY High: 27 C C Low : 24 C Clear All letters, which are subject to editing, should have the name of the writer, address and phone number. The writer’s name and address may be withheld by request. Ramesh G Jethwani (Address supplied) Fishermen’s forecast OFFSHORE DOHA Wind: NW 20-28/35 KT Waves: 8-10/12 Feet INSHORE DOHA Wind: NW 12-22/25 KT Waves: 1-3/4 Feet Around the region Abu Dhabi Baghdad Dubai Live issues Kuwait City Manama Muscat Riyadh Tehran Weather today Clear P Cloudy Clear Clear P Cloudy Clear P Cloudy Clear Max/min 30/24 21/10 31/24 23/09 26/21 34/24 24/13 10/03 Weather tomorrow P Cloudy Clear Clear Clear P Cloudy Clear Clear Clear Max/min 29/22 23/09 29/21 24/10 25/22 30/23 21/11 13/03 Weather tomorrow C Showers Clear C Storms Clear M Cloudy Clear M Cloudy P Cloudy C Showers Clear C Storms Clear Rain P Cloudy C Showers Clear C Showers Rain C Storms Clear C Storms P Cloudy Clear Max/min 21/17 24/18 31/24 10/06 27/19 28/16 29/24 33/22 25/22 19/12 34/26 32/20 13/07 30/23 08/06 32/19 12/03 14/08 31/21 15/07 31/26 23/14 20/11 Is chocolate good for you? By Dr Luisa Dillner London T he average Briton eats more than 10kg of chocolate a year, nearly 3kg more than the average Belgian, who at least has the excuse of temptation from high-quality confection. So it’s encouraging that research, albeit partly funded by Mars, has found that chocolate is good for the brain. The study, published in Nature Neuroscience, looked at the effects of high-cocoa versus low-cocoa drinks in 37 people aged between 50 and 70. Cocoa contains flavanol, an antioxidant found in plants. The randomised control trial tested cognition and looked at brain scans of the participants. The researchers found that people given cocoa with high levels of flavanols scored better on cognitive tests and had more activity (better blood flow) in the dentate gyrus – the brain area associated with memory. Senior author Dr Scott A Small told the New York Times: “On average, the improvement of high-flavanol drinkers meant they performed like people two to three decades younger on the study’s memory task.” So, forget obesity – who wouldn’t want to devour enough chocolate to keep their brain working as well as it did 20 years ago? Around the world The study in Nature Neuroscience was small and didn’t test anyone under the age of 50. Although the higher flavanol group did the cognitive tests faster, they didn’t do better on recall questions that focused on their ability to remember if they had seen an image before. Part of the study examined the effects of exercise on cognitive function and found no effect – contradicting previous research. Plus, you’d need to eat lots of commercial chocolate to get the right flavanol levels. There is, however, other evidence that chocolate has health beneп¬Ѓts. A review (admittedly not a systematic one, which would be more reliable, since it would tell you how the studies included in the review were chosen) of cocoa and cardiovascular health in the journal Circulation suggests that epicatechin, a speciп¬Ѓc flavanol, may have antioxidant and antiinflammatory effects that protect the inner walls of blood vessels from atherosclerosis. So chocolate may be due some credit for widening blood vessels, keeping their lining smooth and increasing blood flow. Chocolate has also been found, in some studies, to reduce blood pressure and the risk of stroke. Dark chocolate, with 70% cocoa solids, is the healthiest, since it has little sugar, its fat comes from cocoa butter and it contains iron and magnesium. However, since commercial chocolate contains about 500 calories for every 100g, it’s worth rationing it. If you’re thinking healthy, there are – sadly – plenty of better options out there. - Guardian News and Media zDr Luisa Dillner, a writer and doctor, heads BMJ Group Research and Development Athens Beirut Bangkok Berlin Cairo Cape Town Colombo Dhaka Hong Kong Istanbul Jakarta Karachi London Manila Moscow New Delhi New York Paris Sao Paulo Seoul Singapore Sydney Tokyo Weather today Clear Clear P Cloudy M Cloudy P Cloudy Clear T Storms P Cloudy P Cloudy Clear P Cloudy P Cloudy M Cloudy C Rain P Cloudy Clear Rain P Cloudy C Storms C Rain T Storms P Cloudy Cloudy Max/min 21/16 24/17 32/25 11/04 26/17 26/16 30/24 31/21 26/22 17/11 34/26 31/24 12/10 29/22 06/02 31/19 17/08 12/07 25/19 17/05 31/26 21/14 20/13 34 Gulf Times Thursday, November 6, 2014 QATAR Emir and S Korean president preside over official talks QNA Seoul H H the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad alThani and South Korean President Park Geun-hye chaired a session of official talks between Qatar and South Korea here yesterday. The talks, which were held at the Blue House, dealt with bilateral relations and means of enhancing them. Issues of common interest were also discussed during the session. The talks were attended by members of the official delegation accompanying the Emir and South Korean ministers and senior officials. Following the talks, the Emir and South Korean president witnessed the signing of the following agreements and memoranda of understanding: 1. An agreement on military co-operation between the governments of Qatar and South Korea. 2. A Memorandum of Understanding on co-operation in the п¬Ѓeld of health care and medical sciences between the Supreme Council of Health in Qatar and the Ministry of Health and Welfare in South Korea. The pact includes co-operation in alternative medicine, modern techniques, medical equipment for healthcare, e-health and medical and pharmaceutical policies and researches. 3. A Memorandum of Understanding in the п¬Ѓeld of youth between the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Qatar and the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family of South Korea, aiming at encouraging communication and exchange of visits of youth delegations, experts and specialists in the п¬Ѓeld. 4. A Memorandum of Understanding between Qatar Central Bank and the Bank of Korea, aiming to document and promote co-operation in areas related to the practices of central banks, exchange of information on monetary policy, п¬Ѓnancial stability, payment system and other activities of central banks. 5. A Memorandum of Understanding on co-operation in the п¬Ѓeld of information technology and communications between HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani and South Korean President Park Geun-hye chairing a session of official talks in Seoul yesterday. the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology of Qatar and the Ministry of Science and Information Technology, Communication and Future Planning of Korea, which aims to encourage the exchange of cooperation between the two sides in the п¬Ѓeld of information technology and communication. 6. A Memorandum of Understanding on the Korean-Qatari co-operation for investment in third countries between the Qatar Investment Authority and the Office of the Prime Minister of Korea, through the integration of Korea’s technology and Qatar’s capital as part of what is known as the Integration Initiative. 7. A Memorandum of Understanding for co-operation in the п¬Ѓeld of technology and innovation between Qatar’s Ministry of Energy and Industry and Korea’s Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy, aims to promote cooperation between Qatar and South Korea in the п¬Ѓeld of devel- opment of industrial technology. HE Minister of Energy and Industry Dr Mohamed bin Saleh al-Sada signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the chief executive of Korea Smart Grid Institute between Qatar General Electricity and Water Corporation and the Korean institute. Qatar Investment Authority’s (QIA) Chief Executive Officer Ahmad bin Mohamed al-Sayed and Korea Investment Corporation Chairman (KIC) Hongchul Ahn signed an MoU between QIA and KIC to establish a $2bn joint investment fund. Qatar Petroleum (QP) Managing Director Saad Sherida alKaabi and Kogas Chief Executive Officer Jang Seok Hyo signed two MoUs between QP and Kogas on co-operation in the use of liqueп¬Ѓed natural gas (LNG) as vessel fuel and co-operation in the use of LNG as fuel. In addition, Qatar University (QU) President Sheikha Abdulla al-Misnad and Korea Foundation President Hyun-seok Yu The Emir holding talks with Prime Minister of South Korea Chung Hong-won in Seoul yesterday. HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani being received by South Korean President Park Geun-hye at the Blue House yesterday. signed an MoU between QU and Korea Foundation to enhance and develop Korean studies in QU starting at 2015. The target of the MoU is that the two sides increase Korean studies curriculum at QU. The Korean language curriculum will be added to the languages programme at the university so that students could register for it and study the Korean language and culture. Earlier on arrival at the Blue House, the Emir was accorded an official reception. Later, the Emir attended a dinner banquet hosted by President Park Geun-hye at the Blue House. Members of the official delegation accompanying the Emir and a number of South Korean ministers and senior officials were also present. The Emir met at his residence in Seoul Prime Minister of South Korea, Chung Hong-won, and his accompanying delegation. They reviewed the relations between Qatar and South Korea and ways of developing them in various п¬Ѓelds, in addition to a number of issues of common concern. In the evening, the Emir left Seoul concluding a two-day ofп¬Ѓcial visit to South Korea. He was seen off at Seoul Military Airport by the Korean Deputy Foreign Minister for Foreign Affairs Lee Kyung-soo, senior South Korean officials, Qatar’s Ambassador in Seoul Mohamed bin Abdulla al-Duhaimi and the Ambassador of South Korea to Qatar Chung Keejong. HH the Emir sent a cable to President Park Geun-hye and Prime Minister Chung Hongwon thanking them for the warm reception and hospitality accorded to him and the accompanying delegation during the visit. HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani and South Korean President Park Geun-hye witness the signing of agreements yesterday. HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, accompanied by South Korean President Park Geun-hye, inspects a guard of honour in Seoul yesterday. Qatar University (QU) President Sheikha Abdulla al-Misnad and Korea Foundation President Hyun-seok Yu at the signing of an MoU between QU and Korea Foundation to enhance and develop Korean studies in QU starting next year. Gulf Times Thursday, November 6, 2014 35 QATAR Series of exhibitions in Qatar Museums’ autumn programme By Joey Aguilar Staff Reporter M athaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art will launch “Afterwards” on November 9, a п¬Ѓrst solo exhibition in the Middle East by internationally acclaimed Iranian artist Shirin Neshat. As part of Qatar Museums’ upcoming exhibitions and events, the show presents a group of new and existing produced works as well as the photographic series, “The Book of Kings (2011)” and “Our House is on Fire (2013)”, and the video installation, Turbulent (1998), which comment on the historical, cultural and political realities on which the artist has focused for the past 30 years. This and other exhibitions and events form part of Qatar Museums’ autumn programme this November “in a celebration of art, creativity and heritage”. “The autumn programme presents a valuable bridge between cultures, honouring the traditions of the past while embracing the future by nurturing emerging artistic talent here in Qatar,” Qatar Museums has said in a press statement. A henna night will be held on November 7 to celebrate the opening of “Afterwards” between 5pm and 9pm at the Souq Waqif Arts Centre. Visitors can choose from a number of unique henna designs by professional henna artists. On November 11, Qatar Mu- Hamad al-Eida, director of communications at Qatar Museums, announced the upcoming exhibitions at a media event yesterday. seums Gallery in Katara will present “Yousef Ahmad: Story of ingenuity”. For more than three decades, Ahmad’s work has been influenced by his surroundings and emotional ties with Qatar’s culture and traditions. He is a pioneer of Qatar’s modern art movement. One of Ahmad’s masterpieces is a historic depiction of Al Zubarah Fort (oil paintings). The exhibition showcases three phases in his career, from early oil paintings, mixed media calligraphic pieces to his new conceptual artworks. Visitors can see his works from 10am to 8pm from Saturday to Thursday except Sunday, and from 3pm to 9pm every Friday. Ongoing exhibition “Mathaf Collection, Summary, Part 1,” which opened on November 1, showcases works from Qatar and the Arab world, Iran, Turkey and other regions historically connected to the Arab Peninsula. The show features 100 artists from the museum’s collection of more than 8,000 works. It is open from 11am to 6pm except Monday and from 3pm to 8pm every Friday. Sheikh Hassan bin Mohamed bin Ali al-Thani, patron of Mathaf and the Permanent Collection, had earlier stressed that “Summary, Part 1” contributes to developing research into the collection and its interconnections with contemporary cultures that is also present online in the Encyclopedia of Modern Art and the Arab World, developed by Mathaf. The Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) is hosting a number of exhibitions, such as “Building Our Collection: Mughal and Safavid Albums”. It opened to public viewing on September 17 and runs until February 21, 2015. The exhibition showcases MIA’s collection of miniatures and calligraphy and reveals the journey of artistic reп¬Ѓnement from the Middle East to Asia and Europe across the centuries. Then, on September 29, the museum launched “The Tiger’s Dream: Tipu Sultan”, which looks into the life and times of the South Indian ruler, statesman and patron. Featuring a selection of objects that reflect Tipu’s image as the “Tiger of Mysore”, its main highlight is a rare display of 24 paintings showing his victory at the Battle of Pollilur in 1780. The exhibition continues until January 24, 2015. The exhibitions are presented by Qatar Museums led by its chairperson, HE Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani. Qatar launches п¬Ѓrst keyless mobile check-in technology By Peter Alagos Business Reporter Q atar has become the only country in the Europe and the Mena region to introduce the hospitality industry’s п¬Ѓrst keyless mobile check-in technology, whose launch ceremony was held at W Doha Hotel & Residences yesterday. SPG Keyless is part of a global Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG) initiative, which made its ofп¬Ѓcial debut this week across 10 hotels in Beijing, Hong Kong, Singapore, Mexico, New York and Los Angeles. Powered by the SPG app (available on Apple iOS or Android), SPG Keyless enables guests via Bluetooth technology to bypass the front desk (where available), go directly to their room and unlock the door with a simple tap of their smartphone. Daniel Kerzner, vice-president (Digital, Loyalty & Marketing), Starwood Hotels Resorts Worldwide, said: “We will be launching the SPG Keyless in Abu Dhabi next year and these two hotels will be leading the way for keyless technology in the Middle East.” SPG Keyless is an evolution of Starwood’s Smart Check-In, another industry п¬Ѓrst that debuted at Aloft Hotels in 2011, allowing guests to bypass traditional check-in and access their rooms with a RFID-equipped (Radio-Frequency Identiп¬Ѓcation) key card. Kerzner told Gulf Times that the company would launch the $15mn keyless mobile checkin technology early next year across 150 hotels worldwide, translating to more than 30,000 doors. He added that all 442 rooms at W Doha Hotel & Residences are already capable of providing the technology to hotel guests. “Currently, 50% or at least one of two guests at W are already SPG members, many of them have the app on their phones and we expect a large percentage of SPG members to move to keyless in the future,” Kerzner said. To check in using the mobile, keyless technology, SPG members must register their phone once through the SPG app and allow push notiп¬Ѓcations. After booking a reservation at a keyless hotel and approximately 24 hours before arrival, SPG members are invited to opt in to SPG Keyless. Daniel Kerzner uses a smartphone to demonstrate the SPG Keyless technology. PICTURE: Jayan Orma Guests will receive a push notiп¬Ѓcation noting that they are checked in and the SPG app will update with his/her room number and Bluetooth key when the room is ready. Upon arrival at the hotel, the guest can completely bypass the front desk (where available) and go directly to his/her room. After ensuring that his/her Bluetooth is enabled, the guest simply opens the SPG app, holds the smartphone to the door lock, waits for the solid green light and enters the room. Kerzner said Starwood tapped lock manufacturer Assa Abloy to create an all-new, Bluetoothenabled lock and keyless software designed to securely recognise and connect with a guest’s mobile device. When asked of the expected influx of more tourists to Qatar, Kerzner said Starwood is looking at expanding the technology. “We’re always thinking about what’s next with the technology such as integrating it with the Apple Watch and using the app over multiple devices in case several people are staying in the room. So, I think that is something that would continue to see in the future,” he added. BRAZIL F E S T I V A L Join in the festivities! A fun-packed festival celebrating Qatari and Brazilian culture, with something for the whole family including music, cuisine, sports, dance, culture and heritage. Date: 6 – 8 November 2014 Venue: Museum of Islamic Art Park For more information, please visit: qatarbrazil2014.com EAST ASIA | Page 6 FOOD DEAL | Page 15 Gulf nations focus on more investments India toughs it out in WTO stockpiling row Thursday, November 6, 2014 Moharram 13, 1436 AH GULF TIMES HISTORY’S FIRST: Page 20 BUSINESS Qatar Airways’ three new Boeing aircraft arrive at the HIA Qatari Diar to own 70% in Oman project Q atari Diar has signed an agreement with Oman’s Ministry of Tourism to develop the вЂ�Ras AlHadd’ project at Sur City in the sultanate. Qatari Diar will have a 70% stake in the multi-use project and the remainder will be held by the Oman Tourism Development Company (Omran). The agreement was signed in Muscat yesterday by HE the Minister of Finance and Chairman of Qatari Diar Real Estate Investment Company, Ali Sherif al-Emadi and Omani Minister of Tourism, Ahmed bin Nasser al-Mehrizi. Al-Emadi said, “We are always delighted to be present in the brotherly Sultanate of Oman as we have extremely strong and close ties.” “This agreement is part of the Qatari Government’s focus to promote investment in Oman in order to serve the common interests between our countries. We hope that this great project will be the beginning of a new era of co-operation in developing the tourism and economic sectors between the two brotherly countries.” Khalid Mohammed Sayed, Qatari Diar Group CEO expressed happiness to work in the sultanate and said, “I am pleased to be here today in Oman to mark such an important occasion as the agreement to develop one of the most beautiful areas in a truly wonderful country.” “Our presence here showcases the deep brotherly ties between Qatar and Oman. I am conп¬Ѓdent that we will not stop at the Ras Al-Hadd project, but this project will be the п¬Ѓrst of a series of unique projects that we want to implement here in Oman; a country that is moving rapidly towards upscale and unique tourism.” On the importance of the Ras AlHadd development agreement to cater to growing expectations on Oman becoming a word-class tourist destination, Wael al-Lawati, Omran CEO said, “We are pleased to work with Qatari Diar Company, the leading real estate developer in the region. Their deep experience from many international markets in this п¬Ѓeld will no doubt be of major beneп¬Ѓt when implementing the new project according to the highest international standards.” “Ras Al-Hadd has fantastic growth potential as a destination for local, regional and international tourists to discover the stunning wildlife of the region, and to experience the history and hospitality of Omani culture. This eco-themed project delivers a number of unique tourist attractions within the master plan, including a wildlife preservation and observation park, a marine life park, and of course, the heritage village, which will celebrate the rich history of Omani culture surrounding Ras Al-Hadd. “The resort and residential developments, as well as the attractions, п¬Ѓrmly adhere to the core themes of sustainability and responsible tourism management. These principles are based on joining hands with the local community, both in terms of job creation as well as preserving and celebrating the cultural heritage of the area, and safeguarding the environment for future generations to enjoy. The Ras AlHadd project will make a signiп¬Ѓcant contribution towards maintaining the continued growth in our tourism sector by providing a new and truly unique destination within the Sultanate,” he added. HE al-Emadi and al-Mehrizi with senior Qatari and Omani officials at the agreement signing ceremony in Muscat. 2 Gulf Times Thursday, November 6, 2014 BUSINESS Qatar shares snap 3-day bull run on correction in telecom, bank sectors By Santhosh V Perumal Business Reporter Strong correction - especially in the telecom and banking sectors – yesterday snapped a 3-day bull run on the Qatar Stock Exchange as its key index fell by a sizeable 271 points. Foreign institutions’ hurriedly squared off their positions, leading the 20-stock Qatar Index (based on price data) to plummet about 2% to 13,528.67 points. Large and mid cap equities came under severe selling pressure in the market, which is, however, up 30.34% year-to-date. The index that tracks Shariahprincipled stock was seen melting slower than the other indices in the bourse, where trading volume was largely skewed towards realty and banking stocks. The Total Return Index also shed about 2% to 20,177.81 points, the All Share Index by 1.78% to 3,420.36 points and the Al Rayan Islamic Index by 1.64% to 4,597.51 points. Market capitalisation eroded 1.95%, or more than QR14bn, to QR730.41bn with large, mid, small and micro caps melting 2.44%, 1.36%, 0.82% and 0.46% respectively. Telecom stocks sunk 2.41%, followed by banks and financial services (2.35%), realty (1.68%), industrials (1.43%), consumer goods (0.82%), transport (0.79%) and insurance (0.72%). More than 81% of the stocks were in the red with major losers being QNB, Industries Qatar, United Development Company, Mazaya Qatar, Qatar Islamic Bank, Commercial Bank, International Islamic, Masraf Al Rayan, Aamal Company, Ezdan, Vodafone Qatar, Ooredoo, Nakilat and Milaha. However, Islamic Holding Group and Alijarah Holding were seen bucking the trend. Foreign institutions turned net sellers to the tune of QR97.57mn against net buyers of QR14.48mn on Tuesday. Domestic institutions’ net buying fell to QR16.95mn compared to QR18.49mn on Tuesday. Qatari retail investors turned net buyers to the extent of QR73mn against net profit-takers of QR35.8mn the previous day. Non-Qatari individual investors’ net buying rose to QR7.57mn compared to QR2.83mn on Tuesday. Total trade volume was up 1% to 11.46mn shares, value by 14% to QR564.98mn and transactions by 19% to 6,591. The market witnessed a 46% surge in the real estate sector’s trade volume to 5.38mn equities, 53 in value to QR139.93mn and 37% in deals to 1,344. The insurance sector’s trade volume soared 25% to 0.25mn stocks, value by 28% to QR12.86mn and transactions by 56% to 187. The banks and financial services sector reported a 24% expansion in trade volume to 2.32mn shares, 55% in value to QR224.31mn and 45% in deals to 2,201. However, the telecom sector’s trade volume plummeted 49% to 1.05mn equities, value by 41% to QR30.29mn and transactions by 22% to 485. There was a 47% plunge in the transport sector’s trade volume to 0.65mn stocks, 34% in value to QR30.21mn and 7% in deals to 438. The consumer goods sector saw its trade volume shrink 40% to 0.5mn shares, value by 28% to QR22.91mn and transactions by 25% to 269. The industrials sector’s trade volume tanked 13% to 1.31mn equities and value also by 13% to QR104.47mn but on 12% gain in deals to 1,667. In the debt market, a total of 25,000 treasury bills valued at QR248.96mn traded across three transactions; where there was no trading of government bonds. Dubai stocks sink most in world as oil slides to 4-year low Bloomberg Dubai D ubai’s stocks fell the most among global markets yesterday as oil extended declines while Saudi shares slumped amid heightened security concerns. The benchmark DFM General Index dropped 3.3%, the most in three weeks, to 4,400.80 at the close. That is the steepest slide among 93 gauges worldwide tracked by Bloomberg so far yesterday. Saudi Arabia’s Tadawul All Share Index lost 1.6% for the thirdworst decrease, taking its two-day decline to 5.1%. Brent crude sank to $82.31 a barrel at 4.35pm in Dubai, the lowest level since October 2010, extending the bear market reached last month on signs the biggest Opec producers are discounting prices to keep market share. Saudi Arabia’s state-owned producer lowered its charges to the US, where production is the highest in three decades. The six-nation Gulf Co-operation Council that includes Saudi Arabia and the UAE holds about a third of the world’s proven oil reserves. “The markets are reacting to the continued decline in oil prices because their economies are highly dependent on oil,” Tariq Qaqish, the head of asset management at Dubai-based Al Mal, said by phone from Dubai. “Also, yesterday’s (Tuesday) drop in Saudi Arabia’s market, which is the biggest in the region, is affecting the sentiment throughout the An investor looks up at screens displaying stock information at the Dubai Financial Market. The benchmark DFM General Index yesterday dropped 3.3%, the most in three weeks, to 4,400.80 at the close. Gulf. If you couple this with security concerns in the region, you get this selloff.” Saudi Basic Industries Corp, the world’s biggest petrochemicals maker, retreated 2.9% to 102.63 riyals, the lowest in a year. Etihad Etisalat Co plunged 9.7% in Riyadh, bringing its two-day decline to 19% after the Saudi market regulator started a probe into possible violations of rules by the phone operator in disclosing quarterly results. The selloff followed the death of two Saudi security personnel amid nationwide arrest raids in response to an attack in the oil-rich east. Masked gunmen attacked Shia villages on Monday, killing at least п¬Ѓve. Saudi Arabia’s Information Minister Abdulaziz Khoja stepped down, the ofп¬Ѓcial Saudi Press Agency reported yesterday, citing a royal decree. Shares in Abu Dhabi dropped 2.4%. Kuwait’s benchmark SE Price Index slipped 1.4% and the main gauge in Oman declined 1.3%. The Bloomberg GCC 200 Index, which tracks the top 200 equities in the GCC, decreased 2%. “If Brent breaks below $80 a barrel, it’s going to be a sharp decline for the regional markets,” Hisham Khairy, the Dubai-based head of institutional trade at Mena Corp Financial Services, said by phone. 4 Gulf Times Thursday, November 6, 2014 BUSINESS Real estate sector tops M&A deals in the Gulf Doha Bank wins euro STP award from Deutsche Bank Doha Bank has received Deutsche Bank’s вЂ�Award For Excellence’ in euro Straight-through Processing (STP). The award recognises Doha Bank’s high quality of outbound euro-denominated payment messages throughout the entire transaction cycle to the payment destination. The award was presented by Sumit K Roy, Deutsche Bank, managing director, head Middle East and Africa (cash management for financial institutions, global transaction banking) to Dag Reichel, Doha Bank’s head of wholesale banking, in the presence of other senior officials. “Doha Bank strives to achieve operational excellence in all its activities and is proud to offer a combination of local market expertise, global presence and advanced technology to support our clients’ processing requirements. Doha Bank also believes in fostering innovation across all banking functions, while ensuring best in class services for all clients,” Reichel said. STP automates the end-to-end processing of capital markets and payment transactions, significantly aiding the process by automating it from the point of the first deal to final settlement, eliminating human error and discrepancies across the transaction cycle, reducing operating costs, ensuring accuracy and shortened transaction periods. Doha Bank manages the second largest corporate and commercial lending portfolio in Qatar and has an active presence in Kuwait, Abu Dhabi and Dubai managed by a team of specialist bankers. Mena IPOs jump 10-fold, set for further surge in ’15 T he Middle East and North Africa (Mena), which has registered a 10-fold year-on-year jump in capital raising through maiden offers during the third quarter of this year, is expected to see further surge in IPOs in 2015 on robust valuations, according to Ernst & Young (EY). “Mena IPO (initial public offering) activity is expected to surge in 2015, particularly in the GCC (Gulf Co-operation Council) countries, with market valuations returning to somewhere near pre-п¬Ѓnancial crisis levels. Companies in the п¬Ѓnancial services and real estate sectors continue to dominate the pipeline,” Phil Gandier, Mena head of transaction advisory services, EY, said. With a growing regional economy and regulatory initiatives being implemented, investor conп¬Ѓdence is slated to rise and bring liquidity to the market, he said. Government spending on infrastructure and diversiп¬Ѓcation of oil-based economies have created more opportunities in the private sector, he added. “These continued developments are expected to encourage companies to raise capital from the market,” he said, observing that Mena companies raised $1.7bn through IPOs in the third quarter against $150.7mn in the year-ago period. Emaar Malls Group (EMG) was listed on the Dubai Financial Market (DFM) and the two IPOs of Zain Bahrain and DГ©lice Holding (Tunisia), which closed in Q3, 2014, are expected to be listed in the beginning of the fourth quarter. “The Q3 witnessed the largest IPO of 2014 to date; Emaar Malls Group raised $1.6bn, potentially signaling a shift in the regional business perception of local markets,” Gandier said. The IPO, which closed in September this year, was heavily oversubscribed (over 30 times), indicating growing investor conп¬Ѓdence and appetite to deploy capital which has been waiting on the side-lines, he added. EMG was one of the п¬Ѓrst companies to capitalise on planned regulatory reforms in the UAE by being exempted from having to float 55% of existing shares, ahead of the new regulations being implemented. It floated close to 15% of its shares on the DFM to raise $1.6bn. Mayur Pau, Mena IPO Leader, EY, said Q3 historically has the lowest activity of the year and this trend has continued in 2014. “However, the strong fundamentals of the Mena region and improved valuations are likely to drive IPO volume, with a signiп¬Ѓcant backlog expected to come to market over the next quarters as companies wait to go public at the right time,” he said. The Mena capital markets have been introducing new reforms and relaxing rules in an attempt to encourage local companies consider domestic IPOs. Saudi Arabia’s recent announcement to open its stock market to direct investment by foreign п¬Ѓnancial institutions is likely to raise its proп¬Ѓle on the international scene. Given the forthcoming changes in UAE regulations, a further potential boost for the UAE stock market is the proposed listing of Damac, the luxury property developer, on the DFM. Damac has global depository receipts currently listed on the London Stock Exchange. “The more relaxed regulations are increasing the attractiveness of local markets. Regional regulators are continuing to focus more on measures to increase IPOs, thus leading to a much-needed deepening of the equity market in the region and improved sentiment from global investors,” Pau said. The Mena regional authorities have also been streamlining IPO rules to encourage some of the region’s family business to list as a way of making business more transparent, he added. Gandier: Growing regional economy. Beltone Financial planning to raise money for growth Reuters Cairo E gypt’s Beltone Financial has received regulatory approval for a two-stage plan to raise up to 242mn Egyptian pounds ($33.85mn) to fund growth in its п¬Ѓnancial services businesses. Egypt’s stock market regulator said in a statement yesterday it had approved the fundraising. Beltone’s shares rose by 10%, prompting a brief suspension in trading. The п¬Ѓnancial services company said it planned to raise 42mn pounds in the п¬Ѓrst phase by issuing free shares to existing shareholders instead of paying cash dividends. In the second phase, it plans a rights issue to raise between 100mn and 200mn pounds. Osama Rashad, Beltone’s head of investor relations, told Reuters that the investment п¬Ѓrm would invite shareholders to a general assembly on November 23 to approve the capital increase. With more than 200 staff, Beltone’s activities include brokerage, asset management, investment banking and private equity operations. Foreign operations include offices in Dubai and London. Beltone chairman Aladdin Saba told Reuters in an interview last month his company planned to invest 300mn pounds next year to expand domestic operations because it believed the worst of the country’s economic instability had passed. Egypt’s economy has been battered by three years of political upheaval since a 2011 uprising that toppled Hosni Mubarak after 30 years in power. In July 2013, then army chief Abdel Fattah al-Sisi overthrew democratically-elected president Mohamed Mursi of the Muslim Brotherhood after protests against his rule. Sisi went on to win a presidential election in May, pledging to restore stability, and his government has made a raft of long-awaited economic reforms. The real estate sector appears to be more appealing in mergers and acquisitions (M&A) in the Gulf Co-operation Council, going by the data for the first three quarters of this year. Highlighting that one GCC sector that has showed particular strength in 2014 is real estate, Mergermarket, the world’s leading intelligence and news service for M&As, said in the first three quarters of 2014 there have been five real estate deals in total - two more than during the same period last year. Of the GCC’s total transaction deal value for 2014 Q1-Q3 ($8.9bn), real estate accounted for 54.1%. Globally the energy, mining and utilities sector was in the pole position ($423bn) at the end of Q3, up 35.6% on the same period last year, it said. However, so far in 2014, the GCC has experienced fall in targeted M&A activity, following a post-crisis high in value and deal count during 2013, it said; adding the total value of GCC deals in the first three quarters of 2014 has reduced by 38.6% compared with the same period last year, in which deal values totalled $14.5bn. The decreased value is at odds with the global M&A landscape, in which the total value of deals for Q1-Q3 in 2014 was up 11.7% on the last full year. Global deals to the end of Q3 ($2.49tn) make 2014 the third highest annual value on record after 2006 and 2007. “The findings of our report are surprising, particularly given the high volume and value of deals that took place in the GCC during 2013. The decline in value this year is partly explained by the lower number of deals that have actually been announced. However, with news that the CMA will be opening Saudi Arabia’s market to foreign investment, and the upgrade of Qatar and the UAE to emerging markets on the MSCI Index, we expect to see growth in the region’s transaction landscape in 2015,” Beranger Guille, Editor of Mergermarket, said. Another reason identified in the report for the decline in deal value is that lower price-tags have been attached to GCC companies in 2014. The number of deals in the consumer sector has nearly doubled during the first three quarters of this year, but the $719mn accumulated by those deals represented a decline in value of 141.6% from the same period in 2013. Phil Gandier, Middle East and North Africa head of transactions at Ernst & Young, said with the revival of economic growth in the GCC and the surge in financial markets, there has been an overall improvement in investor confidence and deal activity has increased in consumption led sectors such as real estate and construction, consumer products and diversified industrials. “The opening of financial markets is expected to translate into stronger deal flows and more M&A opportunities in the near future. The GCC markets and Saudi Arabia in particular are luring international investors, with inbound deals comprising a third of all deals announced in Saudi Arabia during 2014. Looking ahead, mid-market deals in consumption led sectors will continue to dominate the M&A landscape in the GCC in the future,” according to him. Gulf Times Thursday, November 6, 2014 5 BUSINESS вЂ�Abu Dhabi may reform power, water subsidies’ Several Gulf governments consider reforms as oil price slides; any move by Abu Dhabi likely to be modest; still running budget surplus at current oil price; not aware of any plans to reform petrol subsidies Reuters Dubai T he government of the emirate of Abu Dhabi is looking at ways to reform its system of subsidies for electricity and water, a senior International Monetary Fund official told Reuters yesterday, in what would be a landmark move by the emirate. Several Gulf oil-exporting countries are reviewing their generous welfare systems, as plunging global oil prices put pressure on their п¬Ѓnances. They ramped up spending after the 2011 Arab Spring uprisings, and since then they have been reluctant to make changes to the subsidies. Now, however, tumbling oil prices Brent crude reached a four-year low of just below $82 per barrel yesterday - are giving them the reason to revive reform plans. “We discussed it here at the policy level, particularly with the Abu Dhabi government, which indicated they are now looking at ways to streamline their subsidy policies and put in place something different, something better targeted,” said Harald Finger, the IMF’s head of mission for the UAE. “This is particularly the case of the electricity and water subsidies. It is probably too early to know exactly what is their plan, but the broad direction in which it is headed is the right one,” he said following meetings with local authorities. The Abu Dhabi Department of Finance did not immediately responded to Reuters requests for comment. Subsidies and transfers account for nearly 20% of Abu Dhabi’s budget, or 47.8bn dirhams ($13.0bn) this year, the IMF has estimated, using data from the Abu Dhabi Department of Finance. Household electricity bills are so low some people leave their air conditioning on when they go on holi- Electricity lines hang from pylons leading towards Reem Island in Abu Dhabi. Subsidies and transfers account for nearly 20% of Abu Dhabi’s budget, or 47.8bn dirhams ($13.0bn) this year, the IMF has estimated, using data from the Abu Dhabi Department of Finance. day. UAE citizens pay 5 п¬Ѓls (about 1 US cent) per kilowatt hour in Abu Dhabi and get water for free. Foreigners pay about 15 п¬Ѓls for electricity. Abu Dhabi is by far the largest of the seven members of the UAE and exports most of its oil. Despite the oil price drop, it is not close to running out of money, so any reforms may be minor. The IMF has estimated that the UAE as a whole will need an average oil price of about $77 per barrel next year to balance its state budget. Even if that threshold is breached, Abu Dhabi holds an estimated $773bn in its largest sovereign wealth fund, so it can fall back on massive reserves. Nevertheless, Abu Dhabi’s move appears to be part of a trend in the Gulf. Kuwait’s government said last month that it planned to cut subsidies for diesel fuel and kerosene, and Oman’s п¬Ѓnancial affairs minister told Reuters that his government was likely to start cutting some subsidies next year. In 2010, when oil prices were at similar levels, the UAE raised its petrol prices by 26%. But at $0.47 per litre, they remain very low by international standards. Finger said it would be important for Abu Dhabi to review its petrol subsidies in addition to electricity and water, but added: “We are not aware of concrete plans at the moment” in that area. Abu Dhabi is expected to post a п¬Ѓscal surplus of 69.7bn dirhams, or 7.0% of gross domestic product, in 2014, up from 55.6bn dirhams or 5.8% last year, the IMF has estimated. “Looking forward, the drop in oil prices is a major topic, of course. For the Abu Dhabi government par- Investcorp buys protective clothing maker Dainese for $163mn Reuters Dubai I nvestcorp has acquired Italian protective clothing maker Dainese for €130mn ($163mn), the alternative investment п¬Ѓrm said in a statement yesterday. The Bahrain-based investor has bought the company from founder Lino Dainese, who will keep a minority stake in the business he set up in 1972. The founder will continue to work with the company, as would the current management team, the statement said. The price tag, known as the enterprise value, includes Dainese’s debt but excludes cash held by the company. Dainese makes clothing and helmets for motor cyclists, as well as for winter sports and horse riding. In 2013, Dainese generated revenue of €117mn and core proп¬Ѓt (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation) of €11mn, a source familiar with the matter said, speaking on condition of anonymity. Investcorp was competing with two other bidders, L Capital and Searchlight, according to reports earlier this week in the Italian press. It is Investcorp’s second acquisition in the past week. On October 30, it said it had bought US-based software and services п¬Ѓrm PRO Unlimited with Bahraini sovereign fund Mumtalakat for around $300mn. Investcorp’s president of Gulf business, Mohammed al-Shroogi, told Reuters in an interview last month the company was working on closing three transactions, one each in the US, Europe and Turkey. Mediobanca advised Investcorp on the Dainese acquisition and also arranged the п¬Ѓnancial package which supported the deal, the source said. ticularly, if oil prices remain around current levels for an extended period, it means lower oil revenue,” Finger said. However, Abu Dhabi has done more than many other Gulf governments over the last few years to rein back some of the economic stimulus spending which it introduced during the global п¬Ѓnancial crisis. As a result, it will not need to make any big adjustment in response to the drop in oil prices, which is expected to have only a marginal impact on economic growth next year, Finger said. Opec crude slumps below $80 for first time in 4 years Bloomberg Moscow Opec members’ average crude price fell below $80 for the first time in four years as Saudi Arabia and other members of the group supplying 40% of the world’s oil maintained output amid slowing demand growth. The Opec basket, the best measure of what the oil exporters earn per barrel, fell to $78.67 on Tuesday, the group said by e- mail yesterday. That is the lowest since October 22, 2010, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. US oil production rose to the highest in at least 31 years amid slowing global demand, helping drive crude into a bear market last month. The largest producers in the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries reduced prices rather than cut output, with Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Iran offering the biggest discounts to buyers in Asia this month since at least 2009. The group will meet in Vienna on November 27 to discuss whether to cut output to support prices. “Saudi Arabia seems to have other aims than protecting the price,” Carsten Fritsch, an analyst at Commerzbank AG in Frankfurt, said by e-mail. “The Saudis’ attitude might only change if the other members agree to contribute to a cut, the likelihood of which is slim at best.” Saudi Aramco surprised traders last month when it trimmed November official selling prices for its Arab Light crude to a six-year low for buyers in Asia. The move was interpreted as a shift in the stance of Opec’s biggest producer to prioritise defending market share over supporting prices. Iran and Iraq followed the Saudi cuts. While Saudi selling prices to Asia for December increased, the cost of Arab Light for US buyers was cut by 45Вў a barrel to the smallest premium in a year. Members of Opec are engaged in an internal “price war” as they seek to preserve their share of an oversupplied market, Iraqi Oil Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi told the parliament in Baghdad on October 30. Opec’s crude production rose to a 14-month high of 31mn bpd in October, led by Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Libya, according to a Bloomberg survey of oil companies, producers and analysts. “As the price continues to slide, calls for action from some of the weaker producers may intensify,” Ole Sloth Hansen, an analyst at Saxo Bank A/S in Copenhagen, said by e-mail. “Even a 1mn barrel cut in production would only help stabilise the price, not support a recovery.” Saudi Arabia is unlikely to cut more than 500,000 barrels in daily production, leaving other members to reduce output by at least as much for an agreement to be reached, according to Commerzbank’s Fritsch. The world’s largest exporter is pumping oil at close to the fastest pace in more than two decades. Average daily production of about 9.7mn barrels this year is down from the 10mn peak in September 2013, according to production estimates compiled by Bloomberg. 