SUNDAY Vol. XXXV No.

9396
June 22, 2014
Shabaan 24, 1435 AH

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QNB extending global
reach for its customers
BUSINESS | Page 1
SPORT | Page 10
In brief
QATAR | Meeting
Israeli violations in
Al Quds discussed
Representatives of Arab and
Muslim countries met yesterday
on the sidelines of the 38th session
of the World Heritage Committee,
which is taking place in Doha
under the chair of HE Sheikha
al-Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa
al-Thani, the Chairperson of Qatar
Museums, to discuss the violations
of the Israeli occupation against
Al Quds and Al Aqsa mosque. The
meeting discussed an initiative by
the Organisation for Islamic Co-
operation (OIC) and Arab League
Educational, Cultural and Scientific
Organisation (Alecso) to discuss
Al Quds issue during Unesco
meeting since the Israeli violations
afects the citys heritage, as well
as Israeli eforts to judaise the city
by presenting inaccurate reports
to Unesco oficials. They also
addressed Israels refusal to respect
UN and Unesco resolutions with
regards to Al Quds.
ARAB WORLD | Confict
Insurgents seize three
towns in western Iraq
Islamist-led insurgents have
seized three towns in western Iraq,
expanding their territorial gains
in the restive area, Iraqi media
reported yesterday. Fighters from
the jihadist Islamic State in Iraq
and the Levant (ISIL) took control
of the towns of Ana and Rawa in
the mostly Sunni western province
of Anbar, independent Alsumaria
TV reported, citing an unnamed
security oficial. The insurgents
advanced into both towns after
government forces abandoned
their posts, according to the report.
Page 10
SOUTH KOREA | Defence
Soldier opens fre on
comrades, killing fve
A South Korean soldier went on a
shooting spree on Saturday night at
a post near the North Korean border,
killing five comrades and wounding
seven, the Yonhap News Agency
reported, citing the army. The army
was searching for the perpetrator,
who ran of after the attack at the
border town of Goseong. He was
still armed with a rifle and had about
60 rounds of ammunition and a
grenade with him. Page 17
Fit and
eager
to
give it a
go again
QATAR
REGION
ARAB WORLD
INTERNATIONAL
COMMENT
BUSINESS
CLASSIFIED
SPORTS
28, 29
1 7, 17 20
6 16
1 12
2 9, 31, 32
10
11, 12
14 25
INDEX
TodaysWorldCupmatches
Group H
Belgium vs Russia, 7pm
South Korea vs Algeria, 10pm
Group G
USA vs Portugal, 1am(Monday)
Qatar to benet from robust global LNG demand
R
obust global demand is likely to
keep LNG prices high over the
next few years, which a new re-
port says will continue to support Qa-
tars large current account surpluses.
Demand is growing both as a re-
sult of strong Asian economic growth
and the switch to cleaner energy, par-
ticularly in China. This trend is likely
to continue, notwithstanding the so-
called US shale gas revolution and the
coming into operations of the $400bn
Russia-China gas pipeline signed in
May 21, QNB has said in a report.
Overall, the future of the LNG market
remains bright and is likely to result in
highLNGpricesfor yearstocome, it said.
According to QNB the LNG mar-
ket continued to tighten in 2013. Glo-
bal LNG deliveries were an estimated
240mn tonnesbroadly at compared
with 2012.
Qatar continued to be the largest
LNG exporter, with about one third of
global supply. At the same time, de-
mand from Asia and Latin America
rose, with China, South Korea and
Mexico registering the largest increase
in LNG demand.
In particular, China brought three
newre-gasication terminals online as
its switch from coal to LNG as a cleaner
fuel for electricity production contin-
ued. This tightening of the market re-
sulted in an average $1 increase in LNG
prices per million British thermal units
(mBtu), despite Brent crude oil prices
falling $4.5 a barrel and lower LNG de-
mand fromEurope.
The outlook for the LNG market is
likely to continue along similar trends
in 2014.
On the supply side, three new LNG
trains in Algeria, Australia and Papua
New Guinea are expected to come on-
stream in 2014. This is likely to add
about 10mn tonnes to global LNG pro-
ductiona 4.2%increase.
On the demand side, continued
growth in Asian demand and the need
for Europe to diversify away fromRus-
sian pipeline gas may outpace the in-
creased supply, leading to a small in-
crease in LNG prices of about $0.5 for
a mBtu despite the expected decline
in Brent crude oil prices. The ongoing
violence in Iraq and Syria could, how-
ever, result in higher-than-expected
LNG and crude oil prices in the second
half of 2014.
Over the medium term, QNB said
global LNG exports are unlikely to meet
the growing global demand, leading to
higher LNG prices. On the supply side,
the gradual ramp up in production in
Australia (60mn tonnes over the next
six years) and Papua New Guinea (7mn
later this decade) is likely to result in
global LNG exports reaching 300mn
tonnes by 2020a 3.8% compounded
annual growth rate (CAGR).
Additional exports are unlikely to
materialise before then. In particu-
lar, the so-called shale-gas revolution
in the United States is not expected to
materialise in additional LNG exports
before 2020 as this would imply a con-
vergence of US domestic gas prices
(Henry Hub) to international LNG
prices, something current and future
US administrations are likely to resist.
Moreover, the recently-signed
agreement for Russia to provide 38bn
cubic feet a year of pipeline gas over the
next 30 years to China is likely to imply
a displacement of gas supplies from
Europe to Asia, thus pushing up prices
in Europe while reducing prices in Asia.
While this is likely to bring about con-
vergence in global LNG prices, it will
not change the aggregate global gas
supply.
On the demand side, two factors are
likely to make global demand continue
to outpace global supply. First, energy
demand in Asia is expected to remain
robust, even after taking into account a
slowdown in Chinese growth.
Countries like China, India, Indo-
nesia, Malaysia, Pakistan and Thailand
have just started to rely on LNG sup-
plies for their energy needs and this
trend is likely to growover the next few
years. Second, Chinas rising pollution
will mandate a switch away from coal
to cleaner energy sources, particularly
LNG and pipeline gas.
These two factors, QNB said are ex-
pected to lead to global LNG demand
growing steadily by 5-7% a year up to
2020, thus outpacing global supply.
Overall, robust LNG demand is
likely to outpace global supply up to
2020. This is likely to imply higher LNG
prices as demand from Asia remains
robust. As the largest exporter in the
world, Qatar is likely to benet from
higher LNG prices, resulting in large
current account surpluses for years to
come, QNB said.
Design of
Al Khor
Stadium
unveiled
W
alking through the desert,
nomads, wandering in the
extreme climate of the Arab
region, often came across a welcome
sight, that of Bayt Al Shaar. The
black-and-white striped tent on the
horizon meant an invitation to enjoy
the hospitality of the tents owner,
whether known or not to the traveller.
Al Khor is about to get a majestic
Bayt Al Shaar of its own, one that will
invite football fans from near and far
to celebrate the beautiful game.
Brushing aside any questions that
may have been raised on the 2022
World Cup in recent past, Qatar is
surging ahead in its preparation for
the mega event, revealing the designs
for Al Bayt Stadium at Al Khor Sports
Club yesterday.
The 60,000-seat stadium, which
is a proposed semi-nal venue for
the 2022 World Cup, is the second
stadium, after the Al Wakrah Stadi-
um, which is being constructed from
scratch for the football extravaganza.
The stadium design is based on Bayt
Al Shaar, a black-and-white tent used
traditionally by nomadic people in
Qatar and the region.
The launch of Al Bayt Stadium
and precinct will honour Qatars past
while fully embracing the countrys
global future. The launch of the design
for our second proposed stadium for
the 2022 FIFA World Cup is another
milestone of progress, demonstrat-
ing our deep commitment to deliv-
ering an amazing experience in 2022
and beyond, Supreme Committee for
Delivery and Legacy (SC) secretary
general Hassan al-Thawadi said on the
occasion. The progress we have made
so far also conrms our deep com-
mitment to providing breathtaking
experience during the year 2022 and
beyond.
The rst lot of work on the stadium
has started with further lots to begin
by mid-July.
Aspire Zone Foundation president
Hilal al-Kuwari said, We have com-
mitted to deliver the stadium by the
end of 2018 and we will positively do
so.
Dar al-Handasa served as design
consultant for the stadium while Pro-
jacs serves as the project manager.
Adding on the design of the venue,
he said, Just as Bayt Al Shaar contin-
ues to remain central to family life in
Qatar today, the precinct surrounding
Al Bayt Stadium which will include
space for local businesses and restau-
rants as well as landscaped paths for
the community for exercise will be-
come a focal point of community life
long after the 2022 FIFA World Cup
has concluded.
The new stadium has a modular de-
sign, which includes an upper tier of
removable seats. After the World Cup,
the tier will be removed and the ca-
pacity of the stadium will be reduced
to 32,000 seats. In consultation with
FIFA and the global football commu-
nity, the removed seats will be recon-
gured and donated to other coun-
tries to leave a legacy for international
football development.
The facility will comply with the
Leadership in Energy and Environ-
mental Design (LEED) and Global Sus-
tainability Assessment System (GSAS)
ratings, and will use green building
materials and energy ef ciency meas-
ures. Renewable energy will also be
generated within the stadium and the
surrounding precinct.
A decision on the fate of the current
Al Khor stadium has not been taken
yet. In this regard, al-Thawadi said,
We are still studying the possible op-
tions. The future usage of the current
stadium will be decided upon consul-
tation with Al Khor Sports Club and
the community.
The stadium precinct will also
host two practice pitches apart from
a commercial centre and a branch of
Aspetar, the sports medicine hospital.
The commercial centre will be in-
strumental in the maintenance of the
facility nancially, al-Kuwari said.
Also present at the ceremony was
Minister of Justice, HE Dr Hassan
Lahdan Saqr al-Mohannadi.
Following yesterdays morning de-
sign-revealing ceremony, two majlises
were held at the Al Thakhira Youth
Club where local residents discussed
and debated the future vision for Al
Khor with representatives from the SC
and other local organisations. Page 32
Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy secretary general Hassan al-Thawadi, Aspire Zone Foundation president Hilal
al-Kuwari and other dignitaries look at the scaled model of Al Bayt Stadium and Precinct at Al Khor Sports Club yesterday.
PICTURE: Noushad Thekkayil
Reuters
Fortaleza, Brazil
G
ermany striker Miroslav Klose
came of the bench to score a
record-equalling 15th World
Cup goal and salvage a 2-2 draw
against Ghana in a pulsating Group G
game yesterday.
Klose, with his rst touch of the
game, poked home at the back post
from a corner in the 71st minute to
move level with former Brazil striker
Ronaldo.
Ghana,whotrailedtoMarioGoetzes
goal earlyafter the break, stormedback
to level through Andre Ayew and take
the lead when Asamoah Gyan lashed
home but Klose secured a point to
leave Germanytopof the grouponfour
points fromtwo games.
After a cautious, evenly-balanced
rst half, the match came alive in the
51st minute with Goezte putting the
Germansaheadwithadownwardhead-
er that came of his knee before beating
FatawuDauda inthe Ghanaiangoal.
But the Africans hit straight back,
Andre Ayew outleaping the towering
gureof Per Mertesacker intheGerman
defence toheadhis side level on54.
Nine minutes later, Ghana took the
lead with Gyan breaching the German
back line and ring a right foot shot
past goalkeeper Manuel Neuer.
Germany coach Joachim Loew
turned to experience, throwing on
Klose and Bastian Schweinsteiger
and it proved an inspired switch with
Klose netting the goal that keeps the
Germans in contention to reach the
second round for a remarkable 16th
consecutive World Cup.
Ghana sit third in the group on one
point with US (three points), playing
bottomside Portugal today.
