Daily Newspaper - 2014 - 11 - 02 - 000000

SUNDAY Vol. XXXV No.
9529
November 2, 2014
Moharram 9, 1436 AH

www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals GULF TIMES
Latest Figures
17,390.52
+195.10
+1.13%
13,498.86
-277.03
-2.01%
80.54
-0.58
-0.71%
DOW JONES QE NYMEX
p
u
b
lis
h
e
d
in
Q
A
T
A
R
s
in
c
e
1
9
7
8
Abdul Aziz al-Kuwari
clinches Oman
International Rally title
Aspetar
to start
two more
facilities
soon
QATAR
REGION
ARAB WORLD
INTERNATIONAL
COMMENT
BUSINESS
CLASSIFIED
SPORTS
28, 29
1 10, 21 24
11 20
1 12
4 11, 30 32
12
13
14 27
INDEX
QATAR | Page 9
SPORT | Page 12
QATAR | Diplomacy
Emir to visit China
and South Korea
HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin
Hamad al-Thani will pay oficial
visits to China and South Korea
starting fromtomorrow. During
the two-day visit to China, the Emir
will hold talks with President Xi
Jinping on bilateral relations and
ways to enhance them. Regional
and international issues will also
be discussed. On Wednesday, the
Emir will begin the visit to South
Korea where he will hold talks
with President Park Geun-hye on
co-operation between the two
countries and ways to enhance it.
The meeting will reviewregional
and international issues as well.
REGION | Politics
Yemeni parties sign
deal on new govt
Yemens main political factions,
including the Houthi rebels,
yesterday signed an agreement
mandating the president and
prime minister to forma new
government in an efort to defuse
political tensions that have crippled
the impoverished state. Yemeni
Prime Minister Khalid Bahah will
head the selection of the new
ministers with consultation from
President Abdrabuh Mansour Hadi,
an statement e-mailed fromthe 13
political parties said. Page 12
AMERICA | Spaceship
Branson determined
to fnd cause of crash
Billionaire entrepreneur Richard
Branson said yesterday he was
determined to find out what caused
a passenger spaceship being
developed by his space tourism
company to crash during a test
flight in California, killing one pilot
and injuring the other. Page 15
In brief
Qatars crude has been classified
as Dukhan and Marineand the
average of the two makes up the
price
By Pratap John
Chief Business Reporter
Q
atar may well end the finan-
cial year on a budget surplus
despite the slump in global
oil price by about 25% since June
due to a glut in the market, weaker
demand and a gloomy global growth
outlook.
Qatar has already earned an av-
erage $104.8 a barrel in the first six
months of the current fiscal up to
September, against the conserva-
tive oil price assumption of $65/b in
the budget for 2014-15, official data
show.
And the Qatari crude fetched
$105.59 a barrel as average price
from January to September.
Qatars crude has been classified
as Dukhan and Marine and the aver-
age of the two makes up the price.
The average price earned by Qa-
tari crude in April was $106.03/b
($106.85 Dukhan and $105.2 Ma-
rine), $107.25 (May - $108.05 Dukhan
and $106.45 Marine), $109.75 (June
- $110.65 Dukhan and $108.85 Ma-
rine), $107.54 (July - $108.45 Dukhan
and $106.62 Marine), $102.45 (Au-
gust - $103.2 Dukhan and $101.7
Marine) and $95.95 (September-
$96.95 Dukhan and $94.95 Marine).
Even at the conservative oil price
assumption of $65 a barrel, Qatar
had projected a budget surplus of
QR7.3bn in the current financial
year.
With Qatari crude earning
close to $105 a barrel in the first six
months of this financial year, the
surplus could be much higher, an
official source told Gulf Times.
At $107 a barrel, Saudi-based
Samba Financial Group estimated
that Qatars budget surplus might
exceed $24bn, or 11.2% of the coun-
trys GDP (gross domestic product),
in 2014-15.
But this estimate looks a bit am-
bitious now given the oil price has
fallen drastically since the Samba
report in August.
According to the official source,
Qatari crude price declined year-
on-year (y-o-y) only twice between
2005 and 2013. And that was in
2009 (-34.7%) and 2013 (-2.8%).
In both the years, the Opecs Bas-
ket, West Texas Intermediate and
Brent prices too declined year-on-
year.
The average price Qatari crude
earned between 2005 and 2013
was; $51.69 a barrel (2005), $62.93
(2006), $70.02 (2007), $95.14
(2008), $62.09 (2009), $77.83
(2010), $108.6 (2011), $111.23 (2012)
and $108.13 (2013).
The Opecs basket price between
2005 and 2013 was; $50.64 (2005),
$61.08 (2006), $69.1 (2007), $94.45
(2008), $61.06 (2009), $77.45
(2010), $107.46 (2011), $109.45
(2012) and $105.89 (2013).
A recent Reuters dispatch showed
Qatars budget surplus in the first
quarter of this financial year (April-
June) at QR79bn compared with a
deficit of QR24.4bn a year earlier.
Citing the Qatar Central bank
data, the agency said the surplus was
equivalent to 41.7% of the countrys
gross domestic product.
Revenue surged to QR117.8bn in
the first quarter, nearly the same
amount as the state collected in the
whole first half of last year, from a
mere QR17.1bn a year ago, it said.
Qatar is set for
budget surplus
despite oil dip
TheQatari crudefetched
$105.59abarrel as average
pricefromJanuaryto
September
PM calls for timely
completion of projects
QNA
Doha
H
E the Prime
Minister and
Minister of In-
terior Sheikh Abdullah
bin Nasser bin Kha-
lifa al-Thani yesterday
called for the timely
completion of projects
in Qatar and announced
measures for the eco-
nomic development of
the country.
During a meeting
with senior govern-
ment of cials to moni-
tor projects related to
economic development
in Qatar, the Prime
Minister urged themto
adhere to schedules and
delivery plans.
The meeting at the
Emiri Diwan was held
upon the directives of
HH the Emir Sheikh
Tamim bin Hamad al-
Thani.
The Prime Minister
also urged the officials
to notify him as early
as possible if there
were any obstacles or
problems hampering
the implementation
HE the Prime Minister
Sheikh Abdullah: meets with
senior government oficials.
of the projects or caus-
ing any delay in delivery
dates.
He called for setting
specic dates for award-
ing and launching tenders
and directed that imme-
diate solutions be found
to overcome obstacles. He
issued directives and de-
cisions that included the
provision of stores and
logistics areas.
He also issued di-
rectives for dealing
with workers housing
projects, through a spe-
cial committee of the
Ministry of Municipality
to prepare a comprehen-
sive budget for landneed-
ed by the state during the
next ve years.
To boost Qatars eco-
nomic activity, the Prime
Minister asked the Min-
ister of Economy and
Commerce to formulate
a plan through incentives
for the private sector.
He called for a com-
prehensive assessment of
the tourism activity and
a strategy to serve and
enhance the sector. The
Prime Minister entrusted
the Minister of Economy
andCommerce to drawup
a plan to expand the ac-
tivity of stock exchange
markets.
The Prime Minister
approved projects to pro-
duce fodder in the state.
He also approved the start
of joint eforts between
the Ministry of Economy
and Commerce and the
Environment Ministry
on agricultural and food
security. He also issued
directives to start the
implementation of three
new central markets to
serve citizens.
HH the Father Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani and HH Sheikha Moza bint
Nasser attending a function to mark the 18th anniversary of the Al Jazeera channel,
held at the St Regis Doha yesterday.
Al Jazeera anniversary
QATAR
Gulf Times
Sunday, November 2 , 2014 4
Ooredoo Mobile Internet Card users
to get data boost until end of the year
O
oredoo has launched
a new upgrade on
Mobile Internet
Cards.
Until the end of 2014,
every customer who acti-
vates a Mobile Internet Card
will get ten times the data
allowance, enabling themto
surf more than ever before.
This ofer is available on
every Mobile Internet Card,
so customers who purchase
the value-packed QR20
Card will get 2.5GB worth of
data, rather than the stand-
ard 250 MB.
Customers who pur-
chase the top-of-the-range
QR200 card will get an in-
credible 150GB up from
15GB.
Thanks to the ofer, QR60
cards will nowprovide 10GB
allowance, QR80 cards will
ofer 30 GB and QR100 will
deliver a massive 60GB if
activated before 31 Decem-
ber 2014, a company re-
lease said.
Ooredoo is able to ofer
this boost in data allowance
because of its success in up-
grading its nationwide mo-
bile data network in 2014.
The company has expanded
its 4G LTE coverage across
the country during the year
and supercharged its 3G and
4G networks, so that cus-
tomers can enjoy superfast
Internet outdoors and in-
doors.
One of the great ben-
ets of the Mobile Internet
Cards is that they enable
customers to control their
Internet usage on a month-
by-month basis based on
how much they need, with
no subscription or renewal
fees.
Data is valid for 30 days
once activated, and more
than one scratch card can be
used during the period. To
enjoy the additional data al-
lowance, customers simply
need to scratch the card and
activate before December 31
, 2014.
QATAR
Gulf Times
Sunday, November 2, 2014 6
Hamad al-Thani and HE the Prime
Minister and Interior Minister
Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin
Khalifa al-Thani have sent cables
of congratulations to Algerian
President Abdulaziz Bouteflika on
his countrys National Day.
Hamad al-Thani and HE the Prime
Minister and Minister of Interior
Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin
Khalifa al-Thani have sent cables
to Zambias Acting President,
Guy Scot, condoling the death of
president Michael Sata.
HE the Chairman of the
Administrative Control and
Transparency Authority Abdullah
bin Hamad al-Attiyah, during his
visit to Paris, yesterday ofered
condolences to French Total
company on the death of Total SA
chief executive oficer Christophe
de Margerie.
HE the Assistant Foreign Minister
for Foreign Afairs Mohamed
bin Abdullah al-Rumaihi met
Pakistani Prime Ministers
Adviser for National Security and
Foreign Afairs Sartaj Aziz, who is
currently visiting Qatar.
During the meeting, they
discussed relations between
Pakistan and Qatar.
Emir, PM send
National Day
greetings
Qatari leaders
condole Zambian
president
Al-Attiyah ofers
condolences on
Total CEOs death
Assistant FM
meets Pakistan
PMs adviser
Official
DCMF forum to
focus on safety
of journalists
D
oha Centre for
Media Freedom
(DCMF) will host
a forum today to mark the
rst annual International
Day to End Impunity.
This highlights the
centres commitment to
combating the issue of
impunity and promoting
the safety of journalists,
according to a statement.
The issue of impunity
represents an ever-in-
creasing threat to me-
dia freedom and human
rights as the number of
journalists being target-
ed and killed around the
world continues to grow,
especially in the Arab re-
gion, and those responsi-
ble for persecuting jour-
nalists are allowed to walk
free.
Recognising this seri-
ous challenge to global
democracy and media
freedom, last year, the UN
passed a resolution to in-
troduce the International
Day to End Impunity for
Crimes Against Journal-
ists, marking the date on
which two French jour-
nalists - Ghislaine Du-
pont and Claude Verlon
- were killed while cover-
ing the conict in Mali in
2013.
Under the banner To-
wards Ending Impunity,
DCMFis bringing together
journalists, media experts
and victims of attacks to
discuss the impact of im-
punity and explore ways of
addressing the issue and
tackling ongoing injustice
around the world.
The event is open to
the public and the centre
has encouraged mem-
bers of the media and
anyone interested inme-
dia freedomto attend.
The event will include
two main discussion ses-
sions - the rst focusing
on the meaning of impu-
nity and the impact that
it has on media freedom
around the world, and the
second focusing on ending
impunity and identifying
mechanisms to achieve
this goal.
Recognising the signi-
cant threat that impunity
poses to journalists and
citizens around the world,
DCMF has decided to fo-
cus programming on com-
bating the issue of impu-
nity. Following todays
open event, the centre
will host a closed experts
meeting to discuss the
Annual Report for 2014,
which will highlight this
issue.
Doha to host Jeem Cup Tournament
U
nder the patron-
age of HH Sheikha
Jawaher bin Ha-
mad bin Suheim al-Tha-
ni, the wife of HH the
Emir Sheikh Tmaim bin
Hamad al-Thani, Jeem
Cup Tournament, an ini-
tiative taken by JeemTV
to full the passion of
soccer fans, will kick of
on Wednesday with the
participation of 10 Arab
countries.
The cup will see the
participation of some
1,200 students aged
11 and 12 from Qatar,
Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait,
Tunisia, Morocco, Jor-
dan, Palestine, Sudan
and Lebanon.
The nal match will be
held in Doha in February
or March of 2015.
The winning team will
get JeemTVCup andacash
prize of QR 200,000. The
teams ranked second and
third will get QR150,000
and QR100,000, respec-
tively.
Another cash prize of
QR50,000 will be divid-
ed among the best team
members; best player,
best goalkeeper, and best
scorer.
QNA
Doha
HE the Minister of Education and Higher Education and Secretary General of the Supreme Council for Education,
Mohamed Abdul Wahed Ali al-Hammadi, and Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim al-Thani, founder of the Alfaisal Without
Borders Foundation (ALF), exchange documents after signing a partnership agreement in Doha yesterday.
Partnership agreement
8
Gulf Times
Sunday, November 2, 2014
QATAR
Company
unveils new
identity
Medical
congress
next year
Al Asmakh Real Estate
has unveiled its revamped
identity and launched a
newservice.
The newidentity reflects
the companys future
ambitions and business
approach towards ofering
luxury, high-end property
and facility management
services, according to a
statement.
The newbranding
demonstrates our forward-
thinking attitude while
maintaining our heritage in
a strong and contemporary
fashion, said Fadi Barakeh,
general manager of Al
Asmakh Real Estate.
The company has also
recently launched its
exclusive Concierge
Service.
The first of its kind in
the country, it provides
tailor-made and personal
services to residents, the
statement said, adding that
the service aims to deliver
information, assistance
and guidance to residents
in a wide range of areas
to ensure comfort and
convenience.
These services cover
various areas such as travel
arrangements, personal
care, fitness and recreation,
transportation and general
information. The Concierge
teamis available round-the-
clock to cater to residents
needs in a friendly and
eficient manner, Barakeh
added.
The Concierge Service
is currently available to
residents of selected
Al Asmakh Real Estate
properties and plans
to expand it to other
residences, building owners
and companies are already
in place.
For more information, visit
conciergeatoz.com
Qatar International Medical
Congress will be held
in Doha next May, the
organisers announced on
the sidelines of the China
International Medical
Equipment Fair held last
month in Chongqing.
According to a statement
issued by Art And Art
Company, Chinese
companies have expressed
interest in participating in
the Qatar Congress.
This event gives
companies that intend to
enter the medical field in
the coming years a chance
to be exposed to the health
sector, which is witnessing
rapid growth in Qatar and
the Gulf and the Middle
East.
Among the events
associated with the
congress is an exhibition
that contains a number of
sections, joining exhibitors
each in their field and
nature of work, Rabih
Karam, general manager of
Art and Art said.
Work underway on C Ring Road.
Section of C Ring Road
to open on November 10
T
he Public Works Au-
thority (Ashghal) has
announced the open-
ing of a vital section of CRing
Road to traf c on November
10, extending from the Jabor
bin Ahmed intersection (Ra-
mada junction) to the Al Ki-
nanaintersection.
This will take place after
completionof theongoingex-
pansion works to increase the
number of lanes fromthree to
four in each direction, Ash-
ghal said in a statement yes-
terday.
Ashghal has also an-
nounced that works related to
the CRing Road development
project started on Salwa Road
onOctober 28.
Workis takingplace inboth
directionsof theroad, starting
from right after the Al Asiri
intersectiontowards the Jabor
binAhmedintersectionandto
TheCentreroundabout.
These works are part of
phase four of the CRing Road
development project, which
will be completed by the end
of this year. This part of the
project aims toimprove traf c
ow on this portion of Salwa
Road by doubling its capacity
and increasing the number of
lanes fromtwo to four in each
direction, in addition to con-
verting The Centre Rounda-
bout to a signal-controlled
intersection.
Ashghal has said that it is
working to expedite the im-
plementation of this phase
of the C Ring Road project.
Works are taking place round
the clock, seven days a week,
with the same number of la-
bourers working during the
dayandnight inorder tocom-
plete the work by December,
as scheduled.
Earlier, in September,
Ashghal had opened the
rst phase of the C Ring
Road project as per sched-
ule with a view to easing
traf c congestion during
peakhours.
The rst phase involved
the creation of an addi-
tional lane stretching from
the location of the former
Umm Ghuwailina rounda-
bout (VIP roundabout) to
midway between the Na-
jma and Mansoura inter-
sections. This part of the
C Ring Road was widened
from three lanes to four in
each direction, as reported
byGulf Times.
The Umm Ghuwailina
roundabout was removed
and converted to an in-
tersection, and additional
lanes to turn right and left
added in order to control
and facilitate the traf c
ow.
QATAR
9
Gulf Times
Law-enforcement oficers fromthe Ministry of Economy and
Commerce (MEC) have found seven commercial outlets selling
balloon tyres that are not compliant with approved standards
and specifications and seized 63 such tyres. Accordingly, the
violating outlets will be legally prosecuted based on relevant
legislation for consumer protection. The MEC had conducted
an inspection campaign at some 20 tyre shops on Salwa Road.
The indiscriminate use of balloon tyres, which are meant only
for sand or desert, is considered as one of the biggest reasons
for major accidents on Qatars highways.
Crackdown on balloon tyres
The Supreme Council of Health (SCH) recently conducted a five-day training workshop for inspectors of healthcare
facilities. Some 15 SCH inspectors took part in the workshop, which aimed to create a practical framework for
inspection of healthcare facilities in the country in co-operation with specialised and prestigious training organisations
in the field. It was also part of the SCH department of health facilities accreditations eagerness to develop the
potentials of staf, which would guarantee the success of the national programme for the approval and licensing of
healthcare facilities in Qatar. The workshop included lectures as well as practical training.
SCH holds workshop
Aspetar to set
up two more
facilities soon
A
spetar Orthopaedic and
Sports Medicine Hos-
pital will set up a Sport
Spine Centre and a Sport Car-
tilage Centre soon, disclosed a
top of cial of the hospital yes-
terday.
Speaking to Gulf Times on
the sidelines of the First World
Conference on Groin Pain in
Athletes, Dr Hakim Chalabi,
assistant director general for
International Medical Afairs
and Programmes at Aspetar Or-
thopaedic and Sports Medicine
Hospital said that the whole
process has already started and
is in advanced stages.
He explained: We will set up
a Sport Spine Centre and a Sport
Cartilage Centre at the hospi-
tal most probably in 2015. It is
already in the process and the
people concerned are already on
the board and we are working on
the medical strategy.
He added: Sport Cartilage
centre will be led by Prof. Matts
Gittsberg from Sweden and
Sport Spine centre will be led by
Prof. Angus Burnett from Aus-
tralia.
Dr Chalabi said that Asp-
etar is a frontrunner in many
sport medicines and is provid-
ing treatment for many athletes
from the country and outside.
Many prominent personalities
have been treated at Aspetar. We
carried out a successful treat-
ment for the famous football
player Didier Drogba earlier this
year.
The of cial noted that Aspetar
was proud to host the rst world
conference on groin injuries in
athletes which is an important
one for athletes and sports per-
sonalities around the world.
Precious time is lost in many
cases to decide whether a groin
injury needs a surgery or other
types of treatment. About 80%
of groin injuries can be deter-
mined immediately and decide
whether the athletes need to
undergo surgery or should go for
conservative treatment. As for
the remaining 20%, we do not
knowat the beginning about the
right method of treatment and
so we waste a lot time - up to
six weeks- prescribing various
treatments.
We need to reduce this time
and we need to start the right
treatment at the earliest possible
including surgery or physiother-
apy or bio-mechanical aspects.
It is a loss on the sport point of
view, economical point of view
and not ethical at the medical
point of view, he added.
The Aspetar of cial pointed
out that the conference will dis-
cuss this and many other issues
in details during the three days.
ByJoseph Varghese
Staf Reporter
Dr Hakim Chalabi
Doha conference discusses
groin pain in athletes
G
roin pain is one of the
most dif cult and com-
plicated injuries to diag-
nose, opined several experts at
the First World Conference on
Groin Pain in Athletes yesterday.
They also saidthat at times it can
be fatal, resulting in career-end-
ing disabilities for athletes and
other sport personalities.
The conference brings togeth-
er more than 30 leading experts,
who will give lectures and take
part in plenary sessions at the
conference. More than 70 over-
seas delegates are attending the
conference.
Organised by Aspetar Or-
thopaedic and Sports Medicine
Hospital, the three-day confer-
ence is discussing a range of
innovative ideas and presenta-
tions to help medical staf bet-
ter examine, diagnose and treat
patients with groin injuries.
The conference is attended by
some of the big names inthe eld
of sports medicine including Dr
Michel dHooghe, chairman
FIFA Medical Committee, FIFA
executive committee member
who is also the honorary presi-
dent of the conference.
Dr d Hooghe said: Groin
pain is one of the most dif cult
and complicated injuries to di-
agnose. The conference will
try to deliberate whether we
have adequate knowledge of
the problem, about its proper
diagnosis as well as establish-
ing an intelligent cure for the
problem.
Dr Khalifa al-Kuwari, director
general of Aspetar, said: We are
delighted to gather the leading
experts to see advancing excel-
lence in sports medicine. We
aim to raise awareness of the
many diferent areas, especially
in the treatment and preven-
tion of common injuries, such as
groin pain and help the athletes
to achieving their full potential.
Professor Per Holmich, head
of Aspetar Sports Groin Pain
Centre, said: Groin pain in ath-
letes can be a serious and some-
times career-ending injury and
it is one of the most common in-
juries in sports. This conference
will deal with all aspects of the
groin pain problem and include
systematic reviews of the cur-
rent knowledge and present the
latest research in the eld.
The conference will educate
and inspire clinicians, scientists,
researchers, with the latest de-
velopments in sports medicine
and how to diagnose and treat
groin pain.
Several topics to be discussed
during the conference include
epidemiology of groin pain in
athletes, risk factors, clini-
cal examination and outcome
measures in groin pain, imag-
ing in groin pain, treatment of
groin pain and treatment of hip
pain.
During the conference, mem-
bers of Aspetar Sports Groin
Pain Centre team will present
the results of the clinical treat-
ment and research in Qatar.
ByJoseph Varghese
Staf Reporter
Dr Michel dHooghe
A section of the participants at the conference. PICTURE: Noushad Thekkayil
Law-enforcement oficers at an outlet selling balloon tyres.
QATAR
Gulf Times
GU-Q forum raises
funds for breast
cancer awareness
T
he Womens Soci-
ety and Develop-
ment Club (WSDC)
at Georgetown University
School of Foreign Serv-
ice in Qatar (GU-Q) raised
a record-breaking sum of
more than QR172,000 at
the fourth annual breast
cancer awareness event.
Last year, WSDCcollect-
ed QR90,000.
Around 200 students,
faculty, staf and members
of the Doha community
attended the event, which
was held at the GU-Q atri-
um in a bid to raise mon-
ey and awareness about
breast cancer in the Qatari
community.
More than 30 vendors,
ranging from popular Doha
hotspots Sugar & Spice,
Fogue Cafe and Magnolia
Bakery to womens fashion
designers and retailers, do-
nated goods for auction at
the event.
The proceeds will ben-
et Qatar Cancer Soci-
ety to support awareness
campaigns and pay for the
treatment costs of patients
in Doha.
Newthis year at the fun-
draiser was a raf e, which
consisted of prizes from
Blue Brush Salon. This year
also saw a sharp increase in
participating vendors and a
large social media presence.
GU-Q deanDr Gerd Non-
neman said: The com-
mitment of the organisers,
students, faculty and staf
to making the world a better
place is an inspiration, and
I am proud of the record-
breaking amount they
managed to raise. But the
phenomenal success of this
fundraiser could not have
been achieved without the
generous support of donors
and attendees, and we are
reminded of how much can
be achieved when we come
together as a community
for a good cause.
It is very important for
educational institution
such as Georgetown Uni-
versity to encourage Qatari
women and all students
to stand for causes such
Around 200 students, faculty, staf and members of the Doha community attended the event.
as breast cancer awareness
because it is something that
can afect us all, said GU-Q
senior Khawla al-Derbasti,
one of the event organis-
ers and vice-president of
WSDC.
Working alongside al-
Derbasti were WSDC co-
presidents Mashail al-Malki
and Almaha al-Hammadi,
both Qatari GU-Q seniors.
Almaha said: The event
was open to both men and
women because breast can-
cer is also common in men.
One of our goals in organis-
ing this event is to clear mis-
conceptions and raise more
overall awareness within the
Qatari society.
Al-Malki added: It is
exciting to see how this
event keeps getting bigger
and better every year.
Addressing those who
donated their time, goods
or services, the WSDC said:
We want to thank all of you
for making the fourth annu-
al breast cancer awareness
event a success. You have
touched the lives of so many
and will positively afect the
lives of people dealing with
breast cancer.
1,500 innovators
set to attend Wise
T
he 2014 World In-
novation Summit for
Education(Wise) will
bring together more than
1,500 innovators, includ-
ing educational thinkers
and practitioners, repre-
sentatives of governments,
NGOs, business leaders and
social entrepreneurs
The three-day summit will
begin on November 4 under
the theme: Imagine - Cre-
ate - Learn: Creativity at the
Heart of Education at the
Qatar National Convention
Centre (QNCC).
Wise was established in
2009 onthe initiative of HH
Sheikha Moza bint Nasser
as an international forum
for decision-makers and
practitioners from diverse
sectors to address the chal-
lenges facing education.
Sheikh Dr Abdulla bin
Ali al-Thani, chairman,
Wise, commented: We
must nd new resources to
confront the fast-evolving
challenges to education
systems around the world,
and we can only succeed
by drawing upon the well-
spring of creativity that has
fuelledprogress throughout
history.
The Wise summit has
established itself as a lead-
ing global event dedicated
to innovation and creative
actionineducation. Beyond
the summit, Wise includes
a variety of ongoing ini-
tiatives, and serves as a re-
source for ideas and a plat-
form for partnership. Wise
supports the Qatar National
Vision 2030 in building the
knowledge economy.
As creativity is increas-
ingly presented as the most
important skill of the 21st
century, this years sum-
mit will explore ways to tap
learners and teachers po-
tential for innovation and
creativity. By nurturing
learners ability to develop
their talents, think criti-
cally, and be self-condent
problem-solvers, they can
be empowered to design im-
aginative solutions for their
lives and their communities.
With the 2014 summits
main focus on how to bring
more creativity to educa-
tion, summit delegates will
explore innovative and ho-
listic approaches to early
childhood education, skills
certication beyond formal
university degrees and the
future of assessment.
A key highlight of the
summit will be the an-
nouncement of the 2014
Wise Prize for Education at
its opening session. Cur-
rently in its fourth year,
the Wise Prize for Educa-
tion will be presented at the
summit to an individual or
team in recognition of an
outstanding contribution
in education, with a prize of
$500,000.
10 times more data with Vodafone Internet cards
Vodafone prepaid customers can
now enjoy 10 times more data
with all Vodafone Internet Cards.
Vodafone customers will be able
to surf, browse and download
videos or music with 10 times the
usual data allowance.
Customers will be able to get
this deal by purchasing a data
scratch card at any Vodafone
outlet, or by recharging online
or recharging at one self-
service machines at Vodafones
retail stores. The ofer is valid
until December 31.
11
Gulf Times
QATAR
TFQ enhances
professional
development
of educators
N
early 100 teachers from
Qatar will augment their
professional develop-
ment at a workshop hosted by
Teach For Qatar (TFQ) and Teach
For All before the World Innova-
tion Summit for Education 2014
(Wise) convenes on November 4
in Doha.
In keeping with the Imagine-
Create-Learn: Creativity at the
Heart of Education theme of
Wise 2014, the daylong work-
shop will consist of ve inter-
active sessions that will engage
teachers in new approaches to
teaching and learning.
Aimed at helping educators
think of efective ways in which
to apply innovative practices in
their own classrooms, the ses-
sions will include an exploration
of the use of technology in the
classroom, teacher development
through collaboration, activity-
based learning, innovative strate-
gies to build student literacy and
increasing student motivation.
Teach For Qatar is the 32nd
member of the Teach For All
network, which was recog-
nised as one of the worlds 100
strongest NGOs by the Glo-
bal Journal last year. As a local
NGO, TFQ works to provide so-
lutions to the education chal-
lenges facing Qatars students
by reinvesting exceptionally
talented young leaders into the
independent school system.
As Teach For Qatar continues
to seek young academic achiev-
ers and talented professionals to
become transformational leaders
in both the classroom and soci-
ety, it is also important that we
harness the expertise of teach-
ers locally and internationally
to create a change in the educa-
tional landscape, said Mohamed
Fakhroo, chief executive of cer
of Teach For Qatar. This initia-
tive, therefore, aims to facilitate a
knowledge-sharing platformbe-
tweenTFQ programme managers
and fellows, Teach For All net-
work alumni, and 96 teachers in
Qatar. Furthermore, it is through
such creative exchange that we
aim to tackle the challenges fac-
ing Qatars students.
Wendy Kopp, chief executive
of cer and co-founder of Teach
For All, who will also address
delegates at Wise 2014, added:
Teach For All partners are work-
ing in unique and tremendously
diverse contexts, but we have
seen that there are remarkable
similarities in the nature of the
challenges facing children in the
most marginalised communi-
ties. This means the solutions are
shareable. To accelerate progress
in ensuring opportunity for all,
Teach For All seeks to maximise
the diversity of our network, en-
couraging local and national ad-
aptation and innovation among
our network organisations and
teachers and alumni, while also
creating a platform for learning
and sharing among them so that
they are informing each others
eforts and thus helping each
other arrive at more and more
powerful solutions.
Teach For Qatar introduces
exceptionally talented young
leaders into the independent
school system in Qatar by pro-
viding graduates and young
professionals, both nationals or
residents, who wish to give back
to Qatar, with the opportunity
to inspire students through a
two-year teaching placement in
one of the partner independent
schools in Doha.
Applications for the Teach
For Qatar 2015-2017 Fellowship
open today. To apply, visit www.
teachforqatar.org
In keeping with the
Imagine-Create-Learn:
Creativity at the Heart of
Education themeof Wise
2014, the workshop will
consist of fve interactive
sessions that will engage
teachers innewapproaches
to teaching and learning
Silatech, Tamweelcom
grant Fikrati Award
for Entrepreneurship
S
ilatech and Tamweelcom
recently named 12 winners
of the Fikrati Award for
Entrepreneurship in the Jorda-
nian capital of Amman.
The Fikrati Award is aimed
at young Jordanian men and
women, aged between 18 and
35 years, who have ideas for
projects or existing projects at
the national level.
Winners were honoured at
a gala ceremony held recently
under the auspices of Dr Talal
Abu-Ghazaleh and in the pres-
ence of Tamweelcom chairman
Mustafa Nasereddin, Tamweel-
com executive director Ziad al-
Rifai, award partners and sup-
porters and a large number of
business experts, businessper-
sons and entrepreneurs.
Fairuz Taqi-eddin, Silatechs
director of Country Operations,
represented the organisation at
the ceremony.
Tamweelcom is a Jordanian
non-prot micronance insti-
tution aimed at pioneering the
eld of microenterprise support
and development. Silatech is
a regional social initiative that
works to create jobs and expand
economic opportunities for
young people throughout the
Arab world.
Golden Award winners re-
ceived prizes of 1,000 Jordanian
dinars, while Silver Award win-
ners got 600 dinars. Winners
also received 7,000 dinars in
interest-free nancing.
Additionally, project own-
ers had the opportunity to
participate in mentoring pro-
grammes and all entrants
benefited from the training
courses provided throughout
the four award phases before
reaching the finals. The Talal
Abu-Ghazaleh Organisation
provided laptops and training
to Golden Award winners.
We at Silatech believe that
promoting entrepreneurship is
fundamental to revitalising the
regions economies and com-
bating youth unemployment,
and are proud to partner with
Tamweelcom on the Fikrati
Youth Business Competition.
The competition both promotes
interest in entrepreneurship and
provides the necessary tools
and training that young entre-
preneurs need to succeed, said
Taqi-eddin.
At Tamweelcom, we are
constantly launching new ini-
tiatives that seek to activate idle
capacities and provide young
people with an opportunity to
be creative and prove them-
selves, said Nasereddin.
Today, we honour 12 Fikrati
Award winners and celebrate
45 entrants who have ideas
and plans that are ready to be
launched in the market, added
al-Rifai.
The Award serves Jordans
youth by spreading community
awareness about the culture of
entrepreneurship.
Immunisation campaign against seasonal influenza at Qatar University
T
he Medical Clinic at Qa-
tar University (QU) has
launched an immuni-
sation campaign for the QU
community to protect against
seasonal inuenza, local Arabic
daily Al Sharq has reported.
This annual initiative is held to
provideasecureandhealthyedu-
cational environment at the uni-
versity and spread health aware-
ness, which, in turn, ensures the
continuation of quality educa-
tional services, the report adds.
Dr Hafsa Hashad, official-
in-charge of the Medical
Clinic, said the immunisation
is important for protection
from seasonal influenza. The
risk of infection increases in
an environment that has peo-
ple gathering in closed spaces,
in places such as educational
institutions, and such immu-
nisation campaigns can help
secure the educational mecha-
nism, Dr Hashad added, ac-
cording to the report.
The winners with oficials.
REGION/ARAB WORLD
Gulf Times
UN envoy voices outrage over murders in Iraq
V
iolence in Iraq killed at
least 1,273 people during
October, according to UN
gures released yesterday, while
the government gave a signi-
cantly higher toll.
According to the United Na-
tions Assistance Mission for Iraq
(UNAMI), at least 856 civilians
and 417 security forces members
were killed and more than 2,000
were injured.
At least 1,119 were killed the
previous month, UNAMI said.
Iraqi government statistics
compiled by the health, interior
and defence ministries put the
number of people killed in Octo-
ber at 1,725 civilians and mem-
bers of the security forces, with
more than 2,300 wounded.
I express my deep outrage
for the ongoing kidnappings and
murders of scores of people from
all segments, ethnicities or re-
ligions of the Iraqi population,
UN Iraq envoy Nickolay Mlad-
enov said in a statement.
Justice and accountability
for those responsible for these
mass executions, killings, dis-
appearances, and displacement
must be ensured, he said.
The UNAMI casualty gures
exclude Anbar province, west
of Baghdad, where the Islamic
State (IS) militant group has
dealt pro-government forces
a string of setbacks in recent
weeks, sparking warnings that
the whole province could fall.
IS spearheaded a militant of-
fensive in June that overran
Iraqs second city Mosul and
then swept through much of the
countrys Sunni Arab heartland.
While security forces and al-
lied ghters, now backed by
US-led coalition air strikes, have
made some advances, major ar-
eas remain outside their control,
including several cities that will
be especially dif cult to retake.
Many deaths are believed to
go unreported and hundreds of
people are still considered miss-
ing across the country.
As the country battles IS mil-
itants, authorities in the south-
ern province of Karbala have
deployed more than 30,000
troops in the run-up to the an-
nual Shia Ashura festival.
Security checkpoints have
been set up across the province
where army helicopters will help
secure pilgrims during the festi-
val that climaxes on Tuesday.
Local authorities have de-
clared today and tomorrowpub-
lic holidays to boost security.
Millions of Shias are expected
in Karbala for the annual event.
Agencies
Baghdad
Sweden
hopes
Israel
ties will
recover
S
wedens foreign minister
said yesterday she hoped
ties with Israel would re-
cover after Stockholms decision
to recognise the state of Pales-
tine led to an unusual exchange
involving IKEAfurniture.
Margot Wallstroem was
speaking exclusively to AFP one
day after Sweden became the
rst EU member in western Eu-
rope to grant of cial recognition
to the Palestinian state, prompt-
ing Israel to recall its ambassador
to Stockholm.
The contacts between Swe-
den and Israel havent been cut
of. We hope the ambassador will
return, she said.
Swedens decision triggered a
sharp rebuke on Thursday from
Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor
Lieberman, who said relations
in the Middle East are a lot more
complex than the self-assembly
furniture of IKEA.
In response, Wallstroem in an
interview with CNN stayed with
the metaphor involving Swe-
dens iconic furniture giant as
she urged dialogue between Is-
raelis and Palestinians.
I will be happy to send him
a flat pack of IKEA furniture
and he will also see that what
you need to put that together is,
first of all, a partner, she told
CNN.
In Fridays interview, Wall-
stroem described her exchange
with her Israeli counterpart as
rst and foremost a sign of hu-
mour.
You know, intelligent people
have humour and I believe he
showed that he had it, and I re-
plied in a humorous way. Well
leave it at that, she said.
Swedens announcement this
week brings to 135 the number of
countries that recognise the state
of Palestine, including seven EU
members in eastern Europe and
the MediterraneanBulgaria,
Cyprus, the Czech Republic,
Hungary, Malta, Poland and Ro-
mania.
AFP
Stockholm
Activists shout slogans during a rally in Sanaa yesterday against the takeover of the capital and other areas by Shia Houthi fighters.
Islamic State
kills 85 more
members of
Iraqi tribe
I
slamic State has executed
85 more members of the
Albu Nimr tribe in Iraq,
a tribal leader and security
official said yesterday, part
of a mass killing campaign
launched last week to break
local resistance to the groups
territorial advances.
Tribal chief Sheikh Naeem
al-Gaoud said Islamic State
had killed 50 members of
Albu Nimr who were fleeing
the group in Anbar province
on Friday. A further 35 bodies
were found in a mass grave, a
security official said.
Islamic State has executed
a total of more than 300 tribe
members in the past few days,
Gaoud and the official said.
The sustained bloodshed
appears to demonstrate the
groups resilience to the US
air strikes that have been tar-
geting its fighters in Iraq and
Syria.
Gaoud said he had repeat-
edly asked the Shia-led cen-
tral government in Baghdad
for arms but that his pleas
were ignored.
Albu Nimr had held out for
weeks under siege by Islamic
State, but finally ran low on
ammunition, fuel and food.
Hundreds of tribal fight-
ers withdrew and the tribe
fled its main village of Zaui-
yat albu Nimr, but many were
intercepted by the militants
who shot them at close range
and dumped them in mass
graves.
Islamic States advances
have fuelled sectarian bomb-
ings, kidnappings and shoot-
ings which occur almost daily
in Iraq, echoing the peak of a
civil war in 2006-2007.
Also yesterday, a truck
bomb killed 13 people at a
vegetable market in the town
of Yusufiya just south of
Baghdad, police and medical
sources said.
In the capitals Doura
neighbourhood, a bomb
killed seven people, including
four policemen, security and
medical sources said.
In Anbar, fighters have en-
circled a large air base and
the vital Haditha dam on the
Euphrates. They also control
territory ranging from towns
on the Syrian border to parts
of provincial capital Ramadi
and the lush irrigated rural
areas near Baghdad.
Anbar was the main bat-
tleground between US Ma-
rines and Al Qaeda during the
surge campaign in 2006-
2007, when American troops
enlisted the help of local
tribes, including Albu Nimr.
Gaoud said the 50 tribe
members were killed near
Tharthar Lake near a desert
area. They had been travelling
on foot when they were inter-
cepted by the Sunni militants.
He said one managed to
escape the carnage and get
word to tribal leaders.
Forty of the dead were
men. Six women and four
children were killed while
trying to protect their hus-
bands and fathers, said
Gaoud.
His account was con-
firmed by Faleh al-Essawi,
the chief of the security
committee of the Anbar Pro-
vincial Council.
In the other incident, 35
corpses were found on the
outskirts of Ramadi. They
were handcuffed and blind-
folded, an eyewitness said.
Iraqs Shia Prime Minister
Haider al-Abadi wants Sunni
tribal leaders to support the
Iraqi army against Islamic
State, which has threatened
to march on Baghdad. But
mistrust has undermined ef-
forts to revive an alliance.
Reuters
Baghdad
An Israeli army oficer restrains a Palestinian during a scufle at a gate in Israels separation barrier that Palestinians tried to
dismantle near the Jewish settlement of Bat Ayin and the Palestinian village of Surif, outside Hebron, yesterday.
Barrier battle
Calm Aqsa tensions,
Netanyahu tells MPs
I
sraeli Prime Minister Ben-
jamin Netanyahu yesterday
urged lawmakers to show re-
straint over Jerusalems Al Aqsa
mosque, which has been at the
heart of rising tension with the
Palestinians inrecent weeks.
Daily clashes between Israeli
securityforces andPalestinians in
the streets of East Jerusalem and
the Al Aqsa compound, known to
Jews as the Temple Mount, have
been stoking fears of a newPales-
tinianIntifada, or uprising.
Inasignof concernthat thesit-
uation could escalate, Netanyahu
calledinastatement onall Knes-
set members to calm tensions
regarding the Temple Mount and
showresponsibilityandrestraint.
The Palestinians say Israel is
looking to change the delicate
status quo at Al Aqsa, the third-
holiest site in Islamand the most
holyinJudaism.
Under the rules governing ac-
cess to Al Aqsa, which is admin-
istered by Jordanian religious au-
thorities, Jews areallowedintothe
compound but are not permitted
topray.
Netanyahu has said Israel has
no intention of altering the status
quo, but far-right activists and
lawmakers have been pushing for
Jewishworshipat the site.
Israeli police often restricts ac-
cess to Al Aqsa when concerned
about possible violence there,
onlylettinginwomenandMuslim
menover the age of 40or 50.
Shortly after Netanyahus
statement, one leader of the cam-
paign for Jewish worship, Likud
lawmaker Moshe Feiglin, said on
Twitter he would be heading to
the complextoday.
Another advocator for Jewish
prayer at the site, Yehuda Glick,
was shot and seriously wounded
this week by a suspected Pales-
tinian gunman. Feiglin and some
150 supporters held a prayer rally
for Glicks recovery in Jerusalem
yesterday.
I dont accept anyone threat-
ening us here in the land of Israel,
saying the situationis volatile and
therefore we mustnt go up, Is-
raeli Housing Minister Uri Ariel,
of the far-right JewishHome par-
ty, toldReuters at the rally.
Israeli police tracked down the
suspect in the attack on Glick
and shot himdead in an exchange
of gunre on Thursday, spark-
ing erce clashes in the city and
prompting police to shut the
complex down for almost an en-
tire day.
It wastherst full closureof the
compound in over a decade and
Palestinian President Mahmoud
Abbas said through his spokes-
man that it was tantamount to a
declarationof war.
On Thursday Netanyahu said
Abbas had incited violence when
he said this month that The
(Jewish) settlers must be barred
from entering the compound by
anymeans.
A Palestinian uprising in 2000
began after a visit to the site by
then-Israeli right-wing opposi-
tion leader Ariel Sharon when
US-brokered peace talks had col-
lapsed.
Israel regards all of Jerusalemas
its indivisible and eternal capi-
tal, a claim not recognised inter-
nationally.
Reuters
Jerusalem
Yemen rivals sign
deal on new govt
Y
emens main political
factions, including the
Houthi rebels, signed an
agreement yesterday mandating
the president andprime minister
to forma new government in an
efort to defuse political tensions
that have crippled the impover-
ishedstate.
Yemeni PrimeMinister Khaled
Bahah will head the selection of
thenewministers withconsulta-
tion from President Abd-Rabbu
Mansour Hadi, a statement e-
mailed fromthe 13 political par-
ties said.
We, the political parties, ask
President Abd-Rabbu Mansour
Hadi and Prime Minister Kha-
led Bahah to form a competent
national government ... which
is committed to the protection
of human rights, rule of law and
neutrality in the management of
afairs of the country, the state-
ment said.
The statement did not men-
tion when the new government
would be formed, but a number
of party members who were in-
volved in the negotiations that
led to yesterdays agreement
said it could be in a fewdays or a
week.
UN special envoy Jamal
Benomar, who attended the
meetings, said that under the
agreement parties that do not
haverepresentatives inthepresi-
dents advisory body will be al-
lowedtonominatecandidatesfor
the diferent ministries.
Following that the prime
minister will choose the more
competent candidates for each
posting,saidBenomar.
The Shia Houthi rebels were
among the groups who signed
the agreement.
The Houthis gave Hadi an ul-
timatumonFridaytoformagov-
ernment in10days or faceother
options.
In recent months, the Houthis
have become Yemens power-
brokers and sent their militia-
men into the west and centre of
the country, far beyondtheir tra-
ditional redoubts. They captured
the capital Sanaa on September
21, following weeks of anti-gov-
ernment unrest.
The United States and other
Western and Gulf countries are
worried that instability in the
country of 25mn could strength-
en Al Qaeda and have supported
a political transition since 2012
ledbyHadi.
A southern secessionist
movement and an Al Qaeda on-
slaught on security forces had
already stretched the resources
of thegovernment beforethelat-
est crisis, alarming neighbouring
Gulf Arabstates.
Security sources said earlier
yesterday Houthis attacked the
headquarters of the Al Islah
party in the southwestern city
of Ibb, triggering violence in
which three people died.
Two guards at Al Islahs of-
ce in Ibb were killed and others
wounded in an attack launched
late at night bythe Houthis using
automatic weapons and rocket-
propelled grenades, one source
said.
A civilian was killed in the
ensuing clashes, said another
security source, adding that the
rebels overran and looted the of-
ce before setting of a bomb in-
side it yesterdaymorning.
Al Islah, which represents
Yemens Sunni majority tribes,
has lost inuence in the face of
the Shia rebellion that seized the
cityof Ibblast month.
Yemen has fallen deeper into
turmoil since an uprising forced
out autocratic president Ali Ab-
dullah Saleh in 2012 after a year
of unrest, with the Shia rebels
andAl Qaedabattlingeachother.
Both sides have taken advan-
tage of the lack of stability since
Salehs ouster to extend their
sphere of inuence in the coun-
try.
Political factions agree
ontheformationof a
government to resolvethe
crisis gripping thecountry
Agencies
Sanaa