6 Gulf Times Thursday, November 6, 2014 BUSINESS Gulf nations focus on more investments in East Asia By Arno Maierbrugger Gulf Times Correspondent Bangkok Pedestrians cross a main road in front of the Sogo department store in the Causeway Bay district of Hong Kong. In October, Qatar Investment Authority on its own made its first major investment in China by buying 19.9% of Hong Kong-based Lifestyle International Holdings, which runs the department store. Singapore and Hong Kong, First Gulf Bank has plans to open an office in China and Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank is seeking acquisition targets in Southeast Asia to expand its reach there. In another development, the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange has just staged a roadshow in Singapore and Hong Kong to raise awareness of the exchange in the Southeast and East Sawiris plans Egypt spending after tax court win Billionaire Nassef Sawiris’s OCI NV is boosting investment in Egypt after the company was told it no longer has to pay billions of pounds as part of a tax settlement, Bloomberg reported yesterday. The Dutch company’s unit Orascom Construction Industries is partnering with Abu Dhabibased International Petroleum Investment Co to build a coalfired power plant on the Red Sea, subject to technical studies and government and corporate approvals, OCI said in an e-mailed statement today. The Egyptian court overturned a ВЈ7bn ($979mn) tax settlement Orascom Construction reached in April of last year with the government. The tax dispute started in October 2012 as part of an investigation by former President Mohamed Mursi’s government into possible tax evasion. Orascom was accused of not paying taxes on the sale of its cement business to Lafarge SA. Mursi’s government was overthrown by the military last year, prompting the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait to send Egyptbns of dollars in aid. Reuters Dubai R T he “East Asia push” of Gulf countries has become more intense this week with a number of announcements made that put the fastgrowing region in the focus of investment projects and business expansions. Following the visit of HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani in Beijing on Monday, where Qatar and China agreed on a strategic partnership on a number of topics, including investment and trade, an agreement was signed on Tuesday to launch a joint investment platform between the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA), Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund, and China’s state-owned Citic Group, the country’s biggest investment conglomerate. The new investment platform will be funded with $10bn and is targeting investments in China, Singapore and other East Asian countries. In October, QIA on its own made its п¬Ѓrst major investment in China by buying 19.9% of Hong Kong-based Lifestyle International Holdings, which runs a Hong Kong department store popular with mainland Chinese shoppers, at a price of $616mn. However, Qatar is not the only Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) country that is fostering closer business ties to East Asia. In an announcement earlier this week, Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank, the fourth-largest lender by market value in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), announced that it will open a representative office in Singapore this year as part of its plans to expand in Southeast Asia. The bank said the move has been made with a view on the continuously growing trade flows between Southeast Asia and the Middle East, adding that it was “natural and appropriate that ADCB establishes presence there.” Other UAE banks are also contemplating to expand in the region. National Bank of Abu Dhabi – the largest UAE bank by market capitalisation - is working on developing operations in RBS says to review its network in Middle East The coal power plant will have the capacity to produce as much as 3,000 megawatts of electricity using technology that complies with European Union standards for emission control, OCI said. The company hasn’t decided whether to pursue the ВЈ2.5bn that it has already paid as part of the tax settlement, Sawiris said. “The ruling gives us all options,” Sawiris said. “But we are a good corporate citizen. We realize the state of the economy and we also realise the great investment opportunities that exist in Egypt.” The decision to reject the probe came after a six-month investigation by the public prosecutor, OCI said in a statement. Sawiris relocated Orascom Construction to Holland from Egypt last year through a buyout by OCI, an entity he helped set up amid the dispute with Mursi’s regime. “All other previous preliminary rulings related to the tax disputes that were appealed and pending the appeals committee’s final ruling are expected to be nullified, including all judgments issued against Chief Executive Officer Nassef Sawiris,” OCI said. Asian region, to increase foreign investment in its listed companies and to engage with potential new investors and п¬Ѓnance management companies. “This is one of several visits to the Far East in recent years, and we are conп¬Ѓdent of a positive response. We are now seeing increasing interest in the region from investors there, and this roadshow is intended to boost this trend,” said the exchange’s CEO Rashed Al Balooshi. In October, Bahrain said it will boost economic relations to Southeast Asia by using Thailand as a gateway for Bahrain to regional markets and vice versa. The enhanced economic cooperation between the two nations will start with new rice orders by Bahrain. A strong effect on GCC investments in East Asia is also expected from the newly established Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, a China-based development bank that comprises of 21 nations in East, Southeast and Central Asia with China, Singapore, Qatar and Kuwait being the largest net contributors to the bank’s $100bn fund for lending to infrastructure projects in developing Asia. Bad loans puncture Turkey bank proп¬Ѓts Bloomberg Istanbul T urkish bank proп¬Ѓts are more exposed to an increase in bad loans than at any time in the past 11 years as unemployment rises amid slowing economic growth. Provisions to cover soured debts are at their lowest since 2003, just as Turkiye Garanti Bankasi AS said bad loans are set to grow “across the board” in the industry. Turkiye Halk Bankasi AS, the nation’s largest listed state lender, cut its year-end proп¬Ѓt forecast by 15% last week after saying that a 1.08bn liras ($484mn) loan is non-performing. Bad consumer debts rose by 41%, the fastest annual pace since 2010, in the 12 months through September as the economy sputtered and unemployment rose. While non-performing loans at Turkish banks are lower than at lenders in countries including Poland and Russia, they’ll probably weigh on earnings because buffers have been reduced, said Murat Borekci, head of equity research at Yapi Kredi Yatirim Ve Menkul Degerleri AS. “Turkey’s growth rate has been decelerating since 2012, and in the coming years we’ll see NPLs going up steadily,” Atilla Yesilada, an economist at New York-based Global Source Partners, said by phone, referring to non-performing loans. “The consumer side will be the real problem.” Analysts are more pessimistic on the level of Turkey’s expansion this year than the government. Growth will slow to 3%, according to the median of 33 economists in a Bloomberg survey. That compares with 4% in 2013. The government revised its year-end growth forecast to 3.3% from 4% last month, while joblessness at 9.8% in July was the highest since February. Inflation accelerated to 8.96% in October. “The reason for NPL buildup in the system is tied to a couple of factors, the most important one being the slowdown in economic growth,” according to Yapi Kredi’s Borekci.Provisions for non-performing loans fell to 74.2% in August. Meanwhile, a gauge of consumer conп¬Ѓdence released last week dropped to 70.3, the lowest level since February. The rise in bad debts follows a lending binge when the expansion of credit averaged more than 25% a year from 2010 to 2013. Measures introduced by the regulator at the start of 2014 have brought it down closer to 10% in 2014. Total loans rose to 1.19tn liras at the end of September, compared with 990.4bn lira a year earlier, according to data published by the bank’s regulator. Tightened lending won’t help banks in the short term because there’s typically a lag between the end of a credit boom and the formation of bad loans, according to Ilker Yoney, chief operating officer of Istanbul-based LBT Varlik Yonetim AS, a former unit of Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc, which buys and sells bad debt. Data published by the banking regulator yesterday shows that the ratio of bad debts to total loans in Turkish banks rose to 2.92% in September, the highest in 17 months. That compares with 4.7% at Russian banks and 8.2% in Poland, according to the most recent data. The Turkey number doesn’t take into account disposals of banks’ bad loan portfolios. Turkish banking industry proп¬Ѓt in the nine months through September was 18.8bn liras, down from 19.8bn liras a year earlier, according to the regulator. “With the economy slowing and unemployment rising, there is a chance that you could see non-performing loans start to increase at a greater pace,” according to William Jackson, a London-based analyst at Capital Economics. oyal Bank of Scotland (RBS) is reviewing its network in the Middle East, it said yesterday, after a media report said the British lender had put its corporate loan book in the region up for sale. The statement from the bank, 81% owned by the British government, was issued after Bloomberg News reported RBS had hired PricewaterhouseCoopers to sell its Middle Eastern corporate loan book, citing unnamed sources. The bank has been focusing its attention on its home market under a strategy unveiled in February by chief executive Ross McEwan, as it tries to rebuild its reputation after one of the biggest bailouts in British history during the global п¬Ѓnancial crisis. “We are looking at options across our CEEMEA (Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa) network, but no decisions have been taken,” the bank said in a statement. “It is business as usual and we remain committed to serving our customers in the region.” A banking source told Reuters that PwC was working with RBS, without elaborating. A spokeswoman for PwC declined to comment. RBS’s credit exposure to the CEEMEA region, as well as Central Asia and supranationals such as the World Bank, was ВЈ19.1bn ($30.5bn) in 2013, representing 3.4% of its ВЈ573bn of credit risk assets, its annual report said. In the Middle East, RBS has offices in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and offers services to corporate and institutional clients including п¬Ѓnancing, risk management and transaction services, as well as private banking to clients through its Coutts subsidiary, according to its website. Many international banks have been evaluating their Middle Eastern operations in recent years, as the cost of maintaining them at a time of constraints in home markets, higher capital requirements from regulators and increased competition from cash-rich local banks makes doing business uneconomical. In 2014, Barclays sold much of its retail banking business in the UAE to Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank. Standard Chartered put much of its loan book for small and medium-sized UAE businesses up for sale after pressure from regulators in the US but then decided to close customers’ accounts instead. Should RBS try to sell some or all of its regional corporate loan book, there would likely be a number of interested local banks, said a second banking source, although he questioned whether they would be prepared to pay the kind of price RBS would expect for the assets. RBS has already taken steps to slim down its business in the region. In 2010, it sold its UAE retail business to Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank. Nigeria faces currency devaluation, budget woes as oil falls Reuters Abuja A sharp drop in global oil prices has raised the twin spectres of a potential currency devaluation and budget shortfalls in Nigeria just as Africa’s biggest economy gears up for a closely fought and costly presidential election in February. Nigeria, the continent’s top producer, relies on oil for only 14% of its gross domestic product (GDP) but crude makes up 95% of foreign exchange and about 80% of government revenues, both of which have shrunk rapidly as Brent crude lost more than a quarter of its value since June. Foreign portfolio investors fearing heavy losses on the currency have pulled out – the main share index hit a 16-month low and the yield on government bonds rose 10 basis points yesterday. The naira has lost around 4% this year, prompting the central bank to hold frequent additional dollar sales and lower the limit on banks’ foreign currency borrowing in efforts to prop it up. At around 167 to the dollar, it is well outside the central bank’s target band of 3% plus or minus 155 to the dollar. The last time it was in the target range was in late January. Foreign reserves fell rapidly from a peak of $48.9bn in May 2013 to just $36bn in June. They have since rebounded slightly and are currently around $38.3bn. Despite these losses, analysts say that a devaluation before the elections, when President Goodluck Jonathan will seek a second term, would be so unpopular that it’s unlikely unless oil prices, now at $82 a barrel, tumble further and force the bank’s hand. “It will take some time of relatively low prices ... before you see foreign reserves really being gobbled up,” Matthew Searle, senior African analyst at Business Monitor International, said. “If oil prices fall further to the $60s or $70s a barrel, then the central bank will become the main source of dollars,” and will have to decide for how long it can keep up the п¬Ѓght. At what point it throws in the towel is hard to tell. The naira has lost around 4% this year, prompting the central bank to hold additional dollar sales and lower the limit on banks’ foreign currency borrowing in efforts to prop it up Alan Cameron, London-based economist at Nigeria’s First City Monument Bank, thinks reserves would likely have to slide to close to $30bn before a “last resort” devaluation would be considered. The last time the bank lowered its target range for the currency was in late 2011 after the naira came under speculative attack and tight monetary policy failed to defend it. In addition to a weak currency, Nigeria faces an increasing squeeze on its government п¬Ѓnances. Finance Minister Ngozi Okonko-Iweala told journalists last week that “Nigeria is not broke”, and analysts agree the country is a long way from struggling to meet its commitments. Yet a squeeze on funding is being felt. A source at the national assembly said money for projects is not being dispersed as easily as before oil prices fell. An official at a construction company, who declined to be named, said payments for a number of projects are in arrears. Oil analysts do not anticipate Brent recovering to over $100/bl with an average of $93.70/ bl expected in 2015. A production cut by the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) seems unlikely. Oil producers have become accustomed to high oil prices, which have held largely above $100/bl since the Arab Spring in 2011, and all are having to adjust to the new climate, but Ni- geria, with a population of 170mn people, was spending too buoyantly when times were good. “There was signiп¬Ѓcant п¬Ѓscal expansion since 2010 as they were used to much higher oil prices, which makes the current price really problematic,” Samir Gadio, Head of Africa Strategy at Standard Chartered Bank in London, said. “You really wonder how they will cope if prices stay at $85-90 a barrel and sustain the existing position,” he said, adding that even with prices at $100 a barrel it would struggle. In theory Nigeria saves money over the benchmark price in the Excess Crude Account (ECA), which builds up a buffer when times are good that can be run down during commodity shocks. Yet despite high oil prices the ECA fell to $4bn by September this year, according to the latest п¬Ѓnance ministry п¬Ѓgures, from a central bank estimate of $11.5bn two years ago. In January this year, it was as low as $2.5bn, before efforts by the п¬Ѓnance minister to build it back up. Nigeria’s budget tends to assume a conservative oil price but that is usually coupled with an overoptimistic production п¬Ѓgure, particularly as a large volume of oil is stolen. Gulf Times Thursday, November 6, 2014 7 BUSINESS Rouble slumps as Russia moves closer to free float Bloomberg Moscow T he rouble weakened to a record as Russia’s central bank moved a step closer to allowing the currency to trade freely in an effort to shake out speculators. The currency slid as much as 3.1% against the dollar before trading 1.4% lower at 44.2255 by 3:07pm in Moscow. The rouble pared declines after the central bank’s First Deputy Governor Ksenia Yudaeva said further interestrate increases have not been ruled out. Three-month implied volatility for the currency soared to a п¬Ѓve-year high, while wagers for higher borrowing costs fell. Russia spent about $30bn to shore up the rouble in October as oil’s slide and US and European sanctions over Ukraine worsened the world’s worst currency rout. The Bank of Russia said yesterday it was abandoning its predictable intervention policy to hamper “speculative strategies” against the currency. It also freed itself up to sell foreign currency at undisclosed quantities to defend against “threats” to the nation’s п¬Ѓnancial stability. “It’s a big step towards floating the rouble,” Neil Shearing, the chief emerging-markets economist at Capital Economics in London, said by phone. The rouble is “going to п¬Ѓnd a floor more quickly than would have been the case under the old framework, and the central bank will spend fewer of its foreigncurrency reserves in the process.” Reserves of the world’s largest energy exporter have fallen $73bn in 2014 to a four-year low of $439bn on October 24 as the standoff with the US and its allies over Ukraine worsened, oil prices The rouble weakened 19% versus the dollar in the past three months, the most among currencies worldwide. slid to four-year lows and sanctions created a domestic dollar shortage. Russia’s $2tn economy is on the brink of recession. The currency may stabilize by yearend, Yudaeva said. There are no limits on the scale of possible interventions given the size of Russia’s reserves, she said. The central bank will spend $350mn only once a day to support the rouble when it falls past its lower trad- ing band, according to a statement on its website today. Under the prior rules, it would pour in $350mn each time the rouble fell by 5 kopeks past the boundary, allowing traders to proп¬Ѓt from keeping short currency positions and betting on further depreciation. Russia planned to allow the rouble to trade freely by 2015. “As a result of the implementation of this decision, the rouble exchange rate will be determined predominantly by the market factors,” the central bank said in its statement. It “will be ready to conduct additional interventions in the domestic foreign-exchange market,” it said. The rouble weakened 19% versus the dollar in the past three months, the most among currencies worldwide monitored by Bloomberg. A largerthan-expected 150 basis-point inter- est-rate increase on October 31 failed to stem the rout, leading banks including Goldman Sachs Group and Commerzbank AG to predict Russia will shift its п¬Ѓxed trading-band policy. “The market is likely to test the parameters of this reaction function in the next days and, while this could imply further downside in the short term, given the positioning, we think risks are now far more balanced and the rouble could strengthen once the CBR decides to act,” Goldman Sachs analysts Clemens Grafe and Andrew Matheny wrote in e-mailed note yesterday. Wagers for rate increases in the next three months declined to 80 basis points yesterday from 150 basis points on October 31, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. The rouble’s three-month implied volatility rose 180 basis points to 21.76%, the most among 23 emerging markets tracked by Bloomberg.The central bank also said yesterday it was widening the list of instruments it uses to provide foreign-currency liquidity to banks. It will start auctions of 12-month repurchase agreements this month, in addition to the one-week and fourweek facilities introduced in October. Brent crude retreated for a п¬Ѓfth day, trading as much as 1.4% lower at $81.63 a barrel yesterday, down almost 30% from its 2014 peak in June. “The current RUB weakness is mostly oil-driven, in our view, so there is no need for the CBR to fully oppose the price adjustment, while with it having the option to intervene unexpectedly in any amount,” Dmitry Polevoy, the chief economist for Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States at ING Groep NV in Moscow, said in an e-mailed comment. Commodities fall to 5-year low on dollar rally Bloomberg Singapore C ommodities fell to a п¬Ѓveyear low as crude oil to gold lost after the dollar climbed to the highest since 2009, curbing demand for raw materials. The Bloomberg Commodity Index of 22 raw materials dropped as much as 0.9% to 115.4897, the lowest since July 2009, before trading at 115.5085 by 4:34 pm Singapore time. Spot bullion fell to the lowest since April 2010 as Brent crude sank 1.3%. Commodities headed for a fourth consecutive annual retreat as the Bloomberg Dollar Index surged to the highest since April 2009. The world’s largest economy is recovering, triggering a rally in the dollar and US stocks that diverted investors from gold and energy. A stronger dollar makes commodities priced in greenbacks more expensive in terms of other currencies and less attractive to investors seeking an alternative investment. Holdings in the SPDR Gold Trust, the largest exchangetraded product backed by the metal, slid 0.3% on Tuesday to 738.8 metric tons, the lowest since September 2008 when Lehman Brothers Holdings collapsed. Spot metal fell as much as 1.9% to $1,146.34 an ounce, according to Bloomberg generic pricing. Brent for December settlement slid as much as $1.07 to $81.75 a barrel on the ICE Futures Europe exchange in London. CORPORATE RESULTS Toyota racing to record profit, but Asia flashing red signal with a profit of C$34mn, or 7 Canadian cents. Total average production fell 25%. Gross revenue fell 24.5% to C$584mn ($510.3mn). Funds flow, a key measure of a company’s ability to pay for new projects and drilling, fell 22% to C$231mn, or 47 Canadian cents per share, from C$296mn, or 61 Canadian cents. Hannover Re German reinsurer Hannover Re said yesterday it is confident of meeting its full-year targets after a strong rise in profits in the third quarter and first nine months. “In view of its results for the first nine months, Hannover Re is confident of achieving its full-year targets for 2014,” the group said in a statement. In concrete terms, Hannover Re said it is pencilling in “stable to slightly higher gross premium and net profit in the order of €850mn” ($1.06bn) for the whole of 2014. In the period from July to September, Hannover Re booked a 21.4% rise in net profit to €251mn. Underlying or operating profit rose by 39.1% to 407.1mn euros on a 9.9% increase in gross premium income to €3.64bn. ING Toyota yesterday said it was on track for record $17.5bn full-year net profit, as Japan’s major automakers wrapped up a bumper earnings season, but a slowdown in Asia, including China, could slam the brakes on growth. The world’s biggest automaker revised up its fiscal year profit forecast by 12.4% to ВҐ2.0tn, and said revenue would come in at ВҐ26.5tn, as it saw strong results in North America. It also booked a ВҐ1.13tn net profit for the six months through September, from ВҐ1.00tn a year ago, while revenue rose 3.3% to ВҐ12.94tn. The results came a day after rival Nissan said its half-year net profit rose 25% to ВҐ237bn and Honda last week reported a nearly 19% jump in its sixmonth net profit to ВҐ288.41bn. The Japanese auto industry has benefited from the big-spending policies of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, with huge monetary easing measures from the premier’s hand-picked team at the Bank of Japan helping push down the yen since last year. A weaker yen boosts the competitiveness of exporters and inflates their repatriated overseas profits, although analysts say the effect has been waning in recent months. Toyota reported a nearly 7.0% increase in the huge market, but half-year results were down in some other key Asian markets including Indonesia and Thailand, which has been hammered by political unrest, with sales tumbling 26% from a year earlier. Toyota’s North American unit sales rose 7.5% to 1.39mn and Europe saw a 1.78% increase to 414,217 vehicles. grew to $470mn in the quarter through September 30, from $365mn a year earlier. External production sales were up 10% at $4.43bn. Magna raised its forecasts slightly for full-year 2014 light vehicle production to 17.0mn units in North America, from 16.9mn forecast previously, and to 20.2mn units in Europe, from 19.8mn. Automakers reported their strongest US sales for October in more than a decade on Monday, and Canadian sales are on track to set an all-time record in 2014. Net income attributable to Magna rose to $470mn, or $2.19 per share, from $319mn, or $1.39 per share, a year earlier. Duke Energy Magna Duke Energy Corp, the largest US power company by market value, reported a lower-than-expected quarterly revenue and profit as a milder summer hit demand and expenses rose. The company’s shares were down 1.5% at $81 before the bell yesterday. Duke said demand was hurt by a below normal weather in the Carolinas and in the Midwest. The company’s income from its international energy unit was hurt by lower volumes and higher purchased power costs in Latin America. Duke said expenses for fuel used in power generation and purchase in the regulated sector rose 6%, while it jumped about 14% in the non-regulated business. Net income attributable to Duke rose 27% to $1.3bn, or $1.80 per share, in the quarter ended Sept. 30, from $1bn, or $1.42 per share, a year earlier. Canadian auto parts maker and contract vehicle manufacturer Magna International reported a 47% jump in third-quarter earnings that beat analyst expectations yesterday, boosted by strong demand in North America. Adjusted earnings before interest and taxes in North America, the company’s biggest market, Penn West Petroleum, one of Canada’s largest conventional oil producers, reported a third-quarter loss, hurt by a drop in production and weaker oil prices. The net loss was C$15mn, or 3 Canadian cents per share, in the quarter ended September, compared Penn West ING Group NV, the largest Dutch bank, said it would repay the last of its state aid ahead of schedule this week, signalling an extra dividend for shareholders as lending growth drove a jump in pretax earnings. In its first full quarter as a pure banking business, ING’s underlying earnings before tax from its banking operations rose more than a third to €1.5bn ($1.88bn), beating analysts’ average forecasts of €1.4bn. The bank, once the globe-spanning flagship of Dutch financial capitalism and still Europe’s eighth largest by stock market value, was forced to retrench in the years after the financial crisis, taking €10bn in state aid in 2008 and selling many of its international businesses. It sold a stake in its insurance arm NN Group in July to comply with the terms of the rescue package. Announcing the early repayment of the final 1bn euro tranche of aid, Chief Executive Ralph Hamer said the bank was seeing signs of a recovery in its home market and of structural recoveries in parts of Europe. ING’s interest income rose 7.5% year on year while the underlying interest margin improved to 1.53% from 1.44%. Loan loss provisions were cut by 41.7% as lending risks fell in commercial banking and general lending. Voestalpine Steelmaker Voestalpine kept its forecast for higher operating profits this financial year, even after stripping out one-off boosts to income, despite a difficult business environment in Europe. The Austrian firm said yesterday earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) in its second quarter to the end of September were €226mn ($283mn), above the average estimate of €197mn in a Reuters poll. Its core profit in the three-month period, however, was boosted by one-off items of €45.2mn from assets sales in its Metal Forming Division and a pensions reorganisation in some of the division’s Dutch companies. Voestalpine shares fell 1.7% after the release of the second-quarter results. The company said the second-quarter one-off items helped it counter slightly declining sales in the first half as a whole. The company’s specialised steel products for its core automotive and energy businesses generate more than 60% of revenues. It said operating profit in the first half rose 12.2% to €444.7mn. Lancashire Lancashire Holdings, a British property and casualty insurer, posted a 40% rise in third-quarter profit, helped by fewer major catastrophe losses and its acquisition of Lloyd’s of London insurer Cathedral Capital. The company, which writes policies for heavy-duty assets such as oil rigs, ships and aircraft, also said it would pay a special dividend of $1.20 per common share. Pretax profit rose to $36.1mn in the quarter ended September 30 from $25.7mn a year earlier. Net premiums earned were up 34% to $179.6mn, due mainly to Lancashire’s Lloyd’s of London business that came with its acquisition of Cathedral in late 2013. HKEx Hong Kong Exchanges & Clearing (HKEx) posted a 6% rise in third-quarter profit as trading volumes climbed ahead of a proposed trading link with Shanghai, but said it did not know when the delayed scheme would launch. The world’s second-largest listed stock market operator reiterated that while it had completed preparations, the scheme, seen as a milestone in the opening up of China’s capital markets, had not received regulatory approval. The launch had been expected on October 27 and the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission had also said it is ready. Charles Li, chief executive of the bourse, said last month he could not clarify which agency in Beijing is responsible for giving the green light. Some market watchers believe the launch date might have been postponed due to China’s dismay over pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong, which have paralysed parts of the financial centre. Lack of clarity on how capital gains tax will be applied is also hindering the launch of the scheme, market professionals speaking at a Reuters China Summit said last week. The bourse’s net profit climbed to HK$1.28bn ($165mn) in July-September from HK$1.2bn a year earlier, according a Reuters calculation from HKEx’s statement on Wednesday. Time Warner Time Warner reported better-than-expected quarterly revenue and profit, helped by higher subscription fees for channels offered by its Turner Broadcasting and Home Box Office businesses. Shares of the company, which also raised its adjusted profit growth forecast for 2014, rose as much as 4% in early trading. Revenue from Turner Broadcasting, the operator of channels such as CNN, TBS and TNT, rose 4.6% in the third quarter, mainly due to price increases in the US. The unit accounted for more than one-third of the company’s total revenue. Revenue from the Home Box Office unit, which runs the successful crime show “True Detective”, rose 10% and accounted for about 21% of Time Warner’s total revenue. Warner Bros, the company’s movie and TV studio unit, reported a 3% rise in revenue, helped by subscription video-on-demand revenue from its television products. Growth at the unit, the company’s biggest revenue generator, was partially offset by weaker performance of movies such as “The Conjuring” and “Pacific Rim”. Time Warner raised its percentage growth forecast for full-year adjusted profit to high teens from low teens. Net income attributable to common shareholders fell to $967mn, or $1.11 per share, in the third quarter ended Sept. 30 from $1.18bn, or $1.26 per share, a year earlier. 8 Gulf Times Thursday, November 6, 2014 BUSINESS The London Stock Exchange is seeking to win back business by capitalising on new rules that clamp down on trading in rival venues called dark pools LSE to launch mid-day auction for most liquid stocks late next year Reuters London T he London Stock Exchange will launch a midday auction for the largest and most liquid stocks on its markets late next year, seeking to win back business by capitalising on new rules that clamp down on trading in rival venues called dark pools. During the two minute auction, continuous trading of shares will be suspended, allowing buyers and sellers to execute big orders without the risk that prices move against them during their transactions. That risk has attracted many investors in recent years to dark pools, where shares can be bought and sold anonymously without informing the market until the trade is completed. Dark pools sprung up as a result of a series of European Union reforms to promote competition in equities trading introduced in 2007, and have taken market share from public markets such as the London Stock Exchange (LSE). However EU regulators, concerned that dark pools could be open to market manipulation and that they take away liquidity from public exchanges making them more volatile, have now drafted another set of reforms that will limit the proportion of a company’s shares that can be traded anonymously to 8%. That has handed traditional exchanges an opportunity to win back customers wanting to execute big orders. The LSE п¬Ѓrst proposed the idea of a mid-day auction in March, and has been consulting with investors about it since. Buyers and sellers would be able to place orders during the auction, with an algorithm used to determine the price. It could offer an advantage over dark pools, where buyers and sellers submit the price at which they would like to trade, but may not be able to get the deal done if they cannot п¬Ѓnd a counterparty prepared to do business at that price. The auction would coincide with a similar process conducted on Germany’s Deutsche Boerse, the LSE said yesterday. “This is a very signiп¬Ѓcant change to the trading day,” said Brian Schwieger, head of Equities at the LSE. “The auction will allow participants to place orders in a truly conп¬Ѓdential, yet price-forming environment via a well understood mechanism.” “We are aware that institutional investors hope it will encourage European markets to follow suit, creating over time a signiп¬Ѓcant and harmonised panEuropean focus for liquidity at midday across the continent,” he added. The new auction will operate in the same way as the LSE’s opening and closing auctions. Customers will not be charged an additional fee or incur extra direct costs should they choose to participate. Tumbling oil highlights performance divide in emerging markets Reuters London O il’s tumble to new four-year lows yesterday prompted a heavy selloff of stocks and bonds in energyproducing emerging markets from the Middle East to Russia, while importer countries like India enjoyed the prospect of cheaper fuel. Expectations that the oil price will remain weak is creating a sharp divergence between emerging markets that export energy and those that import, with asset managers starting to shift investments to the latter. “We’re going to start seeing some secondary effects of the oil price,” said Ilan Solot, a strategist at Brown Brothers Harriman in London. “When oil falls the п¬Ѓrst thing people do is short the oil exporters, then the next move is thinking who is going to beneп¬Ѓt.” Most emerging currencies were weaker against the dollar, with the Russian rouble hitting fresh new lows after the central bank capped daily exchange rate interventions. In one of the countries, most reliant on oil and gas exports, the energy-heavy Moscow bourse tumbled more than 3% as Brent crude fell towards $82 a barrel. Saudi stocks fell 1%, extending Tuesday’s 3% loss while Kuwait’s main index slumped 1.5% to three-month lows. Dubai’s bourse fell 3% at one point, led by shares in property developers. The oil price drop has slowed stock market gains in the Gulf. The UAE and Qatar have been among the best emerging market performers so far this year with dollar-based gains of 20-30%, while Saudi Arabia is still up around 12%. “The fall in oil prices is providing a headwind to these markets. Exposure for the most part here is not through oil companies but through sectors such as real estate and those are being perceived as very vulnerable,” said Julian Mayo, a portfolio manager at Charlemagne Capital in London. Nigerian stocks fell 1% to new 13-month lows. Oil prices are already below the budgetary breakeven levels for many oil exporters, with Russia estimated to need $100 per barrel. Saudi Arabia, Nigeria and Venezuela need oil at $92, $124 and $117 respective- ly to balance their budgets, according to Thomson Reuters data. That means those countries will have less cash available to repay debts and some may have to borrow more. The oil price fall is good news for many, with Indian shares soaring to their fourth straight record high, underpinned by reform efforts and huge foreign investor interest. Turkish and Asian markets are not beneп¬Ѓting as much, the latter held back by a slowing China. Turkey is vulnerable because of its reliance on foreign capital flows as rising US yields pull investor interest away from emerging markets. Maarten-Jan Bakkum, of ING Investment Management highlighted a divide within the energy importers’ group, with reform a key variable. “Turkey for instance ... is a fundamentally weak story. There’s no reform, there’s political risk,” he said. “I would say because the oil price is coming down the market is not underperforming, but it’s struggling to do really well.” Russia’s rouble fell more than 2% as the central bank said it would cap daily interventions to $350mn, a fraction of the $2.5bn it had been spending per day in recent weeks to prop up the currency. “On the positive side, today’s decision should allow the central bank to maintain its FX reserves as the strategy of supporting the domestic currency is a costly and often ineffective one,” Unicredit analysts said. “But given unfavourable global sentiment, the rouble is likely to weaken further in the near term.” Nigeria’s naira fell a quarter% to 8-1/2 month lows , a day after its central bank intervened. Middle Eastern currencies are for the most part pegged but the oil price drop was causing a