This was the 800th match in the
history of the World Cup and was a
tting tribute to the tournament. See
also sports pages for World Cup
reports.
Germanys Klose salvages
2-2 draw against Ghana
Germanys Miroslav Klose celebrates after scoring against Ghana during their
2014 World Cup Group G soccer match at the Castelao arena in Fortaleza, Brazil
yesterday.
Thelaunchof thedesignfor
our secondproposedstadium
for the2022FIFAWorldCupis
another milestoneof progress,
demonstratingour deep
commitment todeliveringan
amazingexperience in2022
andbeyond
QATAR
Gulf Times
Sunday, June 22, 2014 2
J
oint inspection campaigns
conducted by the Ministry
of Municipality and Ur-
ban Planning and Ministry of
Economy and Commerce have
resulted in the detection of a
number of health and food ir-
regularities as well as violation
of trade licence norms, local
Arabic daily Arrayah has re-
ported.
Anumber of shops were found
preparing and selling food prod-
ucts and materials without the
proper licence or by violating the
provisions of the licence granted
to them, the report states.
The joint inspection cam-
paigns will continue to keep tabs
on markets, especially in the
holy month of Ramadan, as well
as to monitor food establish-
ments and shops.
The recent campaigns tar-
geted restaurants, shops and
cafeterias at a well-known city
mall in order to detect viola-
tions of Law No 3 of 1975 and
Law No 8 of 1990, according to
the report.
Food outlets found
outing licence norms
Members of Maersks Qatari Leadership Talent Pool during the leadership programme.
44 Qataris join Maersk
leadership programme
A
talent pool composed of
44 Qatari employees of
Maersk Oil Qatar have
participated in an extensive ca-
reer planning exercise as part of
the companys leadership pro-
gramme.
Maersks Qatari Leadership
Talent Pool (QLTP) met recently
for the development of person-
alised career plans for high-per-
forming employees.
Maersk Oil Qatar head of Qa-
tarisation Sheikh Jassin al-Thani
said Qatarisation is a core busi-
ness priority for the company.
We have doubled the number
of Qatari employees in the past
ve years and increased those
with a bachelors degree but we
are committed to attracting,
retaining, and developing even
more Qataris in the future. By
2017 we aim to quadruple the
number of Qataris in leadership
or senior specialist positions at
Maersk Oil Qatar, Sheikh Jassin
said.
Along with schemes like
the Qatari Development Pro-
gramme, which assists employ-
ees early in their careers, the
QLTP is a key pillar of Maersk
Oils revitalised Qatarisation
Strategy.
The QLTP assists employees
to full their potential through
coaching and mentoring and
helps dene a clear, perform-
ance-driven path for those who
consistently show potential for
career progression, Sheikh Jas-
simsaid.
Qatari employees are selected
for the QLTP based on a track
record of successful perform-
ance and an in-depth assess-
ment of their leadership poten-
tial.
Two consultants from Per-
cepti, an HR consultancy rm,
led the two-day QLTP work-
shops in Doha.
Percepti senior consultant
Anna-Elise Oosterhuis said: I
was impressed by howthe group
responded during the work-
shops. We discussed the values
of Maersk Oil Qatar as a compa-
ny and its expectations of lead-
ers. We focused on howthey can
take personal responsibility for
their development through skills
such as giving and receiving
feedback. It was pleasing to see
the groups positive response.
One of the participants in
the QLTP workshops was Ali
Ghareeb, a production chem-
ist at Maersk Oil Qatar, who
emphasised the importance of
planning.
Im not a leader in our com-
pany at the moment but these
sorts of workshops showus what
skills and attributes we need to
constantly improve. Its impor-
tant to plan so Im pleased that
Ill co-create a career plan with
my supervisors at Maersk Oil
Qatar, Ghareeb said.
Another participant, Tarek
Mansour, added: The workshop
has helped me identify diferent
personality types in the work-
place and it has given me the tools
to adjust my approach accord-
ingly. It also taught me a lot about
myself and how I can become a
better employee and hopefully a
senior leader in the future.
The QLTP is part of a wider
commitment from Maersk Oil
Qatar to attract, develop, and re-
tain Qatari leaders or specialists.
Recently the company launched
the second phase of a multi-me-
dia recruitment campaign. More
details can be found at www.
FindYourPlace.qa
The QLTP assists
employees to fulfl their
potential through coaching
and mentoring and helps
defne a clear, performance-
driven path for those who
consistently show potential
for career progression
Ooredoo
launches new
feature on
Mozaic Go
O
oredoo has announced
a new streaming fea-
ture that will enable
customers to watch the most
popular TV channels live on
their personal devices, wher-
ever they are in Qatar.
This service provides in-
stant access to breaking news
and key sports events as well
as a range of lms and TVpro-
grammes fromthe ever-grow-
ing Mozaic Go selection.
With this launch, custom-
ers can access 16 English and
Arabic language channels
including Sky News, Sky News
Arabia, Al Jazeera News Ara-
bic, EuroNews, TenCricket, Al
Kass TV, MBC, Zee TV, HLN,
BaraemTV and JeemTV via
WiFi, 4G or 3G networks. The
new service will work on iOS
devices only to begin with.
Waleed al-Sayed, COO of
Ooredoo Qatar, said: This is
the future of news and enter-
tainment in Qatar, delivered
directly to customers de-
vices live and uninterrupted
across the country. We are
particularly pleased to be
able to ofer this service at
the start of a busy summer
of sport, and in advance of
the holy month of Ramadan,
so that customers can follow
their programmes wherever
they are in Qatar.
The newlive streaming fea-
ture will allow Mozaic cus-
tomers to get instant access to
live content broadcast directly
to their device via the Mozaic
Go App. Due to a recent up-
grade, customers can also en-
joy a more intuitive navigation
system, alongside more pro-
gramme information.
Customers can access the
app via the Apple Store by
searching for Mozaic GO and
using their Mozaic TVaccount
number to log in. This number
can be found in the SystemIn-
formation screen on their Mo-
zaic receiver or by logging into
the Ooredoo Mobile App to
check their details under their
account.
Next Generation Mozaic TV
packages start fromQR250per
month and ofer access to the
Mozaic Go App, content in HD
picture quality, on-demand
features, including Pause and
Record Live TV, and a Catch-
up missed TVfacility.
We are particularly
pleased to be able to ofer
this service at the start of
a busy summer of sport,
and in advance of the
holymonthof Ramadan,
so that customers can
follow their programmes
wherever they are in
Qatar
QA begins service to Tokyo Haneda
Q
atar Airways touched
down at Tokyo Haneda
International Airport
for the rst time on June 18,
marking the airlines third des-
tination in Japan and 143rd glo-
bally.
The inaugural ight also
marked the rst time that a Qa-
tar Airways Boeing 787 Dream-
liner has operated to one of its
three destinations in Japan.
Qatar Airways has been operat-
ing to the Landof the Rising Sun
with routes to Osaka and Tokyo
Narita, since 2005 and 2010, re-
spectively.
A press conference held the
following day gave the local
media an opportunity to hear
Qatar Airways CEO Akbar al-
Baker speak about the airlines
expansion into Japan as well as
its overall growth plans.
Qatar Airways is thrilled
that we have further expanded
our operations to the dynamic
city of Tokyo. This new route
will provide our passengers,
both in Japan and throughout
the rest of our network, with
even more options and exibil-
ity whentravelling, whether it is
for business or leisure, he said.
Al-Baker, who was joined at
the head table by Qatar Airways
senior vice-president (Com-
mercial, East Asia &South West
Pacic) Woo Yew Seong and
Qatar Airways country manager
(Japan) Tomohiko Matsumoto,
added: We have enjoyed a very
strong relationship with Japan
since we began operating ights
to this culturally rich and beau-
tiful country in 2005.
Since then we have enjoyed
a steady growth, which allowed
us to expand our operations to
Tokyo Narita in 2010 and now
Tokyo Haneda. This bond is re-
ected in not just the presence
of our airline in Japan but also
in the trade, art and culture that
is shared between our two won-
derful countries.
The historic ight signalled
the start of a daily service to
Tokyo Haneda International
Airport, which joined the daily
ights already in operation to
Tokyo Narita International Air-
port. For passengers, this means
two dedicated ights to Japans
largest city on a daily basis.
The route, which is operated
by a Boeing 787 Dreamliner -
with 22 seats in Business Class
and 232 in Economy, will take
the number of Qatar Airways
ights to Japan up from14 to 21
frequencies each week.
With the new route, Qatar
Airways will serve travellers
fromthe central area of Tokyo in
addition to Tokyo Narita, which
currently services the popula-
tion in the greater city area.
The Tokyo Haneda opera-
tion provides a non-stop link to
Doha with onward connections
to more than 100 destinations,
including popular spots in the
Middle East, Europe and the
Americas.
Flight schedules (daily) be-
tween Tokyo Haneda Inter-
national Airport and Doha are
as follows: QR810 departing
Doha at 7.35am and arriving in
Tokyo Haneda at 11:25pm; and
QR811 departing Tokyo Hane-
da at 1am and arriving in Doha
at 6am.
Akbar al-Baker (centre) with Woo Yew Seong (right) and Tomohiko Matsumoto (left) at the press
conference.
Qatar rejects nomination of Israel as vice-chair of panel
Q
atar, on behalf of the
Arab states to the United
Nations, has rejectedthe
nomination of Israel for vice-
chair of the Fourth Special Po-
litical andDecolonisationCom-
mittee by the Group of Western
European and other States.
Qatar, which chairs the Arab
Group for this month, made the
request to vote on the nomina-
tion of Israel, in order to express
its categorical rejection of Is-
raels candidacy.
The Israeli candidate received
74 votes out of 193 as 34 delega-
tion were absent at an election
by secret ballot.
Speaking before the vote
on behalf of the Arab group
which she chairs this month,
HE Sheikha Alia Ahmed bint
Seif al-Thani, the Permanent
Representative of Qatar to the
United Nations, expressed
the groups rejection of Isra-
els candidacy, describing the
country as a State that violates
the UN Charter and interna-
tional law.
She categorically rejected
Israels nomination as vice-
chair. Because its track
record is rife with murder and
its occupation has lasted more
than 66 years, Israel was not
qualied to preside over ques-
tions pertaining to Palestinian
refugees, peacekeeping and
the investigation of its own
illegal practices, HE Sheikha
Alia Ahmed bint Seif al-Thani
explained.
Israels negative track
record in voting against the
majority of draft resolutions
before the Fourth Committee
showed its agrant contempt
for this bodys work and that
of the General Assembly on
the Palestinian cause, she
added.
Approval of the Assemblys
six Committees Bureaux are
usually done by consensus and
acclamation.
QNA
New York
Serious violations
observed in nurseries
S
alwa al-Ibaidli, director
of Family Development in
the Ministry of Labour and
Social Afairs, has said serious
violations have been observed
in some nurseries, local Arabic
daily Arrayah has reported.
Some of the most serious
violations are the use of expired
medicines, ignoring hygiene and
the spread of insects in places
where children sleep, as discov-
ered by the departments in-
spectors, the report states.
She said strict action is taken
against such violations and -
nal closure warnings have been
issued to seven nurseries. The
number of nurseries in the State
is 120 and most of these are in
Doha, the report adds.
Regarding the new require-
ments provided for in the law
for licences, al-Ibaidli said the
age of an applicant should not be
less than 21 years. The applicant
should satisfy other criteria, in
addition to the entire staf of
nurseries being females and the
staf including a nutrition su-
perviser, a nurse and a doctor/
visiting doctor, according to the
report.