ARAB WORLD
Gulf Times

13
Age no hurdle: Tunisia presidential frontrunner
AFP
Tunis
C
ampaigning began yes-
terday for a presidential
election in Tunisia, birth-
place of the Arab Spring, with
secularist Beji Caid Essebsi seen
as the frontrunner after his party
won milestone parliamentary
polls.
Despite his ageEssebsi turns
88 six days after the November
23 votehe is condent he will
win after his Nidaa Tounes party
came on top in last Sundays leg-
islative election, beating the Is-
lamist Ennahda movement.
In an interview with AFP Es-
sebsi, a pillar of the old guard,
said he will ght to gain an abso-
lute majority in the vote.
Essebsi leads a eld of 27, in-
cluding incumbent Moncef
Marzouki, woman magistrate
Kalthoum Kannou and former
ministers of ousted dictator Zine
al-Abidine Ben Ali.
Tunisians hope both elec-
tions will provide much-sought
stability nearly four years after
the revolution that drove Ben Ali
frompower.
The presidential vote will be
the rst time Tunisians freely
elect their head of state.
Between independence from
France in 1956 and the revolu-
tion, Tunisia had just two presi-
dentsthe father of independ-
ence Habib Bourguiba and Ben
Ali who overthrewhimin 1987.
Ben Ali was himself forced out,
this time by people power, ee-
ing to Saudi Arabia on January 14,
2011.
In an efort to prevent a new
dictatorship, the new presidents
powers will be restricted under
a constitution adopted in Janu-
ary, with most executive power
resting with the premier fromthe
parliamentary majority.
Essebsi denies that his age is a
hurdle.
I have the age that I have...
Youth is... a state of mind, he
said.
I hope to have enough wis-
domand vision for the future, in
order to set aside negative things
and look at positive things.
After independence, he be-
came anadviser to Bourguiba and
also held the ministerial portfo-
lios of defence, interior and for-
eign afairs. He was parliament
chief under Ben Ali.
Essebsi has vowed to restore
the prestige of the state, a pledge
that will be popular with many
voters in a country destabilised
by political, economic and secu-
rity crises since the revolution.
He will of cially launch his
campaign today at Bourguibas
mausoleumin Monastir.
I submitted my candidature
because I believe it is useful... be-
cause my goal is to make Tunisia
a 21st century country, he said.
We would like Tunisia to be
governed in such a way that all
factions, political and social, are
involved. Of course it will be dif-
cult, but we will work towards
that.
He admitted that his long-
time rival Ennahda appears to
have accepted democracy, but
insists that time will tell if the
moderate Islamist party has re-
ally changed.
Ennahda, which has opposed
the very principle of holding a
presidential election, has not put
forward its own candidate.
If Essebsi supporters see him
as the only way to block the Is-
lamist rise, his opponents accuse
himof being a product of the old
regime who seeks to restore it.
But Essebsi said stalwarts of
the Ben Ali regime he plans to in-
clude in his teamhave the right
to take part in politics like any
other citizen.
I am against settling old
scores. I think we have to be more
forward-thinking, because over
the next two years Tunisia needs
all her children.
Despite post-revolution insta-
bility, Tunisia is seen as the last
hope of establishing a democrat-
ic regime in an Arab Spring state,
the others having descended into
chaos or repression.
But it still faces signicant
challenges, including a growing
militant movement blamed for
the deaths of dozens of police
andsoldiers andthe killing of two
anti-Islamist politicians.
Stability is also threatened by a
weak economy and rampant un-
employment, particularly among
young graduates.
Poverty was the spark behind
the revolution.
Ennahda, which dominated
the political scene after the 2011
uprising, won only 69 of parlia-
ments 217 seats on October 26.
Nidaa Tounesformed just
two years ago and comprising a
coalition of leftist and secular
groups including old guard g-
ureswon 85.
Families of Lebanese hostages united in anguish
AFP
Cairo
O
utside Lebanons gov-
ernment headquarters,
where relatives of sol-
diers and police captured by
militants have held a weeks-
long sit-in, a message on a pho-
tograph reads: We are waiting
for your return.
For the past three months, 27
families from across Lebanon
have been brought together in
anguish by threats by the ex-
tremists to execute a son or a
husband.
The mother of an abducted
soldier recently tried to set her-
self on re in front of the prime
ministers of ce but was stopped
by other relatives.
I feel so helpless, said an-
other mother, Zeina al-Bazzal,
whose son Ali has been repeat-
edly threatened with execu-
tion.
If they asked me to cut my-
self in pieces to save my son, I
would do it, she said, holding
back the tears at the sit-in where
relatives are demanding the gov-
ernment negotiate with the kid-
nappers.
Her son is one of 30 soldiers
and policemen kidnapped on
August 2 in the town of Arsal in
eastern Lebanon during ghting
between the army and militants
fromneighbouring Syria.
Three have been executed
two by the Islamic State (IS)
group that has seized large parts
of Syria and Iraq, and one by Al
Qaeda af liate Al Nusra Front.
The two extremist groups both
espouse jihadist ideologies but
are rivals in Syrias multi-sided
civil war.
They have a common enemy
in Lebanons Shia militant group
Hezbollah, which has fought
themon the side of the regime of
President Bashar al-Assad.
They also accuse the Lebanese
army of being under the control
of powerful Hezbollah, and of
targeting Sunni Islamists in the
country, which is deeply divided
over the Syrian conict.
So far, all negotiations have
failed, and the nightmare
seems never-ending for rela-
tives who for the past three
months have held protests and
blocked roads to draw atten-
tion to their plight.
As clashes raged in northern
Lebanon between the army and
ghters linkedto militants, Nusra
recently threatened three times
to execute Ali al-Bazzal before
backtracking.
When I heard they had decid-
ed to kill Ali, I wanted to die, his
mother said. I was devastated. I
still am.
Her husband, interviewed by
local media, wept before collaps-
ing in front of the cameras.
It seemed like an eternity... I
cried and implored God to pro-
tect Ali, added Zeina.
I pray that they spare him,
because hes the father of a three-
year-old girl who asks about him
every day, she said.
Each new rumour reported by
the media about their fate, or new
photos of their sons or husbands,
provokes mass hysteria among
the relatives.
The militants recently re-
leased a video showing the now-
bearded hostages squatting and
sobbing, insulting the army and
Hezbollah and begging their par-
ents to put pressure on the gov-
ernment.
When the video was aired,
everyone collapsed, said Nawfal
Msheik, the brother of a police-
man who was among those cap-
tured.
In front of the sit-in tents,
surrounded by barbed wire to
prevent the relatives approach-
ing the prime ministers of ce
or parliament, another message
reads: We miss you.
The militants demands in-
clude the release of Islamists
from Lebanese prisons, but Bei-
rut has repeatedly refused to ne-
gotiate.
At the same time the govern-
ment appears unable to calm
relatives who accuse it of pro-
crastination.
The issue is complex and ne-
gotiations are dif cult, Prime
Minister TammamSalamsaid on
Thursday as he met the families.
Close bonds have been formed
among the familiesChristians,
Druze, Sunni or Shia Muslims
who reect a multi-faith Leba-
non undermined by political and
religious divisions.
The countrys population of
around 4mn belongs to 18 dif-
ferent religious communities,
mainly Christian and Muslim.
After what we went through
together, we have become one
and the same family, said
Sabrine, the wife of Sergeant
Ziad Omar.
Today I fear for each of these
young people like for my hus-
band, the 35-year-old added.
Regardless of our religious
diferences, this disaster has
united us.
Relatives of Lebanese soldiers being held hostage by extremists stage a sit-in at the entrance of the
government headquarters in Beirut.
Peshmerga
get ready for
battle against
IS in Kobane
Asenseof hopeis tingedwith
caution about how much
diference150fighters could
makein astandof involving
thousands of fighters
AFP
Suruc, Turkey
I
raqi peshmerga ghters pre-
pared yesterday to join the
ght against militants for the
Syrian border town of Kobane,
lifting hopes among residents
of a turning point in the highly
symbolic battle.
The roughly 150 Iraqi ght-
ers, many of them chanting
Kobane, received a heros wel-
come as they crossed the frontier
from Turkey late Friday to join
fellow Kurds trying to repel the
Islamic State (IS) group.
The peshmerga are making
preparations, deploying weap-
ons, getting to know the area,
Polat Can, a spokesman for the
Kurdish Peoples Protection
Units (YPG), said yesterday.
The artillery and heavy
weapons they have will play a
good role, he told AFP by tel-
ephone.
The town has become a key
battleground whose capture
would be a major prize for the
militants, giving them unbroken
control of a long stretch of Syrias
border with Turkey.
Kobanes defenders have been
pleading for reinforcements,
and the peshmerga armed with
automatic weapons and rocket
launchers travelled through Tur-
key to Syria from Iraqs autono-
mous Kurdish region.
They stood atop their pick-
ups, waving to onlookers and
brandishing their ries in the air
as they headed for the frontier.
People denitely feel opti-
mism about the arrival of the
peshmerga. People have been
calling me to discuss when we
might be able to go home, said
Kobane activist Mustafa Ebdi,
speaking from across the border
in Turkey.
Ankara also allowed dozens of
lightly armed Free Syrian Army
rebels to cross into Kobane this
week.
But the sense of hope was also
tinged with caution about how
much diference 150 ghters
could make in a standof involv-
ing thousands of ghters.
Some people think the bat-
tle will be over very quickly, but
I think it will still be long, Ebdi
said.
Intense ghting erupted late
Friday and continued during the
night as Kurdish ghters fended
of a newIS attack in the north of
the town, the Syrian Observatory
for Human Rights reported.
About 3,000-4,000 mili-
tantsbacked by tanksare
ghting in Kobane against about
1,500-2,000 members of the
YPG, according to Observatory
chief Rami Abdel Rahman.
Fierce clashes in and around
Kobane have killed about 100 IS
ghters in the past three days, ac-
cordingtotheBritain-basedmoni-
toringgroup, whichreliesonawide
networkof sources insideSyria.
The Observatory said 958
people had been killed since IS
launched an assault on Kobane
in mid-September - 576 IS mili-
tants, 361 Kurdish ghters and 21
civilians.
IS has seized large parts of
Syria and neighbouring Iraq for a
self-proclaimed caliphate, im-
posing its harsh interpretation of
Shariah law.
The United States, along with
European and Arab allies, has
conducted daily air raids against
the group.
The US military reported ve
air strikes against IS near Kobane
on Friday and yesterday, while
coalition warplanes carried out
ve raids in Iraq.
In Turkey, thousands of people
took to the streets yesterday for
an international day of solidarity
with Kobane.
At least 15,000peoplemarched
in the largest Kurdish-majority
city of Diyarbakir, while around
1,000 pro-Kurdish supporters
turned out in central Istanbul.
The multi-sided Syrian war
has killed more than 180,000
people and forced millions from
their homes since it began three
anda half years ago as anuprising
against the regime of President
Bashar al-Assad.
US hopes of creating and
training a moderate rebel force as
a counterweight to militants and
Assads forces sufered a blowaf-
ter Al Qaeda-af liated militants
drove rebels of the Western-
backed Syrian Revolutionary
Front from their bastion in the
northwestern province of Idlib.
Essebsi speaks during the
interview yesterday in Tunis.
The accused cover their faces while sitting in a cage during their trial in Cairo yesterday over a video which prosecutors claimed was of a
gay wedding.
Eight men jailed in Egypt
over gay wedding video
AFP
Cairo
A
n Egyptian court jailed
eight men for three years
yesterday over a video
prosecutors claimed was of a gay
wedding, which went viral on
the Internet.
Homosexuality is not spe-
cically banned under Egyp-
tian law, so the men, arrested in
September, were convicted of
broadcasting images that vio-
lated public decency.
The court also sentenced the
eight to three years of proba-
tion once they have served their
terms.
The video, lmed aboard
a Nile riverboat, shows what
prosecutors said was a gay wed-
ding ceremony, with two men in
the centre kissing, exchanging
rings and cutting a cake with
their picture on it.
The video went viral on social
media websites such as Face-
book, Twitter and YouTube.
Their arrests were the latest
in a string of highly publicised
police raids on suspected gays
in the country, prompting a US-
based social networking appli-
cation used by gays to urge cau-
tion to users in Egypt.
Known as Grindr, it warned
that Egyptian police, who had
said they planned to monitor
social networking sites, could be
using it to entrap gays.
One of the defendants, prior
to their arrest, told a television
talk showthat the video was re-
corded during a birthday party.
After the verdict, the defence
again denied that the men were
gay, as their relatives outside
the courtroom yelled out in
protest: Our sons are being
oppressed.
The relatives were kept out-
side the courtroom to protect
the journalists inside. Several of
them had tried to assault jour-
nalists in past hearings, saying
they didnot want further scan-
dal.
One defence attorney, Emad
Sobhi, insisted that the court
hadcavedinto popular pressure.
My clients are innocent of
practising homosexuality, he
said. The court succumbed to
public opinion.
A spokesman for the justice
ministrys forensics had told
AFP before yesterdays hearing
that an invasive anal examof the
men showed that they did not
have receptive anal sex.
The medical test showed
that the eight defendants have
not practised homosexuality re-
cently or in the past, Hesham
Abdel Hamed had said.
Rights groups have de-
nounced the tests often per-
formed in Egypt on men sus-
pected of homosexuality.
In the past, Egyptian ho-
mosexuals have been jailed on
charges ranging from scorning
religion to sexual practices
contrary to Islam.
In April, a court sentenced
four men to up to eight years in
prison for practising homosexu-
ality.
Prosecutors had accused
them of holding deviant par-
ties and dressing in womens
clothes. Three were sentenced
to eight years and the fourth to
three years in prison.
AFRICA
Gulf Times
B
urkina Fasos army has
named a high-ranking
military of cer, Isaac Zida,
to lead a transition government
after a coup toppled long-ruling
president Blaise Compaore.
Compaore resigned on Friday
after unrest over plans to extend
his 27-year rule exploded into
violence that saw parliament
set ablaze, in protests closely
watched across a continent
where other veteran heads of
state are also trying to cling to
power.
Zida, who beat out a rival
claim by the west African na-
tions army chief to ll the power
vacuum, vowed to work closely
with civil society.
Lieutenant-Colonel Isaac
Zida was chosen unanimously
to lead the transition period
opened after the departure of
president Compaore, chief of
staf Wenceslas Pingrinoma Za-
gre told a news conference.
The transition will be carried
out together with the other
components of national life, he
said, referring to the political
opposition and civil leaders.
The armys endorsement was
signed by General Nabere Hon-
ore Traore, who initially said he
would himself assume power,
a claim Zida had dismissed as
obsolete.
Hours after taking over,
Zida reopened the countrys
air space, but land borders re-
mained closed, a statement said.
Zida, the second in command
of the presidential guard, said on
Friday that he had assumed the
responsibilities of head of the
transition and of head of state
to ensure a smooth democratic
transition.
The aspirations for demo-
cratic change of the Burkina
youth will be neither betrayed,
nor disappointed, he said.
Speaking on television early
yesterday, Zida said the ousted
president was in a safe place
and his safety and well-being
are assured.
In neighbouring Ivory Coast
the presidency conrmed re-
ports that Compaore, who left
Ouagadougou on Friday accord-
ing to French diplomats, was in
the country.
A local resident said that he
saw a cortege of around 30 cars
heading for a luxury hotel in the
Ivorian capital, which is also
used as a semi-of cial residence
for foreign dignitaries.
The services of the President
Hotel in Yamoussoukro served
him (Compaore) dinner yester-
day (Friday) and breakfast this
morning (Saturday), according
to a hotel employee.
In the Burkina Faso capital,
calm returned to the streets,
with shops reopening and calls
by protest organisers for a clean-
up of the debris left behind after
violent mass protests.
The uprising, which has
drawn parallels with the Arab
Spring, was sparked by plans to
change the constitution to allow
Compaore to stand once again
for elections next year.
Despite dramatic protests
which drewtens of thousands of
people, Compaore initially re-
jected calls to resign.
He eventually withdrew plans
for a vote on the constitutional
changes but vowed to stay in
power for another year, before
announcing on Friday that he
was stepping down.
Later the same day army chief
Traore announced he was as-
suming power, after ordering the
dissolution of the government
and a dusk-to-dawn curfew.
But many protesters were
deeply opposed to him taking
power, seeing himas a close ally
of Compaore.
We do not want General
Traore in power. We need some-
one credible. Traore is Blaise
Compaores henchman, said
Monou Tapsoaba, an activist
with the opposition Peoples
Movement for Progress.
Zida appears to have more le-
gitimacy with civil society. He
appeared before large crowds
alongside lawyer Guy Herve
Kam, leader of the Citizen
Broom group that helped lead
the demonstration on Friday.
Frances President Francois
Hollande vowed that Paris will
contribute to calming the
situation in its former colony,
while Washington urged a
transfer of power in accordance
with the constitution.
The EU calledfor the people of
Burkina Faso to have the nal say
in who rules their country.
Compaore was only 36 when
he seized power ina 1987 coup in
which his former friend Thomas
Sankara was ousted and assas-
sinated.
His bid to hold on to power
particularly angered young peo-
ple in a country where 60% of
the population of almost 17mn is
under 25.
Many have spent their entire
lives under the leadership of
one man and are disillusioned
by the establishment in a coun-
try which is stagnating near the
bottomof the UNhuman devel-
opment index.
Known in colonial times as
Upper Volta, the country won
independence from France in
1960 and its name was changed
to Burkina Faso (the land of up-
right men) in 1984.
Military names of cer to
take over Burkina govt
AFP
Ouagadougou
Inhabitants of Ouagadougou clean up the city yesterday.
Zida attends a press briefing at the end of a meeting with the
countrys military commanders at the military headquarters in
Ouagadougou.
A
man claiming to be Boko
Haram leader Abubakar
Shekau has said that
more than 200 girls kidnapped
by the group six months ago
were married of to its ght-
ers, contradicting Nigerian gov-
ernment claims they would soon
be freed.
Nigerias military says it killed
Shekau a year ago, and authori-
ties said in September that they
had killed an imposter posing as
himin videos.
In the video recording ob-
tained by Reuters yesterday, the
mans face is dif cult to see as he
is lmed froma distance.
We have married them of
and they are all in their hus-
bands houses, the man claim-
ing to be Shekau says. The over
200 Chibok girls have converted
to Islam, which they confess is
the best religion. Either their
parents accept this and convert
too or they can die.
The majority of the kidnapped
girls were Christians.
It was not possible to inde-
pendently verify the video, but
it was given to local journalists
through the same channels that
Boko Haram has used to dis-
tribute video tapes for the past
three years, in what has become
the militant groups sole means
of communicating messages
through the media.
It was also the classic style
seen in the groups previous
videos the purported leader is
standing in semi-desert scrub-
land surrounded by fourteen
masked gunmen with four mili-
tary jeeps in the background.
Two of the gunmen are hold-
ing up Boko Harams Al Qaeda-
inspired black ag.
Verifying the authenticity of
the video was further compli-
cated by the fact that the group
is made of several competing,
and sometimes co-operating,
factions with little in the way of
a centralised command struc-
ture.
Whoever the gure in the vid-
eo is, its release is likely to raise
doubts about whether talks be-
tween a Boko Haramfaction and
the government in neighbouring
Chad will secure the release of
the girls, who were kidnapped
froma secondary school in Chi-
bok, northeast Nigeria, in April.
The man in the video de-
nounced Danladi Ahmadu, the
self-proclaimed representative
of Boko Haram in Chad with
whom the government has been
talking.
Nigerian authorities have said
repeatedly they believe Ahmadu
is a real Boko Haramcommander
and that he represents the fac-
tion holding the girls.
He also denied the existence
of a ceasere called by the gov-
ernment two weeks ago to help
make the talks a success, which
has hadno apparent efect onthe
level of violence in the country.
Who says we are dialogu-
ing or discussing with anybody?
Are you talking to yourselves?
We dont know anybody by the
name of Danladi. If we meet him
nowwe will cut of his head, the
man in the video says. All we
are doing is slaughtering peo-
ple with machetes and shooting
people with guns ... war is what
we want.
Of cials at the presidency,
whose of ce is conducting the
talks, did not immediately re-
spond to a request for comment.
The ve-year-old campaign
to establish an Islamic state by
Boko Haram, which has killed
thousands and whose name
means Western education is
sinful, has become by far the
biggest menace to the security
of Africas biggest economy and
top oil producer.
Its ghters have attacked tar-
gets almost every day for weeks
and last week seized control of
the town of Mubi, the district
town of Nigerias defence chief
Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh. It
was Badeh who announced the
ceasere.
They robbed banks, burned
down houses and hoisted their
black ag over the emirs pal-
ace, killing dozens of people and
forcing thousands to ee, wit-
nesses in Mubi said.
Yesterday the ghting contin-
ued, with a security source say-
ing as many as 30 Boko Haram
ghters were killed in a battle in
remote community called Sabon
Gari, after insurgents stormed
it on motorcycles and Nigerian
troops red back to protect it.
A car bomb thought to have
been planted by Boko Haram
killed at least 10 people at a
crowded bus stop in Gombe
on Friday morning, emergency
services said.
The government has blamed
the violence on Boko Harams
allied criminal networks that it
cannot control, and on the vari-
ous competing factions within
the group.
The man in yesterdays vid-
eo, who spoke in the northern
Hausa language with occasional
phrases in English, also said the
group is holding a white man,
without giving details.
The only known hostage
seized in the northeast is a Ger-
man teacher kidnapped from a
college in the northeastern city
of Gombe in July by gunmen
widely assumed to be linked to
Boko Haram.
Meanwhile, families of the 219
schoolgirls held by Boko Haram
militants said yesterday that
they were shocked but not sur-
prised at fresh claims that the
teenagers had been married of.
The head of the Chibok Elders
Forum in the northeast Nige-
riantown, Pogo Bitrus, toldAFP:
It (the claim about marriage)
is shocking to us, although we
know that Boko Haram is not a
reliable group.
We were sceptical about the
talks to release our girls and we
never took the ceasere serious-
ly because since the announce-
ment, they have never stopped
attacking communities.
Therefore the information
that our girls have been mar-
ried of is not surprising to us,
said Bitrus, whose four nieces
are among the hostages. We
are only hoping the government
will step up whatever eforts it is
making to quell the insurgency.
Human Rights Watch said
in a report published this week
that upwards of 500 women and
girls have been kidnapped since
2009, although some estimates
put the gure at more than
1,000.
Enoch Mark, a Christian pas-
tor in Chibok whose daughter
and niece are among the hostag-
es, said the girls families were
lost for words.
Since they were kidnapped
we have no certainty about the
situation they are in. We keep
getting conicting information,
he added.
They were ironically lucky
that world attention has focused
on the Chibok girls, he added,
but said their situation was part
of a wider issue.
Only God knows the number
of girls kidnapped by Boko Har-
am,he said. We only keep hop-
ing that they will be returned to
us and if they are not we take
solace in God.
Kidnapped girls married of: Boko Haram
Reuters/AFP
Abuja
An image grab made on Friday from a video obtained by AFP shows the leader of the Islamist extremist
group Boko Haram Abubakar Shekau (centre) delivering a speech.
T
wo Vietnamese men were
arrested at Johannesburg
airport with a record haul
of 18 rhino horns, weighing 41kg
(90 pounds), during a stopover
on a ight from Mozambique to
Vietnam, South African police
said yesterday.
This is the largest haul of
rhino horns seized in one opera-
tion in South Africa, said a joint
statement from police and cus-
toms of cials.
The ight had started in
Maputo, Mozambique, and was
heading to Hanoi.
Police said it was believed the
horns, which were still intact,
were removed from South Afri-
can rhinos.
The two Vietnamese, aged 25
and 26, were in police custody
after being stopped late on Fri-
day.
They will possibly be charged
with transporting, possession
and dealing in endangered spe-
cies, said Lieutenant-General
Solomon Makgale, a police
spokesman.
Their ight had been due to
make a one-hour stop at OR
Tambo airport but a very cred-
ible tip-of led authorities to
ask passengers to leave the plane
so they could investigate, Mak-
gale said.
South Africaishometo around
20,000 rhinos, some 80%of the
worldwide population.
Record
haul of
rhino
horns
AFP
Johannesburg
7 police
killed, 17
missing
in Kenya
AFP
Nairobi
S
even police of cers were
killed and 17 others were
missing following an at-
tack blamed on local tribesmen
in Kenyas remote north, police
sources said yesterday.
The of cers, missing since
Friday, are believed to have been
ambushed during a security op-
eration in the impoverished,
arid region of Lake Turkana, the
scene of regular raids and score-
settlings between rival commu-
nities.
Attackers targeted three po-
lice vehicles and burned one of
them, police sources said.
Police spokeswoman Gatiria
Mboroko conrmed the attack
took place in the Kapedo area
but could give no further details,
blaming dif cult communica-
tions with police in the eld.
Two years ago, more than 40
police of cers who had been
chasing cattle thieves were killed
around100km(60miles) further
north, in an ambush unprec-
edented in the east African na-
tion.
Last week, ve people, includ-
ing three police of cers, were
killed in another attack in the
Kapedo area, according to police
sources.
Diminishing water supplies
and grazing areas have aggravat-
ed conicts between communi-
ties in the area which is mainly
populated by nomadic farmers.
Local police are notoriously
under-equipped and more ille-
gal rearms are appearing in the
area.
Extra police have been de-
ployed to help with search op-
erations after the latest attack.
One dead in bomb attack in Mogadishu
At least one person was killed and two others wounded yesterday in a
car bombing in Somalias capital Mogadishu, police said.
One person ... was killed and two others wounded this morning after
a bomb attached to the car was remotely detonated, said Mohamed
Dahir, a police commander in the Hodon district where the explosion
happened. We are still investigating the incident but we are convinced
that Shebaab terrorists are behind the attack.
Witnesses said that the person killed and one of the wounded were
inside the car when it exploded, while the third injured victim had been
near the vehicle on the street.
There was no immediate claimof responsibility, although similar
attacks have been carried out in the past by Shebaab rebels, who are
fighting to overthrowthe countrys internationally-backed government.
H
undreds of people lined
Lusakas Great East road
yesterday as the body
of Zambian president Michael
Sata, who died in London this
week, arrived in the country to
be burial next week.
There were emotional scenes
with several people breaking
down as pall bearers carried
Satas dark casket draped in the
Zambian ag of a chartered
plane.
The body was driven to the
Mulungushi International Con-
ference Centre, where a brief
wreath-laying ceremony was
held.
Sata, who was nicknamed
King Cobra because of his
sharp tongue, died on Tuesday.
He had been president of Zam-
bia since 2011. He is expected to
be buried on November 11.
We have been robbed of a
great leader, Richard Banda,
64, said, struggling to hold back
tears.
A presidential election is ex-
pected to be held within 90 days
fromOctober 28 when Sata died
at Londons King Edward VII
hospital froman undisclosed ill-
ness.
He had left Zambia on Octo-
ber 19 for medical treatment,
accompanied by his family.
The ruling Patriotic Front (PF)
party is yet to pick a candidate,
but analysts point at defence
minister Edgar Lungu, former
PF secretary-general Wynter
Kabimba, Finance minister Al-
exander Chikwaka and Satas
son Mulenga, the mayor of Lu-
saka, as possible candidates.
Zambians gather to welcome late president Sata
Reuters
Lusaka
AMERICAS
15
Gulf Times
A piece of debris is seen near the crash site of Virgin Galactics SpaceShipTwo near Cantil, California yesterday. Virgin Galactic founder Richard
Branson said yesterday he was working with US authorities to determine what caused a passenger spaceship being developed by his space
tourism company to crash in California, killing one pilot and injuring the other.
Branson says
his dream of
space travel
remains alive
B
ritishtycoonRichardBran-
son insisted yesterday his
dreamof commercial space
travel remained alive but warned
his company would not press on
blindly without knowing what
caused the spacecraft crash that
killed one pilot and seriously in-
jured another.
Speaking to reporters after ar-
riving in the California facility
which had been the hub of Vir-
gin Galactics space programme,
Branson said safety remained his
paramount concern.
We owe it to our test pilots
to nd out exactly what went
wrong, and once weve found out
what went wrong, if we canover-
come it, well make absolutely
certain that the dream lives on,
Bransontold reporters.
We do understand the risks
involved, and were not going to
push on blindly, he said. To do
so would be an insult to all those
afected by this tragedy.
Safety has always been our
number one priority, he added
before heading of to rally griev-
ing VirginGalactic staf.
Bransons comments at the
Mojave Air and Space Port came
as a team of federal investiga-
tors began probing the causes of
Fridays accident, which dealt a
devastating setback to the cause
of commercial space tourism.
National Transportation Safe-
ty Board (NTSB) acting chairman
Christopher Hart told reporters
investigators were entering un-
knownterritory but hopedto nd
clues totheaccident indatagath-
ered by VirginGalactic.
This will be the rst time we
have been in the lead of a space
launch that involved persons on
board,Hart said.
It was not immediately known
if a black box ight data recorder
was installedonthedoomedsub-
orbital craft, Hart said.
However, this was a test ight
and test ights are typically very
well documented in terms of
data,he noted.
We may have lots of evidence
that will help us with the investi-
gative process.
Branson headed to California
within hours of Fridays crash,
which sawthe companys subor-
bital SpaceShipTwo break apart
and hurtle to earth shortly after it
had detached from a mothership
at an altitude of around 45,000ft
(13,700m) during a test ight.
The crash was the second dis-
aster to rock the private space in-
dustry in the space of a fewdays,
after an Antares rocket carry-
ing supplies to the International
Space Station exploded after
take-of inVirginia onTuesday.
Experts say the accident will
delay the advent of commercial
space tourismby several years.
Virgin Galactic had hoped to
start ferrying wealthy custom-
ers to the edge of space in 2015,
charging $250,000 per person
for a ticket on the companys six-
seater vehicle.
Around 500 people, including
a slew of celebrities such as
Hollywood star Leonardo
DiCaprio, had already
reserved tickets on the
rst wave of Virgin
Galactic ights, ac-
cording to reports.
Branson said yes-
terday anyone who
wanted to cancel
their reservation
wouldbe refund-
ed.
Of course,
anybody who ever wants a refund
would be able to get a refund, he
said.
As investigators launchedtheir
probe, early attention had been
focused on a new kind of fuel
being used in Fridays ight, the
35th by SpaceShipTwo.
The plastic-based fuel had
been tested on the ground before
but not inight.
But Branson hit back at early
theories surrounding what may
have caused the accident.
To be honest, I nd it slightly
irresponsible that people who
knownothing about what theyre
saying can be saying things be-
fore the NTSB makes their com-
ments,he said.
Fridays accident was not the
rst tragedy to strike the Virgin
Galactic programme.
In 2007, three people were
killed after a rocket designed for
use in SpaceShipTwo exploded
during testing.
Witnesses to Fridays accident
said there was no obvious sign of
anexplosionfromthe ground.
If there was a huge explosion,
I didnt see it, said Mojave Air
and Space Port chief Stu Witt.
From my eyes and my ears, I
detected nothing that appeared
abnormal.
Private companies are rush-
ing to ll the gap left by Nasa,
which ended its 30-year shuttle
program in July 2011 with a nal
Atlantis mission to the Interna-
tional Space Station(ISS).
Analysts said the latest acci-
dent is a huge blowto the nascent
industry.
You are not going to see
any commercial space tour-
ism ight next year or probably
several years after that, said
Marco Caceres, an
analyst and direc-
tor of space studies
for the Teal Group,
a defence and
aerospace consul-
tancy.
AFP
Mojave
Lively mayors race
in the US capital
T
he US capital normally
votes solidly Democratic,
and as a result the mayors
of ce for decades has been in the
hands of candidates - all of them
African-Americans - elected by
centre-left Democrats.
On Tuesday, Democratic can-
didate Muriel Bowser, 42, who
is black, is expected to win, but
only after a strong challenge
from a former Republican-
turned-independent, David Ca-
tania, 46, who has ambitions of
becoming the rst elected white
mayor of the District of Colum-
bia - the formal name of Wash-
ingtons municipality.
A third candidate, Carol
Schwartz, 70, also a Republican-
turned-independent, has joined
the race again after multiple
unsuccessful bids for the of ce,
making the outcome less pre-
dictable than in past two-way
races inthe city of 640,000peo-
ple.
Washington and 172 other
US cities will be choosing may-
ors alongside the higher-prole
federal by-elections in which
control of the US Senate is the
prize.
Republicans hope to take ma-
jority in the upper chamber of
the US Congress, and are ex-
pected to maintain control of the
lower House of Representatives.
Voters across the US also will
choose 36 state governors, and
most states will be electing their
legislatures.
While the US capital has been
the backdrop for tense congres-
sional gridlock and Republi-
can standofs with Democratic
President Barack Obama on fed-
eral issues, DC voters have been
historically left-leaning in their
local politics.
DPA
Washington
One more victim of
school shooting dies
A
14-year-old US girl has
died after being critically
injured when a fellow high
school student went onashooting
rampage last week, hospital of -
cials saidonFriday.
Shaylee Chuckulnaskit,
known afectionately as Shay to
her family and friends, passed
away at Providence Regional
Medical Center as a result of se-
vere injuries from last Fridays
school shooting,the hospital said
in reference to the assault in the
northwestern state of Washing-
ton.
The gunman fatally shot one
girl on the spot before turning the
gun on himself. Another girl suc-
cumbed to her injuries in hospital
last Sunday.
In a brief statement, members
of Chuckulnaskits family said
their hearts were broken at the
passingof our beautiful daughter.
She has been a loving daugh-
ter, a caring sister, a devoted
friend and a wonderful part of our
community. We cant imagine life
without her,theysaid.
Her death follows that of
14-year-old Gia Soriano, who
diedof injuries at the same hospi-
tal onSunday.
Chuckulnaskit and Soriano
wereamongthreeteens, including
one boy, who were in critical con-
ditionafter beingshot inthe head.
Another boy was in a serious
condition following the rampage,
havingbeenshot inthe jaw.
Police are attempting to ascer-
tainamotivefor for theincident at
Marysville-Pilchuck High School
inMarysville, northof Seattle.
The teen widely identied as
the shooter, Jaylen Fryberg, had
left a series of tortured posts on
Twitter, suggestinghewas usedto
handlingguns.
AFP
Washington
Thecrash was thesecond
disaster to rock theprivate
spaceindustryin thespace
of afewdays, after an
Antares rocket carrying
supplies to the International
Space Station exploded after
take-of
Ebola-free Dallas nurse, pet
dog reunited after quarantine
T
he Dallas nurse treated
for Ebola had an emo-
tional reunion yesterday
with her best friend, a King
Charles Spaniel, after the pet
spent the last three weeks in
quarantine being monitored for
the deadly virus.
The dog named Bentley
showered Nina Phamwith licks
at a handover ceremony near
the Dallas shelter where he had
been kept in isolation and cared
for by kennel workers inprotec-
tive suits.
Pham, 26, became the rst
person in the US to be infected
with Ebola after treating an in-
fected man. She was released
from a National Institutes of
Health hospital in Maryland on
Oct 24 after being declared free
of the virus.
After I was diagnosed with
Ebola, I didnt know what
would happen to Bentley and if
he would have the virus, Pham
toldreporters. I was frightened
that I might not know what
happened to my best friend.
Bentley has been under the
spotlight after of cials in Ma-
drid put down the dog of a
Spanish nurse who contacted
Ebola while also caring for a pa-
tient.
Wearing a maroon hand-
kerchief around his neck and a
silver bone charm on his collar,
Bentley licked Phams face and
wagged his tail as he was cra-
dled by the nurse in front of the
cameras.
Thedogwas fedbydecontam-
ination crews working to clean
Phams apartment shortly after
she was diagnosed with the vi-
rus andlater evacuatedbyasmall
teamwearingprotective gear.
Bentley became a minor In-
ternet star as picture and vid-
eos of him running around his
isolation call and playing with
workers in space suits were re-
leased by the city - after they
had rst been shown to Pham.
Bentley was declared Ebola-
free at the end of October after
clearing several tests.
Pham said the two were now
going to celebrate.
Right now, Im just excited
to take Bentley home so we can
start picking out his gifts for
his 2-year birthday party this
month, Phamsaid.
In New York City, the con-
dition of Dr Craig Spencer, 33,
who has been in an isolation
unit at the citys Bellevue hos-
pital since Oct 23, has improved
to stable from serious but
stable, hospital of cials said.
Spencer was diagnosed with
Ebola, which is known to have
killed almost 5,000 people in
west Africa, several days after
returning to New York from
Guinea where he had worked
with Ebola patients.
Reuters
Dallas
Canadaimposesvisaban
Canada will stop issuing visas
to people fromthe three West
African nations where Ebola is
widespread, the government
said on Friday.
The federal citizenship
ministry, explaining the move,
said in an oficial document
that the introduction or
spread of the disease would
pose an imminent and severe
risk to public health.
Canada, which has not
reported any cases of Ebola,
is following in the footsteps of
Australia, which on Tuesday
became the first rich nation
to issue such a ban. The
countrys oficial in charge
of the response to Ebola
said the move was medically
unjustified.
The lava flow from the Kilauea volcano moves over a fence on private property near the
village of Pahoa, Hawaii in this handout picture from the US Geological Survey (USGS) taken
on Friday. The lava flow from the volcano has been slithering toward the Big Island village
of Pahoa for weeks, although it slowed to a turtles pace on Thursday and at last watch had
advanced only a few feet over several hours.
Lava flow slithers
Ebola survivor Nina Pham is
reunited with her dog Bentley
at the Dallas Animal Services
Center in Dallas yesterday.
ACalifornian judge has ordered the Jehovahs
Witnesses to pay $13.5mn to a man who was
sexually abused in the 1980s by a church leader,
attorney for the victimsaid on Friday. Church
elders had assigned a man to work with Jose
Lopez on Bible studies, even though they knewhe
had admitted to molesting another boy in 1982,
because they felt he was repentant, Lopezs
attorney Irwin Zalkin said. Lopez, who filed the
civil suit in 2010, first went to the Spanish-speaking
KingdomHall church in San Diego in 1985 at the
age of seven, according to the complaint. Mario
Moreno, a lawyer, said the church will appeal
Superior Court Judge Joan Lewis judgment.
US Justice Department oficials probably will
not bring civil rights charges against a white
Ferguson, Missouri, police oficer whose fatal
shooting of an unarmed black teenager set of
rioting in August, the Washington Post reported
on Friday. The newspaper, citing lawenforcement
oficials, said investigators had all but concluded
there was not a suficiently strong case to prove
oficer Darren Wilson violated the rights of
18-year-old Michael Brown when he killed himin
the St. Louis suburb on Aug 9. At issue is whether
Wilson had reason to believe he was in danger in
his confrontation with Brown after he had asked
Brown to get out of the middle of a street.
They were not dressed in creepy costumes, but
President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle
stepped out of the White House on Friday to hand
out treats to children dressed up for Halloween.
Obama, wearing jeans, a collared shirt and black
sweater, passed out wrapped treats to children.
This is a serious bag! Obama said, as he greeted
a long procession of trick-or-treaters dressed as
sharks, zombies, monsters, bumblebees, Batman
and a family dressed as Wizard of Oz characters.
Acrobats in silver bodysuits shimmied up white
sheets above the children waiting in line. Over-
sized blowup pumpkins were spread out on the
White House lawn.
An Estonian man accused of being part of a ring
that swindled advertisers out of millions of dollars
by hijacking online trafic was hauled before
a US judge on Friday. Vladimir Tsastsin, 34, was
extradited to a federal court in NewYork to face
charges including computer intrusion, wire fraud
and money laundering. Nowthat Vladimir Tsastsin
has been delivered to the Southern District of New
York, he can answer for his alleged role in a scheme
in which he and others manipulated Internet
advertising techniques and reaped at least $14mn
in ill-gotten gains in the process, the US attorney
said. Charges against Tsastsin stemfroma
massive and sophisticated Internet fraud scheme.
The US Medicare programmes payment rate
for hospital outpatient services will increase
2.3%in calendar year 2015, while the rate for
ambulatory surgical services will rise 1.4%, the
federal government announced on Friday. The
Medicare health insurance programme for the
elderly and disabled will also begin to pay doctors
a monthly fee to co-ordinate care for patients with
multiple chronic conditions in 2015, a government
statement said. The separate monthly payment
of $40.39 is aimed at improving care, including
outside of regular ofice visits, for patients
sufering fromtwo or more chronic illnesses, said
the statement.
Jehovahs Witnesses
ordered to pay $13.5mn
Federal charges unlikely
in Ferguson shooting
Halloween at White House:
pumpkins and candy treats
Estonian man faces
cyber scam charges
Medicare sets new hospital,
doctor payments for 2015
SEX ABUSE INVESTIGATION PEOPLE TRIAL HEALTHCARE
ASEAN
Gulf Times
Minister
says all
MH17
Malaysian
victims
identied
DPA
Kuala Lumpur
A
ll 43 Malaysians who were
aboard a Malaysia Air-
lines passenger plane that
crashed in eastern Ukraine more
thanthree months ago have been
identied, a senior of cial said
yesterday.
Defence Minister Hisham-
muddin Hussein said the last
three Malaysian victims whose
remains were recovered and
identied included Siti Amirah,
83, his and Prime Minister Na-
jib Razaks step-grandmother.
Hishammuddin and Najib are
rst cousins. This brings some
closure for me, he told reporters
in a press brieng. But we must
make sure that those responsible
are brought to justice.
The Dutch government had
said earlier that experts had re-
covered more remains of vic-
tims, three and a half months
after the Boeing 777 went down
over the skies of easternUkraine.
The remains will be exam-
ined by forensic experts in the
Ukrainian city of Kharkiv before
being own to the Netherlands,
where most of the victims came
from. All 298 passengers and
crew were killed when MH17
went down on July 17 over rebel-
heldterritory inUkraine while en
route from Amsterdam to Kuala
Lumpur. So far, the remains of
289 have been identied.
Access to the site has been
limited by ghting between gov-
ernment troops andpro-Russian
separatists.
Dutch and Ukrainian teams
took advantage of a lull in hostil-
ities to visit the scene on Friday.
A preliminary report released
in September said that the jet
broke up in the air, probably af-
ter being hit by a large number
of high-energy objects.
Myanmar
opposition
concerned
over meeting
DPA
Yangon
M
yanmars opposition
party welcomed the
recent meeting with
Aung San Suu Kyi and President
Thein Sein, but had concerns
over how it was conducted and
its usefulness, an of cial said
yesterday.
I welcome this meeting but
I fear it will be meaningless,
only discussion, U Nyan Win,
spokesman for Suu Kyis Na-
tional League for Democracy
(NLD), said.
Pro-democracy leader Suu
Kyi had been requesting a meet-
ing with the countrys political
and military leaders for nearly a
year to discuss possible changes
to the constitution, which cur-
rently bars her from running for
president in elections next year.
Thein Sein refused until this
week, announcing Fridays
meeting at just two days notice.
The talks were also attended
by Army Chief Min Aung Hlaing
and other ethnic leaders.
Nyan Win, who is also sec-
retary for the NLD executive
committee, said that each par-
ticipant had just 10 minutes to
discuss the agenda points, which
they were only given at the start
of the meeting, and were not al-
lowed to comment publicly af-
terwards.
More such meetings were be-
ing planned, according to presi-
dential spokesman U Ye Htut.
All 298 passengers and
crew were killed when
MH17 went down on July 17
over rebel-held territory
in Ukraine while en route
from Amsterdam
to Kuala Lumpur
Child jockeys and big stakes on
Indonesias horse-racing island
AFP
Waingapu
U
mar Marampa is only 14,
but he is already a vet-
eran of horse races on
an Indonesian island famed for
its schoolboy jockeys who com-
pete on sandy circuits with tiny
steeds.
At a recent training session
with a group of other riders in
Sumbas main city of Wain-
gapu, he put his stocky little
horse through its paces, gallop-
ing around a track at breakneck
speed.
Marampa began racing aged
nine andis nowrelatively oldfor
a Sumba jockey some start as
young as ve.
Some of the youngsters were
clearly struggling as they sought
to control the feisty animals,
which stomped around angrily
before racing.
We start by climbing on
horses in the hills. We learn
by ourselves, Marampa said,
highlighting that horse-riding
is deeply ingrained in the local
culture of the poor, central In-
donesian island, and a source of
pride for the young jockeys.
Sumba is famous throughout
Indonesia for its child jockeys
and Sandel horses named after
the sandalwood that was once
exported fromthe island.
The small, fast animals are
found across the island, and are
widely believed to be descended
from steeds once ridden by the
erce Mongol warriors in war.
The inuence of horses is
everywhere one of the focal
points of Waingapu is a statue
showing boys riding horses, and
ceremonial battles onhorseback
are played out every year, evok-
ing ancient clashes between ri-
val clans on the island.
Races are held frequently and
are typically riotous afairs, with
lots of illegal gambling and fre-
quent ghts when one punters
horse loses.
Children occasionally fall
from their horses and break
limbs, although deaths are rare.
Police sometimes have to step
inandcancel events but it would
be dif cult to axe them all. Not
only are horses and horse-rac-
ing woven into the fabric of the
arid islands local culture, large
amounts of money are at stake.
Many local people have cho-
sen to invest in racehorses, as
cash prizes for important events
are as much as 10mn rupiah
(about $830) a huge amount
in a country where many live on
less than $2 a day.
As competition intensies,
larger horses, cross-breeds with
Australian steeds, have started
to appear. They tend to be taller
and stronger, and do better.
Child rights activists have
long been calling for the prac-
tice of youngsters racing to be
banned but realise they face an
uphill battle against local tradi-
tions.
The worst part of all of this
is that it puts children in dan-
ger, said Arist Merdeka Sirait,
chairman of the national com-
mission for child protection.
However local residents in-
sist that precautions are taken
to ensure the youngsters are
well prepared before they start
racing.
When jockeys reach their late
teens, they generally retire, and
some go on to train younger
riders. The boys are slowly in-
troduced to the race track, said
AbrahamEndruyan Wunu, a lo-
cal teacher who assists with the
training.
A ceremony based on local
beliefs is also performed, which
is aimed at ensuring they do not
feel pain, he added.
However, most adults prefer
being spectators to taking part.
Civil servant Julianus Amahu
said that, while he owns a race-
horse himself, he would be re-
luctant to join a band of young-
sters galloping with abandon
round a track.
I would be scared, the
42-year-old admitted.
In Singapore, 17,000 run to celebrate Hello Kittys birthday
DPA
Singapore
T
he sea of red and white stretched
far into the distance as 17,000
people gathered in Singapore
yesterday for a run to celebrate the
birthday of a ctional feline.
The 4.2-kilometre Hello Kitty Run,
marking the 40th anniversary of the
characters debut in Japan, drew fans
from as far away as Hong Kong, Thai-
land and Indonesia, who belted out a
Happy Birthday song before setting
of. The anthropomorphic cat has long
been adored in Singapore.
In August, the Hello Kitty Run lled
15,000 pre-registration slots within 24
hours.
A month later the website collapsed
under high traf c.
Its a nice time to meet all sorts of
Hello Kitty fans of all shapes and sizes,
said Sharon Leong, a teacher whose
friends ew in from Jakarta to partici-
pate.
Hello Kitty has become an interna-
tional phenomenon, bringing in $7bn
in revenue each year for Sanrio, the
Japanese company that owns the rights
to the brand.
The phenomenon has also been the
subject of academic culture analysis,
including a study by Benjamin Wai-
Ming Ng, associate professor of the
Chinese University of Hong Kongs
Japanese Studies Department.
Earlier this year, collectible Hello
Kitty plush toys ofered by McDonalds
in Singapore sold out online within a
week, 14 years after Singaporeans lit-
erally fought over another line of Hello
Kitty toys fromMcDonalds.
The craze created such an uproar
that McDonalds had to hire extra secu-
rity for crowd control, and then-Dep-
uty Prime Minister Lee Hsieng Loong
commented: We should not get too
carried away.
There is no need to ghtover it, he
said.
Marine Cerbelle and Marie Sophie
Le Gars, French expats who work in
Singapore, said they were excited
about yesterdays Hello Kitty Run.
Were fans of Hello Kitty, but in
France you hardly see Hello Kitty
stuff, Cerbelle said.
Participants in the run each re-
ceived a T-shirt and commemorative
plush toy, and those who completed it
were given a finishers medal.
Im not really a Hello Kitty fan,
but I joined because of the Hello Kitty
plush toy and the medal, said civil
servant Husna Hussin.
Singapores Hello Kitty Run was
not the only Hello Kitty-themed
event scheduled this weekend.
A massive Hello Kitty Convention
was also being held in Los Angeles.
Rain clouds gathered as runners in
Singapore were flagged off in batches,
turning the run into a sodden trudge.
While many, including parents with
young children in covered prams, val-
iantly pressed on, others sought shel-
ter in porches and pavilions along the
route. But spirits remained high as
the skies cleared and runners con-
verged on the beach.
Participants said that the unex-
pected bad weather had not ruined
the day.
Its a bit sad we couldnt take pho-
tos along the way, said student Kay-
ley Ng.
But it was okay, it was still quite
fun to run in the rain.
Artists from Vietnam perform with their puppets during the Harmony World Puppet Carnival Bangkok 2014 parade, in Bangkok yesterday. According to organisers, 116 puppeteer groups from 80 countries
took part in the event.
Puppet carnival
File photo shows two Sumba child jockeys practice at the Waingapu race track located in Indonesias Sumba island.
AUSTRALASIA/EAST ASIA
17
Gulf Times
Chinese authorities have found 200mn yuan
($33mn) in the home of an energy oficial. The
money was unearthed at the home of coal bureau
deputy chief Wei Pengyuan in a probe first revealed
in May. If denominated in 100-yuan notes, it would
pile 200mhigh and weigh more than three tonnes,
Huashang Bao reported, quoted the bureaus chief
Xu Jinhui. Four of the 16cash-counting machines
brought in to tally the notes broke down under the
task, financial news publication Caixin reported.
Wei is one of 11 National Energy Administration
employees under investigation for alleged
corruption. Six may have each receivedmillions of
yuan in bribes, Huashang Bao said.
China yesterday passed a counter-espionage law
aimed at tightening state security and helping
build a comprehensive national security system,
state media reported. The lawwill allowauthorities
to seal or seize any property linked to activities
deemed harmful to the country, the Xinhua news
agency said. Authorities can also ask organisations
or individuals to stop or modify any behaviour
regarded as damaging to Chinas interests. Refusal
to comply would allowenforcement agencies to
confiscate properties. Possession of espionage
equipment, as defined by the state security
department, had also been made illegal, Xinhua
said. The news agency gave no further details.
North Korean leader KimJong-Un has ordered
changes to the design of Pyongyangs new
international airport toreflect the countrys socialist
ideology after saying the layout looked like a
copy of a foreign facility. Kimcalled a halt on work
on Terminal 2 at Pyongyang International Airport
after inspecting the construction site, the Korean
Central News Agency (KCNA) said. He reproached
workers for failing to carry out his earlier order in
July that the project should reflect North Koreas
Juche (self-reliance) philosophy and national
identify. If construction continued in that way, it
may be a copy of the terminal of an unidentified
foreign country, it quoted Kimas saying.
Japanese police have launched a criminal
investigation after the bodies of around 40
dogs were found dumped by a river in the
east of the country, oficials said yesterday. A
passer-by reported finding the dogs, most of
which were small breeds and had not been
dead long, in Sakura City on Friday. Some dogs
were in the water and others were scattered
around the area, a local police spokesman said.
The police have yet to determine who dumped
the animals. Jiji Press news agency said the
police suspect an animal undertaker may have
dumped the dogs but authorities only said they
were looking into various possibilities.
Chinas military must not let down those who
gave their lives for the Communist Party in the
revolutionary struggle and must resolutely
fight corruption, state media yesterday quoted
President Xi Jinping as saying after a high-level
scandal. This week the government said one
of Chinas most senior former military oficers,
Xu Caihou, had confessed to taking massive
bribes in exchange for help in promotions. During
a top-level two-day military meeting at an old
revolutionary base in the southeastern province of
Fujian that started on Thursday, Xi said the armed
forces needed to deeply reflect on the lessons and
thoroughly banish the influence of Xus case.
Millions in cash found at
home of Chinese oficial
Counter-espionage law to
strengthen China security
Kim orders changes to new
airport to avoid copying
40 dog cadavers found
dumped by Japan river
Army urged to remember
past in China graft fight
INVESTIGATION NO DETAILS SELF-RELIANCE GORY FIND SACRIFICES
Sombre memorial for
ANZAC centenary
New Zealand and Australian Chiefs of Defence Forces Lieutenant General Tim Keating, MNZM (left), and Air Chief Marshall Mark Binskin, AM, prepare to lay wreaths at Anzac Peace Park
during a service as part of the Albany Convoy Commemorative Event.
AFP
Sydney
A
ustralia and New Zealand
yesterday marked 100 years
since their rst convoy of
troops left for the battleelds of
World War I, with thousands at-
tending events to commemorate
the heavy day in history.
The convoy left the Western
Australian town of Albany on No-
vember 1, 1914, carrying 20,000
Australian and 8,500 New Zea-
land soldiers bound for Gallipoli in
modern day Turkey and later the
battleelds of Europe.
It was a heavy day in our histo-
ry and it led to even heavier times
to come, Australian Prime Min-
ister Tony Abbott said in remarks
welcoming New Zealand leader
John Key to the country.
All were sailing into history,
Abbott told a commemorative
service overlooking the ocean, re-
ferring to the convoy.
The rst World War was the
crucible in which the Australian
identity was forged. In 1914 we
were a country with a ag and a
parliament but little sense of na-
tionhood.
The baptismof re that was the
Great War changed all that. The
scale of sacrice and loss was be-
yond anything imaginable.
Losses in Gallipoli were hard,
with the ofensive claiming the lives
of more than 11,000 New Zealand
and Australian troops in a matter of
months, althoughworse battles were
tofollowintheGreat War, Keysaid.
In a war that engulfed the
world, our young nations were
among the hardest hit. No com-
munity, rural or urban, was left
untouched by loss, Key said.
But the service, and sacrice,
of those who fought for us - would
play a critical role in forging our
national identities.
Our experiences in the First
World War marked an important
point inour coming of age as coun-
tries. They made us look at who we
were, and we came from colonies
to became nations, Key said.
Before the service thousands
had lined the streets of Albany for
a commemorative troop march,
ahead of a symbolic departure of a
otilla of naval warships fromKing
George Sound.
Albanyinthefar southof Western
Australiawas thegatheringpoint for
ships carrying the Australian Impe-
rial Force and New Zealand Expe-
ditionary Force which were later to
become knownas theAnzacs.
The rst convoy was joined at
sea two days later by two ships car-
rying more Australian troops along
with the Japanese cruiser HIJMS
Ibuki to help protect their journey.
Japanese and NewZealand ships
alongside French troops were also
set to participate in this week-
ends commemorations in Albany,
a town which for many Australians
who fought in WWI was the last
they sawof home.
On days such as this we do not
glorify war but we do acknowledge
the selessness and comradeship
of sharedstruggle,Abbott toldthe
gathering which included French
Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le
Drian and Japans Parliamentary
Vice Minister for Foreign Afairs
Kazuyuki Nakane.
Today we also remember all
those we fought with, the soldiers
and sailors of the countries of the
British empire, of gallant France,
and of Japan, rst an ally, then a
foe, nowthe very best of friends.
We remember themall. Theyare
all gone now. Gone, but never for-
gottenbythe nationtheyshaped.
Among those who travelled
to Albany for the event was Judy
Purdie, who told the Australian
Broadcasting Corp she was there in
honour of her grandfather who left
Albany to ght in France in 1916.
It put tears inmy eyes. Its just a
very emotional time, its wonder-
ful, she said.
China moon orbiter
is back on Earth
AFP
Beijing
C
hina yesterday completedits rst returnmissionto
the moon with the successful re-entry and land-
ing of an unmanned probe, state media reported,
in the latest step forward for Beijings ambitious space
programme. The probe landed safely in northern Chinas
Inner Mongolia region, state news agency Xinhua said,
citing the Beijing Aerospace Control Centre.
Xinhua said the probe took some incredible pictures
of the Earth and the moon.
Prior to re-entering the Earths atmosphere, the un-
named probe was travelling at 11.2kmper second, a speed
that can generate temperatures of more than 1,500 de-
grees Celsius, the news agency reported. To slowit down,
scientists let the craft bounce of Earths atmosphere
before re-entering again and landing.
The probes mission was to travel to the moon, y
around it and head back to Earth, the State Administra-
tion of Science, Technology and Industry for National
Defence (SASTIND) said in a statement at its launch eight
days ago.
The module would have been 413,000km from Earth
at its furthest point on the mission, SASTIND said at the
time. The mission was launched to test technology to be
used in the Change-5, Chinas fourth lunar probe, which
aims to gather samples from the moons surface and will
be launched around 2017, SASTINDpreviously said.
Beijing sees its multi-billion dollar space programme as
a marker of its rising global stature and mounting techni-
cal expertise.
The military-run space project, which has plans for
a permanent orbiting station by 2020 and eventually to
send a human to the moon, is also seen as evidence of the
ruling Communist Partys success in turning around the
fortunes of the once poverty-stricken nation.
China currently has a rover on the surface of the moon.
The craft, called the Jade Rabbit and launched as part of
the Change-3 lunar mission late last year, has been de-
clared a success by Chinese authorities, although it has
been beset by mechanical troubles.
Australia confident of Antarctic
marine reserve next year
A
ustralia said yesterday it was condent its plans
for a marine reserve to protect biodiversity in East
Antarctica would succeed next year, after interna-
tional talks in Hobart failed to agree on the measure.
The Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic
Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) meeting closed on
Friday night with the 25 members unable to reach consen-
sus on two Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). Australias
joint proposal with France and the EuropeanUnionfor re-
serves in East Antarctic waters was blocked by China and
Russia, as was another put forward by New Zealand and
the US for the Ross Sea, environmental campaigners said.
Australian delegation leader Tony Fleming said while
some members had supported the changes to the East
Antarctic bid, which had been reduced in size from1.9mn
sq km to 1mn sq km since 2011, others felt more changes
were needed. Some countries hadreservations about the
area covered in the MPA and the process for determining
whenactivities needto be managedinthe multiple use ar-
eas, but we are condent we will be able to address these
issues before the next meeting, he said in a statement.
Australia is optimistic CCAMLR will be ready to adopt
the East Antarctic MPAs when we next meet in 2015.
HK protesters compared to slaves
AFP
Hong Kong
A
prominent businesswom-
an has sparked outrage in
Hong Kong by compar-
ing the citys pro-democracy
protesters to African-American
slaves, suggesting they might
need to wait for a while to win
the freedoms they are seeking.
American slaves were liber-
ated in 1861 but did not get vot-
ing rights until 107 years later,
so why cant Hong Kong wait for
a while? Laura Cha, an HSBC
board member, was quoted as
saying by The Standard newspa-
per on Friday.
An online petition calling for
her to apologise, and for her fel-
low HSBC board members to
denounce the comments, has
gathered nearly 7,000 signatures
yesterday.
Pro-democracy demonstra-
tors have held mass street ral-
lies in Hong Kong for more than
a month, demanding Beijing
grants free leadership elections
to the semi-autonomous Chi-
nese city.
The Chinese government in-
sists that candidates for the 2017
vote must be vetted by a pro-
Beijing committee, which the
protesters say amounts to fake
democracy.
Cha - who also sits on Hong
Kongs Executive Council, which
advises leader Leung Chun-ying
- has said she did not mean any
disrespect with the comments
and regrets that they have
caused concerns.
But the online petition de-
scribed the remarks as deeply
insulting, as well as showing a
lack of understanding of Amer-
ican history.
We nd it extremely distaste-
ful andinsensitiveto comparethe
voting rights of average, natural-
borncitizens of Hong Kong to the
path of voting rights of slavery,
wrote Jefrey Chan, who started
the petition on Change.org.
The protesters have occupied
several major thoroughfares in
the former British colony since
September 28.
Photographs circulating on
social media Saturday showed
the citys last colonial leader
Chris Patten holding an open
yellow umbrella - the symbol of
the pro-democracy movement -
in an apparent gesture of support
at Oxford University, where he is
chancellor.
A woman walks over barricade at a pro-democracy protest camp site
in the Admiralty district of Hong Kong.
Iconic Hello Kitty celebrates 40th birthday
AFP
Tokyo
H
ello Kitty, Japans global icon of
cute, yesterday marked her 40th
anniversary with a human-size ver-
sion of the feline character regaling fans at
an upscale Tokyo department store and a
theme park.
The moon-faced creation, who has
spawned a multi-billion dollar industry, be-
gan her birthday by trying her hand as man-
ager of the Mitsukoshi department store in
Tokyos glitzy Ginza district.
Clad in pink fromhead to toe with a cus-
tomary bow on her head, a human-size
Kitty showed up at an in-house meeting at
the store, drawing cheers and applause from
hordes of employees.
She bowed to the staf, who bowed back.
The mouthless character did not speak
but waved and struck poses, sending many
on the oor blurting out kawaii!, the Japa-
nese word for cute.
As the store opened, she greeted the rst
wave of customers, many of whom hugged
the character and posed for pictures.
Kitty, who adorns everything from pen-
cil cases to pyjamas the world over, also cel-
ebrated her birthday with fans at her creators
themeparkSanrioPurolandinwesternTokyo.
Surrounded by hundreds of admirers, she
performed dances with other characters in-
cluding her twin sister Mimmy.
The Keio Plaza Hotel chain, meanwhile,
opened Hello Kitty hotel rooms in Tokyo
on Saturday, decorated oor to ceiling with
pictures of the cuddly character.
On the other side of the Pacic, a Hello
Kitty Convention in the Little Tokyo district
near downtown Los Angeles has opened for
a four-day run through the weekend, ex-
pecting to draw some 25,000 fans.
First released in 1974 and appearing on
a coin purse the following year, Hello Kitty
nowfeatures on more than 50,000 products
in 130 countries and territories.
Creator Sanrio says cute-loving adults are
the main customers driving business.
Despite her years, the timeless character,
who insists you can never have too many
friends, is still exploring newfrontiers.
Kitty went on a space mission this year
aboard a satellite and Sanrio is launching
a line of Kitty products for men next year,
possibly before Valentines Day.
She has also appeared on a dress made for
eccentric US pop diva Lady Gaga, while Tai-
wanese airline EVAAir marked the 40th an-
niversary by launching a Hello Kitty plane,
complete with Kitty-themed airline food
and stewardess uniforms.
Fans were stunned in August when it
emerged that Kitty is in fact not a cat, but a
girl.
Sanrio says it has been saying all along
that she is a happy little girl with a heart of
gold- despite her whiskers andpointy ears.
Kitty was making telephone calls and
had a goldsh friend from the very begin-
ning, a Sanrio spokesman has said. It is a
100% personied character... Barring her
cat face, she does exactly what humans do.
According to her of cial biography, Kitty
was born in a London suburb on November
1 to parents George and Mary. She has a cat
named Charmmy Kitty.
Hello Kitty, a one-day manager of the
Mitsukoshi department store in Tokyos
glitzy Ginza district, and the department
store manager Hideyuki Murakami pose
during a morning meeting with clerks
before the opening of the store yesterday.
BRITAIN
Gulf Times
Murder probe into
shooting of woman
Evening Standard
London
A
murder investigation has been
launched after a woman was shot at
a house near Holloway Road.
Of cers on patrol in the area were alert-
edto a womanshot around09.35 yesterday
morning.
Of cers attended the address in Loraine
Road, just of Holloway Road, and found
the woman sufering serious injuries.
First aid was administered by of cers
until the arrival of London Ambulance
Service and Londons Air Ambulance,
however the woman was later pronounced
dead at the scene.
The victimhas been identied, but next
of kin are yet to be informed.
A post mortem examination will be ar-
ranged in due course.
A 38-year-old man was arrested on
suspicion of murder and has been taken
into custody at a north London police
station.
Of cers on the scene told The Stand-
ard that a major investigation was un-
derway, but would not reveal any further
details.
Arearmhas been recovered and will be
forensically examined.
At this early stage it is believed the ar-
rested man and the woman are known to
each other.
The homicide and major crime com-
mand is investigating and an incident
roomhas opened in Hendon led by detec-
tive chief inspector Andy Chalmers.
Detectives are investigating after a man
was found collapsed in the road in east
London shortly after a woman was mur-
dered in the next street.
Police were called to the scene in Valen-
tines Road, Ilford, at 5.30pmyesterday and
found a woman sufering from multiple
stab wounds. She was taken to a nearby by
hospital and pronounced dead on arrival.
Shortly after 7pmof cers were called to
nearby Auckland Road where they found a
man lying in the street.
Scotland Yard said that the victims,
both in their 20s, where not related but
believed to be known to each other.
The man died soon after arriving at the
hospital, the Metropolitan police said.
In a statement police said: Both deaths
are being investigated by of cers fromthe
homicide & major crime command based
at Barking.
The death of the woman, who had suf-
fered multiple stab wounds, is being treat-
ed as murder.
At this early stage, there is no evidence
to suggest that the death of the manis sus-
picious.
Enquiries continue to establish the full
circumstances.
Police added that the bodies have not
yet been formally identied and post-
mortems are due to take place.
A teenager has been stabbed to death in
south London.
The 18-year-old man died at the scene
in Pilgrimage Street, Southwark just be-
fore 3.15pmyesterday.
Early reports suggest he may have been
attacked outside a nearby of licence while
he was with his aunt.
Paramedics worked desperately to re-
suscitate himon the pavement but he died
about 45 minutes after they arrived.
His sister arrived later and was de-
scribed by onlookers as distraught.
Press Association reporter Alex Diaz
tweeted: Of cers at Pilgrimage St crime
scene conrm murder investigation on-
going. Incident was outside Quality Food
store.
Scotland Yard said the victims next of
kinhave not yet beeninformedanda post-
mortem examination would be held in
due course. Police cordoned of the street
while they investigated.
Southwark Council leader Peter John
tweeted: So sorry to hear of fatal stabbing
on Pilgrimage Street this afternoon - knife
and violent crime has no place in South-
wark #SE1.
Pictures posted on Twitter showed
Londons Air Ambulance landing in near-
by Tabard Gardens.
A London Ambulance Service spokes-
woman said: We were called at 14.26 to
reports of a stabbing on Pilgrimage Street
in SE1.
We sent two motorcycle responders, an
ambulance crew, a duty of cer and Lon-
dons Air Ambulance to the scene.
Sadly, despite extensive eforts to
resuscitate the patient, a man was pro-
nounced dead at the scene by the doctor
fromLondons Air Ambulance.
The homicide and major crime com-
mand, which investigates all killings in
London, has been informed.
No arrests have been made.
Forensic oficers work near the scene.
Woolf resigns as head of inquiry into child abuse
Evening Standard
London
F
iona Woolf last night an-
nounced she had resigned as
the head of the inquiry into
historic childsex abuse after facing
unprecedented pressure to quit.
Representatives of child abuse
victims had urged her to stand
down over after fresh revelations
emerged about her links to former
home secretary Lord Brittan.
They also criticised her lack of
expertise on the subject of child
abuse.
In a statement tonight, she said:
I did not think it was going to be
possible for me to chair [the in-
quiry] without everybodys sup-
port.
She told the BBCthat it has been
clear to her for some time that she
did not have the condence of the
victims and it was time for her to
get out of the way.
She said: I was determined that
the inquiry got to the bottom of
the issues and if I dont command
their condence to run the panel
fairly and impartially then I need
to get out of the way.
It has been brewing for some
time. Ever since the issue rst
arose I have been worrying about
the negative perceptions and there
has beena lot of negative comment
and innuendo and that has got in
the way as well.
The calls for her resignation
came just hours before repre-
sentatives of child abuse victims
were due to meet inquiry of cials
for the rst time and appeared to
leave Woolf, a City lawyer, in an
increasingly untenable position at
its helm.
Pete Saunders, chief execu-
tive of the National Association
for People Abused in Childhood,
said: Ive yet to meet anybody
from the survivor organisations
or individual survivors who have
any faith in Fiona Woolfs chair-
ship. Her link with Leon Brit-
tan is unquestioned and for that
reason alone she should stand
down. Home secretary Theresa
May said she had accepted Mrs
Woolfs resignation with re-
gret.
She said: I believe she would
have carried out her duties with
integrity, impartiality and to the
highest standard.
May - who is to make a Com-
mons statement tomorrow- said
the inquiry panel would continue
its work while a new chairman
was appointed.
She said: I decided to set up
this inquiry because its im-
perative that we establish the
extent to which institutions in
this country have taken seri-
ously their duty of care towards
children. Recent reports from
Rotherham and Greater Man-
chester demonstrate the impor-
tance of this work.
As with Hillsborough, the
best way to do this is through
an independent panel inquiry.
I believe we have a panel which
brings a wide range of experience
and expertise and one that survi-
vors can have condence in. Fiona Woolf
St Pauls teachers were massively
inappropriate, says minister
Evening Standard
London
A
minister has talked about
behaviour which with
hindsight could be re-
gardedas massively inappropri-
ate at the top private school he
attended which has since be-
come the centre of a child abuse
investigation.
Ed Vaizey said teachers may
have beeninvolved inwhat might
be called irtation with pu-
pils at the historic St Pauls boys
school inLondon, which was also
attended by chancellor George
Osborne.
The culture minister said that
at the time relations between
teachers and boys seemed inno-
cent and that he never experi-
enced any abuse or knewof any.
In an exclusive interview with
Evening Standard editor Sa-
rah Sands on LondonLive, to be
broadcast on Monday, Vaizey
also says he thinks Boris John-
son could make a good Tory
Leader.
His comments on St Pauls,
in Barnes, follow the arrest of a
57-year-old man who was later
charged in connection with the
investigation. Six other people
have been arrested and bailed
until a later date.
Vaizey said: I dont knowhow
to put this delicately without
making a massive faux pas, but I
think kids at school, they know
what their teachers ... which of
their teachers might take more of
an interest in them.
But certainly from our per-
spective it was innocent, it felt
innocent.
Asked if there were teachers
that weresuspect, he answered:
Yes, but it didnt feel more than
just ... you didnt feel threatened
in any shape or form.
He said that he thinks he knew
one or two of the teachers in-
volved in allegations of abuse at
the school. But he added: Noth-
ing happenedwith me andI dont
think anything happened with
anyone that I knewat St Pauls of
any signicance whatsoever.
So what couldyouat the most
argue? That there was any kindof
irtation? Possibly, which look-
ing back with hindsight is obvi-
ously massively inappropriate.
Operation Winthorpe is a Met
investigation into allegations of
non-recent sexual abuse alleged
to have takenplace inBarnes. Of-
cers have so far arrested seven
people. Five men and one woman
have been arrested and bailed
until a later date. The further
man, 57, has been arrested and
charged in connection with the
investigation.
In Mondays interview, Vaizey
also speaks frankly about the for-
tunes of members of the Not-
ting Hill Set, including himself,
Osborne and Prime Minister
David Cameron.
He went on to say: I dont
think David Cameron is going
any time soon by any stretch of
the imagination.
But in principle [Boris] could
be a good leader.
Ed Vaizey says that in hindsight behaviour was massively
inappropriate
Prize puppy
stolen from
home in
N London
Evening Standard
London
A
devastated dog owner
says he feels as though
he has lost a child after
thieves broke into his house
and stole his Chow Chow
puppy.
Jamie Green, 29, yesterday
issued a desperate appeal for
the return of the dog, a de-
signer breed, adding that the
theft had left himfeeling vio-
lated.
He bought Misiu, which
means little bear in Polish, as
a surprise for his girlfriend
Joanna Gluminska, 21, ve
weeks ago. He spent 1,600
on the dog, buying it from a
local registered breeder.
Since then Misiu had be-
come an online hit after Green
posted photographs of the dog
on Imgur, where they were
viewed almost 2.5mn times. A
photograph of Misiu on Buz-
zfeed attracted 80,000 likes.
Green, an author who lives
with his family and girlfriend
in Stanmore, said Misiu was
stolen on Wednesday.
He is convinced he was tar-
geted by dog thieves looking
for expensive designer animals
as his other dog, a Palmolein
named Honey, was left behind
and little else was taken.
Green yesterday issued a
desperate appeal for his safe
return. He said: I had left
Misiu on his own all day and
I felt so bad and I came back
thinking hed be desperate to
get out.
But he was nowhere to be
seen. I sawthe broken window
in the kitchen and ran around
the house but he had gone.
I went upstairs and noticed
my mothers room had been
turned over and some valua-
bles had gone. I rang the police
straight away.
Misiu is such a distinctive
dog and I have had so much
attention [over] him. People
love him.
The fact not much was
taken and my other dog was
left is proof to me they target-
ed us for Misiu.
He added: We are heart-
broken and devastated. Its
like they have broken in to my
home and stolen my child. Im
scared to go outside but hate
being here as someone broke
in.
I feel violated. Its horrible.
We just want our dog back. If
we get him back I wont press
charges. I dont care. I just
want himhome.
Dog theft is increasing by
about 15% year on year ac-
cording to not-for-prot or-
ganisation Dog Lost.
Spokeswoman Nik Oakley
said: In London it is almost
always designer dogs that are
stolen expensive pedigree
animals that are worth a great
deal of money.
Man killed with axe
after row over insult
Evening Standard
London
A
handyman was stabbed
13 times by two teenag-
ers armed with an axe
and a knife after he confronted
themfor taunting and spitting
at his girlfriend, a court heard
yesterday. Paul Thrower, 46,
had become absolutely en-
raged after a group of youths
spat and threw drink at his
girlfriendGeraldine Roberts as
she returned from the shops,
the Old Bailey heard.
He rushed out of his rst-
oor at in Hayes screaming
and shouting obscenities at
the teenagers, two of whom
barricaded themselves behind
a communal door in the block
of ats, jurors were told.
Opening the case today,
the prosecution said Zakariya
Subeir, 18, and Kiro Hallibur-
ton, also 18, set upon Thrower
as he smashedhis way through
one of the doors glass panels
and crawled through. They
were believed to have been
armed with an axe and at least
one knife,
Peter Finnegan QC, for the
prosecution, said: As he came
through he had absolutely no
chance at all.
As he went through he
was attacked with this vi-
cious weapon. He was struck
some three times with the
axe, it seems twice on the top
of his head and another axe
blow caught him on the right
shoulder and an in addition
to the axe blows, he sufered
as many as 10 wounds to his
upper body and many of those
wounds were on his back.
The two teenagers ed with
two other youths, who are also
chargedwith murder. Thrower
tried to pursue themclutching
the bloody axe, but collapsed,
the court heard. He died in
hospital on the same day, Feb-
ruary 20 this year.
Subeir and Halliburton and
their two co-defendants, who
cannot be named for legal
reasons, all deny murder. The
trial continues.
Paul Thrower
BRITAIN/IRELAND
19
Gulf Times
Cautions set to be scrapped
under overhaul of justice
Evening Standard
London
P
olice cautions are to be scrapped
as part of an overhaul of out-of-
court disposals, justice secretary
Chris Grayling has announced.
Ministers want to replace existing
disposals available to police of cers,
which include cautions and cannabis
warnings, with a new two-tier ap-
proach requiring ofenders to take one
or more actions.
Justice secretary Chris Grayling said
the revamp, which at the bottom-end
would see ofenders writing an apol-
ogy to victims or repairing damages but
could see more serious ofences being
ned, removes the soft option.
Three police force areas will trial the
new approach over the next 12 months
and if successful it will be replicated
across the country.
The justice secretary said: Under
the newsystemwe are introducing, of-
fenders will face prosecution if they fail
to comply with the conditions set by
the police, so that no one is allowed to
get away with the soft option.
Conditional cautions, simple cau-
tions, penalty notices for disorder,
cannabis and khat warnings and com-
munity resolutions will be replacedby a
newframework.
First-time ofenders who commit
minor crimes will face a new statutory
community resolution, which could see
an ofender ofering a verbal or written
apology to the victim, making repara-
tion, such as xing damages, or paying
nancial compensation.
More serious ofending will be dealt
with by a suspended prosecution,
which will have one or more condition
attached such as a ne or attending a
rehabilitation course.
As with the current system, police
of cers will use their judgment to as-
sess an ofence.
Stafordshire, West Yorkshire and
Leicestershire police forces will trial
the proposed system.
National policing lead on out-of-
court disposals chief constable Lynne
Owens said: Any reform must aim to
simplify it in order to assist public un-
derstanding and reduce bureaucracy.
The pilots seek to test a new approach
which gives of cers and staf the dis-
cretionto deal with cases appropriately.
It will engage the victimin the process
and require ofenders to take responsi-
bility for their actions.
There were 391,171 out-of-court dis-
posals handed out in the year to March,
which included235,323 cautions, 77,933
cannabis warnings and 77,915 pen-
alty notices for disorder, compared to
522,133 disposals given in the year to
March 2010.
The proposals come after a ministry
of justice consultation last year, which
found 71%of respondents wanted out-
of-court disposals to be simplied.
Richard Monkhouse, chairman of
the Magistrates Association, said: We
have pressed hard for a simplication
of cautions, so this pilot is welcome,
especially in empowering victims.
However, we need to see more detail
on the measurement of the pilots ef-
fectiveness because our members tell us
there are existing challenges with local
scrutiny panels in evaluating the cur-
rent regime for out-of-court disposals.
Its also important that this doesnt
lead to an over-escalation and crimi-
nalisation of behaviour currently dealt
with by informal community resolu-
tions.
Well also need to be satised that
magistrates have proper access to rel-
evant case history on community reso-
lutions when breaches occur and end
up in court, something which doesnt
always happenat the moment. We hope
the pilot is successful in tackling cur-
rent challenges.
Paul Ford, spokesman for the Po-
lice Federation of England and Wales,
which represents tens of thousands of
rank-and-le police of cers, said: If
the pilot proves to increase condence
andefectiveness of the criminal justice
system, it will be benecial for every-
one.
It should be noted, however, that
lack of suf cient training in this area
may pose a threat to its potential suc-
cess. The most efective way to prevent
crime is to have a well-fundedandhigh-
ly-trained police service that is visible
and readily available in communities.
It must be acknowledged that due
to austerity measures, policing is un-
der signicant strain and is struggling
to provide efective support to victims
and witnesses, as was highlighted by
last weeks National Detectives Survey.
This fundamentally undermines
condence in the criminal justice sys-
tem and must be addressed in order to
allow for the potential positive change
this pilot could provide.
Suspended prosecutions would be
traced on a criminal record, whereas
community resolutions would not, an
MoJ spokesman said.
AdamPemberton, assistant chief ex-
ecutive of the charity Victim Support,
said: As a charity which ofers help to
more than a million victims of crime
every year, we know that many people
nd it dif cult to understand the cur-
rent systemof out-of-court disposals.
These proposals represent a wel-
come simplication with the potential
to make it easier for victims to under-
stand howtheir ofender has been dealt
with.
We support the use of community
resolutions, particularly where the victim
has a say in how the situation is resolved
and the opportunity to explain to their
ofender the impact of their actions.
However, a community resolution
is unlikely to be appropriate in certain
cases, for example a sexual ofence,
and it is critical that victims are never
put under pressure to take part against
their will.
Shadow justice secretary Sadiq
Khan said: Under David Camerons
government, too many criminals
have been getting away with seri-
ous crimes. On their watch, cau-
tions have been dished out wrongly
for serious sexual and violent crimes
like rape.
Slap-on-the-wrist community
resolutions meant for minor crimes
have instead been used by the police
thousands of times for violent ofences.
And the public are no longer protected
from the most serious criminals after
the Government watered down sen-
tencing rules for the most dangerous
and violent criminals.
This governments actions have
cheapened our justice system, leav-
ing the public to question whether
this government is truly on the side
of innocent victims of crime.
While we will look at the details
of this announcement and keep a
close eye on how the pilots unfold,
we will need to ensure that these
measures do not impact negatively
on victims getting the justice they
deserve as well as monitoring how
the court system deals with the ad-
ditional burden placed on them by
these changes.
The Royal Courts of Justice.
Lowe gets double life sentence for
killing partner and her daughter
Evening Standard
London
B
ritans oldest double mur-
derer was told he would be
107 before he would even
be considered for release.
John Lowe, 82, blasted his girl-
friend Christine Lee then turned
his shotgun on her daughter
Lucy.
Today justice Singh told Lowe
his old age would not save him
froma double life sentence and a
minimumtermof 25 years.
His barrister Ian Lawrie QC
said: The reality is that what-
ever termis set he is going to die
in prison. With his age and his
health we knowwhere we are.
Lowe had been devastated by
the death of his long termpartner
a year earlier but after the shoot-
ing he had told police he had shot
the victims to put them down,
the judge told Guildford Crown
Court.
Lowe, who listened to pro-
ceedings through a hearing loop,
was expressionless as he was led
to the cells.
Outside court Lucys sister
Stacy Banner said: Im relieved
by the sentence. He is never
coming out. He can never hurt
anyone again.
Lowe, who lived in a squalid
remote farmhouse near Farnham,
Surrey, had opened re with
shotguns returned to himby po-
lice just seven months before the
murders last February.
Banner had condemned Surrey
police for putting the gun in his
hand despite repeated warnings
that he was a danger.
Three police employees are
under investigation for gross
misconduct and independent re-
ports have found the decision to
return the guns was awed.
The judge ordered that the ve
shotguns the police had returned
to Lowe should be destroyed
along with his remaining ammu-
nition.
He said that Lowe had lost his
temper and shot Christine, 66, at
close range in the chest.
Lucy, 41, ran for her life and
made frantic 999 calls for help.
She saidthat youhadshot her
mumandthat she fearedthat you
were going to shoot her as well,
said the judge.
Nevertheless in an act of ex-
traordinary courage, she went
back - no doubt to see if there
was anything she coulddo to help
her mother.
You then used the shotgun to
shoot her twice, once to the back
of the head and then fatally to the
chest, again from an angle from
above.
In the meantime you must
have had to reload your weapon
because it had two barrels.
In harrowing victim impact
statements read to the court the
family told of the despair and
grief.
Banner said that having for-
mally identied the bodies at the
mortuary the grief came crash-
ing down on me.
Every time I close my eyes I
see them and they dominate my
thoughts, she went on.
I have nightmares and Im
haunted by what John did to
them. I feel isolated in my pain
and counselling has not helped.
I struggle to eat and sleep and I
dont feel safe.
Julia James, Christines sister,
said: Even now its very hard to
cope with everyday life without
them.
I feel despair and Im physi-
cally and emotionally weak.
They were lovely people,
kind, witty and generous - I miss
themmore than I can say.
John Lowe, 83 Lowe had a love-hate relationship with Christine Lee.
Typhoons scrambled to intercept Russian Bear
Evening Standard
London
R
AF jets scrambled to inter-
cept a Russian bomber as
it approached UK airspace
yesterday, the second such inci-
dent involving Russian aircraft in
the past three days.
The Russian Bear bomber from
Vladimir Putins air force was met
by RAF Typhoons as it ew near
RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland
and was escorted through the
UKight information region, the
ministry of defence said.
The intervention follows a
similar incident on Wednesday
when two Bear bombers were
tracked over the North Sea as
Nato radars picked up a series of
Russian formations engaged in
signicant military manoeu-
vres ranging fromthe Black Sea
to the Atlantic Ocean.
An RAF spokeswoman said the
Russian aircraft has been picked
up by the RAF Control and Re-
porting Centre at Boulmer in
Northumberland, which scram-
bled the Typhoons.
She said: Following a simi-
lar incident on Wednesday 29
October, the RAF Typhoon
pilots visually identified the
Russian aircraft and escorted
them through the UK flight
information region.
Wednesdays incident and the
other exercises led Nato to warn
of an unusual spike in Russian
military ights in European air-
space.
It involved two Bears that had
originally been part of a larger
formation of eight aircraft - in-
cluding four Il-78 tanker planes
- intercepted by Norwegian F-16
ghters in international airspace
over the Norwegian Sea.
While six of the planes re-
turned back towards Russia, the
two Bears carried on towards the
UK where they were picked up
by Boulmer in Northumberland.
The Bears continued on over the
Atlantic to the west of Portugal,
where they were intercepted by
Portuguese Air Force F-16s be-
fore turning back.
The Russian ight coincided
with similar incidents over the
Black Sea and the Baltic where
Russian military formations were
intercepted by Turkish ghters
andPortuguesejetsassignedtothe
NatoBaltic air policingmission.
They come against a back-
ground of months of heightened
tensions between Moscow and
the West following Russias an-
nexation of Crimea and military
incursion into Ukraine.
On Wednesday RAF Typhoon
ghters were also launched to
intercept a civilian aircraft which
was causing concern to air traf c
control authorities.
The aircraft, a Russian-made
Antonov An-26 cargo airliner
from Latvia, was safely escorted
to London Stansted after being
intercepted by aircraft from RAF
Coningsby when communication
with it was lost.
It was later allowedto continue
its original journey to Birming-
ham.
The Russian Bear bomber.
Thousands rally
over water charges
Reuters
Dublin
T
ens of thousands of
people marched in
towns across Ireland
yesterday in a second day of
mass protests against water
charges, the biggest display
of opposition to government
austerity measures since the
countrys banking crisis and
bailout in 2010.
Ireland emerged from its
EU-IMF bailout last year and
the economy is bouncing back
strongly with the government
forecasting economic growth
of close to 5%this year.
But protesters complained
that they were not feeling the
benets and that years of aus-
terity had disproportionately
hit the lower paid.
This isnt just about the
water, its about the last ve
years, said Paul, a 55-year-old
sign writer who said he had
had to give up his car, his life
insurance and his health in-
surance.
I was thinking about buy-
ing a new pair of shoes this
year. Its come to that. Enough
is enough, he said. He de-
clined to give his second name
to avoid attracting attention to
his business.
Banners called on people
not to pay the new charges
which are likely to cost the
average household between
200 and 400 ($500) per year.
Up to now water services have
been nanced by general taxa-
tion.
Marches took place in doz-
ens of towns across Ireland.
Over 20,000 people gathered
at the largest protest in the
centre of Dublin, which was
dominated by grass-root local
groups, rather than the main-
streamopposition parties.
An anti-water charges can-
didate beat all the mainstream
parties in a by-election last
month and recent polls have
shown as many people plan to
vote for independents as for
the Fine Gael party of prime
minister Enda Kenny in the
general election in 18 months.
Water charges have been the
biggest story inthe Irish media
for months, with almost daily
revelations about high pay and
bonuses for executives and
newcharges for consumers.
The government, which
agreed to introduce water
charges under the EU-IMF
bailout, has proposed some
exemptions, but has not indi-
cated it is considering revers-
ing the charges.
The surge in anti-govern-
ment protest comes after years
of relative calm.
Cautions arebeingreplaced
with a new two-tier approach
placing some responsibility on the
ofender
EUROPE
Gulf Times
T
he new European Com-
mission led by EU vet-
eran Jean-Claude Juncker
formally took of ce yesterday,
promising to get down to work
as Europe faces a host of political
and economic challenges.
The agenda is heavy, with
Juncker making it his rst task
to launch a 300bn ($380bn)
investment plan by Christmas
to kickstart a faltering economy
plagued by stubborn, near-
record unemployment.
The Ukraine crisis meanwhile
shows no sign of easing, the Eu-
ropeanUnionis lockedindif cult
talks ona massive andcontrover-
sial trade deal with Washington
and Britains future in the bloc is
uncertain.
Now its time to roll up the
sleeves and get down to work.
Europes challenges cannot wait,
Juncker said in a statement yes-
terday. As of today, my teamand
I will work hard to deliver Europe
the newstart we have promised.
A rst test comes today when
pro-Russian rebels plan elec-
tions in the areas they control in
eastern Ukraine in deance of the
EU which says they are illegal,
will not be recognised and un-
dermine fragile peace eforts.
The Commission, the EUs ex-
ecutive arm, wields huge powers
from the massive glass-and-
steel Berlaymont headquarters in
central Brussels, drawing up the
legislative proposals needed to
put the member states decisions
into efect.
Its 23,500-strong staf also
submit myriad proposals across
the whole agenda, be it on the
economy or environment for
member state leaders to consider
when they meet in the European
Council.
Juncker is no stranger to the
halls of power in Brussels.
He served for 19 years as Lux-
embourg prime minister and was
head of the eurozone group of -
nance ministers during the dark-
est days of the debt crisis when
the single currency seemed on
the brink of collapse.
A famously dry sense of hu-
mour, an ability to get things
done, to nd the commonground
where none seemed to exist and
a convivial approach to life all
served himwell during the many
long nights of the crisis.
Juncker succeeds Portugals
Jose Manuel Barroso who served
10 years, during which time the
EU expanded from15 to 28 mem-
bers and the Commission gained
unprecedented powers in eco-
nomic policy, including the right
to vet eurozone member state
budgets.
The parlous state of the econo-
my, however, with growth strug-
gling and new jobs in short sup-
ply, has taken the gloss of the
European dream for many and
eurosceptic parties made signi-
cant gains in May elections.
In response, Juncker has
promised repeatedly to make
Europe work again for its 500mn
citizens.
This is the last-chance
Commission, he told the Eu-
ropean Parliament last month.
Either we succeed in bring-
ing Europes citizens together,
to drastically reduce the level of
unemployment and ofer a way
forward for our youth, or we fail.
Junckers new EU Commission formally takes of ce
AFP
Brussels
S
ix Ukrainian soldiers were
killed by pro-Russian
rebels, of cials said yes-
terday on the eve of separatist
elections that Ukraine and its
Western backers say will un-
dermine an increasingly hollow
truce accord.
Losses in the last 24 hours as
a result of ghting were six serv-
icemen killed and 10 wounded,
Volodymyr Polyovy, spokesman
for the National Security and
Defence Council, said.
Polyovy said the deaths
showed that separatist forces
continue to violate the cease-
re agreement signed Septem-
ber 5.
One of the main attacks took
place at the ruins of Donetsk
airport, which remains partly in
Ukrainian hands, despite lying
in territory mostly controlled by
the separatists, of cials said.
Explosions were audible from
central Donetsk most of the
night, apparently from artillery
targeting the airport.
Mid-morning yesterday, ex-
plosions could be heard about
every ve seconds, accompanied
by the sound of machine-guns,
AFP correspondents in Donetsk
said.
There was also heavy rebel
shelling of Krymske, a village
near Luhansk, another major
separatist town, the regional
governor said.
The bombardments formed
a frightening backdrop to elec-
tions today in the self-declared,
pro-Russian statelets known as
the Donetsk Peoples Repub-
lic and the Luhansk Peoples
Republic.
There were no signs of polling
stations in Donetsk near the air-
port and rebel soldiers deployed
there said they didnt know of
any stations in the area.
However, there was little
doubt about the winners of the
two polls, with separatist leader
Alexander Zakharchenko on
course to become head of the
Donetsk republic and Igor Plot-
nitsky in Luhansk.
Separatist authorities, who
have close links with their Rus-
sian counterparts, say 3mn bal-
lots have been printed and that
voting by Internet has already
started. Theres even an exit poll
planned for later today.
These elections are impor-
tant because they will give legit-
imacy to our power and give us
more distance from Kiev, said
Roman Lyagin, election com-
mission chief of the Donetsk
Peoples Republic.
Vera, 45, who was selling eggs
in a small Donetsk market, said
that she would vote against
the Fascists an insult against
Ukraines pro-Western govern-
ment that has become wide-
spread in the separatist regions
and in Russias powerful state
media machine.
However, retired teacher
Lyubov Georgiyevna, 75, said: I
wont vote. It wont change any-
thing.
She said above all she wished
she could sleep at night without
the sound of explosions.
Russia says it will recognise
the legitimacy of the separatist
elections, infuriating Ukraine
and Western countries who de-
scribe the votes as another blow
to the already teetering ceasere.
The latest UN gures show
4,035 people have been killed
in about seven months of war
more than 300 of them in the
last 10 days.
The White House on Friday
said: We deplore the intent of
separatists in parts of eastern
Ukraine to hold illegitimate so-
called local elections on Sun-
day.
The European Union and the
Nato military alliance have also
condemned the polls.
In a four-way call earlier on
Friday, the leaders of Ukraine,
Germany and France urged Rus-
sian President Vladimir Putin
not to recognise the polls.
Ukraines national security
service, the SBU, issued a warn-
ing late on Friday of the risk of
provocationsduring the sepa-
ratist votes.
The process of voting itself
and of taking part in these elec-
tions is dangerous, the SBU
of cial, Markiyan Lubkivsky,
said. Serious provocations are
being prepared that can then be
blamed on the Ukrainian au-
thorities.
There was one bit of good
news out of Ukraine this week
with Thursdays signing by
Ukraine, Russia and the Europe-
an Union of a deal guaranteeing
Russian gas sales to Ukraine over
the winter.
Six soldiers killed ahead
of Ukraine rebel votes
AFP
Donetsk
Retired teacher Georgyvna reacts as she hears artillery explosions
in Donetsk. Artillery explosions could be heard every few seconds
early yesterday in Donetsk on the eve of separatist elections that
Ukraine and its Western backers say will violate an increasingly
hollow truce accord.
A member of a local electoral commission carries ballot boxes during preparations for the upcoming
election, at a polling station in Donetsk.
V
iolent protests broke out
yesterday in two French
cities against alleged po-
lice brutality, leaving at least six
injured.
Of cers red rubber bullets
as demonstrators hurled bot-
tles of acid in the western city
of Nantes.
Protesters also clashed with
police in the southwestern city
of Toulouse.
The demonstrators were pro-
testing over the death of Remi
Fraisse, 21, who was killed last
Sunday during clashes between
security forces and protesters
at the site of a contested damin
southwestern France.
Initial investigations showed
traces of TNTonhis clothes and
skin, suggesting he may have
been killed by a stun grenade.
This is a young man who
was killed by the police, by the
State, and we cannot let this
go, said one demonstrator,
Annaik, 23, as other protesters
chanted slogans such as pigs!
and murderers!
Many who took part yester-
days protests, which also took
place in other cities including
Lille, Bordeaux and Avignon,
were saidto be opponents of the
controversial damproject.
French Prime Minister
Manuel Valls condemned the
violence, saying that it was
an insult to the memory of
Fraisse.
Fraisses death was the rst
during a protest in mainland
France since 1986.
Overnight on Thursday,
some 200 protesters rampaged
through the western city of
Rennes, with some turning over
cars and breaking shop win-
dows.
Authorities on Friday decid-
ed to suspend work on the dam.
It was impossible in light
of the tragedy to continue any
work on the site of the Sivens
dam project in the Tarn region,
said Thierry Carcenac, head of
the Tarns executive council.
Ecology Minister Segolene
Royal will next week gather all
warring parties to discuss the
future of the Sivens dam.
Opponents of the project say
the damwill destroy a reservoir
of biodiversity and will benet
only a small number of farmers.
Those promoting the dam
say it is in the public interest by
providing irrigation and aiding
the cultivation of high-value
crops.
Six hurt during French protests
AFP
Nantes
A protester challenges riot police in Nantes during a demonstration against police violence and in
memory of Remi Fraisse.
M
ore than 200 migrants
rescued from the
Mediterranean were
expected to land in Italy yes-
terday, the rst day of a newsea
patrol mission ran by the Euro-
pean Union.
Italys navy said it disem-
barked 151 people who were
picked up on Friday of Sicilys
southeastern tip in the port of
Augusta.
It said the coast guard was
also involved in the operations.
The ANSA news agency said
a merchant ship had taken on
board 59 migrants and was es-
corting them to Pozzallo, an-
other Sicilian port, where it was
expected to dock later in the
day.
There were no reports of mi-
grant rescues by the new EU
mission, called Triton.
ANSA also said that police
in Sicily arrested a 28-year-old
male fromGhana, on charges of
human traf cking.
He is suspected of having
served as the skipper on a din-
ghy that sank on Thursday.
Italian authorities managed
to rescue about 90 of the pas-
sengers, while some 20 people
are missing.
According to Interior Minis-
ter Angelino Alfano, more than
150,000 sea migrants have ar-
rived on Italian shores this year.
Italy has been asking for EU
help in handling the inux,
prompting the launch of Triton.
Co-ordinated by EU border
agency Frontex and acting un-
der Italian command, it started
yesterday with the deployment
of three open sea patrol vessels,
two coastal patrol vessels, two
coastal patrol boats, two air-
craft, and one helicopter.
Italy has decided in parallel
to scale down its own maritime
search-and-rescue mission
Mare Nostrum, launched last
year in response to two ship-
wrecks which claimed at least
500 lives.
The decision has been criti-
cised by human rights groups.
Hundreds rescued of Italy
on rst day of EU patrols
DPA
Rome
U
nidentied drones ille-
gally overew ve French
nuclear power plants
overnight, a source with knowl-
edge of the matter said yester-
day, in the latest of a series of
unexplained incidents that have
raised safety concerns.
The small unmanned aircraft
were detected late on Friday
above the ve plants in northern
and eastern France, the source
said, conrming an earlier report
by Agence France-Presse.
State-controlled utility EDF,
which operates the plants at
Penly, Flamanville, Saint-Lau-
rent-des-Eaux, Dampierre and
Fessenheim, could not conrm
the latest drone incursions.
French law bans aircraft of all
types from ying within 5km of
nuclear facilities.
Interior Minister Bernard Ca-
zeneuve said on Thursday that
France had launched an investi-
gation after drones were sighted
over seven EDF nuclear plants
between October 5 and 20.
Visibly irked by the drones,
Cazeneuve threatened in a radio
interview this week to have the
devices neutralised.
He did not give any details on
how the authorities would dis-
pose of them.
The power company has in-
sisted that the mystery ights
pose no safety or security threat.
But the incidents have fueled
public anxiety in France, the
worlds most nuclear-dependent
country with 58 reactors on 19
sites.
Mystery drones continue to plague nuclear plants
Reuters/DPA
Paris
New Italy
foreign
minister
AFP
Rome
I
talys former communica-
tions minister Paolo Gen-
tiloni has been sworn in as
foreign minister, the Presidents
of ce said on Friday.
Gentiloni, a member of Prime
Minister Matteo Renzis centre-
left Democratic Party (PD), re-
places Federica Mogherini, who
took on her new role as foreign
policy chief in Brussels yester-
day.
I thank President Giorgio
Napolitano and Prime Minister
Renzi for their trust. I know it is
a great responsibility, Gentiloni
told journalists after his swear-
ing in ceremony.
His appointment was met
with a stream of messages from
well wishers within the govern-
ment and centre-left.
Congratulations to Paolo
Gentiloni, newforeign minister,
Deputy Foreign Minister Lapo
Pistelli, who had been one of the
frontrunners for the job, said on
Twitter.
MPLiaQuartapelle, a32-year-
old widely tipped in the run-up
to Mogherinis resignation as
having been Renzis favourite for
the job, wished Gentiloni luck,
saying he had the right politi-
cal prole to guide our countrys
foreign policy.
The of cial conrmation of
his appointment came after a
swearing-in ceremony in front
of President Napolitano in the
presidential palace in Rome.
Gentiloni is known to be a
close ally of leftist Renzi and re-
actions to his appointment were
lukewarmfromthe centre-right,
with former premier Silvio Ber-
lusconis political advisor Gio-
vanni Toti saying the newminis-
ter would have a lot to do.
Greek PM appoints
new ministers
Greek Prime Minister Antonis
Samaras named his development
minister to the defence ministry
portfolio on Friday to replace
Dimitris Avramopoulos, who is to
become an EU Commissioner.
Nikos Dendias, 55, who has
served as justice and citizen
protection minister, will become
defence minister at a time when
the portfolio is expected to
become more high profile.
Athens is backing Cyprus in
its eforts to stop Turkeys gas
deposits exploration in areas of
the east Mediterranean claimed
by the island.
Costas Skrekas, a 41-year-old
lawmaker in Samaras New
Democracy party, will replace
Dendias at the development
ministry, overlooking issues
including private sector debt
relief which have been at
the heart of talks with the
countrys international lenders,
the European Union and the
International Monetary Fund.
Outgoing minister Avramopoulos,
61, will be the EUs Home Afairs
and Migration commissioner.
EUROPE
21
Gulf Times
T
housands of people took
to the streets of Turkey
and major European cities
yesterday in a show of solidarity
with the mainly Kurdish Syrian
town of Kobane which has been
besieged by jihadists for over six
weeks.
The rallies in Turkey were
largely peaceful, following dead-
ly unrest in October pro-Kurdish
protests and warnings from the
authorities they would not toler-
ate any disorder this time, AFP
correspondents said.
In an international show of
support for Kobane, rallies also
took place in European cities in-
cluding Brussels, Hamburg, Lon-
don, Munich and Paris.
The advance of Islamic State
(IS) jihadists on Kobane in mid-
September forced some 200,000
refugees to ee across the border
to Turkey.
But with Syrian Kurdish ght-
ers helped by US-led air strikes
and now reinforced by Iraqi
peshmerga holding back IS, the
town has become a symbol of re-
sistance against the jihadists.
Around 1,000 pro-Kurdish
supporters took part in a march
in central Istanbul, with protest-
ers holding up pictures of the
Peoples Protection Units (YPG)
Syrian Kurdish ghters killed in
the clashes and chanting slogans
like Kobane will be the tomb of
IS.
But the biggest event took
placeinTurkeys largest Kurdish-
majority city of Diyarbakir where
at least 15,000 people marched,
ashing the V for victory sign
amid heavy police security, an
AFP photographer reported.
In minor incidents, the po-
lice used tear gas in Diyarbakir
against a small number of pro-
testers who threw stones, while
in Hakkari in the extreme south-
east protesters set re to a bank
branch.
Protests also took place in cit-
ies including the Aegean city of
Izmir and the capital Ankara,
where some female protesters
donned the iconic baggy trousers
uniform of the peshmerga, an
AFP correspondent said.
The demonstrations had origi-
nally beencalledby Turkeys big-
gest pro-Kurdish party the Peo-
ples Democratic Party (HDP),
and the government had sternly
warned against any disorder.
Peaceful demonstrations will
be allowed, Prime Minister Ah-
met Davutoglu said yesterday,
but the security forces would do
what is necessary if the situa-
tion degenerated.
Tensions are currently running
high between the government
and Turkeys Kurds after pro-
Kurdish protests last month left
more than 30 people dead across
the country.
Many Kurds in Turkey are an-
gry over the governments per-
ceived lack of support for the
Kurds ghting for Kobane against
the jihadists, who have carried
out a litany of atrocities includ-
ing beheadings.
It remains to be seen if the ar-
rival late on Friday of the Iraqi
Kurdish peshmerga ghters in
Kobane after transiting through
Turkey will ease tensions.
Kobane is a symbol of the
Kurdish resistance, said Bu-
lent, 51, one of the demonstra-
tors in Istanbul as the protesters
marched down the famed Isitklal
shopping street towards Taksim
Square.
How can we react otherwise
to people who carry out behead-
ings? said Sema, 49.
Many of the Kurdish demon-
strators in Istanbul waved ban-
ners bearing the face of Abdullah
Ocalan, the imprisoned head of
the outlawed Kurdistan Workers
Party (PKK), still seen by many
Kurds as their overall leader.
The PKK has waged a 30-year
armed struggle against the Turk-
ish security forces for self-rule
and greater rights for Kurds
in southeast Turkey that has
claimed 40,000 lives.
It has largely observed a cease-
re since March 2013 amid a
fragile peace process with the
government. But violence has
ared again in the last weeks as
tensions rose over the Kobane
crisis.
Meanwhile, some 5,000people
demonstrated in solidarity with
Kobane in the Turkish town of
Suruc, 10kmfromthe border and
from where the peshmerga had
left for Kobane the day before, an
AFP TVreporter said.
Around 500people gathered in
Trafalgar Square, the main Lon-
don square where political pro-
tests are held, waving placards
with slogans such as Support
Kobane, Support Democracy.
One protester, Ari Ali, 28, said
he wanted the British govern-
ment to support the peshmerga.
Thats why people are com-
ing here, to make the government
wake up and see whats happen-
ing, he said.
Hundreds of Kurds also
marched in Paris in solidar-
ity with the Kurdish ghters in
Kobane.
The demonstrators, includ-
ing women and children, waved
Kurdish ags and placards in
support of the Kurdish resist-
ance trying to stave of the IS
ofensive on the border town.
We must save Kobane for the
future of humanity, said Berivan
Akyhol, spokeswoman for the
Democratic National Co-ordina-
tion of Kurds in France, in an ad-
dress to the crowd.
Thousands march in Europe
to support Kobane resistance
AFP/DPA
Istanbul
A Kurd holds a banner reading IS = Turkey during a demonstration in
central Athens.
Right: A demonstrator holds
a sign with a photo of Turkish
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan,
reading against brutality during
a rally at the Old Port (Vieux
Port) of Marseille, southern
France.
Left: Two protesters hold a save
Kobane placard during a
demonstration in Trafalgar
Square in London.
Turkish Kurds and others rally in the central Turkish city of Ankara in
support of Kurdish fighters, including peshmerga fighters, who have
gone to defend the Syrian town of Kobane, also known as Ain al-Arab,
against Islamic State (IS) extremists.
Police use pepper spray against
a Pro-Kurdish demonstration in
Cologne, western Germany.
Kurdish protesters shout slogans during a demonstration in Diyarbakir, Turkey, calling for support for the Syrian Kurdish town of Ain al-Arab,
also known as Kobane.
T
his week, Italys President
Giorgio Napolitano gave
an unprecedented testi-
mony inacriminal trial, conrm-
ing that 20 years ago, his country
faced an existential threat from
the Sicilian Maa, Cosa Nostra.
In 1992-1993, Cosa Nostra
waged a deadly bombing cam-
paign targeting politicians, pros-
ecutors, monuments and football
stadiums.
Judges in Palermo are trying to
ascertain whether in a bid to stop
those attacks, state of cials cut a
secret deal with Cosa Nostra.
Italy faced blackmail or even
pressure to destabilise the en-
tire system, driven by a unied
and persistent strategy aimed
at giving an ultimatum to pub-
lic powers, Napolitano said in a
closed-door hearing on Tuesday.
An 85-page transcript of his
three-hour hearing was released
three days later.
Napolitano, the speaker of the
lower house of parliament from
1992 to 1994, said Cosa Nostra
wanted an easing of prison terms
for jailed mobsters, presumably
expecting that there would be re-
actions of caving in on the part of
state authorities.
But he insisted that institu-
tions held rm.
The general orientation was
for an all-out war against the
Maa, he said.
Nevertheless, during 1993,
prison terms were eased for more
than 300 maosi.
And following that move, Cosa
Nostras bombs stopped.
Prosecutors say this was the
result of a non-aggressionpact
between senior politicians, po-
lice chiefs and Maa bosses.
The trial has 10 defendants,
including former Cosa Nostra
bosses Toto Riina and Bernardo
Provenzano, three former police
chiefs, former interior minister
Nicola Mancino and Marcello
DellUtri, an aide of former pre-
mier Silvio Berlusconi recently
jailed for Maa collusion.
Napolitano is not a sus-
pect, but was called as a wit-
ness chiey because an aide told
him shortly before dying in 2012
that he feared, while serving at
the justice ministry in the early
1990s, to have been manipulated
to cover up unspeakable agree-
ments.
He denied any knowledge of
what the aide, Loris DAmbrosio,
referred to, but said he was sure
that DAmbrosio would have re-
ported his concerns to authori-
ties if he thought he had suf -
cient proof of his suspicions.
Clearly, he did not, Napoli-
tano said.
Italys president also revealed
that in August 1993 intelligence
sources learned that the Ma-
a was planning a large-scale
bombing attack, followed by the
assassination of top-level poli-
ticians such as himself and then
Senate speaker Giovanni Spado-
lini.
A few months later, Italys
secret services concluded that
those threats had disappeared
because they had been taken of
the agenda of Cosa Nostra, Na-
politano said.
Reactions to his revelations
have been mixed.
Antonio Ingroia, a former
prosecutor who led investiga-
tions into the alleged state-Maa
pact before a failed bid to enter
politics last year, said that the
testimony conrmed the as-
sumptions of the prosecution.
For the rst time, an au-
thoritative source (...) has de-
clared that top institutions were
aware already in July 1993 that
the bombs came from the Maa,
whereas at the time some spoke
of national or international ter-
rorism, Ingroia wrote yesterday
on Il Fatto Quotidiano, an oppo-
sition newspaper.
But he doubted the sincerity of
Napolitano when he claimed that
he did not know anything about
the alleged state-Maa pact,
accusing him of telling half-
truths and withholding key in-
formation.
As a citizen, I amreally disap-
pointed, Ingroia wrote.
Emanuele Macaluso, a long-
life friend of the president and
former party colleague, said that
Napolitano had made every-
thing clearer as far as the moti-
vations for the 1992-1993 Maa
ofensive was concerned.
However, even after presi-
dents hearing, there is no real
conrmation that authori-
ties responded by giving in to
Cosa Nostra, besides the fact that
hundreds of jailed mobsters saw
an easing of their prison terms,
Macaluso told Il Messaggero
newspaper.
And Gerardo Bianco, a senior
Christian Democracy party g-
ure in the early 1990s, told an-
other paper, Il Mattino, that the
softening of the prison terms was
a bureaucratic decision benet-
ing second-rank mobsters, with
no input fromthe government.
There was no let-up [in the
ght against the Maa], and the
government never suggested it,
he said.
Italy president sheds light on Maas ultimatum
ByAlviseArmellini, DPA
Rome
Napolitano: Italy faced blackmail or even pressure to destabilise the
entire system, driven by a unified and persistent strategy aimed at
giving an ultimatum to public powers.
22
Gulf Times
INDIA
The Supreme Court has upheld the life
imprisonment of a soldier convicted for
killing a senior army oficer who had tried to
sodomise him. Rejecting the argument of B D
Khunte that he acted under provocation, the
court in a recent judgment said there was a
diference between provocation and revenge.
The appellant (Khunte) may have been angry
with the deceased (Randhir Singh) for his act of
misdemeanour. But any such anger would only
constitute a motive for taking revenge upon the
deceased. It could not be described as a grave
and sudden provocation for which deceased
could have been shot the moment he came in
front of the appellant.
Bihar Assembly Speaker Uday Narayan
Choudhary yesterday expelled four rebel
legislators of the ruling Janata Dal (United) party.
Choudhary said the decision was taken on the
basis of charges against Gayanendra Singh
Gayanu, Rahul Sharma, Ravinder Rai and Neeraj
Bablu by the party. Gayanu later said he would
challenge the move in the Patna High Court while
Rai described the decision as the handiwork of
former chief minister Nitish Kumar. Bablu termed
it a murder of democracy. All four rebel legislators
were suspended fromthe party for six years
early this year. The JD-Uleader Shrawan Kumar
defended the expulsion saying it was in tune with
the 10th schedule of the constitution.
A group of Jawaharlal University (JNU) students
yesterday protested outside the Delhi police
headquarters alleging discrimination against
the minority community in the communal
violence that hit east Delhis Trilokpuri. A group
of 60-70 JNU students staged a protest against
Delhi police over the Trilokpuri communal
violence and blamed the force for taking action
against the minority community residing in the
locality, Deputy Commissioner of Police Alok
Kumar said. A few members of the students
also met Delhi Police Special Commissioner
Vimla Mehra, Kumar said. Two groups of
Hindus and Muslims clashed on Diwali day on
October 23 in Trilokpuri.
More than 150short films, ranging fromanimation
to independent varieties from30 countries,
will be screened at an international short film
festival which began in Kolkata yesterday. The
12th edition of Kalpanirjhar International Short
Fiction FilmFestival is organised by the Goethe-
Institut/Max Mueller Bhavan and Kalpanirjhar
Foundation. According to R N Banerjee of the
Foundation, there will be a special segment for
films made by young filmmakers and a section
dedicated to animated films. There will be 20
films in the GenNext segment and 49 in the
independent section. As many as 31 animated
short films will be shown, Banerjee said. The
event will run until November 6.
With around 150,000breast cancer cases being
diagnosed every year in India, health experts
yesterday called for more public awareness and
community screening before the disease takes
on epidemic proportions. Public awareness,
community screening for early detection are
essential interventions to save a lot of lives before
the disease takes epidemic proportions, PremNair,
director of Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences
(AIMS) said in Kochi. He was speaking at a national
seminar on Practical issues in the management
of breast cancer. The seminar was organised to
raise general awareness about the disease. It was
attended by leading oncologists fromacross the
state and some international experts.
Court upholds life
imprisonment for soldier
Six JD-U legislators
expelled from assembly
Protest outside police
HQ over Trilokpuri riots
Foreign short films to be
screened at Kolkata fest
Public awareness
needed, say experts
JUDICIARY POLITICS CLASHES ENTERTAINMENT BREAST CANCER
A new name board is seen at the Bengaluru City Railway Station yesterday.
Its of cial now: Indias IT
capital renamed Bengaluru
Agencies
Bengaluru
B
angalore, Indias infor-
mation technology capi-
tal, was of cially renamed
Bengaluru yesterday, eight
years after the name change was
proposed.
Indian authorities have in
recent years renamed several
key cities in a bid to shake off
the British colonial past by
replacing anglicised names of
the cities with the traditional
ones.
The Karnataka government
issued a notication changing
names of Bangalore and 11 more
cities in the state efective yes-
terday coinciding with Karna-
takas 59th formation day.
As the fth largest city in the
country, Bangalore drew global
attention over the last decade,
riding on the success of its re-
silient IT industry, talent pool,
salubrious climate and cosmo-
politan culture of its 9mn peo-
ple.
Other well-known cities like
Mysore will be pronounced
and spelt Mysuru, Mangalore
as Mangaluru, Belgaum as Be-
lagavi, Bellary as Ballari, Hubli
as Hubballi and Gulbarga in
the states northern region as
Kalaburgi.
The remaining five cities -
Bijapur became Vijayapura,
Chikmagalur Chikkamagalu-
ru, Hospet Hosapeta, Shi-
moga in Malnad region as
Shivamogga and Tumkur Tu-
makuru.
Heralding the Karnataka Ra-
jyotsava Day at a colourful cul-
tural event in the city centre,
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah
said it was a proud moment for
the 60mn people of the state
to pronounce names of a dozen
cities in Kannada and use them
of cially hereafter.
He said: We propose to re-
name other cities and towns in
the state in due course after as-
sessing the impact of changes to
the 12 cities with a population
of 0.5-1mn.
N Mahadevappa, a college
teacher, said: Bangalore has
been Bangalored! Renaming
has robbed the citys charming
Anglican name and fame. Its
of cial. We have no choice but
followand get used to it.
US Secretary of State John
Kerry was the first politician
who coined or used Banga-
lored in the run-up to the
2008 presidential poll to high-
light how low-cost Indian
software firms were taking
away thousands of tech jobs
from his country due to in-
creasing outsourcing of serv-
ices.
A Karnataka government of-
cial said: Renaming states
and cities is not new. We are
behind other states like Ma-
harashtra which made the his-
torical Bombay into Mumbai,
while Madras became Chennai,
Calcutta Kolkata, Poona Pune,
Baroda Vadodara and Orissa
Odisha. We have done to popu-
larise our cities original names
and respect the peoples senti-
ments.
Graft charge
against Mani
is baseless,
says Chandy
Opposition calls for CBI probe
to establish the truth
IANS
Thiruvananthapuram
K
erala Chief Minister
Oommen Chandy yes-
terday defended Finance
Minister K M Mani following
corruption allegations made
against him by a businessman
who owns hotels with bars here.
This is a baseless allegation
levelled by the businessman. He
(businessman) said that he came
andtoldme about this case. Such
a thing has never taken place and
I wish to ask himto reveal when,
where and with whom he came
and met me, Chandy told re-
porters.
Bar owner Biju Ramesh said
on a TV channel that Mani had
demanded Rs50mn for allow-
ing 418 bars in Kerala to remain
open. These bars were ordered to
be closed from the beginning of
this scal year.
Ramesh, who is also the Kerala
Bar Hotel Owners Association
president, said the association
members had given Rs10mn in
two instalments to Mani at his
home in Kottayam.
Ramesh also revealed that he
haddisclosedthis deal toChandy.
If proved wrong, I am pre-
pared to hand over all my assets
to the Kerala government and
even prepared to immolate my-
self, Ramesh told the TV chan-
nel.
Chandy said each and every
Keralite knows Mani very well.
Let him (Ramesh) say more
things because I always meet
people openly. Since my name
has been dragged into this, let
him give more details. I can say
with conviction that the allega-
tions levelled against Mani are
baseless and there is no need
for a probe. I know this is false,
Chandy said.
Mani, 81, who heads the Kerala
Congress (Mani), the thirdbiggest
ally in the Chandy government,
told reporters he was shocked by
the baseless allegations.
If our party detractors feel
that they can silence me and my
party through such baseless al-
legations, then they are wrong.
I feel there is some sort of con-
spiracy behind this and it needs
to be probed, Mani said.
Opposition leader V S
Achuthanandan called for a
Central Bureau of Investigation
probe to establish the truth.
Its not just Mani who is in-
volved but other ministers are
also involved in corruption and
hence a CBI probe is needed,
Achuthanandan said.
Achuthanandans Communist
Party of India (Marxist) said the
allegation against Mani is going
to benet Chandy.
CPM state secretary Pinarayi
Vijayan said his party was not
surprised by the allegation as the
Chandy government was known
for such things.
He do not disbelieve the alle-
gations levelled by Biju Ramesh,
as such news was in the air for
long. Moreover Ramesh is a
known businessman. But the
real winner in this episode is
Chandy as Manis party was for
some time trying to make Mani
the chief minister, said Vijayan.
In the 140 member Kerala as-
sembly the Chandy government
has the support of 75 legislators
including the nine legislators of
Kerala Congress (Mani).
There have been speculations
that 81-year-old Mani who has
been a legislator since 1967 has
been nursing ambitions of be-
coming the chief minister.
The Left opposition has been
trying to woo Mani in a bid to
rock the Congress-led govern-
ment hoping he would join them
with the understanding that he
would be made the chief minis-
ter with the CPM extending out-
side support.
Oh...we did not know that
we were backing Mani. If you let
us know more about it, we will
nd out, shot back Vijayan when
asked whether they would now
support Mani if heabandonedthe
Congress-led United Democratic
Front. Vijayan, unlike his arch ri-
val in the CPM Achuthanandan,
appeared soft onMani.
With the entire UDF leader-
ship strongly defending Mani
and dismissing the graft as a
baseless allegation, Chandy has
called for an urgent meeting of
his party.
Chandy: defends his finance
minister.
Digvijaya appears in court
in Gadkari defamation case
IANS
New Delhi
C
ongress leader Digvi-
jaya Singh yesterday
appeared before a Delhi
court after it issued a bailable
warrant against him in con-
nection with a defamation case
led by Road Transport and
Highways Minister Nitin Gad-
kari.
Earlier in the day, Singh
sought exemption to appear
in the court for the from Met-
ropolitan Magistrate Gomati
Manocha, which was opposed
by Gadkaris lawyer.
Taking a dim view of the
Congress leaders absence
even as his lawyer moved an
application seeking exemp-
tion frompersonal appearance,
the court issued the warrant
against Singh and also sought
Gadkaris personal appearance
on the next date of hearing on
November 10.
The Congress leader ap-
peared before the court later
in the day and requested it to
withdraw the warrant while
promised that he would be
present on the next date of
hearing.
The magistrate then recalled
her order and cancelled the
warrant.
The court also warned Gad-
kari that it would dismiss his
plea if he failed to appear on
that date.
The Bharatiya Janata Party
leader had on October 1, 2012
led the defamation case
against Singh, who had ac-
cused him of having business
links with party MP Ajay San-
cheti who allegedly pocketed a
huge sum in the allocation of
coal blocks, which the Supreme
Court later cancelled.
It was also alleged in the
complaint that Singh had ac-
cused Gadkari of pocketing
Rs4.90bn in the allocation to
Sancheti.
In his petition, Gadkari
sought Singhs prosecution
under sections 499 (defama-
tion) and 500 (punishment for
defamation) of the Indian Pe-
nal Code.
Gadkari, in his statement re-
corded in court, denied having
any business ties with Sancheti
and said Singh levelled totally
false and defamatory allega-
tions against him to give the
impression that I have been re-
sponsible for allocation of the
coal mines to Sancheti.
Gadkari had alleged that
Singh levelled defamatory alle-
gations against himto lower his
dignity and malign and tarnish
his image.
The court on November 17,
2012 issued summons to Singh
after nding prima facie evi-
dence against him.
On December 21, 2012, he
was granted bail by the court
after he appeared before it in
pursuance of the summons is-
sued against him.
Bollywood actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan cuts a cake to mark
her birthday in Mumbai yesterday.