move in Saudi riyal forwards. The riyal fell in the forwards market to its lowest since October 21, when the market was jolted by a sudden move caused by investor outflows. One-year dollar/Saudi forwards jumped to a session high of 86 points, having closed Monday at 64 points and on Sunday at 20 points. Saudi 5-year credit default swaps (CDS) have also risen around 20 bps from late September levels, in line with oil’s decline. On bonds, dollar debt from oil exporters such as Venezuela, Ecuador and Angola are suffering as investors are starting to fret about their ability to repay debt. Angolan bond yield spreads over US Treasuries – a measure of the premium that investors’ demand to hold Angolan debt compared to the safe haven asset Asia bourses fall; Tokyo sees late rally Sensex breaches 28,000 mark; rupee unchanged Reuters Mumbai AFP Tokyo A sian markets mostly fell yesterday but Tokyo reversed early selling to add to the 10% rally since the Bank of Japan’s surprise monetary easing announcement last week. The Nikkei’s late advance came as the dollar hit a seven-year high against the yen in response to news Republicans had captured both houses of the US Congress and the head of the BoJ reasserted his determination to beat deflation. Wall Street’s lead was neutral following a disappointing batch of economic indicators, while the euro edged up despite news that the European Commission had slashed its growth outlook for this year. Tokyo added 0.44%, or 74.85 points, to 16,937.32. However, Seoul slipped 0.19%, or 3.76 points, to 1,931.43 and Shanghai gave up 0.47%, or 11.42 points, to 2,419.25. Sydney was flat, edging down 2.0 points to 5,517.9. Hong Kong gave up 0.63%, or 150.04 points, to end at 23,695.62. Japanese shares enjoyed a huge boost and the yen tumbled after the BoJ decision Friday, which will see vast sums of extra money pumped into the economy in a bid to tackle deflation and averting another recession. In other markets, Taipei shed 0.30%, or 26.58 points, to 8,962.6; Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co was unchanged at Tw$132.0, while leading chip design house MediaTek shed 1.73% to Tw$426.5. Wellington fell 0.39%, or 21.11 points, to 5,402.15, ending a 12-day winning streak; Chorus was off 0.48% at NZ$2.08 and Spark dropped 2.82% to NZ$3.10. Manila ended 0.18% lower, slipping 13.20 points to 7,208.81; Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co slid 5.02% to 2,990 pesos while BDO Unibank gained 5.86% to 103 pesos. Also fuelling the buying was news that the country’s public pension fund—the world’s biggest—will double the amount of equities in its investment portfolio. – widened 19 basis points on the EMBI Global bond index while Ecuadorean spreads widened 12 bps after a 30 bpsplus move on Tuesday. Traders work at the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. Shares closed down 150.04 points to 23,695.62 yesterday. While proп¬Ѓt-taking pared some of the dollar’s and the Nikkei’s recent gains early yesterday, news that Republicans had taken control of the Senate from Democrats sent both rising again. Adding to yen-selling sentiment was a speech by BoJ boss Haruhiko Kuroda that indicated the bank was prepared to do whatever was needed to hit a 2.0% inflation target by next year. “In order to completely overcome the chronic disease of deflation, medicine should be taken until the end,” he said in Tokyo. “A half-baked medical treatment will only worsen the symptoms.” The dollar—which stood at ВҐ113.57 early yesterday in Tokyo—jumped to ВҐ114.37 in the afternoon, its highest since December 2007. The euro was at ВҐ143.17, against ВҐ142.61 earlier in the day. The single cur- rency was also at $1.2528 against $1.2545 in New York trade despite the European Commission’s decision to cut its eurozone 2014 growth forecast to 0.8% from 1.2, and its 2015 estimate to 1.1% from 1.7%. The focus is now on the European Central Bank’s next policy meeting later this week, with analysts looking for some guidance on its plans for kick-starting the economy. US shares ended broadly lower Tuesday after the Commerce Department said new orders for manufactured goods fell and the trade deп¬Ѓcit widened. Analysts also said last week’s initial estimate of growth in the third quarter, which came in at 3.5%, was likely overstated by as much as 0.4 percentage points, and that the current quarter would be slower. The Dow edged up 0.09%, the S&P 500 dropped 0.29% and the Nasdaq slipped 0.33%. Oil prices extended their recent losses as dealers looked ahead to the release of the latest US supply report after a selloff in the previous session owing to price cuts by Saudi Arabia. US benchmark West Texas Intermediate for December delivery fell 49 cents to $76.70, while Brent crude for December fell 82 cents to $82in afternoon trade. WTI had dropped $1.59 in New York late Tuesday to hit its lowest closing point since October 2011, as dealers continued to digest Saudi Arabia’s move to cut its prices for crude sold to the US markets. Brent had fallen $1.96 in London to its lowest close since October 2010. Gold was $1,148.34 an ounce from $1,169.98 late Tuesday. Indian shares edged higher yesterday after earlier hitting a fourth consecutive record high that sent the benchmark BSE index above the 28,000-point mark for the first time, as lenders continued to rally on hopes of early rate cuts. Continued fund flow from overseas investors also lifted sentiment. Foreign investors bought Indian shares worth $900.2mn in the last four consecutive sessions, taking their rally for so far this year to $14.2bn. However, gains were capped as metals and mining companies fell sharply tracking weaker global prices, while investors also booked profits as markets across the region were subdued. Caution also prevailed ahead of a market holiday today. “Overall outlook is positive. The investment climate has improved and is expected to be good. And we do expect RBI to cut rates,” said Deven Choksey, managing director at KR Choksey Securities. The benchmark BSE index closed 0.2% higher at 27,915.88 points. Earlier, it rose as much as 0.54% to break 28,000 levels and made a fresh record high of 28,010.39, breaching the 27,969.82 level hit in the previous session. The broader NSE index gained 0.2% to 8,338.30 points. The index gained as much as 0.5% to hit a record high of 8,365.55 points. Markets were closed on Tuesday for a public holiday. Banks continued their rally on growing expectations the Reserve Bank of India would cut interest rates as early as its next policy review in December, or, if not, in February. State Bank of India gained 2.2%, adding to its 0.8% gain on Monday and 4.8% in the last week. ICICI Bank closed up 1.6% while Axis Bank gained 2.9%. The NSE bank index closed 1.3% higher. Dr Reddy’s Laboratories closed 2.2% higher after Morgan Stanley upgraded the stock to “overweight” from “equal-weight”, citing improved outlook. State-run oil marketing companies also gained with Bharat Petroleum Corp up 2.2% as international crude prices fell to a four-year low. Meanwhile the rupee ended almost unchanged yesterday as traders turned cautious in a holiday-shortened week, even as underlying factors are still seen as positive for the local currency. Asian currencies posted losses yesterday as the dollar strengthened globally on the back of a victory by Republicans in the US mid-term elections, ending uncertainty about the political climate in the US. Global factors, including the European Central Bank policy meeting today and the US monthly jobs data tomorrow, will likely determine the rupee’s nearterm direction. However, underlying factors are seen as positive for the rupee, with inflation easing and continued foreign flows helping drive domestic shares to a fourth consecutive record high. “Many traders are waiting on the sidelines for a clearer picture to emerge after the US employment data, “ said Chintan Karnani, chief analyst at Insignia Consultants, a currency risk advisory firm in New Delhi. “If the numbers are strong, then the dollar strength will continue and rupee may find itself in a spot of bother.”The partially convertible rupee closed at 61.41/42 per dollar, largely unchanged from Monday’s close of 61.40/41. Gulf Times Thursday, November 6, 2014 9 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 87.50 62.80 19.95 25.50 17.60 16.88 99.00 132.00 216.10 86.00 46.40 84.50 48.75 110.00 24.34 45.90 12.08 217.00 185.80 45.35 97.10 120.80 25.85 23.51 32.05 188.90 124.50 111.00 50.30 21.65 191.80 168.50 56.00 126.40 19.52 33.00 58.90 57.70 73.00 43.85 48.50 14.65 % Chg 0.00 -0.16 -4.09 -3.04 -1.68 -0.47 -1.00 -1.42 -3.53 -1.26 0.76 -1.97 -2.69 -1.79 -0.86 0.88 -0.66 -1.14 -1.69 9.94 -0.92 -1.79 0.19 -3.25 -0.93 0.48 -1.19 -0.54 -2.33 -0.60 -1.89 3.37 0.36 -0.55 -1.81 -1.49 -0.34 -0.86 -1.35 -0.34 -0.21 -0.81 Volume 931 52,866 964,928 1,128,254 299,404 42,838 164,235 4,218 355,313 20,601 6,190 211,878 62,403 86,208 421,733 10,000 71,147 28,927 14,808 100 3,560 89,919 84,333 1,396,928 462,510 16,779 31,100 50,432 747,722 82,103 220,090 307,911 64,562 252,618 1,938,822 4,065 217,738 29,139 140,997 915,256 211,378 234,027 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 47.75 17.68 13.50 66.99 25.07 21.98 22.57 22.13 40.61 18.37 115.65 12.14 40.83 53.62 23.68 52.95 107.98 22.75 57.98 63.72 71.03 53.61 75.59 24.30 21.52 133.00 24.55 34.62 105.59 26.33 52.75 52.41 81.59 30.86 104.30 42.45 44.82 58.93 28.73 46.88 40.19 69.75 30.39 35.17 70.62 157.40 48.07 187.49 15.55 26.15 60.00 9.46 65.00 16.38 36.56 107.94 34.70 59.37 49.17 33.50 40.65 18.35 24.89 77.00 25.60 103.45 49.50 187.11 51.07 21.33 14.01 19.91 18.92 35.96 25.02 78.92 73.36 20.40 12.55 125.77 38.24 31.69 13.76 33.87 32.51 29.35 47.11 31.93 31.00 26.23 15.09 96.31 52.20 19.05 18.76 64.22 15.69 % Chg -2.69 3.33 0.00 0.45 -0.16 -1.08 -1.35 -1.69 -2.59 -0.65 0.21 -2.25 1.97 -1.27 0.04 -0.51 -4.91 -1.81 -0.24 3.63 0.75 0.83 -2.73 0.00 -0.92 -1.04 -9.88 0.46 -1.18 2.73 0.34 4.44 0.80 -1.44 1.15 -1.67 2.45 -0.66 -1.14 -0.34 2.50 0.00 -1.01 -3.06 -2.17 0.90 0.50 0.80 -0.26 -1.99 -0.23 -2.77 -9.72 -1.09 -1.08 0.09 0.00 -0.17 -0.20 0.00 0.07 -1.08 5.65 -0.77 -1.65 1.71 0.12 -1.07 -0.89 -4.09 -1.55 -0.25 -4.11 -1.64 4.12 -1.45 2.03 9.80 0.00 -3.42 -0.34 -3.09 -0.58 1.01 -1.31 -1.71 -0.90 3.03 -3.13 -1.61 0.13 1.05 -2.01 0.26 -3.30 -1.03 1.42 Volume 103,002 2,307,179 118,599 275,377 459,807 442,283 1,082,032 561,421 767,636 83,193 23,006,105 706,620 707,043 563,456 280,786 504,237 49,110,535 146,994 224,883 2,581,862 280,727 981,490 715,372 337,059 66,042 466,519 258,672 1,183,992 396,250 401,938 180,511 1,114,849 2,118,049 247,805 320,272 194,292 856,067 1,199,700 1,938,297 2,114,827 474,968 218,255 110,028 264,822 25,580 896,757 870,801 157,000 5,314,511 275,114 2,584,611 365,673 33,475 173 529,827 756,975 215 384,236 1,506,266 1,026,708 34,320 427,465 67,207 87,259 71,320 570,778 2,535,852 11,334,790 1,215,598 1,188,928 4,830,172 3,434,842 17,998 1,130,714 5,806,468 238,794 407,078 123,386 2,241,921 658,176 96,545 2,707,524 1,842,905 4,385,243 114,287 2,109,853 1,726,321 50,911 317,078 115,935 1,748,689 4,721,993 2,077,357 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 55.58 41.40 102.63 109.38 28.36 117.82 156.75 39.96 24.63 56.46 34.03 44.35 15.23 30.67 70.99 33.20 11.45 80.94 11.59 61.84 133.61 16.70 31.84 83.28 35.11 47.22 28.00 19.80 58.03 % Chg -0.75 0.24 -2.91 0.80 -0.46 0.45 -0.32 -2.51 0.04 1.82 -0.70 -2.48 0.00 -0.71 -0.20 0.00 -0.61 -2.14 0.70 -4.29 -1.63 -0.12 2.15 0.00 -1.46 1.90 -1.72 2.11 0.69 Volume 537,459 817,285 7,788,214 97,306 307,954 23,853 122,738 325,255 928,882 1,321,671 251,324 1,440,867 682,114 289,579 2,421,612 760,914 825,032 460,785 68,739 2,431,530 807,188 176,512 686,182 229,800 69,472 1,288,168 499,062 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 110.00 104.00 335.00 142.00 230.00 690.00 67.00 220.00 36.50 88.00 720.00 435.00 650.00 970.00 680.00 300.00 330.00 66.00 48.50 77.00 520.00 98.00 0.00 1.52 128.00 44.50 88.00 1,020.00 420.00 71.00 0.00 15.50 0.00 108.00 43.00 160.00 63.00 780.00 81.00 44.50 74.00 128.00 90.00 405.00 122.00 30.50 98.00 0.00 265.00 0.00 43.50 0.00 95.00 460.00 60.00 86.00 86.00 83.00 630.00 150.00 176.00 0.00 104.00 156.00 124.00 174.00 84.00 0.00 242.00 0.00 43.00 0.00 23.50 99.00 315.00 104.00 870.00 49.00 85.00 180.00 49.00 206.00 130.00 12.00 130.00 174.00 91.00 170.00 100.00 630.00 29.00 445.00 86.00 430.00 95.00 1,360.00 168.00 0.00 58.00 152.00 530.00 700.00 38.00 310.00 70.00 53.00 100.00 47.50 82.00 280.00 70.00 59.00 0.00 73.00 48.00 57.00 50.00 248.00 60.00 65.00 0.00 44.00 106.00 158.00 41.50 % Chg 0.00 0.00 1.52 0.00 0.88 0.00 -6.94 2.80 1.39 -3.30 -2.70 -1.14 0.00 -1.02 0.00 -1.64 -2.94 -7.04 -4.90 -3.75 0.00 -1.01 0.00 0.00 -3.03 -3.26 -1.12 0.00 0.00 -4.05 0.00 -13.89 0.00 -1.82 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 -3.26 0.00 -3.03 0.00 0.00 8.93 -4.69 -2.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 -3.33 0.00 0.00 -2.13 -4.76 0.00 6.17 -3.49 10.00 1.35 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 -1.18 0.00 0.00 0.00 -5.49 0.00 -4.08 2.06 3.28 1.96 -2.25 -1.01 -1.16 -3.23 -3.92 -1.90 0.00 -17.24 8.33 -3.33 -3.19 2.41 0.00 0.00 -6.45 -2.20 -5.49 0.00 -1.04 -1.45 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 -1.41 -3.80 0.00 0.00 -3.64 -5.66 -5.00 -2.38 7.69 -6.67 -1.67 0.00 0.00 0.00 -8.06 -5.66 -0.80 -4.76 -7.14 0.00 -2.22 0.00 6.76 -3.49 Volume 20,039 257,157 135,931 151,499 200,000 1 500 48,350 310,695 1,620,357 556,469 22,729 348,000 391,407 1 246,170 733,350 84,120 1,272,008 757,280 1,000 1,132,554 2,053,560 24,350 1,599,819 116,569 6 468,440 27,269,117 70,400 252,935 5,000 100 5,000 580 136,084 4,273 123,100 6,500 1 170,050 21,798,490 348,093 13,500 6,410,281 1,054 96 25,200 11,000 2,000 524,600 910 64,657 15,000 230,000 8,295 600 265,010 3,709,646 10,000 1,613,150 2,254,365 35,610 50 225,674 1,496,513 463,618 99,908 5 340,000 1,317,695 9,841 166 68,850 25,000 76,018 24,005 3,000 1,160,315 5,643,298 876,000 434,451 98,933 478,226 3,584 20 93,152 1,634,043 1,031,003 568,266 940,959 16,025 40,611 2,276,871 2,538,878 6,987,437 3,979,656 15 10,855,456 1,290,845 301,000 500 12,500 6,939,965 306,432 79,787 17,729 1,427,612 15,100 23,951 8,793,041 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 25.00 116.00 810.00 168.00 32.00 83.00 67.00 510.00 234.00 63.00 0.00 216.00 930.00 46.50 880.00 49.50 310.00 114.00 570.00 68.00 132.00 188.00 73.00 345.00 375.00 108.00 75.00 81.00 1,540.00 0.00 150.00 20.00 85.00 0.00 86.00 156.00 55.00 82.00 65.00 445.00 440.00 95.00 128.00 64.00 41.00 108.00 144.00 355.00 160.00 25.50 1,000.00 80.00 460.00 78.00 370.00 760.00 148.00 770.00 % Chg 0.00 -9.09 -3.33 0.00 0.00 -7.25 0.00 -6.94 0.00 0.00 -3.08 0.00 -0.92 0.00 -5.10 0.00 0.00 -4.62 0.00 -3.39 -2.86 1.54 0.00 -3.95 0.00 -6.25 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 -9.09 -3.41 0.00 0.00 -6.02 -5.17 -2.38 -1.52 0.00 2.33 -1.04 0.00 -1.54 -1.20 -1.82 -2.70 4.41 -1.23 -7.27 0.00 -4.76 -2.13 -2.50 0.00 -1.30 0.00 -1.28 Volume 10 2,624,516 390,202 12,500 2 288,376 619,000 1,261,541 28,692 1,981,200 553,561 294,869 70 1,512,576 10,000 20,760 100,000 105,005 270 224,050 1,000 310 356,891 5,000 4,940 1,160 7,560 789,118 44,636 15,162 2,409,064 962,551 930,672 10,000 7,924,177 70,010 392,016 200 23,401 2,570,432 70,205 153,550 53,500 595,000 231,893 5,000 585,088 7,594,693 2 2,122,641 985 5,289,019 20,493 53,900 100 4,337,283 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 1.31 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 1.45 2.45 0.57 2.10 0.40 0.48 0.41 0.29 1.66 1.30 0.15 2.45 0.26 2.25 0.25 0.39 0.31 0.00 0.42 0.00 0.45 0.52 0.21 0.00 0.23 0.00 5.01 0.63 0.02 0.07 0.13 0.17 0.00 1.00 0.72 0.56 3.64 2.42 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 0.84 0.29 0.15 0.31 0.00 1.25 0.12 0.08 0.42 0.15 0.19 0.21 10.50 0.12 0.16 0.43 0.16 0.06 % Chg 0.00 0.00 -10.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.63 0.00 -3.28 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 -3.05 0.00 -0.50 0.00 -2.84 0.00 -1.19 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 -2.31 0.00 0.00 0.00 -3.21 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 -6.08 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 -1.23 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 -3.13 0.00 0.00 0.00 -0.55 0.00 0.00 -0.34 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 -0.82 -0.94 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 -7.58 0.00 0.00 0.00 -7.77 0.00 0.00 0.00 -3.05 0.00 0.00 0.00 Volume 6,075 2,000 18,400 52,230 285,700 27,784 214,235 6,200 62,500 611,034 92,507 1,281,760 105,492 930,807 135,720 26,262 62,000 33,500 219,000 512,450 12,252 11,900 1,000 384,429 353,750 53 5,000 108,007 - 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 0.18 0.26 0.25 0.05 0.00 0.00 0.21 0.70 0.36 1.13 0.50 5.50 0.46 0.00 0.74 0.33 0.00 0.39 0.36 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 -5.41 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 -2.73 -1.69 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 -4.81 0.00 0.00 -2.31 0.00 0.00 Volume 5,000 1,346 189,190 1,950 5,000 363,080 719,944 23,600 586,900 676,293 - 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 Investbank 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 0.95 2.71 1.10 6.83 2.00 1.40 7.00 5.85 0.96 0.86 0.00 3.90 1.24 1.27 1.66 0.77 3.80 3.35 0.99 8.85 130.00 1.22 1.28 6.90 6.00 1.80 3.35 4.25 13.10 0.95 0.00 3.10 2.77 1.20 2.54 3.00 0.83 1.30 3.99 4.14 18.40 1.50 1.45 11.45 1.02 7.11 4.30 7.70 0.59 1.75 1.80 0.92 5.35 6.55 1.40 3.14 44.55 0.65 6.94 300.00 2.44 6.80 3.50 6.45 7.70 3.50 % Chg -2.06 -1.09 1.85 -1.01 0.00 3.70 0.00 0.00 -4.00 -6.52 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 -9.78 -3.75 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.68 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 -1.64 0.00 0.00 -6.43 -4.04 0.00 0.65 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 -4.60 -0.76 0.00 -0.24 -2.90 0.00 0.00 -0.87 -3.77 0.00 -4.44 0.00 -4.84 0.00 0.00 -3.16 0.00 0.00 -6.04 -4.27 0.00 0.00 5.15 0.00 8.93 -1.45 0.00 -1.53 -3.75 0.00 Volume 23,509 916,308 14,484,513 854,650 1,593 274,456 126,000 15,000 9,344,816 22,956 34,144 166,317 300,000 358,335 869,900 1,041,933 166,107 70,000 156,052 24,000 4,041,395 2,389,430 64,138,492 20,000 5,613,845 677,987 152,000 58,125 19,024,898 79,321 500 59,224 730,365 1,589,961 - 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 0.00 0.23 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.21 0.00 0.19 0.32 0.30 0.86 0.18 0.05 0.18 501.75 0.26 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.23 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 0.34 2.20 0.83 0.06 0.82 % Chg 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 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.18 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 -0.63 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.87 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 -0.61 Volume 14,345 175,000 13,700 12,600 5,000 2,300 79,900 276,718 26,700 500 62,970 45,090 2,000 15,000 43,000 23,226 40,000 4,500 5,000 5,000 15,930 1,965 24,825,837 201,223 731,175 LATEST MARKET CLOSING FIGURES 10 Gulf Times Thursday, November 6, 2014 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 Walt Disney Co/The Visa Inc-Class A Shares Home Depot Inc Cisco Systems Inc 3M Co United Technologies Corp American Express Co Unitedhealth Group Inc Mcdonald’s Corp 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 95.14 47.60 108.39 25.73 77.71 88.86 60.69 115.99 50.24 30.17 42.24 34.88 60.04 33.91 162.14 90.07 248.48 95.58 24.99 154.97 108.04 91.93 95.31 94.69 124.89 190.39 94.77 69.55 99.31 101.42 % Chg 0.66 0.06 -0.21 0.10 0.58 0.25 0.74 0.54 -0.18 -0.36 1.00 0.26 1.13 -1.84 -0.31 -0.31 2.27 -0.40 0.42 -0.05 1.09 0.60 0.34 0.23 -0.75 0.06 0.87 1.52 0.71 0.29 3,548,797 7,483,605 2,982,607 11,037,666 2,190,853 3,873,974 4,125,607 2,994,291 3,831,621 7,430,742 8,488,388 5,614,390 4,786,235 14,109,053 1,529,353 3,439,134 1,699,206 1,777,860 6,572,581 1,044,684 1,682,706 1,180,122 1,207,405 1,437,437 1,259,161 682,524 1,190,148 1,112,958 1,489,169 571,551 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 1,229.00 3,349.00 162.30 4,334.00 2,182.00 208.80 866.00 2,511.00 489.60 407.00 1,655.00 175.55 395.60 935.20 748.00 1,577.00 645.50 1,184.00 1,068.00 4,152.00 1,965.00 2,448.00 247.30 378.60 3,529.00 483.20 443.10 2,255.00 2,161.00 383.00 853.50 2,989.00 1,030.00 5,180.00 3,754.00 1,437.50 1,052.00 1,460.00 1,174.00 192.30 6,505.00 923.50 1,065.00 473.20 443.20 2,076.00 77.20 237.40 1,124.00 284.90 2,986.00 202.50 342.30 413.30 2,701.00 2,421.00 2,823.00 1,196.00 632.00 1,005.00 611.50 314.75 1,433.50 319.60 258.70 327.60 682.00 941.50 1,572.00 399.30 279.20 1,814.00 1,400.00 1,007.00 1,370.00 299.70 2,504.00 1,078.00 1,507.00 1,706.00 370.60 891.50 736.00 3,570.00 439.70 1,618.50 1,013.00 237.50 454.80 1,068.00 526.00 4,613.50 2,944.00 1,057.00 875.00 698.00 1,327.00 1,490.00 1,295.00 441.10 397.10 0.00 % Chg 0.08 1.24 5.87 -0.21 0.79 2.58 2.85 1.09 6.92 0.64 2.54 2.15 2.65 -1.09 1.29 0.77 2.14 1.54 1.81 1.94 1.13 1.37 2.27 2.08 1.54 1.45 1.51 1.58 1.03 0.92 0.65 1.10 0.19 -0.10 -1.34 0.67 0.29 1.11 1.12 0.16 1.01 1.26 1.53 7.55 9.51 1.71 1.18 0.94 1.44 -2.86 0.81 -0.20 0.12 0.22 0.33 0.75 1.66 0.08 1.23 2.39 0.49 1.34 1.24 1.40 1.29 0.71 -2.22 2.00 1.81 1.01 0.47 0.61 2.26 0.00 1.93 1.28 0.76 -0.19 2.03 1.73 2.32 1.42 1.24 0.48 2.16 0.50 1.39 0.34 0.84 -0.93 0.77 0.92 5.79 1.63 0.69 0.29 0.11 2.41 -3.07 2.46 1.51 0.00 Volume 2,239,952 667,981 13,307,454 438,724 1,047,223 52,752,853 1,599,914 1,919,776 6,820,530 1,649,245 536,206 17,074,217 3,686,470 9,912,104 990,585 1,639,893 606,551 603,034 1,843,510 2,496,844 514,048 218,165 6,333,718 1,638,590 1,199,573 2,425,077 1,244,417 3,171,954 4,652,295 6,613,725 5,802,126 2,756,193 2,290,663 1,507,124 881,623 1,820,176 1,537,972 941,126 935,105 10,541,070 305,464 4,055,209 792,137 3,830,507 20,176,127 464,996 93,421,354 10,035,728 1,197,860 13,799,858 261,229 9,554,880 1,124,919 9,158,012 313,480 404,433 2,030,645 506,587 13,894,194 503,321 1,558,042 22,019,643 4,916,446 2,577,423 5,267,057 4,047,579 1,488,082 1,923,809 1,957,895 2,167,395 4,786,293 2,184,375 1,778,965 2,222,740 385,832 8,308,002 390,697 1,270,246 1,288,094 516,467 19,671,763 2,867,288 2,445,709 2,446,688 22,463,809 5,074,954 8,266,515 28,932,686 9,839,351 1,791,100 4,123,815 1,571,752 1,406,950 1,523,587 3,023,509 1,203,016 3,793,856 582,778 1,049,368 3,322,236 652,174 - 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 1,346.50 2,171.00 1,416.50 1,431.00 3,987.50 4,377.00 755.40 919.50 393.00 7,360.00 562.20 4,371.50 4,915.50 1,778.00 4,360.50 1,729.00 3,800.00 1,773.00 455.00 % Chg -2.21 -0.32 -1.08 -1.17 1.46 1.39 0.76 1.47 2.08 2.18 0.43 1.75 0.43 -0.75 1.80 1.92 2.44 -1.25 -2.96 Indices Volume Volume 9,215,900 3,354,700 6,021,100 6,246,200 6,478,400 3,470,000 8,426,000 7,115,000 15,533,000 2,115,100 8,913,300 2,704,100 4,158,700 13,237,400 1,865,300 5,232,800 8,701,900 3,887,200 23,508,900 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 17,454.29 2,020.08 4,624.92 14,549.79 44,887.32 53,829.16 6,531.59 4,207.92 9,309.77 10,270.10 +70.45 +7.98 +1.28 +159.36 +2.89 -554.43 +77.62 +77.73 +143.30 +115.70 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 16,937.32 1,371.76 23,695.62 5,492.81 1,092.37 27,915.88 8,338.30 3,287.66 22,461.92 5,066.83 +74.85 +3.11 -150.04 -5.43 -3.76 +55.50 +14.15 +6.09 +192.52 -4.11 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 3,812.50 588.00 297.50 0.00 179.00 2,285.00 1,514.00 1,505.00 31,155.00 2,707.00 1,760.00 7,059.00 881.20 499.50 1,450.00 7,408.00 395.00 679.90 1,386.50 290.00 2,309.50 6,580.00 53,340.00 5,333.00 19,605.00 6,890.00 5,282.00 12,765.00 5,916.00 694.80 1,050.00 6,808.00 3,622.00 3,771.00 1,541.00 4,046.50 3,534.00 1,200.00 1,106.00 12,335.00 1,387.00 725.00 1,672.00 7,300.00 1,211.50 2,225.00 1,113.00 636.50 658.00 476.70 4,538.50 663.00 205.90 1,624.00 949.50 725.00 2,920.00 2,475.50 1,712.00 3,657.00 1,423.50 3,540.00 2,698.50 4,264.00 8,870.00 5,465.00 16,890.00 262.80 6,864.00 7,392.00 1,846.50 439.00 1,400.00 1,154.50 1,431.00 1,281.00 658.10 6,972.00 359.00 42,450.00 7,840.00 % Chg 0.99 0.00 -0.70 0.00 1.13 1.06 0.03 -1.18 -0.43 1.31 -2.03 -0.24 0.25 1.42 -0.31 0.18 0.51 -0.61 0.25 3.20 0.37 -1.94 -5.26 0.81 -0.28 -0.14 1.34 -0.16 1.02 0.29 2.14 0.12 2.42 -0.30 0.65 -0.59 1.71 0.71 0.64 0.49 1.35 0.39 -0.68 1.11 0.54 0.56 0.59 -0.30 -0.75 -0.06 -0.10 0.64 1.03 -2.32 -1.78 -0.28 0.59 1.19 1.36 -0.23 1.97 -2.22 -4.70 -1.63 0.16 1.07 -1.31 1.82 -0.01 -2.07 0.90 8.40 2.30 2.80 1.20 4.23 1.73 0.61 0.56 2.29 -2.33 Volume 5,708,500 6,082,000 53,731,000 28,239,000 4,140,800 4,497,000 7,494,200 376,100 6,398,600 9,453,000 2,048,400 27,860,000 24,666,000 9,297,000 1,854,300 20,642,000 19,340,000 19,428,200 48,179,000 17,777,200 2,228,800 481,200 3,873,700 1,601,700 705,900 2,453,100 1,248,900 2,493,000 16,240,000 21,767,200 15,166,200 9,326,100 2,918,500 4,350,100 1,896,300 9,724,100 4,581,500 2,721,000 898,800 11,604,800 10,317,900 14,860,300 1,202,900 8,355,200 8,128,700 5,446,200 89,837,900 16,740,300 31,265,000 10,740,700 6,294,000 220,576,600 19,556,600 28,409,000 50,304,700 1,571,400 2,188,900 7,889,300 4,606,300 5,494,100 9,103,000 15,888,000 6,409,000 1,742,200 1,029,600 925,900 35,481,000 3,451,400 4,658,600 11,334,600 187,211,000 3,637,600 4,654,700 2,852,000 5,181,200 13,363,000 1,257,600 9,322,900 1,159,300 24,491,400 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 354.90 559.00 2,535.30 2,610.60 478.10 91.80 536.00 2,599.50 871.50 2,781.90 250.85 991.30 949.85 142.45 403.60 145.25 159.45 3,288.95 1,256.10 1,381.30 1,665.90 1,128.20 162.50 359.15 4,124.80 722.35 153.45 1,671.35 1,100.55 747.75 156.50 2,963.30 912.80 1,605.00 3,559.10 497.80 3,252.05 126.75 349.10 658.50 276.35 384.55 740.30 257.95 952.65 2,570.70 457.95 657.30 223.00 1,485.80 % Chg 1.34 -1.04 -0.96 1.17 -2.26 -1.66 0.87 0.35 2.14 2.15 -4.35 -1.10 0.02 -1.66 -0.23 -1.66 -3.89 0.06 -0.90 1.61 0.49 1.60 -4.50 1.04 0.95 2.01 -0.90 1.56 -1.78 1.07 -4.31 -1.58 0.23 2.18 0.81 -0.31 2.22 -1.40 -2.81 -0.69 -4.97 -2.83 2.24 1.82 0.27 -0.14 2.85 0.57 -2.13 -0.36 Volume 3,333,705 4,138,377 361,159 902,307 3,994,670 5,953,944 7,116,646 1,216,568 2,647,349 2,993,670 5,144,938 3,943,155 872,499 3,119,497 5,166,378 3,637,576 5,346,770 290,886 1,358,317 616,389 1,733,617 948,983 10,114,827 5,327,860 1,353,398 1,050,981 11,174,946 3,166,126 3,781,688 814,420 8,989,495 842,981 2,249,852 1,190,666 88,538 2,691,762 501,243 17,109,686 6,842,513 1,404,521 3,991,554 11,178,034 2,677,455 5,882,100 993,551 369,652 5,218,927 2,155,424 1,382,248 293,488 The Euro logo is pictured in front of the European Central Bank in Frankfurt/Main. The European single currency yesterday slid to $1.2477 from $1.2545 late in New York on Tuesday. Europe markets, dollar rally on Republican victory in US AFP London E urope’s leading stock markets and the dollar rallied yesterday as traders welcomed the Republican victory in the US midterm elections. London’s benchmark FTSE 100 index rose 1.32% to end the day at 6,539.14 points, while Frankfurt’s DAX 30 climbed 1.63% to 9,315.48 points and in Paris the CAC 40 jumped 1.89% to 4,208.42 points. The gains erased losses posted on Tuesday after the European Union slashed its economic forecasts for the eurozone. But equity markets brushed off news yesterday of sliding retail sales across the eurozone to join a rally by the dollar against major rival currencies after Republicans took control of the US Senate from Democrats overnight, which many investors hope might result in more business-friendly policies in Washington. Gold prices dived to a fresh fouryear low and crude oil futures also initially continued their plunge on the ef- fect of a stronger dollar, although they later rose on news that US stockpiles had not grown by as much as expected. The result of the mid-term elections is a stinging setback for US President Barack Obama and his fellow Democrats for the last two years of his presidency. “The win for the Republicans in the US mid-term elections has left Obama as a lame duck president and sent the greenback soaring,” said analyst Tony Cross at brokers Trustnet Direct. “Because the commodity prices are in dollars, any appreciation of the dollar has a corresponding depreciation on the commodity price,” he noted in reaction to tumbling gold and oil prices. On the London Bullion Market, gold plunged to $1,137.93 an ounce—which was its lowest level since April 23, 2010. It later stood at $1,142, which compared with $1,166.50 late in London on Tuesday. Oil prices initially slid to a four-year low, but the market rebounded in afternoon deals as traders digested news of a smaller-than-expected increase in crude supplies in top consumer the US. In foreign exchange, the euro slid to $1.2477 from $1.2545 late in New York on Tuesday. 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 The dollar at one point hit a near seven-year high against the Japanese currency, at 114.84 yen. Wall Street advanced and the Dow hit a new record yesterday on the Republican victory. The Dow Jones Industrial Average shot up to 17,481 points shortly after the opening bell. It stood at 17,459.69 points in midday trading, a gain of 0.44%. The broad-based S&P 500 rose 0.39% to 2,020.02 while the tech-rich Nasdaq Composite Index edged up 0.06% to 4,626.35. On the corporate front, shares in Marks and Spencer soared 9.7% to 444.1 pence, topping London’s FTSE 100 winner board in the process. Although the British retailer posted only mediocre half-year proп¬Ѓts, the п¬Ѓgure “beat (forecasts) and improvement to gross margins have taken investors by surprise” said Richard Hunter, head of equities at Hargreaves Lansdown Stockbrokers. “Gross margin has shown a strong improvement, in part due to the tight control of costs which M&S is currently undertaking,” he said in a note to clients. Lt Price 3.50 32.35 3.69 5.79 9.87 25.70 14.70 134.30 4.68 5.72 23.05 25.45 95.65 22.20 6.56 17.92 18.32 21.80 21.35 11.32 13.48 67.00 11.68 10.74 9.75 4.06 23.45 130.90 51.95 % Chg 0.86 0.00 -0.81 -0.34 1.13 -0.39 0.14 -0.89 -1.06 -0.69 0.22 0.39 -1.03 -2.84 -1.50 -2.18 -1.61 -1.36 -0.93 -1.39 -0.74 0.60 -2.83 1.32 -0.81 -1.93 -2.29 -0.15 -0.29 Volume 20,111,128 927,970 208,289,388 28,635,232 27,547,227 7,759,748 4,274,992 3,113,379 10,188,890 188,901,624 22,425,228 5,147,135 10,213,404 29,412,119 105,247,259 3,618,840 9,319,539 2,871,000 7,941,064 20,816,902 7,046,872 3,668,190 112,634,034 9,427,703 2,665,157 5,270,870 3,473,575 675,785 2,182,085 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 18.16 172.60 77.90 96.60 5.03 9.22 30.70 9.55 9.36 61.90 75.35 12.62 114.50 102.00 124.00 55.20 % Chg 0.22 -0.29 -0.45 -0.51 -1.18 -0.65 -1.44 -1.34 -2.50 -1.28 1.21 -0.32 -0.69 -0.87 1.06 -0.18 Volume 6,117,150 3,908,818 10,402,159 4,103,181 199,049,987 14,460,760 3,282,423 15,298,144 110,450,288 13,352,497 2,732,102 4,214,043 3,173,062 638,630 12,033,715 3,198,454 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 13,528.67 9,628.84 7,193.42 1,443.82 6,916.84 4,830.74 4,400.80 Change -270.62 -155.73 -99.83 -2.46 -89.18 -119.09 -148.25 “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 Thursday, November 6, 2014 BUSINESS Russia-Ukraine conflict shields Europe gas from oil price rout Bloomberg London T he risk of disruptions to Russian natural gas flows through Ukraine this winter is protecting European prices from the rout that sent oil to a four-year low. UK gas for next quarter fell 13% since mid-June, less than half the 29% plunge in Brent crude over that time. While Brent is typically the benchmark used to set the price on almost half the gas supply in Europe, the Russia-Ukraine conflict and demand fundamentals in the market are having a bigger impact on prices than the decline in oil. First-quarter supply interruptions are still possible as Ukraine may struggle to pay Russia the full $3.1bn by yearend under an agreement brokered by the European Union last week for gas already consumed, according to Societe Generale. OAO Gazprom said it received the п¬Ѓrst tranche of payments yesterday. The EU, which gets 15% of its fuel from Russia via Ukraine, sought to avoid repeats of 2006 and 2009, when supplies to the bloc were disrupted amid freezing weather. “Right now, gas prices in Europe are really linked to the Russian-Ukrainian crisis, so I don’t think the impact from oil is as big as it could be,” Edouard Neviaski, chief executive officer of GDF Suez Trading, a unit of France’s biggest utility, said in an interview in London. “Gas prices have gone down a little bit, but nothing of the same magnitude.” First-quarter gas in the UK, Europe’s biggest market, declined 0.5% to 55.07 pence a therm ($8.77 a million British thermal units) by 8:56am on the ICE Futures Europe exchange in London. Brent fell as much as 1.4% to $81.63 a barrel, the lowest level since October 21, 2010. The European gas benchmark is at its lowest for the time of year since 2010 after the region’s mildest year in half a century left storage sites at record levels. Russia halted gas supplies to Ukraine on June 16, with Gazprom saying Ukraine’s debt stands at $5.3bn. The cut came after Russia annexed Ukraine’s Crimea peninsula in March and as a conflict between Kiev and pro-Russian rebels in the eastern part of the country killed more than 4,000 people. Brent crude started to slump in June as US production added to slowing demand Traffic signs are seen in front of a gasoline station of Rosneft in Moscow. While Brent is typically the benchmark used to set the price on almost half the gas supply in Europe, the Russia-Ukraine conflict and demand fundamentals in the market are having a bigger impact on prices than the decline in oil. in Europe and China. The oil slump, caused by a global oversupply as the US produces the most crude since at least 1983, may have the biggest impact on summer gas, which has the most “downside potential,” Neviaski said. The contract for the six months from April has lost 7.8% since June 19, when Brent reached its highest this year. Russia will resume gas flows to Ukraine after it receives the п¬Ѓrst tranche of payment and cash for November supplies under the accord signed October 30 in Brussels. NAK Naftogaz Ukrainy paid $1.45bn yesterday, said Gazprom spokesman Sergei Kupriyanov, declining to comment when the upfront payment for November supplies may be made. Flows would halt if Naftogaz doesn’t pay the full amount by January 1, Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said October 31. Ukraine has funds to pay for 4bn cubic meters (141bn cubic feet) of gas in November and December, said Energy Minister Yuri Prodan. The price will be about $378 a thousand cubic metres, according to the accord. While the additional volume would help Ukraine, the nation would still face shortages in the event of a cold winter, according to Chris Main, a London-based analyst at Citigroup Inc. Ukraine’s average demand in the winter of 2012-13 was about 6bn cubic metres a month, he said. The EU didn’t give any guarantees to Russia on Ukrainian payments, Marlene Holzner, an energy spokeswoman for the European Commission, told reporters in Brussels October 31. The eastern European nation can use funds under an existing EU and International Monetary Fund assistance package, possibly drawing €760mn ($952mn) from it ahead of schedule, she said. The security of gas transit to Europe in 2015 is “still open to question,” Thierry Bros, a Paris-based analyst at Societe Generale, said in an October 31 report. The bank cut its п¬Ѓrst-quarter UK gas price forecast 12% to 61 pence a therm after the deal. The price fell 6.8% last month. European gas demand is set to fall 9% this year, its fourth annual drop, according to Brussels-based lobby group Eurogas. Temperatures will be warmer than average this month in the mildest year since 1964 before plunging below normal this winter, according to forecaster MDA Weather Services. “In Europe, it is much more about incremental demand, which has been incredibly mild to date, and what happens with Russia,” Christopher Bake, head of origination at Vitol Group, said in an interview October 29. “The geopolitical impact on European gas could be more sustainable short term.” Naftogaz says the price it pays Gazprom under its long-term oil-indexed contract is higher than on spot markets in Europe. With crude falling, long-term supplies may become cheaper than on spot hubs, Bros said in an October 16 report. “Years ago, it was actually the oilindexed gas price that was lower than the NBP, it could happen again,” AnneSophie Corbeau, a researcher at the King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center, or Kapsarc, said in on October 29, referring to UK gas. “I always advise people: don’t put all your eggs in the same basket because you never know what could happen.” Ukraine’s gas price from April onward as well as the size of its outstanding debt to Gazprom will be settled in a Stockholm arbitration court. Gas buyers from EON to GDF Suez have won price revisions from sellers including Gazprom through talks or arbitration after they posted losses selling gas into domestic markets. Oil’s drop probably won’t change the trend toward more spot indexation in contracts, Neviaski said. “People want competitive long-term gas supplies and to be competitive in the long run, it means you need to be indexed on markets, so I don’t think the lower oil prices will change the trend we have been seeing for the past three to four years,” he said. “It can even help to accelerate the convergence.” Lawmakers ask Medvedev to delay oil tax changes Reuters Moscow Lawmakers have asked Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev to postpone changes to the country’s oil tax regime which may lead to a spike in gasoline prices, Ivan Grachyov, head of the lower house of parliament’s energy committee, said yesterday. “The letter to the prime minister was sent last week. We asked him to postpone the changes in these hard times. If the measures are introduced, the price of gasoline may jump as much as 20%,” Grachyov told Reuters. The changes, known as the “tax manoeuvre”, foresee cuts to oil export duties and an increase in the mineral extraction tax, which could ultimately lead to increases in gasoline prices for consumers. The price of gasoline in Russia has already risen by more than 9% in January-October, more than the 7.6% increase for the whole of 2013, fuelled by higher inflation and a weaker rouble. Adoption of the tax changes, which are expected to be enforced after January 1 2015, has met with opposition from crude oil producers, some of which have said they will negatively impact oil production. The Energy Ministry, which sponsored the initiative, has argued the oil tax changes strike a “golden mean” between the industry’s investment needs and budget priorities. Russia’s lower house of parliament, the State Duma, approved the changes to the tax regime last month in a first reading. The second, main reading is scheduled to be held later this month. The country’s system of oil taxation means that oil companies have been reluctant to invest in gasoline production because of high export duties, which are in place to protect supplies for domestic car users. Grachyov said the cut in oil exports duty will lead to companies “shifting the tax burden to consumers”. Analysts say the companies with the highest exposure to the refining sector, such as Bashneft, Gazprom Neft and Lukoil, will be the biggest losers from the tax changes. Gulf Times Thursday, November 6, 2014 15 BUSINESS Beijing to increase limit on foreign investment Reuters Shanghai/Beijing China is moving to raise its global competitiveness by loosening restrictions on foreign investment in more manufacturing and services sectors, the country’s top regulator said. In a draft foreign investment catalogue China’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) cut the number of sectors where China limits foreign investment to 35 from 79, opening up areas such as real estate, steel, oil refining, paper making and premium spirits. The draft catalogue, the latest revision of a list first distributed in 2011, also removes restrictions on foreign participation in some financial services, including finance companies and insurance brokerages, which are still subject to Chinese regulations. Beijing, however, will continue to bar foreign investment in 36 key sectors, the draft said, with Chinese legal affairs consulting, tobacco and cultural relics businesses added to the list. The NDRC said that the measures were aimed at adapting to a more globalised economy and would help China actively hasten its “opening up” process and improve transparency. “This is kind of piecemeal,” said Todd Wang, an attorney at DLA Piper, who specialises in US-China business Richest Asian to buy 60 aircraft for $2.5bn transactions. “(The draft list) represents what has been happening over the past few years.” The European Union Chamber of Commerce in China said the draft catalogue fell short of expectations and appeared “to be another incremental development” for some foreign firms. “The removal of the investment catalogue altogether, in favour of a short negative list, and increased opening in the service sectors, would have been more ambitious,” the European Chamber said in a statement. Beijing is keen to improve China’s inefficient state-owned firms by adopting market friendly policies to stave off slowing growth. But despite plans for reform of state-owned enterprises, the government has also been reluctant to cede too much control over the economy. “The focus will be on opening up manufacturing and services sectors to the outside,” the NDRC said in a statement on its website, adding that the move would help boost China’s international competitiveness. “Allowing foreign investment to enter industries with overcapacity and outdated technology can accelerate efforts to upgrade the industrial structure through market competition,” Long Guoqiang, an NDRC researcher, told the official Xinhua News. The NDRC is seeking feedback on the proposed revisions until December 3, it said. China HSBC services PMI at three-month low of 52.9 Reuters Beijing G rowth in China’s services sector weakened further in October as new business cooled, a private survey showed yesterday, reinforcing signs of a gradual economic slowdown that could prod the government to unveil fresh stimulus