Al-Ibaidly said the depart-
ment carries out classication
and evaluation of nurseries. The
evaluation criteria include the
use of the ground oor only, al-
location of a place for childrens
bags and another area where
the kids could sleep, good lo-
cation, provision of re extin-
guisher and re alarm as well
as a rst-aid kit, in addition to
other requirements pertaining
to ventilation, toys, furniture
and general cleanliness, she ex-
plained.
Further, she said the proce-
dures adopted for violations
such as the use of expired medi-
cine include a warning, payment
of ne and temporary or perma-
nent closure, the report states.
QATAR
Gulf Times
Sunday, June 22, 2014 4
Alliance of Civilisations signs pact with
Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies
A
Memorandum of Un-
derstanding for co-
operation was signed
here yesterday between the
United Nations Alliance of
Civilisations, represented by
HE the High Representative
for the Alliance of Civilisa-
tions Nasser bin Abdul Aziz
al-Nasr and the Oxford Cen-
tre for Islamic Studies, repre-
sented by the Centres Direc-
tor Dr Farhan Nizami.
During a meeting with Ni-
zami after signing the agree-
ment in the presence of a
large number of academics,
diplomats and intellectuals,
HE al-Nasr referred to the
active role played by the Alli-
ance of Civilisations.
During a discussion ses-
sion with the director of the
centre and a number of aca-
demics, he also touched upon
the importance of co-opera-
tion between the Alliance of
Civilisations and the difer-
ent academies and educa-
tional institutions, stressing
that such co-operation is one
of the priorities identied by
the work of the Alliance.
At the conclusion of his
visit to the Oxford Centre for
Islamic Studies in the United
Kingdom, HE al-Nasr gave
a lecture in one of the cen-
tres halls on the priorities
of the United Nations Al-
liance of Civilisations and
its vision on how to develop
the work of the Alliance and
to strengthen its capacity to
build bridges of dialogue be-
tween civilisations, tolerance
and respect for others.
This is the second visit of
HE al-Nasr to Oxford Cen-
tre.
QNA
Oxford
HE the High Representative for the Alliance of Civilisations Nasser bin Abdul Aziz al-Nasr and the Director of Oxford Centre
for Islamic Studies Dr Farhan Nizami signing the memorandum of understanding yesterday.
HE the Chief Justice,
President of the Court of
Cassation and President
of the Supreme Judiciary
Council of the State of
Qatar, Masoud Mohamed
al-Ameri met the federal
judge for the United
States District Court for
the District of Columbia,
Judge John Bates, the
President of International
Judicial Academy (JIL) Dr
James Apple and the Chief
of the US International
Association for Court
Management Geofrey
Aberson yesterday.
The meetings, held
during the Chief Justices
visit to Washington,
discussed ways of
exchanging expertise,
training opportunities
and capacity-building
programmes that can
be provided by the
American side, as well as
modern techniques in the
management of lawsuits.
President of Cassation court meets US oficials
QATAR
Gulf Times
Sunday, June 22, 2014 6
Six new sites on
World Heritage list
T
he Unesco World Heritage
Committee named six new
sites and added one existing
site as a mixed natural and cultural
site on the World Heritage List in a
Doha meeting yesterday.
The new sites include Historic
Jeddah, the Gate to Makkah (Saudi
Arabia); Erbil Citadel (Iraq); Tomi-
oka Silk Mill and Related Sites (Ja-
pan); Van Nellefabriek (Nether-
lands); Qhapac an, Andean Road
System, (Argentina, Bolivia, Chile,
Colombia, Ecuador, Peru); Ancient
Maya City and Protected Tropi-
cal Forests of Calakmul (Campeche
Mexico); and Carolingian Westwork
and Civitas Corvey (Germany).
Ancient Maya City and Protect-
ed Tropical Forests of Calakmul,
Campeche, Mexico is a re-nomi-
nation and extension of the exist-
ing 3,000 ha cultural World Herit-
age property, Ancient Maya City
of Calakmul, Campeche which be-
comes a mixed natural and cultural
site. With these inscriptions, the
total number of sites on the World
Heritage List has moved to 988.
Historic Jeddah, the Gate to
Makkah, is situated on the east-
ern shore of the Red Sea. From the
7th century AD it was established
as a major port for Indian Ocean
trade routes, channelling goods to
Makkah. It was also the gateway for
Muslim pilgrims to Makkah who
arrived by sea. These twin roles
saw the city develop into a thriving
multicultural centre, characterised
by a distinctive architectural tradi-
tion, including tower houses built
in the late 19th century by the citys
mercantile elites.
Erbil Citadel in Iraq is a fortied
settlement on the top of an impos-
ing ovoid-shaped hill created by
many generations of people living
and rebuilding on the same spot.
Located in the Kurdistan region,
Erbil Governorate is a continuous
wall of tall 19th century facades and
still conveys the visual impression
of an impregnable fortress, domi-
nating the city of Erbil. The Citadel
features a peculiar fan-like pattern,
dating back to Erbils late Ottoman
phase.
Tomioka Silk Mill is a historic
sericulture andsilk mill complex es-
tablished in 1872 in the Gunma Pre-
fecture north west of Tokyo. Built
by the Japanese government with
machinery imported from France,
it consists of four sites that cover
diferent stages in the production of
raw silk. It illustrates Japans desire
to rapidly adopt the best mass pro-
duction techniques which became
a decisive element in the renewal of
sericulture and the Japanese silk in-
dustry in the last quarter of the 19th
century.
Van Nellefabriek was designed
and built in the 1920s on the banks
of a canal in the Spaanse Polder in-
dustrial zone northwest of Rotter-
dam. The site is one of the icons of
20th century industrial architecture,
comprising a complex of factories,
with facades consisting essentially
of steel andglass, making large-scale
use of the curtain wall principle. It
was conceived as anideal factory;
open to the outside world, whose
interior working spaces evolved ac-
cording to need, and in which day-
light was used to provide pleasant
working conditions.
Qhapac an, Andean Road Sys-
tem is an extensive Inca communi-
cation, trade and defence network
of roads covering 30,000km. Con-
structed by the Incas over several
centuries and partly based on pre-
Inca infrastructure, this extraor-
dinary network through one of the
worlds most extreme geographical
terrains, linked the snow-capped
peaks of the Andes at an altitude
of more than 6,000m to the coast,
running through hot rainforests,
fertile valleys and absolute deserts.
The Qhapaq Nan by its sheer
scale and quality of the road is a
unique achievement of engineer-
ing skills in most varied geographi-
cal terrains, linking snow-capped
mountain ranges of the Andes... to
the coast, running through hot rain-
forests, fertile valleys and absolute
deserts, Unesco said in documents
presented at the meeting.
It demonstrates mastery in en-
gineering technology, UNESCO
said, calling it an exceptional
and unique testimony to the Inca
civilisation.
Ancient Maya City and Pro-
tected Tropical Forests of Calak-
mul, Campeche is a re-nomination
and extension of the existing 3,000
ha cultural World Heritage prop-
erty, Ancient Maya City of Calak-
mul, Campeche. It now becomes
mixed natural and cultural property.
The site is located in the central or
southern portion of the Yucatan Pe-
ninsula, in southern Mexico and in-
cludes the remains of the important
Maya city Calakmul, set deep in the
tropical forest of the Tierras Bajas.
Carolingian Westwork and Civi-
tas Corvey are located along the
Weser River on the outskirts of
Hxter where they were erected be-
tween 822 and 885 AD in a largely
preserved rural setting. The West-
work is the only standing structure
that dates back to the Carolingian
era, while the original imperial ab-
bey complex is preserved as ar-
chaeological remains which are only
partially excavated.
Consumer Protection Department oficials and municipal control directors during a meeting.
CPD, control directors meet to
decide on Ramadan price list
T
he Consumer Pro-
tection Department
(CPD) has held a
meeting with municipal
control directors from vari-
ous municipalities on the
implementation of the Min-
istry of Economy and Com-
merces (MEC) initiatives
for Ramadan this year.
The meeting was at-
tended by Sheikh Jassimbin
Jabr al-Thani, CPDdirector,
besides senior of cials from
the Ministry of Munici-
pality and Urban Planning
(MMUP) and MEC.
During the meeting,
the of cials agreed on the
joint actions and proce-
dures to be taken to dis-
tribute the list of reduced
price items, which would
be put on display at vari-
ous outlets during the
holy month of Ramadan.
They also agreed that of-
cers from both MMUP
and MEC would ensure
compliance by the targeted
commercial outlets.
Meanwhile, special em-
phasis was laid on proce-
dures for the implemen-
tation of the initiative
regarding the sale of subsi-
dised meat of Arab origin,
which would start from
Wednesday.
The Qhapaq Nan by its sheer
scale and quality of the road
is a unique achievement
of engineering skills in
most variedgeographical
terrains, linking snow-capped
mountain ranges of the
Andes... to the coast, running
through hot rainforests, fertile
valleys and absolute deserts
Fresh to strong
winds expected
during week
There will be fresh to strong
Northwesterly winds from
tomorrow until the end of
the week, especially on the
coast, during the day, the
meteorology department
has said in a statement.
At night, the wind speeds
will reduce to moderate to
fresh.
The wind is expected to
carry dust and suspended
sand, which will reduce
visibility, particularly
in open areas and on
highways.
These conditions are due to
the deepening of the Indian
monsoon low, according to
the statement.
The temperature is
expected to be typical
for this time of the year,
ranging from 39-43
degrees Celsius. Some
scattered cloud could
be seen on Tuesday and
Wednesday.
Sunday will be hot during
the day and relatively
humid at night with slightly
hazy conditions at places.
Meanwhile, yesterday was
the longest day of the year,
when the sun was directly
perpendicular to the Tropic
of Cancer, the statement
added.
CMC
team
visits
Paris
A
delegation of the
Central Munici-
pal Council (CMC)
has left Doha for Paris on
an invitation from Patrick
Clojman, deputy to the
Mayor of Paris in charge of
international relations.
During the visit, the
CMC delegation, headed
by CMC chairman Suad
al-Hinzab, will get in-
troduced to the French
municipal council and its
work mechanism, with
special focus on develop-
ment plans and commu-
nity service.
The Qatari and the
French sides will exchange
views and experiences on
issues of common inter-
est and will look into ways
for enhancing mutual
co-operation. The trip is
scheduled to conclude on
Friday.
Zakat Fund gives out QR2.3mn in treatment aid
Zakat Fund gave out around QR2.3mn
as treatment aid for needy patients from
April to mid-June.
The Fund pointed out that it gave
QR6,900 for one patient referred
it by a local charity, QR288,000 for
three patients who require treatment
abroad and QR26,592 for a cancer
patient. Besides, it helped three other
patients with a sum of QR28,934 to buy
prosthetic devices.
Further, some 76 patients being treated
at Hamad Medical Corporation got
assistance in the form of monthly
treatment or surgery aid from the Fund
at a cost of QR731,351.
Meanwhile, the Fund afirmed that
aiding patients is one of its top priorities.
8
Gulf Times
Sunday, June 22, 2014
QATAR
QRC distributes
Ramadan aid to
social security
beneciaries
U
nder the slogan
Comfort for
Them, Qatar Red
Crescent (QRC) has initi-
ated a new project to dis-
tribute Ramadan aid to
families registered with
Social Security.
This involves a finance
of QR400,000 from Qatar
Central Banks Social and
Sports Activities Fund
and is being carried out
in co-ordination with the
Ministry of Labour and
Social Affairs.
Under the programme,
250 Social Security-re-
cipient families will be
provided with social as-
sistance. The ministry has
reviewed and selected the
most needy families to be
covered under this initia-
tive.
The programme has al-
ready begun, well ahead
of Ramadan, to achieve
the desired objective of
helping the target fami-
lies pay for their cost of
living and feel satisfied
during the fasting season.