Birthday celebrations
KCR accuses Modi of
bias against his state
IANS
Hyderabad
T
elangana Chief Minister
K Chandrasekhar Rao
yesterday accused the
Narendra Modi-led central
government of bias against the
state.
The chief minister alleged
that the central government
was not co-operating with Te-
langana inthe implementation
of the Andhra Pradesh Reor-
ganisation Act. He also reiter-
ated that the Andhra Pradesh
government was denying Te-
langana its due share of elec-
tricity and also stalling elec-
tricity generation at Srisailam.
A day after the Krishna
Water Management Board al-
lowed Telangana to produce
electricity at Srisailam only
until today, the Telangana
chief minister reviewed the
power situation at a meeting
with top of cials.
Stating that the state was
facing acute electricity short-
age, KCR, as the chief minister
is popularly known, appealed
to farmers not to grow cotton
and go for alternate crops.
The ruling Telangana Rash-
tra Samithi (TRS) said Andhra
Pradesh was not providing
Telangana 54% share in elec-
tricity as prescribed in the
Reorganisation Act, which led
to a crisis. He said the state
was generating power at Sri-
sailam and Nagarjuna Sagar
and also buying power from
outside to tide over the acute
shortage.
KCR said the state would
face the electricity shortage
for two to three years as he
had stated during the elec-
tion campaign. He said the
state would purchase 1,000
megawatt power from Chhat-
tisgarh.
The Krishna Water Man-
agement Board on Friday al-
lowed Telangana to generate
electricity by using water from
Srisailam dam only until to-
day. The state government has
reacted sharply to the decision
and is planning to challenge it
in court.
Andhra Pradesh objected to
the generation of electricity by
Telangana on the ground that
it would create drinking water
and irrigation water crisis in
the Rayalaseema region.
Singh: defamation suit
23
Gulf Times
INDIA
Govt urged to reopen
anti-Sikh riot cases
BJP must become a
diverse party: Modi
Anderson had
no right to live,
say Bhopal gas
leak survivors
Agencies
New Delhi/Bangaluru
T
he central government was yes-
terday asked to reopen all cases
and re-investigate the 1984
massacre of over 3,000 Sikhs follow-
ing the assassination of then prime
minister Indira Gandhi.
A large number of people partici-
pated in an online campaign by Am-
nesty International India in Delhi and
Bangaluru to call for justice to the 1984
carnage victims.
Amnesty International India Pro-
grammes director Shailesh Rai said
in Delhi: This year marks 30 years of
impunity for the crimes committed
during one of Indias most shameful
episodes. It is a national disgrace that
thousands of victims and survivors of
the 1984 violence have been denied
justice for three decades now.
The respondents also urged the gov-
ernment to establish an independent
team to conduct thorough, impartial
and efective investigations into all
cases of all anti-Sikh violence in 1984.
Rai said though of cial inquiry
commissions were appointed to inves-
tigate the massacre, and some found
evidence of complicity of police of-
cials and Congress leaders, nothing
concrete was done to punish them.
He said: The Indian government
cannot continue abdicating its re-
sponsibility to punish those who were
behind the violence against Sikh men,
women and children in 1984. Authori-
ties must heed the voices of the thou-
sands who are calling for justice.
He added: The sheer scale of the
impunity for the 1984 massacre is
staggering, and has also been used to
downplay other incidents of mass vio-
lence. As long as the perpetrators of
the carnage go unpunished, the rule of
lawin India remains weakened.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on
Friday called the massacre of Sikhs a
dagger blow to national unity, as
the government snubbed a ceremony
marking the anniversary of her death.
Modis statements drew Congress
charges he had politicised the nor-
mally non-partisan commemoration
of Gandhis killing.
Indias Iron Lady was assassi-
nated on October 31, 1984 by her Sikh
bodyguards, in revenge for an attack
on the Golden Temple to clear separa-
tist militants.
For the rst time, Congress of cials
said, no government representative
turned up at the rose-strewn memo-
rial for the annual event on Friday,
which was attended by Indiras daugh-
ter-in-lawSonia, 67 - who cradled the
leaders head in her lap as she bled to
death - and grandson and political
scion, Rahul, 44.
Modi tweeted he joined his
countrymen and women in re-
membering Indira Gandhi, known
for her strong and sometimes divi-
sive leadership.
But Modi alluded in a speech to the
massacre of Sikhs after her killing,
which he said shook the country and
left it deeply scarred.
Congress leader Anand Sharma
called the way the government marked
the anniversary disgusting and
petty-minded, and accused Modi of
seeking to score political points.
But, said Modi, a country that for-
gets history cant make history.
That incident (the riots) was not a
wound in the heart of any community.
It was a dagger in the centuries-old
fabric of Indias unity, he said.
Our own people were murdered,
he said.
A 2004 report tabled in parliament
said credible material against some
Congress leaders indicated very
probably they were involved in the ri-
ots, but none has been convicted.
Sikh leader Onkar Singh Thapar told
reporters on Friday: We wont sit si-
lent until the orchestrators of the ri-
ots are punished.
The people responsible are still free
or have passed on, Meenakshi Gan-
guly, South Asia director at Human
Rights Watch, said.
Prime minister launches a
megamembershipdriveof
the party
IANS
New Delhi
P
rime Minister Narendra
Modi yesterday asserted
politics was not dirty and
asked his Bharatiya Janata Party
to emerge as a diverse organi-
sation as he launched a mega
membership drive of the ruling
party here.
It is said politics is dirty. No,
it is not. If politics was dirty,
Mahatma Gandhi would never
have ventured into this, Modi
said launching the BJPs rst
membership drive after its em-
phatic win in the 2014 general
elections.
The BJP should also come
across as a diverse party. People
from all strata of society should
feel that we have a representative
inthis vase of owers,Modi said
in the presence of a large number
of BJP workers.
Modi, who shared the stage
with party president Amit Shah
and senior party leader Ram
Lal, said: The poor and illiter-
ate should also feel that we are a
part of this party. The organisa-
tion should be expanded in such
a manner that it is representative
of all and can full the dreams of
all.
The prime minister added:
People from all sections of so-
ciety should feel they have a rep-
resentative inBJP. Our country is
full of diversities; the BJP should
also be visible as a party with di-
versities.
The partys new member-
ship drive aims at increasing
its strength by three times.
The BJP holds organisational
elections every two years and
a membership drive every six
years.
Modi said that the member-
ship drive should serve as an ex-
ample globally.
The prime minister became
the rst member of the BJP in
this membership drive, which
will last until March 31, 2015. He
along with Shah enrolled as BJP
members online.
By giving me this opportu-
nity, today the BJP has honoured
me. To be a member of such a
party is also a matter of pride,
the prime minister said.
Modi said the BJP is one of the
worlds most important organi-
sations and could even be a sub-
ject of study.
The BJP is one of the most
important organisations in the
world. Yet we have never posi-
tioned it like that. To be a mem-
ber of BJP is to live the disci-
plined life it demands... every
member of BJP is a representa-
tive of the people, he added.
Modi said that the countrys
politics was changing. The era of
mass agitation for politics seems
over. Nowpeople expect parties to
playsignicantrolesinpubliclife.
Party chief Shah said the
present membership drive was
important as it was being held
after the BJP got a full majority
inthe general election. The party
also formed its rst-ever gov-
ernment on its own in Haryana
and Maharashtra following state
assembly elections.
Prior to the membership
drive launch, the BJP held three
workshops. The rst was held
in Bengaluru, where southern
and western states were present;
then there was a workshop in
central andwesternIndianstates
followed by one in Kolkata for
northeastern and eastern states.
AFP
New Delhi
C
ampaigners for sur-
vivors of Bhopal dis-
aster voiced distress
yesterday that former Union
Carbide boss Warren Ander-
son never faced trial over the
deadly industrial accident,
following news the American
had died.
Thousands of people were
killedwhen40tonnes of lethal
methyl isocyanate gas spewed
from the Union Carbide
chemical plant in the central
city, just before midnight on
December 2, 1984.
He (Anderson) escaped
liability, Rachna Dhingra, a
member of the Bhopal Group
for Information and Action,
a campaign outfit working
with the disasters survivors,
said.
While Andersons family
did not announce his death,
The New York Times reported
on Friday that the 92-year-old
had died in a Florida nursing
home on September 29, citing
public records.
Its good news - (except)
we would have loved it had
he been hanged in an Indian
prison, one Bhopal survi-
vor, Shamshad Begum, said
in an interview with the In-
dian Express as newspapers
devoted full pages to Ander-
sons death.
He had no right to live as
his company took thousands
of lives, said Begum, who lost
her four-year-old son a day
after the gas leak.
Anderson was chairman of
the US-based Union Carbide
parent group at the time of the
accident.
He ewto Bhopal a fewdays
after the accident and was ar-
rested, but he was freedonbail
and never returned to stand
trial.
Union Carbide sold its stake
in the Bhopal plant after the
accident and the group was
later acquired by chemicals
giant DowChemical.
In 1989, Union Carbide paid
$470mn in compensation to
the Indian government. Dow
insists all of Union Carbides
liabilities were settled in the
deal.
According to Indian of-
cial gures, 3,500 people
died within days of the acci-
dent. But the state-run Indian
Council of Medical Research
later estimated the immediate
number of deaths at 8,000 to
10,000.
The long-term impact of
toxins released after the gas
leak led to a string of diseases,
which the council said killed
25,000 people by 1994.
Survivors and their children
say they have been af icted by
cancer, vision problems, fa-
tigue, heart disease and other
ailments.
Indian authorities blamed
the leak on design and main-
tenance problems but Union
Carbide attributed it to em-
ployee sabotage.
Tarun Thomas, a manager
with Chingari Trust which
helps Bhopal children disabled
by the disaster, said that three
generations had been afected
by the accident.
Even three decades after
the disaster, children are com-
ing to us with disabilities that
are a result of that one event,
he said.
In 2011, the Supreme Court
rejected a government de-
mand to hand down tougher
sentences to seven Indian
former Union Carbide em-
ployees convicted of death by
negligence over their role in
the Bhopal tragedy.
Anderson was declared by
Indian courts to be an ab-
sconder - or a fugitive - from
the Indian legal system.
Speaking about the disas-
ter to the New York Times five
months after it struck, he
said: You know its some-
thing youre going to have
to struggle with for a long
time.
In 2010 the Indian govern-
ment promised to make vig-
orous eforts to extradite An-
derson, after rst seeking his
extradition in 1993.
Fadnavis trust vote on Nov 12
A special three-day session of the Mahararashtra
assembly will begin on November 10 in which the
first Bharatiya Janata Party government will face a
crucial trust vote on November 12, a minister said
yesterday. All the 287 newly-elected legislators will
be sworn in and the minority government headed
by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis will face the
confidence vote of the house. The details of the
special session were finalised at a cabinet meeting
presided over by Fadnavis in Mumbai yesterday,
cabinet minister Sudhir Mungantiwar said. We are
confident of passing the floor test, Mungantiwar
said.
BJP president Amit Shah greets Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the launch of partys membership drive in New Delhi yesterday.
Demonstrators sit on rail tracks during a protest demanding that orchestrators of
the anti-Sikh riots are punished, in Amritsar yesterday.
LATIN AMERICA
Gulf Times
Seventriathletes kidnappedwhiletraininginMexico
CitywerereleasedonFriday, a spokesmanfor the
national securitycommissiontoldDPA. Thefour
womenandthreemenwerefreedafter negotiations
over anunspecifiedransomweresuccessful, Renato
Sales Heredia, director of thepoliceanti-abduction
unit, toldbroadcaster RadioFormula. Another man
capturedat thesametimemanagedtoescapeand
contact police. Thegroupwas seizedThursdayin
Ajusco, a southernpart of theMexicancapital, after
completinga trainingsession. Amongthetriathletes
was Fabiola Corona, whoparticipatedinthe2008
Olympics inBeijing. I canonlysaymanythanks for
your prayers, Corona wroteonFacebook.
Fourteen people were killed and 55 injured
in western Honduras on Friday when a bus
ran of the road and crashed into a ravine, the
government said. The bus, which landed with its
wheels up, was carrying 69 people, said Moises
Alvarado, head of the countrys emergency
services commission Copeco, who updated a
prior estimate of 60 passengers. The passengers,
members of a Jehovahs Witness church, were
traveling fromthe northern city of Choloma, said
transportation oficial Quintin Juarez. Authorities
are investigating the cause of the accident, which
occurred near the town of San Juan de Opoa
about 200kmwest of the capital Tegucigalpa.
Despite having passed men in education rates,
Brazilian women are still earning much less than
their male counterparts in the labour market. The
report by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and
Statistics showed that even the most educated
women have lower wages than men and three
out of 10 women do not have their own income.
For women who do earn an income, the pay
gap remains wide, despite higher education
levels. According to census data from2000 to
2010, women closed the pay gap slightly as they
received a greater increase in income than men
over that period. Despite that increase, women
are still earning just 68%of what men make.
Ecuadors Constitutional Court gave lawmakers
the green light on Friday to set newrules on term
limits that would allowPresident Rafael Correa
to extend his rule beyond 2017. The court said
parliament may pursue amendments tabled by
16 deputies. Ecuadoran lawmakers issued the
proposals, which would allowpresidents to seek
unlimited terms, following a request fromCorrea.
In ofice since 2007, Correa was re-elected in
February 2013 to a four-year term, the last he
is currently allowed under the law. Ecuadors
constitution, adopted by referendumunder
Correa in 2008, only allows two consecutive terms
for public ofice holders, including the president.
7 kidnapped triathletes
released in Mexico
14 dead, 55 injured in
Honduras bus accident
Brazil: Women catch up in
education, wages lag
Ecuador court clears way
for Correa third term
RANSOMPAID DEADLY CRASH SIGNSOFTHETIMES CHARTERCHANGE
A woman lights a candle at her relatives grave
on the Day of the Dead, at a cemetery in Santa
Maria Atzompa, on the outskirts of Oaxaca.
DAY OFDEAD!
Argentinian default
spreads to Par bonds
Reuters
Buenos Aires/New York
A
rgentinas debt default spread
to its Par bonds on Friday after
the country failed to complete
an interest payment, raising the risk
that creditors could demand that the
countrys cash-strapped government
immediately repay all of its debt.
Argentina deposited a $161mn pay-
ment with a newly appointed local
trustee in September to try to circum-
vent US court orders for it to settle with
holdout investors.
The holdouts are suing to get full re-
payment of bonds from a 2002 default
before holders that accepted the terms
of a debt restructuring get paid by the
government.
But Par bondholders could not col-
lect the $161mn payment due to legal
and technical hurdles, and the 30-day
grace period since the coupon was
originally due expired at midnight on
Thursday.
Argentinas economy ministry has
not said whether any bondholders have
come forward to collect.
Argentina had already defaulted in
July on its discount notes, but holders
of the Par bonds might be more likely to
claimaccelerated payment of the prin-
cipal because the Par bonds are trading
at a steeper discount to their original
value.
Demands for accelerated payment
could leave Argentina facing claims of
up to $30bn, more than it holds in for-
eign reserves.
Fitch Ratings weighed in on Friday
by cutting Argentinas foreign law Par
bonds to the rock bottom level of D,
for Default.
The only exchangedforeigncurren-
cy bond under foreign law that remains
performing is the Global17 bond, which
has a coupon payment scheduled for
December 2, the credit ratings agency
said in a statement.
Sources owning Argentine debt say
other creditors have approached them
about forming a group to accelerate
payment. The move would require the
backing of investors holding at least
25%of the nominal amount of any sin-
gle bond series.
We were asked in very theoretical
terms what our thoughts were on ac-
celeration, said one source. It was
something intermediated by an invest-
ment bank. The shop leading the ofer
did not want to be identied.
Analysts say many investors will be
hesitant about such a move as it could
mean costly litigation with an uncer-
tain outcome. It could also trigger a
balance of payments crisis and further
damage Argentinas ailing economy,
making an eventual payment even
more dif cult.
Those talking of acceleration may
simply be sounding out options or
putting pressure on Argentina to reach
a deal with the holdout funds that re-
jected restructuring following its 2002
default and are seeking full repayment
of their bonds.
Argentine cabinet chief Jorge Capi-
tanich said on Thursday that instead of
accelerating, those bondholders who
accepted steep write-downs in 2005
and 2010 debt swaps should sue US
District Judge Griesa for blocking in-
terest payments.
The person violating the law is the
judge and not Argentina, which is ful-
lling its obligations to pay its sover-
eign debt, he told reporters.
Some creditors fear acceleration
would simply prevent a solution to
the dispute with the holdouts, which
would unblock interest payments.
We are keeping our options open
and not siding with anyone in an accel-
eration efort, said one investor who
requested anonymity. Our interest is
not to be an obstacle to a deal that can
settle this all after Jan. 1.
Argentina says it cannot reach a deal
with holdouts until the year-end ex-
piration of the so-called RUFO clause,
which prevents it from paying them
better terms than those taken by bond-
holders who accepted write-downs in
2005 and 2010.
I have heard from a number of Par
holders that they will consider what
their next move will be after the expira-
tionof RUFO next year,saida source at
a fund holding Argentine debt.
The default will meanwhile continue
to be a drag on the economy, Fitch said.
Economic conditions have dete-
rioratedsignicantly in2014, with GDP
expected to post a 1.9% contraction
this year, said Fitch analyst Santiago
Mosquera.
We anticipate the economy will
contract even further, by 2.6%in 2015,
if Argentina fails to clear the default
before presidential elections are held
in October next year, Mosquera added.
Kirchner launches new attack on US
Argentine President Cristina Kirch-
ner on Friday warned the US of grave
implications amid claims a US oficial is
lobbying for a group representing the
so-called vulture funds being contested
by Buenos Aires.
Kirchner said Nancy Soderberg, who
heads the Public Interest Declassification
Board advisory committee that promotes
access to national security archives, is
also the co-chair of the American Task
Force Argentina (ATFA), an organiza-
tion specifically created to attack and
slander the Argentine Republic and its
president.
If confirmed by you, (this) would have
grave implications for relations between
our two countries, Kirchner wrote in a
letter to US President Barack Obama.
As you are certainly aware, the func-
tions of the PIDB encompass sensitive
issues of national security and include
giving advice to the president and to
other US executive branch oficials.
Kirchner posted her latest attack
against the US on Twitter. She claims the
ATFA takes money from a group that
manages a vulture fund.
Her letter comes as Argentina, Latin
Americas third-largest economy, strug-
gles to get back on track with deals to
restructure the debt it defaulted on dur-
ing its 2001 crisis.
A US court has ordered Buenos Aires
to halt interest payments to creditors
who agreed to take steep losses until it
settles a $1.3bn dispute with the hold-
out hedge funds refusing to accept a
write-down.
Two of those groups - NML Capital and
Aurelius Capital Management - stand
to make huge profits, earning themthe
label vulture funds fromBuenos Aires.
Argentina argues that paying the
hedge funds in full would trigger a flood
of claims fromother creditors under the
Rights Upon Future Ofers, or RUFOclause,
putting it on the hook for up to $120bn.
Demonstrators march to demand information about the 43 missing students from the Ayotzinapa Teacher Training College Raul Isidro Burgos in Acapulco,
Mexico, on Friday. The students disappeared in Iguala on September 26 after they clashed with police and masked men. Security forces are combing the area
around Iguala in search of the students, whose disappearance has sparked massive protest marches in Mexico and which has become arguably the sternest
challenge yet to face Mexicos President Enrique Pena Nieto.
Demanding answers
Argentine judge seeks Franco-era of cials extradition
Reuters
Buenos Aires
A
n Argentine judge has requested
that Spain arrest and extradite
20 former Spanish of cials, in-
cluding two ex-government ministers,
suspectedof humanrights violations in
the era of dictator Francisco Franco.
Federal judge Maria Servini de Cu-
bria, who is investigating allegations of
torture and other crimes committed in
Spain during the Franco era, issued the
request on Friday.
Among the 20 are former ministers
Jose Utrera Molina, 86, and Rodolfo
Martn Villa, 79, who face allegations
of attempted homicide from 1974 and
1976, respectively.
Franco ruled Spain from 1939 to his
death in 1975, after which it took some
years to establish a functioning democ-
racy.
Franco-era of cials cannot be pros-
ecuted in Spain because of an amnesty
enacted when the country returned to
democracy in the late 1970s.
Families of allegedvictims turnedfor
help to Argentina, which has an extra-
dition treaty with Spain.
They are using the concept of uni-
versal jurisdiction, the idea that crimes
such as torture are so serious they can
be prosecuted across borders. Using
this concept, Spain briey detained
Chiles former dictator Augusto Pino-
chet in 1998.
In April, seven months after an ex-
tradition request from Argentina,
Spains High Court declined to extra-
dite to Argentina a former policeman
accused of torturing prisoners during
the Franco years.
The court said the statute of limita-
tions had run out on the accusations
against Antonio Gonzalez Pacheco,
who had denied torturing prisoners.
(From left) Miss El
Salvador Fatima
Idubina Rivas Opico,
Miss Mexico Vianey
Del Rosario Vazquez
Ramirez, Miss
Nicaragua Jeimmy
Garcia and Miss Peru
Fiorella Ximena Peirano
Medina try Japanese
sweets ahead of the
Miss International
beauty pageant 2014 in
Tokyo on November 11.
Sweet tooth!
Brazilian poll revives old
geographic, class divide s
AFP
Sao Paolo
L
eftist President Dilma Rous-
sefs re-election in Brazil has
exposed a deeply divided coun-
try, reviving the old wounds of class
struggle.
Last weeks vote showed huge sup-
port for the incumbent in the impov-
erished northeast, where millions
receive benets from huge welfare
programs Roussefs Workers Party
(PT) has rolled out over the past dec-
ade.
The programs have helped lift out
of extreme poverty some 40mn peo-
ple, who formedthe bedrockof Rous-
sefs support as she sawof business
world favourite Aecio Neves.
In the south, many of those who
backed Neves to end 12 years of PT
rule are expressing anger at northern
voters, many of them welfare recipi-
ents, for Roussefs narrow election
victory.
Im preparing to leave for Orlan-
do, where my father lives. Ive tried
to help them, these poor imbeciles,
these idiots who voted for Dilma,
complained one voter, Deborah Al-
buquerque, in a video that went viral
on social media.
But they are too dumb and are go-
ing to be dependent on the Bolsa Fa-
milia (a family stipend for poor fami-
lies) and Bolsa Misery for the rest of
their lives, she wailed.
The battle between two bitterly
opposed camps is still being played
out over social media, a week after
the election, as everyone from poli-
ticians to footballers, journalists and
members of divided families cheer
and boo Roussef and Neves as one
might a football team.
I do not think these elections have
cut the country in two, Roussef in-
sisted after her win.
But frustrated opponents disagree
and have set up a Facebook campaign
suggesting a wall be built separat-
ing Roussefs northern strongholds
fromthe rest of the country.
Northern voters, around 70% of
whom backed Roussef, have re-
sponded in kind.
Thats perfect, but we keep sam-
ba, because that was born in Bahia
(a northern state). And well also
keep (celebrated northern singers)
Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil, a
contributor to a Northeastern man-
ifesto posted.
After such a tough campaign, it
is natural such deep-rooted and his-
toric prejudices should emerge, said
political analyst Andre Cesar.
Anthropologist Roberto DaMatta
explained: Brazil was a monarchy,
an aristocracy with slavery. And the
republic essentially came into be-
ing more in the northeast than in Rio
de Janeiro, where the monarchy was
concentrated.
Many Brazilians in the largely
prosperous southeast accuse their
northern brethren of closing their
eyes to the ruling partys failings, as
Roussef battles a scandal of alleged
kickbacks for political allies at state-
owned oil giant Petrobras.
Some southerners claim north-
erners prefer to live of government
hand-outs rather than work for a liv-
ing.
Northerners, many of whom have
left their regularly drought-hit home
region over the decades to look for
work, typically retort Go to Miami,
a preferred bolt hole for their cash-
rich cousins.
Roussefs PT predecessor Luiz In-
acio Lula da Silva was one northerner
who headed south. Born into rank
poverty in Caetes, in Pernambuco
state, he left for Sao Paulo to become
rst a union leader, then leader of the
nation.
Northeasterners make up not just
a major source of labour but are also
very much part of Brazils cultural
fabric - hosting the famous Bahia
carnival in regional capital Salvador,
for example.
The Northeast has always been
backward-looking, behind the gov-
ernment, bovine, the lackeys of the
power brokers, journalist Diogo
Mainardi opined controversially dur-
ing an edition of broadcaster Globos
television news.
Brazil footballer Hulk, who hails
from the northeastern state of
Paraiba, blasted Mainardi as arrogant
and ignorant.
DaMatta concludes the north-
south division leaves Brazil dif cult
to assess. We always choose the path
of indecision. This is a society which
is capitalist and yet not at the same
time. That may be a trend for the 21st
century, he ventured.
Mexico could help realise regional plan
M
exico and its main con-
struction companies could
help carry out a plan to spur
economic growth and jobs in Central
America to stem illegal immigration
to the US, a senior Mexican govern-
ment of cial said on Friday.
Struggling to stop a record ood of
child migrants to the US earlier this
year, Guatemala, Honduras and El
Salvador have drawn up a plan to im-
prove energy supply and infrastruc-
ture in the impoverished and violent
region.
Presented to US and Mexican of-
cials in New York in September, the
proposal foresees spending billions
of dollars on roads, ports, power net-
works and airports in the region be-
tween 2015 and 2019 to improve their
economies.
How the plan could be funded is
due to be discussed between the na-
tions andUS Vice President Joe Biden
inWashingtononNovember 14. Gua-
temala has said it hopes about $10bn
could be raised for the ve-year plan,
chiey fromthe US.
Mexico is also ready to contribute
provided assurances are given by the
Central American nations that the
money is properly allocated, Sergio
Alcocer, the Mexican deputy for-
eign minister responsible for North
America, told Reuters.
Depending on how talks proceed,
Mexico could provide loans, and
companies with expertise in con-
struction like ICA and Carlos Slims
conglomerate Grupo Carso would be
well suited to realize the projects, he
added.
I think its a scheme that could
work very well, Alcocer said, not-
ing it was too early to say how much
nancial support Mexico could pro-
vide. Everyone benets, but its also
a lot easier for a contractor such as
one of these companies to take part
than for an American company to do
it.
Mexico haddiscussedthe idea with
the Central American governments
and now needed to bring Washington
into the equation Alcocer added,
noting that Mexico was also ready to
work with Guatemala to improve the
latters energy supply.
PAKISTAN/AFGHANISTAN
25
Gulf Times
New Afghan rst lady backs French veil ban
A
fghanistans cosmo-
politan new rst lady has
backed Frances contro-
versial ban on the niqab, com-
paring the full veil to blinders
as she prepares to campaign for
more respect for women in her
conservative adopted homeland.
Rula Ghani shocked Afghan
observers earlier this year when
she appeared with her husband
during the countrys presiden-
tial campaign, a rare example of
a political wife sharing the spot-
light.
Now the Lebanese-American
of Christian heritage is set to
carve out a role for herself as the
patriarchal and deeply Muslim
nations rst high-prole rst
lady.
In an interview with AFP at
the presidential palace, Ghani,
who speaks ve languages, remi-
nisced about her time as a stu-
dent at the prestigious Sciences
Po university in Paris which she
attended during the late 1960s.
Wearing a vintage Hermes
scarf over her hair, she recalled
in uent French that all the
young womenat Sciences Po had
their headscarves which they
would wear as they stepped out
of school.
When issues began to arise
around the veil and hijab in
France, I was a little shocked,
people seem to not have a very
long memory.
Wearing the full veil in pub-
lic was banned by French law in
2011, igniting a erce debate over
the value of religious freedom
against social cohesion.
Ghani said she supported the
ban.
Regarding the French law
against the niqab and burqa
which prevent women from be-
ing able to move freely and see,
because the niqab is a bit like
blinders, I am in full agreement
with the government of France,
Ghani said.
It is a typically forthright view
from a woman of strong opin-
ions who has already taken a far
more prominent role than her
predecessor, Zeenat Karzai, who
was practically invisible during
the 13-year rule of her husband
Hamid Karzai.
Karzai came to power after
a US-led coalition toppled the
hardline Taliban government
that banned women from
leaving their homes without
male guardians.
Ghani admits she is still trying
to dene her role, but hopes that
by the end of her husbands ve-
year term, men in Afghanistan
will be more inclined to recog-
nise whatever role their wives
take.
In one word, more respect,
she said.
Her husbandis already leading
by example, praising his wifes
work with internally displaced
people, women and children
during his September 29 inau-
guration speech.
By the standards of most
women in Afghanistan, who
are conned to domestic fam-
ily roles, Ghani has had an ex-
tremely liberated, globe-trot-
ting life.
Highly educated, with de-
grees from leading universities
in France, Lebanon where she
met her future husband and
the United States, she spent
three years in Kabul with her in-
laws during the 1970s while her
husband worked as a lecturer.
They left for the UnitedStates,
where he was to pursue his PhD
at Columbia University, and
could only watch helplessly as
their country was invaded by the
Soviet Union.
Ghani says she benets from
her diverse background, despite
being attacked by political rivals
during the campaign for being a
Christian.
There are two ways of deal-
ing with it one is to cling on to
one identity alone and the other
is to embrace all of them, to try
to take advantage of all of them,
she said.
Ghani returned to Kabul in
2002 when her husband, then a
successful World Bank econo-
mist, returned home as the
countrys nance minister.
Though immersed in the af-
fairs of her adopted country, she
is a self-professed Francophile
who recalls vividly her time in
Paris during the student upris-
ing of 1968.
I found it very refreshing to
see people decide that there are
certain things they wanted and
some things they did not want.
It showed some independence of
mind, she said.
Her time at the university, to-
gether with two years working as
a journalist for Agence France-
Presse in Beirut, trained her to
think in a very logical way she
says.
At AFP her role involved
monitoring Arab radio and press
every morning for news related
to the political upheavals of the
early 1970s.
It was great training for a
journalist, because it taught
you to be quick but at the same
time youhadto be accurate,she
said.
Now aged 66, Ghani hailed
the work of brave activists and
female politicians for breaking
new ground for women in Af-
ghanistan despite discrimina-
tion and violence.
Given the hostility of op-
ponents during the campaign,
observers believe Ghani will be
forced to strike a delicate bal-
ance in her newrole a fact she
seems keenly aware of.
I amkind of nding my way,
she said. Listening andtrying to
understand what is happening in
Afghanistan.
AFP
Kabul
Afghan first lady Rula Ghani, also known as Bibi Gul, speaks during an interview with AFP at the
Presidential Palace in Kabul.
Militants kill
ve security
personnel
in Pakistan
F
ive security forces person-
nel have been killed and
four others injured in two
separate militant attacks in Pa-
kistans restive northwest, of -
cials said yesterday.
The rst attack took place in
the Orakzai tribal district when
militants attacked a security
post.
Four security personnel were
martyred and three sustained
injuries in attack on their post at
Sherin Dara in lower Orakzai, a
security of cial said, adding that
20 militants were killed as Paki-
stani forces responded.
The second attack occurred
in the Qamar Sar area of Bajaur
tribal district, onthe border with
Afghanistan, whena vehicle car-
rying security forces was hit by
an IEDblast.
One person belonging to the
security forces embraced mar-
tyrdom and another sustained
injuries when their vehicle was
blown up with an IED device,
local administration of cial Ab-
dul Haseeb Khan told AFP.
Search operations were
launched in both areas to hunt
down suspected militants, of -
cials said.
Pakistan has been battling
Islamist groups in its semi-au-
tonomous tribal belt since 2004,
after its army entered the region
to search for Al Qaeda ghters
who had ed across the border
following the US-led invasion of
Afghanistan.
In June the army began an of-
fensive against militant hideouts
inNorth Waziristan, after a bloody
raid on Karachi Airport ended
faltering peace talks between the
government and the Taliban.
AFP
Islamabad
Pakistan Taliban launch English magazine
A
l Qaeda has Inspire and
Resurgence, the Afghan
Taliban has Al-Samood,
and now Pakistani Taliban have
submitted their own English
language magazine to the pile of
jihadi militant periodicals.
Ahya-e-Khilafat or the rival
of caliphate - described as the
voice of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pa-
kistan (TTP) - signals a shift in
strategy for the group, which
has struggled to stay relevant as
splashier terror outts such as
ISIS have risen to the fore.
The TTP has been riven by
inghting and weakened by US
drone strikes anda newofensive
by Pakistans military in their
stronghold North Waziristan
and other areas in the militancy-
stricken Federally Administered
Tribal Areas (Fata). While the
group had for nearly four years
published a magazine in Urdu,
the move to put out an English
version signals that Pakistans
resident jihadis are taking a page
out of ISIS playbook and adopt-
ing propaganda methods proven
to drawin Western audiences.
Ehsanullah Ehsan, a spokes-
man of the newly formed mili-
tant faction, Tehrik-e-Taliban
Pakistan Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, said
that the goal of launching a
quality magazine in diferent
languages had been in the works
for some time.
When we were part of the
mainstream Tehrik-e-Taliban
Pakistan, we wanted to launch
such a magazine but it wasnt
possible in the presence of those
people who run the militant net-
work. Now when we have our
own organisation and we are in-
dependent in our decisions, we
decided to launch it, he said.
He said when Abu Obaida al-
Islamabadi recently approached
them from United Kingdom and
wished to join their movement
and later became part of their
movement; they made him edi-
tor of the magazine.
Ehsan said the basic purpose
of launching anEnglish language
magazine was to convey their
message to the West and espe-
cially English-speakers.
They are misled by their me-
dia about Islam and jihad so we
wanted them to know about Is-
lam, Shariah and mujahideen
by reading this magazine. It will
have religious, political and ide-
ological articles and also some
on current afairs.
Also, we will accommodate
news stories about our ghters and
their achievements against the en-
emy in the magazine, he said.
He hoped the magazine will
encourage English-speakers
abroadto come andjointhe Tali-
bans cause.
Featuring articles such as
The benets of living un-
der Khilafah a Q and A with a
prominent mujahid (Holy
Warrior) and a Why I chose
to join jihad testimonial from
an allegedly British jihadi, the
magazines rst edition lives up
to its pledge to bring stories,
ideas and opinions right from
the battleeld.
While a request for feedback
You can contact us for sugges-
tions, questions, positive criti-
cism and submission of arti-
cles sounds like any other new
glossy, what follows reminds the
reader of the magazines darker
designs: an explanation of how
to make contact without raising
security red ags.
Try not to contact us through
your personal computer or e-
mail for your own safety, it says.
The magazines editor Abu Oba-
ida al-Islamabadi has claimed to
be an ex-of cer in the Pakistan
Army.
In a video released recently
by the Taliban, al-Islamabadi
claimed that his real name was
Dr Tariq Ali and that he had been
trained as a surgeon in London.
After leaving the army about
nine years ago, he said he had
gone to Britain and received
surgery training in London and
Cambridge and also used to
preach Islamthere.
Then he said Allah Almighty
created love in his heart with ji-
had and he decided to go to Iraq,
but was arrested in eastern Eu-
rope and was put in jail.
After his release from jail, the
bearded former military of cer
said he was deported to Paki-
stan and after some hardships
he managed to reach the Taliban
and join the Tehrik-e-Taliban
Pakistan Jamaatul Ahrar.
I am very happy here and was
inspired by the hospitality and
sincerity of mujahideen. I found
them diferent from the image
created by the Pakistani media
cruel, he said in the video.
Internews
Peshawar
Pakistani army soldiers participate in a march-past for the upcoming Ashura commemorations in
Karachi yesterday, on the first day of the Muslim month of Moharram.
March-past
Nine Afghan
securitymen
killed in attack
N
ine Afghan security
forces personnel were
killed in a suicide attack
yesterday south of the capital
Kabul, provincial of cials said.
A suicide bomber detonated
his explosives-laden vehicle
against Afghan police forces in
the Azra district of Logar prov-
ince, Din Mohamed Darwesh,
spokesman for the provincial
governor, told AFP. Six police
of cers and three soldiers were
killed.
District governor Hamidullah
Hamid conrmed the attack.
The Taliban claimed respon-
sibility in an e-mail statement
sent to the media.
A suicide bomber attacked a
joint post of Afghan local police
forces and army soldiers in Azra
district of Logar province, Tali-
ban spokesman Zabihullah Mu-
jahid was quoted as saying.
The Taliban, who often exag-
gerate the death tolls in their at-
tacks, claimed three soldiers and
10 police were killed.
The militants, whose govern-
ment was toppled by a US-led
invasion in 2001, have intensi-
ed their attacks all around the
country in recent months as
Nato combat forces prepare to
withdraw from Afghanistan by
the end of the year.
On October 14, six Afghan po-
licemen were killed in a Taliban
attack in Logar.
The insurgents have also been
making concerted pushes in the
northern provinces of Kunduz
and Faryab, and in northeastern
Badakhshan province, where
17 police were missing after the
Talibanmade a newpush to seize
territory last week.
The US military estimated in
October that 7,000-9,000 Af-
ghan police or troops had been
killed or wounded so far this
year.
New Afghan president Ashraf
Ghani has signed a deal with the
United States and Nato to allow
12,500 foreign troops, includ-
ing 9,800 Americans to stay be-
hind in 2015 to carry out military
training after the alliances com-
bat mission ends.
Yesterdays attack came a day
after President Ghani called
upon the Taliban group to join
the peace process in the country
as the group has stepped up its
insurgency activities across the
country.
Without making any specic
proposals for joining the rec-
onciliation process, President
Ghani said government forces
would not back away from the
ght against the Taliban, Khaa-
ma Press reported.
Ghani insisted that peace was
the highest priority of the Af-
ghan government and invited
the Taliban group to join and en-
ter the political dialogue in a bid
to bring peace and stability to
the country.
He also called on the interna-
tional community and partners
of Afghanistan to support the
peace process.
Ghani was speaking at a con-
ference on Afghan peace and re-
construction in Beijing.
The fourth round of Heart
of Asia Conference - Istanbul
Process will focus on regional
cooperation on Afghanistan.
The Istanbul Process agree-
ment was reached in 2011 with
the aim of presenting a new vi-
sion for regional cooperation for
a secure and stable Afghanistan.
It comprises 14 members,
including Afghanistan, China,
India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Paki-
stan, Russia and Turkey, and
has 28 supporting parties which
include the US, Britain, the UN
and the Shanghai Cooperation
Organisation.
China hailed the international
conference that it said agreed to
launch dozens of programmes
to boost development and help
Afghanistan maintain peace as
foreign forces drawdown.
Chinese Foreign Minister
Wang Yi said that under a Bei-
jing Declaration the meeting
agreed to start 64 programmes
covering issues such as trade, in-
vestment, infrastructure, disas-
ter management and education.
The projects would help Af-
ghanistan to develop and keep
the peace without outside as-
sistance, he added.
AFP
Kabul
A suicide bomber attacked
apost jointlymanned by
Afghan policeand army;
Sixpolicemenandthree
armypersonnel were
killed; Taliban claimed
responsibility in an e-mail
Frontier Constabulary seeks latest weapons
U
nderstafed, ill-equipped
and dealing with waning
morale in the trenches,
the Pakistan Frontier Constabu-
lary has asked the government to
equip it with the latest weapons
as soon as possible.
Speaking to The Express Trib-
une, FC commandant Liaquat
Ali Khan said, The militants we
ght are equippedwith the latest
weapons and artillery. He said
the FC was Pakistans frontline
against militants on the Paki-
stan-Afghanistan border.
We appeal to the govern-
ment to equip us with weap-
ons. Earlier this year, the then
FC commandant, Abdul Majeed
Marwat, sent a three-year pro-
posal to procure weapons to the
Senate Standing Committee on
Interior and Narcotics Control.
According to documents avail-
able with The Express Tribune,
the equipment requested would
cost Rs2bn.
Khan said that Interior Min-
ister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan
had forwarded their request to
the ministry of nance and 50%
of the funds would be released
soon. This is a positive step, he
said. The equipment would be
procured from Pakistan Ord-
nance Factories.
At present, there are 50 FC
personnel to one bullet-proof
jacket and ballistic helmet, a
senior FC commandant told The
Express Tribune on condition of
anonymity.
Considering the conditions
they are presently working in,
the FCtroops might just pack up
and leave, he said.
The FC also sent a wish-list
of its requirements to the Senate
Standing Committee on Interior
and Narcotics Control last year,
but no action was taken on it.
According to the documents,
the constabulary has request-
ed 7,542 sub-machine guns
(SMG), 496 heavy-machine
guns (HMG), 704 rocket launch-
ers and 50AA guns at a cost of
Rs368mn.
For ammunition, the force has
asked for 3.5mn SMG rounds,
1.6mn HMG rounds, 10,920
RPG-7 shells and 612,000
rounds at a cost of Rs181mn.
he paramilitary force has re-
quested around 7,000 bullet-
proof jackets and 7,000 bullet-
proof helmets that will cost
around Rs716mn.
They have also asked for 10
armoured personnel carri-
ers, 150 large machine guns, 50
night vision device binoculars,
20 vehicle jammers and 10,000
MK-69 grenades at a cost of
Rs249mn.
The documents say that at
present, 26,163 FC personnel
use 9,122 SMGs, 987 large ma-
chine guns, 850 Kalashnikovs,
536 ballistic helmets, 370 rocket
launchers, 123 heavy machine
guns, 536 bulletproof jackets and
three vehicle jammers.
The FC commandant said
547 FC platoons worked in
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and 100
25,000-strong FCplatoons were
deployed at the border in K-P.
The FC recruited around
5,000 personnel between 2011
and 2013. The government lifted
the ban on fresh recruitments in
FC earlier this year. He said the
National Testing Service will
conduct the recruitment proc-
ess.
Internews
Islamabad
PHILIPPINES
Gulf Times
Candles
lit for
typhoon
victims
ByNeil A Alcober
Manila Times
S
urvivors of super typhoon
Haiyan (Yolanda) under
the People Surge Alliance
remembered their dead on All
Saints Day by holding memori-
als at mass graves in the towns of
Tanauan and Palo in Leyte and in
Tacloban City.
The survivors placed black
candles and wooden markers
bearing the message Remember
the victims, remember the dead,
remember the injustice at the
unmarked graves, a solemn re-
minder of the countless lives lost
after the typhoon unleashed its
fury on Central Visayas.
I cant begin to imagine the
misery of our fellow victims
whose loved ones have been left
in the unmarked mass graves or
those with kinwho are still miss-
ing to date. We never ceased suf-
fering fromthe heartless Aquino
governments abandonment as
more victims continue to perish
a year after Yolanda ravaged our
communities, Dr Eeda Bautis-
ta, chairperson of People Surge,
said.
The of cial government count
of casualties stopped early this
year at 6,300 deaths and more
than 1,000 missing. An esti-
mate made by forensics expert
Raquel Fortun placed the deaths
at around 18,000.
Some survivors who have yet
to recover from the impact of
Yolanda were affected by sub-
sequent hazards.
The Ocenars, a family still
living in a tent city in March
this year, perished when their
tent caught fire.
A number of typhoons, in-
cluding Glenda and Mario,
added to the misery of the sur-
vivors.
We tremble with indigna-
tion over government plans to
build over a massive unmarked
grave in the town plaza of Tan-
auan and another one in the
town of Palo as part of an on-
going beautification frenzy in
welcoming Pope Francis. What
an ungodly thing to do, to score
brownie points with the Popes
visit! Bautista said.
As we remember our dead
on All Saints Day, we also
solemnly vow to continue our
struggle to claim justice from
the Aquino government.
We have suffered too long
and lost too much, but we
continue to demand the ac-
countability of our leaders as
our lasting tribute to our loved
ones lost to the vicious impacts
of Yolanda, she added.
Millions across country
pay respects to their dead
AFP
Manila
M
illions across the Phil-
ippines packed into
cemeteries yesterday
to pay respects to their dead, in
an annual tradition that com-
bines Catholic religious rites
with the countrys penchant
for festivity.
The Church appealed for a
solemn and prayerful observa-
tion of the day of the dead
and urged against turning
gravesites into picnic spots.
Police set up frisking booths
at cemetery gates to conscate
alcoholic beverages, playing
cards, portable karaoke ma-
chines and weapons as huge
crowds, including children
and the elderly, endured slow-
moving queues.
It is very important for Fili-
pinos to pay respects to their
dead. This is also a chance for
a family reunion, 21-year-
old government worker Mary
Joy Pasigan said at a cemetery
north of the capital Manila.
Pasigan carried her ve-
year-old niece past cramped
corridors of tombs to ofer sun-
owers and orchids to her dead
grandparents.
Conchita Pura, 60, brought
sandwiches for her two-hour
vigil at the tombs of her aunt
and uncle.
We come here to light can-
dles and ofer prayers so that
their sins may be forgiven, she
said.
Getting here is painful, but I
must endure it to observe tradi-
tion, she said.
The Catholic Bishops Con-
ference of the Philippines
meanwhile said praying for
the dead was a duty as it ap-
pealed to Catholics to bring
back the holy.
Instead of adopting Western
Halloween celebrations and
dressing up as vampires and
monsters, Catholics should
consider posing as saints, the
CBCP said in a statement.
But at the Manila North
Cemetery, the mood was more
festive than solemn as popular
fast food chains set up carts
selling roasted pig, dim sum,
noodles, fried chicken, and
steamed pork buns.
The annual pilgrimage to the
cemeteries also triggers a mass
exodus fromManila, when tens
of thousands travel to interior
provinces where their relatives
are buried.
Police have been placed on
the highest alert since Thurs-
day to secure cemeteries and
transport terminals.
President Benigno Aquino
inspected Manilas sea, air, and
bus terminals on Friday and
ordered authorities to remain
vigilant, his spokeswoman,
Abigail Valte, told state-run ra-
dio DZRB
(Aquino) will spend the
weekend monitoring their up-
dates to ensure the safety of
commuters who will visit the
graves of their loved ones in the
provinces, Valte said.
Relatives light candles, ofer flowers and say prayers at the tomb stone of their departed loved ones at a cemetery in Manila yesterday. Right: Relatives light candles in front of the tomb of their departed loved ones inside a
military cemetery in Taguig city, south of Manila. .
Crowds of people arrive at a cemetery to visit the graves of their dead relatives in Manila.
Slain transgenders ance
leaves for Germany
DPA
Manila
T
he German ance of a
slain Filipino transgender
left the Philippines yes-
terday, almost a week after he
was barred fromying out while
being investigated for entering a
restricted area in the militarys
headquarters.
The Bureau of Immigration
allowed the man to return to his
hometown in Frankfurt, Ger-
many after the military dropped
plans to le criminal charges
against himfor climbing a fence
inside Camp Aguinaldo on Oc-
tober 22.
He was trying to get to an area
where a US Marine accused of
killing his ance, Jefrey Jen-
nifer Laude, was supposedly
being held.
Virgie Suarez, a lawyer for
the Laude family, said the Ger-
man would be automatically
placed on the immigration bu-
reaus blacklist and not allowed
to enter the Philippines due to
his deportation. But she said
the German national wants
to return to check on the case
against the US marine, so we
will file the necessary petition
as soon as possible.
The marine, Joseph Pember-
ton, is suspected in the killing
of Laude, who was found dead
in a motel room in the northern
city of Olongapo on October 11.
The German man has apolo-
gised for breaching security at
the military headquarters and
for shoving a soldier.
He said he had no intention
of disrespecting Philippines
officials and laws, and was
overtaken by emotion during
the incident.
Marc Sueselbeck, fiance of slain transgender Jefrey Jennifer Laude, arrives at the Ninoy Aquino International
Airport terminal yesterday.
Justice dept seeks govt support