measures. The services purchasing managers’ index (PMI) compiled by HSBC/ Markit pulled back to 52.9 in October – the weakest reading since July – from 53.5 in September. A reading above 50 in PMI surveys indicates an expansion in activity while one below that threshold points to a contraction. A sub-index measuring new business fell to 53.1 in October from 53.2 in October, but sub-index measuring employment and outstanding business both inched up, painting a mixed picture. “Overall, the service sector grew steadily in October as the underlying business conditions continue to look better than in the manufacturing part of the economy,” said Qu Hongbin, chief China Economist An employee helps a customer at a Samsung smartphones retail store in Hong Kong. China’s services sector growth weakened further in October as new business cooled, a survey showed yesterday. at HSBC. “While this pattern will likely continue, we still expect further (policy) easing measures in the coming months to help offset the downward pressure on the economy.” An official survey released earlier this week showed that the services sector grew at its slowest pace in nine months in October as the cooling property sector weighed on demand. The services sector made up 46.1% of gross domestic product in 2013, surpassing the secondary sector – manufacturing and construction – for the п¬Ѓrst time, as the government aims to create more jobs and boost domestic consumption. On Saturday, an official factory survey showed growth falling to a п¬Ѓve-month low as п¬Ѓrms fought slowing orders and rising borrowing costs. Taken together, the surveys appear to indicate that China’s economy lost further momentum heading into the fourth quarter as a cooling property market weighed on activity and export demand softened, putting Beijing’s official 7.5% growth target for the year at even greater risk. Annual economic growth slowed to 7.3% in the third quarter, the weakest pace since the global п¬Ѓnancial crisis, even as the government rolled out more stimulus measures. A Reuters poll published last month forecast the economy could grow at an annual 7.3% in the fourth quarter, leaving the full-year pace at 7.4% – the weakest in 24 years. Most analysts believe authorities will announce further modest support measures in coming months to support growth, but they are divided over whether policymakers will act more aggressively, such as by cutting interest rates, unless there is a risk of a sharper slowdown. India toughs it out in WTO food-stockpiling dispute AFP Hong Kong A property flagship led by Asia’s richest tycoon Li Ka-shing said yesterday it plans to buy up to 60 passenger jets in a series of transactions that amount to more than $2.5bn. The Hong Kong businessman made his п¬Ѓrst major foray into the aviation industry in August by announcing plans to buy into Irish aircraft leasing group AWAS, and the new purchases expand his investments into a п¬Ѓeld that can yield stable and long-term cash flow, analysts have said. A п¬Ѓling written by Cheung Kong Holdings for the southern Chinese city’s stock exchange late Tuesday said that the plan was to buy the Boeing and Airbus aircraft from GE Capital Aviation Services, BOC Aviation, Jackson Square Aviation, and MC Aviation Partners. The company conп¬Ѓrmed yesterday that the total number of jets was around 60. The deals are worth a total of more than $2.52bn, Dow Jones Newswire reported. Li is reaching out to the sector as premium airlines cut costs amid п¬Ѓerce competition from a growing number of budget carriers in Asia. Last year, China lifted a sixyear ban on creating private airlines, helping fuel demand for aircraft. The deals also include acquisitions worth $800mn made through a joint venture formed with a subsidiary of Japanese Mitsubishi Corp, Dow Jones reported. Jaitley lashes out at вЂ�unreasonable’ rich nations; backroom talks falter before Modi’s first G20 summit; India wrecked trade deal, linking it to food aid; insists вЂ�peace clause’ on stockpiles should be open-ended Reuters New Delhi/Geneva I ndia deп¬Ѓed the world yesterday in a row over food-stockpiling that has crippled attempts to reach a global trade agreement, raising doubts that backroom talks can reach a compromise before a Group of 20 summit this month. At the end of July, Prime Minister Narendra Modi pulled the plug on implementing a so-called trade-facilitation deal struck in Bali last year, linking it to the emotive issue of rural poverty in his country of 1.25bn people. India wants to keep a so-called вЂ�peace clause’ that protects its huge state food purchases until the World Trade Organisation can strike a deп¬Ѓnitive deal on stockpiling. As originally envisaged in Bali, the clause would expire in four years. Critics say the food stockpiling amounts to paying farmers to produce food, which is likely to lead to food surpluses that will get dumped on world markets. New Delhi’s blockade has plunged the WTO into its worst crisis in two decades, leading Director General Roberto Azevedo to float the idea of abandoning the consensus principle on which the 160-member group operates. Modi’s tough line jars with the вЂ�Make in India’ pitch he has taken to investors abroad in his п¬Ѓrst п¬Ѓve months in charge. Having failed to make progress on trade when he met US President Barack Obama in Washington, he could п¬Ѓnd himself isolated at his п¬Ѓrst G20 summit of world leaders in Brisbane, Australia, on November 15-16. “India’s position on trade facilitation has been completely misunderstood because of unreasonable positioning by some of the developed countries,” Finance Minister Arun Jaitley told a World Economic Forum conference in New Delhi. Jaitley repudiated suggestions that India was fundamentally opposed to trade facilitation, which would entail easing port and customs procedures and, by some estimates, add $1tn and 21mn jobs to the global economy. India has begun backroom efforts to break the deadlock, sending a top trade ministry official to Geneva this week for talks with Azevedo and key WTO members. Trade diplomats said that there was no hint, however, that a compromise could be reached on India’s demands, which have been vague and varied in the months since its veto. On Monday, Modi held a meeting of Indian trade ministry officials to discuss how the deadlock could be broken without compromising India’s foodsecurity concerns. “If India has to submit a proposal, it would be presented at the right time,” a senior trade ministry official with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters. India refuses to bow to foreign calls to scale back a scheme to buy wheat and rice that it distributes to 850mn people. In a recent disclosure to the WTO, India said those purchases cost $13.8bn in 2010-11 – part of the $56.1bn it spent in total on farm support. “All that we are requesting is the settlement of the dispute with regard to the food stock holdings, and the peace clause must continue to co-exist,” Jaitley said. Diplomats say that without a WTO deal on trade facilitation, countries could simply tack the draft agreement onto their existing membership terms, Modi: Holding the fort. putting the onus on India to object – and explain why its interests had been damaged by such a move. Yet economists say WTO members lack any effective means to bring pressure to bear against Asia’s third-larg- est economy, which is home to a sixth of the world population. “It’s an issue that in India is so politicised – you have hordes of the population living in poverty and depending on food aid,” said Shilan Shah, an economist who covers India at Capital Economics in London. “The WTO hasn’t really shown the kind of will to move on without India’s agreement. What it demonstrates is how important India is to the global trading community.” Asian LNG rally may resume, but winter boost to be mild By Clyde Russell Launceston, Australia The customary rally in Asian spot liquefied natural gas (LNG) prices for the northern winter has spluttered long before it normally does, amid market concern over plentiful supply and lacklustre buying. The spot price dropped to $13 per million British thermal units (mmBtu) last week, down from the recent high of $15 reached in late September. While the price is still 24% higher than the 3-1/2-year low of $10.50 per mmBtu reached at the end of July, it’s considerably short of the previous winter peak of $20.50 reached in early February. While market expectations were that spot prices would peak well below last winter’s record high, the fading of momentum in recent weeks is somewhat surprising. There are broader supply and demand issues at play in LNG, but the most likely explanation for the recent price moves comes from the short-term trading market. It’s likely that cargoes bought by traders during the seasonal summer price slump have been offloaded, as the realisation came that this winter was unlikely to see a significant rally. Also, with prices dropping to multiyear lows in the summer, there would have been the temptation to buy increased volumes in the hope of making bigger profits during the winter rally. The clearing of these trading cargoes may open up spot prices for a renewed rally, but the extent of any price gain is likely to be limited by supply and demand factors. Demand growth for LNG among Asian buyers has been muted, and this is likely to remain the case for the winter, in the absence of a colder-thanforecast season. The Japan Meteorological Agency is currently forecasting that most of the country will have a normal winter, with the southern third of the country having a 40% chance of higher-thanusual temperatures. Such an outcome would mean no unusual spike in heating demand, and therefore less chance of spot cargoes being sought by the world’s largest importer of the super-chilled fuel. The possibility of the restart of two nuclear reactors in Japan may also limit the demand for LNG, although latest reports indicate that the Sendai plant is unlikely to start generating until early next year. Currently all 48 of Japan’s nuclear reactors remain offline, more than three years after an earthquake and tsunami destroyed the Fukushima Daiichi plant. The Sendai units are the first to pass the regulator’s safety guidelines. While Japan’s LNG imports did rise a strong 10.5% year-on-year in September, this was an exception to recent trends, with the year-to-date gain in imports being only 2.7%. South Korea, the second-ranked LNG buyer, saw a seventh consecutive month of weaker imports, with a 6.6% fall in year-on-year imports in September, taking the year-to-date decline to 7.4%. Chinese imports fell 8.1% in September from a year earlier, although year-todate gains are still a relatively strong 14.2%. India also has a positive number for 2014, with consultants Energy Aspects estimating a gain of about 6% in the first nine months over the same period in 2013. But the overall picture that emerges isn’t one of strong demand growth, and the likelihood of a normal to mild winter in North Asia may keep it that way for the next few months. On the supply side, the wave of new projects in Australia is starting to come onstream, with BG Group’s $20.4bn Queensland Curtis facility expected to ship its first cargo by the end of the year. Six other LNG projects are currently being built in Australia, with three due to start production next year, while Exxon Mobil’s project in Papua New Guinea started exporting this year. This makes it likely that the Asian LNG market will turn from deficit to surplus over the medium term, especially when US exports start from 2015 from the first of two projects currently under construction. Increased competition from cheap coal and now cheaper oil is also likely to pressure LNG prices. Overall, the likely pattern for Asian spot LNG prices is likely to be one of lower seasonal peaks and deeper troughs. z Clyde Russell is a Reuters columnist. The views expressed are his own. 16 Gulf Times Thursday, November 6, 2014 BUSINESS India completes $900mn payment to Iran for oil Reuters New Delhi Indian refiners completed payment of $900mn in frozen oil revenues to Iran yesterday under an interim deal that eased some sanctions against Tehran over its disputed nuclear work, said industry sources with direct knowledge of the matter. Iran and the United States, China, France, Germany, Britain and Russia agreed in July to extend the initial six-month interim accord to November 24 after they failed to agree a final resolution to their dispute before the deadline. Tehran would have to curb its nuclear work to ensure it cannot be applied to weapons in exchange for removal of the sanctions that have hobbled its oilbased economy by cutting off the flow of payments for its crude exports. “The first instalment of $400mn was cleared last month and today the companies paid the second instalment of $500mn,” said one of the industry sources. The sources declined to be named because they are not authorised to speak to the press. In the second instalment of $500mn, Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals and Essar Oil paid around $220mn each, Indian Oil Corp about $60mn and Hindustan Petroleum about $5mn, according to the sources. Indian refiners settle 45% of their oil payment to Iran in rupees through a local bank, while they continue to hold on to the remainder that are remitted to Tehran under the interim deal. Iran uses the fund in rupee accounts to pay for imports from India. The payments are made using an existing mechanism based on a series of back-to-back transactions in different currencies that are initially channelled through the Reserve Bank of India. Iran will eventually get the payment in dirhams from the United Arab Emirates’ central bank. Tough sanctions put in place in 2012 have reduced Iran’s exports by more than half from around 2.5mn barrels per day (bpd). Iran’s biggest oil clients – China, India, Japan and South Korea – imported 6.6% less in September than a year ago, the first on-year decline since December, but shipments rose back above the 1mn bpd mark allowed under the interim deal that eased Western sanctions. US Secretary of State John Kerry will meet Iran’s foreign minister and the European Union foreign policy chief in Oman on November 9-10 to discuss the Iranian nuclear issue ahead of the November 24 deadline for a final agreement. Japan plans to examine duties on US condensate Reuters Tokyo J Bank of Japan Governor Haruhiko Kuroda at an event hosted by Kyodo news agency in Tokyo. Kuroda said yesterday he expects inflation to reach the bank’s 2% price target some time next fiscal year as a result of its expanded quantitative easing. BoJ ready to do more to hit inflation target Reuters Tokyo B ank of Japan Governor Haruhiko Kuroda, who last week stunned global п¬Ѓnancial markets by expanding a massive monetary stimulus programme, said the central bank is ready to do more to hit its 2% price goal and recharge a tottering economy. Kuroda stressed the BoJ is determined to do whatever it takes to hit the inflation target in two years and vanquish nearly two decades of grinding deflation. “There’s no change to our policy of trying to achieve 2% inflation at the earliest date possible, with a roughly two-year time horizon in mind,” the central bank chief said in a speech at a seminar yesterday. “There are no limits to our policy tools, including purchases of Japanese government bonds,” he said in response to a question from a private analyst after the speech. The BoJ shocked global п¬Ѓnancial markets last week by expanding its massive stimulus spending in a stark admission that economic growth and inflation have not picked up as much as expected after a sales tax hike in April. Kuroda said while inflation expectations have been rising as a trend, the BoJ decided to ease to pre-empt risks that slumping oil prices will slow consumer inflation and delay progress in shaking off the public’s deflationary mind-set. “In order to completely overcome the chronic disease of deflation, you need to take all your medicine. Half-baked medical treatment will only worsen the symptoms,” he said. Kuroda repeated the BoJ’s projection that Japan will likely hit the bank’s price target sometime in the next п¬Ѓscal year beginning in April 2015, supported by the expanded quantitative and qualitative easing (QQE) programme. While he stressed that Japan’s economy continued to recover moderately, Kuroda said falling commodity prices could be risks to the outlook if they reflected weakness in global growth. In deploying QQE last April, the BoJ pledged to double base money via aggressive asset purchases to achieve its 2% inflation target in roughly two years. But many analysts still doubt whether inflation will accelerate so quickly in a country that had been mired in deflation for nearly two decades. The Japanese economy was hit hard in the second quarter, suffering its biggest slump since the global п¬Ѓnancial crisis after an April sales tax hike dented consumption, and is expected to rebound only moderately in the third quarter as the effects of the higher tax take time to wear off. Kuroda stuck to his view that the pain from the tax hike will gradually subside, but warned that the BoJ must be mindful of how the higher levy could affect companies’ pricing power, particularly if household spending stagnates. On the yen’s plunge against the dollar after last week’s monetary expansion, Kuroda reiterated his view that overall, a weak yen was positive for Japan’s economy. While some households and servicesector п¬Ѓrms could feel the pinch from higher import costs, a weak yen tends to push up export volumes and boosts proп¬Ѓts of Japanese companies with overseas operations, the central bank chief said. “The beneп¬Ѓts of a weak yen outweigh the costs if the yen’s declines reflect economic fundamentals,” he said. A weak yen had traditionally beneп¬Ѓted Japan’s economy by boosting exports. However, the positive effects of a softer currency have been partially nulliп¬Ѓed as more companies have moved their production overseas in recent years. Moreover, an increasing number of lawmakers and companies have recently complained that further yen declines could do more harm than good by boosting import costs. The BoJ’s surprise easing last week sent the Nikkei stock average surging to a seven-year high and the yen slumping to a seven-year low versus the dollar. apan will assess whether US condensate imports get duty-free status on a cargoby-cargo basis following a softening of American export rules, leaving the onus on importers to convince authorities that shipments should not be hit with levies. In June, the US softened a general ban on crude oil exports in place since the Arab oil embargo of the 1970s, allowing energy companies to export a variety of ultra-light oil if it has been minimally reп¬Ѓned. Reп¬Ѓned products, such as gasoline and diesel, are not restricted. Japanese reп¬Ѓners were initially concerned that US condensate would be treated as an oil product subject to import duties, but importers now expect favourable treatment as the п¬Ѓrst US cargo got through customs without being taxed as crude. Yet Japanese buyers will still have to submit paperwork on each purchase, industry sources said. If shipments are consistently passed duty free by customs, that would make US condensate more attractive for importers, said one industry source. However, recent market moves have shifted pricing in favour of Middle East supplies, and that could still prevent a flood of US oil from landing in Asia. “Whether condensate is crude or a product is a touchy issue, and the п¬Ѓrst imports involved a lot of work,” said a source with a Japanese buyer who declined to be identiп¬Ѓed. “But subsequent imports should not be so tiresome as long as you can prove it is the same as the last time.” Washington is facing growing pressure to ease its ban on crude oil exports further, with South Korea and Mexico joining the European Union in pressing the case. BHP Billiton has said this week it plans to try to be the п¬Ѓrst company to export the lightly processed ultra-light oil without explicit permission from the US government, testing the limits of the foreign sales ban. US oil and natural gas output is surging from domestic shale formations that are tapped by horizontal drilling and fracking. The ultra-light liquids known as condensate are often a byproduct of natural gas output. Cosmo Oil Co became the п¬Ѓrst Japanese buyer to import US oil in more than a decade, getting the customs-free ruling after submitting documents detailing the speciп¬Ѓcations of the condensate, industry sources said. Cosmo has been slowly reп¬Ѓning the oil for the past several weeks after an October 9 delivery, and has not encountered any problems, a source familiar with the matter said. The ultra-light crude, though ruled customs-free, is still subject to a petroleum and coal tax of ВҐ2,540 per kilolitre ($3.50 per barrel), as are other crudes and oil products. Customs duties on products range from ВҐ249 a kilolitre for C-type fuel oil to ВҐ934 a kilolitre for gasoline. South Korea and Japan were the п¬Ѓrst to purchase condensate from the United States after it eased its 40-year-old ban on US crude oil exports. South Korean buyers do not have to worry about import tariffs on either US crude or oil products due to a free trade agreement that took effect last year. Japanese reп¬Ѓners said earlier they would buy US condensate if it is priced competitively against similar oils from Qatar and Iran to offset the longer voyage. A narrowing of differentials between the West Texas Intermediate (WTI) and Dubai crude, with WTI now becoming relatively more expensive has dimmed the appeal of US condensates, however, sources have said. US condensate has an API gravity of around 50 to 55 degrees, but the readings on actual samples could differ by 3 to 4 degrees from initial projections depending on where shale oil is produced, industry sources also said. “It is not that appealing now,” said a trader with another Japanese buyer who declined to be named. “There are concerns about the quality of US condensate, and unless there’s a marked merit in comparison with Qatar’s DFC (deodorised п¬Ѓeld condensate), it’s not worthwhile taking it.” Fresh stimulus exposes cracks in Tokyo’s growth blitz AFP Tokyo The Bank of Japan’s surprise move to inflate its already huge stimulus programme exposes the cracks in Tokyo’s plan to conquer deflation and boost growth, economists say, but it may give the government room to hike sales taxes again. On Friday, the central bank said it would widen its asset-buying plan by as much as ВҐ20tn ($182bn), bringing it to an eye-popping ВҐ80tn annually, sending the yen into a freefall and stocks soaring. The BoJ also halved its annual economic growth forecast and trimmed consumer price expectations as a much-touted inflation target looks increasingly out of reach and Premier Shinzo Abe’s plan to kickstart the economy stalls. “The move by the BoJ shows that Abenomics is facing big problems. The economy is not growing, and is not showing the power to grow,” said Ivan Tselichtchev, an economics professor at Japan’s Niigata University. “Thus the government and BoJ again have to resort to monetary alchemy. Again, it will have a stimulating effect, but only in the short-term.” Friday’s decision also threw into focus the sharp contrast of fortunes for the US and Japanese economies after the Federal Reserve last month brought an end to six years of bond-buying and is now considering an interest rate hike. The move – which is an attempt to stimulate growth by pumping massive amounts of money into the economy – is the first since the bank unveiled the unprecedented easing scheme in April last year. The programme – and a target of 2% inflation by next year – were cornerstones of the government’s wider platform to turn around years of deflation and kickstart the economy. Yesterday, BoJ governor Haruhiko Kuroda again pledged the central bank will do whatever it can to achieve the goal. “In order to completely overcome the chronic disease of deflation, medicine should be taken until the end,” he told private- and public-sector officials in Tokyo. “A half-baked medical treatment will only worsen the symptoms,” he said. When the programme was launched, Abe’s revival plan was cheered by some and it seemed to be working well – sending the yen tumbling against the dollar and the stock market surging to a six-year high by the end of 2013. But critics derided it as a moneyprinting exercise that would leave Japan in a bigger financial hole. It already has the heaviest debt burden among rich nations at more than twice the size of the economy – a figure that will expand as a rapidly ageing population strains the public purse. And earlier this year “Abenomics” hit a wall as months of weak indicators were compounded by the introduction of the country’s first sales tax hike in 17 years. As consumers stopped spending the economy shrank an annualised 7.1% in April-June, and with the latest data also looking poor, there are fears of another contraction in July-September, which would put the economy in technical recession. Abe is expected to announce next month if Tokyo will usher in a second tax hike in 2015, but fears of recession have cast doubt on that. While the new revenue source was aimed at paying down an enormous national debt, it has put Abe in a tricky position as he balances his prospending growth plan with controlling government finances. The fresh BoJ easing “confirms the scale of the challenge confronting the Abe government as it seeks to deliver stronger real growth and inflation while also reducing the fiscal deficit”, said ratings agency Fitch. Abe, whose approval ratings have sank, is also facing pressure to put in place some of the structural reforms he – and most economists – say are necessary to generate lasting growth. “I think the real purpose of the additional easing, at this particular time, was to support the Abe administration and to prepare for the second tax hike,” said Kenji Yumoto, vice chairman of the Japan Research Institute. Data released Friday showed September inflation slowed and household spending slumped further, adding to concerns. Japan’s central bankers acknowledged struggles in changing consumer thinking on falling prices, saying converting the “deflationary mindset...might be delayed”. Deflation may sound good for consumers, but falling prices tend to put off buying in the hope of getting goods cheaper down the road, denting investment and economic growth. Tsuyoshi Ueno, a senior economist at NLI Research Institute in Tokyo, said last week’s measures underlined the bank’s troubles in reaching its 2% inflation target. “The core consumer inflation index, which will be announced next month, may come in lower than one percent,” Ueno said. “So, the BoJ is doing whatever it can. Monetary easing is a shot in the arm that can buy time for restructuring (the economy).” Gulf Times Thursday, November 6, 2014 17 BUSINESS Asia Inc overtakes West in Myanmar business BoT sees room for rate cut as economy falters Reuters Yangon, Myanmar Committee votes 6-1 to keep rate at 2%, one wanted a cut; policy rate kept steady for 5th straight meeting; central bank sees room to lower rates, says will cut GDP forecasts A sian businesses are gaining a foothold in Myanmar far quicker than those from Europe and North America, with China, Thailand, Hong Kong and Singapore accounting for nearly half of the п¬Ѓrms setting up in the fastchanging country. According to the government’s Directorate of Investment and Company Administration (DICA), 134 Singaporean, 80 Thai, 73 Chinese and 85 Hong Kong companies signed up to do business in Myanmar by September 30. That compared with 18 from Canada, 15 from the United States, 15 from Australia, 10 from Netherlands, three from France and two from Germany. British companies have shown by far the most interest among the Europeans, with 75 businesses set up in the former Burma. Myanmar is in the midst of shake-up in its fledgling economy, with moves to attract investment steered by a reformist, semi-civilian government that took office in 2011 after the end of 49 years of military rule. Despite being rich in natural resources, including timber, oil, gas and precious stones, investment during military rule was limited by Western sanctions and concern about doing business in an unstable economy run by exploitative, venal generals. Asian conglomerates like Thailand’s Charoen Pokphand Group (CP) and state energy group PTT, Singapore’s Yoma Strategic Holdings and Japan’s Mitsubishi Corp and Marubeni Corp were among the п¬Ѓrst movers in Myanmar in setting up local units. Fifty-one Japanese businesses have been registered, 100 South Korean and 50 from Malaysia, according to DICA, which said there were now 783 foreign-invested enterprises in Myanmar. Investment from Western multinationals has started to flow in after a slew of new laws were passed and plans drafted to boost decrepit infrastructure. Coca-Cola, Yum Brands and Pepsi are keen to tap a market of more than 50mn consumers and Norway’s Telenor and Qatar’s Ooredoo started cellphone services this year. Myanmar in September revised its forecast for foreign direct investment to more than $5bn for the п¬Ѓscal year that began in April – 15 times more than during the п¬Ѓnal year of military rule in 2009-2010. Though the United States and European Union have suspended most sanctions, many п¬Ѓrms remain cautious about making commitments, with concern over corruption, legal uncertainty and reputational damage from forming partnerships with individuals on Western blacklists. “It’s all about the US sanctions,” said Gregory Miller, a partner with Myanmar Capital Partners, a Myanmar focused investment п¬Ѓrm. “The Asian п¬Ѓrms are more attuned to the way Myanmar does business than Western companies.” Reuters Bangkok T hailand’s central bank left the door open to a possible cut in interest rates as the economy is growing more slowly than it forecast earlier, but held its policy rate steady yesterday. The Bank of Thailand (BoT) said at a policy review it would cut its GDP forecasts this year and next, although exports were poised to gradually pick up in 2015 with the global recovery. The weaker outlook has put the military government’s hopes for a solid economic revival in doubt, and markets have turned increasingly bearish as consumption and investment slide. The junta, who seized power in a coup in May to restore order after months of political unrest, are banking on infrastructure spending to boost growth but most of these projects are unlikely to bear fruit until next year or later. The BoT’s monetary policy committee (MPC) voted 6-1 to hold the one-day repurchase rate at 2% for a п¬Ѓfth straight meeting. But one member wanted a 25 basis-point cut, citing the need for more accommodative policy to get the economy moving. “The committee projects sustained economic recovery in 2015, and deems that the current monetary policy is sufп¬Ѓciently accommodative and does not hinder the ongoing recovery,” the MPC said in a statement. All 19 economists polled by Reuters expected no change in the policy rate yesterday and also at its meeting in December, the last review of the year. Mathee Supapongse, committee secretary, told a news conference the committee expects the economy to be on a recovery path next year, with a growth rate of more than 4%, “which is not bad.” The committee will cut its economic forecasts for 2014 and 2015 from 1.5% and 4.8%, respectively, when it meets next month, he said. Mathee said “there is still room to cut rates, if necessary. But that will depend An employee counts baht banknotes at a bank in Bangkok. The Bank of Thailand yesterday said at a policy review it would cut its GDP forecasts for this year and next. on economic developments.” The central bank does not expect a big impact from the Bank of Japan’s bond buying programme on Thailand and has measures to cope, he said. The policy rate has been at 2% since March, when it was cut by 25 basis points to help business activity. With the economy still sluggish, views were mixed about the country’s growth trajectory and monetary policy. “We still expect a flat rate until the п¬Ѓrst half of 2015. In our view, the Thai economy is unlikely to see a technical recession and hence we see a very low chance of a rate cut,” said Kampon Adireksombat, senior economist of Tisco Securities in Bangkok. But Santitarn Sathirathai, economist of Credit Suisse in Singapore, said: “With recent weakness in inflation, and the central bank’s more dovish statements today, we think the risk of further easing is even higher.” Krystal Tan, economist with Capital Economics in Singapore, said the central bank would likely want to wait to see the impact of the government’s п¬Ѓscal measures before deciding on its next move. “If growth continues to disappoint in the coming quarters, another rate cut cannot be ruled out,” she said. Economic growth in the third quarter might have been weaker than expected, Mathee said, adding the MPC is concerned about global growth and possible delays to public investment spending. Southeast Asia’s second-largest economy avoided a technical recession in April-June but still shrank 0.1% in the п¬Ѓrst half due to political unrest and poor exports. Recent data showed the economy is in a spotty recovery, with annual exports unexpectedly rising in September but factory output and car sales still falling. Soft global demand and lower commodity prices have hurt Thai shipments, while private consumption, which makes up half of the economy, remains weak as households are heavily indebted. Credit Suisse predicts growth of 0.9% this year and OCBC Bank, 0-0.5%. Ofп¬Ѓcial third quarter GDP data is due on November 17. This week, Deputy Prime Minister Pridiyathorn Devakula reiterated that the economy could grow 4% or even 5% in 2015, helped by public investment spending and recent stimulus measures worth 364bn baht ($11.2bn). The baht lost as much as 0.3% to 32.755 per dollar, its weakest since June 3 after the central bank’s decision. The currency has lost 1.5% since a recent peak on October 21. The share market was down 0.5%. Apec leaders meet amid rival trade proposals AFP Beijing L China’s Vice Foreign Minister Li Baodong is seen on large video screens as he speaks at the opening ceremony of the 2014 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit’s senior officials’ meeting in Beijing yesterday. Leaders of more than half the world’s economy gather in Beijing for the annual forum tomorrow. eaders of more than half the world’s economy gather in Beijing next week for the annual Apec forum, with China and the US pushing rival trade agreements as a week-long series of international summits gets under way. Chinese President Xi Jinping, hosting his biggest international gathering since assuming office nearly two years ago, welcomes representatives including US President Barack Obama, his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. The Asia-Paciп¬Ѓc Economic Cooperation forum, which starts with ministerial meetings tomorrow before the main summit on Monday and Tuesday, accounts for more than 50% of global gross domestic product, 44% of world trade and 40% of the Earth’s population. In the 25 years since it was set up it has long pushed free trade among its members – with mixed success in the face of bilateral deals, protectionist tendencies, and the vagaries of global World Trade Organisation negotiations – and three competing concepts will vie for dominance in Beijing. The Trans-Paciп¬Ѓc Partnership (TPP), pushed by Washington and seen as part of its much-touted “pivot” to Asia after years leading wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, is being discussed by 12 Apec nations including the US, Japan and Australia, but market access disagreements between Washington and Tokyo are a particular hurdle. The 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) champions the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), which would bring together Asean and six countries with which it has FTAs, including China, Japan and India. And a broader Free Trade Area of the Asia-Paciп¬Ѓc (FTAAP), raised in 2006 by Apec leaders and currently seen as a way to eventually bridge the other two, has been embraced by China. “We don’t want to see (the) TPP rich man’s club going off in that direction and RCEP going off in this direction,” Alan Bollard, Apec executive director and former head of New Zealand’s central bank, told AFP. “We want to see them converging.” Wang Shouwen, an assistant minister of commerce, told reporters Tuesday that China “hopes concrete measures will be taken to make progress towards the realisation of the FTAAP” at Apec, speciп¬Ѓcally seeking an “early date” for a timetable to implement a roadmap for the deal. “There is no such issue as blocking or clash,” he insisted. But Chinese analysts are suspicious that TPP-driving Washington wants to thwart FTAAP because of Beijing’s interest in it. “It is natural that the US would show less enthusiasm in pushing forward FTAAP whose establishment will inevitably offset the impact of TransPaciп¬Ѓc Partnership,” Bai Ming, of the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, told China’s Global Times newspaper on Tuesday. HK asset managers seek alternatives as China investment quotas dry up Reuters Hong Kong Asset managers in Hong Kong are scrambling to figure out how to meet growing demand for yuan assets after they were hit by a double blow – a shortage of China investment quotas and the delay of a scheme linking the Hong Kong and Shanghai stock exchanges. Money managers in the world’s biggest offshore yuan hub are still waiting for new quotas after they were nearly exhausted in late September, even as Beijing is accelerating its pace of granting quotas to London, Singapore and Paris under its RQFII (Renminbi Qualified Institutional Investor) programme. China’s State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE) allocated a total of 11.1bn yuan ($1.81bn) in RQFII quotas to foreign investors outside of Hong Kong in October, official data showed. The Asian financial centre got none. It’s unclear why Beijing has not approved a fresh quota for Hong Kong, but market participants guess Chinese regulators may want them to make full use of the existing quota and wait to announce a new quota until the Hong Kong-Shanghai “Connect” scheme is ready, to ensure a successful launch. The “Connect” or “through-train” scheme is a landmark project to connect the equity markets in the two cities. It would allow global investors to trade China shares via Hong Kong for the first time, while giving mainland investors access to Hong Kong-listed stocks. It had been expected to begin trade on October 27, but appears to have run into regulatory and possibly technical delays. “To be honest, it’s a bit challenging for CSOP because we have used about 97%-98% of our quota. We sort of hoped to use the through-train but it was delayed,” said Jack Wang, chief marketing officer at CSOP Asset Management in Hong Kong. CSOP is the biggest RQFII player in Hong Kong, with an aggregate quota of 46.1bn yuan ($7.54bn), accounting for nearly one-fifth of the 270bn yuan quota the city was granted. The firm’s exchange-traded fund (ETF) that tracks the FTSE China A50 Index and allows investors to have exposure to the top 50 companies in mainland China has been popular among investors who want to hold yuan assets. “What we are doing now is whenever there is some free quota from redemptions or some of the funds are not very suited to the market, we move the quota to products that are more suitable to the market,” Wang said. Money managers had banked on the Shanghai-Hong Kong stock connect scheme to offer a new channel to enter China and thus release some quota for RQFII products. Now, however, they have to find other alternatives due to the delay. “We still have around 3bn-4bn yuan RQFII quota as a buffer for the short term,” said Freddie Chen, head of sales at China Asset Management (Hong Kong), which saw more than 80% of its 21.8bn yuan quota used up or reserved for new products. Similar to what CSOP is doing – transferring quotas among different products – China Asset Management also switched part of its RQFII quota for the CSI 300 ETF to another new offshore ETF recently. “We are also considering making use of foreign partners’ quota, if they can also apply for quota themselves, as a potential option if new RQFII quota and stock connect takes longer to come out,” Chen said. Chinese financial institutions have started to cooperate with foreign partners to have their products listed in Europe and the US to attract investors beyond Asian time zones, but so far these products all rely on the Chinese firms’ quota. CSOP, for example, worked with London-based exchange-traded funds provider Source and Hermes Investment Management in the past year and launched ETF products in London and Dublin, respectively. The world’s second-largest economy is hastening to expand the “redback’s” usage globally. Its central bank granted a 30 billion yuan RQFII quota to Qatar on Monday, adding to the existing 640bn yuan quota given to Hong Kong, Singapore, the UK, France, Germany and South Korea. 