The distributions will run
throughout Ramadan.
QRC secretary-general
Saleh bin Ali al-Mohan-
nadi commended the
generous contribution by
the Social and Sports Ac-
tivities Fund, which is in
line with QRCs principles
and mission of supporting
the vulnerable, advanc-
ing and developing the
individual and improving
the standard of life both
within and outside Qatar.
Every year, Ramadan
brings lots of good and
happiness for everyone,
both well-off and hand-
to-mouth. In such a spir-
itual atmosphere, the
least thing to do is to come
together to please others,
meet their needs and de-
liver donations and pro-
visions everywhere. Lets
make it truly a month of
benevolence, blessing and
felicity for every person
living in our beloved Qa-
tar, al-Mohannadi noted.
For many years, QRC
has had the tradition of
launching a large-scale
fundraising campaign and
intensifying its health,
social and humanitarian
activities towards the be-
ginning of and during the
holy month of Ramadan,
as it is a special occasion
for all people - particu-
larly the poor - who des-
perately need to secure
the necessities of life, feel
a sense of sufficiency and
social solidarity and have
better economic condi-
tions.
QCB donated QR7mn,
likely to be reiterated on
a yearly basis, to support
different QRC activi-
ties and services locally.
These include financial,
in-kind, social, educa-
tional and medical as-
sistance for poor families,
patients, students and the
elderly, to help them go
on with their lives as well
as for capacity-building
for vulnerable groups
through professional
training and develop-
ment, womens empow-
erment and integration
into social and economic
arenas as well as the reha-
bilitation of penitentiary
inmates.
For many years, QRC has had the tradition of launching
a large-scale fundraising campaign and intensifying its
health, social and humanitarian activities towards the
beginning of and during the holy month of Ramadan
QATAR
9
Gulf Times
Sunday, June 22, 2014
Forum to popularise
Qatari cuisine globally
ByJoseph Varghese
Staf Reporter
T
he newly-formed body of Qatar
Culinary Professionals (QCP)
aims to promote Qatari food
worldwide and represent Qatar in in-
ternational competitions.
This was disclosed by the presi-
dent of QCP, David Sosson, head of
Culinary, Aspire Logistics at a press
conference held at Wyndham Grand
Regency yesterday.
The executive chefs from various
hotels and restaurants in the country
have joined together to form the QCP
which is affiliated to the World Asso-
ciation of Chefs Society (WACS).
Sosson said that the process for
forming the Qatar chapter started as
early as 2010.
The idea was initiated by the gen-
eral manager of Afyhan Hospital-
ity Services, Yuksel Mutlu who is a
member of the executive committee
as well as the treasurer of QCP.
He said: QCP is set up to identify
the goals for chefs in the country and
share the best practices in the coun-
try and globally.
It will also provide opportunities
for increased communication among
the junior chefs and executive chefs.
There will also be opportunities for
chefs in Qatar to demonstrate their
talents and to be honoured.
Head Chef at Sukar Pasha at Ot-
toman Lounge Restaurant, Katara,
Baran Yucel, who is the chairman of
QCP, said: All executive chefs in
Qatar will become part of the body
soon. We hope that by September this
year, QCP will be expanded to include
every professional chef in Qatar. We
will also have more networking ses-
sions and will be able to provide the
best food and service for the people
of the country.
Mutlu said that it took a long time
to form the body due to various re-
strictions and strict supervision by
the global body.
Even though we started the proc-
ess as early as 2010, the formation of
the unit took almost four years. Now
that the QCP is formed and function-
al, we will have many announcements
in the coming months immediately
after the holy month of Ramadan.
The WACS is a global network of
chef associations started in Paris in
1928. Today, the body has 93 official
chef associations and has around
10mn professional chefs.
QCP oficials at the press conference. PICTURE: Nasser T K
RAF tents to host 6,000 during Ramadan
T
he Sheikh Thani binAbdullah Foundationfor Human-
itarian Services (RAF) has said it will erect 20 tents to
accommodate some 6,000 people during the Holy
Month of Ramadan.
Speaking at a press conference, RAF executive director
Dr Mohamed Salah Ibrahim announced that the tents are
specically aimed at providing breakfast (Iftar) to workers,
Asian communities and other occupants of residential areas,
local Arabic daily Al Sharq has reported. Ibrahimsaid the 20
tents will be strategically located around Qatar, particularly
in communities that accommodate large numbers of labour-
ers.
He said this year they are expecting some 6,000 people
to ock to their tents for breakfast during Ramadan. All
Ramadan-related projects are geared to strengthen ties of
brotherhood, including citizens and residents, and to pro-
vide valuable service to the needy during this holy period,
Dr Ibrahimsaid.
The project will also include the distribution of coupons
for 1,400 food baskets intended for needy families. The cou-
pons, he added, will be available in designated shops during
Ramadan. RAF director of Marketing and Media Depart-
ment Ibrahim Ali Abdullah said the foundation has formed
nine committees comprising RAF employees and volunteers,
who will supervise the distribution of food baskets at the
breakfast tents.
10
Gulf Times
Sunday, June 22, 2014
REGION/ARAB WORLD
A new Middle East
challenge for Kerry
AFP
Washington
S
ecretary of State John
Kerry this weekend
plunges back into
the tumultuous Middle
East seeking to overcome
sectarian divisions in Iraq,
amid US frustration with
Prime Minister Nuri al-
Maliki.
While American lead-
ers have stopped short of
calling for Maliki to step
downarguing that it is up
to the Iraqis to choose their
own leadersthey have
left little doubt that they
feel the Shia premier has
squandered the opportu-
nity to rebuild his country
since US troops withdrew
in 2011.
We gave Iraq the chance
tohave aninclusive democ-
racy. To work across sectar-
ian lines, to provide a better
future for their children,
President Barack Obama
told CNNonFriday.
Unfortunately what
weve seen is a breakdown
of trust.
Obama this week un-
veiled a plan to send 300
military advisers back to
Iraq, but he made it clear
that without political
changes, the United States
would not invest lives and
resources in the country
US forces invaded in 2003.
In a two-pronged ap-
proach, the US com-
mander-in-chief also
despatched Kerry to the
Middle East and Europe to
wield the powers of his di-
plomacy to try to bring po-
litical stability to Iraq.
Kerrywho is already
juggling heavy portfolios
including the war in Syria
and nuclear negotiations
with Iranleft Washington
yesterday, headed to Am-
man, Brussels and Paris.
While the top US dip-
lomat is also expected to
travel to Iraq soon - on
what would be his second
visit since taking over as
secretary of state in early
2013 - there is no clear
timetable for when the trip
will happen.
Despite billions of US
dollars spent in training
and military hardware,
experts say Iraqi troops
care little about protecting
Sunni towns or propping
up Maliki.
Maliki should go, said
Michael Hanlon, director
of research with the Brook-
ings Institution.
He is seenby most Sun-
nis, and Kurds, as a Shia
chauvinist who no longer
has their interests at heart.
They could be right. In any
case, these perceptions
will be very hard to change,
eight years into the Iraqi
prime ministers rule.
Air raids killed 16 people in
Syrias Deir al-Zor province
yesterday, most of them
people gathered at a
mourning tent for rebel Free
Syrian Army (FSA) oficers
murdered by jihadists, an
NGO said.
Warplanes bombed the
locality of Muhassen six
times, killing 16 people,
including three women,
the Syrian Observatory for
Human Rights said.
Observatory director Rami
Abdul Rahman said one of
the targets had been the tent
and that most of the victims
died in that raid.
The Britain-based
Observatory said the
bodies of the FSAs deputy
commander for the area
and two other rebel oficers
had been found on Friday
on the banks of the nearby
Euphrates River near
Muhassen.
Air raids in Syria
province kill 16
Saudi Crown Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz meets with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov
in Jeddah yesterday.
Saudi, Russia in
talks on crises
AFP
Jeddah
R
ussia andSaudi Arabia
yesterday stressed the
importance of pre-
serving Syrian and Iraqi ter-
ritorial integrity after talks
in Jeddah.
Foreign Minister Prince
Saud al-Faisal and his Rus-
sian counterpart Sergei La-
vrov said they had agreed
to work together to ap-
ply the Geneva I agreement
that provides for a peaceful
transfer of power in Syria, a
Saudi spokesman said after
the meetings.
The ministers also said
they were keen to preserve
the independence and ter-
ritorial integrity of Syria,
the spokesman said in com-
ments reported by the Saudi
state news agency SPA.
Lavrov and Prince Saud
also highlighted the impor-
tance of combating terror-
ist organisations that have
exploited the crisis to nd
safe haven on Syrian terri-
tory.
The spokesman said the
ministers discussed the de-
terioration of the situation
in Iraq and its consequences
in the region.
Lavrov and Saud also
said eforts should be made
to maintain the integrity
of Iraq and the unity of all
the components of the Iraqi
people, who should benet
from equality of rights and
duties.
However, Saudi Arabia
said that this would be dif -
cult to achieve without the
formation of a national uni-
ty government representing
all Iraqis without discrimi-
nation or exclusion.
Shia ghters march as
Iraq border town falls
Thetakeover of Al Qaimleaves
just oneof threeoficial border
crossings with Syriain thehands
of thecentral government
AFP
Baghdad
S
hia ghters paraded in Bagh-
dad yesterday in a dramatic
show of force aimed at Sunni
militants who seized a Syrian bor-
der crossing, widening a western
front in an ofensive threatening to
rip Iraq apart.
Meanwhile, Washington readied
a new diplomatic bid to unite Iraqs
fractious leaders and repel insur-
gents whose lightning ofensive has
displaced hundreds of thousands,
alarmed the world and put Prime
Minister Nuri al-Maliki under
growing pressure domestically and
overseas.
And in a sign the broad alliance
of jihadists and anti-government
elements behind the assault might
be fracturing, internecine clashes
killed 17 ghters in northern Iraq.
Iraqi security forces yesterday
announced they were holding their
own in several areas north of Bagh-
dad, but of cials said insurgents led
by ISIL seized one of three of cial
border crossings with Syria.
Militants took control of the area a
day after 34 members of the security
forces were killed in the border town,
giving the ghters greater cross-bor-
der mobilityintoconict-hit Syria.
The takeover of Al Qaim leaves
just one of three of cial border
crossings with Syria in the hands of
the central government. The third is
controlled by Kurdish forces.
Insurgents led by the jihadist Is-
lamic State of Iraq and the Levant
(ISIL) already hold parts of the
western province of Anbar, which
abuts the Syrian border, after taking
all of one city and parts of another
earlier in the year.
It is unclear what impact the lat-
est move will have on the overall
ofensive, as militants already have
free rein along most of the 600km
border, neither side of which is con-
trolled by government forces.
ISIL aims to create an Islamic
state that will incorporate both Iraq
and Syria, where the group has be-
come a major force in the rebellion
against President Bashar al-Assad.
Elsewhere, 17 ghters were killed
in clashes on Friday evening be-
tween ISIL and the Army of the
Men of the Naqshbandiyah Order
(JRTN), another Sunni insurgent
group, in militant-held territory in
northern Kirkuk province.
The Sunni insurgents driving the
ofensive are made up of a broad
alliance of other groups, such as
loyalists of now-executed dictator
SaddamHussain.
Analysts say it is unclear if that
grouping can hold together given its
disparate ideologies.
The battle for Tal Afar had en-
tered its seventh day, Malikis secu-
rity spokesman said yesterday, with
government forces holding some
neighbourhoods but not all of the
strategic northern town.
He also said a number of se-
curity personnel had been killed
and wounded in the days of ght-
ing with militants, but declined to
specify howmany.