for senior citizens health cover
Manila Times
Manila
T
he Department of Justice
(DOJ) has recommended
the approval of a consoli-
dated enrolled Bill of the Senate
and the House of Representa-
tives, providing for mandatory
PhilHealth coverage for all sen-
ior citizens nationwide.
In her two-page legal opin-
ion dated Oct 21, Justice Secre-
tary Leila M. De Lima said it is
imperative for the government
to give full support to the im-
provement of the total well-
being of the elderly and their
full participation in society,
considering that senior citizens
are anintegral part of Philippine
society.
De Lima issued her legal
opinion upon the request of
Deputy Executive Secretary
for Legal Afairs Michael G.
Aguinaldo, which received the
same on Oct 28.
The consolidated enrolled
Bill is Senate Bill No 712 and
House Bill No 4593 entitled,
An Act providing for the man-
datory PhilHealth coverage for
all senior citizens, amending
for the purpose Republic Act
No. 7432, as amended by Re-
public Act No. 9994, otherwise
known as the Expanded Senior
Citizens Act of 2010.
The DOJ recommended the
approval of the enrolled bill
based on the following consti-
tutional and legal justications
as Article II, Section 9 provides
that: The State shall promote
a just and dynamic social order
that will ensure the prosperity
and independence of the na-
tion and free the people from
poverty through policies that
provide adequate social servic-
es, promote full employment, a
rising standard of living, and an
improved quality of life for all.
While Article XIII, Sec-
tion 11 provides that the The
State shall adopt an integrated
and comprehensive approach
to health development which
shall endeavour to make es-
sential goods, health and oth-
er social services available to
all people at affordable cost.
There shall be priority for the
needs of the underprivileged,
sick, elderly, disabled, women
and children,
Article XV, Section 4 pro-
vides that The family has
the duty to care for its elderly
members but the State may
also do so through just pro-
grammes of social security.
De Lima said the funds for
the implementation of the bill
if the same is enacted into law
shall be sourced from RA No
10351, or An Act restructur-
ing the excise tax on alcohol
and tobacco.
She added it is one of the in-
tentions of RA No. 10351 to
generate government revenues
to fund the Universal Health
Care.
The DOJ chief noted the
Vienna International Plan of
Ageing is the rst international
instrument on ageing. It aims
to strengthen the capabilities of
government and civil society to
deal efectively with the ageing
populations and to address the
developmental potential and
dependency needs of older per-
sons. It markedfor the rst time
an international consensus
agreement on ageing that was
reached by all governments.
Two gunmen killed after clash in Sabah
Manila Times
Zamboanga City
T
wo Filipino gunmen were killed
in a clash with Malaysian police-
men in the eastern state of Sabah,
reports said.
According to Rakyat Post, Sabah Police
said the Filipinos were behind a string of
robberies and were shot dead on Thursday
in Penampang Baru.
The duo opened re on policemen who
were tailing them and a reght ensued,
Manila Times reported. State Police Com-
missioner Datuk Jalaluddin Abdul Rah-
man said they were investigating the back-
grounds of the slain Filipinos aged 50
and 42 and whether they had links with
the Sultanate of Sulu which had previously
clashed with security forces in Sabah.
Police said the two Filipinos were alleg-
edly involved in at least three major armed
robbery cases.
SRI LANKA/BANGLADESH/NEPAL
27
Gulf Times
Bangladesh hit by
nationwide blackout
A
massive nationwide
power blackout hit Bang-
ladesh yesterday after a
transmission line failed, leaving
homes, businesses and shops in
the densely-populated country
without electricity.
Power was restored in some
parts of the capital Dhaka after
several hours, and authorities
said they hoped to have electric-
ity back on across the nation of
155mn by evening.
Local media said the prob-
lem stemmed from a technical
problem at an electrical substa-
tion that was distributing power
from India, but government of-
cials would not conrm the
reports.
Engineers are working to x
the outage, senior power ministry
of cial Masud Alberuni said, add-
ing that all areas linked to the na-
tional electricity grid had been hit.
The national grid tripped
close to mid-day, Alberuni said.
All the power-generating
stations inthe country automat-
ically shut down in a cascading
efect, he added.
The outage marked the rst
time the whole country has been
without power since Novem-
ber 2007 when Bangladesh was
hit by a devastating cyclone,
Alberuni said.
The blackout hit at the
weekend, lessening the im-
pact on industry. Temperatures
have also passed their sum-
mer peak, limiting complaints
over the stoppage of fans and
air-conditioning units.
Many people in rural chroni-
cally energy-short Bangla-
desh, used to regular power
cuts lasting many hours, did
not know that the blackout was
nationwide.
But homes and shops went
without power, and elevators
were halted.
The presidential palace, the
prime ministers of ce, govern-
mentof cesandtelevisionstations
were all hit by the outage.
Hospital intensive care units
functioned on back-up genera-
tors, but ward patients sufered.
Power returned to Dhakas in-
ternational airport after several
hours in which it was forced to
run on generators, of cials said.
We have already restored
power to some parts of the capi-
tal and we can hope we can re-
store power to the whole country
by the evening, power develop-
ment board spokesman Saiful
Hasan said.
Power ministry of cial Al-
beruni did not identify the
transmission line which had
sufered the problem.
But Chowdhury Alamgir Hos-
sain, a director of the state-run
Power Grid Company of Bang-
ladesh, told the Dhaka Tribune
newspaper that the blackout
occurred after a transmission
line transporting power from
India through a high-voltage
substation failed.
Dhaka began importing power
fromIndia late last year through
a transmission line stretch-
ing from Indias eastern state
of West Bengal to southwestern
Bangladesh.
We are investigating the
reason for the power cut. A
probe committee will be formed
soon, said Nasrul Hamid, state
minister for power.
Power supply has been start-
ed in some areas of the country. I
hope the entire country will get
back normal supply within four
to ve hours.
Still, several hours after the
outage began, authorities were
only able to supply 400 mega-
watts of power, far short of
normal daily demand of around
7,000 megawatts, local media
reported.
Electricity supplies in Bang-
ladesh, one of the worlds
poorest countries, are vastly
overstretched.
The rise in energy consump-
tion has outdistanced economic
growth in Bangladesh, as in
many other parts of the devel-
oping world, with an expand-
ing middle-class and increas-
ing industrialisation imposing
ever-heavier loads on scant
generating capacity.
The outage evoked memories
of a power blackout in India two
years ago that was one of the
worlds worst in recent times.
Some two-thirds of Indias
states sufered power cuts when
three of the nations ve power
grids failed at once.
The Indian outage sparked se-
rious doubts about the ability of
the countrys rickety electricity
infrastructure to meet its aspira-
tions to transform itself into an
economic superpower.
AFP
Dhaka
A Bangladesh woman fanning a sick child during a power blackout at a hospital in Dhaka yesterday.
The problem stems from
a technical problem at an
electrical substation that
distributes power from
India
Nepalese students
on exposure visit to
Indian university
I
n the line with the an-
nouncement made by
Indian Prime Minister
Narendra Modi in the rst
week of August, the Bharat-
Nepal Shiksha Maitri Kar-
yakram for Nepalese stu-
dents pursuing undergraduate
and postgraduate courses in
various disciplines in Nepal
was announced yesterday.
The programme, fully fund-
ed by the Indian government,
envisages visits by Nepalese
students to prestigious uni-
versities of India in batches of
about 20 each for four to six
weeks, according to the Indian
embassy in Kathmandu.
The programme will provide
opportunities to the young
minds to better understand
diferent facets of life in India
and India-Nepal relations.
This, in turn, will further pro-
mote closer ties and friendly
relations between the peoples
of the two South Asian neigh-
bours.
The embassy announced
that the rst batch of stu-
dents under the Bharat-Nepal
Maitri Shiksha Karyakramwas
leaving for India yesterday
itself.
The students are visiting
one of the most prestigious
and oldest universities of In-
dia, Calcutta University, from
November 1-25.
The programme will help
in further promoting closer
ties and friendly relations be-
tween the peoples of the two
countries,Indian ambassador
to Nepal Ranjit Rae said while
launching of the programme.
Its much more about peo-
ple to people relationship; our
relationship is stronger be-
cause we have people to peo-
ple relationship, Rae said.
Our Prime Minister is
extremely keen to strength-
en these engagements par-
ticularly in the youth sector.
As you are going to one of
the most prestigious univer-
sities of India, Calcutta Uni-
versity, we will also be able
to learn from your experi-
ences so that in future the
programme can be improved
and made more useful, more
interesting and more, he
added.
This type of programme
will help enhance the under-
standing of our youths regard-
ing our great civilisations and
culture as both India and Ne-
pal share the great civilisation
and culture of this region,
said secretary in the ministry
of education Bishwo Prakash
Pundit.
The rst president of In-
dia, Rajendra Prasad, Presi-
dent Pranab Mukherjee, Vice
President M Hamid Ansari,
and President of Nepal Ram
Baran Yadav, are among the
distinguished alumni of this
renowned university. The
programme will include eld
trips to places of histori-
cal and cultural importance
in Kolkata, participation in
educational events and in-
teraction with leading local
personalities.
IANS
Kathmandu
Ten die as buses
crash into each other
T
wo passenger buses
collided in central Ne-
pal in the early hours
yesterday, killing at least 10
people, including a Russian
woman, police said.
The buses crashed into
each other along a national
highway in Makwanpur dis-
trict, 33km (20 miles) south
of Kathmandu, said local
police of cial Prakash Jung
Karki.
The accident happened
around 2:15 this morning. Ten
people have died, including a
Russian woman, Karki said.
Twenty-nine others all
Nepalese sufered injuries
inthe crash andwere receiving
treatment at a nearby hospital,
Karki said.
Eight days earlier, a crowd-
ed bus plunged down a hill in
a town outside Kathmandu,
killing at least 14 people, in-
cluding two Israelis.
Accidents are relatively
common on Nepals high-
ways because of poor roads,
badly maintained vehicles and
reckless driving.
AFP
Kathmandu
Its much more
about people to
people relationship;
our relationship is
stronger because we
have people to people
relationship
Flood victims
receive insurance
payouts
For the first time in Bangladesh,
the flood-afected families in
Sirajgani district yesterday
received cash support as
compensation payout.
The insurance payout was
handed over to the beneficiaries
at a ceremony organised by
Manab Mukti Sangshtha (MMS),
a local NGO, at Saidabad town of
Sirajganj district.
The unique flood insurance
scheme was launched just
over a year ago by Oxfamin
Bangladesh, an international
development agency. The
Index Based Flood Insurance
Project was launched in August
2013 under Oxfams flagship
programme resilience through
economic empowerment, climate
adaptation, leadership and
learning (REE-CALL).
Initially, about 1,660 poor and
vulnerable households in 10
villages in the river basin areas
of Sirajganj district were covered
under the insurance scheme.
The floods in August and
September damaged several
villages in Sirajganj. As a result, just
over 700 households in the worst-
afected villages received a total of
1,982,400 taka ($25,000) yesterday.
Talking about the insurance
scheme, Oxfams country
director in Bangladesh Snehal V
Soneji said: This is a milestone
event in the history of floods in
Bangladesh. While seemingly a
small step in the broader scheme
of things, it will make a very
real diference to the lives and
prospects of several hundred
people in the region.
Lanka cuts mudslide dead and missing toll to 38
S
ri Lanka yesterday re-
duced to 38 the number
of dead and missing from
a mudslide at a tea plantation
after giving an initial toll of over
300.
Police spokesman Ajith Ro-
hana said interviews with sur-
vivors and of cials found the
number of victims was far be-
low early estimates by disaster
management authorities.
There had been a lot of con-
fusion about the casualties, but
we arrived at our gures after a
thorough and a proper investi-
gation, Rohana said.
We have all the names of the
38 people who are dead or miss-
ing.
Five bodies have been re-
covered, Rohana said, as relief
workers kept up the search for
more victims of Wednesdays
disaster.
Authorities initially esti-
mated the number of presumed
dead at 300 and then reduced
the toll to 100 three days ago.
Police said they had dis-
covered many of the people
thought to be dead or missing
were at work or school when
their homes were swallowed by
mud at the Meeriyabedda tea
estate, 200kim (125 miles) east
of the capital Colombo.
The number of houses de-
stroyed has also been lowered to
66 froman earlier gure of 150.
The army used snifer dogs
and deployed more heavy ex-
cavators Saturday to clear the
disaster area as relief workers
looked for more bodies.
The weather improved fol-
lowing overnight rains, aiding
the relief efort.
Survivors have recounted
how drinking-water streams
turned muddy, cracks appeared
in the ground and cattle and
goats started running down the
mountain slope just before the
tragedy struck.
Some people lost entire fami-
lies. One driver recounted how
his wife, two sons, daughter-
in-law and a six-month-old
baby girl had been swallowed by
the mud.
Shanthi Selvadurai, 23, said
she was trying to ee the mud-
slide when she suddenly found
herself buried to the neck. My
mother managed to get to safe-
ty. She came back with two men
who dug me out, Selvadurai
said, nursing a leg injury.
Of cials say more than
1,200 people living in neigh-
bouring tea plantations have
sheltered in two schools, fear-
ing more mudslides in the
picturesque but geographi-
cally unstable tea-growing
mountain region.
Sri Lanka, a tropical island
at the foot of India, is prone to
weather-related disasters, es-
pecially during the monsoon
season.
AFP
Colombo
Sri Lankan military personnel digging during a search operation at the site of a landslide caused by heavy monsoon rains in Koslanda village
in central Sri Lanka yesterday.
New Delhi pledges Rs5mn for disaster relief
I
ndia has pledged Sri Lanka
Rs5mn ($82000) towards im-
mediate relief to Sri Lankans
afected by the mudslide that has
claimed several lives and left over
a 100 untraced in the island na-
tions Badulla district.
The medium and long term
assistance needs will be worked
out in consultation with the
government of Sri Lanka, ex-
ternal afairs ministry spokes-
person Syed Akbaruddin said on
Friday.
Amassivemudslide, triggered
by torrential rains, swept away
scores of homes on Wednesday
at the Koslanda plantation in
Badulla district, about 220km
east of Colombo.
The exact casualty gures
are still unknown as more than
a 100 people are believed to be
trapped under the mud.
IANS
New Delhi
Urgent measures are required to rein in rising ination
in Qatar as it may take the sheen of the real GDP growth,
which the countrys economy cannot aford.
Experts have already warned that Qatars ination is
expected to be the highest in the Gulf region, citing
increasing pressures within the countrys housing
market.
The Ministry of Development Planning and Statistics
had already said domestic inationary pressures were
expected to heighten over the rest of 2014 and next year
on strong domestic demand.
Fast rising rents and costlier furniture and transport
led Qatars ination rise 3.6% year-on-year in
September, according to the ministry.
Qatars global bank QNB forecasts that overall CPI
ination will accelerate further in the remaining months
of this year and average 3.4% in 2014 and 3.5% in 2015.
However, QNB points out there is a risk that large
investment spending and the growing population could
lead to supply bottlenecks owing to limited domestic
capacity.
This could push up domestic prices more than
expected in our baseline forecasts, QNB said.
Standard Chartered
bank also forecasts a
higher ination rate of
about 5% this year and
6% to 6.5% in 2015.
As construction
peaks and population
rises, Qatars ination
may see a progressive
hardening in the short-
to medium-term, a StanChart economist said in Doha
recently.
Qatar, he said, had already started seeing pressures
build up within the housing market as population had
been on the rise. Between September 2014 and 2013, the
population is estimated to have grown by about 7.8%.
Historically, rising rents, associated with population
growth, were the main driver for ination in Qatar.
With Qatar committing to spend in excess of $180bn
on infrastructure, mainly related to the FIFA World Cup
2022, the long-term prospects for the Qatari economy
remain compelling.
However, the massive infrastructure spending and
favourable demographics, if not tackled well, will lead to
the ination hardening.
In the last few years, many commercial and residential
properties have come to the local market and many more
are expected in the months ahead. Although there is a
notion that demand outstrips supply, there are reports
that many commercial and residential properties still lie
vacant all over the city.
The main reason cited is higher rents quoted for
these properties, which prospective tenants including
corporates and individuals are unwilling to pay.
In the past, when ination surged and touched double
digits, the government took very strong measures to
contain it.
They included putting a ceiling on the annual rental
increases and starting new low-cost residential projects.
Stern action must be taken against middlemenwho try
to take undue benets from the tight market conditions.
Only authorised persons must be allowed to deal
with real estate. And each property lease must be under
scanner.
P.O.Box 2888
Doha, Qatar
editor@gulf-times.com
Telephone 44350478 (news),
44466404 (sport), 44466636 (home delivery)
Fax 44350474
Chairman: Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Attiyah
Editor-in-Chief : Darwish S Ahmed
Production Editor: C P Ravindran
Gulf Times
COMMENT
28
GULF TIMES
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
Historically,
rising rents were
the main driver
for infation in
Qatar
The Seha network
currently includes 73
providers of which four
are public facilities and the
remainder private sector
providers
By Wayne Jones and Ramiz Shlah
Doha
Q
atars National Vision
2030 sets out the Qatari
governments (the
government) goal of
improving the health of Qatars
population by developing a world-
class and integrated healthcare
system. In furtherance of this goal,
a national health insurance scheme,
accessible to all citizens, residents
and visitors, is in the process of being
implemented in ve phases (the
Health Insurance Scheme).
Phase 1 of the HealthInsurance
Scheme was launchedinJuly2013,
followedbyphase 2 inApril 2014. At the
launchof phase 2 the HealthInsurance
Scheme was renamedSeha, meaning
healthinArabic (Seha).
Seha was enacted through
issuance of Law No 7 of 2013
concerning the Social Health
Insurance Scheme (the Health
Insurance Law). Seha is regulated
pursuant to Resolution No 22 of
2013 of the Minister of Public
Health issuing the implementing
regulations for Law No 7 of 2013
concerning the Social Health
Insurance Scheme (the Regulations).
Article 5 of the Health Insurance
Lawtasks the Supreme Council
of Health (the SCH) with the
responsibility, supervision and
development of Seha.
Separately, Article 19of the Health
Insurance Lawtasks the National
HealthInsurance Company(the NHIC)
withtheactual implementationand
managementof Seha.
The NHIC(www.nhic.qa) is a
fully-owned government entity
with a board of directors formed of
representatives of the SCH, Ministry
of Finance, Ministry of Labour and
Social Afairs, Ministry of Interior,
Central Municipality Council and two
members fromthe private business
sector. The NHICs powers are set out
in Article 20 of the Health Insurance
Lawand the Regulations.
The NHIChas appointed Al Khaleej
Takaful as its third party administrator
to handle essential administrative
processes and support building its
capabilities. Aetna and GlobeMed
have been appointed as exclusive
subcontractors of the third party
administrator.
The SCH has indicated that
expatriates (non-national residents)
will be enrolled in Seha upon renewal
of their residence permits by payment
of a premiumwhich is to be covered by
their employer or sponsor.
Beneciaries of Seha will be able
to obtain services fromboth public
and private healthcare providers. The
Seha network currently includes 73
providers of which four are public
facilities and the remainder private
sector providers. The SCH intends for
all healthcare facilities in Qatar to join
the Seha network in due course.
The SCH has indicated that over
400,000 visits were made to doctors
and hospitals by Qatari nationals
under the rst and second stage of
Seha up to 21 September 2014.
The Regulations
The Regulations contain a number
of conditions which impact the
operation of Seha and its participants.
Article 16 of the Regulations
provides that a health insurance
providers place of business must
be inside Qatar and that it shall
be licenced by the competent
governmental authority in Qatar.
Further, Article 16 provides that
health insurance providers shall not
manage or run, either solely or jointly,
any healthcare services rendered to
the beneciaries inside the State.
Amongst other things, the
Regulations include various articles
concerning patient condentiality and
introduce a complaints procedure in
Article 32.
Premiums
The value of health insurance
premiums has yet to be determined,
and market participants, such as
private employers, are awaiting
guidance on this issue.
Lawprovides that the Government
shall be responsible for paying health
insurance premiums for Qatari
nationals. It appears likely that the
Government will also cover the health
insurance premiums of Gulf Co-
operation Council (GCC) nationals
although there is no explicit article
mandating such in the law.
Employers and sponsors are
responsible for paying health
insurance premiums for their
employees (and their families) and
sponsored persons, respectively.
Visitors are responsible for paying
their own health insurance premiums
for the duration of their stay in Qatar
Article 18 prohibits employers and
sponsors fromrecovering any health
insurance premiums fromemployees
(and their families) or sponsored
persons, respectively.
The amount of health insurance
premiums shall be based ongenerally
accepted actuarial principles to be
paid in accordance with the ratios
and measure prescribed in the
Regulations pursuant to Article 12 of
the Health Insurance Law. The SCH is
responsible for setting the amount of
health insurance premiums according
to Article 14.
provides that health insurance
premiums shall be set without
discrimination between beneficiaries
in respect of age, gender, previous
health status or any other risk
factors. Premiums shall be paid
as a percentage of all costs of the
healthcare activities, in addition
to the actuarial forecasts, provided
that such premiums do not include
profits.
There will be a periodbetweenthe
launchof Phase 1 andPhase 4whereby
Seha will workconcurrentlywith
private healthinsurance. The SCH
has indicatedthat this is toenable
employers toreconcile the coverage of
employees betweentheir existinghealth
insurance plans andSeha. The SCHhas
instituteda moratorium(SCHCircular
No7of 2013) onprice increases for
healthcare services oferedbyprivate
healthcare providers until Seha is fully
implementedtoavoidpotential price
increases duringthe implementation
phase.
Basic and additional services
Lawdistinguishes betweenBasic
Healthcare Services and Additional
Healthcare Services. Basic Healthcare
Services are dened as Arange of
Healthcare services, which shall
be provided to the Beneciaries in
accordance with the provisions of this
Law. Additional Healthcare Services
are dened as Arange of Healthcare
services, which may be provided,
in addition to the Basic Healthcare
Services, to the Beneciaries in
accordance with the provisions of this
Law.
provides that the NHICshall be
soley responsible for providing
the insurance coverage for the
Basic Healthcare Services. Thus,
mandatory insurance coverage
for all Basic Healthcare Services
will be provided by the NHIC
alone. Accredited health insurance
companies will be entitled to ofer
insurance cover for Additional
Healthcare Services only.
The services included in Basic
Healthcare Services are dependent on
ones nationality and residency status
in Qatar as detailed in Table 1.
The services included in Additional
Healthcare Services (and by denition
excluded fromBasic Healthcare
Services) will be crucial in determining
the level of participation of health
insurance providers in Seha. It is not
yet clear whether the NHICwill also
participate in ofering insurance cover
for Additional Healthcare Services.
zAll Qatari Laws quoted in this
article are issued in Arabic and there
are no official translations. For the
purposes of drafting this article Clyde
& Co has used its own translation
and interpreted the same in the
context of Qatari laws, regulation
and current market practice.
zWayne Jones is apartner andRamiz
Shlahis anassociate inClyde &Cos Re/
Insurance team. The views set out inthis
article donot constitute legal advice and
readers are urgedtoseek specic legal
advice inrelationtoany particular issues
whicharise fromthe subject-matter of
the article. Clyde &CoLLPs Middle East
Regional Of ce continues toadvise on
all aspects of insurance developments
aroundthe GCCregion. Shouldyouhave
any particular queries or please feel free
tocontact Wayne Jones at wayne.jones@
clydeco.comor Ramiz Shlahat ramiz.
shlah@clydeco.com.
Seha being rolled out in
ve phases in Qatar
Govt must take
urgent steps to
control ination
Table 1
COMMENT
Gulf Times
Common projects such as
the European energy union
will need more time to be
precisely dened
ByGuntramBWolf
Brussels
T
he International Monetary
Fund (IMF) nowestimates a
30%risk of deation in the
eurozone and growth gures
within the monetary union continue
to disappoint.
But policymakers seemtrapped in a
cats cradle of economic, political and
legal constraints that is preventing
efective action. The fullment of
policy rules appears to be impossible
without growth, but growth appears
to be impossible without breaking the
rules.
German Finance Minister Wolfgang
Schuble is politically committed to
outdoing his countrys tough domestic
scal framework to secure what he
calls a black-zero budget.
The French government is working
to regain credibility on reform
promises made in exchange for delays
on scal adjustment, and Italy, with
one of the highest debt burdens in the
eurozone, has little roomto use scal
policy.
Meanwhile, the European Central
Bank (ECB) is constrained by doubts
about the legality of its outright
monetary transactions (OMT)
scheme sovereign-bond purchases
that could result in a redistributive
scal policy.
With all of the rules pointing toward
recession, howcan Europe boost
recovery?
Atwo-year 400bn ($510bn)
public-investment programme,
nanced with European Investment
Bank (EIB) bonds, would be the best
way to overcome Europes current
impasse. Borrowing by the EIB has
no implications in terms of European
scal rules.
It is recorded neither as new
debt nor as a decit for any of the
member states, which means that new
government spending could be funded
without afecting national scal
performance.
Thus, some of the investment
spending currently planned at the
national level could be nanced
via European borrowing to relieve
national budgets.
Such an indirect way of dealing
with strict rules would also be easier
than starting long and wearying
negotiations on changes to the scal
framework.
The EIB is worried that such a
scheme could come at the cost of its
triple-Arating. Indeed, though it can
currently borrowat 1.6%on a long
maturity, it has used its recent capital-
raising exercise to reduce leverage
rather than substantially increase its
loan portfolio, as would be warranted
at a time of retrenchment in private
lending.
In any case, a rating change would
hardly afect funding costs in the
current low-yield environment,
as lower-rated sovereigns have
demonstrated.
In addition, the ECB could purchase
EIB bonds on secondary markets,
which would help to keep funding
costs low or even reduce them.
More important, purchases of
EIB bonds would enable the ECB to
undertake quantitative easing without
triggering the degree of controversy
implied by intervening in 18 separate
sovereign-bond markets, where
concerns that ECB purchases would
afect the relative pricing of sovereigns
are very real.
Already, 200bn of EIB bonds are
available. Adding 400bn would
increase the pool substantially.
Together with asset-backed securities,
covered bonds, and corporate bonds,
1tn of assets the threshold widely
thought to make quantitative easing
by the ECB credible would be
available for purchase.
Acentral question, of course,
concerns the type of government
spending that should qualify as
investment spending, and which
European investment projects should
be supported. It will be impossible
to dene newand sensible European
projects worth 200bn per year.
Common projects such as the
European energy union will need
more time to be precisely dened.
As a result, the bulk of investment
nowwill have to come fromnational
policymakers.
In part, this means that existing
infrastructure projects that are
supposed to be nanced fromnational
budgets could be funded by the EIB.
By removing some of the burden
fromnational budgets, the current
decline in public investment could be
reversed.
Some of the newresources could
also be used to allowfor budget
consolidation in France without pro-
cyclical cuts.
France could get this helping hand
in complying with the scal rules in
exchange for serious and necessary
structural reforms, as could Italy,
where EIB-funded bonds would
provide a much-needed growth
stimulus without newgovernment
commitments.
In Germany, the freed-up resources
could be used to accelerate existing
investment projects while still
meeting its black-zero pledge.
Similar arrangements could
be found for the other eurozone
countries. To prevent the misuse of
money, the European Commission
should vet all national investment
projects.
More broadly, the programme
would be an important step toward
establishing the eurozones missing
scal union. That goal will be reached
more quickly once the benets of
achieving it are apparent to all.-
Project Syndicate
zGuntram B. Wolf is director of
Bruegel, the Brussels-based economic
think tank.
Europes scal wormhole
Live issues
Letters
Reasons we dont reach for the stars
By Barton Goldsmith
MCT
W
hen it comes to
achieving your dreams,
whats stopping
you? Dont let a bad
experience or person keep you from
fullling your hearts desire. There are
millions of other reasons why people
dont take their shot at happiness.
Here are a fewof the main ones.
zBeing too shy to ask. Whether its
asking someone out on a date or for a
job, many of us are too shy to actually
approach another person. These days,
much of our communication can
happen virtually, but nothing takes
the place of a face-to-face request.
Its much harder to say no to someone
directly than it is to not return a text
or e-mail.
zYou feel you dont deserve
it. If you have doubts about your
worthiness when it comes to life and
interpersonal relationships, you need
to take a long look into your internal
mirror. What negative messages are
you sending to yourself? Why do you
believe that you are not good enough?
Asking yourself these questions will
help you develop positive alternative
thoughts. Remember that you deserve
happiness.
zYou question your ability. You
may be able to ask for what you
want, and you may feel you deserve
it, but you still wonder if you are
up to the task. Maybe you think
you dont have the talent or the
leadership ability to get the job done.
Look, most people learn on the fly.
You have to just dive in and expect to
make a few mistakes along the way.
You will get the hang of whatever it
is, soon enough.
zYou feel that you dont have
the time to take on anything
more. Everyone I know who has
successfully started their own
business began working on it in their
spare time. Evenings and weekends
are no longer spent in front of the
television (except maybe during
football season). You can spend your
extra time building your dream (or
dating him or her). Anything you
want to achieve is worth the extra
work.
zYou tell yourself that theres
someone who is better than you.
There will always be people who are
better looking, have more money,
higher degrees, greater experience
and more amazing personalities.
But they arent the same as you. You
bring your own set of talents, your
personal vision, and your values to
any situation or person with whom
youre involved. Trust that whats
inside you is as good as it gets. Now
go for it.
zYoure trying to keep a lowprole.
You may think that you shouldnt
stand out, because youre afraid you
might get hurt. Yes, successful people
can become targets for others who are
angry, misguided, or feel somehow
inferior to you. But believing that if
youre successful, harmwill come
your way is a myth that was started by
people who were too scared to reach
for their dreams.
You have the talent, the energy, and
the gifts to full your dreams. Dont let
yourself or anyone else talk you out of
going for them.
zDr Barton Goldsmith, a
psychotherapist in Westlake
Village, California, is the author
of The Happy Couple: How to
Make Happiness a Habit One Little
Loving Thing at a Time. Follow
his daily insights on Twitter at @
BartonGoldsmith, or e-mail him at
Barton@bartongoldsmith.com
Diagnosis
shock
Dear Sir,
This is to recount my unhappy
experience at HMCs paediatrics
Emergency units at Al Sadd /Airport.
My baby son had recently been
suffering from fever for almost two
months and I used to take him to the
Emergency of Al Sadd and Airport.
But we had always been sent back
home with the medical staff there
claiming that its viral and it would
be cured with their medications of
antibiotics and normal saline nasal
drops.
Trusting on their diagnosis, I gave
himthe prescribed medications.
But his condition showed no sign of
improvement. Finally, I had to take
himto a private paediatrics clinic and
there we were immediately asked to
do an X-ray of the babys chest. The
X-ray reports had left us shocked. My
son was developing early pneumonia
and had to be immediately treated for
bronchitis. Howdid the doctors of
HMCpaediatrics at Al Sadd/Airport
fail to recognise the symptoms? We
used to ask for X-ray for the baby but
had been told that it was not necessary
as its a viral case.
The doctors there do not even speak
to you properly if you are not an Arabic
speaker. Each time we visited Al Sadd
paediatrics ER, we had to wait for at
least two hours or more before our
turn came.
My advice to all parents: please
take care of your children and always
have a second opinion before you
reach to any conclusion when your
children fall ill.
Athar Mohamed Azam
(e-mail address supplied)
Plea for more
Tamil films
Dear Sir,
Qatar has a large number of Tamil-
speaking expatriates both fromIndia
and Sri Lanka. Several other Qatar-
based expatriates hailing fromthe
southern parts of India like, Kerala,
Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh
understand Tamil. Despite this I fail to
understand why more Tamil movies
are released in Doha.
I make a fervent appeal for regular
release of Tamil movies. And they
must also be shown at West End Park
where the tickets cost much less than
the one charged in multiplexes in
various Doha malls.
V Kalyanaraman
(e-mail address supplied)
Please send us
your letters
Bye-mail
editor@gulf-times.com
Fax 44350474
Or Post
Letters to the Editor
Gulf Times
P O Box 2888
Doha, Qatar
All letters, which are subject
to editing, should have the
name of the writer, address
and phone number. The
writers name and address
may be withheld by request.
Anything you want to achieve is worth the extra work .
Three-day forecast
TODAY
TUESDAY
High: 34 C
Low: 26 C
High: 33 C
Low : 25 C
Weather report
Around the region
Abu Dhabi
Baghdad
Dubai
Kuwait City
Manama
Muscat
Riyadh
Tehran
Weather
today
Clear
P Cloudy
Clear
Clear
Clear
Clear
Clear
P Cloudy
Around the world
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 Cloudy