18 Gulf Times Thursday, November 6, 2014 BUSINESS Low growth, price cuts plague eurozone, haunt ECB Reuters London Eurozone business growth picked up less than expected in October despite another, deeper round of price cuts, according to surveys that are unlikely to ease simmering tensions among the bloc’s central bankers. Companies have been discounting prices for over 2-1/2 years and did so last month more steeply than at any time since early 2010, when the single currency area was mired in a sovereign debt crisis. Weak growth in services and manufacturing despite further discounting will add to pressure on the European Central Bank on the eve of a policy meeting, as it seeks ways of warding off deflation and bringing inflation — at just 0.4% in October — out of what it terms the danger zone below 1%. Markit’s final Composite Flash Purchasing Managers’ Index, based on surveys of thousands of companies across the region and seen as a good indicator of growth, was all but unchanged from September’s 10-month low of 52.0, coming in at 52.1. “Such a weakness is worrying, as it highlights the feeble nature of demand in the euro area and adds to growth concerns. Forward-looking components in both sectors proved to be disappointing,” said Apolline Menut at Barclays. Although the PMI chalked up its 16th month above the 50 line that separates growth from contraction, the expansion came at a cost. A sub-index for output prices slumped to 47.1 from September’s 48.5, its lowest reading since February 2010 and suggest- ing firms were desperately slashing prices. “The eurozone still faces a significant deflation risk. Unless there is a sustained, clear change in the eurozone’s fortunes, the ECB could yet ultimately have to go down the quantitative easing road,” said Howard Archer at IHS Global Insight. Full-scale QE is one of the last options the ECB has left, and while it is not expected to change tack at Thursday’s policy meeting, there is now an even chance it will eventually buy sovereign bonds, a Reuters poll found this week. For such a stimulus programme to be effective in boosting inflation, a Reuters poll said the ECB would need to expand its balance sheet by around €1tn— a figure in line with what ECB President Mario Draghi said he would target. But Draghi was likely to come under fire from the bloc’s national central bankers later yesterday over what they see as his secretive management style and erratic communication, not least because they had agreed not to release that figure, Reuters exclusively reported on Tuesday. That rattled markets, and alongside the weak data and sweeping Republican party wins in US mid-term elections that will likely curb the legislative agenda across the Atlantic, it sent the euro sliding back towards recent lows against the dollar. Shoppers in the 18 countries using the euro ventured out less frequently in September, according to weak retail sales figures also published yesterday. Retail sales are a proxy for household demand, and the data reinforced European Commission forecasts that the eurozone economy will have stagnated between July and September after ex- panding 0.3% in the first quarter and 0.1% in the second. Mounting economic uncertainty also hit growth in Britain’s services industry much more than expected last month, signalling a significant end-of-year slowdown in the country’s recovery. Yesterday’s Markit/CIPS services PMI sank to a 17-month low of 56.2 in October from 58.7 in September, weaker than even the gloomiest forecast in a Reuters poll of analysts. Still, no policy changes are expected either when the Bank of England meets, also today. Weaker than expected data has now pushed short sterling interest rate futures to not fully price in the first rise in British rates until the second quarter, a view shared by almost half the economists in a recent Reuters poll. “While a rate hike this week is out of the question and February is looking pretty unlikely we think that the economy is strong enough to justify action in 2Q15,” said James Knightley at ING. The news was no better for the eurozone’s dominant service industry where the PMI dipped to a seven-month low of 52.3 from 52.4 and there was little chance of much improvement this month. France’s PMI sank further below 50 and Italy’s suggested economic stagnation. The composite index for Germany, Europe’s largest economy, showed the pace of growth had eased from last month. “The eurozone PMI makes for grim reading, painting a picture of an economy that is limping along and more likely to take a turn for the worse than spring back into life,” said Chris Williamson, chief economist at Markit. Monte Paschi set to approve capital hike for up to €2.5bn Fiat Chrysler CEO nearly doubles voting stake in car maker Reuters Milan/London Reuters Milan I F taly’s Monte dei Paschi di Siena is likely to tap investors for up to €2.5bn next year to п¬Ѓll a capital shortfall laid bare by recent stress tests, pay back state aid and prepare itself for a possible takeover, banking sources said. The future of Italy’s third biggest bank, the world’s oldest, has been hanging in the balance after a review overseen by the European Central Bank showed it to be the weakest large bank in Europe with a capital hole of €2.1bn that needs to be п¬Ѓlled within nine months. The rights issue is seen as a stepping stone to a sale of Monte dei Paschi, possibly to smaller domestic rival UBI Banca, after a calamitous three years that have seen it lose €9.3bn and have its former top brass convicted last week over a derivatives deal that was meant to hide the bank’s mounting losses. “The reason why they are tapping the market is because they didn’t have time to put in place an M&A solution in the time frame given to them by the ECB,” said a banker working on the share sale. “But the M&A solution will follow sometime next year.” Monte dei Paschi Chairman Alessandro Profumo, appointed in 2012 to try to turn the bank around after a costly acquisition in 2007 drained its п¬Ѓnances, told Reuters in an interview last week a merger was one of the options under consideration. UBI has said it has had “no contact whatsoever” with Monte dei Paschi on a possible deal but bankers say a tie-up with a mid-sized Italian player such as UBI was politically more palatable because it would avoid the sort of large job cuts that would be triggered from a takeover by bigger banks such as Intesa Sanpaolo and Unicredit. Other banks that have been flagged as potential bidders include Spain’s Santander and France’s BNP Paribas but they have both denied they are interested. The possibility of a deal would encourage hedge funds and other funds to A view of the Monte dei Paschi bank headquarters, in Siena. Monte dei Paschi’s market value has tumbled to just €3.3bn compared to €11bn when it bought smaller rival Antonveneta for €9bn in cash in 2007. take part in yet another share sale for a bank exposed to Italy’s weak economy, bankers said. Monte dei Paschi has carried out three capital increases since 2008 with the last share sale raising €5bn in June. Since then Monte dei Paschi’s market value has tumbled to just €3.3bn compared to €11bn when it bought smaller rival Antonveneta for €9bn in cash in 2007. Three banking sources said yesterday the bank is now looking to raise as much as €2.5bn — up from €2.1bn initially planned — because that would allow it to pay back the €1.1bn of state loans it still owes. The bank’s board meets later on Wednesday and is expected to approve the rights issue, which bankers lining up to underwrite the deal said will likely take place in early 2015. Global coordinators for the rights issue would be UBS and Citigroup — which Monte Paschi has hired to advise it on strategic options — as well as Goldman Sachs and Mediobanca, one banker on the deal said. Barclays, Bank of America-Merrill Lynch, Societe Generale, Commerz- Norway’s billion-barrel arctic oil finds seen ripe at $80 crude Bloomberg Oslo/London Discoveries of as much as a billion barrels of oil in Norway’s Arctic are profitable to develop even with crude prices at a four-year low, Det Norske Oljeselskap ASA’s chief executive officer said. Companies such as Statoil ASA, Lundin Petroleum and Det Norske should join discoveries in the Barents Sea, including the key Johan Castberg deposits, into one development to reduce the cost of building pipelines and an onshore terminal on Norway’s northern tip, Det Norske’s Karl Johnny Hersvik said in an interview yesterday. “We have enough reserves,” the CEO said. “Given that we’re able to put the different fields together, it’s profitable at today’s oil price.” The Arctic Barents Sea, which is estimated to contain 40% of Norway’s undiscovered resources, is seen as key to extending the Nordic country’s oil output, which has declined for 13 consecutive years as aging North Sea fields are depleted. Still, a 30% drop in crude prices since June has added pressure on the profitability of oil extraction in a region that lacks infrastructure and already presents cost challenges. Statoil has delayed Castberg twice on cost concerns, shelving an initial $15bn plan to lay pipes and build a new oil terminal at North Cape. The most recent postponement this year followed a disappointing fivewell exploration campaign that was meant to boost oil resources currently estimated at 400mn to 600mn barrels. Castberg risks a new delay as the benchmark Brent crude price, currently at about $82 a barrel, falls near the project’s break-even price of $70 to $80 a barrel, according to consultant Rystad Energy. Statoil, Norway’s biggest energy company, has started talks with Sweden’s Lundin and other companies with interests in the Barents Sea on the possibility of developing Castberg with other finds, an option backed by authorities. Those discoveries include Lundin’s Alta and Gohta, which could hold as much as 450mn barrels of oil in total. Trondheim-based Det Norske owns 40% of Gohta. “We’re very positive toward” a joint development, Hersvik said. Det Norske is “optimistic” that the operators and other partners in the area can reach an agreement by next summer, when Statoil has said it will present a new concept solution for Castberg. Lundin is looking at all options, including joint development and standalone solutions for Alta and Gohta, CEO Ashley Heppenstall said in a phone interview from Stockholm yesterday. It’s too early to say whether the resources have reached a tipping point, he added. Lundin will drill three appraisal wells on Gohta and Alta and two more exploration wells in the Barents Sea in 2015, it said in third-quarter presentation material today. “Whether these fields become commercial or not is really going to depend on how much oil is found,” Heppenstall said. “If you look at what we found and what Statoil have found over the last two years, it’s now close to a billion barrels, so it’s getting very significant.” bank and Deutsche Bank would act as bookrunners. Banks that underwrite the sale will buy any stock that is left unsold. Any potential bidder for Monte dei Paschi would be in wait-and-see mode to understand what the bank and its management can do to get their house in order, a senior banker told Reuters. The Tuscan bank has been selling assets, closing 500 branches and cutting 8,000 jobs to boost its п¬Ѓnances. Its woes have fragmented its shareholder base, once dominated by a charitable foundation run by allies of local left-wing politicians. Its biggest single investor is now York Capital Management, a US hedge fund, with a 5% stake. Latin American investors Fintech and BTG Pactual, which bought into the June rights issue, have 4.5% and 2% respectively and are likely to take part in the new share sale, according to sources close to the matter. The banking foundation which has 2.5% stake after cutting it from more than 30% last year to pay back debts will also take part, as will French insurer Axa — a core shareholder with 3.7%. iat Chrysler Automobiles chief executive officer Sergio Marchionne has nearly doubled his voting stake in the car maker after exercising stock options and cashing in on a share price jump after a plan to spin off Ferrari was unveiled last week. The company said in a statement that Marchionne holds 12.1mn common shares after all the transactions. This equals a 0.75% voting stake based on a total share capital of 1.6bn shares, including loyalty shares, according to Reuters calculations, and compares to a 0.4% voting stake Marchionne held previously. Marchionne п¬Ѓrst exercised options that were due to expire on November 3 for 6.25mn shares and the same number of shares in CNH Industrial, the truck and tractor maker that was spun off from the Fiat group, at a total price of €83.6mn ($105mn), п¬Ѓlings with Dutch market regulator AFM showed. The shares were then sold on October 30-31 at a total price of €94.3mn, according to the records, allowing Marchionne to beneп¬Ѓt from a share price surge following the Ferrari announcement on October 29. FCA said that Marchionne later exercised his remaining 10.67mn stock options but only a portion of those shares were then sold “for the sole purpose of funding the strike price and meeting the relevant tax liabilities,” the company added. Marchionne said last week he would spin off Ferrari from the group, sell a 10% stake via a public offering and distribute the rest of FCA’s stake in the luxury sports car brand to its shareholders. Dutch bank ING to pay off state aid early as lending picks up Reuters Amsterdam I NG Group, the largest Dutch bank, said it would repay the last of its state aid ahead of schedule this week, signalling an extra dividend for shareholders as lending growth drove a jump in pretax earnings. In its п¬Ѓrst full quarter as a pure banking business, ING’s underlying earnings before tax from its banking operations rose more than a third to €1.5bn ($1.88bn), beating analysts’ average forecasts of €1.4bn. The bank, once the globe-spanning flagship of Dutch п¬Ѓnancial capitalism and still Europe’s eighth largest by stock market value, was forced to retrench in the years after the п¬Ѓnancial crisis, taking €10bn in state aid in 2008 and selling many of its international businesses. It sold a stake in its insurance arm NN Group in July to comply with the terms of the rescue package. Announcing the early repayment of the п¬Ѓnal €1bn tranche of aid, chief executive Ralph Hamer said the bank was seeing signs of a recovery in its home market and of structural recoveries in parts of Europe. “We had two milestones to make this year before we would consider an early payment: a successful IPO of the insurance company and the ... successful outcome of the asset quality review and stress tests, and we saw that just recently,” he told a conference call for journalists. ING comfortably passed the European Central Bank review last month, with an end-2013 tier 1 common capital rate of 10.1%, well above the required minimum of 8%. “We were able to extend more credit into the economies in which we are active,” Hamer said, adding that there were signs of a domestically-driven recovery in the Netherlands even as the eurozone’s main growth engine Germany faltered. “I see recovery in Ireland and in Spain. Structural recoveries,” he said on a video posted on the bank’s website. “And we see that the ECB is supporting growth by further interest rate cuts.” ING’s interest income rose 7.5% year on year while the underlying interest margin improved to 1.53% from 1.44%. Loan loss provisions were cut by 41.7% as lending risks fell in commercial banking and general lending. ING said its global retail banking business also picked up, with its German operation posting record underlying third quarter earnings before tax of €213mn. But group net proп¬Ѓt, which rose sharply to €928mn due to one-off items, just missed consensus forecasts. It said it was trying to manage down its exposure to Ukraine and Russia, whose economies have been hit by the conflict in eastern Ukraine and Western sanctions against Russia. Non-performing loan rates in both countries rose. The debt repayment, six months early, means the п¬Ѓrst dividend of next year can now go to shareholders rather than the Dutch state. It will bring the total repaid to €13.5bn, giving the state an annualised return of 12.7%. “This support from the Dutch state saw us through the crisis and helped us to emerge stronger from it,” Hamer said. “We are grateful to the Dutch state and its citizens, but also to our customers who continued to stand by us.” Shares in ING were up 1.2% at 0900 GMT, just outpacing an Amsterdam AEX index that rose 0.9%. Gulf Times Thursday, November 6, 2014 19 BUSINESS Sanofi CEO’s ouster mirrors Teva corporate culture Bloomberg Tel Aviv Pharmaceutical executives are learning that the global forces shaping the industry sometimes come in direct conflict with the demands of local culture. The ouster of Chris Viehbacher, a Canadian-German dual citizen, from Sanofi on October 29 reminded investors that while France’s crown jewel operates globally, its core identity is still very much French. His dismissal echoed the departure of Jeremy Levin almost exactly a year earlier, after he had become the first CEO from abroad to manage Israel’s Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd The Sanofi and Teva boards cited disagreements over how the CEOs executed strategy or a lack of communication, not cultural clashes. For some investors, though, the reasons run deeper. Viehbacher, for example, may have pushed too hard to cut Sanofi operations in France while expanding in the US, and Levin strained local alliances by hiring foreign executives and terminating partnerships with Israeli companies, they say. “When you bring a truly global, competitive mentality of doing things into a company like Teva or Sanofi, with their own peculiar way of operating, there will sometimes be a clash of cultures,” said Gilad Alper, a senior analyst at Excellence Nessuah Brokerage in Petach Tikva, Israel. While companies like Sanofi and Teva sell their products and employ workers around the world, their importance to the national economy accentuates the challenge of reconciling global aspirations with local roots. Sanofi, France’s secondlargest company by market value, and Teva, Israel’s largest, globalised through acquisitions even as their board remained populated by a majority of locals. In Viehbacher’s case, his direct ways and informal approach upset some board members, managers and employees in France, where the style is more formal and hierarchy more important, several people with knowledge of the matter said. Viehbacher, a French speaker who previously worked at GlaxoSmithKline, ended some unpromising research projects during his six-year tenure, cut jobs and shut plants in France. He also said he wanted Sanofi to operate more like Genzyme Corp, the Cambridge, Massachusettsbased biotechnology company that Sanofi acquired for $20.1bn in 2011. He relocated to the US this year as French government officials voiced concern that corporate decision-making was leaving the country. Viehbacher effectively shifted the company’s center of gravity to the US, causing resentment within the company in France, said the people. “Chris did a great job in terms of deals and efficiencies,” said David Munno, head of pharmaceutical research at Sphera Global Healthcare, a Tel Aviv-based hedge fund. “When he moved away from France, though, he probably disenfranchised the local board and politicians.” He also began looking for a buyer for an $8bn portfolio of products without informing the board, Sanofi chairman Serge Weinberg said. The sale would have allowed the company to reduce manufacturing operations in Europe, according to an internal company document. The document was leaked to a Sanofi union, which in turn distributed it to reporters. Weinberg said Viehbacher was ousted because of a lack of communication with the board, citing the portfolio sale as an example. Board members learned of the plan by reading about it in the press, he said. “We are deeply committed to being an international company,” Weinberg said on a conference call with analysts last week. “There shouldn’t be any misunderstanding about the issue of the French versus the rest of the world.” Nationality won’t be a criteria in the search for a new CEO, he said. Levin, a native of South Africa who speaks Hebrew, moved to Israel after his hiring in 2012. The former Bristol-Myers Squibb Co executive, known as one of the industry’s top dealmakers, was at odds with the board about a plan to cut costs in Israel. He also angered local executives at the company by hiring a firm in the US to help with investor relations. Spokesmen for Teva and Sanofi declined to comment on whether cultural issues affected relationships with the CEOs. Viehbacher, 54, and Levin, 61, declined to comment. Their ouster is a reminder that culture can be a barrier when integrating foreign CEOs. While in the US or the UK it’s fairly common to have foreign-born CEOs, in countries such as Japan, it’s still rare. Osaka-based Takeda Pharmaceutical Co made waves when it picked Christophe Weber, a French national. Former executives and members of the company’s founding family wrote to the company in April to oppose his appointment, Yomiuri newspaper reported. To be sure, the culture clashes don’t always get in the way in the drug business or other industries. Carlos Ghosn, the CEO of French carmaker Renault, also holds that position at Japan’s Nissan Motor Co and the alliance between the two Barclays considers 8-way restructuring Bloomberg London B arclays is considering shifting its businesses into eight entities in response to rules forcing Britain’s largest lenders to separate retail operations from riskier investmentbanking units, an internal document shows. The lender is reviewing whether to put its UK and European retail operations, its US holding company and a subsidiary carrying out back-office functions within a п¬Ѓrewall, separating them from п¬Ѓve other entities including a derivatives trading arm, according to the draft document obtained by Bloomberg News. The proposals will go to the board on December 11. The internal overhaul shows the expense and disruption banks are facing as authorities seek to avoid a repeat of the 2008 global turmoil that toppled Lehman Brothers Holdings. At HSBC Holdings, chairman Douglas Flint has already voiced criticism, saying lenders will be forced to spend billions to erect п¬Ѓrebreaks between core services such as mortgage lending and riskier activities linked to investment banking. “US and UK structural reform requirements are driving the breakup of the single Barclays Bank Plc entity construct,” the bank said in the document dated October 15. “The resulting isolation of capital and liquidity forces us to consider a new optimization of the broader group.” A spokesman at Barclays in London said the document’s contents are “not reflective of current thinking.” The bank continues to “evaluate the future state of the group,” while the “thinking remains fluid and we will continue to review various options” in response to regulatory requirements, he said by e-mail from London. Barclays shares rose 0.8% to Barclays is reviewing whether to put its UK and European retail operations, its US holding company and a subsidiary carrying out back-office functions within a firewall, separating them from five other entities including a derivatives trading arm. 238.70 pence at 11:25am in London. They have dropped about 12% this year. The regulator’s proposals, drafted by John Vickers’s Independent Commission on Banking, seek to ensure that core п¬Ѓnancial services such as retail deposits and payments will be protected if riskier divisions incur losses and have to be shut down. Banks with core deposits exceeding ВЈ25bn ($40bn) including HSBC, Lloyds Banking Group and Royal Bank of Scotland Group Plc will be forced to comply from 2019. The Bank of England said last month that lenders must submit a preliminary plan of their esti- mated legal and operating structures by Jan. 6 for review by the regulator. Dan Hodge, co-head of Treasury at Barclays, told analysts on a call in July that the ring-fenced bank “will be a material entity within the UK banking system,” with its own capital and leverage requirements, which may be “higher than those at the groupconsolidated level.” “Our thinking on the size and scope of the ring-fence bank is evolving,” Hodge said. “From what we see currently, we believe this is a manageable issue for Barclays.” Under the plans, Barclays would keep its Barclaycard, inter- national banking services, global derivatives portfolio and loan book as well as the Africa business outside its ring-fence, though still under the same parent company, the document shows. Products such as debt п¬Ѓnance and cash management would be offered to some global corporate-banking clients as part of the ring-fenced unit unless British regulators decide banks must house these in a non ringfenced division, according to the document. Consumer business, mortgages and private banking would also be handled by the ring-fenced unit, it shows. “Structural reform will result in Barclays devolving into a se- ries of individually coherent entities beneath a common group holding company,” the lender said in the document. The European Commission earlier this year presented a proposal that would give supervisors the power to require the largest banks to separate certain risky trading activities from their deposit-taking businesses if they threaten п¬Ѓnancial stability. The proposal has come under attack on multiple fronts and may be changed by the new commission and parliament. “Ring-fencing will improve banks’ resilience by protecting them from shocks and facilitate orderly resolution, both of which are needed for a stable п¬Ѓnancial system,” Andrew Bailey, chief executive officer of the BOE’s Prudential Regulation Authority, said in a statement last month. Under the UK’s proposed rules, no more than a third of the board members at a ring-fenced bank can have roles elsewhere in the group to ensure that different parts of the institution “take decisions independently,” the BOE said. Barclays is drafting its plan as other lenders are assessing the impact of rules on their own businesses. Lloyds CEO Antonio Horta-Osorio last week signalled conп¬Ѓdence in the ability of Britain’s largest mortgage provider to weather ring- fencing proposals, saying that most of the bank’s assets already fall within the п¬Ѓrewall. At HSBC, Europe’s largest bank by market value, Flint told a parliament panel on October 21 that it won’t be clear if separating banks’ businesses will help prevent another п¬Ѓnancial turmoil “till we have another crisis.” “Ring-fencing will cost one billion, two billion to implement, which is a structural separation that is going to be very expensive,” Flint said. “It’s not clear to me that structure in and of itself changes anything.” companies is viewed by many investors as a success. Drug makers companies sell and produce globally, meaning CEOs must respond to global forces sometimes at the expense of local needs. For most of them, the US is their biggest single market, and they recruit researchers from around the world. At Teva, Levin was replaced by Erez Vigodman, an Israeli board member who has been credited with boosting growth at two of Israel’s biggest companies. While Weinberg said nationality won’t be a factor in selecting the next Sanofi CEO, people with knowledge of the matter said that Sanofi reached out to AstraZeneca chief executive officer Pascal Soriot, a France native, about the job. “Disruptive thinking doesn’t work unless you have the board along with you,” said Rajesh Varma, who helps manage $19bn in Paris for DNCA Finance, which holds 2.8mn Sanofi shares. “Maybe they do need someone who understands the French culture better and speaks the same cultural language as the board.” Harmony Gold mulls S African job cuts as gold price slumps Reuters Johannesburg S outh African miner Harmony Gold yesterday suggested it might have to cut jobs as it contends with a depressed gold price and operational problems which include an escalating battle with illegal miners. The current quarter will be a tough one as the company last week said it was closing its key Kusasalethu mine west of Johannesburg for two weeks to try to remove illegal miners who are believed to be starting п¬Ѓres in the mine. “The decision comes after a third underground п¬Ѓre in October was started by illegal miners. Although no one was harmed in any of these п¬Ѓres, it did result in 10 production days lost in October,” Harmony said in its results statement. The company is especially sensitive about safety after nine employees died in a п¬Ѓre in Feburuary at its Doornkop mine. Harmony has also struggled to get Kusasalethu back to full production after shutting the mine for several weeks at the start of 2013 because of labour violence rooted in union rivalry. “Kusasalethu’s production has continued to be problematic and management is working on an alternative plan to return the mine to proп¬Ѓtability,” the company said. Chief executive Graham Briggs implied that any restructuring at the mine was likely to include job cuts. “The plans at Kusasalethu we will be signing off in the next few weeks ... We will have to go through a negotiating process with unions,” he said on a conference call. Under South African labour law companies have to hold talks with unions if they plan lay-offs. “If we look at job cuts, 50% of our costs are on labour, so any major restructuring always involves jobs and we have to look carefully at that,” Briggs said. He said Kusasalethu had not made a proп¬Ѓt since 2012 and the company had been “throwing a lot of resources at it to try and improve the situation there.” The company said it currently employs 6,441 people at Kusasalethu, including contractors. Gold producers in general are caught in a bind as prices tumble and costs climb. The spot price fell to fresh four-year lows yesterday at below $1,200 an ounce — a critical level that many analysts see as a “tipping point” that will cause shaft closures. The spot price fell to fresh four-year lows yesterday at below $1,200 an ounce — a critical level that many analysts see as a “tipping point” that will cause shaft closures Any move to cut jobs at Kusasalethu could meet with stiff labour resistance given the heavy presence at the mine of the hardline Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU), whose members have downed tools in the past at Anglo American Platinum in protest at planned lay-offs. Meanwhile Briggs said the market would get an update in Decmber on the pre-feasibility study at Harmony’s flagship Waп¬Ѓ-Golpu project in Papua New Guinea, with new estimates on capital expenditure. Harmony has already said it expects “signiп¬Ѓcantly lower” investment than previous estimates which called for spending of almost $6bn to develop the mine. Costs will be shared with joint-venture partner Newcrest Mining. US lacked hard proof in tax trial of ex-UBS banker, jurors say Reuters Washington U S prosecutors did not present enough hard evidence to link a former top UBS banker to subordinates’ schemes to help wealthy Americans hide $20bn in secret accounts from tax authorities, jurors from the trial told Reuters on Tuesday. A federal jury in South Florida on Monday took a little over one hour to acquit Raoul Weil, who headed the Swiss bank’s global wealth management unit, of conspiring to defraud the Internal Revenue Service. The verdict was a major setback for Washington’s efforts to crack down on offshore tax evasion by Americans, and raised questions about how aggressively the government will pursue similar cases against senior executives. “There were no documents that tied that man to anything, that was our problem,” said Tracey Demyer, a 43-year-old medical assistant and one of two jurors who spoke to Reuters. “90% of the crucial documents did not have that man’s name on it.” Prosecutors had obtained the cooperation of several of Weil’s colleagues who testified at his trial in Fort Lauderdale, but defense lawyers extensively cross-examined them in an attempt to undermine their credibility. One banker, Hansruedi Schumacher, admitted under questioning from defence lawyer Matthew Menchel that Weil had nothing to do with a plan to distort legal advice against promoting certain offshore structures to American clients, according to a transcript of the trial. The testimony of another of Weil’s underlings, Martin Liechti, was piv- otal and unconvincing, a second juror, Miami physician Juan Carlos Palacios, said. “The problem is that I believe Mr Liechti, that he had discussions with Mr Weil, but there was no evidence of that. That was the problem,” Palacios said. Mark Daly, lead prosecutor on the case, declined comment. A Justice Department spokeswoman earlier said the decision would not impact the agency’s efforts to hold offshore tax evaders and their enablers accountable. As a result of the verdict, future efforts by the US government to bring tax fraud cases “will require more than just the word of former alleged co-conspirators,” David Weinstein, a former federal prosecutor now in private practice in Miami, said when the verdict was announced. “Corporate defendants will also be less likely to cooperate with the government and may instead choose to begin п¬Ѓghting the allegations made against their institutions,” he added. “For a jury to acquit after only an hour means that there were some huge holes in the government’s case,” David Weinstein, a former federal prosecutor now in private practice in Miami, said when the verdict was announced. At least 25 people, including bankers, lawyers and asset managers, have been charged by US authorities with assisting tax evasion via Swiss banks since 2008. Of that 25, six have pleaded guilty, but no trials for the other 19 are imminent as most of those charged are overseas. The Justice Department suffered a similar loss on Friday when a federal jury in Los Angeles acquitted Shokrollah Baravarian, a former senior vice- president at the local branch of Israel’s Mizrahi Tefahot Bank, of conspiring to help US clients defraud the IRS through the opening of secret foreign bank accounts. Weil, 54, was arrested in October 2013 while on vacation with his wife at an upscale hotel in Italy, and pleaded not guilty last year after being extradited to the US. Prosecutors had obtained an indictment against Weil in 2008, at the start of a lengthy crackdown under which UBS in 2009 paid a $780mn п¬Ѓne. Its Swiss arch-rival Credit Suisse earlier this year paid more than $2.5bn in penalties for helping wealthy Americans evade taxes. The Weil verdict comes as the Justice Department has been under pressure to charge senior bank executives for crimes at their institutions, and suggests the government may have a tough time tying high-level officials to mis- conduct by employees. w“They said that he flew into Miami to meet clients with one of the other witnesses. Where are their hotel records? Where are their flight records?” juror Demyer said. “It just didn’t seem like they did enough digging.” The jurors said they had discussed during deliberations the idea that Swiss banks were involved in helping Americans break the law, and that Weil, as a supervisor of the business, should have known what was going on, but that the jurors all came to an agreement that the government had not proved his involvement in the scheme. “I know this is a business. These are bankers...we’re not stupid about this. Weil didn’t know about this? Give me a break,” said Palacios. “I looked (at) the evidence over and over and we couldn’t get the connection,” he said. Thursday, November 6, 2014 BUSINESS GULF TIMES Qatar Airways’ 3 new Boeing aircraft touch down in Doha F or the п¬Ѓrst time in its history, Qatar Airways took delivery of three new aircraft in one day as two Boeing 787 Dreamliners and one Boeing 777 joined its expanding fleet. The delivery which took place in Seattle on October 27, brought the airline’s fleet count up to 139 passenger and cargo aircraft. The three custom-designed aircraft then departed Seattle on October 28, arriving at the home of Qatar Airways, the state-ofthe-art Hamad International Airport, on October 29. With the newest aircraft, the airline now has some 17 Boeing 787 Dreamliners and 37 Boeing 777s, made up of a combination of 777-300ERs and 777-200LRs, among its fleet. Qatar Airways Group chief executive Akbar al-Baker said, “We are very happy to receive three more of our most popular aircraft from Boeing, all on the The 787 Dreamliner has proven to be one of the most popular aircraft in Qatar Airways’ fleet. same day, reinforcing the fact that this is the вЂ�year of the fleet’. The addition of the two 787s and one 777 ensures that we are able to continue with our commitment to offer our passengers the most comfortable experience in the sky when travelling with us. And we are very pleased to be able to work so closely with Boeing to ensure that our aircraft provide our passengers with the best possible on-board experience.” The 787 Dreamliner has proven to be one of the most popular aircraft in the airline’s fleet, with Qatar Airways working closely with Boeing to ensure attention was focused on the details, including on the 254 custommade seats across its 787 business and economy class cabins and the specially designed interiors. Business class is conп¬Ѓgured in a 1–2–1 format with 22 seats, while economy has a 232 seating capacity in a 3–3–3 layout. All seats in business class can be fully reclined. Qatar Airways’ 787s are the world’s п¬Ѓrst fully connected Dreamliners with wireless facilities for passengers. In addition, the airline offers an award-winning iTouch control unit, over 1,000 movie, programming and audio entertainment options, an iPort, USB port, remote data outlet, a custom designed culinary offering, plenty of storage space for personal items and more – all available in both cabin classes. Currently undergoing rapid expansion, Qatar Airways is one of the fastest growing airlines operating one of the youngest fleets in the world. Now in its 17th year of operations, Qatar Airways has a modern fleet of 139 aircraft flying to 145 key business and leisure destinations across six continents. Ooredoo chairman Sheikh Abdullah’s interview at the upcoming Euromoney Qatar conference will analyse Qatar’s ambitious plans to become one of the world’s best-connected nations, deploying 4G connections, smart technology and a nationwide fibre network. Euromoney Qatar conference to host interviews with top officials S Participants at the Qatargas annual вЂ�Contractor Forum’ at the Four Seasons Doha. Right: Qatargas CEO Sheikh Khalid addressing the forum. Qatargas вЂ�Contractor Forum’ focuses on commitment to local market Q atargas recently hosted its annual вЂ�Contractor Forum’ at the Four Seasons Doha, which brought together the LNG major’ key contractors under the theme “One team one mission” with the main objective of supporting and developing the local market. The theme underlines the great value that Qatargas places on its partnership with suppliers and service providers who play a key role in its success. Launched last year, the Qatargas Contractor Forum brings together contractors and suppliers to share their experience and learning, beneп¬Ѓting them and Qatargas alike. It also provides a unique opportunity for the suppliers and contractors to learn about future business opportunities, Qatargas expectations as well as strengthen mutual relationships for the beneп¬Ѓt of the broader community. Welcoming the participants, Qatargas chief executive officer Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa al-Thani, said, “Our aim is to continue to contribute positively to the National Vision 2030, speciп¬Ѓcally in the pillar of achieving sustainable economic development through local market development. We have launched this contractor forum last year to reinforce the importance of two-way communication and to present our contribution to the local market development.” Qatargas has established its strategic position in the world-wide market, capitalising on all the available resources. “You, as a partner, have directly contributed to our success. We will continue to maintain pacesetter performance in all aspects. In order to strengthen this position we have to look for higher return on investment and innovative solutions, which ultimately contribute to the bottom line.” In his keynote address, Qatargas supply manager Abdulla al-Subaey said, “The main objective of this forum is to develop the Local Market in Qatar to support the growth of business in this fast growing economy. This forum provides a platform for two-way communication and our expectation is that all participants including Qatargas utilise this opportunity to share their individual perspective and learn from one another in order to continuously improve our business process which will lead to a reduction in risk, faster execution, higher standard of quality and reduction in cost.” This year, the forum was expanded to include representatives from the Qatar Chamber, Gulf Organisation for Industrial Consulting, Qatar Development Bank and other local banks, all of which directly contribute to the local market development. Qatar Chamber director-general Remy Rowhani delivered a speech highlighting the role of the Chamber in promoting business and the various services offered to member companies. The speeches and presentations during the Forum helped the participants to understand more on several topics including Qatargas project plans and work inside Ras Laffan Industrial City, Qatargas standards and expectations and the tendering process in Qatargas. There was also a live survey that gave the participants the opportunity to give their feedback to improve Qatargas processes and systems. In his concluding remarks, Qatargas chief operating officer (Finance) Garry Looker stressed the management’s commitment to support and develop the local market. He assured the participants that Qatargas would review the feedback received during the forum and address the concerns of the contractors. He also encouraged the contractors and suppliers to approach the company at any time if they have any issues or suggestions. More than 400 hundred people, representing nearly 200 contractors and suppliers attended the event. ome of Qatar’s “most ambitious” enterprises and “far-reaching initiatives” will be reviewed at the upcoming Euromoney Qatar conference this month as international interest in the country continues to rise. Designed to bring together п¬Ѓnance and banking leaders from across the region and the world, the Euromoney Qatar Conference will host a series of on-stage interviews with senior executives, aiming to understand their plans for the future as well as their views on the state of national and global economies. With more investors looking at Qatar following the MSCI and S&P Dow Jones’ upgrades of the country to Emerging Market status, the views of senior executives in the country are increasingly sought-after. The п¬Ѓrst interview of the day will be with Ooredoo Group chairman Sheikh Abdullah bin Mohamed bin Saud al-Thani. With ambitious plans for growth and a wide footprint in markets in the Middle East, North Africa and Southeast Asia, Ooredoo is an active player in regional and international п¬Ѓnance markets. It announced the signing of a $1bn Revolving Credit Facility Agreement with a syndicate of global banks in May 2014 and launched a $1.25bn, п¬Ѓveyear sukuk, the п¬Ѓrm’s п¬Ѓrst Islamic bond, at the end of