In Baghdad, thousands of ghters
loyal to powerful Shia cleric Mo-
qtada al-Sadr paraded with their
weapons in the Sadr City district,
vowing to ght the ofensive which
was launched on June 9.
Rank upon rank of ghters,
dressed mostly in camouage but
some wearing black, carried Ka-
lashnikov assault ries, shotguns,
sniper ries, light machineguns and
rocket launchers.
Some of the unit leaders carried
Iraqi ags, while others held signs
with messages including We sacri-
ce for you, O Iraq, No, no to ter-
rorism, and No, no to America.
Fighters interviewed by AFP
stressed they were not against any
specic religious sect, andthat their
aimwas to defend the country.
Similar parades were held in large
southerncities including Basra, Na-
jaf andKut, all inthe Shia heartland.
The parades in Baghdad and
clashes elsewhere came as US Presi-
dent BarackObama dispatchedSec-
retary of State John Kerry to Europe
and the Middle East in a new push
for unity among Iraqs fractious po-
litical leadership.
While Kerry is expected to travel
to Iraq itself, it is not known when
he will do so.
Obamas refusal so far to agree to
Iraqs appeal for air strikes on the
ISIL-led militants has prompted
Iran to claim Washington lacks the
will to ght terror.
Meanwhile, Washington says Iran
has sent a small numberof opera-
tives into its neighbour.
Obama told CNN on Friday:
Theres no amount of American
repower thats going to be able to
hold the country together.
The president, who based his po-
litical career on ending the costly
eight-year US intervention in Iraq,
has insisted that Washington is not
slipping back into the morass, but
has ofered up to 300 advisers and
left open the possibility of targeted
and precise military action.
Washington already has an air-
craft carrier in the Gulf and is ying
manned and unmanned surveil-
lance ights over Iraq, while senior
US of cials say special forces being
sent to advise Iraq could call in air
strikes if necessary.
The US push for broader leader-
ship came as Grand Ayatollah Ali
al-Sistani, a revered cleric among
Iraqs Shia Muslim majority, called
on people to band together against
the insurgents before it was too
late.
UN aid agencies said they were
rushing supplies to Iraq to help
more than 1mn people displaced by
the latest violence andunrest earlier
this year.
Fighters loyal to Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr parade in Baghdads Sadr City yesterday.
REGION
Gulf Times
Sunday, June 22, 2014 11
Rohani
calls for
impartial
judiciary
AFP
Tehran
P
resident Hassan Rohani
said yesterday that Irans
judiciary must be inde-
pendent from the political fray
and uphold the rule of law, in a
rare criticism of the conserva-
tive-dominated body.
The president was speaking at
a gathering of hundreds of judg-
es, among them judiciary chief
Ayatollah Sadeq Larijani.
The judiciary branch must
remain non-partisan... the rul-
ings of a court must be meted
out by the court, not by some-
one who feels as if he has inu-
ence,Rohani saidinthe remarks
broadcast live on state televi-
sion.
Political factions can com-
ment on issues but they should
not be allowed to issue a rul-
ing... no lobbying group must be
able to inuence the court or the
judge, he added, without giving
any examples.
A pro-Rohani university pro-
fessor, Sadeq Zibakalam, was
given a year-long jail sentence
this week for criticising con-
servative opponents of the gov-
ernments ongoing nuclear ne-
gotiations with world powers.
Some of Rohanis troubles
with the judiciary stem from
factional challenges. But his
more liberal views on imple-
menting social freedoms in
the Islamic Republic have also
sparked rows.
Last month, he came under
re fromhardline clerics and au-
thorities, including Larijani, for
arguing against the use of force
to promote cultural and religious
values, saying: One cannot take
people to heavenby force andthe
use of a whip. Protesters shout slogans during the rally in Sanaa yesterday.
Yemenis rally
against rebel
push to Sanaa
Somedemonstrators accuse
Iranof supportingtherebels,
while others say they suspect
former president Ali Abdullah
Saleh is arming them
Agencies
Sanaa
H
undreds of Yemenis pro-
tested outside the presi-
dential residence inSanaa
yesterday over what they say is
the authorities inaction over a
Shia rebel advance onthe capital.
The demonstrators, some from
Amran province north of the city
where Houthi rebels, also known
as Ansarullah, are clashing with
the army, chanted Stop the
Houthi advance!
I think the Houthis have taken
to arms so they can take territory
from Saada province to Amran,
and I suspect they also want to
enter Sanaa itself, said one pro-
tester, Nadia Abdullah.
Some demonstrators accused
Iran of supporting the rebels,
while others said they suspected
former president Ali Abdullah
Salehwas arming themsohe can
overthrow President Abd-Rabbu
Mansour Hadi.
Clashes between the rebels and
government forces eased yester-
day north of Sanaa after 48 hours
of erce ghting in which dozens
of people were reported killed.
The are-up came after the
breakdown of an 11-day truce
agreed after mediation backed by
UNenvoy Jamal Benomar.
Houthis have been battling
the central government for years
fromtheir Saada heartland, com-
plaining of marginalisation under
Saleh, who stepped down in 2012
after a year-long uprising.
InFebruary, theyseizedareas of
Amran province in ghting with
tribes that killed more than 150
people.
The Houthis are suspected of
trying to broaden their sphere of
inuence as Yemen is reorganised
into six regions, pushing out from
their mountainstrongholds inthe
far north to areas closer to Sanaa.
They complain the country
would be divided into rich and
poor regions under a federalisa-
tion plan agreed in February fol-
lowing national talks as part of a
political transition.
The rebels have seized a town
near Sanaa, areport saidyesterday.
The Houthis have taken con-
trol of Mitna, around 10km west
of Sanaa, after battling army
troops, independent news site
Barakish.net said.
The rebels have set up security
checkpoints in the town, the re-
port said, citing unnamed local
sources.
There was noof cial comment.
In recent weeks, the Houthis
have been locked in intermittent
ghting with army units in the
province of Amrannorthof Sanaa.
The violence has forced thou-
sands of local residents to ee the
area.
In addition to the unrest in
the north, Yemen faces a seces-
sionist movement in the south
and an ongoing insurgency by Al
Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula,
seenas one of the most dangerous
branches of the terrorist network.
Islamist websites published
an Al Qaeda statement yesterday
denying claims by the president
about the vast majority of its
members in the troubled country
being foreigners.
In April, Yemeni troops began
an ofensive into an expanse of
southYemen, includingAbyanand
Shabwa provinces, in a campaign
toroot out Al Qaeda militants.
In a speech on April 29, Hadi
said that around 70%of Al Qaeda
members in Yemen were foreign-
ers. The army has since then said
that around 500 Al Qaeda mili-
tants had been killed in its ofen-
sive, many of themforeigners.
We ascertain the wrongful-
ness of this allegation as the vast
majority of ghters are from the
sons of the Muslim country who
share the fraternity of religion
and are rooted in their tribes, the
statement by Al Qaeda said.
Although the comments were
dated April 30, one day after Ha-
dis speech, the statement was
only published on Islamist web-
sites yesterday.
If Hadi was being truth-
ful then he would have spoken
about the foreigners who do not
care about the countrys inter-
est ... who are waging drone wars
against the Muslims in Yemen,
the statement said.
ARAB WORLD
Gulf Times
Sunday, June 22, 2014 12
Tears, anger and joy as verdicts are announced
AFP
Cairo
R
eda Ramadan didnt get a
chance to celebrate the ac-
quittal of his nephew after
he learnedhis brother was among
183 defendants whose death sen-
tences were conrmed in Egypt
yesterday.
Our family is devastated.
The acquittal means nothing
when there is a death sentence
at the same time, a grieving Ra-
madan said as he left the court-
room.
The court in the central city
of Minya confirmed death sen-
tences against 183 defendants,
including the chief of the Mus-
lim Brotherhood, Mohamed
Badie.
It also commuted the death
sentences of four people to life in
prison and acquitted 496 others.
In April, the court presided
over by judge Said Youssef Sabry
initially ruled that all 683 alleged
Islamist supporters of ousted
president Mohamed Mursi be
sentenced to death.
Outside the court, some rela-
tives expressed joy on learning
loved ones had been acquitted,
while others wept after hearing
theirs would be sent to the gal-
lows.
Allahu Akbar! Long live jus-
tice! chanted those happy at
acquittals.
Allah revealedthe truth. Allah
acquitted my brother, said one
man.
A short distance away, there
was anger and tears after people
heard their relatives were to be
executed.
Farmer Ahmed, 40, said his
brother, a father of four andalso a
farmer, had been given the death
sentence.
I swear that my brother has
nothing to do with politics and
the Muslim Brotherhood. He
does not even pray, Ahmed said.
We hate the Brotherhood in
the rst place, said another of
Ahmeds relatives. Ahmed said
his brother was arrested at his
home in October, and said the
family was shocked to nd out
that he was among those charged
with attacking a police station
last August 14.
Just metres away, a jubilant
Mona Abdel Sattar described the
acquittal of her son Soltan al-Ya-
mani, 16, as a second birth.
God has given me a new life,
she said, showing a picture of her
son who sufers from tuberculo-
sis.
Two months ago I feared I
would lose my eldest son, but
now I will nally hold him in my
arms.
Lawyers say Yamanis case was
unique since under Egyptian law
the death sentence cannot apply
to a minor.
Also outside the court yesterday
was a young Christian man, Waq
Refaat, who was waiting to dis-
cover the fate of his brother Yasser.
He said his brother had been
accused of being a member of the
Muslim Brotherhood, which has
been blacklisted as a terrorist
organisation.
Were Christians. We sup-
ported Mursis ouster and en-
dorsed (President Abdel Fattah
al-) Sisi, and despite all this my
brother was sentenced to death
for being a Muslim Brotherhood
member, he said.
We are living a nightmare
and theres no way out. If the
investigation was fair, it would
have revealed my brothers in-
nocence.
Just minutes later, their lawyer
said Yassers death sentence had
been conrmed.
Egypt court
upholds death
sentences for
183 Islamists
A court confirms death
sentences against the leader
of theMuslimBrotherhood
and 182 supporters
AFP
Cairo
A
n Egyptian court yes-
terday conrmed death
sentences for more than
180 Islamists, including Muslim
Brotherhood chief Mohamed
Badie, after a mass trial that
sparked an international outcry.
The court in the central city
of Minya initially sentenced 683
people to death, but yesterday
commuted death sentences of
four defendants to life in prison,
including two women, and ac-
quitted 496 others, prosecutor
Abdel RahimAbdel Malik said.
Since the army ousted Islamist
president MohamedMursi inJuly
last year, hundreds of his sup-
porters and Badie himself have
been sentenced to death in tri-
als roundly criticised by human
rights watchdogs.
The 183 sentenced to death
yesterday were convicted of in-
volvement in the murder of two
policemen and the attempted
murder of ve others in Minya
province on August 14, the day
police killed hundreds of Mursi
supporters in Cairo clashes.
They were also found guilty
of vandalism, attacking public
property, bearing arms and join-
ing illegal organisations, Abdel
Malik said.
Lawyers said most of those
sentenced to death were still on
the run.
The defence lawyers were un-
able to attend the trial and defend
their clients. The court violated
the defendants rights of defence
and gave its decision quickly, said
one, Mohamed Tosson, adding
theyintendedtoappeal.
Journalists were also barred
fromattending the trial.
The decision came after the
court referredits initial April rul-
ing to Egypts top Islamic scholar,
as required under the countrys
legal system.
Defence lawyer KhaledElkomy
said the case was full of aws.
Thejudgereferred683defend-
ants to the grand mufti because he
believed that they were guilty... he
then returned and acquitted most
of them,Komysaid.
This shows that the judge did
not evenstudy the case properly.