Max/min
17/12
21/18
32/24
17/10
27/19
26/17
30/25
30/21
29/20
13/09
34/26
32/22
16/11
33/24
01/-2
29/17
08/03
17/12
27/19
16/04
31/27
23/13
25/15
Weather
today
Clear
C Rain
T Storms
Clear
M Cloudy
Clear
P Cloudy
P Cloudy
Clear
P Cloudy
C Storms
Clear
Rain
C Storms
P Cloudy
Clear
P Cloudy
C Rain
T Storms
C Rain
C Storms
Clear
Fishermens forecast
OFFSHORE DOHA
Wind: NW15-22/25 KT
Waves: 4-7/8 Feet
INSHORE DOHA
Wind: NW-NE 05-15/20 KT
Waves: 1-3 Feet
High: 32 C
Low : 24 C
MONDAY
Strong wind and high seas
Clear
Clear
Max/min
33/26
25/17
34/26
29/17
30/25
34/26
31/18
14/06
Weather
tomorrow
Clear
P Cloudy
P Cloudy
Clear
Clear
Clear
Clear
C Rain
Max/min
32/26
24/13
32/27
31/19
30/25
34/25
33/21
Max/min
17/11
21/16
32/24
17/09
26/17
21/16
30/24
31/22
26/22
12/07
35/26
31/23
12/07
32/24
01/-2
29/18
14/08
14/09
27/21
14/05
32/27
19/14
23/11
Weather
tomorrow
Clear
C Rain
C Showers
Clear
P Cloudy
Rain
C Storms
Clear
P Cloudy
Clear
C Rain
Clear
C Rain
C Storms
Ice Pallets
Clear
Clear
Rain
T Storms
Clear
C Storms
P Cloudy
Clear
14/06
C
QATAR
Gulf Times
QTA team to showcase best
of Qatar at London event
Q
atar Tourism Authority
(QTA) is leading a Qa-
tar delegation at World
Travel Market (WTM) 2014, the
biggest global annual event for
the travel industry, scheduled
to begin tomorrow at the ExCel
Exhibition Center in London.
More than 30 hotels, desti-
nation management compa-
nies and other industry sup-
pliers will be exhibiting on the
QTAs stand at the four-day
event. They include Century
Hotel Doha, Intercontinental
Doha The City, Retaj Hotels and
Hospitality, InterContinental
Doha, Grand Hyatt Doha Hotel,
Crown Plaza Doha The Busi-
ness Park, Doha Marriot Hotel,
The Ritz-Carlton Doha, Sharq
Village and Spa, W Doha Hotel
and Residences, Renaissance
Doha City Center Hotel, Plaza
Inn Doha, The St Regis Doha,
Governor West Bay Suites and
Residences, Holiday Villa Ho-
tel and Residences City Center
Doha, Oryx Rotana, Royal Rivi-
era Hotel (Apartments), Hilton
Doha, Al Rayyan (Banana Island
Resort Doha by Anantara, Souq
Waqif Boutique Hotels), Katara
Hospitality, Gulf Adventures,
Qatar International Adventures,
Regency Travel and Tours, and
Travel Design.
We will provide trade visi-
tors with a comprehensive in-
sight into the destinationandits
attractions. With a wide range
of hotels and other tourism or-
ganisations taking part, includ-
ing our ve-star national airline
Qatar Airways, it means our
stand is efectively a one-stop
shop for doing business with
Qatars tourism sector, said
Rashed al-Qurese, acting chief
marketing and promotions of-
cer, QTA.
He noted that a major objec-
tive at WTM will be to introduce
Qatars leisure and recreational
facilities to the British and wid-
er European travel trade. We
are highly optimistic about the
potential of the British market.
Last year, the largest numbers of
European tourists to Qatar were
from the UK, so there is a solid
foundation in place, al-Qurese
commented.
WTM will additionally pro-
vide Qatar with an important
platform for the promotion of
its Tawash online destination
training programme for travel
agents and other tourism pro-
fessionals in the British market.
Visitors to the QTA stand will
have the opportunity to sign
up to join the programme via
on-stand tablets, and start the
process of becoming authorita-
tive Qatar Tawash experts. QTA
will welcome the initial 50 UK
Tawash Qatar qualiers at the
show, rewarding the newgradu-
ates for their achievement.
Inparallel with WTM - and to
help highlight Qatars partici-
pation at the event - QTA has
launched an innovative cam-
paign on Qatar to the British
public via 20 specially Qatar-
branded taxis that will ply their
trade on Londons streets over
the next three months.
We are serious about the
British market and have an es-
tablished on-the-ground Qatar
representative of ce in Lon-
don, he said, adding: During
the course of 2014 we have car-
ried out extensive tour operator
engagement with the UK travel
trade and implemented innova-
tive consumer generated media
partnerships with a selection of
UKpublishing houses.
Al-Qurese explained that
these initiatives have given
Qatar excellent exposure via
important visitor generation
channels and have contributed
to building destination aware-
ness amongst visitors planning
their vacations in the coming
winter months.
We will continue to support
and focus on the travel trade
through direct liaison with lead-
ing British tour operators, desti-
nation training for travel agents
and many other innovative mar-
keting initiatives, he said.
Our Qatar stakeholders
play an important role in all of
the QTAs activities and, with
several new hotels and resort
opening in coming months, our
destination has what it takes to
meet the demands of discern-
ing British and other European
travellers, especially in terms of
its many authentic experiences
and exceptional cultural attrac-
tions.
Maserati sales up 90%
A
lfardan Sports Motors,
Maseratis exclusive
importer in Qatar, has
announced a 90% increase in
Maserati sales for the period
from January - October 2014 in
comparison to the same period
in 2013.
The most successful model of
the rst half is the newMaserati
Ghibli, which was launchedear-
lier this year and received a very
warm welcome from customers
wanting to realise their dreamof
owning a Maserati.
Maseratis agship, the Quat-
troporte, grewby a further 79%
following its introduction in
2013, and more growth is ex-
pected after the introduction
of a further engine variant, a
330hp V6, in the third quarter
of this year.
Charly Dagher, general man-
ager, Alfardan Sports Motors,
said: The rise in sales, in com-
parison to the same period as
last year, is a true indicator of
the increase in demand for ex-
cellence as well as a thriving
luxury automobile market, con-
rming Alfardan Sports Motors
leading position in the market.
The Ghibli shares much of its
core architecture, its chassis,
its suspension architecture, the
V6 engine and the ZF 8-speed
automatic transmission with
the agship limousine Quattro-
porte, though it is 50kg lighter,
173mmshorter inthe wheel base
and 291 mmshorter overall.
The original Quattroporte
was released in 1963 when Ma-
serati invented the concept of
the luxury sports sedan, but the
new sixth-generation model,
released in 2013 in the Mid-
dle East, is larger, lighter, more
luxurious and more practical
than its original, while main-
taining high quality engineer-
ing, supercar performance and
limousine comfort.
Overall, the Italian luxury car
manufacturer Maserati contin-
ues its global expansion strat-
egy and reports that sales in
the Middle East and Africa re-
gion have increased by 152% in
Maserati- aims to achieve an annual sales volume of 50,000 units globally over the coming years
We are highly optimistic
about the potential of the
British market. Last year,
the largest numbers of
European tourists to Qatar
were from the UK, so there is
a solid foundation in place
Barwa
Bank ofers
home
nancing
product
B
arwa Bank has announced
an innovative home -
nancing product to help
customers purchase, renovate, or
buildthe home of their dreams.
Hussain al-Abdullah, gen-
eral manager (personal bank-
ing and wealth management),
Barwa Bank, said: At Barwa
Bank, we ofer a simple solution
for all your home nance needs.
With us, the option of buying the
right house and paying its price
in conformity with Shariah has
never been easier.
The product ofers easy and
convenient nancing solutions
for both Qatari nationals and
expatriates, as well as a com-
prehensive re and life Takaful
coverage.
Customers can take nanc-
ing of up to QR10mn for Qataris
and QR3mn for expatriates for
constructed properties, and
QR7.5mn for home construction
with easy payment plans of up to
20 years, attractive prot rates,
and no hidden charges.
The home construction -
nancing is available to Qatari
nationals, GCC nationals, and
other expatriates with residence
status in Qatar. The product fea-
tures an easy application process
with quick approval.
Barwa Bank ofers a wide
range of retail products and in-
vestments and has eight stra-
tegically-located branches, as
well as a wide network of more
than 60 ATMs located all across
Qatar.
Customers can access their
accounts fromthe convenience
of their of ce or home through
state-of-the-art online bank-
ing as well as 24/7 contact
centre.
the rst half of 2014 compared
to last years result of the same
period. In fact, the result of the
rst six months of 2014 exceeds
the sales of 2013 overall. Global-
ly, Maserati aims to achieve an
annual sales volume of 50,000
units over the coming years,
primarily through newproducts
and entering newmarkets.
Alfardan Sports Motors is
dedicated to providing custom-
ers with excellence in customer
service as well as consistently
providing the market with top
of the range motors to sat-
isfy the constantly increasing
demand.
Q-Chem honours Qatari
employees at annual meet
Q
atar Chemical Co (Q-
Chem) recently held its
annual town hall meet-
ing for Qatari employees under
the banner InTheir Footsteps.
The meeting was attended
by senior management, group
and department managers, and
all Qatari employees working at
Q-Chem, Q-Chem II, and Ras
Lafan Olens Co (RLOC).
Ahmed Ibrahim al-Emadi,
general manager, Q-Chem,
opened the session by express-
ing appreciation to the com-
mitment and loyalty of Qatari
employees to the company. We
mutually pledge our lives to de-
velop skills and empowering
talentedQataris to achieve their
goals, al-Emadi said.
Since its inception, Q-Chem
has focused on the develop-
ment of national cadre to
achieve the companys strategic
goals and espousing the com-
panys vision and Qatarisation
drive as a priority.
Al-Emadi also underlined
the importance of company-
wide teamwork and the im-
portance of preserving high-
performance achievement and
standards, especially on safety,
health, and environment to
guarantee sustainability and
competence among big players
in petrochemical industry.
The meeting also presented
the progress of the companys
Qatarisation drive and includ-
ed a variety of motivational
and self-empowering sessions
alongside team-building activi-
ties intended to bring together
employees and tap hidden skills.
Q-Chems continuous eforts
and achievements in Qatarisa-
tion were recognised during the
presentation of the Qatarisa-
tion Crystal Award in May in
the supporting and sponsor-
ing students category. The
award was given to companies
that displayedtangible progress
and excellent performance in
Qatarisation within oil and gas
sector.
The meeting was con-
cluded with senior manage-
ment recognising and award-
ing employees in the following
categories: high outstanding
performance, high scores of
sponsored students at Qatar
University and CNAQ, and high
scores of technical preparatory
programme (TPP).
Q-Chem oficials and employees during the companys annual town hall meeting.
Teachers attend training
programme in Cyprus
A
summer training pro-
gramme in Cyprus con-
ducted under a Qatar
University (QU) project funded
by QNRF, engaged 20 teachers
and vice principals from inde-
pendent schools.
The project entitled Qatar
Energy Education Institute was
held at the University of Cyprus
and led by Dr Mohamed Zayed
fromQU College of Arts andSci-
ences (CAS) physics Programme
and Dr Roger Hinrichs from the
State University of New York at
Oswego.
It was hosted by director of
the Learning in Science Group
Prof Costas Constantiniou, and
included the participation of
experts and researchers from
Qatar institutions such as Col-
lege of the North Atlantic Qatar
and Seattle Pacic University in
the US.
The 10-day programme in-
cluded a series of lectures, labo-
ratory-based training and group
activities, as well as visits to a
solar cell testing facility and a
wind farm. The teachers also at-
tended a laser show by laser and
holography specialist Tom Alt-
man who introduced them to a
variety of attractive science ex-
periments for the classroom.
During the programme, they
were also updated on emerg-
ing developments in the eld of
energy and environment, and
participated in discussions on
issues related to the science cur-
riculumin Qatari schools and on
methods for developing a more
attractive inquiry-based teach-
ing of scientic subjects such as
physics, chemistry and biology.
Aproposal was presented for the
creation of a school-based pilot
centre for scientic inquiry as
well as efective strategies for
enhancing lab-based activities
in schools.
Dr Zayed said: This was an
opportunity for educators from
Qatars independent schools to
gain more insight into teaching
of science subjects and making
them more attractive to stu-
dents to build their knowledge
and skills. This is inline with na-
tional eforts to promote science
literacy from an early age to de-
velop students potential as the
next generation of scientists and
researchers in Qatar.
Participants at the energy education programme held at the University of Cyprus.
IT services company unveils data centre
M
eeza, a leading IT
services and solutions
provider in Qatar, has
announced the readiness of its
latest and biggest data centre till
date, M-VAULT2.
M-VAULT 2 has a total build-
ing area of 10,000sqm and is
located at a purpose-built, se-
cured facility in Umm Garn,
30kmfromDoha. It is now fully
operational, ofering part of
Meezas portfolio of services.
Built inaccordance with the
highest global standards, M-
VAULT 2 is the rst data cen-
tre of its kind in the Mena re-
gion, according to a statement
issued by Meeza yesterday.
M-VAULT 2, a green data
centre, is the rst andonly LEED
(Leadership in Energy and En-
vironmental Design) Platinum
certied data centre in Mena
region. It is one of only four data
centres in the world outside of
the US having achieved this cer-
tication. As a LEED Platinum
certied data centre, M-VAULT
2 ofers the highest levels of sus-
tainability and energy ef ciency,
the statement points out.
At high densities, M-VAULT
2 is 40%more energy and cost-
ef cient than non-LEED Plati-
numcertied data centres. Sev-
Meezas M-VAULT 2.
enty per cent of the materials
used in the construction of M-
VAULT2 are recycled material.
The facility is also certied by
the Uptime Institute as a Tier III
data centre ofering a guaranteed
uptime of 99.98%.
With the commercial avail-
ability of M-VAULT 2, Meeza
takes a big leap forward in its
capability to deliver end-to-end
business continuity and disaster
recovery solutions, said Ghada
Philip El Rassi, CEO of Meeza.
M-VAULT 2 ofers a fully
equipped area for remote work-
ing and business continuity.
This workplace recovery area is
in place to help customers who
are encountering severe and ex-
tended outages relocate their
key personnel to M-VAULT 2
and be operational in the least
possible time.
MVAULT 2 is serviced by all
network carriers with diverse
routes and multiple active points
of presence.
GCCs green construction programme
big business opportunity, says report
Demand may outstrip the supply
of vital sustainable materials to
meet green building regulations
in the GCC, according to a new
report.
There are enormous
opportunities in the region
for suppliers of energy-saving
and green products, including
lighting, kitchen and bathroom
fittings and natural stone fittings,
says the report by Ventures
Middle East commissioned by
The Big 5 construction exhibition
in Dubai.
Green buildings witnessed
a slow take-of in the GCC, it
says, but governments have
acted swiftly in the past three
years to embrace sustainability
through education and
legislation. Developers have also
recognised that buildings have to
demonstrate sustainability to be
marketable.
The GCC Focus on Sustainability
in Construction report says:
The rise in green buildings has
resulted in an increased demand
for green building materials. It
has also resulted in the creation
of newbuilding materials,
which are in line with new
specifications.
The report was prepared
in the run-up to the two-
day Sustainable Design &
Construction Conference
(November 18-19) in Dubai, which
takes place during The Big 5
exhibition (November 17-20) at
the World Trade Centre.
Green ratings systems have been
introduced in all GCC countries.
QATAR
31
Gulf Times
Defending champ Sykes makes
it to front row for nal round
ByMikhil Bhat
Losail
D
efending champion and
championship leader
Tom Sykes will start
from the front row in the de-
ciding and final round of the
World Superbike Champion-
ship (WSBK) at the Losail Inter-
national Circuit.
The Briton (1:57.468), who had
struggled in the rst three free
practice sessions before going
second fastest in the fourth, was
four tenth of a secondof the pace
set by Ducatis Davide Giugliano
(1:57.033) in the Superpole last
night.
The Italian picked up his third
Superpole of the year, beating
BenSpies 2009 best lap timing of
1:37.280.
Sykes team-mate Loris Baz
was second fastest in the last Su-
perpole of his career. Baz, who
will move to MotoGP next year,
was one thousandth of a second
shy of Spies pace with a 1:37.281
lap.
Sykes would like to keep an eye
on championship rival Aprilias
Sylvain Guintoli, who will start
on the second row of the grid
courtesy his fth fastest time
after Ducatis Chaz Davies in
fourth.
Frenchman Guintoli is 12
points behind Sykes in the cham-
pionship standings and is the
only one who canchallenge Sykes
for the title.
I amrelatively happy with the
qualifying, Sykes said yesterday.
Two guys in the front did two
great laps. I amhappy to be onthe
front row, we have a clear track.
And honestly we will be working
very hardwith the ZX-10R for to-
morrows two races. Thats where
it counts. It is a slender lead but
at least it is a lead. We have that
to work with and hope thats
good enough.
Sykes has been in the mix for
a championship for the third
consecutive year, losing out
to Max Biaggi in 2012 by half a
point and winning the title last
year.
I am very fortunate that it is
the third consecutive year [that
I am ghting for the champion-
ship]. I will use that experience
the best I can and try and put it
in practice tomorrow, the York-
shireman said.
Of course, we started the
weekend slow and some people
were quick to judge. We were
able to do well today, and tomor-
row we will have to ne tune the
ZX10R even more because there
are a couple of areas I would like
to work on. Very excited and very
motivated. I just hope that we
have a great day at this fantastic
circuit.
Giugliano was happy with his
Superpole-winning perform-
ance. My weekend started dif-
cult but my team and I con-
centrated on the job at hand,
which was to go fast. Right now,
however, I am happy about the
Superpole. I want to concentrate
on tomorrows race, the Italian
said.
Baz said he hoped to leave from
WSBKona high andwantedto do
his best to help Kawasaki win the
constructors title.
I wanted to be on Superpole
for the last one but made too
many mistakes and Davide was
too fast, Baz said yesterday.
Lets hope that tomorrow I
can get the rst position. I want
to nish this WSBK career on a
high. And I would like to thank
the team for all the things they
have done for me. I amcondent
for the race, because we have
good pace.
Lets hope we can win the
world championship for Kawa-
saki tomorrow.
Australian Alex Cudlin, who
made his WSBK debut with
Team Pedercini and is also riding
in the Qatar Superbike Cham-
pionship (QSBK) for the QMMF
Racing Team during the week-
end, will start on the sixth row.
The four-time QSBK champion
had the 16th fastest time of
2:00.439.
Earlier, Jules Cluzel pipped
champion Michael van der Mark
for pole position in the Super-
sport category.
Van der Mark, who will be
moving to a Superbike ride with
Pata Honda for 2015 and 2016
after becoming the youngest Su-
persport champion this year with
two races to spare, had led the
qualifying session till MV Agus-
ta Reparta Corsas French rider
went 0.372 seconds faster with
his nal lap to take the 10th pole
of his career.
The Dutch rider, who has
never raced at Losail, said, Its
amazing to come here as a world
champion. I am really enjoying
this track. Its great to race under
lights like this. I am having fun.
Its my last weekend in Super-
sport and I will do everything to
win.
Van der Marks Pata Honda
Supersport team-mate Lorenzo
Zanetti snappedup the nal front
rowplace.
DAVIDE GIUGLIANO: Ducati Superbike Team rider Davide Giugliano broke the World Superbike Championship Best Lap record of Losail International Circuit set by Ben Spies in
2009 to take the third Superpole of the year.. Right: TOM SYKES: Defending champion and championship leader Tom Sykes of Kawasaki Racing Team set the third fastest time in
Superpole yesterday for a front row start for todays races.
SUPERPOLE RESULTS (top ten)
1. Davide Guigliano (Ducati) 1:57.033
2. Loris Baz (Kawasaki) 1:57.281
3. Tom Sykes (Kawasaki) 1:57.468
4. Chaz Davies (Ducati) 1:57.562
5. Sylvain Guintoli (Aprilia) 1:57.833
6. Leon Haslam (Pata Honda)1:58.005
7. Jonathan Rea (Pata Honda)1:58.190
8. Marco Melandri (Aprilia) 1:58.355
9. Eugene Laverty (VC Suzuki) 1:58.379
10. Toni Elias (RedDevils Roma) 1:58.583
QRC celebrates pioneers
contributions to society
Q
atar Red Crescent (QRC) or-
ganised yesterday a ceremony
in Doha to celebrate the con-
tributions of its pioneers, who have
contributed to Qatari society through
charity, volunteerism and passing
down their experience and knowledge
to the next generation.
QRCvolunteers received the guests
and of cials, including the organisa-
tions secretary-general, Saleh bin Ali
al-Mohannadi.
Two QRC pioneers were hon-
oured on the occasion - Amna al-
Moftah, a donor to QRCs local and
international activities in the past,
and Sabah bin Said al-Ku-
wari, a volunteer who helped
transform QRCs message
and principles into reality
in the form of development
and social programmes.
We thank our brother,
al-Kuwari, and sister, al-
Moftah, for their great con-
tributions and eforts. We
are proud of working with
them as they laid the foun-
dation for many achieve-
ments, some of which are
known and some are not,
said al-Mohannadi.
We hope that society and
interested organisations will
join us. We need to make use
of and invest in the experi-
ence of the elderly. Through
its relief and other humani-
tarian mandates, QRC is a
part of society and works in
the best interest of society,
he added.
Giving lessons and advice
for the youth, al-Kuwari
said: Through my life ex-
perience, I advise the youth
to persevere and be proac-
tive, not to think of failure
and to keep trying without
despair.
Al-Moftah gave an over-
view of her long association
with QRC, during which she
learnt the values of humani-
tarianism, benevolence and
positive work for the benet
of others.
QRC communications
department acting director
Hamad al-Fayyad moder-
ated a conversation with
guests of all ages, focusing
on the elderly, who thanked
QRC for the gesture. They
lauded its role in serving so-
ciety, which motivated them
to dedicate several years of
their lives to contributing to
its social welfare projects for
the good of the nation.
The duo was honoured
with thank you certi-
cates and symbolic prizes.
The ceremony was spon-
sored by Al Mashata Beauty
Center &Spa, Al Jazeera Per-
fumes, Doha Marriott Hotel
and Hessa al-Suwaidi.
Texas A&M University at Qatar and Qafco oficials pose by the
cutaway gas turbine.
Qafco cutaway gas
turbine for TAMUQ
Muslims urged to
fast on Ashurah
T
exas A&M University
at Qatar (TAMUQ)
has recognised Qatar
Fertiliser Company (Qafco)
for its donation of a cutaway
gas turbine. The turbine has
been designed for teaching
purposes and will benet
engineering students with
hands-on learning of tur-
bine technology.
The turbine is located in
Texas A&M at Qatars re-
search atrium and can be
seen by students, employees
and visitors.
Qafco ofers tremendous
support to Texas A&M at
Qatars students and pro-
grammes, and we are grate-
ful for yet another notable
contribution, said Dr Mark
H. Weichold, Texas A&M at
Qatar dean and CEO.
He said: Qafco has been a
longtime supporter of Texas
A&M at Qatar and, like us,
Qafco recognises the impor-
tance of hands-on learning
as essential toa well-rounded
education. We thank them
for the donation of the Rolls
-Royce Avon industrial gas
turbine. This engine will give
students rst-hand experi-
ence with turbine technol-
ogy and help them prepare
for industrys needs once
they graduate. Qafco cus-
tom prepared the engine for
Texas A&M at Qatar, and we
are incredibly grateful for this
donation of an engine not
frequently seen in university
environments. We appreciate
this unique opportunity Qaf-
cois providingour students.
In addition to its on-of-a-
kind turbine donation, Qafco
announced at the recogni-
tionevent that it will sponsor
10students fromTexas A&M
at Qatar to receive theoreti-
cal and practical training at
the Turbine Services and
Solutions workshop in Abu
Dhabi, which is licensed
by Rolls Royce to carry out
complete overhauls for such
engines. Qafco will also ar-
range toconduct anin-house
training for 20students.
Today it gives me great
pleasure to present the Qafco
turbine to Texas A&Mat Qa-
tar as a token of our appre-
ciation for the relationship
with the branch campus,
Khalifa al-Sowaidi, Qafco
vice chairmanand CEOsaid.
The Rolls-Royce Avon gas
turbine was the rst axial
ow jet engine produced by
the company and is one of
the most successful gas tur-
bine engines. It is used in a
wide variety of aircraft as
well as an industrial version.
The turbine is used princi-
pallyintheoil andgas indus-
try to drive pumps and gas
compressors with a smaller
number used for electrical
power generationandwithin
the process industry. It was
introduced to Qatar in Qafco
1 in 1972. Qafco achieved a
world record for continu-
ous operation, which still
stands today, operating an
Avon non-stop for 476 days
(11,424 hours).
QNA
Doha
T
he Ministry of Awqaf
and Islamic Afairs
has reminded Mus-
lims of fasting the day of
Ashurah, the 10th day of
Moharramtomorrowinpur-
suance of the Sunnah (say-
ings and deeds) of Prophet
Muhammad, blessings and
peace of Allah be upon him.
In a statement issued yes-
terday the ministry said the
fasting of Ashurah is advis-
able. AlthoughMoharramis a
sanctied month as a whole,
the 10th day of Moharram -
namedAshurah -isthemost
sacredamongall its days.
According to the Proph-
ets Companion Ibn Abbas,
Radi-Allahu anhu, when
the Prophet, blessings and
peace of Allah be upon him,
migrated to Madinah he
found that the Jews of Mad-
inah fasting on the 10th day
of Moharram. They said
that it was the day on which
the Prophet Musa (Moses),
alayhis salam, and his fol-
lowers crossed the Red
Sea miraculously and the
Pharaoh was drowned in
its waters. On hearing this
from the Jews, the Prophet
said, We are more closely
related to Musa than you,
and directed the Muslims
to fast on the day of Ashura.
(Abu Dawood).
Al-Mohannadi (second left) with oficials and guests yesterday. PICTURE: Najeer Feroke
QATAR
Gulf Times
Moharram 9, 1436 AH
BUSINESS
GULF TIMES
China factory
growth falls to
5-month low
Apple Pay fails
in fragmented
market disputes
ORDER DROP | Page 9 FEES ROW | Page 23
Debate to endure on QE withdrawal: QNB
T
heimpact of theUS Feder-
al Reserve turning of the
quantitative easing (QE)
programme remains a contro-
versial issue, something that
will be researched for years to
come, says QNB in a report.
At its last meeting on Oc-
tober 29 the Fed decided to
draw the curtains on one of the
most remarkable experiments
of monetary policy. By stop-
ping its monthly purchases of
assets from November, which
have been ongoing for over two
years, the Fed has put an end to
its quantitative easing (QE) pro-
gramme.
QE is dened as a central
banks purchases of private
and public assets nanced by
the expansion of the monetary
base. Since the nancial crisis of
2008, the Fed has run three epi-
sodes of QE.
The rst episode, QE1, began
in November 2008 and lasted
for 17 months. The Fed bought
the debt of government entities
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac,
mortgage-backed securities as
well as long-dated government
bonds with the aim of removing
low-quality assets from the -
nancial system and encouraging
lending in the economy.
The second wave, QE2, which
was announced in November
2010 and continued until June
2011, continued the purchases of
debt securities initiated in QE1.
Finally, QE3 was introduced
in September 2012 and involved
$85bn of open-ended monthly
purchases of mortgage-backed
securities and long-term gov-
ernment bonds. These purchas-
es were tapered from January
2014 and have come to an end
following last weeks Fed meet-
ing.
As a result of these episodes,
the Feds balance sheet nearly
quadrupled from below $1tn in
2008 to around $4.5tn in Octo-
ber 2014, QNB said.
The Fed typically ne-tunes
the economy through its control
of short-term interest rates, the
report said. As interest rates fall,
consumption and investment
generally rise, leading to more
economic activity. But short-
term interest rates reached near
zero in late 2008 and could not
be reduced any further.
Additional stimulus could
only be provided by reducing
long-term interest rates, which
was one of the aims of QE. The
Feds purchases create addition-
al demand for long-dated gov-
ernment bonds, bringing their
prices up and yields down.
The second aimwas to ensure
the stability of ination expec-
tations to prevent deation from
being incorporated into prices
and wages. This has prompted
the Fed to dramatically expand
the size of its balance sheet to
ensure expectations remain an-
chored.
Third, by removing the rela-
tively safe long-dated bonds
fromthe market, the Fed wanted
to encourage investors to hold
more risky assets, as the result-
ing increase in asset and house
prices would increase the wealth
of private individuals, leading to
a further boost to private sector
consumption. This was the aim
in the last two phases of QE.
The outcome on the US
economy was indeed positive.
The US avoided going through
a prolonged period of deation.
The unemployment rate, which
peaked at 10% in October 2009
has been falling steadily since
then and now stands at 5.9%.
The search for yield drove the
190% appreciation in US equi-
ties since March 2009. Some
even argue that QE has gone too
far and is causing nancial in-
stability and asset price bubbles.
Only time will tell whether
QE indeed created too much de-
mandfor risky assets,QNB said.
The impact of QE on the glo-
bal economy was no less signi-
cant, it said. The search for yield
extended not only to domestic
equity, credit and housing mar-
kets but also to emerging mar-
kets (EMs) bonds and equities.
These ows provided a boost to
these assets ofsetting large cur-
rent account decits in some
EMs.
The GCC (Gulf Co-operation
Council) was relatively immune
fromthe EM turmoil, which fol-
lowed the tapering tantrum. The
International Monetary Fund
has recently estimated that the
cumulative portfolio outows
since May 2013 were less than
0.1%of GDPin the GCCmuch
lower than the rest of EMs,
which have been estimated at
0.35%of GDP.
According to QNB, two rea-
sons contributed to the favour-
able performance of the GCC
economies. First, they are less
open than other EMs, and there-
fore less exposed to swings in
investor sentiment. Second, the
regions strong external position
and large current account sur-
pluses have led investors to view
themmore favourably thanother
EMs.
For better or worse, the Feds
experiment with QE is over.
Markets have turned their at-
tention to the date of the rst
rate hike by the Fed. The Feds
most recent statement indicated
that it is likely to maintain the
policy rate at its current level for
a considerable time following
the end of QE. Markets expect
the rst rate hike to take place in
the second half of 2015. The QE
chapter might be closed for now,
but its impact will be studied
and debated for years to come,
QNB said.
MOST POWERFUL : Page 24
Mannai Heavy
Equipment unit
launches JCBs
tracked excavator
BUSINESS
Gulf Times
Doha Bank bags
Golden Peacock
Award in London
D
oha Bank has received the
Golden Peacock Global Award
for Sustainability 2014 from
the Institute of Doctors during the
London Global Convention held from
October 28 to 31.
UK Home Secretary Theresa May
bestowed the award to Doha Bank
Group CEO Dr R Seetharaman during
the event held at the MillenniumHotel
London Mayfair.
In a special address, Seetharaman
said institutions cannot aford to ig-
nore the long-term goals and focus
only on the short term, and stressed
that long-terms goals are achievable
only when they are sustainable.
Corporate structure and culture
should focus on linking performance
objectives with performance measures
and should have a consistent design
and should be implemented across the
entire organisation, he said.
According to Seetharaman, im-
proved oversight over board composi-
tions, improved disclosure and trans-
parency, and the efective use of audit
functions are key areas which require
focus.
Boards are increasingly consider-
ing sustainable development aspects at
the committee levels. Board excellence
contributes to sustainable develop-
ment, he stressed.
He also highlighted how the board
can implement sustainable develop-
ment and said, The board should
recognise the importance of staf, cus-
tomers, communities, and the risks as-
sociated with the limitations of natural
resources.
An understanding of these issues
on the business model, long-termsuc-
cess, and ability to deliver on strategy
are critical. Board diversity, which in-
cludes not only gender diversity, be-
comes really important in ensuring
the board is t to drive change towards
sustainable business model. Solv-
ing problems requires working across
functions and this can happen if the
senior team has collaborative leader-
ship styles, he added.
Seetharaman also participated in
the session Global Perspectives on
Corporate Governance and spoke on
Changing Face of Global and Corpo-
rate Governance.
He said the International Monetary
Funds October 2014 outlook forecasts
global growth to average 3.3% in 2014
and will rise to 3.8%in 2015.
The weaker growth outlook for
2014 reects setbacks to economic ac-
tivity in the advanced economies dur-
ing the rst half of 2014 and a less op-
timistic outlook for several emerging
market economies, he stressed.
He added, Economies, institu-
tions, and individuals need to follow
governance. It can be called corporate
governance for institutions and global
governance for economies. Individu-
als are afected by corporate govern-
ance and global governance due to the
links with institutions and economies,
respectively.
Seetharaman highlighted the
emerging trends in corporate govern-
ance in recent years and explained that
nes, penalties, and settlements faced
by global nancial institutions recently
have re-emphasised the importance of
corporate governance.
Seetharaman receiving the award from UK Home Secretary Theresa May.
BUSINESS
3
Gulf Times
Commercial Bank
joins IMF, World
Bank meetings
C
ommercial Bank took part in
the 2014 International Mon-
etary Fund (IMF) and World
Bank Group Annual Meetings in
Washington, DC.
Commercial Bank CEO Abdulla
Saleh al-Raisi said, As one of the
leading commercial banks in the re-
gion with operations in Qatar, Oman,
UAE, and Turkey, participating at the
IMF and World Bank Annual Meet-
ings plays an important part in form-
ing our regional strategy. It is vital the
Commercial Bank Group continues to
anticipate how our world is changing
and take advantage of newopportuni-
ties to deliver protable growth.
The annual meetings are one of the
worlds most important nancial and
economic conferences and are regu-
larly attended by key gures from the
world of nance, politics, and eco-
nomics, including prominent nance
ministers and central bankers.
The event welcomes banks and
multilateral development institutions
from countries all over the world, in-
cluding several banks from Qatar and
the Gulf Co-operationCouncil region.
The Commercial Bank Group, in-
cluding its alliance banks, National
Bank of Oman, United Arab Bank in
the UAE, and Turkeys Alternatif Bank
attended the conference and organ-
ised a broad programme of meetings
and events.
The group used the conference for
bilateral meetings with banks from
various countries, build relationships,
and to growbusiness in newareas, in-
cluding demonstrating the increasing
regional strength of the Commercial
Bank Group.
A delegation of Qatari banks, in-
cluding Commercial Bank, hosted
a reception attended by prominent
bankers, key global policymakers,
regulators, and representatives of
governments, nancial institutions,
and diplomatic missions.
During the course of the event, dis-
cussions were held on key issues such
as the outlook for the global economy,
developments in nancial markets,
and promoting economic develop-
ment and poverty reduction in devel-
oping countries.
Commercial Bank Group, including its afiliates, National Bank of Oman, UAEs United Arab Bank, and Turkeys Alternatif
Bank attended the IMF-World Bank meetings in Washington and organised a broad programme of meetings and events.
BUSINESS
Gulf Times
US probing
StanChart
over Dubai
banking
Reuters
New York
U
S authorities areinvestigating London-basedStand-
ard Chartered for potential US sanctions violations
connected to its banking for Iranian-controlled en-
tities in Dubai, according to people familiar with the probe.
The latest investigation involving the bank is based, in
part, fromevidence that emerged during a separate probe of
BNP Paribas, the French bank that pleaded guilty this sum-
mer to charges related to sanctions-busting and agreed to
pay $8.9bn in penalties, the people said.
During the course of the BNP case, US federal and state
investigators received evidence the French bank had done
business with a Dubai-registered corporation that was a
front for an Iranian entity, one source said. Investigators
also learned that the company used to have an account with
Standard Chartered, according to the source.
Such an account would have been covered by US sanc-
tions laws that bandealings with Iranbecause activity inthe
account involved US dollar transactions.
The sources did not want to be identied because the
probe is ongoing and its ultimate outcome unknown.
Spokesmen for the Manhattan District Attorney and US
Department of Justice, which are among the authorities
investigating, declined comment, as did the New York De-
partment of Financial Services, which oversees the banks
branch in the state. A spokesman for Standard Chartered
also declined comment on the probe.
Egypt signs $350mn in oil, power financing deals with Saudi Arabia
Egypt signed $350mn worth of financing agree-
ments with Saudi Arabia yesterday aimed at
upgrading its power grid and securing imports
of petroleumproducts as it seeks to end its worst
energy crisis in decades.
Power cuts have become common in Egypt as the
cash-strapped government struggles to supply
enough gas to its power stations let alone upgrade
a grid sufering from decades of neglect.
The energy crunch has become a political hot
potato in the Arab worlds most populous country,
which has turned froma gas exporter into a net
importer in recent years as it diverts gas once des-
tined for export to meet burgeoning domestic de-
mand. Lines at petrol stations and a shortage of gas
were among the main public grievances against
former president Mohamed Mursi of the Muslim
Brotherhood. But some oil-producing Gulf allies
have come to Egypts aid since the army, prompted
by mass protests, ousted Mursi last year.
Two loan agreements signed yesterday worth
a total of about $100mn will be invested in two
electricity stations that are expected to boost the
capacity of the national grid. A further $250mn
in assistance will come in the form of petroleum
products. Saudi Arabia sent Egypt $3bn worth of
refined oil products between April and September
of this year, according to an Egyptian oil oficial,
while the total value of Saudi oil aid since July 2013
amounted to about $5bn.
BUSINESS
5
Gulf Times
Delayed Aramco Wasit gas plant to start partially in early 2015
S
tate oil giant Saudi Ara-
mco is expected partially
start up its new Wasit gas
plant in the rst quarter of 2015
despite some dif culties linked
to construction, three indus-
try sources said. Wasit will be
one of the largest gas plants not
linked to oil wells ever built by
Saudi Aramco. It will process
2.6bn cubic feed per day of non-
associated gas fromthe ofshore
elds Hasbah and Arabiyah.
The plant, north of Jubail on
the kingdoms Gulf coast, is
expected to supply 1.75 bcfd of
sales gas and could potentially
produce up to 3.05 bcfd to meet
peak summer demand.
In 2012, industry sources told
Reuters Wasit was expected to
be delayed by at least one year
because the gas coming from
elds ofshore had higher sul-
phur content than expected. The
plant was due to be completed
this year.
It will be partially in opera-
tion in the rst quarter of next
year, of cially the project should
be (fully) up and running mid
2015 but I think the more real-
istic schedule is sometime in
2016, one source familiar with
the matter said.
Palestine telecom
firm unbowed
by Gaza war losses
Reuters
Dubai
Palestinian telecoms operator Paltel expects gains from
its financial investments this year to ofset the $30mn
of losses caused by Israels bombardment of Gaza in the
summer, its chief executive has told Reuters.
An estimated 20,000 Gazan homes were badly damaged
or destroyed in the 50-day war that killed more than 2,100
Palestinians, mostly civilians.
The conflict also destroyed dozens of mobile telecoms
base stations as well as much of the enclaves fixed-line
network which most Gazans rely upon to access the web.
Our network in many areas was materially destroyed,
especially the landline network in the eastern part of
Gaza, said Ammar Aker, CEO of Paltel, whose $30mn
of losses equate to nearly a quarter of the companys
2013 net profit. Infrastructure was being bombarded,
employees were at risk, electricity was cut of and we had
to supply many network locations with diesel.
Aker said mobile telecoms trafic was nowback to normal
levels but that it would be much more dificult to repair
the fixed-line network in the impoverished enclave, which
is home to about 1.8mn Palestinians.
The CEO said he expected Paltels equities investments
in both telecomand non-telecomstocks to bolster its
profit this year. I still think we will be able to maintain last
years (profit) figure or maybe have some minor growth,
regardless of the Gaza War, he said.
Paltel, or Palestine Telecommunications Co, had 158.8mn
Jordanian dinars ($224.29mn) of investments at the
end of 2013, about two-thirds of which were abroad.
These include 25.3% of Jordans V-Tel, which has stakes
in 10 telecomfirms worldwide and posted a 49%rise in
revenue last year to 93.7mn dinars. Paltels 2013 net profit
was 91.83mn Jordanian dinars, up from82.13mn dinars
a year earlier. Paltels 2.63mn mobile subscribers at the
end of 2013 gave it a 78% market share in the Palestinian
territories of Gaza and the West Bank. It derived about
30%of its revenue fromGaza before the conflict.
BUSINESS
Gulf Times
Qatargas tops Large Size
Enterprise in CSR awards
Q
atargas has won the rst
place in the Large Size
Enterprise category
across the Mena (Middle East
and North Africa) region at 7th
cycle of the Arabia Corporate
Social Responsibility (CSR) Fo-
rumand Award.
Qatargas public relations
manager Mansour Rashid al-
Naimi received the award on
behalf of the company in a cer-
emony held on October 28 in
Dubai.
Qatargas CEO Khalid bin
Khalifa al-Thani said, We were
delightedto winthis prestigious
award, which is a testament to
Qatargas robust corporate so-
cial responsibility programme
focused on long-term, sus-
tainable initiatives. As a leader
in the global energy industry,
Qatargas has made signicant
contributions to a sustainable
future for our country and the
world at large.
Over the past few years, we
have made huge nancial in-
vestments in reducing our car-
bon footprint, improving air
quality, reducing and recycling
waste, judicious use of water,
and community development
at diferent levels, he noted.
Qatargas chief operating of-
cer (administration) Ghanim
al-Kuwari added, This award
was the result of our contin-
ued commitment to a cohesive
and dynamic CSR programme
that inspires our employees, as
much as it benets the commu-
nity. We work in an engaged and
collaborative manner with our
stakeholders taking great care
to thoroughly assess the social
and environmental value of our
initiatives and the potential
to add value to the objectives
of the Qatar National Vision
2030.
The Large Sized Enter-
prises category comprises or-
ganisations with more than 500
employees. A jury panel con-
sisting of multinational experts
in the eld of CSR and sustain-
ability selected the winners
from a total of 155 applications
submitted by organisations
representing 25 industries from
12 countries in the Mena region.
Qatargas CSR initiatives
are spread over ve broad ar-
eas covering education, en-
vironment, health and safety,
community development, and
sports.
Qatargas had earlier been
honouredwith theBest Overall
Sustainability Report Award
fromHE the Minister of Energy
and Industry Dr Mohamed bin
Saleh al-Sada in recognition of
its 2013 Company Sustainabil-
ity Report.
Qatargas was also presented
the Excellence in Flaring Re-
duction award by the World
Bank-led Global Gas Flaring
Reduction (GGFR) Partnership
in 2012, which recognised the
companys focus on operational
excellence and organisational
commitment as well as its pro-
gramme of advanced engineer-
ing projects to manage and re-
duce aring.
Qatargas was also the rst
recipient of a Green Award
by the Green Award Foundation
recognising its environmental
practices in conjunction with
its LNG eet. Qatargas ship-
ping Department has also suc-
cessfully achieved the Five
Star Environmental Manage-
ment Audit Certication from
the British Safety Council in
2014.
The Arabia CSR Awards is the
most prestigious CSR and sus-
tainability-related recognition
in the region, honouring and
showcasing organisations inthe
Middle East, Levant, and North
Africa region that demonstrate
a clear strategy and efective
implementation of CSR.
This years forumcarried the
theme Green and Inclusive
Economy: Building a Sustain-
able Future and featured a
symposiumwhere key thinkers,
experts, and practitioners in the
eld of sustainability shared
their thoughts and opinions on
major developments inthe area.
The forum aims to promote
discussion and debate from
CSR experts and professionals
representing acclaimed region-
al and international organisa-
tions and providing them with
a platform to discuss the most
recent sustainability trends in
the Arab world and globally.
Genie Energy eyes
optionstorevive
Israel oil plans
US-based Genie Energy could
turn to the courts or even Mon-
golia in its efort to challenge a
local government decision that
has blocked its hunt for oil just
over 40kmfromJerusalem, a
senior oficial at the group said.
Genie, backed by media mogul
Rupert Murdoch, says it aims
to secure energy independ-
ence for Israel, a country that
has never had a serious oil find
despite years of exploration.
But Genie is battling a growing
number of setbacks. Last week,
the Supreme Court put on hold
a separate plan to drill explora-
tory wells in the Israel-control-
led Golan Heights.
Drilling in the Ella valley
outside Jerusalem is key for
Genie, however, and Geofrey
Rochwarger, head of Genies
operations in Israel, said last
Monday that the company
could appeal to the Supreme
Court to overturn the ruling
last month.
We were a bit surprised
shocked is probably a better
word for it, Rochwarger, also
vice chairman of Genie.
Genie had been due to begin
drilling in the biblical valley
where David is said to have
fought Goliath. The area of its
license alone contains 40bn
barrels of oil, the company
estimates, more than what the
world consumes in a year.
The company spent over
$20mn preparing for the pilot.
But after years of lobbying
from environmentalists and
residents, a Jerusalem local
committee in September
stopped work on the project,
citing historical interest and
possible environmental impact.
It also expressed concerns
about scaling up to commercial
production.
We nowhave to decide what
do we want to do. Whats our
next step?
Rochwarger said Genies tech-
nique causes minimal damage
to the surroundings. A similar
method, he said, will soon be
used by Royal Dutch Shell in
neighbouring Jordan.
Al-Naimi receives the award on behalf of Qatargas.
BUSINESS
7
Gulf Times
Reuters
Seoul
S
outh Korean exports rose
slightly faster than expected
in October but imports saw
their sharpest drop in 13 months,
dragged down by softer demand
for rawmaterials and capital goods,
data showed yesterday.
Shipments were mainly propped
up by demand from the United
States and China, while consumer
goods imports gained, easing con-
cerns over a slow recovery in do-
mestic spending.
Exports grew 2.5% to $51.8bn in
October froma year earlier and im-
ports fell 3% to $44.3bn, the Min-
istry of Trade, Industry and Energy
said yesterday. Imports fell by the
sharpest annual pace since a 3.5%
decline in September 2013.
This resulted in a trade surplus
of a record $7.5bn, compared to a
$3.4bn surplus in September.
The median forecasts from a
Reuters survey were for exports
from Asias fourth-largest econo-
my to grow 1.9% in October from a
year earlier and imports to rise by
0.6%.
In the case of November, there
will be a few negative factors like
fewer working days, slowed recov-
ery inEurope andJapanandconict
in the Ukraine area but if this trend
carries on we expect trade volume
this year to surpass $1tn towards
the end of the month, said the
trade ministry in a statement.
We forecast South Korea will
post record trade volume and ex-
ports this year.
The trade ministry data showed
imports of consumer goods hadris-
en 7.6%in the rst 20days of Octo-
ber on-year, compared to 3.4%and
9%drops in rawmaterials and cap-
ital goods over the same period, re-
spectively. The average export value
per working day stood at $2.25bn in
October, compared with a revised
$2.27bn in September, Thomson
Reuters calculations showed.
Breakdowns on export gures
by destination showed shipments
to China rose for a second straight
month, gaining 3.7% on-year in
October from a 6.5% gain in Sep-
tember.
Exports to the US continued to
grow strongly, jumping 25%in Oc-
tober, the fastest gain seen since
March 2012.
But demand from the European
Union slumped as its economy
sputtered, with exports falling
8.6%last month on annual terms in
the sharpest decline since Septem-
ber last year.
China is South Koreas largest
export market, taking about one-
quarter of total shipments by the
smaller neighbour, followed by the
United States and the European
Union.
By product, electronics goods
account for more than one-fth
of South Koreas total exports, fol-
lowed by chemical products and in-
dustrial machinery.
South Korea is the worlds sev-
enth-largest exporter and the rst
major exporting economy to re-
port foreign trade data each month,
making its trade gures a useful
guide on the current strength of
global demand.
Last week, data showed the
economy expanded by 0.9% in the
third quarter from the previous
quarter, rebounding from a 0.5%
rise in the second quarter. But in-
dustrial output was almost at in
September, and was well short of
market expectations, adding to un-
certainties over its tentative eco-
nomic recovery.
S Korea exports up
2.5% in Oct, trade
surplus hits record
Containers and cranes stand at the Port of Pyeongtaek in Seoul. South Koreas exports grew 2.5% to $51.8bn in October from a year earlier and imports
fell 3% to $44.3bn, the ministry of trade said yesterday.
Indonesia flexes
muscles as a key
FDI destination
ByArno Maierbrugger
Gulf Times Correspondent
Bangkok
With newpresident Joko Widodo
inaugurated and extensive economic and
social reforms expected to be kicked of
in 2015, Indonesia is putting itself back
on the map as one of the most promising
destinations for foreign direct investment in
Southeast Asia.
Widodos reform-minded approach to
govern the country has significantly
improved investor sentiment for the
regions largest economy and the worlds
fourth most populous nation with more
than 252mn people. The newpresident
has already indicated that he will scrap
the countrys economic development
plan designed by his predecessor Susilo
Bambang Yudhoyono and said he will
mainly focus on infrastructure development,
the marine industry, manufacturing, food
and tourism, as well as replace confusing
regulations in the oil &gas and mining
industries. He also promised that there
will be more transparency in government
tenders, while another emphasis will be
put on reducing corruption and making
the countrys bureaucracy more eficient.
Furthermore, Widodo also promised to
loosen or even remove restrictions for
foreign investors in the energy and marine
sectors, as well as for public-private
partnership infrastructure projects.
The conditions seemfavourable. In the new
ranking of the Global Competitiveness Index
2014-2015 compiled by the World Economic
Forumand released in September, Indonesia
jumped four notches from38 to 34, while
the remaining problematic factors for the
country cited by the WEF corruption,
access to financing, inflation, ineficient
government bureaucracy, inadequate
infrastructure and policy instability are
among the hot topics being addressed by
Widodo. If Widodo succeeds in pursuing
his economic reforms, observers expect
a boost for foreign direct investment in
a country with a huge domestic market
and economic capabilities that could even
challenge China. In 2013 alone still under
Yudhoyonos presidency net foreign
direct investment flowing into Indonesia
was worth $23.2bn or 2.7% of GDP, in
percentage terms exceeding any other
Asian country except China. And this was
still when several unfavourable investment
regulations of the old government were
deterring many investors such as
Yudhoyonos economic nationalism
and the infamous, decades-old negative
investment list which basically shut
of many core sectors of Indonesias
industry for foreigners. In the first three
quarters, the influx of foreign investments
into Indonesia already stood at $18.7bn,
according to the Indonesia Investment
Coordinating Board.
Among the largest companies that are
considering investing in Indonesia are
South Koreas Samsung, Taiwans Foxconn
(contract manufacturer of Apple devices
and other global electronics brands),
Japans Mitsubishi and Toyota and French
construction material maker Saint-Gobain,
among others.
For the Middle East, Indonesias newstance
on foreign investment could open a bunch of
newopportunities beyond where mainly Gulf
businesses are already involved, for example
the UAEs investment firmMubadala, Kuwait
Petroleum, Saudi Aramco, Dubai Drydocks
and the Qatar Investment Authoritys
establishment of a $1bn agricultural
investment fund in Indonesia. In the financial
sector, Indonesia is expected to issue a
number of sukuks in the coming years to
attract more capital fromthe Arab region,
accompanying Widodos commitment to
fiscal consolidation and strengthening of
the countrys capital market, which could,
in turn, tame inflation, reduce Indonesias
current account deficit and increase investor
optimismfurther.
Foreign access
to Chinas card
clearing market
next August
Chinese regulators
will allowforeign firms
access to the yuan-
denominated credit
card clearing business
fromAugust next year,
Hong Kongs South
China Morning Post
newspaper reported
yesterday.
The paper quoted a
source fromChinas
largest credit card
supplier, Goldpac Group,
saying Peoples Bank of
China (PBoC) oficials
had informed themof
the date in September.
When the central bank
gives a date, they always
followthrough with
that, the source, an
unidentified department
head, was quoted as
saying.
The Posts report follows
an nnouncement by
Chinas cabinet, the State
Council, on Wednesday
that China would
open up its market for
clearing domestic bank
card transactions.
The State Council
announced that foreign
firms that met its criteria
could set up their own
clearing companies but
no date or other details
were announced.
The move will efectively
break state-owned
China UnionPays
monopoly over the
business, potentially
benefiting foreign
companies such as Visa
Inc and Mastercard in a
booming market worth
more than $1tn a year.
BUSINESS
Gulf Times
Bloomberg
Kuala Lumpur
M
alaysias biggest oil-rig build-
er faces a double-whammy of
collapsing crude prices and
rising local borrowing costs as it plans
to sell a debut sukuk.
Malaysia Marine and Heavy Engi-
neering Holdings Bhd. has set up a
1bn ringgit ($306mn) Islamic bond
programme to fund upgrading works
at one of its facilities, according to an
October 14 statement from Malaysian
Rating Corp. The company, which
is indirectly owned by state-oil rm
Petroliam Nasional Bhd., is tapping the
market as the central bank considers
whether to add to its rst interest-rate
increase since 2011.
A 24% slump in crude prices from
this years peak threatens to crimp
earnings from oil and gas services in
Malaysia, which Prime Minister Na-
jib Razak has earmarked as a hub for
the regions energy industry. Shariah-
compliant debt sales have climbed
65% in 2014 to 50.3bn ringgit from a
year earlier and have already surpassed
2013s total, data compiled by Bloomb-
erg show.
Rig builders such as MMHE will
see their prots falling as oil majors
are unlikely to continue pumping given
current crude prices, Lam Chee Mun,
a Kuala Lumpur-based fund manager
at TA Investment Management Bhd.,
which oversees about 680mn ringgit,
said in an October 27 phone interview.
Companies will have to pay more be-
cause borrowing costs are rising.
MMHE is 66.5%-owned by the na-
tions shipping company MISC, which
in turn is 62.7%controlled by Petronas.
The sukuk was given a preliminary AA-
rating by Malaysian Rating, the fourth-
highest investment grade, according to
the statement. No details on the debts
maturity or timing were provided.
Analysts are forecasting a drop in the
companys net prot to 170.5mn ringgit
this year, from 236.4mn ringgit in 2013,
according to the median estimate in a
Bloomberg survey. Crude was at $81.72
a barrel on October 29, compared with
the years high of $107.26 in June, data
compiled by Bloomberg show.
TA Investments Lam said MMHE
may have to pay a yield premium of one
percentage point more than Malaysias
sovereign securities for its sukuk as-
suming its a ve-year maturity.
Yields on the governments Shariah-
compliant debt have climbed since the
central bankraiseditsbenchmarkinterest
rate to 3.25%from3%in July. The swaps
market is pricing in another increase
ahead of the next meeting on November
6, withone-year contracts at 3.75%.
The yield on the two-year sov-
ereign sukuk was last at 3.49%, up
from 2014s low of 3.24% in February,
while five-year debt yielded 3.81%
from 3.77% in May, Bank Negara Ma-
laysia indexes show. James Lau, an
investment director at Pheim Asset
Management Asia Sdn., said MMHE
will have to compensate investors for
the risk from declining oil prices, the
companys slowing growth and rising
borrowing costs.Investors will de-
mand a premium, Lau, who oversees
$300 million in Kuala Lumpur, said
in an October 27 phone interview.
While investors can take comfort
in Petronas being the ultimate par-
ent, it wouldnt be prudent to rely
on that support as they are different
entities.
The Bloomberg-AIBIM Bursa Ma-
laysia Corporate Sukuk Index, a
benchmark that tracks the most-trad-
ed local-currency notes, gained 2.3%
this year to an all-time high of 107.51
after rising 2.8% in 2013.
Prime Minister Najib is seeking to
boost the nations oil and gas industry
as part of his $444bn 10-year econom-
ic transformation programme geared
to achieving developed-nation status
by the end of the decade.
MMHE has a market capitaliza-
tion of 3.7bn ringgit, data compiled by
Bloomberg show. The company op-
erates the largest fabrication yard in
Malaysia with an annual ofshore con-
struction capacity of 129,700 metric
tons, according to the statement from
Malaysian Rating. It had an order book
of 1.8bn ringgit as of June, down from
2.6bn ringgit at the end of 2013, the as-
sessor said. A joint venture started in
July 2011 with Paris-based Technip SA
has been awarded two contracts from
Sabah Shell Petroleum Company Ltd.
and Petronas Carigali, according to a
Sept. 24 e-mailed joint statement.
As long as the oil and gas industry
continues to thrive, more companies
are expected to tap the ringgit market,
Mohd. Efendi Abdullah, head of Is-
lamic markets at Kuala Lumpur-based
AmInvestment Bank Bhd., said in an
October 27 phone interview.
This is because the oil and gas in-
dustry, like infrastructure, has under-
lying economic activities that t well
with Shariah nancing.
Malaysian oil-rig sukuk
clouded by crude slump
Bloomberg
Dubai
D
IFC Investments, the developer
and operator of the Dubai Inter-
national Financial Centre, hired
banks for a possible sukuksale, according
totwopeople familiar withthe matter.
The Dubai-based company appoint-
ed Dubai Islamic Bank, Emirates NBD
Capital, Noor Bank and Standard Char-
tered to arrange meetings with xed in-
come investors in Asia, the Middle East
and Europe starting on October 30, the
people said, asking not to be identied
because the information isnt public. It
may sell a dollar-denominated, bench-
mark-sized sukuk, subject to market
conditions, the people said. DIFC Gov-
ernor Essa Kazim said last month the
state- controlled company planned
to raise about $700mn before the end
of October. DIFC Investments joins a
growing number of issuers seeking to
tap Muslim investors in an industry
that Ernst & Young LLP forecasts may
almost double to $3.4tn in 2018.
The average yield on sukuk in the
Middle East has declined56 basis points
in 2014 to 4.08% on October 27, more
than double the 21 basis-point drop in
the average rate on conventional debt
in the region, according to JPMorgan
Chase &Co. indexes. Global sukuk sales
have risen 13%this year to $37.8bn, data
compiled by Bloomberg show.
Proceeds from DIFCs sukuk will be
used to repay the $650mn outstanding
ona syndicated loan, the remainder will
be used to develop a 10th building in
DIFCs Gate Village and fund the com-
pletion of a connecting corridor across
the business park. The DIFC is a tax-
free hub for international banks and as-
set managers.
DIFC Investments was assigned a
BBB- rating at Standard & Poors, the
lowest investment grade. Benchmark-
sized bonds are at least $500mn.
DIFC Investments hires banks for sukuk
Bloomberg
Luxembourg
L
uxembourg is poised to test
demand for Islamic bonds
as the issuer of the lowest-
yielding sovereign sukuk on record
plans to become a regular borrower.
The country has been encour-
aged by investor feedback and
the markets readiness and began
working on its next sukuk, Finance
Minister Pierre Gramegna said.
Luxembourg, one of the smallest
economies in the 28-member Euro-
pean Union, sold 200mn ($254mn)
of five-year Islamic bonds in Sep-
tember priced two basis points be-
low midswaps. That compared with
10 basis points above the swaps for
notes of similarly rated Islamic De-
velopment Bank.
The market for bonds that adhere
to Islams ban on interest is grow-
ing 17% a year and may be valued
at $2.67tn by 2017, according to
PricewaterhouseCoopers. The UKs
debut sovereign Islamic bond issue
the first from a non-Muslim na-
tion received orders worth more
than 10 times the amount it sought,
while Luxembourgs sukuk was two
times oversubscribed. South Africa
got at least $2.2bn in demand for
a $500mn issue, and Hong Kongs
$1bn debut sukuk was almost five
times oversubscribed.
Luxembourgs sukuk isnt for
everyone, least of all those look-
ing for yields, Apostolos Bantis, a
credit analyst at Commerzbank AG,
said by phone from Dubai yester-
day. The reason why its so tight
is because there are still Islamic
investors that are looking for very
conservative assets.
Luxembourgs sukuk yielded
0.47% on Monday compared with
1.5% for the UK notes, 1.8% for
Hong Kongs and 3.8% for South
Africas. Islamic bond sales this
year are 13% higher than in the same
period of 2013, data compiled by
Bloomberg show.
Were still in an initial phase,
Gramegna said in an interview in
Dubai on October 28, adding that
he doesnt anticipate a ceiling to in-
vestor appetite for sovereign sukuk.
I dont feel a limit for the time be-
ing.
Luxembourg is rated AAA at
Moodys Investors Service and
Standard & Poors, the highest
investment-grade ranking. With a
population of just over half a mil-
lion landlocked between Germany
and France, the country has rein-
vented itself as a business and fi-
nance hub, softening the blow as
traditional industries decline.
The countrys economic growth
will accelerate to 2.9% this year
from 2% in 2013, according to gov-
ernment forecasts. Still, given the
low yield, the Luxembourg sukuk
doesnt offer a lot of value to long-
term investors, according to Al Mal
Capital.
We look for long-term invest-
ments, so the pricing is really im-
portant to us, Tariq Qaqish, the
head of asset management at Du-
bai-based Al Mal, said by phone
from Dubai yesterday. A sukuk like
Luxembourgs, which is priced so
tightly, is more attractive to traders
who want to gain a few basis points
here and there.
Luxembourg bond plan to
test Shariah cash depth
Pakistan
plugging
Islamic
bond gap
Bloomberg
Karachi
Pakistans Islamic lenders
say a central bank plan to
plug a shortage of sovereign
sukuk will help themkeep
expanding as deposits surge.
The State Bank of Pakistan
bought Rs45.6bn ($444mn)
of government notes set
to mature in two months
fromlenders in October. The
monetary authority agreed to
pay the banks for the debt at a
premiumover six to 12 months,
providing themwith steady
returns, and will then resell the
securities to the banks to put to
work even more cash.
A lack of Shariah-compliant
money-market instruments
has hampered expansion
of the $1.7 trillion Islamic
finance industry, prompting
central banks to set up
International Islamic Liquidity
Management Corp. in 2010
to sell dollar debt. Pakistans
programseeks to address a
mismatch between Rs49.5bn
of sovereign sukuk sales in
the year through June and 161
billion rupees of newdeposits
at Shariah lenders.
When the banks have
products to use to manage
their excess liquidity, then
theyll feel safe in increasing
deposits and expanding more
aggressively, said Ahmed
Ali Siddiqui, head of product
development at Meezan Bank
Ltd., the countrys largest
Islamic lender. Meezan plans
to add 420 branches through
2020 as demand fromthe
public is overwhelming,
he said in an October 28
interviewfromKarachi.
Pakistans sovereign sukuk
sales dropped fromRs186.8bn
in the year through June 2012
to Rs90bn the following year.
The nations Islamic banks
added Rs151bn of deposits
in the year through June
2012 and Rs168bn in the
next period. Authorities in
the country with the largest
Muslimpopulation after
Indonesia have given no
explanation for the decline
in sales, although they are
planning their first dollar
sukuk sale since 2005.
Pakistan hired Citigroup
Inc., Deutsche Bank AG,
Dubai Islamic Bank PJSC and
Standard Chartered Plc to
help arrange the ofer, which is
likely to happen in November,
Finance Minister Ishaq Dar
said this week.
Worldwide sales of debt that
comply with the religions ban
on interest have amounted
to $37.8bn so far in 2014,
12%more than the year-
earlier period, data compiled
by Bloomberg show. That
compares with $43.1bn for the
whole of last year and a record
$46.7bn in 2012.
The State Bank of Pakistan
also lowered the minimum
paid-up capital necessary to
start an Islamic subsidiary to
Rs6bn, fromRs10bn.
An aerial view of the Malaysia Marine & Heavy Engineering Holdings yard in Kiyanly, Turkmenistan. The biggest oil-rig builder in Malaysia faces a double-whammy of
collapsing crude prices and rising local borrowing costs as it plans to sell a debut sukuk.
BUSINESS
9
Gulf Times
Reuters
Beijing
C
hinas factory activity unexpectedly fell to a
ve-month low in October as rms fought
slowing orders and rising costs in the cool-
ing economy, reinforcing views that the countrys
growth outlook is hazy at best.
The of cial Purchasing Managers Index (PMI)
eased to 50.8 in October from Septembers 51.1,
the National Bureau of Statistics said yesterday,
but above the 50-point level that separates growth
fromcontraction on a monthly basis.
Analysts polled by Reuters had forecast a read-
ing of 51.2. Underscoring the challenges facing the
worlds second-largest economy, the PMI showed
foreign and domestic demand slipped to ve- and
six-month lows, respectively, with overseas orders
shrinking slightly on a monthly basis.
There remains downward pressure on the
economy, and monetary policy will remain easy,
economists at China International Capital Corp
said in a note to clients after the data.
Noting that inventory levels of unsold goods
rose last month even as factories cut output levels
and drewdown on stocks of rawmaterials, the in-
vestment bank argued that the economy still faced
tepid demand.
It has been a tough year for Chinas economy.
Growth fell to 7.3%in the third quarter, its lowest
level since the 2008/09 global nancial crisis, as
the housing market sagged and domestic demand
and investment agged.
The cooldown, expected to be Chinas worst in
24 years this year according to a Reuters poll, came
despite a urry of government support measures.
Yesterdays PMI suggested no imminent recov-
ery in demand.
Anindex for neworders a proxy for foreignand
domestic demand retreated to 51.6 in October
from Septembers 52.2. New export orders edged
down to 49.9 in October, pointing to a contraction,
from50.2 in September.
The PMI followed warnings fromChinas indus-
trial ministry on Friday that factories were under
pressure from high borrowing costs, which were
further exacerbating the sectors slowdown.
Like other economies around the world, small-
er-sized companies in China are often ignored by
banks when they need nancing, forcing them to
turn to pricier alternatives for funds.
More costly funding, up 13.5% in the rst nine
months of this year compared with a year ago,
according to the government, adds to the burden
of factories which are already battling shrinking
prot margins.
Still, the PMI showed big Chinese factories were
weathering the downturn better than their small-
er counterparts, as banks prefer to lend to larger
state-owned rms, assuming the government will
bail themout to prevent any defaults.
Large manufacturers grewlast month with their
PMI littlechangedat 51.9, datashowed, whilebusi-
ness shrank for small- to medium-sized factories.
The PMI for mid-sized factories fell to 49.1 in
October from Septembers 50, and the index for
small manufacturers was little changed at 48.5.
There is a need to carry out more quickly the
policy measures related to stabilising growth,
said Chen Zhongtao, an of cial at the China Lo-
gistics Information Centre, which helps publishes
the PMI. Chen was referring to recent government
announcements aimedat supporting the economy.
To encourage more growth, China has cut taxes,
quickened some investment projects, lent short-
term loans to banks, instructed local governments
to spend their budgets and reduced the amount of
deposits that some banks hold as reserves to spur
lending. It saidonFridaythat it wouldinvest at least
200bn yuan ($32.7bn) on three newrailway lines to
move goods and passengers across the country.
But the raft of measures which were issued
over a space of a fewmonths have failedtosustain
momentum in the economy, prompting authori-
ties to take one of their most drastic policy actions
this year by cutting mortgage rates in September.
And even lower mortgage rates have not revived the
housing market as quickly as some had hoped.
Home prices in China dropped for a sixth con-
secutive month in October, a private survey
showed on Friday, a trend that should continue
to weigh on the Chinese economy, which derives
about 15%of its growth fromthe real estate sector.
China factory growth at
5-month low in October
AFP
Tokyo
T
okyo investors next week
will be eyeing a possi-
ble Japanese government
stimulus package, after the
countrys central bank surprised
markets by expanding its already
huge monetary easing plan, ana-
lysts said.
The Bank of Japan was able
to send a strong message, which
was insharp contrast to what the
Feddid,saidHikaruSato, senior
technical analyst at Daiwa Secu-
rities, referring to the Federal
Reserves decision to wind down
its own stimulus spree.
Japans economy stalled after
Tokyo raised sales taxes in April
to help pay down the countrys
huge national debt.
The government is report-
edly considering a new stimu-
lus package to counter the
downturn.
Now that the Bank of Japan
took action, its the govern-
ments turn, Sato said.
On Friday, the benchmark
Nikkei 225 index surged 4.83%,
or 755.56 points, to 16,413.76, its
best close since November 2007.
Over the week, the Nikkei
tacked on 7.34%, following a
5.22%gain the previous week.
The broader Topix index of
all rst-section issues jumped
4.28%, or 54.74 points, to
1,333.64. It gained 7.35% this
week.
BoJ policymakers said they
would inate the central banks
asset-buying plan by as much
as 20tn ($182bn), bringing it to
80tn annually.
On forex markets, the yen
plunged to an almost seven-year
low above the 111 level against
the dollar inthe wake of the BoJs
decision to pump even more
money into the economy after a
second-quarter contraction.
A weak yen is good for Japa-
nese exporters as it makes them
more competitive abroad and
inates their repatriated prots.
In morning trade before the
BoJ announcement, stocks had
risen 1.68% as forecast-beating
US growth data ofset another
poor set of domestic economic
indicators.
Investors also cheered reports
that Japans national pension
fund, the worlds largest, will
double the amount of equities it
holds in its investment portfolio
as it seeks out higher returns to
cope with an ageing population.
The fund conrmed the move
after markets had closed Friday.
A raft of September Japanese
economic data released early
Friday showed a 5.6% drop in
household spending, ination
slowing and unemployment
rising.
However, dealers were in buy-
ing mood after the US economy
expanded at an annualised 3.5%
in July-September, against esti-
mates of a 3%rise.
Japanese
investors
to focus
on govt
stimulus
A worker at an aluminium processing facility in Zhaoqing. Chinas oficial Purchasing Managers Index eased to 50.8 in October from Septembers 51.1, the
National Bureau of Statistics said yesterday.
Bloomberg
Seoul
S
amsung Group led to raise
as much as 2.68tn won
($2.5bn) in separate initial
public oferings as the Lee family
restructures ownership of South
Koreas largest conglomerate.
Cheil Industries Inc., the de
facto holding company, led for
a 1.52tn won IPO, the company
said yesterday. Samsung SDS Co.,
a provider of technology services,
priced shares for its 1.16tn won
ofer at the top of the marketed
range.
Samsung Group is revamping
an empire spanning smartphones
and televisions to insurance and
construction. The moves may
help heir apparent Lee Jae Yong
retain control of crown jewel
Samsung Electronics Co. after his
72-year-old father Lee Kun Hee
was hospitalised following a heart
attack.
The IPOs will help Samsungs
third generation, including Lee
Jae Yong, said Heo Pil Seok, chief
executive of cer at Midas In-
ternational Asset Management,
which oversees $10bn, includ-
ing Samsung Electronics shares.
The listings of Cheil and SDS is a
signal that there will be a change
inthe groups structure.
Political pressure is mounting
on Samsung to unwind a web of
cross-shareholdings that allows
the Lee family to maintaincontrol
of about 70 companies with less
thana 2%total stake.
President ParkGeunHyes gov-
ernment has banned the creation
of new cross-shareholdings and
ofered tax breaks for restructur-
ing as part of measures toimprove
corporate governance and make
the family-run chaebol business
groups more transparent.
Inorder to take control of Sam-
sung Group, Lees three heirs
face inheritance taxes that could
exceed $5bn for their fathers
$12.2bnfortune.
Lee Jae Yong owns more than
11% of Samsung SDS and is the
largest shareholder of Cheil with
a 25%stake.
Cheil, formerly known as Sam-
sung Everland Inc., said in June it
was seeking to go public to help
overseas expansion and improve
management transparency. The
company sits atop the group via
direct and indirect stakes in af-
liates including Samsung Elec-
tronics and Samsung Life Insur-
ance Co.
The theme park operator will
sell shares in the range of 45,000
won to 53,000 won, according
to a prospectus led with South
Korean regulators. SDS stock will
be sold at 190,000 won apiece
after being marketed in a range of
150,000wonto 190,000won.
Samsung Electronics may ac-
celerate a push into wearable de-
vices and home appliances that
communicate wirelessly after its
third-quarter operating prot
plunged 60%because of stagnat-
ing smartphone sales. Samsung
will spend 15.6tn won building
a semiconductor plant in South
Korea to meet demand for the
brains that runsmartwatches, t-
ness monitors, automobiles and
refrigerators.
Samsung les IPOs as Lee family revamps chaebol
A sales assistant uses her mobile phone next to the company
logos of Apple and Samsung at a store in Hefei, Anhui province.
Samsung Group said it has filed to raise as much as $2.5bn in
separate initial public oferings.
Why China blurs the global aluminium picture
FOCUS
ByAndyHome
London
Is the world aluminiummarket in a
supply-demand deficit or surplus?
Its a simple enough question but an
extraordinarily dificult one to answer.
That much was clear at last weeks LME
Seminar. Two respected bank analysts,
Citis David Wilson and Natixis Nic Brown,
ofered diametrically diferent views.
Deficit, according to Brown, and one that
will steadily increase over the next two
years. Surplus, according to Wilson, with
no sign of deficit until 2017 at the earliest.
Calculating supply-demand balances in
any industrial metal is a tricky business,
but the problems are compounded in
aluminium.
There is, for example, no aluminium
equivalent to the International Study
Groups that do so much of the statistical
leg-work in the copper, zinc, lead and
nickel markets. The International
AluminiumInstitute (IAI) releases
monthly production figures but only for
primary metal, leaving the secondary
scrap component of the supply chain
shrouded in statistical darkness.
The thorniest problemof all, however,
is assessing what is going on in China.
Its a problemthat is not unique to
aluminium, but it has acute resonance in
this particular market, given that China
is both the worlds largest producer and
consumer of aluminium.
And it is China that lies at the heart of the
diference in analysts opinions on the
market balance.
Analysts would probably all agree on one
thing. China itself is currently in supply-
demand surplus, while the rest of the
world is in deficit.
Production outside of China has been
trending lower since 2012, when
producers first started curtailing and
closing capacity in response to low
prices.
Average daily production outside of
China has fallen from70,000tonnes
in December 2011 to 66,500tonnes
in September 2014 as the ramp-up of
newsmelter capacity in the Gulf region
has been more than ofset by closures
elsewhere.
Expressed in annualised terms,
production outside of China has declined
by almost 1.5mn tonnes. Consumption,
by contrast, has continued growing
to the point that the market is widely
believed to have tipped into supply
deficit over the course of this year.
In China, however, production has grown
by an annualised 7.2mn tonnes over the
same timeframe. Daily Chinese output of
68,030tonnes in September was a fresh
record high.
Chinese smelters have sufered from
the same margin compression as their
Western peers, but local government
subsidies, particularly in the formof help
with power tarifs, have helped protect
the weak even while a newgeneration of
plants has sprung up in the northwest of
the country.
Chinese consumption has also been
growing, but the growth rate has slowed
this year, mirroring the broader trend in
all industrial metals.
Which is why the Chinese domestic
market is widely believed to be in
surplus, a collective assessment that
seems to be borne out by the significant
underperformance of Shanghai
aluminiumprices relative to those on the
London Metal Exchange.
But by howmuch is it over-supplied?
Back to those production figures. They
represent hard data collected from
producers by the IAI and the China
Nonferrous Metals Industry Association.
Not all producers, however, report their
production figures. The IAI, for example,
estimates unreported production of
90,000tonnes per month outside of
China, equivalent to just over 1 million
tonnes annualised. The IAI has an
extensive reporting system, meaning
that it has a pretty clear idea of what it is
missing. Indeed, it lists the non-reporting
countries on its website. But what of
China? The IAIs current assessment of
unreported production in China stands at
250,000tonnes per month, equivalent to
3 million tonnes per year.
Thats a big variable, bigger for example
than the combined output of Australia
and NewZealand, a significant albeit
declining aluminiumproduction hub.
And even that may be a serious
underestimate, according to some
analysts. Paul Adkins at China AZ
consultancy, speaking in the Reuters
Base Metals Foruma couple of weeks
ago, warned that the IAIs estimate is
way too low. According to Adkins, one
producer missing fromthe Chinese
reporting system, Weiqiao, will on its own
produce more than 3mn tonnes this year.
And its far frombeing the only Chinese
producer not making it into the oficial
figures.
In other words, even the relatively hard
production figures for China only paint a
partial picture. That inevitably blurs any
assessment of domestic market balance.
At least we can quantify the impact of
any over-supply in the Chinese market on
the rest of the world using another hard
data series, the countrys trade figures for
aluminium.
China has historically been a net
importer of primary metal and a net
exporter of alloy and products, although
it became a small net exporter of primary
in the last two reported months. Thats
more because imports have collapsed
than because exports have boomed.
Far more significant is the export flow
of semi-fabricated products. Its not a
newphenomenon. China has been a
consistent net exporter of aluminiumin
this formsince 2005, although the pace
is increasing all the time.
And it is tempting to believe that such
exports have no relevance to any
assessment of global primary market
balance. After all, they are products,
not rawmetal. Citis Wilson would beg
to disagree. His argument is that they
cause a double-count in the global
consumption calculation because of the
difering methodologies used in diferent
countries.
In China they get counted as first-use
consumption. If, however, they are then
exported to a country such as the United
States, where better data allows the
construction of a bottom-up demand
calculation, they get counted again.
No-one doubts the fact that aluminium
benefits froma far more robust
consumption growth story than just
about any other metal, thanks to light-
weighting in the automotive sector. Its
just possible, however, that it may not
be quite as statistically robust as widely
perceived. And what if some of those
product exports arent product at all?
There is growing wariness among
aluminiumanalysts about the nature of
some of these exports. Is it possible that
some Chinese players are performing
minimal transformation of primary metal
into basic products to skip through
Chinas export tax regime?
The opinions expressed here are those of
the author, a columnist for Reuters.
BUSINESS
Gulf Times
Reuters
Beijing
T
he Industrial and Commercial
Bank of China Ltd (ICBC), Chi-
nas largest bank by market capi-
talisation, plans to expand in emerging
markets and wants to be the authorised
bank for clearing yuan trades in more
countries, it said.
With global use of yuan exploding in
trade and investment in recent years,
ICBC hopes to be the bank that clears
yuan trades in the Americas, said Wu
Bin, general manager at ICBCs Inter-
national Banking Department.
The overseas renminbi business
cannot be overlooked, Wu said in an
interviewat the Reuters China Summit.
We will try to be selected as the yuan
clearing bank in more countries.
Already the authorised bank for
clearing yuan trades in Luxembourg
and Singapore, ICBC plans to set up
new branches in about another 10
countries in regions including north
Africa, southeast Asia and central and
eastern Europe, Wu said.
Underscoring the rising importance
of the yuan, business related to the cur-
rency accounted for more than a fth of
ICBCs overseas prots so far this year,
Wu said.
In the rst nine months of this year,
ICBCs overseas units saw prots surge
by nearly 50%compared with the same
period in 2013.
Driven by Chinas ambitions to grow
the yuan into a global currency to tem-
per the dollars dominance and reduce
the foreign exchange risks faced by
Chinese companies, worldwide usage of
the renminbi has spiked in recent years.
It overtook the euro to become the
second-most-used currency in trade
nance in 2013, spurring big Chinese
banks to ght for a bigger share of the
booming trade. WusaidICBCwouldfo-
cus on providing nancing support and
services to Chinese companies looking
to venture abroad and to multinational
rms that want to do business in China.
One of our main priorities is to fol-
lowChinese rms and venture abroad,
he said.
Chinas non-nancial direct out-
bound investment jumped about 22%
to $75bn in the rst nine months this
year compared with the year-ago peri-
od, and is projected to rise at least 10%
annually for the next ve years.
While there are barriers today with
regards to global usage of the yuan,
which cannot be freely transferred in
and out of China, Wu was condent
that things would change over time.
We all understand that the process
of yuan internationalisation is gradual,
and it will move towards greater free-
domas China opens up, Wu said.
ICBC plans to grow with
yuan clearing business
Bloomberg
Hong Kong
A
n index tracking Asian currencies
rose in October, rebounding from
Septembers biggest dropsince 2012,
as optimismabout Indonesias newgovern-
ment buoyedthe rupiahandlower oil prices
boosted Indias rupee.
The Bloomberg-JPMorgan Asia Dollar
Index climbed 0.2%in October to 115.18 as
of 5:48pminHong Kong, after falling 1.4%
last month inthe biggest decline since May
2012. The rupiah strengthened 0.8% to
12,085 per dollar, the rupee advanced0.6%
to 61.4125 and Chinas yuan rose 0.4% to
6.1135.
Joko Widodo, who was sworn in as In-
donesias president on October 20, has
pledged to cut fuel subsidies and boost
economic growth to more than 7%. A 23%
slide in Brent crude since the end of June
is helping cool ination and narrow the
budget decit in India, which imports al-
most 80% of its oil. Asian currencies are
still vulnerable to potential changes in US
interest rates, according to Australia &
NewZealand Banking Group Ltd.
The rupiah beneted from some posi-
tive political developments in the lead-
up to Joko Widodos inauguration, while
lower oil prices are seen to benet the
rupee the most, said Khoon Goh, ANZs
currency strategist in Singapore. Regional
currency gains were later partly unwound
following a more hawkish than expected
statement from the Federal Reserve. I ex-
pect the dollar to be stronger, he said.
The Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index, which
tracks the greenback against 10 major cur-
rencies, rose on Friday to the highest level
since October 6 after the Fed decided to end
its asset-purchase programme yesterday
and Japan unexpectedly added monetary
stimulus. Global funds pulled a combined
$4bnthis month fromstocks inIndia, Indo-
nesia, the Philippines, South Korea, Taiwan
andThailand, accordingtoexchange data.
South Koreas won weakened 1.2% on
Friday in the biggest drop since June 2013
to 1,068.82 per dollar as the yen fell on the
Bank of Japans stimulus announcement.
That took the wons loss to 1.3%inOctober.
Japans central bank said yesterday it
will raise the annual target for enlarging
the monetary base to 80tn ($717bn) from
60tn to 70tn. Only three of 32 analysts
surveyed by Bloomberg predicted an in-
crease. The yen dropped 2.1% against the
dollar late in Asia and touched the lowest
level since 2008.
The yuan posted the biggest monthly
gainsince 2012 inHongKongofshore trad-
ing after global use of the currency climbed
to a record and on optimism the economy
will pick up through year-end.
The ofshore currencyrallied1%inOcto-
ber, the most since October 2011, to 6.1191
per dollar, data compiled by Bloomberg
show. In the spot market, the yuan climbed
0.43%to 6.1135, according to China Foreign
Exchange Trade Systemprices.
The yuans share of global payments
rose to an all-time high in September and it
ranked seventh in terms of usage, the Soci-
ety for Worldwide International Financial
Telecommunications saidyesterday. Chinas
Purchasing Managers Index for manufac-
turing was at 51.2 inOctober, a three-month
high, accordingtoa Bloombergsurvey.
Elsewhere in Asia, Taiwans dollar fell
0.1% to NT$30.478 against the US cur-
rency in October. The Thai baht dropped
0.4%to 32.553, Malaysias ringgit declined
0.3% to 3.2895, and Vietnams dong lost
0.2% to 21,280. The Philippine peso was
little changed at 44.895.
Asian currencies climb in Oct after Sept drop
Employees of a foreign exchange trading company work under monitors displaying Japans Nikkei stock average and
the Japanese yens exchange rate against the US dollar as a television screen shows Prime Minister Shinzo Abe speaking
at the parliament in Tokyo on Friday.
A woman uses an automated teller machine at an Industrial and Commercial Bank of China branch on Wangfujing Street in Beijing. The bank said it plans to expand in
emerging markets and wants to be the authorised bank for clearing yuan trades in more countries.