last year. As well as discussing Ooredoo’s development strategy, the interview will also analyse Qatar’s ambitious plans to become one of the world’s best-connected nations, deploying 4G connections, smart technology and a nationwide п¬Ѓbre network. This major investment in technology will have positive implications for companies doing business in Qatar and will position the nation as a central hub for innovation. Interview will also be held with Saad al-Muhannadi, chief executive officer of Qatar Rail, the company that will own and manage Qatar’s rail network and which is responsible for the design, construction, commissioning, operation and maintenance of the entire rail network. Scheduled to be completed in 2019, the planned metro network will be 230km-long, while the long range rail system will stretch across 510km of the country. Euromoney Conferences regional director Richard Banks said, “Qatar is increasingly deп¬Ѓned on the international stage by the ambitions of its companies and the vision that drives its mega-projects. At this year’s Euromoney Qatar Conference, we are adding a new range of interviews with some of the senior executives responsible for these organisations, to understand their perspectives on Qatar’s emerging growth story, as well as for their views on how international banks can play a role.” Also speaking at the event will be HE the Minister of Finance Ali Sherif al-Emadi and HE the QCB Governor Sheikh Abdullah bin Saoud al-Thani and representatives of Qatar’s largest п¬Ѓnancial group, QNB. “Global п¬Ѓnance: relaunched” will be held under the patronage of HE the Prime Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani, and will take place on November 24 and 25 at The Ritz-Carlton, Doha. South Korea trade body aims to bring in more investors to Qatar By Peter Alagos Business Reporter S outh Korea is eyeing to lessen its trade deп¬Ѓcit with Qatar by increasing the influx of Korean investors to the country, the leader of a Korean industrial organisation told Gulf Times. Young-Tahk Park, executive vice-chairman of the Korea Association of Machinery Industry (Koami), told Gulf Times that the latest п¬Ѓgures from the Qatar Statistics Authority (QSA) revealed that South Korea and the country’s trade deп¬Ѓcit “is growing.” Park was in Qatar for a “Plant Equipment Trade Mission” and was accompanied by seven Korean companies that specialise in machinery for the oil and gas industry. Quoting QSA п¬Ѓgures for 2013, Park said South Korea ranks second in Qatar’s list of top exporting countries with QR43.8bn or 16.5% of the total exports. On the other hand, South Korea is number seven in Qatar’s list of importing countries with only QR2.6bn or 3.1% of the total imports. “Our trade deп¬Ѓcit with Qatar is growing and I believe by bringing in more investors from South Korea, we can help improve and strengthen trade relations with this country,” Park emphasised. Prior to visiting Qatar, Park said the delegation was in Egypt along with seven South Koreabased machinery п¬Ѓrms. Last year, Park said his group of 12 companies visited Qatar and Kuwait and took home an estimated commodity trade of $30mn. “We hope to п¬Ѓnd good partners Park (left) and Lee: Hoping to find good partners. here in Qatar and for this mission I am expecting to replicate or perhaps double the commodity trade we were able to achieve last year,” Park said. Kwang-Il Lee, director of the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (Kotra), said Korea currently has 70 registered companies in Qatar, 35 of which have already generated $57mn worth of investments in the construction, manufacturing and energy sector. Citing the country’s “ac- tive construction sector” and “healthy economic conditions,” Lee said he is conп¬Ѓdent that South Korea will be able to increase its investments in Qatar’s energy sector and in other nonhydrocarbon-related industries. He also stressed that South Korea is planning to attract other non-oil and gas industries to the country that could help Qatar diversify away from the hydrocarbon sector. “We are looking at bringing in companies in the п¬Ѓelds of renewable energy, particularly solar-powered technology, waste management, medical and hospital services, taking into consideration the influx of expatriates to Qatar,” Lee explained. Hassan Jihun Cho, 1st secretary of the Korean Embassy in Qatar, said HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani’s visit to South Korea yesterday will be highlighted by the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding for a $2bn investment fund between the Qatar Investment Authority and the Korean Investment Corporation. Park added that South Korea would be expanding its economic territory in China as negotiations are being п¬Ѓnalised for a Foreign Trade Agreement (FTA) with China, which is expected to be completed by the end of 2014. Currently, Park said South Korea’s FTAs with the European Union, US, Canada, India, Chile, and other Asean and South American countries comprise 61% of the global Gross Domestic Product (GDP). He said once the FTA with China is п¬Ѓnalised by the end of the year, he expects South Korea’s FTAs to reach 70% of the total global GDP. GOLF | Page 7 FOOTBALL | Page 2 Scott leads charge in McIlroy’s absence Real Madrid, Dortmund ease into last 16 of Champs League Thursday, November 6, 2014 Moharram 13, 1436 AH SPOTLIGHT GULF TIMES Tendulkar says India wanted to abandon 2007-08 Australia tour SPORT Page 6 Doha 2019 Platini prepared to move Champions League for 2022 World Cup unveils plan for night marathon U FOOTBALL AFP London EFA president Michel Platini said yesterday that he is prepared to stage the 2022 Champions League п¬Ѓnal in June in order to accommodate that year’s World Cup in Qatar. Amid concerns about soaring summer temperatures in the Gulf state, a FIFA taskforce is currently assessing the feasibility of moving the 2022 World Cup from its traditional midyear slot. While world governing body FIFA would prefer the tournament to take place in November and December, Platini is pushing for a January-February slot, and he says re-arranging the flagship Champions League, the п¬Ѓnal of which usually takes place in May, would not be a problem. “As the president of the confederation, I have no problem,” the 59-yearold former France star told journal- By Sports Reporter Doha T he Doha 2019 Bid Committee have today unveiled their innovative plans for the staging of a night marathon should they be successful in winning their bid to host the 2019 IAAF World Championships. The concept involves using special lighting solutions to illuminate the whole route and showcase the event like never before. BeIN SPORTS, Qatar’s premium television network dedicated to sport and a partner of Doha 2019, will manage the production. Lighting will be placed throughout the route to ensure optimum conditions for spectators and judges and spectacular viewing for live spectators and global TV audiences alike. The route will run along the waterfront of Doha’s famous Corniche connecting Doha Bay and Doha City Centre, providing a stunning backdrop for the entirety of the race. This setting will also create the opportunity for the staging of side-events and activities, entertaining and engaging spectators and enabling partners to connect with spectators through sponsorship activation, displays and advertising. Large TV screens and live projection on Doha’s towers will be placed at regular intervals along the route so that spectators can keep up to date with coverage of the event, whilst enjoying a festival atmosphere. This will put the public right at the heart of the marathon and create a truly unique experience for athletes, spectators and officials. Darkness falls at 6pm in Doha meaning that the event will be staged at a perfect time for spectators to attend the race, as well as for TV scheduling. Following the race, Doha 2019 plans to hold a balloted mass-participation event for the community, with youth, 5k, 10k and half marathon distances. This will enable the whole community to have the opportunity to become part of the World Championship experience and Doha 2019 branded participation medals will give thousands a hint of what it is like to be crowned a World Champion. The public road-race event will become an annual п¬Ѓxture on Doha’s calendar as part of National Day, enabling the World Championships to live on long in the memory of Doha’s community and ensuring a true legacy for Qatar and the region from the World Championship marathon. Furthermore, the unique lighting solution will provide a legacy for the hosting of marathons around the world to enable them to п¬Ѓt with a city’s lifestyle, climate and broadcasting needs. President of the Qatar Athletics Federation, Dahlan al-Hamad, said: “It is our aim to host a World Championships that uses innovative solutions to showcase athletics like never before. Our new concept for hosting an illuminated night marathon will provide a unique opportunity to engage our whole community through the marathon, inspiring them by the world-class sport that they witness and encouraging them to lead active and healthy lifestyles through the promotion of a public mass-participation road-running event. Doha is well-equipped to stage an exceptional World Championship marathon for the world’s best athletes, in a stunning setting that will capture an unprecedented spectacle for the world of athletics.” Doha is not the first city to host a nightmarathon with the Olympic marathon in Rome 1964 and the World Championship marathon in Edmonton 2001 both being successfully hosted after dark. However, this is the first time in history that a night-time marathon would be illuminated for the entirety of the route, using the expertise of BeIN SPORTS. ists during a brieп¬Ѓng at England’s St George’s Park training base in Burtonon-Trent, central England. “Because it is not a problem for the competition of the Champions League, we can move the dates in 2022 and have two semi-п¬Ѓnals and the п¬Ѓnal in June, so that is not a problem. “Everybody speaks about the clubs and the leagues, but if it is in November and December, then you lose six dates of the national teams. But we are not so far away (from an agreement) with FIFA.” A decision on the dates of the 2022 World Cup is due to be announced by FIFA’s executive committee in March next year. However, a problem with the January February dates is FIFA have promised the International Olympic Committee (IOC) they would not clash with that year’s Winter Olympics which are programmed for then and something IOC president Thomas Bach said earlier this week he expected them to honour. 2 Gulf Times Thursday, November 6, 2014 FOOTBALL FOCUS CHAMPIONS LEAGUE Madrid, Dortmund ease into last 16 Madrid record their 12th consecutive victory in all competitions Rodgers claims stars could remain benched for Chelsea visit AFP London L Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema shoots to score against Liverpool during the Champions League match at Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid. (Reuters) AFP Madrid H olders Real Madrid and 2013 п¬Ѓnalists Borussia Dortmund eased into the last 16 of this season’s Champions League with two group games to spare on Tuesday. Madrid recorded their fourth win in four Group B games, and their 12th consecutive victory in all competitions, beating Liverpool 1-0 at the Santiago Bernabeu thanks to a п¬Ѓrst-half Karim Benzema goal. Meanwhile, Dortmund shrugged aside their dreadful domestic form to maintain their perfect record in Group D, crushing Galatasaray 4-1 in Germany. Elsewhere, Atletico Madrid and Bayer Leverkusen won to close in on qualiп¬Ѓcation for the last 16 while Juventus, Basel and Benп¬Ѓca all recorded precious victories but Arsenal threw away a three-goal lead to draw 3-3 with Anderlecht in London. Carlo Ancelotti’s Madrid utterly outclassed Liverpool in winning 3-0 at Anп¬Ѓeld two weeks ago and a similar outcome appeared on the cards when visiting manager Brendan Rodgers named a side missing regulars such as captain Steven Gerrard and Raheem Sterling. However, in the end the only goal of the game came in the 27th minute, Benzema converting a Marcelo cross at the back post. That meant Cristiano Ronaldo remains on 70 Champions League goals for now, one short of the competition record still held by Madrid great Raul. Liverpool are now three points behind second-placed Basel, who crushed Ludogorets Razgrad 4-0 in Switzerland with Breel Embolo, Derlis Gonzalez, Shkelzen Gashi and Marek Suchy on target. Dortmund followed up a 4-0 win away to Galatasaray in Turkey two weeks ago by defeating the same team 4-1 in the return п¬Ѓxture with Marco Reus, Sokratis Papastathopoulos and Ciro Immobile all п¬Ѓnding the target before a Semih Kaya own-goal late on, with Hakan Balta grabbing a consolation for the visitors. Arsenal should also have clinched their place in the last 16 on Tuesday as a Mikel Arteta penalty and strikes by Alexis Sanchez and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain put them 3-0 up at home to Anderlecht. However, the Belgian champions produced a remarkable comeback in the last half hour to rescue a draw, Anthony Vanden Borre scoring twice, including once from the penalty spot, before Aleksandar Mitrovic equalised in the last minute to keep them in the competition. RESULTS Group A: At Turin: Juventus (ITA) 3 (Pirlo 21, Roberto 65-og, Pogba 66) Olympiakos (GRE) 2 (BotГa 24, Ndinga 61) At Malmo: Malmo (SWE) 0 Atletico Madrid (ESP) 2 (Koke 30, Raul Garcia 78) Group B: At Basel, Switzerland: Basel (SUI) 4 (Embolo 34, Gonzalez 41, Gashi 59, Suchy 65) Ludogorets Razgrad (BUL) 0; At Madrid: Real Madrid (ESP) 1 (Benzema 27) Liverpool (ENG) 0 Group C: At St Petersburg, Russia: Zenit In Group A, last season’s runners-up Atletico closed in on qualiп¬Ѓcation with a 2-0 win over Malmo in Sweden, Koke and Raul Garcia п¬Ѓnding the net. Meanwhile, there was drama in Turin, as Juventus came from behind to beat Olympiakos 3-2 to give their own hopes of going through a shot in the arm. Andrea Pirlo marked his 100th Champions League appearance with a trademark freekick to put Juve ahead, but Alberto Botia and Delvin N’Dinga scored to swing the game in the Greek champions’ favour. A Roberto own-goal restored parity and Paul Pogba grabbed what proved to be the winner in the 65th minute, although Juve may yet come to regret seeing Arturo Vi- St. Petersburg (RUS) 1 (Rondon 89) Bayer Leverkusen (GER) 2 (Son Heung-min 68, 73) ; At Lisbon: Benfica (POR) 1 (Anderson Talisca 82) Monaco (FRA) 0 Group D: At London: Arsenal (ENG) 3 (Arteta 25-pen, Sanchez 29, Oxlade-Chamberlain 58) Anderlecht (BEL) 3 (Vanden Borre 61, 73-pen, Mitrovic 90); At Dortmund: Borussia Dortmund (GER) 4 (Reus 39, Papastathopoulos 55, Immobile 74, Kaya 85-og) Galatasaray (TUR) 1 (Balta 70) dal have a late penalty saved if goal difference plays a part in deciding who goes through to the last 16. Leverkusen are in control of Group C thanks to an impressive 2-1 triumph against Zenit St Petersburg in Russia as South Korean star Son Heung-Min scored a second-half brace before substitute Jose Rondon’s consolation. And Portuguese champions Benп¬Ѓca revived their European campaign by defeating Monaco 1-0 in Lisbon with a late Talisca strike. The action continued late last night, when Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, Barcelona, Chelsea and FC Porto could all clinch their last-16 spots. iverpool boss Brendan Rodgers warned some of his star players of their place in the side for the visit of Chelsea on Saturday is far from assured after a battling performance by their understudies in a 1-0 defeat to Real Madrid. Rodgers controversially dropped captain Steven Gerrard, Mario Balotelli and Raheem Sterling to the bench amongst seven changes from the side that lost 1-0 to Newcastle on Saturday. Karim Benzema’s п¬Ѓrst-half goal was enough for the European champions to seal their place in the Champions League last 16 with a 12th consecutive victory in all competitions. However, after a disappointing start to the season, Rodgers was heartened by the performance of his side and claimed some of those who started have played themselves into contention to face the Premier League leaders at the weekend. “Tonight gives me great food for thought. It wasn’t players rested as such, we played the team we thought could get the result,” he said. “We haven’t been consistent enough for too many players to be in the team as guaranteed starters. The players know the name is irrelevant to me, for me it is about performance, and if a player is playing well I focus on that. I don’t focus on what people may say. I focus on my team, my players and what is best for them.” Basel’s 4-0 thrashing of Ludogorets Razgrad in the other game in the group on Tuesday leaves Liverpool three points Brendan Rodgers controversially dropped captain Steven Gerrard, Mario Balotelli and Raheem Sterling. (AFP) SPOTLIGHT Pogba hits Juve winner but warns over complacency AFP Turin J uventus star Paul Pogba underlined the challenges still facing the Italian giants in Europe despite his maiden Champions League goal securing a crucial 3-2 win over Olympiakos in Turin on Tuesday. Pogba’s second-half strike wrapped up the points for Massimiliano Allegri’s side to hoist the Italians up to second in Group A ahead of the Greek champions. Juve and Olympiakos trail Atletico Madrid by three points, and both will be playing for their survival in the competition in their п¬Ѓnal two games. Pogba, who became the highest-paid player in crisis-hit Serie A last week when he extended his contract with the Bianconeri until 2019, struck in the 66th minute of an entertaining match on a rainy night in Turin. Juve could have won 4-2 but Olympiakos ’keeper Roberto, the hero when the Greeks beat Juve 1-0 in Athens two weeks ago, blocked Arturo Vidal’s injury-time penalty. Although Olympiakos came to defend and played on the counter for most of the night, Juve survived several scares against Michel’s enterprising visitors. Pogba, who tasted the pain of failing to get past the group stage with Juve last year having reached the quarterп¬Ѓnals in 2013 under former coach Antonio Conte, picked the perfect time to hit his maiden goal in the competition on what was his 100th Juve appearance. But he said: “Sometimes we get a bit complacent. You can’t mess about in the Champions League, not even a little bit. Today’s game was crucial for us. We had to win and we did, now it’s all up to us.” Juventus resume their bid for a place in the last 16 with a trip away to Malmo on November 26 when Atletico host Olympiakos. A win away to the Swedish champions coupled with an Atletico win in Madrid would boost Juve’s chances ahead of their п¬Ѓnal group game at home to the Spaniards on December 9, when Olympiakos host Malmo. Olympiakos coach Michel, however, remained deп¬Ѓant after seeing his side come close to causing an upset in Turin. “We’re not a big European team but we’ve shown that we are a threat when we travel away from home as well. Juventus is a great club with a great history, so we’re proud of what we did tonight,” he said. “I’m proud of our performance, especially Roberto who once again Juventus’ Paul Pogba’s struck in the 66th minute of an entertaining match. (AFP) showed his class. Saving that penalty could prove decisive for us when it comes to qualifying. “But now we have two game left and we will go to the Vicente Calderon (stadium, in Madrid) looking to play the game we have been playing.” Andrea Pirlo, on his 100th Champions League appearance, broke the deadlock with a trademark free-kick to give Juventus a 21st minute lead. But the hosts were stunned three adrift of the Swiss champions in the race to join Madrid in the last 16. Liverpool travel to Bulgaria to face Ludogorets next time out and Rodgers is hoping to set up a winner takes all clash with Basel at Anп¬Ѓeld on matchday six. “When the draw was made we thought it would go down to the last game against Basel. We have to win our next game to bring it down to that game hopefully,” added Rodgers. “Tonight was a great performance, we didn’t get the result our team deserved, but we still have a big chance to progress.” Real coach Carlo Ancelotti backed the п¬Ѓve-time winners to still make it through and insisted his side wouldn’t take things easy on Basel and Ludogorets in their remaining two games in the group. “We have two games to play and we haven’t secured п¬Ѓrst place. We will prepare the games as always to respect the competition,” said the Italian. “All the teams have quality. Given their history you would give Liverpool more chance but they need to win the two games and I don’t think it will be easy.” As well as securing their passage to the knockout phase, Madrid were also boosted by the return of Gareth Bale from injury after a п¬Ѓve-game layoff. The Welshman was introduced as a substitute for the п¬Ѓnal half hour and looked lively as he struck the crossbar and forced Simon Mignolet into a п¬Ѓne save from a dipping free-kick. “After an injury of this type (pelvic muscle) I wanted to give him 30 minutes and he didn’t have any problems. He will start on Saturday.” minutes later when central defender Alberto Botia beat Gianluigi Buffon with a glancing header from a corner. Juve needed a win, preferably with a two-goal cushion, to boost their qualiп¬Ѓcation chances and suffered a blow early after the restart when Delvin N’Dinga beat Buffon with a glancing header as Juve failed to clear a free kick. Four minutes later, Juve were back on level terms, Fernando Llorente’s header ricocheting off Roberto then his post before bobbling over the line for an own-goal. Juventus restored their lead in more convincing fashion just a minute later. Pogba collected Llorente’s ball from the left and, after failing in his attempt to send Tevez through, he п¬Ѓred in a shot that beat Roberto down low. Tevez saw an angled strike saved by Roberto two minutes from time, but after winning a penalty when he was felled in the box Vidal saw his spot-kick saved by the giant ’keeper. “It’s a shame we missed the penalty, it would have rounded off a good night for us,” Juve coach Massimiliano Allegri said. But the former Milan coach admitted Juve’s glass was more half-full than half-empty. “Tonight the crucial thing was to get the win, so we have to be positive. We still have two games to secure our qualiп¬Ѓcation.” Rooney highest-paid EPL player London: England captain Wayne Rooney is the highestpaid Premier League player, in wages and endorsements combined, according to the latest list published by Forbes magazine yesterday. The Manchester United striker earned a total of 23.4 million dollars (18.74 million euros) last year, including 18.4 million dollars in wages and 5 million dollars in endorsements. Rooney’s earnings put him in 43rd in the overall list, headed by boxer Floyd Mayweather. Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo is second in the list with 80 million dollars, consisting of 52 million in wages and 28 million in endorsements. Manchester City’s Sergio Aguero is the only other Premier League player to make the top 50, in 44th with 23.3 million dollars. Manchester City’s Yaya Toure (59th), Manchester United’s Robin van Persie (81st), Liverpool’s Steven Gerrard (86th) and Arsenal’s Mesut Ozil (89th) are the only other Premier League players to make the top 100. Gulf Times Thursday, November 6, 2014 3 SPORT SPOTLIGHT I’ll be remembered as one of the best: Ronaldo AFP Madrid W Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo kisses the Golden Boot, awarded to him for being joint top-goalscorer in Europe last season. (EPA) orld Player of the Year Cristiano Ronaldo believes he will be considered one of the greatest footballers to have ever played the game by the time he retires. The 29-year-old picked up the third Golden Boot award of his career for being joint top-goalscorer in Europe last season in Madrid yesterdayand is also the odds-on favourite to win the Ballon d’Or for a third time in January. And, while insisting he still has plenty of years at the top left in him, the Portuguese is conп¬Ѓdent his place amongst the greats in the history of the game is assured. “I always want to be the best, that is what I work towards every day,” he said. “I respect what people think and I am making my own story bit by bit. I still have a long way to go and when I п¬Ѓnish CHAMPIONS LEAGUE “I always want to be the best, that is what I work towards every day. I respect what people think and I am making my own story bit by bit. I still have a long way to go and when I finish my career I can look at my stats to see if I am amongst the best in history. I am sure I will be” my career I can look at my stats to see if I am amongst the best in history. I am sure I will be.” Ronaldo was hailed by Real Madrid president Florentino Perez as the “digniп¬Ѓed heir to Alfredo di Stefano”, the club legend and former honorary president, who passed away earlier this year. And Ronaldo refused to rule out extending his stay in the Spanish capital beyond his current deal, which expires in 2018. “What I like most is winning. I hope to see out my contract with Real Madrid until I am 33 and we’ll see if I can stay on for a few more years or not.” Ronaldo’s blistering form has continued this season with 22 goals in 16 games to propel the European champions to the top of La Liga and into the last 16 of the Champions League once more. However, he warned against lauding the current squad as one of the greatest in the club’s history at such an early point in the season. “Everyone is saying this could be the best squad Real Madrid has ever had, but we will see that at the end of the season. If we don’t win anything we won’t be. “The team is playing well, we have a new system and the coach knows what he is doing. “At an individual level things are going well. I’ve scored a few goals recently and I am in good form. I hope it continues like this until the end of the season. “We have (Gareth) Bale back now from injury and he is п¬Ѓne, so we can go far. We have to work to improve and we will try to win the important titles which are the league, the Champions League and the Copa del Rey.” FOCUS Wenger slams sloppy Arsenal after meltdown вЂ�It is very disappointing. Maybe we underestimated Anderlecht at 3-0’ Dortmund need Euro form in Bundesliga: Klopp AFP Dortmund J urgen Klopp says Borussia Dortmund must use their dazzling Champions League displays to п¬Ѓx their nightmare Bundesliga form after reaching the last 16 in Europe on Tuesday. Dortmund brushed off п¬Ѓve consecutive defeats in the German top flight to romp to a 4-1 Champions League win at home to Galatasaray on Tuesday to go п¬Ѓve points clear at the top of Group D. Alongside Real Madrid, they are one of the п¬Ѓrst teams into the knock-out stage despite the worst start to a Bundesliga season in the club’s history. Bizarrely, Dortmund have now picked up nearly double the points, 12, in their four Champions League matches than the seven they have from their 10 Bundesliga matches. Klopp says they must use the conп¬Ѓdenceboosting win over Galatasaray to break their losing streak when they host high-flying Borussia Moenchengladbach on Sunday. “I told the lads to enjoy this, it’s important,” said Klopp. “We’ve got to feel the good things from this win, there are п¬Ѓve days until the next game.” Goals either side of half-time from Marco Reus and Greece defender Sokratis Papastathopoulos put 2013 Champions League п¬Ѓnalists Dortmund on their way to the knockout phase. Galatasaray’s Berlin-born defender Hakan Balta pulled one back for the visitors midway through the second half before the hosts scored twice more to put the result beyond doubt. Italy striker Ciro Immobile made the difference when he came off the bench for Reus just after Galatasaray scored. He netted Dortmund’s third just three minutes and 26 seconds after com- ing on to kill off the away side’s п¬Ѓght-back, then compounded the Turks’ misery when his cross was deflected into the Galatasaray net by defender Semih Kaya. “That was very disciplined, the team had things under control from the п¬Ѓrst minute,” said Klopp. “We defended well and, when our tactical measures didn’t quite work, we compensated with passion and scored some great goals.” Galatasaray can expect a UEFA п¬Ѓne after their fans repeatedly let off п¬Ѓreworks at the Westfalenstadion. The game was held up twice in the second half as Galatasaray fans threw п¬Ѓreworks onto the pitch, then set off a flare in the stands in the closing few minutes, in a repeat of scenes when they played Arsenal away a month ago. “Everything was done in terms of security, but they still get this stuff through. It’s remarkable. I hope it calms down,” fumed Klopp. Galatasaray’s former Bayern Munich and Schalke midп¬Ѓelder Hamit Altintop said they had come up well short of their pre-match expectations. “Sadly, we lost the game because of individual mistakes,” said the 31-year-old. “We knew that Dortmund had the talent and skill in attack. Dortmund didn’t play that well, but we built them up. I contributed my part to the defeat,” he added having failed to prevent the Immobile goal despite a desperate tackle. Galatasaray coach Cesare Prandelli said his side had improved from their 4-0 defeat to Dortmund in Istanbul a fortnight ago, although they have just one point from their four group games and prop up the section. “It was not a fair result when you look at our display,” he said. “The guys had been working very hard, but we have improved compared to our п¬Ѓrst game in Istanbul. We conceded the goals because of some little mistakes, which we’ll improve on.” Arsenal’s players react after Anderlecht’s equalising goal during their Champions League match at the Emirates stadium in London. (Reuters) AFP London A rsene Wenger launched a scathing attack on his Arsenal flops after they blew a three-goal lead in a 3-3 draw against Anderlecht that left them still waiting to book their place in the Champions League last 16. Wenger’s side were on course to qualify for the knockout stages of Europe’s elite club competition for the 15th successive season after Mikel Arteta’s penalty and п¬Ѓne strikes from Alexis Sanchez and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain put them in complete control by the 58th minute. But the Gunners’ creaky defence was brutally exposed by Anderlecht in a remarkable п¬Ѓnale that saw the unheralded Belgians score three times in the last 29 minutes through Anthony vanden Borre’s double and Aleksandar Mitrovic’s stoppage-time header. Wenger was furious with the way his players squandered their advantage and he said: “We had a poor defensive performance from the п¬Ѓrst until the last minute. We never looked comfortable and we got punished. “There was a bit of bad luck because their п¬Ѓrst goal was clearly offside but we never looked good enough defensively. Across the pitch we were very poor. It was a combina- tion of fatigue and switching off. We dropped off and were always open. We didn’t stop the crosses or the long balls. “It is very disappointing. Maybe subconsciously we underestimated Anderlecht at 3-0. In the Champions League you need to be at your best mentally and we weren’t today.” The woeful meltdown leaves Arsenal with virtually no chance of п¬Ѓnishing top of Group D—which was Wenger’s original target—and instead they face a fraught п¬Ѓght just to reach the knockout stages. They hold a п¬Ѓve point lead over third placed Anderlecht, but host group leaders Borussia Dortmund on November 26 knowing a defeat against the Germans would send them to Galatasaray needing a result in a notoriously hostile environment. “We have very little chance of winning the group,” said Wenger, whose team are п¬Ѓve points behind Dortmund. “The luck we have is with the qualiп¬Ѓcation, we still have a chance. If we had lost tonight we would have been in a very bad situation with qualiп¬Ѓcation.” Arteta woe -To make the evening extra frustrating for Wenger, he is likely to be without captain Arteta for several weeks after the Spanish midп¬Ѓelder was forced off with a hamstring injury. “Arteta has done a hamstring. I don’t know for how long he will be out,” Wenger added. While Wenger refused to single out any of his players for public criticism, he will be alarmed at the ease with which Anderlecht troubled full-backs Calum Chambers and Kieran Gibbs, while neither Per Mertesacker or Nacho Monreal looked comfortable at the heart of a defence given little protection by the Arsenal manager’s decision to send out an attacking line-up including only one holding midп¬Ѓelder in Arteta. “Our aim now is to come back with a better defensive display against Swansea at the weekend,” Wenger added. Wenger’s angst was perhaps behind his failure to shake hands with Anderlecht boss Besnik Hasi at full-time. But Hasi refused to dwell on that, preferring to salute his players for a herculean effort that kept alive his team’s slender hopes of reaching the last 16. “I didn’t get a hand (from Wenger) but I don’t know (why). I was running with my players to celebrate,” Hasi said. “I don’t think we were lucky. I don’t know if the п¬Ѓrst goal was offside. I really don’t care. I’m very satisп¬Ѓed with the spirit of my young team. In difп¬Ѓcult moments they showed their character and quality. “At 3-0 you can say the game is over, but we made a few changes and at 3-1 we grew in conп¬Ѓdence. You could see Arsenal have a few doubts. I’m a young coach and I hope I’m going to stay here for a long time, but this is going to stay in my memory for sure.” Borussia Dortmund’s coach Juergen Klopp celebrates with his players after winning the Champions League second-leg match against Galatasaray in Dortmund, western Germany. (AFP) Bordeaux coach Sagnol under fire over вЂ�African players’ remarks Paris: Girondins de Bordeaux coach Willy Sagnol is facing a barrage of criticism after the former France and Bayern Munich defender said that African players are вЂ�powerful’ but seemed to suggest they lacked intelligence and discipline. In an interview with local newspaper Sud Ouest, Sagnol said: “The advantage of the typical African player is that he is not expensive when you take him, he’s generally ready to fight and he is powerful on the pitch. But football is not just that, it’s also technique, intelligence, discipline.” Former France fullback Lilian Thuram and anti-racism associations hit out at Sagnol, who has the backing of his club. “It’s laid-back anti-black racism,” SOS Racisme said in a statement, asking that “the LFP (French League), FFF (French Federation) and the Sports ministry take immediate sanctions.” Thuram said: “It is damaging that someone can hint that вЂ�the African players’ lack this or that quality.” The International League against Racism and Anti-Semitism (LICRA) said in a statement: “These abject theories are those that during the course of History have led to some kind of men and women having their humanity denied.” Bordeaux, however, stood by their coach, with president Jean-Louis Triaud saying yesterday that the interpretation of Sagnol’s remarks were вЂ�malicious’. In 2011, then France coach Laurent Blanc also came under fire after he attended a soccer federation meeting in November where the idea of quotas for Arab and African youth players were discussed. Blanc was cleared of discrimination charges following an inquiry by the French government. 4 Gulf Times Thursday, November 6, 2014 SPORT QATAR TO FACE NORTH KOREA IN FRIENDLY Qatar players train yesterday ahead of their football friendly match against North Korea at the Lekhwiya stadium today. The match will start at 7pm. PICTURES: Fadi Al-Assaad SPOTLIGHT Inter’s Mazzarri hoping for reprieve at Europa Calls for Mazzarri’s head has gathered force again after a 2-0 away league defeat at Parma AFP Milan T o say Inter Milan coach Walter Mazzarri is living on borrowed time as his side take on SaintEtienne in the Europa League today is little short of an understatement. The 0-0 draw between the sides in Italy last time out may have left Inter comfortably top of Group F with seven points, but the calls for Mazzarri’s head gathered force again at the weekend after a 2-0 away league defeat at struggling Parma. Even club president Erick Thohir appears to have lost patience with the former Napoli coach. Having thrown his weight behind the coach for much of a dismal start to the season, Thohir gave the strongest signal yet that Mazzarri’s job was hanging in the balance amid speculation that Roberto Mancini is ready to take over. Thohir said: “We have to analyse the situation of the coach in as fair a way as possible. We’ll see over the next two games, but changing our coach in the middle of the season is never a good solution. We want to give him another opportunity.” Italy’s last Champions League winners, in 2010, Inter have not conceded a goal in this year’s Europa League campaign, but will come up against another tight defence, as Saint-Etienne have managed three goalless draws in their п¬Ѓst three group matches to trail Inter by four points. There are no such worries for Fioren- Sevilla coach Unai Emery (left) and midfielder Ever Banega during a training session in Seville, southern Spain yesterday. Sevilla play Standard Liege in the UEFA Europa League match today. (EPA) tina coach Vincenzo Montella, though, as his side entertain PAOK of Greece in Group K, expecting to extend their 100 percent start to the group and ensure qualiп¬Ѓcation for the knockout stages. Fiorentina won 1-0 in Greece last time out but were dealt a major blow when Italy under-21 striker Federico Bernardeschi broke his ankle in training and is expected to be out of action until well into 2015. In Group C, Tottenham Hotspur, whose 5-1 victory over Asteras Tripolis in London two weeks ago was celebrated for Erik Lamela’s extraordinary вЂ�rabona’ goal, which has gone viral on the Internet, may not п¬Ѓnd the trip to Greece such a comfortable outing. Asteras have yet to lose a home match in three seasons in European club competition, winning four and drawing three. Ominously for Mauricio Pochettino’s Tottenham, those four victories, all by two-goal margins, have come in their last four п¬Ѓxtures. Spurs are unbeaten in their last three away European games, but have never won in Greece against local opposition in three attempts. The tense relations between Sparta Prague and Slovakia’s Slovan Bratislava resume in the Czech capital when they play their return match in Group I after crowd trouble marred the п¬Ѓrst game. Sparta won that game 3-0 but were п¬Ѓned heavily for the behaviour of a dozen of their fans who climbed a barrier to attack home supporters, who spilled on to the pitch, leading to a delay of some 40 minutes. Astra Giurgiu will look to maintain FOCUS the unbeaten home record of Romanian clubs against Scottish opposition when they take on Celtic in Group D. Beaten 2-1 in Glasgow, Astra have lost their last four European games, with their 5-1 opening defeat at Dinamo Zagreb their worst European result to date. But Celtic are without a European away win in three games since beating KR ReykjavГk 1-0 in their opening away trip of the season in the qualiп¬Ѓers for the Champions League. French side Lille, held 0-0 at home by Everton in Group H, travel to the north-west of England, which has not been a happy hunting ground for them in the past. IMPORTANT FIXTURES At Zurich, Switzerland: FC Zurich (SUI) v Villarreal (ESP) At Nicosia: Apollon Limassol (CYP) v Borussia Moenchengladbach (GER) At Tripoli, Greece: Asteras Tripolis (GRE) v Tottenham Hotspur (ENG) At Giurgiu, Romania: FC Astra (ROM) v Celtic (SCO) At Khimki, Russia: Dynamo Moscow (RUS) v Estoril (POR) At Athens: Panathinaikos (GRE) v PSV Eindhoven (NED) At Saint-Etienne, France: Saint-Etienne (FRA) v Inter Milan (ITA) At Seville, Spain: Sevilla (ESP) v Standard Liege (BEL) At Liverpool: Everton (ENG) v Lille (FRA) At Naples: Napoli (ITA) v Young Boys (SUI) Wanderers unconcerned about Al Hilal final complaints Sydney: Western Sydney Wanderers coach Tony Popovic is unconcerned about Al Hilal’s complaints over the refereeing of the Asian Champions League final, which the Saudi club described as a вЂ�black spot in the history of Asian football’. Wanderers became the first Australian team to win Asia’s most prestigious club title when a 0-0 draw in Riyadh last Saturday gave them a 1-0 aggregate win over two legs. Twice Asian champions Al Hilal released an incendiary statement late on Monday, calling for a formal probe into the appointment of the referees and saying they had been denied six penalties over the two matches. “That’s not really a concern for us,” a deadpan Popovic told reporters in Sydney yesterday. “Over the 180 minutes in two games, they didn’t score a goal. We did and we’re the champions.” The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) have yet to respond publicly to the Al Hilal statement but will investigate the brawl that followed the final whistle on Saturday. That incident appeared to have been sparked by Al Hilal striker Nasser al-Shamrani spitting at Wanderers defender Matthew Spiranovic. After such scenes and the hubristic pre-match comments from Al Hilal coach Laurentiu Reghecampf, Wanderers goalkeeper Ante Covic said he found it hard to feel sorry for the Saudis. “If they want to investigate the penalties maybe they should investigate their players and their behaviour after the game,” Covic said. ROUND-UP Former Italy captain Cannavaro FIFA toughens racism ban for Italian federation president named Guangzhou coach Agencies Rome AFP Beijing F I taly’s World Cup winning captain Fabio Cannavaro was formally unveiled as the new coach of Chinese champions Guangzhou Evergrande yesterday, replacing his former national team manager Marcello Lippi. Lippi announced he was stepping aside after Guangzhou won their fourth consecutive title, sparking rumours that Cannavaro would succeed him. At a press conference at the Guangdong club, Lippi said he would retain the title of “head coach”. But 41-year-old Cannavaro would take over responsiblity for the team’s day-to-day affairs as the club’s new “executive head coach”. “There might be some misunderstanding about what I said before, that I would give up and ditch the team,” Lippi told reporters. “No, I’m still the chief director and the head coach of the team, I’m just not going to be on the pitch every day.” Lippi said he would “check every few days” on the team’s development