In March, the same court re-
duced to life in prison 492 of 529
death sentences passed on an-
other batch of Mursi supporters.
The mass trial comes amid a
crackdown on Mursis support-
ers that has seenmore than1,400
people killed since his ouster,
with more than 15,000 jailed.
The crackdown has extended
to secular-leaning dissidents
who supported Mursis over-
throw but then turned against
the military-installed regime
that ruled before ex-army chief
Abdel Fattah al-Sisi was elected
president last month.
The verdicts in this case pro-
vide the latest example of the
Egyptian judiciarys bid to crush
dissent, Amnesty Internation-
als Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui saidin
a statement.
Clearly, Egypts judicial sys-
temis broken and no longer able
to deliver justice. The death pen-
alty is being ruthlessly deployed
as a tool to eliminate political op-
ponents.
Sisi won the presidential elec-
tion riding on a wave of popular-
ity after leading Mursis ouster.
Rights activists fear that un-
der his presidency Egypt could
see autocracy worse than under
Hosni Mubarak, who stepped
down in 2011.
Sisi has signalled he intends to
return Egypt to stability rather
than encouraging democratic
freedoms. Relatives react outside the court in Minya yesterday as verdicts are announced in the trial of Mursi supporters.
US church
to divest
from Israel
suppliers
AFP
Detroit, Michigan
T
he nearly 1.9mn mem-
ber Presbyterian Church
USA voted on Friday after
a contentious debate to divest
from three companies that pro-
vide supplies to Israeli forces
and settlers in the occupied
West Bank.
The 310 to 303 vote at the
inuential Protestant denomi-
nations meeting in Detroit,
Michigan, means the group will
pull nancial investments out
of Caterpillar, Hewlett-Packard
and Motorola Solutions, the
churchs of cial news service
said.
The church has about $21mn
invested in the three companies,
a spokeswoman told The New
York Times.
Assembly moderator Heath
Rada emphasised that the
decision in no way reflects
anything but love for both the
Jewish and Palestinian peo-
ple, the churchs news serv-
ice said.
The measure also included a
reaf rmation of Israels right to
exist, an endorsement of a two-
state solution and encouraged
inter-faith dialogue, the Times
reported.
It also included a provision
to encourage positive invest-
ment to improve the lives of
Israelis and Palestinians, the
Times said.
The close vote came after a
week of intense lobbying and
most contentious debate of
this assembly, the churchs
news service said, noting that
divestment has historically
been seen as a last resort
after other engagement tools
have failed.
Israel steps up hunt for teens
Reuters
Ramallah, West Bank
I
srael sent more troops to the oc-
cupied West Bank yesterday to
search for three missing teenag-
ers it says were abducted by Hamas.
The military said it arrested 10
Palestinians yesterday and that
some 1,350 sites in the West Bank
had been searched so far and more
than 330 Palestinians detained.
The raids have triggered street
clashes in the West Bank in which
two Palestinians have been killed.
Hamas has neither claimed nor
denied responsibility for the disap-
pearance of the youths, who went
missing near an Israeli settlement
on June 13.
Hundreds of troops were deployed
around the city of Hebron yesterday,
a day after the army declared the
area a closed military zone, and ap-
peared to be carrying out searches, a
Reuters witness said.
Overnight in Ramallah, troops
raided the of ces of a media broad-
cast and production company, wit-
nesses said.
An Israeli military spokeswoman
said the soldiers found electronic
devices and magnetic media used
for terrorismthat she saidbelonged
to Hamas, without going into fur-
ther detail.
Israel has also hit welfare organi-
sations it accuses of aiding Hamas.
Soldiers raided 30 such institutions
on Thursday and 15 more yesterday,
a military spokesman said.
Campaign group The Palestinian
Prisoners Club said the army had
arrested 37 people yesterday.
Palestinian President Mahmoud
Abbas has condemned the kidnap-
ping of Gilad Shaer, Naftali Frenkel,
both 16, and Eyal Ifrach, 19.
But the Western-backed leader
has also criticised the extent of Isra-
els recent raids, saying they amount
to collective punishment.
The crisis has put pressure on a
unity pact between Abbass Fatah
party and Hamas. Palestinian For-
eign Minister Riad al-Malki said on
Friday the deal would be threatened
if Hamas was responsible for ab-
ducting the three youths.
Hamas spokesman Fawzi
Barhoum said on his Facebook page
al-Malkis comments were irre-
sponsible.
Hamas controls the Gaza Strip,
an area that, along with East Jerusa-
lemand the West Bank, Palestinians
want for a future state. The group
rejects peace talks with Israel, which
Abbas has held in the past.
Hamas spokesman Sami Abu
Zuhri said in Gaza on Thursday
that regardless of who was re-
sponsible (for the teenagers dis-
appearance) ... we stress on the
right of our people to react to the
agonies of our prisoners in the oc-
cupation jails.
Palestinian police (background) look on as Israeli troops patrol a street during a search operation for the three missing
Israeli teenagers yesterday in the village of Halhul, near Hebron.
AFRICA
14
Gulf Times
Sunday, June 22, 2014
French soldiers of the Sangaris Operation and soldiers of the African-led International Support Mission to the Central African Republic (MISCA) contingent take part in an
operation to secure the perimeter around a site where World Cup football matches will be broadcast, in Bangui, Central African Republic. The Central African Republic
has seen more than a year of unrest, with violence between the ex-Seleka rebels and the largely Christian militias leaving tens of thousands dead and about a quarter of
the population of some 4.5mn displaced.
Happy viewing
Somali journalist
killed in bombing
AFP
Mogadishu
A
Somali journalist died in Mogad-
ishu yesterday after a bomb be-
lieved to have been attached to his
car was remotely detonated, police and
witnesses said.
The victim, prominent local journalist
Yusuf Keynan, was working with Mus-
taqbal radio, a private Mogadishu FM sta-
tion, and also contributed to the Nairobi-
based UNhumanitarian radio Ergo.
It was a local journalist who was tar-
geted in the attack. The bomb attached
under the seat of his car went of, leaving
himdead, Somali police of cial Abdi Ga-
rane said.
It was horrible. The severed dead body
of the journalist was burned beyond rec-
ognition inside his car. I dont know why
they have targeted him, said Hassan Idle,
an eyewitness to the attack.
Somali security forces sealedof the area
to investigate the incident, the secondkill-
ing of a journalist in Mogadishu this year.
There was no immediate claim of re-
sponsibility, but Mogadishuhas beenhit by
a string of attacks by the countrys Al Qae-
da-linked Shebaab rebels, who are ghting
to overthrow the war-torn countrys frag-
ile internationally backed government.
Recent Shebaab attacks have targeted
key areas of government, or the secu-
rity forces, in an apparent bid to discredit
claims by the authorities and African Un-
ion troops that they are winning the war
against the Islamist ghters.
On Wednesday a student doctor was
killed and seven others wounded in a
bombing at Keysansey hospital in north-
ern Mogadishu, which is run by the Somali
Red Crescent Society with support from
the International Committee of the Red
Cross (ICRC). That attack also involved a
bomb being attached to a car.
The National Union of Somali Journal-
ists (NUSOJ) said it was deeply shocked
by what it called a senseless murder of
the Somali humanitarian journalist.
The victim was among the winners of
2013 Somali Media Awards organised by
NUSOJ and the United Nations.
We condemn the heinous murder of
our colleague and call for prompt inves-
tigations into the case, NUSOJ Secre-
tary General Mohamed Ibrahim said.
We demand the killers be brought to
justice.
The UNs Special Representative for Soma-
lia, Nicholas Kay, also condemned the murder.
I condemn the killing of another
young, talented Somali journalist, and call
on the Federal Government of Somalia to
act swiftly to investigate this murder and
bring the perpetrators to justice, he said
in a statement.
Media workers must be able to conduct
their important work in a safe and secure
environment, he added.
Family members and colleagues
transport the slain body of Yusuf Key-
nan in Somalias capital Mogadishu.
Editor charged with
attempted terrorism
Edmund Kudzayi gets out of a police vehicle as he arrives at the
Harare Magistrates court.
Big voter
turnout for
key election
in Nigeria
Reuters
Onitsha, Nigeria
L
arge crowds of voters
gathered in Nigerias
southwest Ekiti state
yesterday for a hotly con-
tested local election that will
be scrutinised for fairness and
signs of violence ahead of next
years national poll.
The election for state gov-
ernor - a powerful position
in Africas biggest economy
- will also be a barometer for
President Goodluck Jonath-
ans ruling Peoples Demo-
cratic Party (PDP), which in
2015 is likely to see its sternest
test since sweeping to power
after the end of military rule
in 1998.
People started queuing up
hours before the formal start
of voting at noon (1200GMT),
of cials said.
No adverse reports have
been received from across the
state. There are rumours here
and there which we are check-
ing, said Ikechukwu Aduba,
the of cial in charge of opera-
tions for the election.
The US will be watching
the vote with great interest,
Washingtons ambassador
to Nigeria, James Entwistle,
said in a statement. A free and
peaceful election would help
demonstrate the credibility of
the electoral system, he said.
Governors are among the
most powerful gures in Afri-
cas largest oil producer. Some
control budgets bigger than
those of many African
countries and their inu-
ence carries a great deal of
weight in selecting presiden-
tial candidates.
In one early sign of tension,
of cials said the opposition
governor of the southern Riv-
ers state was detained by se-
curity forces on Thursday on
his way into Ekiti for a party
rally. The authorities were not
available for comment.
The main opposition All
Progressives Congress (APC)
was created out of four re-
gional parties last year - pre-
senting a nationwide chal-
lenge to the ruling movement.
Past, smaller, attempts
at opposition alliances have
fallen apart. But the APC has
been emboldened by the de-
fection of several governors
from the ruling party last
year.
It has also launched broad-
sides at Jonathans handling
of the abduction of 200 girls
froma school in northeast Ni-
geria by Islamist militants in
April.
The election pits the in-
cumbent Kayode Fayemi, a
member of the APC, against
former governor Ayo Fayose of
the PDP. Opeyemi Bamidele, a
Labour Party lawmaker, is also
running.
More than 800 people were
killed and 65,000 displaced in
three days of violence follow-
ing the 2011 presidential elec-
tion, HumanRights Watch has
said. Rioting erupted mainly
in the mostly Muslim north
after Jonathan, a Christian
fromthe south, won the vote.
Islamist rebels
storm village ,
several dead
Reuters
Maiduguri, Nigeria
S
uspected Islamist militants
stormed a village in northeast
Nigeria yesterday, killing sev-
eral people and torching houses near
where more than 200 schoolgirls were
kidnapped two months ago, a witness
said.
Clad in military uniforms, the at-
tackers raided the village of Korongin-
imina convoy of sport utility andmili-
tary vehicles, the witness told Reuters
by telephone, asking not to be identi-
ed.
The attackers then opened re
killing many, the witness said.
Two of their leaders were giving or-
ders that they should shoot anyone
on sight ... I crawled into the nearby
bush and ed from there, the wit-
ness added.
Koronginim is in Nigerias remote
Borno state, the birthplace of a ve-
year-old insurgency by Boko Haram
militants, who are bent on carving
out an Islamist caliphate in Nigerias
largely Muslimnorth.
The village is about 9km from Chi-
bok, where Boko Haram abducted
schoolgirls in April, triggering a glo-
bal campaign for their release. The
militants have killed thousands during
their campaign, fought back against a
military ofensive and have stepped up
their attacks since the kidnapping.
Chibok residents said they could see
smoke billowing up over Koronginim.
The attackers still pursued the
eeing villagers into the bush and shot
them, the villages representative in
the Chibok local government, Samuel
Ogi, told Reuters.