Chinese stockpiles mean bauxite may not be a sure bet
By Clyde Russell
Launceston, Australia
Bauxite is one of the few natural
resources to attract positive
commentary amid the sharp falls in
many commodities in the past few
months.
Certainly the outlook appears quite
constructive for the mineral used to
make alumina, which in turn is the
primary ingredient for aluminium.
Indonesia produced about 12%of the
worlds output and was the top supplier
to China prior to Jakarta imposing a ban
on exporting rawmineral ores in January.
The Ebola outbreak in West Africa
appears to have had a limited impact
on shipments fromGuinea, so far, but
the risk of disruption rises as long as
the deadly disease remains prevalent
in the region.
Also, much of the planned newsupply
is in West Africa, including major
projects in Mali, and the longer the
Ebola crisis endures, the more likely
delays and cost overruns become.
Throw in signs that, excluding China,
aluminiumdemand is rising as the US
and other economies recover, while
Chinese aluminium output remains
robust, and its not hard to see bauxite
as a shining light in the commodity
firmament.
The problemis that all of this positive
news has yet to showup in the bauxite
market, and much of the blame for this
can be laid at Chinas door. Chinese
bauxite buyers took a very practical
viewof Indonesias proposed ban on
mineral exports and spent much of
2013 stockpiling prior to the imposition
of the export ban.
China imported 70.7mn tonnes of
bauxite in 2013, a gain of 79%on 2012
and well ahead of likely use of about
40mn tonnes.
This means that China started the year
with at least 30mn tonnes, and possibly
more, of bauxite in storage.
In the first nine months of 2014, China
imported 27.9mn tonnes of bauxite,
down 47%on the same period in 2013.
The percentage decrease is
unimportant. Rather, its the overall
level of imports that matters here.
If the last quarter sees imports at more
or less the same rate as the first nine
months, China will import about 36mn
tonnes.
In other words, not that far of
estimated demand for 40mn tonnes of
imports.
This means the Chinese stockpile of
bauxite is unlikely to be going down
as fast as may have been expected,
given the total absence of Indonesian
supplies.
Whats more, China has managed to
secure its bauxite this year at prices
not too diferent to what it was paying
last year.
The average price paid in September
this year was $59.67 a tonne, according
to customs data, which is just 7.8%
more than the $55.32 paid in December
last year.
The increase is largely because of
the loss of the cheaper Indonesian
supplies, but it does show that so far
China hasnt battled to obtain bauxite,
and isnt paying through the nose for
the privilege.
Chinas apparently comfortable bauxite
situation calls into question the positive
outlook for the mineral ore and the
plans by mining companies to boost
supply in the next few years.
In addition to projects in Mali, mining
major Glencore is holding talks with
the government of the Australian state
of Queensland on plans to mine the
Aurukun project, while junior miner
Australian Bauxite is pressing ahead
with its mine in the southern island
state of Tasmania.
Its also likely that Indonesian bauxite
will return to the market from2015
onwards, albeit largely in the formof
alumina, as the country progresses
with several bauxite and alumina
plants.
While the underlying story of rising
aluminiumdemand globally remains
supportive for bauxite, miners
should be wary of making the same
mistakes as in the coal and iron ore
sectors, where massive investment in
supply has resulted in large structural
surpluses.
Clyde Russell is a Reuters columnist.
The views expressed are his own.
Bloomberg
Seoul
T
he Bank of Japans sur-
prise decision to ease
monetary policy further
may increase pressure on South
Koreas central bank to cut its
benchmark interest rate again.
The yens tumble after BoJ
Governor Haruhiko Kuroda
boosted unprecedented stimulus
on Friday will help make some
Japanese products cheaper inex-
port markets. That adds to com-
petitive pressure for South Korea
that could prompt action from
Bank of Korea Governor Lee Ju
Yeol, say economists.
If the yen continues to
weaken, this will pose further
downside risks to Koreas ex-
ports, Ronald Man of HSBC
Holdings in Hong Kong wrote
in a note. Lower export growth
will weaken Koreas economic
outlook and, in turn, markets
have naturally priced-in a higher
probability of a rate cut.
The yen dropped 2.2%against
the dollar at 7:02 pm on Friday
in Tokyo to trade near a six-
year low. The Korean won fell
1.2% against its US counterpart
on Friday, its biggest drop in 16
months, amid speculation au-
thorities in Seoul will move to
weaken the currency.
Some of the biggest compa-
nies from the East Asian neigh-
bors from Toyota Motor Corp.
and Panasonic Corp. in Japan to
Hyundai Motor Co. and Sam-
sung Electronics Co. in Ko-
rea compete ercely in global
markets.
South Koreas central bank on
October 15 cut its benchmark
interest rate to a four-year low
of 2% as it downgraded its esti-
mates for growth and ination.
Expectations of a cut below
2% will strengthen if downward
pressure on the yen against the
won persists and is perceived as
a threat to Koreas growth poten-
tial, said Man.
The implications of the BoJs
easing are important at a time
whenKoreas export growth mo-
mentum appears weak, Young
Sun Kwon, an economist at
Nomura Holdings Inc., wrote in
a note.
The BoJs easing came two
days after the US Federal Re-
serve ended its own quantitative
easing.
South Korean authorities will
closely monitor markets as vola-
tility is increasing fromdiverging
monetary policy path between
the US and Japan, Finance Min-
ister Choi Kyung Hwan said in
Seoul after the BoJ decision.
BoK Governor Lee said in a
parliamentary audit on Octo-
ber 7 that the central bank was
closely watching the impact of a
weaker yen.
Kurodas
easing puts
pressure
on BoK
chief Lee
Lee: Under pressure.
Weekly Market Report
T
he Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE)
Index gained 33.17 points, or
0.25%, during the week, to close
at 13,498.86 points. Market capitali-
sation increased by 0.24% to reach
QR728.3bn as compared to QR726.5bn
at the end of the previous week. Of the
43 listed companies, 18 companies end-
ed the week higher, while 23 fell and 2
remained unchanged. Islamic Holding
Group (IHGS) was the best performing
stock for the week, with a gain of 16.6%
on 1.3mn shares traded; the stock is
up 229.1% year-to-date (YTD). On the
other hand, United Development Com-
pany (UDCD) was the worst performing
stock, with a decline of 5.2% on 11.3mn
shares traded; the stock is still up 23.8%
YTD.
Ezdan Holding Group (ERES), QNB
Group (QNBK) and Barwa Real Estate
Company (BRES) were the biggest
contributors to the weekly index gain.
ERES contributed 100.2 points to the in-
dexs weekly gain of 33.2 points. QNBK
contributed 54.8 points to the weekly
index gain. BRES was the third biggest
contributor, contributing 26.1 points.
On the other hand, within the QE Index,
Masraf Al Rayan (MARK) and Industries
Qatar (IQCD) pulled the index down.
MARK ended the week shaving 50.3
points of the index; the stock has also
been one of the best performing stocks
in 2014 YTD with a gain of 62.9%. IQCD
dragged the index down by 30.9 points
during the week.
Trading value during the week in-
creased by 35.9% to reach QR3.9bn vs
QR2.9bn in the prior week. The real es-
tate sector led the trading value during
the week, accounting for 32.0% of the
total equity trading value. The banks
and financial services sector was the
second biggest contributor to the over-
all trading value, accounting for 31.7%
of the total trading value. ERES was the
top value traded stock during the week
with total traded value of QR548.6mn.
Trading volume increased by 57.1% to
reach 94.4mn shares vs 60.1mn in the
prior week. The number of transactions
rose by 23.4% to reach 37,685 versus
30,539 in the prior week. The real estate
sector led the trading volume, account-
ing for 54.7%, followed by the banks
and financial services sector, which ac-
counted for 17.8% of the overall trading
volume. ERES was also the top volume
traded stock during the week with total
traded volume of 27.7mn shares.
Foreign institutions remained bull-
ish during the week with net buy-
ing of QR164.5mn vs net buying of
QR252.0mn in the prior week. Qatari
institutions turned bullish with net
purchases of QR114.7mn vs net selling
of QR35.5mn the week before. Foreign
retail investors turned bearish for the
week with net selling of QR43.6mn vs
net buying of QR17.0mn in the prior
week. Qatari retail investors remained
bearish with net divestments of
QR236.0mn vs an almost identical net
selling of QR237.0mn the week before.
Thus far in 2014, the QE has already
witnessed net foreign portfolio invest-
ment inflow of $2.3bn.
This report expresses the views and opinions of Qatar National Bank Financial Services SPC (QNBFS)
at a given time only. It is not an ofer, promotion or recommendation to buy or sell securities or other
investments, nor is it intended to constitute legal, tax, accounting, or financial advice. We therefore strongly
advise potential investors to seek independent professional advice before making any investment decision.
Although the information in this report has been obtained fromsources that QNBFS believes to be reliable,
we have not independently verified such information and it may not be accurate or complete. Gulf Times and
QNBFS hereby disclaim any responsibility or any direct or indirect claim resulting from using this report.
DISCLAIMER
T
he QSE Index continued its southbound jour-
ney for the third straight week and ended
lower losing around 889 points, caving under
sustained selling pressure. Moreover, the index pen-
etrated below 13,000.0 for the first time since July
providing a bearish signal. Meanwhile, the sharp
losses registered on Sunday, Wednesday and Thurs-
day were mainly responsible for dragging the index
below many important psychological supports
along with the 55-day moving average. This shows
that the index is indicating a clear intermediate cor-
rective trend, as it has been recording lower tops
and lower bottoms since mid-September. On the
downside, the index has its important psychological
support at 12,900.0 which should not be breached,
if it attempts to rebound. However, any sustained
weakness below 12,900.0 may result in additional
selling pressure, which will drag the index toward
12,770.0, followed by the 12,680.0 level. We believe
thebulls havenowbeentrapped, andthebears may
continue to dominate until the index stays below
the 13,000.0 level. Further, both the momentumin-
dicators are in downtrend mode with no immediate
trend reversal signs, suggesting the continuation of
this weakness.
The QSE Index ended the volatile week moving
marginallyhigher around33points tosettlenear the
13,500.0 mark. The index momentarily managed to
breach both the 21-day and the 55-day moving aver-
ages; however, failed to cling on to it and retreated
on Thursday, trimming majority of its gains. Mean-
while, the index needs to reclaim both the 21-day
and 55-day moving averages and sustain above it
onaweeklybasis, topavethewayfor thebulls toget
backinaction. Onthedownside, theindexhas its im-
mediate supports at 13,450.0, followed by 13,350.0.
Any sustained weakness below these levels may
trigger selling pressure, and the index may slip back
to test the 13,200.0 and 13,000.0 levels. As of now,
boththemomentumindicators areprovidingmixed
signals, indicating lack of clarity in the direction of
theindex. Thus, traders areadvisedtoremainonthe
sidelines and built their positions only if the index
penetrates above or belowthe given levels.
C
andlestick chart A candlestick chart is a price
chart that displays the high, low, open, and
close for a security. The body of the chart is
portion between the open and close price, while the
high and lowintraday movements formthe shadow.
The candlestick may represent any time frame. We
use a one-day candlestick chart (every candlestick
represents one trading day) in our analysis.
Doji candlestick pattern A Doji candlestick is
formed when a securitys open and close are practi-
cally equal. The pattern indicates indecisiveness,
and based on preceding price actions and future
confirmation, may indicate a bullish or bearish trend
reversal.
Technical analysis of the QSE index
Definitions of key terms used in technical analysis
Source: Qatar Exchange (QE)
Source: Bloomberg
Source: Bloomberg
QSE Index and Volume
WeeklyIndex Performance
Qatar Stock Exchange
Top FiveGainers
Most ActiveShares byValue(QR Million)
Investor Trading Percentage to Total Value Traded
Top FiveDecliners
Most ActiveShares byVolume(Million)
Net Traded Value by Nationality (QR Million)
BUSINESS
21
Gulf Times
BUSINESS
Gulf Times
Gold slumps to four-year low as Fed calls time on QE
WEEKLY COMMODITIES REVIEW
AFP
London
Gold prices tumbled last week to
a four-year low and many other
commodities also faltered, as the
dollar rebounded after the Federal
Reserve ended its quantitative easing
stimulus.
The euro dived below$1.25 for the first
time for more than two years, driven
also by speculation that the US central
bank could raise borrowing costs
sooner than expected.
The European single currency slid on
Friday to $1.2486, its lowest level since
August 2012.
The stronger greenback makes dollar-
priced rawmaterials more expensive
for buyers using weaker currencies,
which tends to dent demand and
prices.
PRECIOUS METALS: Gold dived on
Friday to $1,161.16 per ounce, the lowest
point since late July 2010.
Gold has fallen sharply since the Fed
said Wednesday that it will end its QE
policy, after six years of pumping easy
money into the US economy via asset
purchases to shore up growth.
Oficial data showed Thursday that the
US economy grewat an annualised
3.5%in July-September. That beat
expectations for a 3%rise.
The reading, coupled with upbeat
comments about the jobs market from
the Fed, stoked speculation that it
could hike interest rates earlier than its
timetabled mid-2015 date.
The gold market again reacted
negatively to the prospect of rate hikes,
highlighting howsensitive the market
has again become to tighter monetary
policy, said Barclays analyst Suki
Cooper.
We continue to believe the prospect
of firmer (interest) rates, coupled with
our expectation for a stronger dollar,
present significant headwinds for gold.
Sister metal silver slid to $15.76 per
ounce, a nadir last witnessed in
February 2010.
In contrast to the Fed, the Bank of
Japan ramped up its vast monetary
easing programme on Friday, in a
shock move aimed at reviving growth.
The BoJs surprise announcement ...
provided the stock markets and the
US dollar an extra push which reduced
the appetite for safe haven gold even
more, noted Forex.com analyst Fawad
Razaqzada.
By late Friday on the London Bullion
Market, the price of gold tanked to
$1,164.25 an ounce from$1,232.75 a
week earlier.
Silver declined to $16.20 an ounce from
$17.19.
On the London Platinumand Palladium
Market, platinumweakened to $1,227
an ounce from$1,254.
Palladium was unchanged at $784 an
ounce.
OIL: Prices slid on heightened
expectations of rising US borrowing
costs, and on stubborn concern over
plentiful crude supplies.
Singapores United Overseas Bank
said oil faced downward pressure as
expectations that US interest rates may
rise sooner than previously thought
pushed the dollar higher.
Commerzbank analysts added: Apart
froma firmer US dollar, a more than
ample supply is continuing to weigh on
oil prices.
New York crude had fallen to two-
year lows and Brent to its lowest
levels in four years in October,
pressured by oversupply and
weak demand from slowing world
economies.
Opec secretary-general Abdullah El-
Badri declared Wednesday that market
conditions did not justify recent sharp
falls for crude futures and signalled the
cartel would maintain output through
next year.
Addressing the Oil & Money
Conferencea key annual event in the
energy sector calendar - El-Badri said
that rising supplies did not justify the
extent to which prices have dropped in
recent months.
We dont see that much of a change
in the fundamentals, El-Badri said in
London.
Demand is still growing, supply is
also growing. The magnitude of the
increase in the supply does not really
reflect this 25%change in the market.
Crude futures have slumped by about
one quarter in value since the middle of
June, with NewYork contracts hitting
two-year lows, largely owing to a
supply glut in the US.
Demand is meanwhile downbeat in
Europe against a backdrop of weak
growth in the eurozone.
The 12-nation Organization of
Petroleum Exporting Countries will
decide on output levels at a meeting in
Vienna on November 27, amid anxiety
over lower oil prices that have slashed
the cartels revenues.
By Friday on Londons Intercontinental
Exchange, Brent North Sea crude for
delivery in December slid to $85.36 a
barrel from$86.03 one week earlier.
On the New York Mercantile Exchange,
West Texas Intermediate or light sweet
crude for December recoiled to $80.18
a barrel compared with $81.38 a week
earlier.
BASE METALS: Base or industrial metal
prices mostly rose, boosted by the
Bank of Japans surprise stimulus boost
and upbeat Chinese data.
The BoJ announced on Friday it would
add up to 20tn ($182bn) to its current
asset-buying scheme, bringing it to
80tn annually.
Nickel and aluminiumreceived a
filip fromthe unexpected monetary
stimulus boost from Japan and
adding to this a small rise in Chinese
manufacturing PMI, the near-term
outlook for the sector improved, said
Saxo Bank analyst Ole Hansen.
By Friday on the London Metal
Exchange, copper for delivery in three
months eased to $6,720 a tonne from
$6,724 a week earlier.
Three-month aluminiumrose to
$2,031.50 a tonne from$1,971.
Three-month lead inched down to
$2,014 a tonne from$2,015.
Three-month tin advanced to $19,955 a
tonne from$19,427.
Three-month nickel rose to $15,768 a
tonne from$15,174.
Three-month zinc increased to $2,313 a
tonne from$2,265.25.
COCOA: Prices hit five-month lows
on ample supplies, easing as the
Ebola outbreak showed no signs of
spreading to key cocoa producers in
west Africa.
It would appear that Ebola is no longer
seen as posing such a threat to the
West African producer countries of
Ivory Coast and Ghana, Commerzbank
analysts said.
So far, there have not been any
disruptions to supply. Together, the
two countries account for 60%of the
worldwide cocoa supply.
Discounting the risk premiumfor
Ebola, there is nothing to see but an
amply supplied market.
The cocoa market had soared in
September to 3.5-year peaks on worries
that Ebola could hit output in Ivory
Coast and Ghana. Cocoa is mostly used
to produce chocolate.
By Friday on LIFFE, cocoa for delivery
in December dropped to 1,933 a tonne
from 2,027 a week earlier.
On the ICE Futures US exchange, cocoa
for December recoiled to $2,936 a
tonne from$3,114 a week earlier.
SUGAR: Prices hit one-month lows
in London and NewYork, hit by
the struggling real currency in top
producer Brazil, but the market finished
the week on a mixed note.
After the re-election of Dilma Roussef
as president of Brazil, the Brazilian real
dropped to its lowest level versus the
US dollar since December 2008, which
... is weighing on the sugar price, noted
Commerzbank analysts.
By Friday on LIFFE, the price of a tonne
of white sugar for delivery in March
traded at $427.40 compared with
$426.30 a week earlier.
On ICE Futures US, the price of
unrefined sugar for March dipped to
16.30 US cents a pound from16.32 US
cents a week earlier.
COFFEE: Arabica fell to a one-month
low of 185.65 US cents on forecasts
of more rainy weather in top global
producer Brazil, with extra pressure
fromthe weak real currency.
By Friday on ICE Futures US, Arabica for
delivery in December dipped to 186.10
US cents a pound from192.10 cents a
week earlier.
On LIFFE, Londons futures exchange,
Robusta for January rose to $2,032 a
tonne from$2,019 a week earlier.
RUBBER: Kuala Lumpur rubber prices
nudged higher as major producing
countries attempt to shore up the
market.
The Malaysian Rubber Boards
benchmark SMR20 rose to 160.20 US
cents a kilo on Friday, up from159.70
US cents the previous week.
The gold market again reacted negatively to the prospect of rate hikes, highlighting how sensitive the
market has again become to tighter monetary policy
Roubles rally shows Russia
guessed wrong at meeting
Bloomberg
Moscow
T
he Russian central banks gambit
worked for all of about two min-
utes on Friday.
Thats how long the rouble rallied
after policy makers surprised investors
by ratcheting up the benchmark inter-
est rate 1.5 percentage points to 9.5%
on Friday afternoon. After that, it was
right back to declines for the worlds
worst-performing currency, with loss-
es swelling to as much as 3.6%against
the dollar, the biggest drop in three
years.
While the rate increase was a full
percentage point bigger than analysts
expected, it was what policy makers
opted not to do revamp their foreign-
exchange intervention programme
that got traders attention the most
and turned sentiment back against the
rouble. Speculation a plan would be
unveiled to allow the Bank of Russia to
be less predictable and more aggressive
in its interventions had fuelled the big-
gest rally in the rouble on Friday since
at least 2003, briey snapping a rout
that had seen the rouble slip 7.9% last
month.
The rate increase alone doesnt
change anything, Dmitry Polevoy,
chief economist for Russia at ING
Groep NV, said by e-mail on Friday.
The central bank either doesnt un-
derstand the root of the problem or is
afraid to act. Or both.
The rouble has been plunging as
Russians pull capital out of the country
amida stand-of with the US andits al-
lies over President Vladimir Putins ac-
tions in Ukraine. Sanctions imposed by
the White House andthe EuropeanUn-
ionhave shut Russiancompanies out of
foreign capital market and threaten to
push the $2tn economy into recession.
The rouble weakened 3.3% to
43.0140 per dollar at 8:34 pm in Mos-
cow on Friday, the biggest daily drop
since August 2011. Against the cen-
tral banks target basket of dollars and
euros, the currency dropped 3.1% to
47.9267.
Goldman Sachs Group and Com-
merzbank AG said policy makers
should have scrapped the intervention
rules to gain more freedom to smoke
out speculators by selling dollars with-
out warning or limit. Russia has spent
$71bn of its reserves to defend the rou-
ble this year.
Central Bank Governor Elvira Na-
biullina raised the benchmark rate by
1.5 points to 9.5%, the biggest tighten-
ing since Russias March incursion in
Crimea and compared with the median
forecast in a Bloomberg survey of 31
economists predicting a 50 basis point
increase.
The Bank of Russia, which is ghting
to keep price growth fromspeeding up,
will be ready to start monetary easing
if external conditions improve and
ination shows a stable downward
trend, according to its statement yes-
terday.
Under the current rules, the cen-
tral bank automatically intervenes to
defend the rouble once it reaches the
boundary of its trading band. Once it
has spent $350mn supporting the cur-
rency, the central bank moves the band
by 5 kopeks.
It repeats the process each time the
currency falls by 5 kopeks.
Policy makers are showing consist-
ency by sticking to their plan of mov-
ing to a free oating exchange rate only
in 2015, according to Vladimir Osa-
kovskiy, chief economist for Russia at
Bank of America Corp in Moscow.
The central bank said in an e-mailed
statement to Bloomberg News on Fri-
day that its intervention policy didnt
change, when the rouble gained as
much as 5.1%per dollar.
The monetary authority only in-
tervenes at the edge of its corridor for
the rouble, it said. The Bank of Russias
rates statement made no mention of
exchange-rate policy.
While the interventions have re-
duced Russias reserves 14% this year
to $439bn, thats still a fraction of the
$222bn drop between August 2008 and
March 2009 when Lehman Brothers
Holdingscollapse triggered a slump in
oil prices.
The monetary authority sold about
$74bn of foreign currency in December
2008, compared with $28bn so far this
month, central bank data show.The
scale of reserves losses is not that
dramatic, especially compared with
2009, Osakovskiy said.
The longer Nabiullina keeps its in-
tervention policy crystal clear, the
longer traders will prot from keeping
short positions and betting on further
depreciation, Goldman Sachs analysts
Clemens Grafe and Andrew Matheny
said.
The market is likely to test if the
central bank is sticking to its ruble in-
tervention policy in the coming days,
Grafe and Matheny wrote in an e-
mailed note.
Five thousand Russian rouble banknotes pass through a money counting machine at a store in Moscow. The rouble weakened 3.3% to 43.0140 per dollar on Friday, the
biggest daily drop since August 2011.
Stock funds
worldwide
attract $20.4bn
inows in
latest week
Reuters
New York
I
nvestors worldwide poured
$20.4bn into stock funds in
the week ended October 29,
the largest in more than a year,
data from a Bank of America
Merrill Lynch Global Research
report showed on Friday.
US-focused stock funds
worldwide posted $14.5bn of
inows, mostly via exchange-
traded funds, the largest in 58
weeks, according to the report,
which also cited data fromfund-
tracker EPFR Global.
Investors used the stock sell-
of earlier this month as a buying
opportunity, said Scott Ander-
son, chief economist at Bank of
the West. There are still a large
number of investors that have
missed out on much of the stock
market rally, or have beenunder-
invested in stocks.
With global bond yields as low
as they are and a strengthening
dollar, the US equity market has
become an even more attractive
place to park global assets, An-
derson added. Relative strength
in the US economy only rein-
forces the trend.
TheUSeconomygrewat a3.5%
annualised rate between July and
September, the government said
on Thursday. Anderson said the
gross domestic product growth
gure was right in the sweet
spot, well above the consensus
estimate looking for 3% and his
rms ownestimate of 3.1%.
There were respectable con-
tributions from nearly all major
components of GDP, including
consumer spending and busi-
ness investment, though both
slowed from the second quar-
ters torrid pace, he said.
European stock funds world-
wide posted $2.1bn of inows,
their rst inows in 9 weeks.
Emerging markets equity funds
worldwide posted $1.3bn of in-
ows after three straight weeks
of outows. Investors appetite
for bond funds was on display
again in the latest week, with
even risky high-yield junk
bond funds attracting their sec-
ond week of inows of $2.9bn.
BUSINESS
23
Gulf Times
Senate poll outcome to hold the key on Wall Street
Reuters
New York
A
handful of toss-up US
Senate races next week
could hold the key to
whether the stock market glides
through the year-end in a typi-
cal post-midterm election rally
or gets hit with a fresh bout of
volatility.
US investors appear less con-
cerned with whether Republi-
cans take control of the Senate,
as expected, or Democrats hang
on to their majority by a slim
margin. They just want to know
come Wednesday morning
the actual outcome.
If we have a really uncertain
situation, where the Senate is di-
vided and candidates are threat-
ening recounts, thats really not
good, said Robbert van Baten-
burg, director of market strategy
at Newedge USAin NewYork.
In two southern matchups
Louisiana and Georgia polls
show the races are too tight to
call, raising the potential for
run-of elections that could de-
lay for weeks knowing who will
control Congress upper cham-
ber. Louisianas run-of election
is scheduled for December 6. In
the markets worst-case scenar-
io, the majority party may not
be known until after January 6,
when Georgia will hold its run-
of election if no Senate candi-
date wins at least 50%of the vote
on November 4.
Such an outcome, while con-
sidered unlikely, nevertheless
rekindles uncomfortable memo-
ries for some of the 2000 presi-
dential election, when George
W Bushs victory over Al Gore
was not conrmed for more
than a month after Election Day.
That uncertainty contributed
to a spike of almost 11.2%in the
CBOE Volatility index and a
7.6% drop in the S&P 500 from
Election Day through the Elec-
toral College vote in late Decem-
ber that certied the outcome.
While the reaction wouldnt
be that dramatic this time, any
form of risk could really jolt eq-
uities, especially since the Fed-
eral Reserve is no longer in the
market, van Batenburg said,
referring to the US central banks
decision last week to end its
massive bond-buying program,
a stimulus measure which has
been credited with boosting eq-
uities.
US stocks have roared back in
the past two weeks after an early
October scare fest. The S&P is
up more than 8%since its recent
closing low on October 15 and
the VIXhas tumbled some 45%.
A clear outcome on Tuesday,
then, could set the market up for
additional upside into the end of
the year.
Historically, midterm elec-
tions correspond with market
strength. Barclays noted that
since 1928, the S&P 500 has
posted a median return of 7% in
the 90days after a midterm, with
returns positive 86%of the time.
Upside in mid-term election
years has historically favoured
small-caps. Since 1990, the
Russell 2000 has risen an aver-
age of 4.89% between Election
Day and the end of the year,
compared with a rise of 3.22%
in the S&P over the same period
and a rise of 2.28%in the Dow.
Those gains are close to the
averages for all years, with the
Russell 2000 rising 4.6% in the
last two months of the year and
the S&P up 3.2% in the last two
months, according to the Stock
Traders Almanac.
Barclays Capital estimates a
64 to 90%chance that Republi-
cans would win the Senate. With
neither party likely to achieve a
large enough majority to over-
turn vetoes or prevent libus-
ters, however, the actual party in
power may not matter much on
Wall Street. Anewcomposition
is unlikely to enact changes in
the near term that will alter the
direction of the equity market,
Barclays wrote. If the election
results are a surprise and Demo-
crats keep control of the Senate,
we believe the market reaction
would still be muted.
There couldbe outsizedmoves
in the energy and medical device
sectors, two groups with ties to
Republican-driven legislation.
The GOP is generally opposed to
the Afordable Care Acts impo-
sition of a tax on medical device
companies to fund the health-
care program, and the party is
widely in support of the Key-
stone Pipeline project, which
would connect Canadian oil
sands with US reneries.
If the majority party of the
Senate is in doubt, that would
cause a lot of volatility for medi-
cal device names like Stryker
and Medtronic, most likely with
a downward bias, said Michael
Mullaney, chief investment of-
cer at Fiduciary Trust Co in
Boston.
Apple Pay fails to unify
fragmented market
AFP
Washington
A
pple Pay, meant to inject mo-
mentum into a fragmented
market for the emerging mobile
payments sector, has insteadhighlight-
ed the squabbles between retailers and
the banking and payments industry.
Since Apple Pay made its debut Oc-
tober 20 for US customers with the
iPhone 6, several major retailers have
said they would not use it.
That includes number one retail
group Wal-Mart and the large pharma-
cy-retail group CVS, which has disa-
bled payment terminals that could ac-
cept Apple Pay.
Youre never going to come up with
anything as smooth (and) as easy as
Apple Pay. But if you cant use it, youre
going to use something else, said
Avivah Litan, ananalyst at Gartner who
follows mobile payments.
Litan said a few retailers, such as
McDonalds and Disney, like the sys-
tembecause it speeds transactions and
every fraction of a second goes to the
bottom line. But she noted that for
most retailers, credit card fees simply
are too high.
Apple Pay has aligneditself with ma-
jor banks and payment processors Visa
and MasterCard, which take a cut of
every transaction, typically two to 3%.
Retailers, which often operate on
razor-thin prot margins, would like to
cut or eliminate those fees, and Apple
Pay does nothing to change that sys-
tem. Most of the merchants have been
hungry for competition, Litan said.
Gartner projects mobile payments
will hit $721bn around the world by
2017. But some estimates have been
lowered recently amid squabbles over
the type of technology used and pay-
ment structure.
Apple uses a near eld communica-
tion or NFC chip, similar to that used
by Google Wallet and Softcard, which
has been slowto gain traction.
Although Apple has signed on most
major US banks, Visa and MasterCard,
and retailers like Macys and Staples,
many others are balking.
A coalition of merchants led by Wal-
Mart, Target and Sears called MCX is
promoting its own system called Cur-
rentC, using a diferent technology,
and importantly, allowing retailers to
bypass credit cards and use direct bank
debits with lower transaction costs.
Apple Pay really falls short when it
comes to merchant value proposition,
said Litan.
Nitesh Patel, analyst with Strategy
Analytics, said retailers are not nec-
essarily targeting Apple but want to
avoid what they believe are excessive
swipe fees and the cost of upgrading
hardware and software to accept con-
tactless payments.
But he addedthat if Apple Pay catch-
es on, the retailers will be forced to go
along. Patel said, however, that if the
retailer sector does not unify around
the contactless system used by Apple
Pay, users may revert to their old hab-
its, since they will need to carry their
payment cards and wallet with them
anyway.
This is a challenge that all propo-
nents of contactless payments, Google
Wallet, Softcard and Apple Pay face to-
gether, Patel told AFP.
The merchant systemgot a black eye
when it revealed a data breach exposing
customer emails, even though the app
itself was not afected.
Forrester Research analyst Denee
Carrington said security is an advan-
tage for Apple.
Apple Pay is highly secure, and the
data privacy will mean that merchants
are less likely to be hacked since they
wont have card payment data that
hackers are interested in, she said.
Apple Pay is also very fast and con-
sumers seemto like it as well.
Bob ODonnell at Technalysis Re-
search said Apples privacy protections
make the system less attractive to re-
tailers, because they cannot as easily
track customer habits to deliver cou-
pons or marketing messages.
They want that data, ODonnell
said. Thats why the grocery stores
give you the loyalty cards.
ODonnell said Apple has created
excitement about mobile payments
but has failed to bridge the diferences
among the market players.
It gives momentum to the sector
but it remains fragmented, he said.
Apple Pay provides an example of
the promise and the challenges of mo-
bile payments in a very clear way.
Litansaidmeanwhile that the squab-
bles could intensify. And she noted that
retailers which are disabling the abil-
ity to use contactless NFC technology
could also be blocking rival systems.
The merchant-sponsored system
uses a more cumbersome technology
that requires customers to scan a QR
(quick response) code and display that.
But by bypassing the credit card sys-
tem, it can reduce costs for merchants,
who may pass on these savings to cus-
tomers.
The merchant systems are never
going to be as convenient as Apples,
Litan said. They cant compete with
Apple on convenience but they can
on price. Its going to boil down to
price versus convenience, and price
usually wins.
A handful of toss-up US Senate races next week could hold the key to whether the stock market glides
through the year-end in a typical post-midterm election rally or gets hit with a fresh bout of volatility.
A shopper walks by an Apple store in Peabody, Massachusetts. Apple Pay, meant to inject momentum into a fragmented
market for the emerging mobile payments sector, has instead highlighted the squabbles between retailers and the banking
and payments industry.
Banks set aside $2.7bn for FX probes as settlements near
Bloomberg
Geneva
Banks began setting aside money for
currency-rate rigging probes this week
with as much as $2.7bn provisioned,
indicating settlements are drawing near.
Royal Bank of Scotland Group on Friday
set aside 400mn ($639mn) for the
foreign-exchange probes.
HSBC Holdings will set aside about
the same amount when it releases
third-quarter earnings on November 3,
a person with knowledge of the matter
said, asking not to be identified as it
hasnt been announced.
Citigroup took a $600mn legal charge
on October 30 as it said it is involved in
rapidly evolving regulatory inquiries
and investigations. Barclays set aside
500mn the same day for resolving the
foreign-exchange investigations.
All four are in settlement talks with the
UK Financial Conduct Authority, people
with knowledge of the discussions have
said. Authorities on three continents
have been looking into allegations that
traders at some of the worlds largest
banks used instant-message groups to
share information about their positions
and client orders to rig the $5.3tn-a-day
foreign-exchange market. Some US
authorities are also in talks, and charges
against a bank could come by the end
of the year, according to people with
knowledge of the matter.
Banks are restricted by accounting
rules to setting aside reserves only
where they have reasonable line of
sight as to the likely costs, according
to Gary Greenwood, an analyst at Shore
Capital Group Ltd in London. I suspect
FX provisioning levels will require
increasing further, he said.
The FCA is also in discussions with
JPMorgan Chase & Co and UBS AG,
with agreements expected this month,
people familiar with the negotiations
have said. US bank regulators at the
Federal Reserve and Ofice of the
Comptroller of the Currency are also in
settlement talks with some of the same
banks, such as JPMorgan, Citigroup, and
HSBC, as well as Morgan Stanley and
Bank of America Corp
The US Commodity Futures Trading
Commission is trying to settle its cases
at the same time as the FCA, though
its unclear whether the US regulator
will be able to wrap themup that
quickly, according to three people with
knowledge of the matter.
Spokesmen for HSBC and the FCA,
Federal Reserve, OCC, CFTC and
Department of Justice declined to
comment.
The HSBC provision was reported
earlier by the Financial Times.
US authorities have tended to
levy higher penalties even when
investigating the same matters, as seen
with probes into allegations of London
interbank ofered rate rigging. Barclays
paid 59.5mn to the UK regulator to
settle the Libor probe in June 2012,
while $360mn went to the US Justice
Department and CFTC.
Still, as much as $400mn of Citigroups
provision will go to the FCA settlement,
according to a person briefed on the
talks.
The NewYork-based bank said its
facing a US criminal probe, and is
cooperating with investigators in the
US, UK and Switzerland.
About a dozen banks have said theyre
cooperating with investigators and
many increased legal provisions in
third-quarter earnings statements
without expressly setting aside money
for foreign-exchange settlements.
JPMorgan, based in NewYork, had a
$1bn legal expense in the third quarter
which was tied in large part to the
currency probes, Chief Financial Oficer
Marianne Lake said on October 14.
Zurich-based UBS this week set aside
$1.94bn for litigation provisions and
said its in talks with the antitrust and
criminal divisions of the US Justice
Department about currency rigging.
Deutsche Bank disclosed $1.1bn of
litigation costs for the third quarter,
without breaking out individual matters.
The Frankfurt-based bank is one of the
four biggest currency dealers in the
world, along with Citigroup, Barclays
and UBS, according to Euromoney
Institutional Investor.
In addition to pursuing banks, US
prosecutors will probably file charges
against individuals in 2015, people
familiar with the probe said last month.
The Justice Department may seek guilty
pleas, including from at least one US
firm, one of the people said.
The costs will climb beyond just legal
reserves, Citigroup analysts led by
Kinner Lakhani said last month. The
total bill for fines and other settlements
could be as much as $41bn.
Lakhani singled out Deutsche Bank as
likely to be the hardest-hit with a fine of
as much as 5.1bn ($6.4bn).
Deutsche
Boerse counts
on its new
CEO to raise
prospects
Reuters
Frankfurt
D
eutsche Boerse is count-
ing on its new chief ex-
ecutive to raise both the
prole and prospects of the Ger-
man exchange operator, which
has seen its eforts at strategic
mergers repeatedly stymied.
Appointed on October 27,
Carsten Kengeter, a former head
of investment banking at Swiss
lender UBS, will join Deutsche
Boerse next April and become
CEO on June 1.
The suave 47 year-old already
enjoys a reputation as commu-
nicative and approachable from
his years at UBS, where in the
wake of the Lehman collapse,
he had the tough task of cutting
jobs in the investment banking
business that he earlier helped to
expand.
Though described as under-
stated by a colleague, he was
also amongst UBSs highest
earners with a 9.3mn Swiss
franc ($9.7mn) pay packet in
2010.
His management style marks
a contrast to current CEO Reto
Francioni, a Swiss national who
has shown a preference for pri-
vate conversation far from the
public spotlight during his near-
decade at the helm of the ex-
change.
I assume he will be more
present than Francioni was in
Frankfurt and will be more in-
volved in current debates, said
one source close to the exchange,
who was not authorised to speak
publicly on the issue.
Deutsche Boerse stands to
gain from helping to frame pol-
icy discussion on rule changes
like regulating high frequency
trading to promoting start-up
companies or moving deriva-
tives onto regulated exchanges
like itself.
Since leaving UBS last year,
Kengeter has been looking at the
source of nancial risk and the
policy response to it, as a visiting
professor at the LSE in London,
where he lives with his wife and
three children.
His broad view will be handy
as he tries to reverse a slide in
volumes and margins at Germa-
nys largest nancial exchange,
where net prot fell by a quarter
in each of the last two years.
Kengeter, from the Swabia
region in southern Germany
reputed for the industrious-
ness and frugality of its people,
speaks a number of mainly Eu-
ropean languages and once held
a town hall meeting in Chinese.
He will drawon his experience
as co-head of Goldman Sachs
Asian trading business from
2005 to 2008 to bolster activity
in the Far East, which Deutsche
Boerse has targeted for invest-
ment.
Kengeter could very well
build cooperation deals in Asia,
said one large investor, suggest-
ing that Deutsche Boerse could
also buy into indexes, like peer
the London Stock Exchange
has done with US index com-
piler and asset management rm
Frank Russell.
BUSINESS GULF TIMES
Aamal 9-month performance
impressive, says chairman
Aamal chairman Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim
al-Thani has termed as impressive the
companys performance for the first nine
months of 2014.
For the first nine months of 2014, Aamal
has achieved high growth in its net profit
by 25%and adjusted earnings per share
excluding fair value gains on investment
properties rose by more than 39%, an
impressive performance.
This is the result of our success over
many years in managing and diversifying
the company to support and take full
advantage of Qatars rapid economic
growth and diversification, he said
yesterday.
Aamal Company has reported 25%rise in
net profit to QR296.6mn in the first nine
months of this year. Revenues were up 5%
to QR1.61bn.
The companys capital expenditure stood
at QR84.2mn compared with QR97.3mn in
the same period last year. Aamal vice-
chairman Sheikh Mohamed bin Faisal al-
Thani said, In 2014, Aamal has continued
to achieve organic growth and develop
new the business, a good example being
the recent announcement about the
formation of Aamal Optical Supplies.
And as Qatars infrastructure investment
programme gathers momentum, we
expect to see further growth in the
industrial manufacturing division.
Financial gearing (net debt to net debt plus
equity) stood at 7% at the end of nine-
month ended September 30, 2014.
The companys fair value gains on
investment properties stood at QR33.3mn
against QR50.8mn in the same period of
previous year.
Aamal managing director Tarek MEl Sayed
said, Aamal continues to performstrongly,
which is greatly to the credit of everyone at
the company. We are confident that Aamal
can go on creating value for shareholders,
giving our customers the highest standard
of service and creating a rewarding
working environment for employees. Sheikh Faisal: Upbeat on growth.
Mannai HED unveils JCBs
tracked excavator in Qatar
M
annai Auto Groups Heavy
Equipment Division (HED)
has announced the launch of
the brands most powerful tracked
excavator in Qatar at a special cer-
emony held at Regency Hall in Doha.
The range-topping JS500 arrives
in Qatar in record time after its in-
ternational launch, highlighting the
importance of Qatar and the GCC
market to JCB, while also emphasis-
ing the demand for such products in
the regions highly-competitive and
fast-developing construction and
infrastructure market.
Mannai HEDgeneral manager Kha-
lid Yousef said Qatars product mar-
ket is keen to welcome new and more
capable heavy equipment such as the
JS500, which will ll a need in the
country for larger tracked excavators.
The full range of JS excavators is
becoming more and more popular
with customers and we are happy to
add an even more powerful option to
the lineup, Yousef said.
He said the JCB range ofers some-
thing for every client with each new
model designed to deliver substantial
improvements over their predecessors
in terms of fuel ef ciency and cost of
operation, as well as active service and
spare parts support locally.
Mannai HED works to ensure we
are listening to our clients needs and
always trying to develop our partner-
ship with them in terms of the value
we deliver to their operational needs.
The JS500 was designed to be at the
top of the food chain and is able to
meet the most demanding needs, he
added.
The JCB JS500 has an engine rated
at 305hp at 2,000rpm. This powers a
7.10m long Heavy Duty Mono boom
and 4.76mDipper.
It can dig up to 9m deep and can
dump at an elevation of 8.46m from
its ground stance with extended dig-
ging reach up to 13.1m.
Mannai HED,inrecentyears,hasseen
increasing demand from its partners
for key equipment such as excavators
and the company has seen its market
share increase steadily particularly in
the 20-tonne class of heavy machines.
With the addition of the 50-tonne
JS500, the company is expecting inter-
est fromcustomerstogrowfor thisclass
of trackedexcavators.
JCB ofers more than 300 machines
to meet a wide range of require-
ments. The equipment includes skid
steer loaders, wheeled loader shov-
els, tracked and wheeled excavators,
backhoe loaders, telescopic handlers,
generators, lighting towers, and com-
paction equipment.
JCBs wheeled loader shovels and
tracked excavators are popular choic-
es for clients seeking to add diversity
and functionality to their eets.
Al khaliji
receives Best
Private Bank in
Qatar award
A
l Khalij Commercial Bank (al kha-
liji) has been named Best Private
Bank in Qatar by the 2014 Global
Private Banking Awards organised by
The Banker magazine and Professional
Wealth Management magazine.
The two publications, part of the Fi-
nancial Times Group, handed out the
Global Private Banking Awards for the
sixth consecutive year in recognition of
the success of the growth strategies be-
longing to the top private banking and
wealth management providers during
2014.
Al khaliji Group CEO Fahad al-Khalifa
said, Were very proud to receive this
recognition from a global and trusted
source such as The Banker and Profes-
sional Wealth Management magazines.
Receiving this award underlines our po-
sition as a leading bank in Qatar and rec-
ognises our unique business model.
He added that private banking is an
area that al khaliji is actively pursuing in
viewof opportunities in wealth manage-
ment and structured nance.
The winners were judged on the
progress they have made throughout
the year in their business and growth
strategy and howthey were able to boost
inows and prots. Other key areas of
evaluation included the banks product
strategies to meet the changing needs of
investors, education, training of advis-
ers, due diligence, and risk management.
Al khaliji provides private banking
services to Qatari ultra-high net worth
(UHNW) clients and through al khaliji
France. With its full European banking
licence, it is able to cater to private cli-
ents needs in Europe and the UAE.
The awards jury was composed of
eight sector experts from the UK, the
US, the UAE, Singapore, Switzerland,
and Hong Kong a diverse geographical
coverage, which closely reects Wealth
Managements international scope.
With its experienced team of pri-
vate bankers who aim to build enduring
and lifetime relationships with private
banking clients, al khaliji ofers services
across three geographical areas namely,
Qatar, the UAE, and France.
Al khalijis private banking was built
on pillars such as privacy, transparency,
nancial strength, and international
presence.
Al khaliji Group CEO Fahad al-Khalifa.
Opec boosts October output as prices fall to 4-year low
Bloomberg
New York
O
pec countries boosted oil out-
put to a 14-month high in Oc-
tober as crude futures sank
into a bear market, a Bloomberg survey
showed on Friday.
Production by the 12-member Or-
ganisation of Petroleum Exporting
Countries climbed by 53,000 barrels a
day to 30.974mn, led by gains in Iraq,
Saudi Arabia and Libya, according to
the survey of oil companies, produc-
ers and analysts. Last months total
was revised 14,000 barrels a day lower
to 30.921mn because of changes to the
Iraqi, Kuwaiti, Nigerian and Qatari es-
timates.
Opec nations lifted output as Brent
crude dropped to a four-year lowamid
ample global supplies and sluggish de-
mand.
The groups biggest producers, Sau-
di Arabia, Iraq, Iran and Kuwait, have
cut their of cial selling prices, spark-
ing speculation they will compete for
market share rather than trim output.
Ministers will gather next month to
discuss the groups production target.
The data conrms that theres a
battle over market share, John Kilduf,
a partner at AgainCapital, a NewYork-
basedhedge fundthat focuses onener-
gy, said over the phone. The members
are playing chicken with the market.
Brent crude for December set-
tlement slipped 88 cents, or 1%, to
$86.24 a barrel on the London-based
ICE Futures Europe exchange yester-
day. Prices declined $1.35, or 1.6%, to
$84.89 at 9:12 amin New York. Brent,
the benchmark for more than half the
worlds oil, touched $82.60on October
16, the lowest since November 2010
and down more than 20%fromits June
high, meeting the common denition
of a bear market.
West Texas Intermediate fell 1.3%
to $81.12 on the New York Mercan-
tile Exchange on Friday. WTI reached
$79.44 October 27, the least since June
2012. Futures dropped$1.25, or 1.5%, to
$79.87 yesterday.
Opec is also seeing demand for its
crude drop as US crude production
surges. US output rose 0.4%to 8.97mn
barrels a day last week, the highest in
weekly Energy Information Adminis-
tration estimates that began in January
1983.
The agencys monthly data, which
goes back to 1920 and is based on data
collected by state and federal agencies,
shows production at the highest since
1986. The members of Opec are in a
tough position, Mike Wittner, head
of oil market research at Societe Gen-
erale in New York, said by phone yes-
terday. The lack of action so far shows
that the Saudis are serious about other
members doing their part.
Iraqi output climbed150,000barrels
a day to 3.3mnlast month, according to
the survey.
It was the biggest gain in October
and left the country pumping the most
oil since May.
Saudi Arabia, the groups biggest
producer, bolstered output by 100,000
barrels a day to 9.75mn this month to
meet demand fromtwo newreneries,
Yasref and Satorp.
The Saudis seem to be more con-
cerned about their volumes than about
falling prices, Kilduf said.
Libyan output climbed by 70,000
barrels a day to 850,000 last month,
the sixth straight increase. It was the
highest level since June 2013. The
countrys current output is about half
what it was before the 2011 rebellion
that ended Muammar Gaddas 42-
year rule.
Angolan output dropped by 170,000
barrels a day to 1.7mn, the biggest de-
cline in October.
The country will pump 2mnbarrels a
day next year, PetroleumMinister Jose
Maria Botelho de Vasconcelos said last
month in Jornal de Angola.
Opec ministers kept their output
target unchanged at 30mn barrels a
day on June 11 in Vienna. The group is
scheduled to meet next on November
27.
Theres a lot of dissension in the
cartel, Kilduf said. It appears that
most members want the Saudis to
make the cuts needed to support prices
and theyre not inclined to oblige. The
November 27 meeting could easily end
without agreement, which would send
the market another leg lower.
The group last cut quotas in Decem-
ber 2008 at a meeting in Oran, Algeria,
amid the global nancial crisis. Opec
trimmed its target by 2.46mn barrels a
day, in response to the crisis that sent
WTI tumbling from a record $147.27 a
barrel in July 2008 to a lowof $32.40in
December of the same year.
This could be an ugly meeting,
taking much longer than weve come
to expect, Wittner said. I bet Opec
will eventually come to an agreement
where we wont see cuts just from the
Saudis, Kuwait and the UAE.
They will demandthat countries like
Venezuela and Iran make painful cuts
as well.
Mannai Auto Groups Heavy Equipment Division (HED) has announced the launch of the brands most powerful tracked excavator in Qatar at a special ceremony
held at Regency Hall in Doha.
Exhibition of latest products during JCBs launch event.
Moharram 9, 1436 AH
SPORT
GULF TIMES
Qatar team
fnish 4th in
Aspire relay
James, Cavaliers
bounce back to
beat Bulls 114-108
MARATHON | Page 8 NBA | Page 7
FOOTBALL
Freescoring
Real Madrid
move to top
Page 3
By Sports Reporter
Doha
I
n what will be a huge boost to the
game of handball, the Qatar 2015
Organising Committee announced
the launch of a nationwide Schools
Programme that will work with 53
schools across Qatar to engage stu-
dents with the sport and encourage
themto live healthy lifestyles.
Under the leadership of HE Sheikh
Joaan bin Hamad al-Thani, President
of the Organising Committee and in
cooperation with the Supreme Edu-
cation Council (SEC), the programme
will reach across the country to in-
crease awareness of handball among
youth, as countdown begins for the
24th Mens Handball World Cham-
pionship that will be held in Qatar in
January 2015.
With an ambitious programme that
includes a schools tournament and a
dedicated Handball Activity Day,
the programme will also encourage
each school to adopt one of the 24
participating countries in the World
Championship and engage their stu-
dents in discussions on handball and
the geography, economy, environment
and culture of the country.
The events in the programme will
help to broaden their knowledge of the
world and enhance their interest in the
sport.
Speaking at the launch, Dr Thani
Abdulrahman al-Kuwari, Director
General, Qatar 2015, said: One of our
main objectives is to generate interest
about handball amongst pupils of all
ages, and we will use this once-in-a-
lifetime event to instil a lasting interest
on handball. Our Schools Programme
will engage students through a series of
contest andcompetitions, andencour-
age themto share our pride that Qatar
is hosting this international event.
Fawzia al-Khater, Manager of Edu-
cation Institutes, SEC, said: The Qa-
tar 2015 Organising Committee seeks
to engage students and young people
as a key element of the tournament
and we are honoured to provide all the
support and encouragement for this
exceptional sport event that is being
held for the rst time in the country.
SEC supports sport in Qatar through
physical education in schools, which is
considered an essential source to sup-
ply sports clubs with future athletes
for diferent types of sports.
The Schools Programme, which
kicks of on November 9, will see 24
boys schools and 24 girls schools
choose specic participating nations
to follow during the run-up to the
mega event.
Oneof our mainobjectives
istogenerateinterest about
handball amongst pupils
of all ages, andwewill use
thisonce-in-a-lifetimeevent
toinstil alastinginterest
onhandball. Our Schools
Programmewill engage
studentsthroughaseriesof
contest andcompetitions,
andencouragethemtoshare
our pridethat Qatar ishost-
ingthisinternational event
In addition, a further ve schools
will take part a Mini-Tournament,
which will take place in Doha fromDe-
cember 5-6, running alongside the 17th
Asian Clubs League Handball Cham-
pionship. A special Handball Activ-
ity Day on November 28 will provide
each teamwith specialist coaches who
will train the participating teams, and
public the basics of the sport.
To generate interest and awareness,
Fahed, the of cial mascot of the Qatar
2015 World Championship, will visit
all 53 participating schools as part of
the programme. During these visits, he
will interact with the students, intro-
duce them to the Championship, host
a number of special competitions, and
encourage a sense of sportsmanship
and national pride.
Among the contests being launched
is an Art Competition, which will en-
courage students to create a poster that
links one of the participating countries
to the sport of handball. There will also
be a Best Cheer contest, which will
reward schools that display the best
sporting spirit.
To learn more about mascot Faheds
school visits and for updates on the
Schools Programme one can log into
www.qatarhandball2015.com
The 24th Mens Handball World
Championship will take place in Doha
from15 January to 1 February 2015.
With the participation of 24 coun-
tries fromall over the world, the bien-
nial Mens Handball World Champion-
ship is the biggest and one of the most
important international events in Ol-
ympic sport.
Through the championship, Qatar
aims to create awareness for the sport
of handball and further increase the
global prole of the sport, through the
successful organisation of this high
prole sporting event.
(From left): Fawzia al-Khater, Manager of Education Institutes, SEC, Dr Thani Abdulrahman al-Kuwari, Director General, Qatar 2015, and HE Rabea Mohamed al-Kaabi, Undersecretary of Ministry of Education, during the press briefing of Qatar 2015.
Qatar 2015 starts Schools
Programme to engage
students with handball
SPOTLIGHT
Around 53 schools to participate in the initiative launched in cooperation with Supreme Education Council
HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad al-Thani , President of the Organising Committee
FOOTBALL
Gulf Times
Chelsea survive QPR
scare, Liverpool lose
EPL
Alexis Sanchez scores twice in Arsenals 3-0 win at home to bottom club Burnley
AFP
London
E
den Hazards penalty enabled
Chelsea to preserve their four-
point lead in the Premier League
with a narrow 2-1 win at home
to local rivals Queens Park Rangers yes-
terday. Diego Costa returned for Chelsea
after four games out with hamstring trou-
ble and he sawhis side take a 32nd minute
lead when Cesc Fabregas teed up Oscar to
bend in an exquisite shot with the outside
of his right foot.
Charlie Austin equalised for QPR just
after the hour when he beat Thibaut
Courtois with a clever back-heel from
Leroy Fers cross-shot to claim his third
goal in two games.
But Hazard gave Chelsea victory in
the 75th minute when he calmly beat
Rob Green from 12 yards after he had
gone down under a challenge by Eduardo
Vargas. Hazards goal enabled Jose Mour-
inhos side, who visit Maribor in the
Champions League on Wednesday, to
preserve their four-point advantage over
second-place Southampton, who won 1-0
at Hull City.
Kenyan midelder Victor Wanyama
scored the games only goal in the third
minute at the KC Stadium, brilliantly lob-
bing Eldin Jakupovic from 40 yards after
the Hull goalkeeper scufed his clearance.
Arsenal climbed into the Champions
League places after Alexis Sanchez scored
twice in a 3-0 success at home to winless
bottom club Burnley. Defender Calum
Chambers crossed for Sanchez to head
Arsenal in front in the 70th minute and
smashed home his rst senior goal two
minutes later after Tom Heaton parried a
shot by Danny Welbeck.
Sanchez added a third in injury time
fromaKieranGibbs cross. ArseneWengers
side, who welcomed Theo Walcott back
from a long-term knee injury, moved into
fourth place at the expense of West Ham
United, who came fromtwo goals down to
recorda 2-2 drawat Stoke City. Missingtop
scorer Diafra Sakho due to a shoulder inju-
ry, West Hamfell 2-0behind through goals
fromVictor Moses and Mame BiramDiouf
either side of half-time.
But Stewart Downing crossed for Enner
Valencia to reduce the arrears on the hour
and the Ecuador international returned
the favour for Downing to drill home an
equaliser with 17 minutes to play.
Earlier, Liverpool slumped to their
fourth defeat of the season as Spanish
substitute Ayoze Perez earned in-form
Newcastle United a 1-0 victory at St
James Park. Liverpool, for whom striker
Mario Balotelli endured another frustrat-
ing afternoon, were beaten when Alberto
Moreno failed to clear and Perez pounced
to lash home in the 73rd minute.
It was Newcastles fourth consecu-
tive victory in all competitions, following
their shock League Cup win over holders
Manchester City in mid-week, and saw
Alan Pardews side climb to 11th place in
the table.
Runners-up to City last season, Liv-
erpool are now 12 points behind leaders
Chelsea, who visit Aneld next weekend.
We were punished for a mistake and that
is what cost us the game, Liverpool man-
ager Brendan Rodgers, whose side visit
Real Madrid in the Champions League on
Tuesday, told BTSport.
Balotelli ambled onto the pitch just as
the second half kicked of, but Rodgers
saidit had no bearing at all on the result,
adding: It is not about Mario Balotelli, it
is about the team.
An Esteban Cambiasso own goal saw
West Bromwich Albion win 1-0 at Leices-
ter City, while Swansea City midelder
Jonjo Shelvey was sent of for two book-
able ofences as his side drew 0-0 at
Everton. The weekends headline xture
arrives today, whenthird-place Manches-
ter Citynine points behind Chelsea, and
seeking a rst win in four gameswel-
come derby rivals Manchester United to
the Etihad Stadium.
AFP
Manchester
M
anchester football su-
premacy will be at stake at
the Etihad Stadium today
when Premier League rivals
Manchester City andManchester Unit-
ed face of in a potentially momentous
derby showdown.
United goalkeeping great Peter Sch-
meichel, who also played for their
cross-town rivals, opined this week
that Citys status as champions meant
that they are presently a bigger club
than United.
His words echoed a claim made in
February by City manager Manuel Pel-
legrini, whose side beat United 4-1 and
3-0 last season en route to nishing 22
points above the 20-time champions in
the league.
City go into todays encounter four
points above their neighbours in third
place in the tablesix points shy of
leaders Chelseabut recent events
suggest the gap may be narrowing.
City have gone three games without
victory, falling further behind Chelsea
after a 2-1 loss at West HamUnited last
weekend and then seeing their reign as
League Cup holders ended by Newcas-
tle United on Wednesday.
Last weeks 2-2 draw away to CSKA
Moscow, meanwhile, left them fac-
ing a battle to qualify fromChampions
League Group E ahead of a high-stakes
return xture against the Russian
champions next week.
Pellegrini complained that his play-
ers had shown a lack of trust in each
other following the 2-0 loss at home to
Newcastle, but he believes their down-
turn in performances will prove short-
lived. I think they knowperfectly what
we are doing and I am absolutely sure
we will return to our normal perform-
ance, the Chilean said in his pre-game
press conference.
It is a very important game, but
every game has just three points, so it is
very important for us to just add three
points.
Compounding City supporters anx-
iety is the knowledge that the previous
time they won the title, in 2012, they
failed to kick on the following season
and nished 11 points adrift of eventual
champions United.
United struck a decisive blow when
they went to the Etihad in December of
that campaign, winning 3-2 through an
injury-time Robin van Persie free-kick
to move six points clear of City.
Another stoppage-time goal by Van
Persie means that United approach to-
days game with renewed condence,
after the Dutch striker earned his side
a morale-boosting 1-1 draw at home to
Chelsea last weekend.
It was the kind of late salvo they
specialised in under legendary former
manager Alex Ferguson, and with some
150 million ($240 million, 192 million
euros) of newtalent intheir ranks inthe
form of players such as Angel di Maria
and Radamel Falcao, it has galvanised
belief that United are moving in the
right direction under Louis van Gaal.
This is the biggest derby that I shall
manage, Van Gaal said on Friday.
Its one of 38 matches, but for the
fans it is unbelievably big as a rivalry. I
have felt that with some of the players,
but also especially with (assistant man-
ager) Ryan Giggs.
When he presented the analysis on
City, I felt more tension with him. It
was good to see.
That is our goal, to win. It is possi-
ble. We are growing, we are developing
ourselves. What we have seen of City in
the last few matches was not so good.
You never know.
United have been given a further
boost by the news that David Silva will
miss out for City after sustaining a knee
injury against Newcastle that is likely
to keep the Spain midelder out for
around three weeks.
Samir Nasri is in line to deputise af-
ter making his return following groin
surgery against Newcastle, while Yaya
Toure is expected to play after a groin
scare saw himsubstituted as a precau-
tion during that game.
United captain Wayne Rooney, the
top scorer in Manchester derbies, will
make his return after completing a
three-match suspension, but fellow
striker Falcao remains unavailable due
to injury.
AFP
Durban
S
outh Africans turned
out in huge numbers in
Durban yesterday for
the funeral of national
football captain and goal-
keeper Senzo Meyiwa, whose
murder last weekend shocked
the nation.
The star footballer, who had
just turned 27, was gunned
down by an intruder at the
home of his pop singer girl-
friend south of Johannesburg.
Family and friends were
joined by government of cials
andthe top names inSouth Af-
rican football among a crowd
of 30,000 at the ceremony at
Durbans Moses Mabhida Sta-
dium, broadcast live on tel-
evision. The crowd fell silent
and many wept as Meyiwas
ag-draped cof n was driven
into the stadium in a white
SUV, followed by members of
his club the Orlando Pirates,
runner-up in last years CAF
Champions League.
Meyiwas father wiped away
tears, holding his head in his
hands as a giant screen broad-
cast images of his sons nest
moments on the pitch, while
his mother, veiled in black,
waved a gentle goodbye.
Death is a thief that has
stolen a bright shining light
from the nation, Durban
mayor James Nxumalo told the
mourners.
The entire nation is crying.
We have all lost. Our condo-
lences to Orlando Pirates and
Bafana Bafana (the nickname of
South Africas national team).
Our hearts are bleeding.
The goalkeeper grew up in
Umlazi, a township near Dur-
ban on the Indian Ocean coast.
He was laid to rest under
driving rain in the afternoon at
the Heroes Acre at Chesterville
cemetery, usually reserved for
martyrs of the struggle against
apartheid.
Vuvuzela trumpets sounded
as mourners took turns paying
their respects.
Meyiwa did not concede a
goal in four recent Africa Cup
of Nations qualiers as South
Africa defeated Sudan, defeat-
ed and drewwith Congo Braz-
zaville and drew with defend-
ing champions Nigeria.
The star player was shot
dead last Sunday after in-
truders entered the home of
his girlfriend the singer Kel-
ly Khumalo, with whom he
had a young baby. His killers
made off with a mobile tel-
ephone.
Meyiwa was still married to
the mother of two of his other
children and the family initial-
ly refused Khumalos presence
at the funeral, before nally
relenting. More than 17,000
people were killed in South
Africa last year, but the slay-
ing of a popular sporting hero
has stunned even this crime-
weary nation.
A 25-year-old man,
Zenokuhle Mbatha, was
charged Friday with murder
and armed robbery in connec-
tionwith Meyiwas killing after
being identied by witnesses.
A national debate has be-
gun and it is welcome, said
South African minister in the
presidency, Jef Radebe, pay-
ing tribute to a hero who con-
tributed to the dignity of the
nation.
Also attending the funeral
were the countrys football
federation head Danny Jordaan
andSenzo Mchunu, headof the
government of Meyiwas na-
tive Kwazulu-Natal, which has
decreed a period of mourning.
Manchester supremacy on line in derby clash
South Africas last
farewell to slain
football captain
SPOTLIGHT
FOCUS
Rodgers wants
Gerrard
to extend
Liverpool stay
London: Liverpool manager
Brendan Rodgers said yes-
terday he wants long-serving
captain Steven Gerrard to
remain at the club beyond the
end of the current season.
Gerrards contract is due
to expire next June and the
34-year-old has said that he
could continue his career
away from Anfield if Liverpool
do not ofer him a new deal.
But after Liverpools 1-0
defeat at Newcastle United,
Rodgers said: Its quite
straightforward. I had a meet-
ing with Stevens representa-
tive explaining the situation.
I very much want him to be
a part of what we are doing
here. Hes been a brilliant
captain for me. I relayed that
to the ownership. Im sure he
will go away with that and
hopefully his representative
will organise a deal. Steven is
very much part of what Im do-
ing here. Hes a unique player,
a unique talent.
Gerrard, the former England
captain, has been at Liverpool
since 1998, making over 680
appearances for the club
and winning the Champions
League, the UEFA Cup, three
League Cups and two FA Cups.
RESULTS
Arsenal 3 (Sanchez 70, 90, Chambers
72); Burnley 0 Chelsea 2 (Oscar 32,
Hazard 75-pen) QPR 1 (Austin 62);
Everton 0 Swansea 0; Hull 0
Southampton 1 (Wanyama 3); Leicester
0 West Brom 1 (Cambiasso 47-og);
Newcastle 1 (Perez 73) Liverpool 0;
Stoke 2 (Moses 33, Diouf 56) West Ham
2 (Valencia 60, Downing 73)
Chelseas Filipe Luis (right) and Queens Park Rangers Charlie Austin vie for the ball during their English Premier League match at Stamford Bridge in London. (Reuters)
Diego Costa has missed Chelseas last four matches due to hamstring and groin problems.
Members of the South African Police Services place the cofin
of South African captain Senzo Meyiwa at the Moses Mabhida
stadium during his funeral in Durban. (AFP)
The crowd fell silent and
many wept as Meyiwas
fag-draped cof n was
driven into the stadium
in a white SUV, followed
by members of his club
the Orlando Pirates,
runner-up in last years
CAF Champions League.
FOOTBALL
3
Gulf Times
Real Madrid move top,
Atletico into second
SPOTLIGHT
We need to keep working to keep this run going
AFP
Madrid
R
eal Madrid moved to the top of
La Liga for the rst time this
season as goals fromCristiano
Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and
a James Rodriguez double handed them
a 4-0 win at Granada. Atletico Madrid
also moved up to second, just a point
adrift of their city rivals, with a 4-2 win
at home to Cordoba.
It took Ronaldo just 100 seconds to
register his22ndgoal of theseasonwhen
he swept home Benzemas cut-back to
punish some lax Granada defending.
There was nothing the hosts coulddoas
Rodriguez doubled Madrids lead nine
minutes before half-time, though, as
the Colombian unleashed a sumptuous
dipping volley into the far corner.
Ronaldo returned the favour to Ben-
zema as he slotted home the third early
in the second-half before Rodriguez
forced home his second of the after-
noon from close range four minutes
fromtime.
Victorytakes Madridtwopoints clear
of Barcelona, but the Catalans can re-
claim top spot when they host Celta
Vigo later last night.
Ancelottis men were full of con-
dence after inictingBarcas rst league
defeat of the season last weekend and
went in front with their rst attack as
Dani Carvajal robbedJeisonMurilloand
Benzema squared for Ronaldo to slot
lowpast Roberto.
Madrid threatened to run riot as
Murillo blocked a goalbound shot from
Benzema before Isco and Carvajal red
just of target.
However, Rodriguez applied the
quality nishing touch his teammates
had been lacking with a stunning volley
reminiscent of his strike against Uru-
guay on his way to becoming the top
scorer at the World Cup.
A wonderful backheel from Ronaldo
teedupBenzema tomake it 3-0withhis
ninth goal of the season nine minutes
into the second-half.
Marcelothencrashedanefort of the
crossbar on his weaker right foot as the
visitors continued the search for more
goals.
Yet, it was Granada who should have
reduced the decit when Ruben Rochi-
na was left with the goal at his mercy
but red straight into the body of the
prone Sergio Ramos.
With an 11th consecutive victory in
all competitions assured, Ancelotti
could aford to withdraw Luka Modric
and Isco with Tuesdays Champions
League clash with Liverpool in mind.
Right-back Carvajal is a doubt for that
game as he limpedof inthe rst-half to
be replaced by Alvaro Arbeloa and the
former Liverpool full-back should have
scored a rare goal when his weak nish
was turned behind by Roberto.
Rodriguez did nally make it four
when he bundled Ronaldos wayward
efort over the line late on.
Atletico continued their own four-
match winning run going as Antoine
Griezmann struck his rst two league
goals for the club.
The French international was fortu-
nate with the opening goal as his shot
took a wicked deection of Luso and
ewinto the far corner.
Cordoba were level just eight minutes
into the second period as uncharacter-
istically slack marking fromAtletico al-
lowed Nabil Ghilas to head home at the
back post fromFede Cartabias corner.
However, Griezmanns powerful
header had too much for Juan Carlos at
his near post to restore Atleticos ad-
vantage just ve minutes later. Mario
Mandzukic then made the game safe as
he headed into an unguarded net after
Carlos apped at a Koke free-kick and
another excellent cross fromthe Span-
ish international midelder was icked
home by Raul Garcia to make it 4-1.
AFP
Munich
V
fL Wolfsburg climbed to sec-
ond in the Bundesliga yesterday
with a 4-0 hammering of VfB
Stuttgart as ex-Chelsea mid-
elder Kevin de Bruyne tore the hosts
defence to shreds.
De Bruyne netted his rst goal of
the season and created another two as
Wolves picked up their sixth straight win
in all competitions. The 23-year-old de
Bruyne was in the thick of things, pro-
viding a free-kick for Robin Knoche to
head Wolves into a 2-0 lead at the break
after Croatia international Ivan Perisics
opening goal for the guests.
Belgiums de Bruyne then scored his
rst goal of the season when he volleyed
home fromclose range on48minutes be-
fore robbing Moritz Leitner of possession
and providing Perisic with his second
goal on 88 minutes.
The victory leaves Wolves just a point
behind leaders Bayern Munich who host
Borussia Dortmund in the evenings key
clash with 14 points separating the two
teams. Jurgen Klopps Dortmund started
the Allianz Arena match in the relegation
places having dropped to 16th.
A Rafael van der Vaart penalty sealed
Hamburgs 1-0 win at home to Bayer
Leverkusen which lifted the hosts out of
the bottomthree and dropped Dortmund
into the relegation spots.
Hamburg won a bad-tempered afair
which saw nine yellow cardssix were
handed out in the rst half aloneafter
two separate scuf es broke out.
Freiburg, who are at Cologne on Sun-
day, went bottomof the table after Wer-
der Bremenmovedup to 17th as caretaker
coach Viktor Skripnikas got their rst
win of the season with ex-Chelsea and
Wigan striker Franco di Santo netting
both goals in a 2-1 victory ovber Mainz.
Mainz took the lead when Japans
Shinji Okazaki scored his sixth league
goal of the seasonto become the Bundes-
ligas joint top scorer.
But Bremenhit backintheir rst match
since Robin Dutt was sacked as di Santos
headed home after his penalty attempt
was blocked by Mainz goalkeeper Loris
Karius just before the half-time break.
The Argentina international then
claimed his second of the game and sixth
of the season when he netted a nal pass
fromFelix Kroos, younger brother of Real
Madrids Toni Kroos.
De Bruyne stars as Wolves climb to second
BUNDESLIGA
Stuttgarts Filip Kostic (right) and Wolfsburgs Kevin de Bruyne vie for the ball. (AFP)
Granadas players attempt to stop Real Madrid midfielder James Rodriguez (second right) during the Spanish La Liga match at the Nuevo Los Carmenes stadium in Granada yesterday. (AFP)
London: Arsenal manager
Arsene Wenger hailed an
exceptional Alexis Sanchez
after the Chilean continued
to provide the thrust to their
inconsistent start to the season
with another sublime perform-
ance in yesterdays 3-0 Premier
League win against Burnley.
Sanchez, who has scored 10
goals in 16 games in all com-
petitions since arriving from
Barcelona in the close season,
netted twice as the hosts beat
bottomside Burnley to climb
into the top four.
As his fellow forwards sufer
frominjuries or patchy form, the
electric and diminutive 25-year-
old is almost single-handedly
shouldering Arsenals attacking
burden.
In the build up to the game,
Wenger described him as a
street fighter and that was
epitomised in his first goal.
Despite his stature, Sanchez
rose highest to crash in a brave
header against two imposing
defenders and his second in
stoppage time capped a near
flawless display.
It was a top performance
fromAlexis Sanchez, Wenger
told the BBC.
His quality is exceptional, he
takes responsibility and goes at
people. He fights, he can score,
that is what you want from
great players.
Burnley manager Sean
Dyche singled out the in-form
Chilean as a player his goal-shy
forwards should learn from.
Hes fantastic. I was saying to
Danny Ings afterwards that part
of his development is looking
at that and understanding it,
Dyche told Sky Sports.
Thats a player whos ef-
fervescent, hes non-stop, he
has quality and hes brave. His
header is brave.
We talk to our strikers all the
time about being on the move
and arriving in the box and
thats a great advert for what
it is.
Until Sanchezs first goal in
the 70th minute, Arsenal had
struggled to break down the
visitors stubborn rearguard but
Wenger said it was imperative
his side, who have now won suc-
cessive league games for the
first time this season, remained
calm. It was a question of pa-
tience and quality and I think we
did all of that, he added.
It was important not to
concede a goal and in the end it
was a comfortable win but eve-
ryone works hard in the Premier
League.
Exceptional Sanchez
carrying Arsenal hopes
BALE RETURN WILL MAKE MADRID BETTER: ANCELOTTI
Madrid: Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti rejected sug-
gestions that Gareth Bale will struggle to get back into his
side after they racked up their 11th consecutive win in all
competitions with a 4-0 thrashing of Granada yesterday.
The Welshman has missed the European champions
last five games due to a muscle injury with Isco and James
Rodriguez impressing in his absence. Everyone thinks that
Bale is a problem, but I think he is a player that will help us
to be even better, said Ancelotti.
Rodriguez took his tally for Madrid to six goals in 17
games as he scored twice, including one sensational volley.
Cristiano Ronaldo continued his incredible form by scoring
in his 12th consecutive match for Madrid to open the scor-
ing and also teed up Karim Benzema with a lovely backheel
for the visitors third goal.
And with such an array of attacking talent on ofer to
Ancelotti, Real captain Iker Casillas believes this side could
mark a golden era in the clubs history. The current Madrid
team has grown after winning two trophies last season and
we want to continue like that, he said.
We are getting the results and the players that have
arrived are just as good as those who left.
Hopefully this team can mark an era. There are very
good ingredients and we hope to win trophies.
PSG win to
crank up
pressure on
Marseille
AFP
Paris
U
nbeaten Paris Saint
Germain drew to
within a single point
of Ligue 1 leaders Mar-
seille yesterday with a come-
from-behind 2-1 away win over
Lorient. Lorient stunned the
champions with Raphael Guer-
reiros tight shot opening the
scoring on 42 minutes.
But Paris came back early in
the second-half with goals from
Edinson Cavani and substitute
Jean-Christophe Bahebeck.
Marseille, who lost at Lyon
last weekend, have 25 points
ahead of their home game with
Lens on Sunday and PSG have
24, as these two giants of French
football get ready to go head-to-
head in Paris next weekend.
Paris also maybe had one eye
on their Champions League
clash with APOEL of Cyprus in
midweek, given the pedestrian
nature of a sluggish rst-half
performance.
But they were given a rude
awakening just before half-time.
Lorient came out of defence to
launch a blistering break in their
orange strip and yellowboots.
Andre Ayew took the ball into
the box and fed midelder Rap-
hael Guerreiro, who stunned
PSG goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu
with his sudden tight-angled
shot to make it 1-0.
We played badly all over the
pitch in the rst half. But you
saw straight away the diference
in the second half, and we got a
goal straight away and went in
for the win, the PSG keeper
said. And the diference was
indeed eye-catching as Paris
moved up a gear.
A defence splitting pass from
Argentine playmaker Javier
Pastore set up Cavanis equal-
iser just after the break, the
Uruguayan nimbly hoisting the
ball over the onrushing keeper
before executing his traditional
rie-shot goal celebration. It
was his third goal in three starts.
Coach Laurent Blanc then
made a double substitution
bringing on Marco Veratti for
the misring Yohan Cabaye and
Jean-Christophe Bahebeck for
a tired looking Ezequiel Lavezzi
and it paid immediate dividends.
Veratti fed Bahebeck as he
ran into space and his shot ew
home from a tight angle to send
a wave of joy through a relieved
Paris side. We are hoping for a
great shownext week and a great
performance from both teams,
were all looking forward to it,
said Sirigu.
In Fridays game Monaco drew
1-1 at home to Reims.
Later last night, Lille were to
host St Etienne, Nantes welcome
Rennes in the Brittany derby to-
day and Marseille will be keen
to reopen a four-point gap on
Paris when they host Lens in late
game.
LIGUE 1
POINTS TABLE
Read as: Played, won, drawn, lost, goals
for, goals against, points
Bayern Munich 9 6 3 0 21 2 21
VfL Wolfsburg 10 6 2 2 20 9 20
Mgladbach 9 4 5 0 12 4 17
Hofenheim 9 4 5 0 13 7 17
B Leverkusen 10 4 4 2 17 15 16
Hanover 96 10 5 1 4 7 11 16
Schalke 04 10 4 2 4 14 13 14
Mainz 05 10 3 5 2 13 12 14
Paderborn 9 3 3 3 13 12 12
Cologne 9 3 3 3 7 7 12
Augsburg 10 4 0 6 11 12 12
E Frankfurt 10 3 3 4 17 19 12
Hertha Berlin 9 3 2 4 14 16 11
Hamburg 10 2 3 5 4 12 9
VfB Stuttgart 10 2 3 5 14 23 9
B Dortmund 9 2 1 6 10 15 7
Werder Bremen 10 1 4 5 12 24 7
Freiburg 9 0 5 4 8 14 5
Results: Mainz 05 1 (Okazaki 3) Werder
Bremen 2 (di Santo 45-pen, 49)
Hanover 96 1 (Madlung 88-og) Eintracht
Frankfurt 0
VfB Stuttgart 0 VfL Wolfsburg 4 (Perisic 15,
88, Knoche 45+1, De Bruyne 48)
Hamburg 1 (Van der Vaart 26-pen) Bayer
Leverkusen 0
SPORT
Gulf Times
Qatar to host Kite
Course Racing Asian
Championship
SPOTLIGHT
It is with great pride that we will enter five Qatari athletes in the competition
ByYash Mudgal
Doha
F
ive Qatari athletes will get a chance
to rub shoulders with some of the
worlds top kiteboarders, includ-
ing course racing world champion
Florian Gruber, at Pearl-Qatars Qanat
Quartier Beach during November 10 to 15.
The Qatar Sailing and Rowing Federa-
tion (QSRF) will host the 2014 Formula
Kite Course Racing Asian Champion-
ship, in which ve Qataris are going to
take part. For the rst time, kiteboarding
is coming to the Gulf region as Doha will
host the ve-day inaugural championship
under the auspices of the Qatar Olympic
Committee (QOC).
Kiteboarding is one of the fastest
growing sports inthe world, and this trend
is reected here on the shorelines of Qa-
tar, QSRF technical advisor for kitesurf-
ing, Sarah Lord said, while addressing a
press conference yesterday.
She said the local sailors are extremely
lucky to be given the support from the
federation to be able to achieve high-level
training in kiteboarding. It is with great
pride that we will enter ve Qatari athletes
in the competition, who have been train-
ing hard to learn the tricky discipline of
kiteboarding racing over the last year. We
wish themevery success in the champion-
ship and we are happy that they have the
fantastic opportunity to compete against
the best kiteboard racers in the world,
Lord said.
The Qatari squad includes Khalifa al-
Misnad, Omar al-Hammadi, Bader al-
Madani, Khalid Festook, and Alaa Festook.
Since the initiative was taken two years
ago, the QSRF now has 18 Qataris reg-
istered in the kiteboarding programme.
Most recently, a training site has been es-
tablished on the beach of Fuwairit, where
all nationals are welcomed to participate
in the sport.
Talking about kiteboarding scene in
Doha, Lord said: Being the host country
to an international kiteboarding event,
with the inclusion of ve Qatari competi-
tors, after only two years of starting the
programme is a great indicator of how the
sport is developing in the country.
It was a delight to hear of the recogni-
tion of the sport by the International Sail-
ing Federation (ISAF), which prompted
a decision to be made to develop this as a
national sport. The sport has only just be-
gun to develop in Qatar, with a high level
of interest shown from our local people,
she said.
In total, up to 63 competitors (47 men
and 16 women) from26 countries will take
part in10categories of theraces. Although,
this is an Asian Championship with QR
100,000 as prize money, the event is open
to world, allowing all to compete under
diferent age categories.
An Asian champion will be crowned,
in addition to an open mens and an open
womens eet. The Pearl-Qatar with its
picturesque views, advanced facilities and
waterfront aspect has provided the ideal
venue for this event, allowing the champi-
onship to be held at its beach.
Ateeq al-Khulai, General Manager of
the Assets Management Department at
The Pearl-Qatar, expressed his joy and
pride in hosting the championship.
We welcome this exciting newsport to
our region and to The Pearl-Qatar. Qanat
Quartier, where the competition will be
held, ofers a spectacular setting to all
sorts of beach activities and water sports
ensuring competitors and spectators both
enjoy the championship, he said.
The event is sanctioned by the Inter-
national Kiteboarding Association (IKA),
which has been working closely with the
QSRF to ensure a successful event in Qa-
tar. The Championship has 100 ranking
points at stake, for which registration for
all competitors and practice races start
from 1pm on November 10. Apart from
Gruber, the other prominent participants
are Ladies 5X Kitesurf Race World Cham-
pion Stephanie Bridge of Great Britain and
3x Asian Course Racing Champion Nara-
pichit Pudla.
For ve days, the Championship will run
from 9am to 4.30pm, with races ongoing,
leading to the nal being held on Novem-
ber 15.
The premises at The Qanat Quartier
beach will be transformed to accommo-
date all event participants, with the provi-
sion of seating areas. Live commentary of
races will be broadcast on the beach.
Reuters
Riyadh
W
estern Sydney Wanderers be-
came the rst Australianwin-
ners of the AFC Champions
League after they withstood
an onslaught from Al Hilal to prevail 1-0
on aggregate after a bad tempered goalless
drawin Saudi Arabia yesterday.
Al Hilal dominated at the King Fahd In-
ternational Stadiumbut wasted some fan-
tastic chances as the edgling Wanderers,
only founded in 2012, somehow held out
to complete a remarkable triumph in their
debut continental campaign and qualify
for next months FIFAClub World Cup.
Carrying a goal advantage from the
rst leg they owed much of their victory
to the heroics of goalkeeper Ante Covic
and generosity of Japanese referee Yuichi
Nishimura, who wavedaway two strong Al
Hilal penalty appeals.
Al Hilals fury at the of ciating boiled
over after the nal whistle and led to a
brawl between some of their players and
of cials.
Al Hilal came within inches of taking
the game to extra time late on, but Covic
saved brilliantly fromclose range and then
watched anxiously as the ball squirmed
under his body but around the far post.
Pinpoints of green light had played on
his face throughout the match as Al Hilal
fans tried to blind himwith laser pens, but
beams also shone onto other Wanderers
players whenever they received the ball or
stood over a free kick.
Al Hilal dominated the rst half but
only turned their possession into sus-
tainedpressure inthe periodrunning up to
half time when several dangerous crosses
zzed into the Wanderers area and a Thi-
ago Neves header went over the bar.
The Sydney team managed a lone shot
on goal shortly after the half hour mark,
but Labinot Haliti was without support
and had little choice but to blast straight
at Abdullah al-Sdairy.
Moments before the whistle blew for
the break, Antony Golic made contact
with Nawaf al-Abid in Sydneys area, but
the Al Hilal player was already on his way
downandthe referee wavedaway the furi-
ous appeals fromthe players and stands.
Half way into the second half it was
Covic who brought down Salman al-
Faraj as he raced into the box, but again
no penalty was given, prompting a hail of
water bottles to be thrownfromthe stands
and fans tearing down a large banner.
The 65,000 Al Hilal fans had lled
the stadium to capacity for the 8.30 local
time kick of by early afternoon, and hours
before kick-of disconsolate fans were al-
ready streaming back to the highway after
being turned back.
DPA
Rome
A
ndrea Pirlo and Alvaro
Morata scored their rst
season goals in Juventus
2-0 defeat of promoted
Empoli yesterday as the Serie A
champions regained sole posses-
sion of rst place.
Juve have 25 points and are
three ahead of Roma (22), who
crashed 2-0 at Napoli.
Argentine Gonzalo Higuain
volleyed an early opener and
set up Jose Callejon to score ve
minutes from time to help Napoli
climb into third on 18 points.
In Empoli, coach Massimil-
iano Allegri rested forwards Car-
los Tevez and Fernando Llorente
to eld Sebastian Giovinco and
Morata, who displayed more dy-
namics than his Spanish compa-
triot Llorente, nding the net af-
ter Pirlo openedthe scoring with a
61st-minute free-kick.
The 22-year-old drilled home
a left-footer that was slightly de-
ected and ew past goalkeeper
Davide Bassi in the 71st.
Juve, however, did not convince
in the rst half, just as in a recent
poor run of games that saw them
crash 1-0 at Genoa Wednesday in
their rst league defeat.
The hosts saw Manuel Puc-
ciarelli force a rst dif cult
65th-minute save from Gianluigi
Bufon, who also stopped from
substitute Fracesco Tavano in the
dying seconds.
Empoli ran more risks after
Tevez came on for Giovinco with
22 minutes left, and Lorenzo
Tonelli was red-carded in injury
time for a last-man-foul on the
storming Argentine.
Parma and Inter Milan meet
later Saturday with ve games
set for Sunday and two more on
Monday.
Wanderers hold of Al Hilal to
win AFC Champions League
Juventus regain lead as
Roma lose to Napoli
Strong show
from Aspire
Academy
VICTORIOUS SERIE A
FOCUS
Western Sydney Wanderers players celebrate after winning the AFC Champions League
at King Fahad stadium in Riyadh yesterday. (AFP)
By Sports Reporter
Doha
A
lganehi was in top
form as he scored a
hat-trick to lead As-
pire Academy to a
4-0 win over Chelsea 4-0 in
the Tri-Series football tourna-
ment for Under-15 and claim
the age group 2000 title. Bin-
halabi scored the other goal for
the winners.
For Aspires U-13s and U-14s
the last day ended with 0-3 de-
feats against the Blues and
in both age groups (2001 and
2002) Tokyo Verdy nished on
top. I thinkwe didquite well in
this tournament, the victories
against Tokyo Verdy and Chel-
sea are a reinforcement of the
daily work we are doing at the
Academy. Its quite important
to play teams from diferent
countries in order to see how
the boys respond to diferent
styles, said Arno Buitenweg,
U-15 coach at Aspire Academy.
The game against Aspire
Academy was a real physical
test for us and we struggled,
but hopefully the players will
learn from it, said Chelsea
youth coach John Harley, who
stressed the importance of
participating in competitions
like the Tri-Series.
This tournament was well
designed for us, because it
gives our teams the chance to
play totally diferent set-ups,
which is good, because most
the teams in England play the
same style.
The news about the recent
success of Qatars U-19 na-
tional team has also made its
way to England. Its quite im-
pressive what they achieved at
the Asian Championship and
that is a generation of Qatari
footballers you have to watch
out for, said former Norwe-
gian international and Chelsea
youth coach Tore Andre Flo,
who stressed that the next step
for these players - breaking
into the rst team of a profes-
sional club - might be the de-
ciding one.
Fellow Chelsea-coach John
Harley, who went through the
youth system of Chelsea him-
self, agrees: Its a big step and
for many young players its the
rst time they have to deal with
setbacks.
Its important that they
show patience, keep their mo-
tivation high and work hard.
I remember Frank Lampard
when he was young. He always
stayed longer after training and
worked very hard to get there
where he is now. Technical
ability is helpful, but its deter-
mination that makes the real
diference.
Aspire Academy under-15 team celebrate after their triumph.
Juventus Andrea Pirlo (centre) celebrates with teammates after
scoring against Empoli. (AFP)
The 2014 Formula Kite Course Racing Asian Championship will take place at
Pearl-Qatars Qanat Quartier Beach from November 10 to 15.
Ateeq al-Khulaifi (left), General Manager of the Assets Management Department at The Pearl-Qatar and QSRF technical adviser for
kitesurfing, Sarah Lord (centre) address a press conference yesterday. PICTURE: Thajudheen
RESULTS
Age group 2000: Aspire
Academy bt Tokyo Verdy 6-3,
Chelsea FC bt Tokyo Verdy
3-1, Aspire Academy bt Chel-
sea FC 4-0. Final standing: 1.
Aspire Academy, 2. Chelsea
FC, 3. Tokyo Verdy
Age group 2001: Aspire
Academy lost to Tokyo Verdy
1-3, Chelsea FC lost to Tokyo
Verdy2-4, Aspire Academy
lost to Chelsea FC 0-3. Final
standing: 1. Tokyo Verdy,
2. Chelsea FC, 3. Aspire
Academy
Age group 2002: : Aspire
Academy lost to Tokyo Verdy
1-2, Chelsea FC lost to Tokyo
Verdy 1-2, Aspire Academy
lost to Chelsea FC 0-3.
Final standing: 1. Tokyo
Verdy, 2. Chelsea FC, 3.
Aspire Academy
POINTS TABLE
Readas: Played, won, drawn, lost,
goals for, goals against, points