and would watch the matches from the stands. The 66-year-old also said he suggested to the club the appointment of an executive head coach so that he could spend more Fabio Cannavaro (centre) receives the appointment letter from Vice President of Evergrande Liu Yongzhuo (left) and his predecessor Marcello Lippi. (Reuters) time with his family in Italy. “I couldn’t do anything when my family had issues, I couldn’t stand that I had to visit home (only) every six months,” Lippi said. “So I suggested the team should п¬Ѓnd an executive head coach, which would allow me to visit home every two months.” Cannavaro had a glittering career at Parma, Juventus and Real Madrid and won the world player of the year award in the same year that he led Italy to World Cup victory in Germany in 2006. The former centre-back was previously on the coaching staff at Al-Ahli in the UAE. He is currently being investigated by authorities in his home city of Naples on suspicion of illegally sidestepping one million euros in tax. Lippi, who managed the Azzurri in their 2006 triumph, led Guangzhou to AFC Champions League glory in 2013 after experiencing huge club success in Europe— winning п¬Ѓve Italian Serie A titles and a UEFA Champions League. IFA yesterday toughened a ban imposed by Europe’s governing body against Italian Football Federation boss Carlo Tavecchio for comments condemned as racist. UEFA’s six month ban from ofп¬Ѓcial activity in Europe has been made worldwide by the global governing body. “FIFA’s stance against any form of discrimination is unequivocal,” the world body’s disciplinary committee said in announcing the extra punishment for the 71-year-old Tavecchio. UEFA banned Tavecchio on October 7 for comments made earlier this year during his reelection campaign in July. The veteran Italian powerbroker contrasted the player-recruitment approach of Italian clubs with English teams. “Here we get вЂ�Opti Poba’ who previously ate bananas and then suddenly becomes a п¬Ѓrstteam player at Lazio,” he said at the public meeting in July. The comments appeared to be aimed at France and Juventus midп¬Ѓelder Paul Pogba, who is black, and sparked a major controversy. The chairman of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee decided to extend the sanction imposed by UEFA, the world body said in a statement. “As such, Mr Tavecchio is ineligible for any position as a FIFA official for a period of six months starting from 7 October 2014.” Tavecchio will still be able to attend FIFA’s congress at the end of May once the ban has ended. He has apologised for the comments. BRAZIL STRIKER ADRIANO IN DRUGS-LINKED CHARGE Former Brazilian international Adriano was charged by Rio de Janeiro prosecutors on Tuesday over alleged links to drug trafficking, officials and reports said. The former Inter Milan, Fiorentina, Parma and Roma striker, 32, who is trying to revive his career in France, is accused of buying a motorbike in 2007 that was later used by drug dealers in the Vila Cruzeiro favela, where he grew up, reports said. He faces up to 15 years in prison if found guilty. Prosecutors did not request Adriano’s arrest but asked for him to surrender his passport. Adriano, who hit 27 goals in 48 appearances for Brazil, last played for the Brazilian club Atletico Paranaense. But they terminated his contract six months ago. RIOT POLICE DEPLOYED AT BLATTER LECTURE IN ZURICH Zurich: Police in riot gear were deployed at a university in Zurich as protestors tried to force their way into a room where FIFA president Sepp Blatter was giving a lecture. At least one smoke bomb was let off after between 60 and 100 students managed to enter the building on Tuesday night although they did not get into the room itself, media reports said. Photographs sho a plume of red smoke inside the building and the presence of police wearing helmets and body protectors. Outside, students held up banners with slogans such as вЂ�chase Blatter away’. Gulf Times Thursday, November 6, 2014 5 CRICKET 1ST TWENTY20 INTERNATIONAL/ AUSTRALIA vs SOUTH AFRICA 2ND TEST/ BANGLADESH vs ZIMBABWE Rossouw, De Kock guide SA to easy win over Aussies Rossouw’s 50-ball 78, De Kock’s 39-ball 46 helps Proteas to 7-wicket win AFP Adelaide R ilee Rossouw scored a breezy 78 to lead South Africa to a commanding seven-wicket victory over Australia in the п¬Ѓrst of three Twenty20 internationals at the Adelaide Oval yesterday. Rossouw, making his T20 international debut, smashed three sixes and seven fours in his 50-ball knock to get the Proteas home with 145 for three. The Australians, earlier, could only manage 144 for six off their 20 overs after winning the toss. South Africa lost Reeza Hendricks off the third ball of the innings but Rossouw combined with wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock (46 off 39 balls) to put on a matchwinning 129-run partnership for the second wicket. By the time Rossouw skied Pat Cummins to Ben Cutting in the 15th over, the Proteas only needed 16 runs for victory. “Fortunately for me, tonight was my night,” Rossouw said. “You’ve got to be on top of your game and if it’s your night you have to capitalise.” “It’s very nice batting with Quinton, it takes a lot of pressure off your shoulders. Every opportunity I get I want to shine and luckily for me tonight was my night,” Rossouw added. The Proteas’ well-drilled bowling and outstanding п¬Ѓelding kept the Australians under pressure with Shane Watson, in his п¬Ѓrst international appearance for seven months, top-scoring with 47 off 36 balls. Watson’s innings, with support from James Faulkner (41 not out), revived the home side after a poor start. The Australians struggled to 67 for four after 10 overs with both their international debutants, Ben Dunk and Nathan Reardon, failing. Dunk made just two and Reardon four after opening batsmen Aaron Finch (14) and Cameron White (24 from 21 balls) had begun briskly. “I thought we were pretty disappointing with the bat. It was a beautiful wicket and the guys at the top of the order didn’t really go on and get that big score,” said Finch, Australia’s T20 captain. “There were a lot of starts and it was disappointing to get out like that, but the way we fought with the ball was pretty impressive.” The openers took 27 from the initial three overs before tight bowling and brilliant п¬Ѓelding stifled the Aussies. White cracked an uppish cut only for Farhaan Behardien to snaffle a superb overhead catch at point, while Reardon’s debut dig was spectacularly cut short by Proteas wicketkeeper de Kock. Paceman Kyle Abbott was the pick of the South African bowlers with three for 21 off four overs. Australia must win the second match in Melbourne tomorrow to keep the series alive until Sunday’s third and п¬Ѓnal game in Sydney. South Africa’s Rilee Rossouw in full flow against Australia during their Twenty20 match at the Adelaide Oval yesterday. South Africa won by seven wickets (AFP) Masakadza ton boosts Zimbabwe AFP Dhaka H amilton Masakadza deп¬Ѓed Bangladesh’s spinners with an unbeaten 154 to take Zimbabwe to a respectable position in the second Test in Khulna yesterday. The tourists had reached 331-5 in their п¬Ѓrst innings by stumps on the third day, trailing Bangladesh’s total of 433 by 102. Masakadza made the most of the home team’s sloppy п¬Ѓelding to hit 17 fours and two sixes after starting the day on 15. He was dropped thrice by the same п¬Ѓelder, Shamsur Rahman, in the slips when on 15, 19 and 74. Rubel Hossain, Taijul Islam and Shakib Al Hasan were the unlucky bowlers. Masakadza, who made just one half-century in six previous Test innings in Bangladesh, shared an unbroken stand of 142 with Regis Chakabva (75 not out) for the sixth wicket. Chakabva was on four when Bangladesh captain Mushп¬Ѓqur Rahim missed a simple stumping off Shakib. When he reached nine, the batsman was reprieved by the Decision Review System after being given out leg-before off Shakib. Masakadza celebrated his fourth Test century with a boundary off Shakib through SCOREBOARD Bangladesh (1st inngs) ............ 433 Zimbabwe (1st innings) S Raza lbw Taijul .......................... 11 B Chari c Tamim b Taijul .......... 25 H Masakadza (batting) ............. 154 B Taylor c Mominul b Shakib . 37 C Ervine c Rahim b Shakib...... 17 E C’bura c Mominul b Shakib 1 R Chakabva (batting) ................ 75 Extras (b2, lb7, w1, nb1) ............ 11 Total (5 wkts, 112 overs) ........... 331 Fall of wickets: 1-17 (Raza), 2-84 (Chari), 3-151 (Taylor), 4-181 (Ervine), 5-189 (Chigumbura) Bowling: Shahadat 11-2-24-0, Taijul 30-6-94-2, Shakib 30-6-703, Jubair 18-2-63-0 (nb1), Rubel 13-4-31-0 (w1), Shuvagata 7-0-270, Mominul 1-1-0-0, Mahmudullah 2-0-13-0 the third man region. Shakib, bowling steady left-arm spin, picked up the wickets of Brendan Taylor (37), Craig Ervine (17) and Elton Chigumbura (one) in the post-lunch session to reduce Zimbabwe to 189-5. But Masakadza and Chakabva deп¬Ѓed the spinners in the entire п¬Ѓnal session to lead a spirited п¬Ѓghtback. Bangladesh lead the threematch series after winning the п¬Ѓrst Test in Dhaka by three wickets last week. The third Test between the two lowest-ranked teams— Zimbabwe at number nine and Bangladesh at 10—will be played in Chittagong from November 12-16. The Tests will be followed by п¬Ѓve one-dayers. SCOREBOARD Australia C White c Behardien b Parnell ............ 24 A Finch c Rossouw b McLaren ........... 14 S Watson c Duminy b Abbott .............. 47 B Dunk c Duminy b Tahir ....................... 2 N Reardon c de Kock b Abbott ........... 4 J Faulkner (not out) ................................. 41 B Cutting c Miller b Abbott ................... 6 P Cummins (not out) ............................... 0 Extras (lb2, w3, nb1) ................................ 6 Total (6 wickets, 20 overs) ................... 144 Fall of wickets: 1-33 (Finch), 2-42 (White), 3-48 (Dunk), 4-67 (Reardon), 5-124 (Watson), 6-142 (Cutting) Bowling: Abbott 4-0-21-3, Rabada 3-027-0, Parnell 4-0-28-1 (1nb), McLaren 3-0-27-1, Duminy 2-0-8-0 (1w), Imran Tahir 4-0-31-1 (2w) South Africa R Hendricks c Dunk b Bollinger ......... 0 Q De Kock c White b Boyce .................. 46 R Rossouw c Cutting b Cummins ...... 78 JP Duminy (not out)................................. 6 D Miller (not out) ....................................... 9 Extras (lb2, w4).......................................... 6 Total (3 wickets, 19 overs) .................... 145 Fall of wickets: 1-0 (Hendricks), 2-129 (Rossouw), 3-130 (De Kock) Bowling: Bollinger 3-0-22-1, Cummins 4-0-21-1 (2w), Richardson 3-0-28-0 (1w), Watson 1-0-13-0, Boyce 4-0-31-1, Faulkner 3-0-17-0, Cutting 1-0-11-0 Zimbabwe’s Hamilton Masakadza plays a shot during his unbeaten knock of 154 against Bangladesh yesterday. (AFP) ICC AWARDS Sangakkara, Johnson in line for a rare double AFP Dubai P roliп¬Ѓc Sri Lankan batsman Kumar Sangakkara (pic left) and п¬Ѓery Australian paceman Mitchell Johnson (right) were in line for a rare double as Cricketer of the Year after a shortlist of nominees was announced yesterday. The International Cricket Council (ICC) chief executive David Richardson announced the shortlists for the 2014 awards, with the winner to be announced on November 14. During the voting period of August 26, 2013 and September 17, 2014, the 2009 winner Johnson claimed 59 wickets in eight Tests at an impressive average of 15.23. Sangakkara, who won this prestigious award in Colombo in 2012, п¬Ѓnished as the leading run-getter during the same period with 1,502 runs in 11 Tests. Since the start of the ICC awards in 2004, no cricketer has won it twice. The people’s choice award, voted for by fans, was won by India’s fast-rising paceman, the 24-year-old Bhuvneshwar Kumar. “This award means a lot to me as I didn’t get it only for my individual performance but because of the love and support of my fans,” Kumar told the ICC. Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews and South Africa’s AB de Villiers are also in the shortlist for Cricketer of the Year award. Johnson, Mathews and Sangakkara as well as Australia opener David Warner have also been in contention for the ICC Test Cricketer of the Year award. For the ICC one-day Cricketer of the Year award, South African trio of Quinton de Kock, Dale Steyn and de Villiers will vie with India’s Virat Kohli. For the ICC women’s cricketer of the year award, two former winners have been shortlisted. These are England captain Charlotte Edwards, winner in 2008, and two-time winner Stafanie Taylor of the West Indies. They are joined by India captain and number-one ranked batter Mithali Raj and England wicketkeeper-batter Sarah Taylor. England duo of Gary Ballance and Ben Stokes, and New Zealand’s pair of Corey Anderson and Jimmy Neeshan have been shortlisted for the ICC emerging cricketer of the year award. There will be a new winner of the ICC women’s T20 cricketer of the year after the previous two awards were won by England’s Sarah Taylor. The players shortlisted this year are Charlotte Edwards of England, Meg Lanning of Australia, India’s Mithali Raj and West Indies’ Stafanie Taylor. Alex Hales’s 116 not out against Sri Lanka in the ICC World Twenty20 in Bangladesh 2014, Aaron Finch’s 156 against England in 2103 and Rangana Herath’s п¬Ѓgures of п¬Ѓve wickets for three runs against New Zealand in the ICC World Twenty20 Bangladesh in 2014 have earned them nominations for the ICC Twenty20 International performance of the year award. Afghanistan’s Mohamed Nabi and Samiullah Shenwari, and the Scotland duo Calum MacLeod and Preston Mommsen will п¬Ѓght for the best player award from the Associates and Affiliates teams. The ICC also announced its Test and one-day teams for 2014, with Sri Lanka’s Angelo Mathews as captain for the longer format while Dhoni will lead the limited-overs team. ICC Test squad: Angelo Mathews (captain, David Warner, Kane Williamson, Kumar Sangakkara, AB de Villiers, Joe Root, Mitchell Johnson, Stuart Broad, Dale Steyn, Rangana Herath, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor(12th man). ICC One-day squad: M.S. Dhoni (captain), Mohammad Hafeez, Quinton de Kock, Virat Kohli, George Bailey, AB de Villiers, Dwayne Bravo, James Faulkner, Dale Steyn, Mohammad Shami, Ajantha Mendis, Rohit Sharma (12th man). 6 Gulf Times Thursday, November 6, 2014 CRICKET OPINION Chuckers can make a quick return, says Kumble AFP Dubai L egendary Indian leg-spinner Anil Kumble (pictured right) said yesterday he believes that bowlers under scrutiny for suspect action can quickly return to competition after remedial work. The 44-year-old spinner is the head of cricket committee of the International Cricket Council (ICC) which in June this year recommended stringent measures against bowlers with suspect actions. That resulted in the suspension of high proп¬Ѓle bowlers such as Pakistan’s Saeed Ajmal, Sri Lanka’s Sachitra Senanayake, Zimbabwe’s Prosper Utseya, New Zealand’s Kane Williamson and Bangladesh’s Sohag Gazi. Those suspended needed remedial work before another assessment to get clearance. Kumble, who took 619 Tests and 337 one-day wickets, said necessary corrective measures can help. “I am really positive that bowlers who have been reported will make those necessary corrections and will be back,” Kumble, who is here for the ICC awards shortlist, told reporters. “It is just a matter of time before you see them back in action. Once that happens I don’t think they will even discuss anything to do with the angles.” Kumble said he himself suffered the problem at an early age. “When I started as a 13-year old as a fast bowler I was told to stop by my senior colleagues because they felt that I was bending my arm as a fast bowler,” recalls Kumble, who besides England’s Jim Laker was the only bowler to take all ten wickets in a Test innings. “There was no television, no video then so they said you should not be bowling that way because that came natural to me so immediately I changed to bowling leg-spin.” Kumble stressed suspect bowling actions should be spotted and corrected at an early age. “It is important that we encourage bowlers at an early age because once you have a kink in the arm for various reasons it is very difficult to correct it as you go along, so you want to ensure that people with good clean actions are coming through from the bottom of the pyramid and hence it is important that it gets addressed,” said Kumble. Kumble said controversial delivery вЂ�doosra’ (one which turns the other way than a normal offbreak) can be bowled within the allowed limits of 15 degree elbow extension. “Nobody has said bowling doosra is illegal it is the action that is all we are saying. So I don’t think we should allow any change in rules,” said the master leg-spinner of his times. Bangladesh pacer Hossain cleared of illegal action Bangladesh fast bowler Al-Amin Hossain has been cleared of an illegal bowling action following independent tests, the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced yesterday. Hossain, 24, was reported during the first Test against the West Indies in St Vincent in September, but tests conducted in India revealed his deliveries were legal as per ICC regulations. “During a comprehensive analysis it was revealed that the amount of elbow extension in Al-Amin’s bowling action for all deliveries was within the 15-degree level of tolerance permitted under the ICC regulations,” a statement from the world governing body said. The analysis was performed at the ICC’s newly accredited testing centre at the Sri Ramachandra University in Chennai on October 20, the statement added. Hossain, who has played six Tests and 18 limitedovers internationals, opted out of the ongoing second Test against Zimbabwe in Khulna to write his university exams. The ICC recently launched a drive against suspect actions, leading to the suspension of leading bowlers like Saeed Ajmal of Pakistan and Sachithra Senanayake of Sri Lanka. SPOTLIGHT FOCUS We wanted to call off Australia tour over Monkeygate: Sachin вЂ�I must reiterate we were very serious about the boycott and we were fully prepared to accept the consequences of walking out on the tour’ вЂ�Tendulkar’s career would have been incomplete without World Cup triumph’ Agencies Dubai W asim Akram has said that the ICC World Cup is the ultimate for a professional cricketer, adding that the 2011 Mumbai triumph completed the career of India maestro Sachin Tendulkar. In his column on the eve of 100 days to go for World Cup 2015 celebrations, Akram, who played in four World Cups against Tendulkar, wrote: “Personally, I think a World Cup triumph completes the career of a professional cricketer. And the testament to this are the reactions of Sachin Tendulkar when he lifted the World Cup in his sixth attempt in Mumbai in 2011. “These were an expression of total satisfaction from a modest and humble player who wanted to win the World Cup so desperately. On April 2, 2011, Tendulkar engraved his name in gold as the greatest, most accomplished and complete cricketer.” Akram won the World Cup with Pakistan in 1992, skippered the side to the п¬Ѓnal in 1999, and was a member of the sides that reached the semi-п¬Ѓnal in 1987 and quarter-п¬Ѓnal in 1996. However, his last World Cup appearance was a forgettable one as Pakistan failed to reach the Super Six stage. “In contrast, there are some of the modern day icons who have never tasted a World Cup success. Ask Brian Lara, Rahul Dravid, Saurav Ganguly and Jacques Kallis, and they will tell you what is missing from their distinguished careers. “Likewise, talk to Mike Gatting and he will share his regret of playing a reserve sweeping shot in the 1987 World Cup п¬Ѓnal, and I am sure the dropped catch of Steve Waugh in Headingley in 1999 still haunts Herschelle Gibbs. “Similarly, Waqar Younis will be cursing his early career п¬Ѓtness issues which forced him to return home just before the start of the 1992 World Cup,” the fast bowling legend wrote. Akram was the player of the 1992 World Cup п¬Ѓnal in Melbourne, and is the third leading wicket-taker in World Cup history, behind Glenn McGrath (71) and Muttiah Muralidaran (58), with 55 wickets. In 2009, he was inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame. (From left) Former Indian cricketers Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly, VVS Laxman and Sachin Tendulkar at the launch event of his autobiography Playing It My Way yesterday. (AFP) IANS Mumbai I ndian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar yesterday said he defended teammate Harbhajan Singh staunchly during the infamous вЂ�Monkeygate’ dispute in Australia and his stance “almost caused the tour to be called off ”. Tendulkar, speaking at the launch of his autobiography Playing It My Way, said that Indian team was willing to abandon their 2007-08 Australia tour over the incident and was ready to accept the consequences of such a dramatic move. Harbhajan was banned for three matches by match referee Mike Procter following an altercation with Andrew Symonds during the second Test in Sydney. Australia won the match by 122 runs to take a 2-0 lead in the four-match Test series. Tendulkar maintains all through his book that “Harbhajan had not racially abused” Symonds. “I must reiterate we were very serious about the boycott and we were fully prepared to accept the consequences of walking out on the tour, knowing that such an action might have resulted in the ICC banning the Indian team,” Tendulkar writes in the book. The Indian team were scheduled to play a tour game in Canberra after the second Test but decided “to lodge an appeal Sachin Tendulkar with elder brother Ajit (left) and wife Anjali at the book launch. (AFP) against the decision and in a gesture of protest also decided not to travel to Canberra”. The Indian batting legend said that they didn’t agree with Procter’s verdict. “The hearing in Sydney had been something of a farce. That he banned Bhajji for three months seemed to show up which group in his opinion was lying. It is never a pleasant thing to be called a liar and I was extremely angry,” writes Tendulkar. Tendulkar was batting with the offspinner when the incident happened and he has given a full account of the incident in his book. “Bhajji was actually trying to be civil with some of the Australian players, including Brett Lee, when all hell broke loose. Bhajji had playfully tapped Lee on the back after completing a run and Sy- monds at mid-off took exception to this.” “He apparently did not want an opposition player meddling with Lee and once again hurled abuse at Bhajji. Bhajji is an impulsive and passionate individual and it was only a matter of time before he would retaliate, which he soon did.” Tendulkar blamed Symonds for the things to turn ugly and said that it was Symonds who provoked Harbhajan and not the other way round as the Australians had claimed. Tendulkar thought that the “matter had ended” after Harbhajan’s dismissal but was surprised to hear that a formal complaint had been lodged against Harbhajan with the allegation of Harbhajan having called Symonds a “monkey”—a racial insult. “Even so, I still believe that the matter would not have been blown so out of proportion if Ponting had discussed it with the captain Anil Kumble, Harbhajan and the Indian team management before reporting the incident to Mike Procter. In turn, Mike Procter could also have handled the matter with a little more sensitivity.” In a glittering event at a posh hotel yesterday, Tendulkar released his much awaited autobiography. Emcee Harsha Bhogle took the packed hall through Tendulkar’s life and the evolution of Indian cricket with on-stage conversations with Sunil Gavaskar, Dilip Vengsarkar, Vasu Paranjpe, and the вЂ�fabulous four’—Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman and Tendulkar himself. The formal book release, which has been published by Hachette India, saw Tendulkar present a copy to his п¬Ѓrst coach and guru Ramakant Achrekar. The batting maestro earlier presented the п¬Ѓrst copy to his mother Rajni before the launch. “This book is a different sort of innings for me and was in the making for the last three years. As with the game, I have been honest and sincere in putting together various aspects of my life and the book is something I hope readers will enjoy,” said Tendulkar. The book has already set the Indian record for the largest adult hardback orders on the day of release with 100,000 copies being released by the publishers. Sachin Tendulkar presents a copy of his autobiography to his coach Ramakant Achrekar as daughter Sara looks on. (AFP) Gulf Times Thursday, November 6, 2014 7 SPORT WGC-HSBC CHAMPIONS TOURNAMENT SPOTLIGHT Scott leads charge in McIlroy’s absence вЂ�It’s definitely a loss for the golf tournament, but it’s still a very, very strong field to beat’ Reuters Shanghai ADAM SCOTT W orld number two Adam Scott is ready to take advantage of the absence of Rory McIlroy at the $8.5 million WGC-HSBC Champions tournament starting here today. Australian Scott is part of a stellar п¬Ѓeld that includes 40 of the top 50 players in the world at the only World Golf Championships event played outside the United States. The 2013 Masters champion has only played once since the American season ended in mid-September, a jetlagged tie for 38th at the Japan Open last month which followed a surп¬Ѓng holiday in Costa Rica. But after a week of dedicated practice back home in Queensland last week, Scott is raring to go again. He acknowledges that McIlroy’s late withdrawal—to prepare for a court case over a dispute with his former management company—is a blow to the event, but understands that every player has to deal with offcourse issues from time to time. After all, Scott himself skipped this event last year to recharge his batteries for a busy end-ofyear campaign in Australia. “I know HSBC and everyone involved understands that’s the way this game is,” Scott told reporters at Sheshan yesterday. Scott, who was surpassed at the top of the world rankings by McIlroy in early August, acknowledges that his chances of victory are helped without the presence of the Northern Irishman. “Selп¬Ѓshly, (his missing) opens up the п¬Ѓeld a little bit this week,” he said. US Open champion Martin Kaymer agreed. “It’s deп¬Ѓnitely a loss for the golf tournament, but it’s still a very, very strong п¬Ѓeld to beat,” said the German. “One player, usually it doesn’t make a difference, but when you talk about number one in the world, of course you think, OK, one player less to beat and a good one less to beat.” Kaymer has played only two competitive rounds since helping Europe win the Ryder Cup in late September, preferring instead to recharge his batteries for three consecutive tournaments to end the European Tour season. McIlroy is not the only big name missing this week. Tiger Woods is also absent as he continues to rehabilitate from back surgery, while fellow American Dustin Johnson will not defend his title as he deals with personal issues. But the tournament, in its 10th year, appears п¬Ѓrmly established to the point where it no longer relies on the presence of a single superstar. Haas, Price proud to captain Presidents Cup teams Reuters Incheon, South Korea D rawing players from the far-flung corners of the globe and trying to build a team just days before the Presidents Cup has been a factor in the Internationals’ poor record in the event, but 2015 captain Nick Price has a few tricks up his sleeve to change things around. Price, speaking at a news conference in Incheon yesterday, said it was difficult to build cohesiveness when players from different tours on different continents, and who speak different languages, had only days to prepare together for the biennial event. Since the Cup was п¬Ѓrst staged in 1994, the United States have won eight and tied one of the 10 events. Price’s International team will again have their work cut out to halt the slide when the event comes to South Korea next year at the Jack Nicklaus Golf Club from Oct 8-11. Price, who has played in the event п¬Ѓve times, said he had attempted to overcome the logistical difficulties as captain ahead of the 2013 event by travelling around the world to meet potential players and formulate a strategy. “In 2012 I made a concerted effort to go out and meet all the players in the 15 months preceding the event and started talking to them,” he said. “Especially the veterans, Adam Scott, Ernie Els, Jason Day, guys who had played in multiple Presidents Cups, and asked them what they felt was lacking. Or what was going to be the best way for us to motivate the team and get them п¬Ѓred up to play against the Americans in America.” Price’s team for the 2013 Cup at Muirп¬Ѓeld Village in Ohio consisted of players from his home country of Zimbabwe as well as South Africa, Australia, Argentina, Canada and Japan. “The unusual thing was that the only time we were all in the Nick Price same room together for the п¬Ѓrst time was on the Monday before the event,” he added. “But the cohesiveness of that team, and the morale and team spirit was so evident in that п¬Ѓrst meeting, they were so keen and had the mindset that this was going to be the one that we were going to turn it around.” TRICK UP HIS SLEEVE? Unfortunately, the International team could not translate that conп¬Ѓdence off the course to success on it, losing for the п¬Ѓfth straight time. “What happened over the next п¬Ѓve, six days can only be surmised by saying: вЂ�That’s golf.’ I don’t know how best to explain it. Those guys played their hearts out, they played their tails off, did everything they possibly could on the course to stop the Americans from winning again. But we lost. “So it leaves me in a bit of a dilemma as to how to approach the 2015 Presidents Cup,” added Price, who won three majors in the early 1990s. “I think I’m going to do a lot of the same things—travel and spend time and have dinners with them. There’s a lot of work ahead of us, coming up with a team that can take on the might of America. But I have a few tricks up my sleeve this year.” Like Price, US team captain Jay Haas played in the very п¬Ѓrst Presidents Cup in 1994 and was a winning assistant captain to Fred Couples for the last three editions. “It sure doesn’t seem like 20 years has passed since that п¬Ѓrst Presidents Cup,” he said. “Being here the last couple of days, the magnitude of the event has hit home.” Khan preps for Alexander with eye to bigger things European Tour chief O’Grady to step down The most powerful man in European golf, George O’Grady, confirmed yesterday he was stepping down as chief executive of the European Tour. O’Grady, in Shanghai ahead of the WGCHSBC Champions event which begins today, said he had asked the European Tour’s board of directors to start the process of appointing his successor. The European Tour said in a statement it would make no further comment on the appointment process until the season-ending DP Tour Championship in Dubai in two weeks’ time. Ryder Cup star Justin Rose, the 2013 US Open champion, was one of the first players to pay tribute to O’Grady after the announcement. “It’s a shame that he’s stepping down,” Rose told AFP at Sheshan International Golf Club. “He’s had a good reign, a long reign and overcome challenges with the economic downturn during that time, especially in mainland Europe. “In recent times, one of the things I’ve been talking to George about is really just trying to get some of the historic events back on The European Tour, British Masters for example. “As he rolls out of his position, hopefully tournaments like that will come back on to the calendar and he can take some credit.” O’Grady will remain in his position until his successor takes office. He was only the third chief executive in the Tour’s history when he took over at the beginning of 2005 from Ken Schofield, who had been in charge for 30 years. O’Grady’s most notable achievements were the creation of the Race to Dubai and in 2013 the “Final Series” of four big-money European Tour events. This year’s series began last week with the BMW Masters, also in Shanghai. He also took part in the process that saw golf reinstated at the Olympic Games from Rio 2016. “In the aftermath of what I believe to have been the best presented Ryder Cup since my first involvement in the contest at Royal Lytham in 1977, I felt this was the right time to ask the board to begin the search for my successor,” O’Grady said in a statement issued in Shanghai. “I have agreed with the board to stay not only for the time it takes to appoint a new CEO but also for sufficient additional time after that to see them properly settled in. “The board also agreed that, at that stage, I will take up a role as president of international relations which will see me represent the European Tour through the Olympic Games in 2016.” Amir Khan sees his December 13 welterweight bout against Devon Alexander as a springboard to bigger things, but that doesn’t mean he’ll take the US southpaw lightly. “Obviously it’s going to catapult the winner to bigger fights,” Khan said Tuesday at a Los Angeles press conference to promote the bout at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. “Alexander wants the big fight, I want the big fight against Mayweather, Pacquiao. “First of all I have to get through this fight in good style. I’m not looking past this fight I have to stay hungry, stay focused.” In a sense, Khan-Alexander has been a year in the making. Britain’s former International Boxing Federation and World Boxing Association light welterweight world champion was slated to fight Alexander, who boasts a record of 26-2 with 14 knockouts, last December in New York. At the time, Alexander held the IBF welterweight title, but Khan opted out of the bout, thinking he was in line for a mega-fight with Mayweather that never materialised. Since then, Alexander has surrendered the title to Shawn Porter, and Khan’s fellow Brit Kell Brook seized it from Porter in August. Khan is coming off a victorious welterweight debut in May, when he looked impressive in a unanimous decision over former champion Luis Collazo. That bout was on the undercard of Mayweather’s fight against Marcos Maidana—the foe the unbeaten American selected in preference to Khan—and saw Khan quickly shake off any rust from a 12-month ring absence. TENNIS Berdych still searching for his вЂ�chosen one’ Reuters Paris I van Lendl might be вЂ�way too busy’ to be his mentor but Tomas Berdych has not given up the dream of jumping on the вЂ�super coach’ bandwagon. If he needs any pointers on how to carve out a successful coaching relationship with a grand slam champion, the players’ lounge at the 02 Arena is the place to be during the ATP World Tour Finals which start on Sunday. Should Berdych decide to hang out in the area, he could п¬Ѓnd the place buzzing with the presence of no less than п¬Ѓve вЂ�super coaches’. Three years after Andy Murray pulled off a coup by hooking up with eighttimes grand slam champion Lendl, the super-coach seems to have become a вЂ�must-have’ accessory for many of the top players. Eighties rivals Boris Becker and Stefan Edberg have become familiar sights in the locker rooms after they were lured back into the day-to-day grind of grand slam tennis by Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer respectively. Goran Ivanisevic and Michael Chang will also be in London to oversee the progress of ATP Finals debutants Marin Cilic and Kei Nishikori, while Murray’s вЂ�chosen one’ is now Amelie Mauresmo. Berdych’s desire to draft in Lendl to his coaching set up was an obvious one— with both hailing from the Czech Republic—but the man who guided Murray to Olympic glory and two grand slam titles simply could not commit to a fulltime job with the world number seven. “We had a meeting when I got back from Shanghai. It didn’t work out because Ivan decided he’s not able to give the full amount of the weeks that he would like to give,” Berdych told Reuters in an interview in the run up to the season п¬Ѓnale. “He is going to be busy with his activities and his stuff, so not with him.” Berdych has already drawn up a shortlist of champions he would like to work with but after the talks with Lendl failed to produce the desired effect, the 2010 Wimbledon runner-up is keeping tight lipped about his possible targets. “I’m not going to say anything because that’s not the way I want to deal with those people. He is going to be sitting at home reading an article that’s about him. It needs to be done by a proper way,” explained Berdych as he ran his п¬Ѓngers through strands of his dark hair which were sticking out from underneath his back-to-front baseball cap. UNLUCKY FOR ME “I’m trying to bring a guy with a different experience... all those experi- ences that he can have from playing those big matches or prepare a player for those big matches. It is a person that can be a consultant or just on top of my current team who are doing a great job. “It’s not easy to just say I want to work with (a particular) past champion and it’s going to work out. It also is about who that person is and... seeing if that’s the right decision and if (the relationship) can work out. If you put 10 coaches together, all of them are going to have different things that they can see, they can adjust and that they can make better. “I am looking to improve myself. One day I am going to (retire) and I want to say, вЂ�That was quite a successful career and I’ve tried everything I possibly can’.” What he would like to achieve more than anything else is to improve his lopsided 11-46 losing record against the Big Three of Federer, Rafa Nadal and Djokovic. It has been 10 years since he п¬Ѓrst burst into the spotlight by railroading Federer at the 2004 Athens Olympics but since then his wins over the tennis establishment have been few and far between. So does Berdych feel lucky or unlucky to be playing in what he described as “the best era of our sport”? “Well I would say unlucky and, on the other hand, I think sometimes it is a pleasure to be a part of that and to have had the chance to play the best guys like Roger and Rafa,” said Berdych, who has been drawn with world number one Djokovic in Group A at the Finals. “I don’t think there will ever be another time when someone is going to achieve more (than them). “But it’s also been unlucky for me as it’s much harder to п¬Ѓght for one of the slams and the higher rankings.” Despite the misfortune he has suffered with the timing of his career, Berdych said he still had plenty to look forward to despite turning 30 next year. “Yes I still enjoy playing and the whole career is still very much developing year-by-year and I have to say it is very different from the п¬Ѓrst years to now, and I like it,” he explained with a grin. “There are certain stages that you have in your career that you have to go through and that’s what I enjoy. That’s why I always п¬Ѓnd some new motivation to go another year. “For me it’s more fun now because I am older, I am more experienced and I enjoy it even more.” The Barclays ATP World Tour Finals will be held at The O2 in London from November 9-16. 8 Gulf Times Thursday, November 6, 2014 SPORT BASKETBALL BASEBALL Red-hot Rockets rout Heat in battle of NBA unbeaten вЂ�The grit was something I was proud of’ Molitor introduced as Twins manager P aul Molitor, a Hall of Fame player and native of neighbouring St. Paul, was introduced as Minnesota Twins manager Tuesday, succeeded Ron Gardenhire after the latter was relieved of his duties to end his 13-season stint in the dugout. Molitor is the 13th manager of the Twins since the franchise moved to Minnesota from Washington D.C. in 1961, but only the third since 1986. Third baseman Pablo Sandoval rejected a $15.3 million qualifying offer from the San Francisco Giants, Fox Sports reported Tuesday. The 28-year-old Sandoval was a key player in the Giants’ run to the World Series championship. He was one of 12 free agents in Major League Baseball who were extended qualifying offers on Monday. Terry Francona and the Cleveland Indians agreed to a contract extension that includes team options for 2019 and 2020. The deal adds two years to Francona’s current deal. He was originally signed to a four-year deal entering the 2013 season when he was named American League Manager of the Year. The Los Angeles Angels signed Cuban middle inп¬Ѓelder Roberto Baldoquin to a contract with a bonus of $8 million, MLB.com reported Tuesday. Baldoquin, who defected from Cuba in February and has been living in the Dominican Republic, is expected to begin his US baseball career in the minor leagues but could be a future replacement for Angels second baseman Howie Kendrick. The Chicago Cubs reached a oneyear, $4 million contract agreement with left-hander Tsuyoshi Wada on Tuesday. The Japanese pitcher was called up from the minor leagues in July and posted a 4-4 record with a 3.25 ERA in 13 starts for the Cubs. The deal with the Cubs includes the potential to earn $2 million in bonuses for games started. NFL roundup В„ Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson entered a no-contest plea Tuesday to a reduced charge of misdemeanor reckless assault and avoided jail time in his felony child abuse case. Peterson received probation, 80 hours of community service and a $4,000 fine as part of the agreement. He appeared in a Montgomery County, Texas, courthouse before Judge Kelly Case. В„ The Pittsburgh Steelers will be without injured safety Troy Polamalu and linebacker Ryan Shazier for Sunday’s game against the New York Jets. Coach Mike Tomlin said Tuesday that Polamalu sprained his right knee in the second quarter of the Steelers’ 43-23 victory over the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday night when he got caught underneath Ravens running back Justin Forsett on a tackle by Steelers teammate Stephon Tuitt. В„ The Indianapolis Colts activated defensive back LaRon Landry off the suspended list after he sat out four games for violating the NFL’s policy on performance enhancing substances. The 30-year-old Landry has 23 tackles in four games this season. He’s in his second season with the Colts after spending five years with the Washington Redskins and one with the New York Jets, totaling 583 career tackles and six interceptions. Houston Rockets guard James Harden (centre) takes a half court shot as Miami Heat forward Chris Bosh (left) during their NBA game in Miami on Tuesday. (USA TODAY Sports) DPA Los Angeles I f the unbeaten Houston Rockets were a movie, they would be in 3D. Dwight Howard had 26 points and 10 rebounds Tuesday night and the Rockets used their “3-and-D” attack to pull away in the second half for a 108-91 victory over the host Miami Heat, who suffered their п¬Ѓrst loss of the season. James Harden totalled 25 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds for the Rockets (5-0), who continued their league-leading three-point barrage. Houston came in averaging 13.5 three-pointers in 31 attempts and surpassed both by draining 17-of-37 shots from the arc. “I think we shot the ball well, especially in the second half,” Howard said. “We moved the ball, we found the open man and we didn’t rush. We took what the defence gave us and we made plays off of it.” “They had us scrambling sometimes,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “If you can defend a handful of those a little bit better, get that number down (so) that’s a little bit more manageable - but we didn’t and they lit us up.” Off to their best start in 18 years, the Rockets also continued their surprisingly stout defence, holding Miami 18 points below its average. Houston has yet to allow more than 93 points. “There are a lot of areas we can still improve on,” Rockets coach Kevin McHale said. “But the grit was something I was proud of. The guys got after it and after they made that run we found a way to just keep on grinding.” The Heat (3-1) cut the deп¬Ѓcit to 90-86 with 7:01 to play on consecutive threepointers by rookie Shabazz Napier and Justin Hamilton. Houston responded with 13 straight points as Trevor Ariza drained three three-pointers and Harden had a follow shot and blocked a shot to set up Patrick Beverley’s layup. “My teammates and I showed tremendous conп¬Ѓdence, especially in the fourth quarter when they knocked down two threes to cut the lead to four,” Harden said. “We responded and we just took it from there.” Ariza scored 19 points, making 5-of-8 three-pointers. He leads the NBA with 21 threes and Harden is third with 13. “You have to give credit to Harden,” Heat center Chris Bosh said. “He played a fantastic game. He had a good game plan. He was ready for us. He made every single play throughout the game.” The Rockets trailed, 47-40, before Harden scored 10 points in the п¬Ѓnal four minutes of the half to give Houston a 5755 lead. Harden’s three-pointer triggered a flurry that included one from Ariza and two from Beverley to extend the advantage to 77-64 midway through the third period. Bosh, who was pursued by Houston this summer before re-signing with Miami, scored 11 of his 21 points in the third quarter to help cut the deп¬Ѓcit to 83-77. Beverley had four three-pointers and scored 15 points for the Rockets, who shot 51 per cent (35-of-68) overall. Dwyane Wade scored 19 points but none in the fourth quarter for the Heat, who shot 42 per cent (31-of-74). RESULTS LA Lakers ........... 