Some of (the villagers) are still in
the bush, he said, adding the insur-
gents attacked in the early morning
and did not leave until midday.
A source at Chibok hospital told
Reuters that at least four seriously
wounded people had been brought in.
Boko Haram, whose name roughly
translates as Western education is
sinful, is widely seen as the main se-
curity threat to Africas largest econo-
my and top oil producer.
Boko Haraminitially attackedmost-
ly security forces, government of cials
and sometimes Islamic clerics who
spoke out against it.
But when President Goodluck
Jonathan ordered a military ofensive
a year ago to ush them out, civilians
formed vigilante groups to help out -
and themselves became targets.
Amnesty International estimates
more than 1,500 people were killed
in northeast Nigeria in the rst three
months of this year.
Reuters
Harare
Z
imbabwe yesterday laid attempted terrorism, insurgency
and banditry charges against the editor of a state-run
newspaper, accusing him of being an anonymous Face-
book blogger who claimed to be a mole in President Robert Mu-
gabes ruling party.
Incharges readincourt by a state prosecutor, Sunday Mail ed-
itor EdmundKudzayi was accusedof being the mysterious Baba
Jukwa blogger purporting to be a disgruntled Deep Throat in
the ZANU-PF party ahead of last years elections.
Kudzayi, who was only appointed to his position in April, was
arrestedonThursday, a week after Mugabe accusedhis informa-
tion minister Jonathan Moyo of hiring journalists sympathetic
to the opposition.
Baba Jukwa, the blogger, has more than 400,000 followers.
He dished a daily streamof social tittle-tattle, outrageous per-
sonal slurs and explosive allegations, that gripped the country
in the run-up to the July 31 poll. https://www.facebook.com/
pages/Baba-Jukwa/232224626922797?ref=br_tf
According to the charge sheet, Kudzayi was attempting to
commit an act of insurgency, banditry, sabotage or terrorism as
well as subverting the constitutional government.
All the charges carry a life sentence upon conviction.
Kudzayi was not asked to plead and will appear in court again
on Monday. He also faces two lesser charges of insulting the
president and publishing falsehoods.
Zimbabwe routinely arrests editors from the private media
under tough security and media laws, but no journalist working
for a government-controlled paper had been afected in the last
decade.
Mugabe last week branded information minister Moyo a
devil incarnate, accusing himof using government-controlled
newspapers to sowdivisions within the ruling ZANU-PF party.
Zimbabwes private media outlets say an intense battle within
ZANU-PF on who will succeed the 90-year-old Mugabe has
sucked in the state-owned press.
Deputy president Joice Mujuru and justice minister Emmer-
son Mnangangwa have emerged as the front runners, but Mu-
gabe, who has ruled Zimbabwe since independence from Britain
in 1980, says the contest is open to all party leaders.
C
anadas jobs minister has
unveiled stricter rules
for hiring temporary for-
eign workers after allegations of
widespread abuses by employ-
ers, such as sidelining Canadi-
ans for jobs.
The changes are meant to
ensure the foreign worker pro-
gramme is used as intended
as a last and limited resort to
ll acute labour shortages on a
temporary basis when qualied
Canadians are not available,
Employment Minister Jason
Kenney said in a statement.
The new rules include more
job site inspections, nes of up
to C$100,000 ($93,000) and
jail for employers who abuse the
programme.
Also, the amount of time a
temporary foreign worker can
remain in Canada has been
halved to two years.
Temporary foreign workers
will no longer be allowed to ap-
ply for low-skilled, low-paid
jobs in restaurants, hotels or
retail stores in areas where un-
employment is higher than 6%
which is most major cities
across Canada.
The latter is meant to encour-
age hiring of Canadian youth,
who as a group are struggling
with relatively high unemploy-
ment.
Ottawa took action after re-
ceiving hundreds of complaints
about employers including a
trucking rm, restaurants such
as McDonalds, and even banks
searching abroad for people to
ll jobs in Canada that could
have gone to Canadians.
Insome cases, Canadians said
they lost their jobs to foreign
workers.
Kenney reserved particular
scorn for the fast-food industry,
saying that he was really ticked
of to learn that Canadian ap-
plicants were not even consid-
ered in some cases, or that new
franchises were opened in areas
where employers then claimed
they could not nd local work-
ers to hire.
That is clearly an abuse, he
said. Youcant buildyour busi-
ness model around hiring tem-
porary foreign workers.
The foreign worker pro-
gramme was started in 1973 to
bring foreign academics, engi-
neers and other highly-skilled
workers to Canada to ll gaps.
The number of foreign work-
ers in Canada jumped to more
than 300,000, or 1.5% of the
total labour force, as it was ex-
panded over the past decade to
include low-skilled workers.
The restaurant industry sud-
denly rose to become the top
employer of temporary foreign
workers last year, before being
briey blacklisted by the gov-
ernment over abuses.
The new rules will not apply
to farmworkers or nannies.
Canada overhauls foreign worker rules
AFP
Ottawa
Kenney (right) at the news conference with Immigration Minister
Chris Alexander in Ottawa.
A
growing anthrax scare at
three government labora-
tories is drawing scrutiny
from Congress about whether
the United States Centres for
Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC) has the appropriate safety
procedures in place to protect
federal employees fromcontami-
nation.
Oversight committees in both
the Senate and the House of
Representatives are weighing
whether the potential exposure
of 84 people to one of the deadli-
est strains of anthrax at the CDC
facilities in Atlanta could merit
formal congressional hearings,
aides said.
One of the panels, the Senate
Health, Education, Labour and
Pensions Committee, is closely
monitoring the situation and
early next week will make a for-
mal request to CDCdirector Tom
Frieden for additional follow-up
information, said Allison Preiss,
a spokeswoman for Democratic
Senator TomHarkin of Iowa, the
panels chairman.
The CDC said that it will cede
control of the investigation to the
US Department of Agriculture
(USDA) to avoid potential con-
icts of interest.
In normal circumstances, such
an investigation would be con-
ducted by the CDCs Division of
Select Agents and Toxins (DSAT),
which has special expertise in
handling pathogens.
The division is part of the fed-
eral Select Agent Programme
which also comprises the USDAs
Animal and Plant Health Inspec-
tion Service (APHIS).
To avoid potential conicts of
interest, APHIS will be conduct-
ing the investigation instead of
DSAT, Benjamin Haynes, a CDC
spokesman, said.
The Select Agent Programme
oversees the possession, use
and transfer of biological select
agents andtoxins, which have the
potential to pose a severe threat
to the public, animals or plants.
Lawmakers and aides say the
breach is only the latest prob-
lem involving safety protocols
intended to protect agency em-
ployees and visitors at a bioterror
lab on the CDC campus, known
as Building 18.
Two years ago, visitors to the
bioterror lab were inadvertently
exposed to air from a potentially
contaminated facility.
On Thursday, the CDC dis-
closed that a bioterror lab sent
samples that may have contained
live anthrax bacteria to two low-
er-security facilities, potentially
exposing at least 84 people to the
deadly pathogen.
This certainly may rise to the
level of a congressional hearing,
especially in light of the fact that
not too terribly long ago there
were other incidents. Although
theyre unrelated, they both
speak to a breakdown in proto-
col, said Republican Represent-
ative Michael Burgess, a physi-
cian who sits on a second CDC
oversight panel, the House En-
ergy and Commerce Committee.
It just begs the question, are
the proper procedures and pro-
tocols in place to protect person-
nel? he added. It doesnt take
much of a breach to create a sig-
nicant problemfor a signicant
number of people.
An aide with Burgesss com-
mittee said that staf are moni-
toring the situation closely to
determine whether further steps
should be taken.
In 2012, the panel investigated
the air ow problems and other
issues and was assured by CDC
of cials that the problems had
been addressed, the aide said.
High-containment laborato-
ries, which conduct research on
potential bio-weapon agents,
including anthrax and Ebola,
have proliferated since the 2001
anthrax attacks in which spores
mailed to news media of ces and
two US senators killed ve people
and infected 17 others.
The Government Account-
ability Of ce (GAO) warned
Congress of an increased risk of
laboratory accidents last year,
saying the labs lack oversight and
operate with no national safety
standards.
The GAO recommended that
the administration make a sin-
gle federal agency responsible for
assessing lab standards, but said
in its February 2013 report that
the administration rejected the
recommendation as unneces-
sarily broad and cumbersome.
Concerns raised
over anthrax
scare at the CDC
Reuters
Washington
CDC buildings the Special Bacteriology Reference Laboratory (Building 17), the Bioterrorism Rapid
Response and Advanced Technology laboratory (Building 18), and the Biotechnology Core Facility
(Building 23) are seen in Atlanta, Georgia.
Major posturing
More than 8,000 people practice yoga yesterday as a salute to the sun at the 12th Annual Solstice in Times Square in New York City.
The day-long, free yoga event was sponsored by Athleta and the Times Square Alliance.
T
he reported $40mn set-
tlement between New
York City and ve men
wrongfully convicted of the
1989 rape of a woman jogger in
Central Park is the latest sign
that Mayor Bill de Blasio will
not always defend the police in
civil rights cases.
Its a stance de Blasio has
used to contrast himself with
the policies of his predeces-
sor, Michael Bloomberg, who
rejected allegations of police
misconduct in the case.
The city spent nearly $6mn
over a decade to ght a lawsuit
brought by the ve men.
The settlement appears to
be the largest in a wrongful
conviction case in New York
history and is in line with the
biggest jury verdicts in similar
cases, suggesting the city did
not secure a major discount for
avoiding trial, experts said.
Its certainly consistent
with what appears to be a dif-
ferent approach that de Bla-
sio is taking from Bloomberg,
said Joanna Schwartz, a law
professor at the University of
California in Los Angeles and
anexpert onpolice misconduct
claims.
The deal, conrmed to Reu-
ters on Thursday by a person
familiar with the matter, comes
ve months after de Blasio
dropped the citys challenge to
a federal judges ruling that the
polices stop-and-frisk policy
amounted to racial proling.
Bloomberg had ercely de-
fended the practice, insisting
it was lawful and efective at
reducing crime.
De Blasio and citys law de-
partment representatives did
not comment.
Lawyers for the men de-
clined to comment.
The Central Park Jogger
rape drew national attention
amid rising crime rates and ra-
cial tension in New York in the
late 1980s.
The men convicted in the
case Antron McCray, Kevin
Richardson, Raymond San-
tana, Korey Wise, and Yusef
Salaam, all black or Hispanic
teenagers confessed after
lengthy interrogations to as-
saulting Trisha Meili, a white
28-year-old investment bank-
er.
The teens recanted, saying
that the confessions were the
result of coercion and fatigue,
but were convicted.
Another man, serial rapist
Matias Reyes, would confess
in 2002, and the ve mens
convictions were vacated after
DNAtied Reyes to the crime.
Wise, who was 16 and the
oldest of the boys at the time,
spent 13 years in prison and
would receive the settlements
biggest share, a person familiar
with the matter said.
The Bloomberg administra-
tion took a hard line, ghting
the case since it was rst led
in 2003.
There was no wrongdo-
ing or malice on the part of the
prosecutors or the detectives
who conducted the investiga-
tion, Celeste Koeleveld, a city
lawyer, told Reuters in 2012.
But de Blasio called the con-
victions aninjustice andvowed
to settle.
The deal, which still requires
approval from the city comp-
troller and a federal judge,
would efectively pay the ve
men$1mnfor each year inpris-
on a surprise to some experts.
Thats the maximum rate
in cases youve seen going to
verdict, said Jennifer Laurin, a
University of Texas lawprofes-
sor. It doesnt look like much
of a compromise position.
In April, two men wrong-
fully imprisoned for 18 years
for murdering a Long Island
teenager were awarded $18mn
each by a federal jury.