Juventus 10 8 1 1 18 4 25
Roma 10 7 1 2 16 6 22
Napoli 10 5 3 2 19 12 18
Lazio 9 5 1 3 16 9 16
AC Milan 9 4 4 1 18 12 16
Sampdoria 9 4 4 1 9 5 16
Udinese 9 5 1 3 11 9 16
Inter Milan 9 4 3 2 15 10 15
Genoa 9 4 3 2 10 8 15
Fiorentina 9 3 4 2 9 6 13
Verona 9 3 3 3 10 15 12
Torino 9 3 2 4 7 9 11
Sassuolo 9 2 4 3 10 15 10
Cagliari 9 2 3 4 14 12 9
Palermo 9 2 3 4 9 17 9
Atalanta 9 2 2 5 4 11 8
Empoli 10 1 4 5 10 18 7
Cesena 9 1 3 5 6 15 6
Chievo 9 1 1 7 6 15 4
Parma 9 1 0 8 12 21 3
SPORT
5
Gulf Times
T
wo race cars made four
solid Las Vegas qualify-
ing runs onFriday for the
Qatar Al-Anabi Racing
Top Fuel team, the three-time
and defending NHRA Mello Yel-
lo Top Fuel WorldChampionship
team owned by HE Sheikh Kha-
lid bin Hamad al-Thani. Reign-
ing World Champion Shawn
Langdon is fth, and Khalid al-
Balooshi is 10th after the rst
day of qualifying for the 14th
annual Toyota NHRA Nationals,
the 23rd of 24 races making up
the United States NHRA Mello
Yello Drag Racing Series season
and the fth of six races that
comprise the Countdown to the
Championship NHRAPlayofs.
Langdon opened the day with
a brilliant 3.837-second efort
at nearly 321 mph and was third
after the opening qualifying ses-
sion; that run placed him late
in the evening sessions order.
The silver Al-Anabi car was on
a phenomenal run in the second
session when the blower belt
broke 200 feet from the nish
line essentially ending the run
early.
The car was going so fast when
the belt broke that it still took
only 3.787 seconds to reach the
nish line. Because the blower
belt broke, Langdons speed was
only 301 mph, and Langdon is
fth after the Friday qualifying
sessions.
The Al-Anabi guys worked
very hard in the last couple of
weeks, and the results began to
show on Friday, Langdon said.
The Al-Anabi car made two
excellent runs, and if the blower
belt hadnt broken late in the last
run, the car would have run even
quicker. We are denitely op-
timistic now that we are on the
way to having our race car where
we need it.
AlBalooshi also opened the
Toyota Nationals with a daz-
zling run; his 3.848-second pass
at nearly 314 mph placed him
fourth after the rst session,
and it also placed himlate in the
evening qualifying session.
Before the Al-Anabi cars ran
in the second round, they had
dropped from third and fourth
where they were after the rst
session all the way down to
11th and 12th because eight cars
had improved on their after-
noon runs. While alBalooshis
3.824-second pass at 304.12
mph was a slight improve-
ment over his opening efort, it
was only good enough for 10th
quickest after the opening day
of qualifying. Still, the two-car
Qatar Al-Anabi Racing Top Fuel
team made four solid runs on
Friday.
Our Al-Anabi teammade two
very good runs on Friday, alBa-
looshi said. Everybody on our
teamdid his best and worked his
hardest. That is why we made
two good runs. The weather will
be cooler over the weekend. I
think we will improve our posi-
tiononSaturday andbe ina good
position for the race on Sunday.
I thank everyone on our teamfor
his hard work.
Qatar Al-Anabi Racing excel in Las Vegas
DRAGRACING
Agencies
Las Vegas, Nevada
Khalid alBalooshi makes his Friday evening qualifying attempt at the Toyota NHRA Nationals in Las Vegas,
Nevada. PICTURE: Gary Nastase
BCCI demands
multi-million
dollar
settlement
from WICB
The West Indies Cricket Board
(WICB) will have to cough up
nearly $42 million in order to
stave of a lawsuit fromthe
Board Of Control For Cricket
In India (BCCI), stemming
fromthe abandoned tour of
India last month.
Indian authorities Friday told
the WICB that its losses as a
result of the abandoned one-
day and Test tour had been
estimated at $41.97 million,
and gave the regional board
15 days in which to come up
with a plan of compensation,
reports CMC.
The BCCI had announced
two weeks ago it would seek
compensation fromthe WICB
for losses sustained as a result
of the cancelled tour, and fol-
lowed through with formal cor-
respondence to the Antigua-
based organisation Friday.
Media rights make up the
bulk of the losses with the
BCCI estimating them at just
over $35 million, while ticket
sales account for around $2
million and the title spon-
sorship fromMicromax
estimated at $1.6 million.
The BCCI has also factored
in losses in kit sponsorship
fromNike, teamsponsorship,
in-stadia sponsorship and
stadium concessionaires, in
the compensation package.
The BCCI calls upon the
WICB to formally informthe
BCCI, in writing, of the steps it
intends to take to compensate
the BCCI towards the losses
quantified above as well as
those losses yet to be quanti-
fied by the BCCI in relation
to the cancelled WICB tour,
said the letter, signed by BCCI
secretary Sanjay Patel.
In the event the BCCI does
not receive such a proposal
in acceptable terms, within a
period of 15 days fromreceipt
of this letter, please note that
the BCCI has peremptorily
instructed its attorneys to
initiate steps for recovery of
the losses by filing appropri-
ate legal proceedings against
the WICB in the appropriate
Indian court and you may
treat this notice as a formal
demand in that regard.
ImranKhan, theWICBs
corporatecommunications
manager, confirmedtheWICB
hadreceivedtheBCCI letter but
optednot tocomment further.
In detailing its losses, the
BCCI said the cancelled tour
had resulted in adverse
financial ramifications and
accused the WICB of having
complete disregard for legal
commitments.
The consequences on the
BCCI of not delivering a sched-
uled home tour to its mem-
bers, sponsors, broadcasters
and the fans are multi-fold and
crippling, the BCCI letter said.
The BCCI is faced with huge
revenue losses, a loss of
reputation and is at risk of
losing valuable commercial
partners. The consequences
of cancellation of a commit-
ted home tour during the
biggest festival season.
Diwali in India is a monu-
mental disaster for the BCCI.
It is during this season that
our partners derive the most
value fromtheir rights. Our
broadcaster had commit-
ted to its advertisers during
this season and on account
of your actions, is facing a
severe crisis the efects of
which are felt by the BCCI.
Australia collapse and
face battle to save series
A
ustralia were staring at
a 2-0 series defeat af-
ter Pakistans bowlers
exposed their frailties
against spin and reverse swing
on day three of the second and
nal test in Abu Dhabi yester-
day.
Resuming on 22-1, Mitchell
Marsh (87) and captain Michael
Clarke (47) ofered some resist-
ance before Australia collapsed
for 261 soon after tea, 309 runs
behind Pakistans rst innings
total.
Pakistan, who declared their
rst innings on 570-6, did not
force the follow-oneventhough
Australia fell 110 runs short of
the mark and decided instead to
set thema target to chase.
Mitchell Johnson removed
both their openers in the sec-
ond innings, but Pakistan, who
comprehensively won the rst
test in Dubai, stretched their
overall lead to 370 at the close.
Younus Khan, who has hit
106, 103 not out and 213 in his
last three innings in the series,
was unbeaten on 16 with Azhar
Ali on 21.
The Pakistani bowlers had
earlier generated enough turn,
bounce and reverse swing from
a lifeless track to run through
the tourists.
Imran Khan claimed three
for 60, impressing both with
the new and old ball, while fel-
low paceman Rahat Ali and the
spin duo of Zulqar Babar and
Yasir Shah claimed two wickets
apiece.
David Warner, who had start-
ed Australias reply with three
fours in Imrans rst over on
Friday, chased a short and wide
Rahat delivery to nd the point
elder and depart on 19.
There was never any doubt
about Glenn Maxwells aggres-
sion but a brisk 37 failed to an-
swer the lingering questions
about whether the 26-year-old
has the temperament to succeed
at test level, especially in the
crucial number three position.
Before being dismissed by
Rahat, Nathan Lyon survived
several leg-before appeals as
Pakistan resisted wasting re-
views on a nightwatchman.
They did not hesitate, how-
ever, to seek a review to dismiss
the scoreless Steve Smith, who
was hit on the pad by a Babar
delivery.
Clarke, who added 64 runs
with Marsh for the sixth wick-
et, looked decisive against the
spinners, taking big strides and
using his feet to get to the pitch
of the ball.
It was reverse swing, which
ultimately proved his undoing.
After repeatedly failing to
middle Imrans reverse-swing-
ing balls, Clarke had his middle
stump pegged back by one that
curved back from outside the
of stump and went through the
bat-pad gap.
Brad Haddin braved a shoul-
der injury that had forced him
of the eld on Friday to con-
tribute 10 runs before leg-spin-
ner Shahs double strike deep-
ened Australias crisis.
Marsh fell 13 runs short of his
maiden test century, hitting a
full toss from Khan to the mid-
on elder to depart after a de-
ant knock that included 13 fours
and a six.
CRICKET
Australia bowled out for 261 in first innings; Pakistan stretch overall lead to 370
Reuters
Abu Dhabi
Scoreboard
Pakistan 1st innings 570-6 dec
Australia1st innings (overnight 22-1)
D. Warner c Shah b Rahat ...........................................19
C. Rogers c Ahmed b Khan ......................................... 5
N. Lyon b Rahat ....................................................................... 15
G. Maxwell b Babar .............................................................37
M. Clarke b Khan ...................................................................47
S. Smith lbw b Babar ........................................................... 0
M. Marsh c Rahat b Khan ...........................................87
B. Haddin b Shah .................................................................. 10
M. Johnson c Hafeez b Shah .................................... 0
P. Siddle c Shah b Hafeez ........................................... 28
M.Starc not out .......................................................................... 0
Extras: (lb6, nb7) ................................................................. 13
Total: (all out; 67.2 overs) ........................................ 261
Fall of wicket: 1-21 (Rogers), 2-34(Warner),
3-75 (Maxwell), 4-97 (Lyon), 5-100 (Smith),
6-164 (Clarke), 7-193 (Haddin), 8-199
(Johnson), 9-261 (Marsh)
Bowling: Khan 14-1-60-3 (1nb), Hafeez 5.2-
0-13-1, Babar 25-5-94-2, Rahat 9-0-41-2, Shah
14-2-47-2
Pakistan 2nd innings
Ahmed Shehzad b Johnson ....................................14
Mohammad Hafeez c Starc b Johnson ........ 3
Azhar Ali not out .................................................................... 21
Younis Khan not out ............................................................16
Extras: (b7) ................................................................................... 7
Total: (for two wkts; 21 overs) ...............................61
Fall of wickets: 1-14 (Shehzad), 2-21
(Hafeez)
Bowling: Johnson 3-0-29-2, Lyon 10-3-19-0,
Starc 5-2-6-0, Siddle 3-3-0-0
Zulfiqar Babar celebrates with his teammates after bowling out Glenn Maxwell (R) during the third day of the second Test match between
Pakistan and Australia at Zayed International Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi yesterday.
NZ ready for Pakistan challenge: Bond
N
ew Zealands bowl-
ing coach Shane Bond
yesterday said the team
was looking forward to
pitting their wits against the in-
formPakistani spin attack in the
forthcoming three match test
series.
Pakistan are currently in a
strong position to beat Australia
2-0 in their ongoing contest
thanks largely to the efective-
ness of their spinners.
Bond admitted Pakistan will
be a tough opponent on the dry
pitches of the United Arab Emir-
ates (UAE) which will help slow
bowlers. I think this is a really
good challenge for us, Bond told
reporters.
It has been a good last year
for us and Pakistan are also play-
ing well. This is going to be real
good measure of us as a teamand
so we are looking forward to it,
added the former bowling ace.
The Black Caps will start the
tour with a three-day warm-
up game against Pakistan Aa
second string teamin Sharjah
on Monday.
The rst Test starts in Abu
Dhabi on November 9.
Bond, who played 18 Tests in
which he took 87 wickets and 82
one-day games, taking 147 wick-
ets, for New Zealand, admitted
Pakistan were playing well.
Pakistan as a teamhave been
dif cult for a long time. They are
in their own conditions though
they are not inPakistan,saidthe
39-year-old.
So Pakistan in these kind of
conditions are very tough and
there are extra young players
coming through we have seen.
We are coming in fresh and
Pakistan will have played two
Test matches and this will see
themplay ve in a row.
The second Test between Pa-
kistan and New Zealand will be
in Dubai from November 17 fol-
lowed by the third in Sharjah
fromNovember 26.
Bond said Australia were a dif-
ferent team from the New Zea-
landers.
They are a diferent team
to us, said Bond, who became
only the second New Zealander
to take a hat-trick against the
Australians in a one day match in
January 2007.
The good thing for us is that
we can learn a bit about the way
the Australians had gone about
their work in terms of bowl-
ing as to what has worked and
what hasnt. Its a tough time
for them and that will certainly
reect on whether to try and at-
tack Pakistan and do something
diferent from them to be suc-
cessful.
OPINION
AFP
Wellington
New Zealands bowling coach Shane Bond
Rosberg breaks Hamilton
stranglehold for US pole
Reuters
Austin
G
ermanys Nico Rosberg
put Mercedes on pole
position for the U.S.
Formula One Grand
Prix yesterday with champion-
ship leading team mate Lewis
Hamilton qualifying second.
Mercedes-powered Williams
lled the second row with Fin-
lands Valtteri Bottas third fast-
est and Brazilian Felipe Massa
fourth.
Hamilton leads Rosberg by 17
points with three races, and 100
points remaining. The Britonhas
won the last four grand prix and
is chasing his 10th victory of the
season. If the pair nish one-two
today, as looks more than likely,
Mercedes will equal McLarens
record of 10 in a season set with
Alain Prost and the late Ayrton
Senna.
The pole was the ninth of the
season for Rosberg and 13th of
his career.
It worked out really well. To-
gether with my engineers, I re-
ally arrived in qualifying with a
car that I was really happy with,
said Rosberg.
This morning, the conditions
were quite diferent, a lot colder
so the track was changing all the
time. It wasnt that easy to get
everything right.
First place today is awesome,
but the race is what counts, so I
need to fully focus on tomorrow
and try and bring it home, add-
ed the German
Hamilton, who had been
quickest in all three practice
sessions and the rst phase of
qualifying, had tyre and brake
issues when it mattered most
and expressed some concern for
Sunday.
That race comes on the sixth
anniversary of his 2008 world
championship triumph in Brazil.
The issue was just locking
and if I cant x that brake then
that will be a continuing issue
throughout the race, said Ham-
ilton.
Australian Daniel Ricciardo
qualied fth for Red Bull while
his team mate and 2013 winner
Sebastian Vettel starts from the
pitlane after exceeding his en-
gine allocation for the season.
Ferraris Fernando Alonso
qualied sixth. There was also a
ray of hope for beleaguered Sau-
ber, who have yet to score a point
this year, with Germanys Adrian
Sutil qualifying 10th.
SPOTLIGHT
It worked out really well. Together with my engineers, I really arrived in qualifying with a car that I was really happy with
FORMULA ONE
Gulf Times
Saturday, November 2, 2014 6
Mercedes AMGPetronas driver NicoRosbergof Germany
celebrates afer qualifyingfor thepolepositionfor theUnited
States FormulaOneGrandPrixat theCircuit of TheAmericas
inAustin, Texas, yesterday. (AFP)
Reuters
Austin
F
ormula Ones cash-strapped
smaller teams could boycott
todays U.S. Grand Prix unless
their complaints about the di-
vision of revenues are heard, Force In-
dia deputy principal Bob Fernley said
yesterday.
Nothing is of the table at this
point,he told Reuters at the Circuit of
the Americas.
Everything and anything is possi-
ble. The teamowners need themselves
to sit down and decide what actions
they want to take and then make sure
everybody is informed properly, add-
ed the Briton. Force India, Sauber and
Lotus have all had nancial troubles
andtheir bosses have all urgedthe big-
ger teams to create a more level play-
ing eld by ensuring that all have the
means to compete.
The talk, which is becoming in-
creasingly militant, comes after the
indebted Caterham and Marussia
teams collapsed into administration.
That has left just nine teams inAus-
tin with the risk of more falling by the
wayside and revived debate about how
a sport that makes more than $1.5 bil-
lion in annual revenues cannot ensure
11 teams have enough to stay aoat.
With an engine supply costing
around $30 million, the smaller teams
argue that there should be a minimum
guaranteed budget provided to all.
Talk of a possible boycott will chill
the hearts of U.S. fans who recall only
too painfully the asco of 2005 when
only six cars started the U.S. Grand
Prix at Indianapolis.
All the Michelin-equipped cars
withdrew from that race for safety
reasons, after completing the parade
lap, when a compromise solution
could not be reached. That was seenas
a classic case of Formula One shooting
itself in the foot with both barrels in a
prime market that it has long sought to
crack and in which it has made some
progress thanks to Austins purpose-
built facility.
Fernley said nobody wanted to al-
ienate the local fans or damage For-
mula Ones image. Thats the last
thing that we want to do, he empha-
sised. There no question of that.
The thing is, youve got three own-
ers here who are passionate about rac-
ing, that have supported Formula One
for many, many years in diferent for-
mats. The last thing they want to do is
damage it.
But at the moment, Formula One is
damaging them. Big time. The silence
is deafening frompeople reaching out
to help. If someone actually talks to
us...there is no discussion with the
disenfranchised teams at all, said
Fernley.
The renewed threat of a boycott
came after the teams appeared to rule
out any such action on Friday, with
Lotus owner Gerard Lopez saying he
was unaware of any such suggestion.
Boycott cannot be ruled out: Force India boss
FOCUS
Force India Formula One driver Sergio Perez of Mexico drives during a practice session of the US F1 Grand Prix at the Circuit of The Americas in Austin yesterday. (Reuters)
Hamilton sticks neck out for tattoos
Former world champion Lewis Hamilton loves his tattoos and has
defended having 44, the number on his Mercedes car, inked behind
his right ear. But as he has admitted, his father Anthony is not too
keen on the body art that also includes a big tattoo on his back.
He has not revealed details of what his girlfriend Nicole Scherzinger
thinks. My dad doesnt approve of the tattoos, but I dont need
approval, he said earlier this year. I amcomfortable with who I am,
I dont need someone telling me. If someone doesnt accept me for
who I am, that is their problem. You need to be proud of who you
are. Hamilton has won the last four races and goes into todays
United States Grand Prix seeking his fifth consecutive win and his
10th this year to widen his 17-point lead over Mercedes teammate
Nico Rosberg in the title race.
QUALIFYINGTIMES
Q3
1. Nico Rosberg (GER) Mercedes 1:36.067, 2. Lewis Hamilton (GBR)
Mercedes 1:36.443, 3. Valtteri Bottas (FIN) Williams 1:36.906, 4.
Felipe Massa (BRA) Williams 1:37.205, 5. Daniel Ricciardo (AUS) Red
Bull 1:37.224, 6. Fernando Alonso (ESP) Ferrari 1:37.610, 7. Jenson
Button (GBR) McLaren 1:37.655, 8. Kevin Magnussen (DEN) McLaren
1:37.706, 9. Kimi Raikkonen (FIN) Ferrari 1:37.804, 10. Adrian Sutil
(GER) Ferrari 1:38.810