106 Miami ...................... 91 New York Knicks 83 Toronto................100 Portland ............... 101 Chicago ................. 98 New Orleans .....100 Indiana ................... 81 Phoenix .................... 112 Houston.................. 108 Washington .............98 Oklahoma .................88 Cleveland ..................82 Orlando .................... 90 Charlotte ....................91 Milwaukee ................ 87 NHL Bruins happy with 2 points By Steve Conroy Boston Herald (MCT) T he Bruins did not exactly put on the most scintillating of shows for the sellout crowd last night at the Garden, but these days style doesn’t matter. With Zdeno Chara, David Krejci, Torey Krug and Kevan Miller all out of the lineup, the only thing that counts is the result. And with 1:33 left in overtime, Brad Marchand provided the result the B’s wanted. After being thwarted on a couple of great scoring chances, Marchand danced around defenseman Dylan Olsen and beat Roberto Luongo with a high, hard snap shot to lift the Bruins to a 2-1 victory against the Florida Panthers. The B’s had just one line going, the Bergeron trio, and the breakouts were slightly off. While coach Claude Julien wasn’t dishing out many compliments, he was pleased with the nature of the victory. “It wasn’t a perfect night. We really struggled with that,” said Julien. “But you know, let’s understand one thing here. I’m really proud of the character that we showed to п¬Ѓght through that. From the start of the game in the п¬Ѓrst and even in the second period until we scored that (п¬Ѓrst) goal, it was really a tough game for us. But the guys found a way to tie the game and we found a way to win it. “There was a lot of character in this win tonight, even though it wasn’t pretty. It takes character throughout the season to win those kinds of games.” These are not the Panthers we are used to seeing. Under new coach Gerard Gallant, they are much more dedicated to playing within a defensive structure. They’d come in having allowed just six even-strength goals in nine games, but their own goals had been hard to come by. Being without Jonathan Huberdeau, Aleksander Barkov, Brandon Pirri, Dave Bolland and Sean Bergenheim didn’t help. Still, the visitors jumped on the board п¬Ѓrst. After a scoreless п¬Ѓrst, Jussi Jokinen took a drop pass and, with plenty of room in front of Dougie Hamilton and Dennis Seidenberg, ripped a wrist shot over Tuukka Rask’s glove at 4:04. The B’s had shown little offense to that point, but the Florida goal woke them up, and it wasn’t long before the Bergeron line did something about it. Reilly Smith pinned Derek MacKenzie along the left half wall in the offensive zone and pushed the puck free to Marchand. Marchand made a short pass to Bergeron, who п¬Ѓred a turnaround shot that beat Luongo over the glove at 7:29 to tie it up with a goal that was desperately needed. While the rest of the lines looked out of sync the whole night, the Bergeron unit remained on the attack. Bergeron led all players with six shots and Marchand had В„ Quarterback Tony Romo was not an active participant in the Dallas Cowboys’ walkthrough practice in London on Tuesday as he works through ongoing discomfort in his surgically repaired back. “I think it continues to get a little bit better incrementally every day and you just reassess it every day,” Romo said. В„ Safety Jordan Kovacs was added to the Miami Dolphins’ 53-man roster on Tuesday. Kovacs spent training camp with the Dolphins and was signed off of the Philadelphia Eagles’ practice squad. Kovacs replaces Michael Thomas, who was placed on injured reserve Monday with a chest injury suffered Sunday against the San Diego Chargers. В„ The four receptions in three games Greg Little (pictured) recorded since joining the Cincinnati Bengals aren’t likely to earn him much publicity ahead of Thursday’s AFC North meeting with the Cleveland Browns, the wide receiver’s original team. But comments from the former second-round pick, including criticising general manager Ray Farmer and coach Mike Pettine, make Little a big point of conversation. “Everything about this game is personal for me and I’m going to treat it that way,” said Little, who signed with the Bengals on Oct. 14 after being released by the Browns in May and cut again by the Raiders. “And I’m going to put my team in the best position to win.” В„ Of the 25,040 players and 8,924 relatives sent concussion settlement notices by the NFL, approximately 200 opted out of the league’s proposed $765 million deal which is pending approval. The New York Times reported a small number of additional players attempted to opt out but missed a filing deadline. Players who opt out retain the right to file individual suits but would likely need to prove culpability of teams and doctors. В„ Upon closer review, Washington Redskins coach Jay Gruden still wants to see improvement from quarterback Robert Griffin III. “The jury is still out on that position,” Gruden said. “We feel good about Robert’s progress so far and we’ve just got to continue to build and see how he does from week to week.” Griffin missed six games with a dislocated ankle and didn’t show much rust early in the game, completing six of his first seven passes. But he was 12 of 18 the rest of the game. В„ The Redskins activated wide receiver Leonard Hankerson from injured reserve on Tuesday and waived cornerback Chase Minnifield. The Redskins also released offensive tackle Terren Jones from the practice squad. Calgary Flames’ Markus Granlund and Washington Capitals’ Nate Schmidt skate after the puck during their NHL game in Washington, DC, on Tuesday. Flames won 4-3. (AFP) п¬Ѓve, combining for 11 of the B’s 25 shots in the game Marchand was stymied a couple of times, but this would not end in frustration. When Hamilton handed him back a Florida clear attempt in the neutral zone, Marchand churned the legs, got past Olsen and snapped off the winner. OTHER RESULTS Dallas.......................... 1 Los Angeles ................3 New Jersey .............0 MontrГ©al ..................0 Ottawa .......................3 Colorado .................. 2 Arizona ......................3 Minnesota ................ 1 Winnipeg ..................3 Boston ...................... 2 Philadelphia ........... 4 Washington .............3 Columbus................ 2 St. Louis .........................1 Chicago ........................5 Detroit ............................1 Vancouver ...................5 Toronto .........................2 Pittsburgh .................. 4 Nashville .......................1 Florida ................. 1 (OT) Edmonton ....................1 Calgary .............. 4 (OT) Carolina ....................... 4 В„ The Seattle Seahawks signed veteran tight end Tony Moeaki amid a flurry of moves Tuesday that also included re-signing wide receiver Bryan Walters. The Seahawks have been juggling their tight end depth chart with Zach Miller recovering from ankle surgery. Among Tuesday’s moves, the Seahawks released tight end Brett Brackett from the practice squad. В„ The San Francisco 49ers waived tight end-defensive tackle Demarcus Dobbs on Tuesday and signed cornerback Chance Casey to the practice squad. Dobbs had 10 tackles in six games this season. He came to the 49ers as an undrafted free agent in 2011 and logged 57 tackles in 45 career games. В„ The New York Giants received confirmation that cornerback Prince Amukamara is done for the season with a torn biceps. Gulf Times Thursday, November 6, 2014 9 SPORT BOTTOMLINE Qatar 2015 Profiles New Handball Stadia at 4th Coliseum Summit MENA ConfEx held in Doha By Sports Reporter Doha, Qatar Q atar 2015 participated at the 4th Coliseum Summit MENA ConfEx (Conference and Exhibition) with a keynote address delivered by Fahad Fadol al-Yafei, Head of the Venues Committee, Qatar 2015. The two-day event, held in Doha, saw the participation of 280 delegates representing 26 countries and helped facilitate discussions on challenges and solutions in the global sports venue sector. Qatar 2015’s keynote address on the second day of the summit provided an overview of the preparations to date for the 24th Men’s Handball World Championship, including the construction of the three new world-class venues – Qatar Handball Association Complex, Al Sadd Sports Hall and the Lusail Multi-Purpose Hall. Eng. Fahad Fadol Al-Yafei, Head of 4th Coliseum Summit MENA ConfEx, a two-day event held in Doha, saw 280 delegates from 26 nations participating. the Venues Committee, Qatar 2015, said: “Qatar is completing major preparations in its role as host nation for the 24th Men’s Handball World Championship. Our teams are working hard to incorporate all the technical requirements of the sport, as well as the design elements needed to deliver a superb spectator experience at each of the venues. In addition to meeting the guidelines and recommendations of the IHF, the competition venues have also been built to host other sports matches and tournaments in the future.” All three venues have been built to include competition and training facilities to support the development of handball in Qatar. In addition, the Al Sadd Sports Hall and Lusail MultiPurpose Halls have been designed so that they can host a full range of sports, such as badminton, basketball, volleyball, rhythmic gymnastics – and even ice hockey, in the case of Al Sadd Sports Hall. With seating capacities of 7,700 and 15,000 respectively, the two Halls will provide ideal destinations for SPOTLIGHT Injury puts star striker Khalfan out of Gulf Cup Stephane Ladjadj rides Botanic Garden to Sealine Cup win вЂ�It has been another fruitful day for me. Hopefully we can continue the same way during the season’ By Chris Hoover Doha A brilliant turn of foot in the straight enabled Khalifa bin Sheail al-Kuwari’s Botanic Garden to assert his superiority over his six rivals in the Sealine Cup, a Thoroughbred Conditions race, which featured the п¬Ѓfth day’s races on the sand track of the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club yesterday. Frenchman Stephane Ladjadj had Botanic Garden dictate the pace from the word вЂ�go’ with Trinityelitedotcom in close proximity but the character of the race altered once these two runners took the п¬Ѓnal stretch. Trinityelitedotcom failed to quicken while Botanic Garden kept on increasing the lead to go clear of the п¬Ѓeld. Hunting Tartan п¬Ѓnished with a late rally to take the second spot. Trainer Ghazali who saddled the winner completed a treble for the day. “It has been another fruitful day for me. I am very happy with the performance of Botanic Garden. Even Muhim and Big Gees did well to win their races today. Hopefully we can continue in the same way during the season,” trainer Ghazali told the Gulf Times. In the opening event of the day, Al Sadd Stud’s Thameem held on gamely from a fast п¬Ѓnishing Urban Dreamer to win the Thoroughbred Maiden Plate. The Marvin Suerland ridden Thameem raced prominently into the straight and took charge inside the п¬Ѓnal 200 metres and kicked clear and lasted out to win from Urban Dreamer to shed his his maiden status in its п¬Ѓfth outing. River Goddess and Katja also п¬Ѓnished on strongly to п¬Ѓnish a close third and fourth respectively. The winner was saddled by Nasser al-Kaabi. Bustavi Ismail saddled Saint De Faust displayed blinding speed in the п¬Ѓnal furlong to take charge and win the Pure Arabian Handicap for horses rated 50 to 80. Jockey Almotasem alBalushi timed his challenge to a nicety along the rails while overhauling Al Mostarsil in the п¬Ѓnal stages of the contest. Nomaas and Ashkal were third and fourth, while Candahar after a sluggish start п¬Ѓnished on with a purpose to п¬Ѓll the frame. Jassim al-Ghazali trained Muhim (Declan Cannon up) was a pillar to post winner of the Pure Arabian Handicap for horses rated 60 and below. Though Lady’s Sandman (Pheiffer astride) came up with a challenge at the 200 metre marker, Muhim unleashed a terriп¬Ѓc run in the п¬Ѓnal furlong to stretch away from the pack and win quite comfortably. Zallal was three lengths behind in third ahead of Saif Brooq. Jockey Suerland took his second win for the day when he rode out 10-year old Big Gees to a commanding victory in the Thoroughbred Handicap for horses rated 55 to 75. Big Gees took the lead at the start and made very post a winning one as he cantered home to his п¬Ѓfth career win in 44 starts. Sunley Pride was a faraway second ahead of Marked Card and Statesmanship. Trainer Ghazali completed a double with Late Debate (Yanis Aouabed up) recording a fluent win in the Thoroughbred Handicap for horses rated 75 to 95. After racing a handy second until the home turn, Late Debate stepped up the pace and went away to win as he pleased. The manner sports fans in Qatar. He added, “Projects like this are challenging and have risks, but these risks can be managed by keeping all stakeholders involved from the very beginning – which is what we have done. Following up with tight project control and monitoring progress helps to ensure timely project completion and avoid surprises during the project implementation. By following these measures, we have already overcome most challenges and have delivered two stadia with the third is on its way to completion. We are positive that the event will leave a lasting legacy for sport and for spectators in Qatar.” The Qatar Handball Association Complex was trialled and tested during the recent IHF Super Globe Championship 2014, proving to be an excellent venue for the international event and receiving extremely positive feedback from visitors and competing teams. Qatar 2015 plans to test the other two venues before the main championship event in 2015, by hosting similar events there. Qatar star Khalfan Ibrahim has been ruled out of the upcoming Gulf Cup after suffering a knee injury in training before playing North Korea in a tune-up match ahead of the regional event. The Al Sadd striker, 26, sustained a partial tear of a knee ligament and is expected to be out for three or four weeks. Khalfan’s withdrawal constitutes a major blow for Qatar’s preparations as coach Djamal Belmadi will go through his first assignment without one of his main attacking guns. Khalfan was named the Asian player of the year award in 2006, becoming the first Qatari to win the title. He played for Al Arabi at youth level before moving to Al Sadd in 2004 before leading the Doha based club to winning the AFC Champions League in 2011. QFA organises week-long activities in Landmark Mall QREC general manager Sami Jassim al-Boenain (centre) is seen with the winners of the Sealine Cup at the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club yesterday. the pace, Mullen did well to bring Haashed into contention and the Smart trainee quickened well to overhaul Al Mizan in the п¬Ѓnal 50 metres to win by one and a half length. Trainer Jassim al-Ghazali and Sheail bin Khalifa al-Kuwari lead in Botanic Garden (Ladjadj astride) after a victorious outing in the Sealine Cup at the QREC yesterday. PICTURES: Juhaim Jockey Stephane Ladjadj rides Botanic Garden to a half length victory over Hunting Tartan in the Sealine Cup, which featured the eight event card at the QREC yesterday. of this victory suggests that the Ghazali trainee is capable of an encore when saddled next. Though it took 10 outings for Ibrahim alMalki schooled Sylvia Pankhurst to break through the maiden ranks, the four-year old bay п¬Ѓlly came up with a dazzling performance in the Thoroughbred Handicap for horses rated 60 and below. After setting her own pace for the six furlong trip, the Malki trainee skipped away from her rivals and won with a measure of comfort by three lengths from Barzan who was in futile chase of the winner. Jockey Richard Mullen showed a lot of mettle in riding out Julian Smart trained Haashed to its second career win with a power packed ride in the Local Bred Pure Arabian Conditions race run over nine furlongs. Though coming from way off RESULTS: 1st race: Thameem (Marvin Suerland) 1, Urban Dreamer 2, River Goddess 3, Katja 4. Won by: ВЅ, Вѕ, Shd. Time: 1:13.89. Trained by: Nasser al-Kaabi. Owned by: Al Sadd Stud 2nd race: Saint De Faust (Almotasem al-Balushi) 1, Al Mostarsil 2, Nomaas 3, Ashkal 4. Won by: 3, Вѕ, Nk. Time: 1:20.29. Trained by: Bustavi Ismail. Owned by: Jassim bin Ali al-Attiya 3rd race: Muhim (Declan Cannon) 1, Lady’s Sandman 2, Zallal 3, Saif Brooq 4. Won by: Вѕ, 3, Вѕ. Time: 1:21.07. Trained by: Jassim al-Ghazali. Owned by: Hamad bin Abdulrahman bin Hamad al-Attiya 4th race: Sylvia Pankhurst (Declan Cannon) 1, Barzan 2, Diamond Laura 3, Safonic Sound 4. Won by: 3 ВЅ, 1, 3 ВЅ. Time: 1:13.02. Trained by: Ibrahim al-Malki. Owned by: Saeed Ibrahim Saeed al-Malki 5th race: Big Gees (Marvin Suerland) 1, Sunley Pride 2, Marked Card 3, Statesmanship 4. Won by: 5, 6, 1. Time: 1:57.02. Trained by: Mohammed Majid. Owned by: Hamad bin Abdulrahman bin Hamad al-Attiya 6th race: Late Debate (Yanis Aouabed) 1, Glossy Posse 2, Elkhart 3, One Cool Bex 4. Won by: 3 ВЅ, 9, Nk. Time: 1:54.32. Trained by: Jassim alGhazali. Owned by: Shaheen bin Khalid Shaheen al-Ghanim 7th race: Haashed (Richard Mullen) 1, Al Mizan 2, Thawi 3, Maazouz 4. Won by: 1 ВЅ, 1 Вѕ, Shd. Time: 2:07.85. Trained by: Julian Smart. Owned by: HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa al-Thani 8th race: Botanic Garden (Stephane Ladjadj) 1, Hunting Tartan 2, Trinityelitedotcom 3, Millers Wharf 4. Won by: ВЅ, 3, ВЅ. Time: 1:12.03. Trained by: Jassim al-Ghazali. Owned by: Khalifa bin Sheail al-Kuwari. The Qatar Football Association (QFA) is organising an array of activities in Landmark Mall to promote the National Team’s first match in the 22nd Gulf Cup against hosts Saudi Arabia. The match is set for kick off on 13th November at 7:00pm in King Fahad Stadium, Saudi Arabia. The QFA booth is located near Circus Land and will open its doors to the public on 6th November from 6:00pm until 10:00pm, and will run until Thursday, 13th November. Football fans visiting the mall this week can look forward to a festive booth that has an exciting football theme which the whole family can partake in. COUNTLESS ACTIVITIES The football-themed booth will have activities such as football plinko, a mini football pitch, gaming zone, photo wall, gift counter to distribute the prizes for the winners, and a Qatar Airways area which aims to engage the fans by offering special travel packages to Saudi Arabia to allow them to be part of this important regional tournament. Khalid al-Kuwari, Executive Director of Operations (Acting), QFA said: “We are delighted to welcome our fans to the QFA booth which offers countless games and activities and allows them to show their support to the national team during the Gulf Cup. We hope everyone enjoys what we are offering at Landmark Mall and wish our national team the best of luck next week.” The 22nd Gulf Cup kicks off on 13th November and runs until 26th November as eight gulf nations will compete for the title. Group A of the tournament includes Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Yemen and Qatar while Group B consists of United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Iraq and Oman. 10 Gulf Times Thursday, November 6, 2014 SPORT 12TH FINA WORLD SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS CONTINUATION Leading sponsors show support for FINA World C’ship QMMF president al-Attiyah to run for FIM Vice President’s post once more вЂ�I would like to thank all of our generous sponsors whom have pledged their support for this year’s swimming season finale. We look forward to witnessing the excitement of all the action and sharing those moments with local and international crowds alike’ QMMF President, Nasser bin Khalifa al-Attiyah. By Sports Reporter Doha N asser bin Khalifa alAttiyah (QMMF President) is running for the post of the FIM Vice President for the second time at the elections which will be held in Jerez, Spain from November 20-24th this year. Apart from the elections, there will also be the FIM Annual General Assembly headed by Vito Ippolito, FIM President and the agenda of the meeting will also include the release of new championships in the Middle East region, Asia, Africa and Latin America taking into account the increased popularity of twowheeler sport all over the world. The QMMF president expressed his optimism about being re-elected again for the same position for the next 4 years considering the support he is getting. Al-Attiyah won the last election in October 2010 when he got 74 out of 94 votes. Vito Ippolito kept his position as FIM President and Portuguese Jorge Viegas got the position of the second Vice President with 53 votes. It was recently announced that Viegas will be competing with Ippolito for the president’s position. Al-Attiyah goes into this election having achieved quite a lot in his current tenure which includes facilitating communications between European and Asian motorsport unions, organisation of the many championships like the MX championship in Qatar which is considered the п¬Ѓrst of its kind, and many others organised at the Losail International Circuit. All eyes on the election now. LEARNING Action from last year’s men’s 100m freestyle finals. (Below) The Hamad Aquatic Centre. tion, Khaleel al-Jabir, President of Qatar Swimming Association and CEO of Doha 2014, commented: “I would like to thank all of our generous sponsors whom have pledged their support for this year’s swimming season п¬Ѓnale. We look forward to witnessing the excitement of all the action in the pool and sharing those moments with local and international crowds alike.” By Sports Reporter Doha A s preparations continue for the 12th FINA World Swimming Championships (25m) to take place in Doha, December 3rd – 7th, a host of leading organisations have proudly pledged their support as official sponsors of the event. Held at the Hamad Aquatic Centre, the event promises to be one of the most successful sporting events of the year as the world’s best swimmers come together for п¬Ѓve days of thrilling action. Aspetar, the п¬Ѓrst specialised Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Hospital in the Gulf region and Aspire Logistics, the strategic business unit of Aspire Zone Foundation join Save the Dream, a joint initiative between Qatar Olympic Committee and the International Centre for Sport Security designed to promote and protect the core values of sport as lo- cal sponsors. Creative partner The Look Company, Technogym, Zoom Arts, Virgin Megastores, Aspetar and Khazan Water have also generously pledged support to the world class event. вЂ�ICSS’ - International Centre For Sport Security (Save the Dream) and UNESCO completes the line-up of sponsors. Speaking ahead of the competi- DOHA TO HOST FINA CONVENTION Directly ahead of the World Championships, Doha will host the 3rd FINA Aquatics Convention. The convention will run from November 29 – December 1 and provides a platform for industry leaders and decision makers to facilitate and support sustainable growth of aquatic sports throughout the world. Taking place at The Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Doha, the conference includes the FINA Extraordinary Congress, a session to determine future innovations and rule changes in the sport, and the 2nd FINA Gold Swimming Coaches Clinic, a knowledge-sharing opportunity for toplevel coaches. Additionally, 250 future stars of the swimming world and almost 150 of their coaches have conп¬Ѓrmed their places at the Youth Programme for the 12th FINA World Swimming Championships (25m). Developed by Qatar Olympic Committee, under the patronage of General Secretary His Excellency Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman al-Thani, the Youth Programme has been created with the goal of inspiring and motivating the future world champions, record holders and Olympians of swimming. It is the п¬Ѓrst of its kind and will run in parallel with the FINA World Swimming Championships in Doha, December 3-7. Don’t miss the opportunity to witness the excitement of the 12th FINA Swimming World Championship, December 3rd – 7th 2014 by picking up your tickets from Virgin Megastores and online at tickets.virginmegastore.me. Speakers and delegates from Josoor Institute’s course вЂ�Sustainability for Sports & Major Events’. By Sports Reporter Doha BOTTOMLINE Chevrolet announces official sponsorship for Qatar Racing Club’s 2014–2015 season their cars and bikes in a safe and controlled environment. By Sports Reporter Doha J aidah Automotive, a subsidiary of Jaidah Group, and the exclusive dealer of Chevrolet branded motors in Qatar, has announced it will sponsor Qatar Racing Club (QRC) and its activities for the 2014-2015 season. Chevrolet is also the official sponsor for the six rounds of Qatar National Drift Championship, and the sub-sponsor for Arabian Drag Racing League, Qatar Mile, Sand Dunes Drag, and the Qatar National Street Drag Championship. The races will take place at Josoor Institute’s вЂ�Sustainability for Sports & Major Events’ concludes successfully the Qatar Racing Club’s stateof-the-art facility, which is the most technically advanced and outп¬Ѓtted drag racing facility in the country. It allows participants to unleash the power of вЂ�SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY’ Mohammed Jaidah, Group Executive Director of Jaidah Group said, “We are delighted to be the official sponsors for QRC and all their races, as it is Jaidah’s mission to support motorsports, especially in a safe environment. He added, “With great American racing products like the Chevrolet Camaro participating, it only made sense to support our community and strengthen our relationship with car enthusiasts. Our partnership with QRC is one of the highlights of our local sponsorship portfolio, and we look forward to being more involved in such events.” The QRC has been creating motorsport events in a safe environment since 2008. This is strongly aligned with Chevrolet’s racing heritage of more than 100 years of creating highperformance sport cars, making this a strong and legitimate partnership. “We invite all Chevy owners and supporters to attend the races and enjoy the thrill of discovering just how versatile our cars are, as well as how much of an adrenalin rush they can experience just watching the cars drift and show-off their speed,” said Khalid Samir, Operations Director at Jaidah Automotive. The time to race is coming soon. S peakers and delegates who participated in Josoor Institute’s course titled вЂ�Sustainability for Sports & Major Events’, which was held on 4-5 November, and concluded successfully. The course was attended by over 70 delegates from Qatar and the region, including FAs of Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Yemen and Tunis. The introductory two-day course, which was hosting during the Doha GOALS Forum, examined sustainability for sports and major events from an environmental, social and economic perspective. It also examined the global implications facing sports and events practitioners in the region. As Qatar looks to host more international events building up to the FIFA World Cupв„ў in 2022 and continuing with its drive for sustainable stadia design, the course drew global and regional best practice to one platform. Josoor Institute will be introducing a set of lengthier courses in early 2015, which will offer professional certiп¬Ѓcates and diplomas. These more in-depth educational programmes are designed to give a deeper understanding of the industry and develop the skills required to work in sports and events for those leaving higher education or those planning a career. Qatar Cricket Association to hold selection camp for women’s under-19 team on November 8 Qatar Cricket Association has organised a selection camp for women’s under-19 to select talented women for a coaching camp on 8th November 2014 (Saturday) at 2.30pm. at the West Bay cricket ground (Dafna). After the training suitable players will be selected for the Gulf Cup Women’s T-20 Cricket Championship to be held in Muscat, Oman in mid December 2014 Skilled players who has played cricket in Doha or in their country and are born in Doha or have completed two years residence in Doha are eligible for the Selection Camp. They should bring with them passport copy, two photographs and have valid residence permit. All enquiries to be made to Mrs Maryam Gul (66194764) Mrs Shivani Mishra Tel 66417375, QCA Office 44641514 Gulf Times Thursday, November 6, 2014 POSTER N A R D P A E R I O L Italy and Juventus Footballer World Cup Winner, Champions League Winner вЂ�Metronome’ 11 Thursday, November 6, 2014 SPORT GULF TIMES SPOTLIGHT Asian officials support Qatar’s right and ability to host 2022 WC QNA Doha Q atar Football Association president Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani said that various Asian sports п¬Ѓgures have reiterated their support for the State of Qatar, and its right and ability to organise the football world cup in 2022. Speaking after his meeting with a number of heads of delegations participating in the ongoing Doha GOALS Forum, he stressed that these senior sports officials said that the right to organise the tournament was not only important for Qatar, but also for all the countries, and people of the Arab region and the Asian continent. They also expressed their support for a Qatari candidate to assume one of the leading positions in AFC, such as a member of an executive office of FIFA for Asia, or vice president of the AFC for West Asia. The QFA president said that the Asian footballing п¬Ѓgures underscored the right of the State of Qatar to lead- ership positions in view of Qatar’s possession of competencies capable of making a positive role in favour of both international and continental sports. He met FIFA vice president and Jordan Football Association chairman Prince Ali Bin al-Hussein, Tunisian Minister of Youth and Sports Saber Buati, Palestinian Football Federation boss Jibril Rajoub and Japan Football Association vice president Tashima Kohzo. Sheikh Hamad also met presidents of various football federations, including Saudi Arabia’s Dr Ahmed Eid, Lebanon’s Hashim Haider, Iraq’s AbdulKhaliq Masood, Sri Lanka’s Ranjith Rodrigo, Kyrgyz Republic’s Semetei Sultanov, Senegal’s Augustin Senghor and Thailand’s Makud. These officials are currently in the Qatari capital to attend the Doha GOALS Forum. The meetings were an opportunity for consultation on many important issues, and led to agreements on many of the key sporting matters that fulп¬Ѓl public interest in various forums. They were also an opportunity for the guests to pay tribute to the great role played by Qatar in supporting sporting issues. FIVB BEACH VOLLEYBALL QATAR OPEN FOCUS Pereira-Santos go down fighting in opening match Doha is making its debut as a World Tour venue By Yash Mudgal Doha Q atar’s top-bet team of Jefferson Pereira and Thiago Santos went down п¬Ѓghting against Germany’s Max Betzien and Niklas Rudolf in their п¬Ѓrst match of the main round in the FIVB Beach Volleyball Qatar Open at the Qatar Beach Volleyball Academy (QBVA) courts in Al Gharafa yesterday. Much was expected from the reigning Arab champions, but they lost 2-0 in the Group A match in 40 minutes. The Pereira-Santos pair, currently ranked 39th in the world, lost the п¬Ѓrst game 19-21 and second 18-21. Their best performance this season was the quarterп¬Ѓnal appearance at the Anapa Open in Russia in June. They had also triumphed at the Khanom-Chang Asian Beach Volleyball Tour event in Thailand. Mahmoud Essam-Asef Sultan, the second team of Qatar, also lost their Group B п¬Ѓrst match as they were outplayed by the Canadian pair of Josh BinstockSam Schachter 2-0 (21-17, 21-13). The Parana Open gold medal winning pair of BinstockSchachter played superbly to win their first match against the hosts. The pair was playing in just their seventh FIVB World Tour event but once again they combined very well to finish the game in 30 minutes. Qatar’s third team Abdel Rasool-Abdulaziz Khalouf also lost their п¬Ѓrst Group C match to Latvia’s Aleksandrs SamoilovsToms Smedins 2-0 (21-15, 2117). Qatar’s fourth team -Ahmed Tijan- Cherif Younousse – lost to Omana’s Haitham-Ahmed 3-0 in the qualifying round on Tuesday. The last time Qatar п¬Ѓelded more than one team was at the Durban Open in South Africa last December. Doha is making its debut as a World Tour venue. Previously it hosted beach volleyball as part of the Doha 2006 Asian Games. The World Tour is made up of 10 Grand Slam tournaments and eight Opens. The next and п¬Ѓnal tournament on the 2014 World Tour is the Mangaung Open in South Africa that runs from December 9-14. Action from the opening day of FIVB Beach Volleyball Qatar Open. PICTURE: Thajudheen DOHA GOALS Cyclists don’t have to win at any expense: Boyer By Sports Reporter Doha E ric Boyer, former professional road racer, said yesterday that athletes exist to win but don’t have to win at any expense. Boyes was talking at Doha GOALS Forum discussing the crisis in cycling. In an onstage conversation with Cycling Anti-Doping Foundation director Francesca Rossi and Andrey Kashechkin, former professional cyclist, he explained that the pressures to win come not only from an athlete’s competitive nature but also from the enterprises that provide sponsorship, the п¬Ѓnancial problems they encounter, and the health of the athlete. Andrey Kashechkin, founder of an academy for young cyclists in Belgium, told the session that cycling is one of the most popular sports despite the issues surrounding the sport but that we need to change the values of this sport by our words and deeds. He said “It is essential to have a program that is well structured and that has to take into account the professionalism of the sport. The cyclists have to be helped by people outside of the sport.” Acknowledging that we have seen some great improvements in the technologies used to put an end to doping, Francesca Rossi believed that the focus should be on education to prevent doping. She said “We also have to focus on education to prevent doping. We need to create leaders who can say no to cheating, and education is the key to doing just that.” Former professional road racer Eric Boyer in conversation with former cyclist Andrey Kashechkin and Cycling Anti-Doping Foundation director Francesca Rossi. Third edition of Doha GOALS concludes By Sports Reporter Doha T he Doha GOALS Forum drew to a close yesterday, bringing together over 1,800 participants from all over the world during the three days and conп¬Ѓrming its position as a catalyst for real social, political and economic change through the power of sport. The opening sessions featured presentations from some of the Doha GOALS Forum projects that have already been implemented, including a prosthetics programme with champions Stephane Houdet and Hou Bin, with two of the recipients coming to the Forum to join the debates. Student ambassadors from Romania and Canada also reported on initiatives they had set up after being inspired by attending the forum last year; and the results of the initiative to build sports courts in Palestine, Gabon and Afghanistan were also shared. During the closing session, ideas for new initiatives were presented to address areas as diverse as women in sport; sport for community health – physical or mental health, as well as building bridges; sport for integrating fragmenting communities; and using sport to п¬Ѓght against discrimination of all kinds – by race, faith, or capabilities. Doha GOALS executive producer Richard Attias said: “Listening to all these ideas, it is clear is that you want to help us extend the reach of the Doha GOALS Forum community. Every single initiative suggested needs the cooperation of multiple stakeholders in sport – so it’s clear that the need for a Doha GOALS community grows every stronger.” Among the many interesting topics discussed, big data was of course part of the exchanges both in terms of athletes and sports team performance but also for common fans and amateur athletes. The dedicated panel agreed that the volume and power of data will continue to grow but that there will always be a need for a human element in sport. This third edition of the forum brought together a diverse range of world leaders, football federations, sporting heroes, business leaders and students. Among the speakers included former World Heavyweight Boxing Champion and US Olympic Gold medallist, George Foreman, who captivated the audience and spoke about how we all have a common responsibility for each other. Other participants included former German goalkeeper Oliver Kahn; Jamaican Triple Olympic gold medallist, Veronica Campbell-Brown; Triple Olympic Gold medal winner and current director of USA Track &Field, Jackie Joyner-Kersee; Ali Bongo Ondimba, President of Gabon, Vice President of the International Olympic Committee, Sir Craig Reedie; Former London 2012 Chairman, Seb Coe; Triple Paralympic Champion, Hou Bin, French Sec- retary of State for Sports, Thierry Braillard. Ali Bongo Ondimba, President of the Gabonese Republic: “Furthermore, thanks to remarkable efforts like Global Watch and the Doha GOALS Forum initiative to eradicate racism in sport, today sport is uniting to п¬Ѓght the darker side of human society, to build a safer, more integrated environment for people of all backgrounds to come together. “It is important that Heads of State and CEOs around the globe demonstrate their personal support for sportsmen and women, by making the effort to attend sporting events and to encourage them to aspire to compete with dignity and to excel on their chosen п¬Ѓeld, court or pitch.” Hassan al-Thawadi, Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy secretary general, said: “Doha Goals is particularly unique in the way it engages young people. Students are incorporated as an integral part of the event, providing them with the chance to learn from some of the best minds in the sporting industry, and in turn, for those minds to learn from the ideas and concepts that the students raise in taskforces and in panel discussions. This combines to produce a conference that is rich in substance and unapologetically ambitious in its aim to make a difference to the world through sport. “This focus on youth, innovation and making a difference through sport forms the essence of our hosting of the 2022 FIFA World Cup and our plans to ensure that the legacy of this event beneп¬Ѓts our country, and our region for decades beyond the п¬Ѓnal ball is kicked.” “Students are incorporated as an integral part of the event, providing them with the chance to learn from some of the best minds in the sporting industry, and in turn, for those minds to learn from the ideas and concepts that the students raise in taskforces and in panel discussions,” Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy secretary general Hassan al-Thawadi said Participants addressed four main touchstones at this year’s forum: engaging youth, innovation and creativity, empowering people, and the role of sport in the Middle East and North Africa. The forum provided the opportunity for the entire Doha GOALS community to meet and establish collaborative projects. Hundreds of one-on-one meetings took place alongside the forum through the Community Connect app. On the question of racism which was discussed on many occasions, HE Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman al-Thani, Secretary General of Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) described the team work as a real key to п¬Ѓght against racism, calling for the development of values like friendship and excellence.
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