Q2
1. Nico Rosberg (GER) Mercedes 1:36.290 (Q), 2. Lewis Hamilton
(GBR) Mercedes 1:37.287 (Q), 3. Felipe Massa (BRA) Williams 1:37.347
(Q), 4. Valtteri Bottas (FIN) Williams 1:37.499 (Q), 5. Daniel Ricciardo
(AUS) Red Bull 1:37.873 (Q), 6. Fernando Alonso (ESP) Ferrari 1:38.010
(Q), 7. Jenson Button (GBR) McLaren 1:38.024 (Q), 8. Kevin Magnus-
sen (DEN) McLaren 1:38.047 (Q), 9. Kimi Raikkonen (FIN) Ferrari
1:38.263 (Q), 10. Adrian Sutil (GER) Sauber 1:38.378 (Q)
11. Pastor Maldonado (VEN) Lotus 1:38.467, 12. Sergio Perez (MEX)
Force India 1:38.554, 13. Nico Hlkenberg (GER) Force India 1:38.598,
14. Daniil Kvyat (RUS) Toro Rosso 1:38.699
Q1
1. Lewis Hamilton (GBR) Mercedes 1:37.196 (Q), 2. Felipe Massa (BRA)
Williams 1:37.877 (Q), 3. Valtteri Bottas (FIN) Williams 1:38.249 (Q), 4.
Nico Rosberg (GER) Mercedes 1:38.303 (Q), 5. Fernando Alonso (ESP)
Ferrari 1:38.349 (Q), 6. Kevin Magnussen (DEN) McLaren 1:38.557 (Q),
7. Jenson Button (GBR) McLaren 1:38.574 (Q), 8. Pastor Maldonado
(VEN) Lotus 1:38.608 (Q), 9. Kimi Raikkonen (FIN) Ferrari 1:38.669
(Q), 10. Daniel Ricciardo (AUS) Red Bull 1:38.814 (Q), 11. Adrian Sutil
(GER) Sauber 1:38.855 (Q), 12. Nico Hlkenberg (GER) Force India
1:38.931 (Q), 13. Daniil Kvyat (RUS) Toro Rosso 1:38.936 (Q), 14. Sergio
Perez (MEX) Force India 1:39.200 (Q)
15. Jean-Eric Vergne (FRA) Toro Rosso 1:39.250, 16. Esteban Gutierrez
(MEX) Sauber 1:39.555, 17. Sebastian Vettel (GER) Red Bull 1:39.621, 18.
Romain Grosjean (FRA) Lotus 1:39.679
SPORT
7
Gulf Times
James, Cavaliers bounce
back to beat Bulls 114-108
L
eBron James didnt make
the grade in the disap-
pointing season-opener
but bounced back with
ying colours a night later.
James poured in 36 points,
including his teams rst eight
in overtime, and the visiting
Cleveland Cavaliers beat the
Chicago Bulls 114-108 on Friday,
giving David Blatt his rst career
NBAcoaching victory.
The best thing about last
night was tonight, said Blatt, a
22-year international coaching
icon. We were determined to
come out and play good basket-
ball.
James played horribly, nish-
ing with 17 points on 5-of-15
shooting in Thursdays 95-90
stunner to the NewYork Knicks,
in his highly-emotional home-
coming following four years in
Miami, where he helpedthe Heat
win two NBAChampionships.
But James looked like the two-
time league most valuable play-
er, in an early season showdown
of Eastern Conference power-
houses.
Immy biggest critic and last
night I gave myself an F, James
said. I playedpassive but played
my game and was aggressive
fromthe start and into overtime
tonight.
The great thing about this
league is that you get an oppor-
tunity the next night to redeem
yourself.
Kyrie Irving scored 23 points,
Kevin Love had 16 with as many
rebounds while Tristan Thomp-
son also nished with 16 and 13
boards, including a team-record
12 on the ofensive glass.
Imhere to get my teammore
rebounds and more posses-
sions, Thompson said.
Derrick Rose and Kirk Hinrich
scored 20 points apiece while
Spaniard Pau Gasol added 15 for
the Bulls, who had bashed the
Knicks, 104-80 in Tuesdays
season opener.
Every game against them is
going to be high expectation and
an opportunity for both teams
to make a statement and gain
ground on each other, Gasol
said.
Rose didnt appear in the nal
quarter or overtime after try-
ing to play through a left ankle
sprain sufered in the second
quarter, when the speedy guard
landed awkwardly on a drive to
the basket.
Imwalking around so I think
everyone can breathe easy, said
the former league most valuable,
who played in just 10 games last
season before a devastating knee
injury in November. Its part of
the process. God is testing me
now.
The Bulls stormed from
nine down in the fourth quar-
ter behind Hinrichs eight
straight points, including
a pair of triples to go ahead
98-93 with 47 seconds left.
But James hit two free throws
and Irvings three-point play
forced overtime.
Cleveland dominated the ex-
tra session, with James running
of his teams rst eight points,
including a three-point play en
route to the win.
We took a step back last
night but two steps forward
tonight, James said. Tonight,
was an example of how good we
can be but we have a lot of work
to do.
Elsewhere, Blake Grif n ex-
ploded for 39 points, Jamal
Crawford had 22 of the bench,
and Clippers dropped their fel-
low-Staples Centre tenants Lak-
ers 118-111 for the eighth time in
the last nine meetings.
Jordan Hill had 23 points and
Kobe Bryant added 21 for the
Lakers, who fell to 0-3 to start
the season for just the fth time
in franchise history.
Newcomer Isaiah Thomas
scored 10 of his 23 points in the
fourth quarter, Markief Morris
had 20 with 11 boards, and the
Suns (2-0) surprised the reign-
ing NBAchampion Spurs 94-89.

Trailing 92-89, San Antonio
(1-1) had a chance to tie the game
but was whistled on a ve-sec-
ond violation, when Boris Diaw
couldnt get the ball inbounds
with 6.5 seconds remaining.
Frenchman Tony Parker
topped visiting San Antonio (1-
1) with 19 points but Argentine
Manu Ginobili nished with just
two.
Zach Randolph had half his 22
points in a 26-2 third-quarter
runto go along with 13 rebounds,
Spaniard Marc Gasol netted 20,
and the visiting Grizzlies beat
the injury-ravaged Pacers 97-89
to open at 2-0 for just the third
time in franchise history.
Rudy Gay erupted for 40
points, Darren Collison added 17
with eight assists and as many
rebounds, carrying the Kings (1-
1) past the visiting Trail Blazers
103-94 for their rst win of the
season.
LaMarcus Aldridge scored
22 points for Portland, which
beat Oklahoma City in their
opener.
O.J Mayo dropped in 10 of his
game-high 25 points in the -
nal quarter, prize-rookie Jabari
Parker had 11 with 10 rebounds
in his home-debut, and the
Bucks held the visiting Sixers
93-81 scoreless for the nal eight
minutes 21 seconds to give Jason
Kidd his rst win coaching win
in Milwaukee.
NBA
The great thing about this league is that you get an opportunity the next night to redeem yourself
DPA
Los Angeles
Chicago Bulls forward Pau Gasol shoots over Cleveland Cavaliers forward Tristan Thompson during the second half at the United Center on Friday. Cleveland won 114-108 in overtime.
Results
Memphis ............. 97 Indiana ..................... 89
Cleveland ............114 Chicago ................. 108
Milwaukee .......... 93 Philadelphia .......... 81
Phoenix .................94 San Antonio ........ 89
Sacramento ....103 Portland ...................94
LA Clippers........118 LA Lakers ................ 111
T
he San Francisco Giants
on Friday brought home
their third World Series
trophy in ve years to
elated fans that lined a two-mile
(3-km) parade route along the
citys Market Street.
Revellers ignored an intermit-
tent rain to salute the Giants,
who defeated the Kansas City
Royals with a heart-stopping
3-2 victory on Wednesday in a
winner-take-all Game Seven.
This is the best moment of
our lives and our baseball ca-
reers, World Series Most Valu-
able Player Madison Bumgarner
told a crowd of thousands gath-
ered in front of City Hall.
In spring training, we have
one goal, and thats to win an-
other championship. And here
we are with our third one in ve
years. Thats pretty amazing.
Like theyve been saying, this is
a dynasty.
A lanky, left-handed pitcher,
Bumgarner was stellar in the
World Series, limiting the Roy-
als to just one run in 21 innings.
He won two games and saved the
nale.
The Giants, who also won the
title in 2010 and 2012, defeated
the Royals on Wednesday in
Kansas City, the rst time a team
has won a World Series Game
Seven on the road since 1979.
Last year the Giants nished
76-86 and out of the playofs.
Catcher Buster Posey remind-
ed the crowd of the end of the
2013 season when Giants players
came onto the eld after the -
nal game and promised that they
would be fueled by the failure.
And the cool thing was, you
guys believed us, he said. And
we believed that we could get
back here. Because of that belief,
because of you guys packing out
the ballpark every night, bring-
ing your energy, your passion,
this is the product.
The Giants rst order of busi-
ness in the of-season will be
to re-sign third baseman Pa-
blo Sandoval, a clubhouse leader
who hit .429 in the World Series.
Friday, however, was all about
enjoying the moment.
Feeling good about a team is
all about howmuch love you put
into it, Giants fan Seth Miller
said. This year the Giants hap-
pened to give a lot back.
Giants fans brave the rain to
honour their World Series heroes
BASEBALL
Reuters
San Francisco
The San Francisco Giants pose with their three World Series trophies in front of City Hall after the World
Series Parade in San Francisco on Friday. The Giants have won the series in 2010, 2012, and 2014.
Thompson lifs
Ducks over Stars 2-1
C
orey Perry scored his
league-leading 10th
goal and set up Nate
Thompsons tally
2:30 into overtime as visiting
Anaheim continued to uster
Dallas on Friday.
In overtime, Perry un-
leashed a blast from above
the left circle that Thompson
deftly deected past Kari Le-
htonen for his rst goal of the
season.
Frederik Andersen nished
with 21 saves for the Ducks,
who eliminated the Stars in
six games during last seasons
rst-round series.
Antoine Roussel scored
with 5:27 remaining in the
third period and Lehtonen
turned aside 22 shots to fall
to 4-0-4 this season for the
Stars, who sufered their third
straight loss.
Dallas forged a 1-1 tie as de-
fenseman Trevor Daley made
a sharp backdoor feed from
along the right-wing boards
near the right circle to Rous-
sel, who shovelled the puck
home.
Perry drew rst blood with
the teams skating 4-on-4,
breezing up the right wing and
unleashing a blast from the
circle that beat Lehtonen.
Elsewhere, right winger
Daniel Winnik and center Phil
Kessel each had a goal and two
assists, leading Toronto to an
almost efortless win at Co-
lumbus.
Center Nazim Kadri
added a goal and an assist,
while right winger David
Clarkson added a goal for
Toronto and goaltender
Jonathan Bernier finished
with 28 saves.
Columbus goal was scored
by right winger CamAtkinson
and goaltender Curtis McEl-
hinney had 23 saves.
Winger Gustav Nyquist and
center Pavel Datsyuk had two
goals and an assist each as the
Detroit Red Wings beat the
Los Angeles Kings 5-2 at Joe
Louis Arena.
NHL
AFP
Toronto
Results
Toronto 4 Columbus 1
Detroit 5 Los Angeles 2
Anaheim 2 Dallas 1
Calgary 4 Nashville 3
SPORT
Gulf Times
Qatar team fnish fourth in
Aspire International relay
By Sports Reporter
Doha
A
spire Zone successfully
hosted the Aspire In-
ternational 6:50 Race
yesterday with the
worlds top ultramarathon run-
ners competing for the 10th IAU
50kmWorld Trophy Final.
During the event, Aspire Zone
held a number of facilities on site
at the Athletes Village including
massages and rst aid. There was
also a corner for family mem-
bers who cheered on the runners
which resembled an authentic
Arabic majlis, as well as camels
for people to take memorial pho-
tos with, all of which created a
fantastic atmosphere that was in
line with the local heritage.
An honouring ceremony was
held at The Torch yesterday
with senior of cials from As-
pire ZoneKhalid Abdullah al-
Sulaiteen, Aspire Zone CEO; Ali
al-Kubaisi, Aspire Zone COO;
Ali al-Fhaida, Aspire Logistics
Acting Director; in addition to
Nasser Abdulla al-Hajiri, Aspire
Zone Corporate Communica-
tions Manager; Philip Templar,
Aspire Venues and Events Direc-
tor; Abdulla al-Khater, Aspire
Logistics Events Manager; Dirk
Strumane, President of the In-
ternational Association of Ul-
trarunners (IAU); NadeemKhan,
IAU Director of Communica-
tionsbesides elite runners and
distinguished guests all in at-
tendance to announce and award
the winners with their medals.
During the honouring cer-
emony, the following runners
were recognised for their out-
standing achievements: 6:50
Race Male, Collen Makaza with
a time of 3:00:41; 6:50 Race Fe-
male, Emily Harrison with a
time of 3:32:30; Open Race Male,
Marco Lambardi; Open Race Fe-
male, Sarah Whittington; Open
Race Male under-40, Christo-
pher Sparshott; Open Race Fe-
male under-40, Tuedon Morgan;
Open Race Male 40+, Simon
Firth; Open Race Female 40+,
Rita Whelan; Open Race Male
50+, Hugh Hunter; and Open
Race Female 50+, Rita Whelan.
The winners in the remain-
ing categories were: the Moroc-
can team which won the Relay
Race, while the Qatari team, Al
Adaam, placed fourth in the Re-
lay Race, in what is an amazing
achievement as it is the rst time
that they have participated.
Further, Justin Walker
emerged as the GCC champion
(male) with a time of 4:27:18,
while Sarah Whittington with a
time of 4:24:18 was declared the
female GCCchampion.
Khalid Abdullah al-Sulaiteen,
Aspire Zone CEO, said: I would
like to extend my deepest grati-
tude to the IAU and all related
parties for not only choosing
Aspire Zone to host such a highly
ranked event, but for awarding
Aspire Zone the upcoming three
world championships until 2017.
I would like also to congratu-
late all of the winners fromall of
the diferent categories. And a
special thank you to the Qatari
relay team for their fourth place
nish which is a great accom-
plishment as it is the rst time
they were participating in such a
competition.
Dirk Strumane thanked the
Aspire Zone team in his speech
for their impressive commit-
ment in pulling together the
event as well as their excellent
organization. Strumane extend-
ed his congratulations to all of
the professional runners as well
as the local participants who
were able to nd themselves a
place among the winners.
Aspire Zone marked the suc-
cessful conclusion of the 6:50
Race and the IAU 50km World
Trophy Final with the an-
nouncement it has beenawarded
host venue for the newly-for-
matted 50kmWorld Champion-
ships for the next three years.
Aspire Zone continues to
organise international sports
events as it actively promotes a
healthy lifestyle for the whole
community. Further, Aspire
Zone is proud to announce that
its next event will be the 100km
World Championship which will
take place on November 21 and
is tipped to once again draw the
worlds top ultramarathon run-
ners to the State of Qatar.
ULTRA MARATHON
A special thank you to the Qatari relay
team for their fourth place finish which is a
great accomplishment as it is the first time
they were participated in this competition
Aspire Zone CEO Khalid Abdullah al-Sulaiteen with winners of the various category races at the prize giving function at Torch Hotel yesterday.
Action from the friendly football match between Philippines and Nepal played at the Al Arabi Stadium
on Friday evening. For Philippines, Younghusband and Simon Greatwich were the scorers.
Philippines blank Nepal 3-0 in friendly
SPORT
9
Gulf Times
T
he Maori All Blacks
showed scant regard for
Japans recent hot streak
by pulverising the home
side 61-21 in a friendly interna-
tional yesterday.
A run of 10 successive Test
victories had propelled Ja-
pans Brave Blossoms into the
worlds top 10 for the rst time
but they ofered little resistance
to the visitors, who entertained
a crowd of 21,000 with a tra-
ditional Maori haka before the
game in Kobe.
The Maoris exploded fromthe
blocks, smashing into tackles
andforcing numerous turnovers,
running in eight tries in a one-
sided encounter.
Ihaia West recovered from
some early kicking problems to
nish with 26 points, while Jas-
on Emery touched down for two
tries.
At 25-0 a cricket score looked
in the of ng until a strong rolling
maul earned Japan a penalty try
to briey stop the rot.
Japan coach Eddie Jones made
wholesale changes to the team
which beat Six Nations side Italy
in June, with several rst-choice
players unavailable.
But the Japanese were stunned
by their hulking opponents, who
had too much power and guile,
cruising to a 35-7 halftime lead.
Theres no loss in pride in
losing to a better side,Jones told
reporters after his sides batter-
ing. We learnt more today than
in our previous 10 games.
The prospect of a Super Rug-
by franchise coming to Japan
for the 2016 season, currently
under discussion by organis-
ers SANZAR, is one the former
Australia coach admits could be
crucial for the future of Japa-
nese rugby.
Thats why the potential of
getting a Super Rugby side is
so important to Japan, added
Jones. We need our top 30
players to play at a higher level
of rugby every week. When a
side is giving away that advan-
tage in physicality you cant af-
ford to be inconsistent in your
skills, and thats what we were
today.
Maori coach Colin Cooper
paid tribute to his players after
stretching their own winning
streak to 17 matches.
Japanhadto chase the game,
he said. When you do that you
have to take risks and some of
the tries we scored today were
quite soft.
The two teams meet again in
Tokyo next weekend.
Japan foored 61-21 by Maori All Blacks
FRIENDLY INTERNATIONAL
AFP
Kobe, Japan
AustraliaUnion
wantedtoripup
Bealecontract:
chairman
SYDNEY: Kurtley Beales con-
tract should have been torn
up after he sent an ofensive
text to an oficial before an
independent disciplinary
process took the matter
out of the Australian Rugby
Unions hands, said the ARUs
chairman.
Beale was fined A$45,000
(US$39,595) after the hearing
last week for sending the text
to the Wallabies business
manager Di Patston in June,
though a second message
deemed more ofensive by
the ARU was not proved to
have been sent fromthe
players phone.
Kurtley sent the first text,
ARU chairman Michael
Hawker was quoted as saying
by News Limited newspapers
yesterday.
We felt the first text was
inappropriate behaviour by
an employee of the organisa-
tion and irrespective of what
the second text said, the first
text in our viewwas a war-
rant for us to basically say in
our view, we should have his
contract torn up.
All that information went to
the tribunal (who) came out
with a finding, which was a
fine and not tearing the con-
tract up, and we have abided
by that.
We went through a process.
We took it to an independent
tribunal and we are required
under that agreement, and
we will honour that agree-
ment, that we will keep himin
the game.
The 25-year-old Beale was
fined an additional $3,000
on Friday for an in-flight row
last month with Patston over
a t-shirt.
CONDUCTHEARING
It was an investigation
into that bustup on a flight
to South America from
Africa that showed up the
text messages that sparked
last weeks code of conduct
hearing.
The scandal has plunged
Australian rugby into crisis
and seen Patston and Wal-
labies coach Ewen McKenzie
quit their jobs while chief
executive Bill Pulver has
been heavily criticised for his
handling of the situation.
Hawker said the board stood
by Pulver and that he had
handled the investigation
according to the process set
out by the ARU.
Australia begin Cheikas
reign with thrilling win
M
ichael Cheikas
reign as Australia
coach started with
a win but the Wal-
labies were pushed all the way
before seeing of the spirited,
never-say-die Barbarians 40-
36 at Twickenhamyesterday.
Australia ran in six tries in a
highly entertaining, stamina-
sapping and exciting Killick
Cup clash to eventually over-
whelm their rivals, who battled
all the way to the very endinthis
non-cap international.
Cheika was summoned from
New South Wales after Ewen
McKenzie resigned on October
18, following the nailbiting 29-
28 loss to world champions New
Zealand as part of the fall-out
fromthe Kurtley Beale text pic-
ture scandal.
The new coach is sure to de-
mand a lot more from his play-
ers during the rest of their No-
vember tour of Europe, which
continues with a full interna-
tional against Walesa 2015
World Cup pool opponentin
Cardif next weekend.
A feast of attacking, exciting
rugby thrilled the 53,000-plus
fans at Twickenham, the venue
for next years World Cup Final,
with Sam Carter, Benn Rob-
inson, Tevita Kuridrani, Rob
Horne, Bernard Foley and Sean
McMahon scoring tries for the
Wallabies.
Frank Halai, AdamThomson,
Francis Saili, Nick Cummins
and Marnitz Boshof crossed
for the BaaBaas, who were more
than a match for their oppo-
nents in terms of skill, air and
stamina.
At least it gave the tourists
the chance to forget the dark
cloud which had been hovering
over their preparations for this
match in the shape of the Beale
scandal.
Coached by All Blacks legend
John Kirwan, the Barbarians
went head-to-head straight
from the kick of with the Wal-
labies, who stuttered to a 14-12
half-time lead after missing
several tackles against the invi-
tational side.
Scrum-half Tomas Cubelli
tried to catch the Wallabies of
their guard with an audacious
penalty six yards fromthe line.
Standing with his back to the
gold jerseys, he chipped the ball
back over his head for his team-
mates to try and catch behind
the Aussie line.
Two jumped for it, y-half
Colin Slade and prop Angus
Taavao, but neither could grasp
the ball as it fell to the ground.
First bloodto the Barbarians -
It was the Barbarians who
tasted rst blood with a ne
opening try straight from their
attacking handbook, mov-
ing the ball from left to right to
anker Matt Todd.
The Kiwi shifted it to Tongan
wing Halai who nished of the
move, cutting inside to cross the
line.
It merely awoke the Wallabies
who, having nally gained some
momentum, ball and pressure
themselves, replied with their
own close-range try from sec-
ond rowCarter.
Flanker Thomson dived over
in the left-hand corner for the
Barbarians second try only for
loose-head prop Robinson to
burrowhis way across.
Kuridrani then burst through
for his try, with the Fijian yer
showing tremendous pace.
Saili retaliated for the Bar-
barians, beating Israel Folau in a
race for the ball.
Slade, whose last-gasp kick
saw Australia beaten in Bris-
bane, edged the Barbarians in
front with a penalty but not for
long as Horne raced over in the
left-hand corner.
Replacements Foley and Mc-
Mahon strolled over for two
more Wallaby tries as their op-
ponents began to run of steam
and the tourists running skill
and class told.
There was still time, however,
for a late Barbarians ghtback
thanks to the lively Cummins,
playing against his own compa-
triots.
The Australia wing had his
own blonde curly-wigged fan
club in the seats celebrating as
he darted over with ve minutes
to go for his try.
He also made a superb weav-
ing run passed Wallaby tacklers
to set replacement Boshof free
to run over for the nal try be-
fore Cheikas men clung on to
victory.
RUGBY
Australia ran in six tries in a highly entertaining, stamina-sapping and exciting Killick Cup clash
AFP
London
H
older Ryan Moore and
fellow American Kevin
Na carded ve-under-
par 67s to grab a one-
stroke lead after the third round
of the CIMB Classic at the Kuala
Lumpur Golf and Country Club
yesterday.
Moore, who won the title
last year after a Monday playof
against Gary Woodland, mixed
seven birdies with two bogies,
for a total of 12-under 204 in
the $7mn tournament, co-sanc-
tioned by the PGA and Asian
Tour.
Korean-born Na, a former
Asian Tour Rookie of the Year,
joined him at the top of the lea-
derboard with ve birdies.
World number four Sergio
Garcia, the highest-rankedplay-
er in the eld, red a 68 to share
third spot with overnight leader
Billy Hurley III (71), a stroke be-
hind the leaders.
With three more Ameri-
cans, including Woodland, and
South Koreas Bae Sang-moon,
a three-time Asian Tour winner
and double PGATour champion,
lying fth at nine-under 207,
Moore knows he faces another
close nish on Sunday.
Ive just been able to play
good, solid, consistent golf so
far, just putting it on the fairway,
giving myself chances and Ive
been fortunate enough to make
some putts, the 31-year-old
Moore said. So in the end thats
why Imhere.
You know, Ive been here,
Ive done it on this course, and
so that should just give me that
little extra going into tomorrow.
I know what its like to win
out here and Imgoing to try and
make that happen again.
Na, 31, won his maiden pro-
fessional title with the Asian
Tour in Malaysia in 2002 and
with Saturdays only bogey-free
card in the eld he has a chance
to win his second PGAtitle.
Its always nice to play bo-
gey free, and I thought if I shot
67, somewhere around in there,
Id be very close to the lead, Na
said, recalling his last Malaysia
win as a teenager.
I remember my dad was cad-
dying... I was just a kid, made
the turn and looked at the lea-
derboard and I was like, man, I
looked at my dad and I was like,
Ive got a chance to win this
tournament, and birdied 10, 11,
12 and 13 and had a two-shot
lead.
It wasnt the easiest last two
holes coming in but I hung in
there. I remember it like it was
yesterday.
Former world number one Lee
Westwood started brightly with
three birdies from his rst ve
holes but ve bogeys saw him
sign for a 74 to stand tied 18th,
seven shots of the lead.
Donaldson fires 62 but Levy
wont break
Ryder Cup hero Jamie Don-
aldson red a stunning 10-un-
der par 62 in the third round of
the BMW Masters in Shanghai
yesterday but still found himself
four shots behind runaway lead-
er Alexander Levy.
The Frenchman dominated
for a third day, returning a nine-
under card of 63 to follow his
65 and 66 in the opening two
rounds to stand at 22 under par
with 18 holes left Sunday in the
$7mn European Tour agship
event.
Germanys Marcel Siem
movedinto thirdonhis ownafter
a 65, but is ve back from Levy
on 17 under.
Another Ryder Cup star Justin
Rose is two shots further away
on15-under eventhough he red
in a sublime eight-under 64
which he reckoned could have
been ve shots better.
I missed about ve putts in-
side eight feet, he told AFP.
Donaldson, who started the
day ve adrift of Levy, equalled
his own course-record 62 set
here at Lake Malaren two years
ago, though Saturdays efort
will not enter the record books
as it was played under the pre-
ferred lies wet weather rule.
The Welshmanplayedthe shot
of the day at the par-four 16th,
spinning his approach shot back
into the cup for an eagle two.
I had 142 yards to the ag,
slightly uphill into the wind
which was a soft nine-iron and
it came of spot on, he told re-
porters.
Its quite a narrow entrance
into that green fromwhere I was.
But pitched perfect and obvi-
ously its a bonus to see it go in.
It capped a remarkable back
nine of 30 to add to his 32 out-
ward half.
The soft conditions after
three days of rain, little wind
and the ability to lift, clean
and place balls on the fairways
has turned this years opening
event in the European Tours
big-money Final Series into
a big-hitters shoot-out. And
Levy is clearly loving the con-
ditions.
Park keeps solelead at
Taiwan LPGA
World number one Park In-
Bee of South Korea carded a
three-under 69 to retain her sole
lead after the third round of the
Fubon LPGATaiwan Champion-
ship in Taipei yesterday.
Park held a four-shot lead go-
ing into the nal round after n-
ishing the day with four birdies,
three bogeys and a key eagle on
the par-5 12th at the Miramar
Golf Country Club.
She described the windy condi-
tions as tougher than those ear-
lier in the $2mn tournament, hav-
ing red a stunning 10-under-par
to take the sole lead after the sec-
ondround.It was quiteadiferent
situationwiththewind,Parksaid.
It was tough to stop the ball
on the green. We have quite
tough holes out there but I think
I managed myself, she added.
World number two Stacy
Lewis of the US scored the low
round of the day with a 64 to tie
in second place with Feng Shan-
shan for a three-day total of
17-under 199.
Moore, Kevin Na lead by one at CIMB Classic
GOLF ROUND-UP
AFP
Kuala Lumpur
Kevin Na of the US gestures as he lines up a putt on the seventh hole
during the third round of the 2014 CIMB Classic at the Kuala Lumpur
Golf and Country Club in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.
Australias lock Sam Carter (centre) scores a try during the Autumn Test against the Barbarians at Twickenham Stadium, London yesterday.
Djokovic stays on
course to retain title
Reuters
Paris
W
orld number one
Novak Djokovic
took a further step
towards becom-
ing the rst player to retain his
Paris Masters title when he
saw of Japanese sixth seed Kei
Nishikori 6-2 6-3 yesterday to
set up a nal with Milos Raonic.
Canadianseventh seed Raon-
ic earlier qualied for todays
showpiece match, his second
at Masters level, by downing
Czech fth seed Tomas Berdych
6-3 3-6 7-5.
The nal tomorrow, its just
about really buckling down,
hoping to play another great
match, and making the most
of the opportunity ahead, said
Raonic. Serbian Djokovic, who
is ona 26-match winning streak
indoors, was never threatened
by Nishikori, who beat him at
the U.S. Open but lacked energy
after battling for almost three
hours until late with David Fer-
rer in the last eight on Friday.
Djokovic extended his advan-
tage over Roger Federer in the
battle for the year-end number
one spot to 910 points.
He raced to a 4-1 lead and
never looked back, appearing
efortlessly to send his oppo-
nent chasing the ball to every
corner of the court.
Following an early exchange
of breaks, Djokovic stole
Nishikoris serve again in the
sixth game of the second set and
it proved enough.
On a surface that keeps
changing over the years, no
player has retained their title
at Bercy in a tournament held
near the end of an energy-sap-
ping season. It will be followed
from Nov. 9-16 by the ATP
World Tour Finals in London,
for which Nishikori and Raonic
qualied on Friday.
IMPRESSIVE RAONIC
The big-serving Raonic, run-
ner-up at the Montreal Masters
last year, followed up his quar-
ter-nal defeat of second seed
Federer by beating Berdych, the
2005 Paris champion.
After ring down 21 aces
against Federer, Raonic had to
wait until the fth game to serve
his rst yesterday but by that
time he had already broken Ber-
dych for a 3-1 lead.
Although Berdych read his
serve pretty well, Raonic held
and bagged the opening set
when his opponents sliced
backhand sailed long.
Berdych, however, broke in
the second game of the second
set as Raonic netteda backhand,
before holding serve to level the
tie.
The third set was a much
more balanced afair until
Raonic set up the rst couple of
break points, which were also
match points.
He needed only one, wrap-
ping it up when Berdych netted
a backhand before smashing his
racket on the ground in frustra-
tion, having made four consec-
utive unforced errors, including
two straight double faults, in an
awful game.
I just totally messed it up
with the last game, said Ber-
dych. It was denitely the worst
game I ever played here in this
tournament this year.
Raonic added: In a very un-
characteristic way, he sort of
just gave me a big opening, and
I did good enough to make the
most of it.
PARISMASTERS
The final tomorrow, its just about really buckling down, hoping to play another great match
AFP
New York
G
eofrey Mutai will try to
become just the third
man to win the New
York City Marathon
three times in a rowtoday.
The last man to accomplish the
feat was Alberto Salazar in 1980,
81 and 82. Another American,
Bill Rodgers, won four straight
titles in New York immediately
before Salazars run, while Mu-
tais two wins to date came in2011
and 2013 with the 2012 edition
cancelled because of Hurricane
Sandy. Kenyas Mutai will be try-
ing to make it three-for-three
in New York, hoping to rebound
from a 2:08.18 at the London
marathon where he nished
sixth in a race won by Wilson
Kipsang.
The occasional training part-
ners will clash again, with Mutai
hoping to take advantage of Kip-
sangs inexperience on the New
York course to reassert himself
over a rival he has beaten in four
of their ve head-to-head meet-
ings. Kipsang was eclipsed as the
worlds fastest marathon runner
just a few weeks ago when Den-
nis Kimetto and Emmanuel Mu-
tai ran under Kipsangs previous
world record of 2:03:23 at the
Berlin Marathon.
The hilly, demanding course,
predicted windy weather and
lack of pace-setters make New
York unlikely to produce a world
mark. But Kipsang will hit the
streets of the Big Apple for the
rst time buoyed by the fact that
he has won his last two mara-
thon starts, in Berlin in 2013 and
in April, when he shattered the
London course record. With a
win in New York, Kipsang could
overtake Kimetto for the World
Marathon Majors series bonus of
$500,000 (400,000 euros).
Its not a big pressure for me
so much because many of the
guys, we are really racing togeth-
er, he said. So its just a matter
of running my own race and tar-
geting really to win.
Ethiopian contenders Lelisa
Desisa and Gebre Gebremariam
are also contenders. Desisa won
his marathon debut last year in
Dubai in just under 2:05, and
followed up with a 2013 Boston
Marathon win. Desisa dropped
out of this years Boston Mara-
thon at the 40-kilometer mark,
but won a half-marathon in Oc-
tober. Gebremariam, 31, won the
NewYork Marathon in 2010.
Reigning World and Olympic
marathon champion Stephen
Kiprotich, a 25-year-old Ugan-
dan, could also be a factor.
Kiprotich nished down in 12th
in last years NYC race. My
problem was speed, and I have
been working on it, Kiprotich
said. Americas best hope lies
withMebKeezighi, the 39-year-
oldwhowontheBostonMarathon
in April. It was an emotional vic-
tory for the naturalizedAmerican,
coming a year after the nish-line
bomb attacks left three dead and
264 injured in a rain of shrapnel.
People chanting USA, USA, Go
Meb, it was the moment of a life-
time, Keezighi said. America
neededme. I delivered.
Keitany makes marathon
return
Priscah Jeptoo, who won last
years race in 2:25:07, withdrew
fromthe her title defence in Oc-
tober with a leg injury she suf-
fered in the London Marathon.
That opened up a womens
eldfeaturing KenyanMary Kei-
tany and Ethiopias Buzunesh
Deba. Keitany, 32, hasnt par-
ticipated in a marathon since the
London Olympics and gave birth
to a baby girl in February.
What I can say is that my
body has done well in the 10K
and half marathon, she said.
On Sunday we will see if I am
t enough and if my body has
resumed back as it has for the 10
kilometre. Shell be challenging
for the course record of 2:22:31,
set by Margaret Okayo back in
2003. In the second of her Lon-
don Marathon wins in 2012, Kei-
tany clocked a blistering 2:18:37,
which was the fastest time since
Paula Radclife ran a sub-2:18
back in 2005. Deba was runner
up to Jeptoo last year in 2:25:56.
It was the second time in as
many years that Deba nished
second in NewYork, and she also
nished second in Boston this
year in 2:19:59.
Mutai seeks rare New York Marathon treble
SPOTLIGHT
SPORT
Gulf Times
Rested Federer targets London, Davis Cup fourish
FOCUS
Kenya under fre amid
Jeptoo doping scandal
Kenyas athletics bosses came in for fierce criticism yesterday after
it emerged Rita Jeptoo, currently the worlds leading female mara-
thon runner, tested positive in an out-of-competition anti-doping
test. A senior Athletics Kenya oficial, vice president Jackson Tuwei,
has revealed to AFP that Jeptoos A sample had contained traces of
the blood-boosting drug EPO, the same blood-boosting drug used
by Lance Armstrong to cheat his way to seven Tour de France wins.
The revelation has stunned Kenya, whose naturally gifted distance
runners are a major source of national pride, but has also left Athlet-
ics Kenya bosses facing renewed allegations of having ignored a
worsening problem. If Kenya wants to win back, or at least bufer
the loss of trust that is inevitable as a result of the Jeptoo test,
then it must immediately and without delay open the systemup to
independent international scrutiny, wrote Ross Tucker, a prominent
South African sports scientist. That means naming the coaches,
agents and support systems of Jeptoo, and fully exposing this
particular problem, said Tucker, who runs the influential sportss-
cientists.com website. Jeptoo, a three-times winner of the Boston
marathon and a two-time champion in Chicago, is also the biggest
name in Kenyan athletics ever to have been tested positive.
World Marathon Majors (WMM) organisers also said they were
postponing the awarding of this years $500,000 prize to 33-year-
old Jeptoo. She had been due to attend the NewYork marathon on
Sunday to collect the prize, the biggest payout in distance running.
Her last win, in Chicago in October, came weeks after the urine test
was carried outand secured her overall win of the WMM series,
which includes marathons in Berlin, Boston, Chicago, London,
New York and Tokyo. The credibility of Kenya is at stake, admit-
ted Barnaba Korir, Athletics Kenya Nairobi branch chairman and
Jeptoos former manager. He said Athletics Kenya, and especially its
veteran president Isaiah Kiplagat, has not been able to handle the
seriousness of the doping issue and have been taking it too lightly.
It was just a matter of time before a top athlete was found out and
Jeptoos case has confirmed these fears. They cannot sweep things
under the carpet, he said.
According to Athletics Kenya, Jeptoo has denied ever taking
performance-enhancing drugs. Her B sample has yet to be tested.
Kenya has been under pressure from the World Anti-Doping Agency
(WADA) to take action over doping after a string of positive test in
recent years. But a report from an independent task-force released
this year did not uncover any evidence of the use of the drugs
among top athletes, and insisted that the few reported cases were
aided and abetted by professional doctors, managers and agents.
Kenyan anti-doping task force chairman, Moni Wekesa, continued
to blame dishonest foreign agents and doctors for Jeptoos positive
test.
It did not come as a surprise at all. In our investigation we stated
clearly that our athletes are managed by foreign agents. It is these
agents who are giving the athletes these drugs, he said.
Athletics Kenya must put its house in order.
Tucker, however, said blaming outsiders is an utterly and totally
useless and irrelevant as a defence against doping.
The reality is that it doesnt matter howthe problemarrived. Its
there now, and its your athletes who are using it, he said, saying
it was nowup to Kenya to change the game or let it slide into the
abyss of cynicismthat is international sport.
Mary Keitany (L) and Geofrey Mutai (R) pose at Times Square in New York City. (AFP)
RITA JEPTOO
AFP
Paris
R
oger Federer be-
lieves his Paris Masters
quarter-nal exit will
have little efect on his
season-ending assault on the
World Tour Finals and a rst
Davis Cup title.
The 33-year-old, 17-time
Grand Slam winner is set to
lose ground on Novak Djokovic
in the race for the year-ending
world number one spot after his
straight sets loss to Milos Raon-
ic in the French capital.
But he believes the extra rest
he will gain after his Fridays
setback can work in his favour
ahead of the eight-man London
nale before he leads Switzer-
land against France in the Davis
Cup nal.
Imgoing to keep playing on
indoor courts (instead of clay,
the surface for the Davis Cup -
nal in Lille) for now. I mean, ob-
viously two days more rest is big
right now, said Federer, whose
14-match winning streak was
snapped by Raonic.
Imlooking forward to some
days of right now, really resting
my body to the max in a short
period of time.
I have plenty of days to get
ready for London, which is kind
of nice, as well. I can actually
properly practice for a change as
well again.
Federer is assured of his
place at the World Finals along
with Djokovic, Stan Wawrinka,
Marin Cilic, Andy Murray and
Tomas Berdych with two places
still up for grabs.
I feel good, I feel all right.
And now I have maybe nine
days of. This is something I like
to do, because I have been play-
ing a lot lately. So every time
Im of I can stay with my fam-
ily and I can decide when I go on
the court instead of the tourna-
ment, added the Swiss world
number two.
So I think I will be able to
manage that quite easily. Im
relieved because I have no inju-
ries and I have had no problems
of the sort.
With those two major goals
it would be a problem if I was
injured, but I dont have that. So
Imhappy.
Besides the Davis Cupa
tournament that Federer has
never wonthere is also the
battle with Djokovic for the
world number one spot.
However, Federers chances
of deposing the Serb were hit by
his loss on Friday just hours be-
fore Djokovic defeated Murray
to make the semi-nals in Paris.
I always thought it was go-
ing to get solved in London.
Whether I am No. 1 at the end
of this year or one or two weeks
later next year, it doesnt really
matter. Novak seems to be t,
anyway.
What this does is I will have
a good preparation for London.
Its not that I didnt want to win
here, but I knew it was going to
be tough fromthe start. I accept
that.
NovakDjokovic returns theball toKei Nishikori
of Japanduringhis semifnal matchat theBNP
Paribas 2014Masters inParis yesterday. (EPA)
POSTER
11
Gulf Times
New Zealand batting great | 5444 runs in 77 Test matches | 1985 Wisden Cricketer of the Year | Imaginative captain | MBE
Martin
Crowe

GULF TIMES
MOTORSPORT
It feels amazing to
start with MotoGP,
end with Superbike
ByMikhil Bhat
Losail
Q
atar Motor and Motorcycle
Federation (QMMF) president
Nasser Khalifa al-Attiyah is a
happy man.
It is a big achievement for us to start
the season with MotoGP and to end it
with World Superbike (WSBK). This is
an amazing moment for us, he told Gulf
Times yesterday.
The 2014 season of World Superbike
will conclude today at the 5.38km Losail
International Circuit (LIC), and what
adds the zing is that todays two races will
decide the champion.
Kawasaki Racing Teams Tom Sykes
leads the championship with a 12-point
advantage over Aprilias Sylvain Guintoli,
who is the only other rider with a shot at
the title.
The future of WSBK at Losail, howev-
er, is still not in black and white.
We are pushing hard to nalise an
agreement; we have MotoGP and we
want Superbike to be here.
World Superbike is very famous now.
Riders are very famous. It is of big value
for us. Good for our image. This year was
an exception and they gave us the nal
round and also the prize ceremony (on
Monday), the FIM vice president said.
We have hosted this race in the past
for ve years. I will surely come with
good news and one day we will announce
something big with a signature.
WSBKexecutive director Javier Alonso
added: I am sure we will nd a way to
continue in the future here. It is almost
a done deal but some things have to be
worked out.
Alonso also said that they have been
thinking about ending the season in Qa-
tar when the agreement is nalised. I am
sure we will be backnext year, more or less
at the same time as this year,he said.
What Losail adds to this years WSBK
season is a glitzy rst. Never before has a
WSBKrace been held under lights.
The circuit was built for motorcy-
cling. We thought it was very dif cult to
get oodlights here. We thought it was
impossible.
So having the possibility of World
Superbike racing in the night is fantas-
tic. The lights are amazing. I amsure the
riders are enjoying and when the riders
are enjoying, the show is much better,
Alonso said.
Losail International Circuit has been
around for more than a decade, and the
circuit management is developing it into
a hub of motorsports.
We now have a new project to build
of ces for the teams here, like chalets. We
have already built the motocross track
here. Now, we are on our way to build a
karting track. So there are many projects
coming up, al-Attiyah said.
The karting track, the LIC general
manager said, was expected to be com-
pleted by the end of 2015.
As far as getting some top notch four-
wheel racing is concerned, the FIA vice
president, without revealing details, said
that a fewannouncements couldbe made
at the FIA Gala and Award Ceremony,
which is to be hostedinDoha next month.
We are preparing a few surprises, he
said.
On the FIM side, elections are due and
al-Attiyah said that he will be supporting
the incumbent Vito Ippolito.
The Venezuelan, who is in Doha for the
nal round and Mondays award ceremo-
ny, is nearing the end of his second term
as the president. I am going to run for
the position of vice president only. But
for sure I will be supporting the current
president Vito Ippolito, he said.
WORLDSUPERBIKEFINALE
QMMF chief al-Attiyah says he wants MotoGP and Superbike at Losail on regular basis
ByJoeKoraith
Doha
M
ashel al-Naimi
claimed the rst
honours of this rac-
ing weekend at the
Losail International Circuit with
a last-lap overtake to win Race 1
of Round 2 of the Qatar Super-
bike championship and the Qa-
tari rider believes this season is
looking up for him.
The 33-year-old is enjoying
a good start to the season, hav-
ing nished second in both races
in Round 1 and claiming his rst
victoryof this seasonyesterdayin
what was a perfectly timed race.
Al-Naimi had taken the pole
position but dropped to third
in the rst lap after compatriot
Nasser al-Malki and Austral-
ian Alex Cudlin, the defending
champion, overtook him.
But Al-Naimi was able to
overtake Cudlin in the fourth
lap, caught up with al-Malki by
the sixth lap and then played
the perfect waiting game for 11
laps before gunning the throttle,
overtaking al-Malki in the very
last lap to take top spot on the
podium.
"I am very happy. I thank my
team and my sponsors Oreedoo
for giving me a chance to ght
for the Qatar SBK champion-
ship," Al-Naimi told Gulf Times
after the race.
"At the start of the race I felt
my bike was slower than Alex
and Nasser. But I pushed hard
to stay in the front and then I
overtook Alex. By the middle of
the race I was the fastest rider
on the track and I caught up with
Nasser around the sixth lap and
thenI triedto stay behindNasser
until the last two laps and then
overtook him. My plan worked
well," he added, explaining his
strategy.
The Qatari rider is condent
that theresults sofar indicatethat
he has the bike to put in a strong
challenge for the title this year.
"Inboth theracesof rst round
I got the super pole and nished
second. And now I have this
win under my belt. That means
that we have a good bike for the
championship. And I hope we
can continue this momentum,"
was his condent take.
"I feel something diferent
this year. I feel I am riding bet-
ter than I have ever been. I feel
more motivated this time. I feel
more comfortable on the bike
and hope we can get a good re-
sult this year," added Al-Naimi.
With wins like this, Al-Naimi
is ying the ag high for Qatar
and he believes that now more
Qataris are joining the sport.
"There are many new rid-
ers from Qatar who are join-
ing this sport. They follow me
in training. I help them out and
they help me out too. We are
constantly battling each other
in training and that is making
the entire group better. We col-
lectively are looking to put on a
good showfor Qatar," he said.
In the Supersport category,
the rst place was for the Leba-
nese rider Mahmoud Tannir ,
whereas Jassim Al Thani from
Qatar came second and Nasser
Al Khadra from Kuwait ended
in third place. The Serbian rider
Manca Katrasnik was the winner
in the LARRS category.
Al-Naimi times it perfectly for seasons 1st win
SPOTLIGHT
Qatar's Abdul Aziz al-Kuwari (right) and his co-driver with their
trophies after winning the Oman International Rally in Muscat.
QMMF president Nasser
Khalifa al-Attiyah during a
group photo with WSBK and
FIM oficials yesterday
Agencies
Muscat
A
bdul Aziz al-Kuwari
scripted one of the
most memorablewins
in his career when he
clinched the Oman Interna-
tional Rally here yesterday.
On a day which didnt wit-
ness any major upsets, the
script went according to the
Qatari drivers plan. Having
nished the penultimate day
(Friday) with a comfortable
lead of two minutes and 22.6
seconds, he kept his cool and
drove patiently onthe nal day
to maintain the advantage and
take home the title.
The strategy paid dividends
and he could keep his nearest
competitor, Sheikh Khalid al-
Qassimi of Abu Dhabi Racing
who emerged fastest in all the
ve stages of the day, at bay.
Al-Kuwari admitted that
he didnt take any risks in the
nal stages. I didnt want to
risk my title winning chances
by putting pressure on my ma-
chine. SoI drove without losing
my composure and everything
went according tomyplan. The
strategy worked well for me.
It is a fantastic feeling to
win the Oman International
Rally (OIR), and the win will
boost my teams morale as we
prepare for the next rounds of
the Middle East Rally Cham-
pionship (MERC), added the
champion.
Hailing the challenging
stages, he said OIR should nd
a place in the MERC. The
stages had all the ingredients
to test the skills of drivers. It
is an ideal venue to host the
MERC, he said.
Though he missed the win-
ners trophy, al-Qassimi had
a remarkable outing as he
threatenedthe eventual cham-
pion in all the Special Stages,
which helped him reduce the
margin to just one minute and
28.1 seconds.
I was on the verge of quit-
ting the rally onthe secondday,
thanks to a broken driveshaft.
Somehow, I managed to con-
tinue and the second-place
nish is a big achievement. I
wonall theSpecial Stages today
andslashedthe marginconsid-
erably,al-Qassimi said.
The seasoned rally driver
also praised the younger mem-
bers of Abu Dhabi Racing for
their consistent show. All
of them did really well in the
trickycircuit. We will carrythis
momentumrallies,he said.
Sheikh Abdulla al-Qassimi
of Al Qassimi Racing Team
came third, nishing 8 min-
utes and 04.5 seconds behind
the leader.
We couldnt produce the
best result as the track gave us
a lot of trouble, said the vet-
eran rally driver from the UAE,
whosenavigator CatherineDer-
ousseaux was the lone woman
driver inthe competition.
Saif al-Harthy and his co-
driver SAif al-Hinai, who
drove a Mitsubishi Evo X, won
the honours for the best Oma-
ni National Crew.
Meanwhile, defendingOman
Rally champion Khalid al-Maji
disappointed once again as he
couldnt start the nal day fol-
lowing an oil leak fromthe gear
box. After repairing the broken
axle of his car, which prevented
him from completing the rally
on Friday, expected to salvage
some pride with a decent show
on the concluding day. But
luck deserted him once again
en route to the seventh stage
that forcedhimto come back to
the service area. It is another
bad day in of ce for me for the
second consecutive day, said a
disappointed al-Manji.
Minister of Information Dr
Abdul Munimbin Mansour al-
Hasani and Minister of Sports
Afairs Saad bin Mohammed
al-Saadi presented the awards
at the concluding ceremony.
Memorable win
for al-Kuwari
in Oman Rally
RALLYING
VROOM... Qatar's Mashel al-Naimi (95) leads the pack after starting frompole in the Qatar Superbike championship at the Losail circuit yesterday.

Daily Newspaper - 2014 - 11 - 02 - 000000

Enviado por

Dados do documento

Descrição original:

Título original

Direitos autorais

Formatos disponíveis

Compartilhar este documento

Compartilhar ou incorporar documento

Opções de compartilhamento

Você considera este documento útil?

Este conteúdo é inapropriado?

Direitos autorais:

Formatos disponíveis

Daily Newspaper - 2014 - 11 - 02 - 000000

Enviado por

Direitos autorais:

Formatos disponíveis

SUNDAY Vol. XXXV No.

Você também pode gostar