By contrast, David Ranta,
who served 23 years after he
was wrongfully convicted
of killing a Brooklyn rabbi,
reached a $6.4mn settlement
with the city this year.
In ending CP5 case,
New York mayor
shows new approach
Reuters
New York
De Blasio: taking a diferent
stance.
AMERICAS
15
Gulf Times
Sunday, June 22, 2014
Kevlar inventor
dies at 90
Stephanie Kwolek, an American
chemist who in 1965 invented a
super-strong fibre called Kevlar
that revolutionised body armour
and protected innumerable
police oficers and soldiers from
bullets, has died at age 90.
Kwolek, who worked for the
DuPont chemical company for
four decades starting in 1946,
died in Delaware after a short
illness.
We are all saddened at the
passing of DuPont scientist
Stephanie Kwolek, a creative and
determined chemist and a true
pioneer for women in science,
DuPont chief executive Ellen
Kullman said in a statement.
A
University of Washington
student was charged in
federal court onThursday
with making threatening com-
ments over the Internet, where
prosecutors said he pledged to
kill women and praised a Cali-
fornia college student who went
on a killing spree in May.
Keshav Mukund Bhide, 23,
was arrested on suspicion of
harassment and cyber stalking
last Saturday at his dormitory on
the universitys Seattle campus.
Federal prosecutors charged
him on Thursday with making
interstate threats.
Bhide was taken into custody
because of his online comments
on YouTube and Google+, which
investigators found included
praise for 22-year-old California
mass-shooter Elliot Rodger, po-
lice said.
Rodger killed six University
of California, Santa Barbara,
students and wounded 13 other
people last month before taking
his own life in the college town
of Isla Vista.
Everything Elliot did is per-
fectly justied, Bhide wrote
under an account with the name
Foss Dark, according to court
documents.
Bhide posted the comments
online between May 31 and June
9, threatening to cause serious
physical injury or death to wom-
en at the University of Wash-
ington and to two other women
online, the complaint said. He
faces up to ve years in prison if
convicted.
College student charged over Internet threats to kill women
Reuters
Seattle
Lawmakers pass
bill to curb NSA
The US House of Representatives
approved late on Thursday a bill
that would restrict the electronic
surveillance powers of the
National Security Agency (NSA).
The margin was wide, 293 to
123, for the bill attached to the
defence budget for 2015, which
begins October 1.
For now, however, the bill will
have no efect on the NSA as it
has not been debated by the
Senate.
But the message from the lower
house is clear.
It wants to embrace a court ruling
and bar the NSA from using
personal electronic information
from US citizens without a prior
court order.
Big Bang theory
team admission
American astrophysicists who
announced in March what they
deemed a breakthrough in
confirming how the universe was
born now admit they may have
got it wrong.
The team said it had identified
gravitational waves that
apparently rippled through space
right after the Big Bang.
If proven to be correctly
identified, these waves
predicted in Albert Einsteins
theory of relativity would
confirm the rapid and violent
growth spurt of the universe
in the first fraction of a second
marking its existence, 13.8bn
years ago.
The apparent first direct
evidence of such so-called
cosmic inflation a theory that
the universe expanded by 100
trillion trillion times in barely the
blink of an eye was announced
in March by experts at the
Harvard-Smithsonian Centre for
Astrophysics.
After weeks in which they
avoided the media, the team
published its work on Thursday
in the US journal Physical Review
Letters.
In a summary, the team said
their models are not suficiently
constrained by external public
data to exclude the possibility of
dust emission bright enough to
explain the entire excess signal,
as stated by other scientists who
questioned their conclusion.
ASEAN
Gulf Times
Sunday, June 22, 2014 16
Malaysias tiny, strutting serama fowl gains fans
AFP
Kampung Pandan
M
arching imperiously with a
pufed-out chest and sol-
diers ramrod posture, Mo-
hamed Hatta Yahayas tiny chicken
strutted its rich yellow plumage for a
stone-faced judge.
Yes my hero, puf out your chest!
Mohamed Hatta cried out above
the din of fellow fowl-owners as his
$10,000 bird pranced to victory in a
beauty contest for serama chickens
outside the capital Kuala Lumpur.
The breed among the worlds
smallest chickens with adults weigh-
ing less than 500 grammes (17 oz) --
has been a favoured pet in its native
Malaysia for decades.
But its popularity has spreadto as far
as Europe and America, with enthusi-
ast clubs proliferating as owners cele-
brate the decorative breeds distinctive
characteristics.
These include attractive and richly
colouredplumage anda unique bearing
marked by a protruding, heart-shaped
chest and wings that hang straight to
the ground, giving the pigeon-sized
bird the air of a goose-stepping soldier
on military parade.
While the Asian bird-u outbreaks
of recent times andsubsequent poultry
restrictions have hamstrung breeding
eforts, the serama has been sustained
by the eforts of ardent enthusiasts
who will pay up to several thousand
dollars for a prize bird.
There are people who want to buy
my bird. But I amnot selling it. It is part
of my family, Mohamed Hatta said.
Believed to be a cross between the Ma-
laysianwildfowl andJapanese bantam,
the serama rst emerged decades ago
as a decorative pet for Malaysias state
sultans before gaining a broader public
following beginning in the 1980s.
Its name is thought to derive from
Rama a term referring to Thai-
lands royalty.
Some believe the breed originated
as a long-ago gift froma Thai king to a
Malaysian sultan.
Many Malaysians eat serama, be-
lieving them an aphrodisiac that also
ghts asthma. But the birds attrac-
tiveness and good-natured, manage-
able disposition has pushed it up the
pecking order of Malaysian pets.
These beautiful tiny birds gives you
great pleasure to own, said Norzamini
Tukiban, a 54-year-old banker who
heads the district chapter of Malaysias
serama association.
They are warm and tame and this
allows you to hold them, making sera-
ma birds adorable household pets.
Ahmad Fauzi Mohamed, president
of the Malaysia branch of the World
Serama Federation, estimates there are
about 250,000 serama in Malaysia.
There are nearly as many overseas,
he said, and serama clubs have sprout-
ed across Southeast Asia, the US, Can-
ada, Belgium, Holland, South Korea
and elsewhere.
The world federation has a member-
ship of 35,000 and is growing by 10%
per year.
But Malaysia remains the serama
heartland and contests are held al-
most weekly.
About 200 people turned out at an
open-air community hall just outside
Kuala Lumpur for a recent contest as
driving tropical rain thundered down
outside.
Lifting the diminutive competitors
onto viewing tables, judges scored
contestants on posture, feather qual-
ity, colour and temperament.
Hours of grooming precede
shows, including embellishing
plumage with additional feathers
taped to the bird which is al-
lowed.
Oils are applied to enhance the
sheen of plumage that can range
widely in one bird from red to white
to black.
A 2004 regional bird-flu outbreak
gave breeders a scare, as the Malay-
sian government culled hundreds
of serama along with other fowl to
contain the contagion, though there
were no reports of flu-infected ser-
ama.
Many owners hid their birds in
the jungle, trying to save the spe-
cies, said Ahmad Fauzi.
Subsequent poultry import re-
strictions in the region have ham-
pered breeding and trade, forcing
many enthusiasts to smuggle Malay-
sian chicks and eggs, as the countrys
serama are considered high-quality,
he said. But demand continues to
outstrip supply, and champions can
fetch up to $10,000.
Breeding is difficult and to get
good-quality birds is extremely
hard, said Fauzi Osman, a breeder
from northern Malaysia.
So die-hard enthusiasts like
those from Indonesia will get some-
one to smuggle baby chicks for about
$200 each.
Controversial Nazi-themed
Indonesian cafe reopens
AFP
Bandung
A
controversial Nazi-
themed cafe in Indonesia
that closed shop last year
after sparking international
outrage reopened yesterday
with its walls still bearing swas-
tikas and a painting of Adolf
Hitler.
The SoldatenKafee (The
Soldiers Cafe) was voluntar-
ily shut down last July following
death threats to the owner Hen-
ry Mulyana, who was accused of
inciting racial hatred.
This time Mulyanahas sought
to escape criticismby broaden-
ing the theme of his cafe, adding
images of other World War II
gures like Winston Churchill
and Josef Stalin alongside Nazi-
related memorabilia that trig-
gered global outrage.
Following its closure last
year, Mulyanas lawyer had
said that the cafe would be
reopened after a revamp
without any swastikas.
But at the opening yester-
day, three huge iron eagles
bearing swastikas were ex-
hibited, as were WWII propa-
ganda posters bearing the Nazi
symbol.
From the beginning I have
said that the SoldatenKaffee
is not a Nazi cafe. This cafes
theme is World War II, Muly-
ana told reporters at the reo-
pening in the western Java city
of Bandung.
All aspects of the Sol-
datenKaffee are legal. We have
a lot of customers from Europe
and they dont have a problem
with the World War II theme,
because it is seen here from
a historical perspective, he
said.
Dozens of mostly young In-
donesians attended the open-
ing dressed in military outfits,
including one with a swastika
armband, and some posed for
photos as prisoners of war in a
mock interrogation room.
Its no problem for me. Its
just a business, its not an issue
of ideology, said 25-year-old
Mega, who gave only her first
name.
Some people who come
here are intellectuals and
many are observers who are
keenly interested in World War
II, and theyre collectors, she
said.
British, French, American,
Japanese and Dutch military
memorabilia were also on dis-
play at the reopened cafe.
Rizal Effendi, a 28-year-old
first-time customer, also at-
tended the opening, taking
pictures in fascination of the
memorabilia.
The Nazis are from the
past. And everyone already
knows the history. In my opin-
ion, its really cool hanging out
here, and you can learn the
history of World War II at the
same time, he said.
About 90% of Indonesias
250mn people identify as
Muslim.The Jewish popula-
tion in Indonesia is tiny, but
historians have blamed poor
schooling in the country for
the lack of awareness and sen-
sitivity of the Holocaust.
The SoldatenKaffee was
named after the popular
hangout for soldiers in Germa-
ny and occupied Paris during
World War II, and had oper-
ated in Bandung for three years
until its Nazi-theme was high-
lighted in the English language
media. The reports prompted
fierce criticism from over-
seas, particularly from Jewish
organisations, including the
LA-based Simon Wiesenthal
Centre, which expressed its
outrage and disgust and
called for the cafes closure.
That Mulyana is allowed
to keep his cafe open sits in
stark contrast to attitudes in
Europe, where several coun-
tries have criminalised pro-
moting Nazi ideology and
Holocaust denial.
A Nazi swastika insignia sign on the floor decorates the interior of the reopened SoldatenKafee in Bandung
city, western Java island yesterday.
Village volunteers train during a self-defence practice session organised by Police and the Thai army in Yala province, southern Thailand yesterday. Reports of
gunfights, drive-by shootings, beheadings and bombings are near-daily events. Martial law, declared last month in the rest of Thailand, has been in place in
Pattani and neighbouring Narathiwat and Yala provinces for almost a decade.
Self-defence drill
A judge watches as a Serama chicken struts down a judging table during a beauty contest at Kampung Pandan in Kuala
Lumpur. Right: A Malaysian family watches during a Serema chicken beauty contest.
Presidential
spokesman
apologises
to Suu Kyi
DPA
Yangon

M
yanmars presidential
spokesman personally
apologised to opposi-
tion leader Aung San Suu Kyi
for his wifes personal attack on
Facebook, local media reported
yesterday.
The wife of deputy informa-
tion minister Ye Htut shared a
post with a faked photo of Suu
Kyi wearing a headscarf under
the title Woman of the Week.
I apologised to Daw (Mrs)
Aung San Suu Kyi when we met
in parliament, and she said it
was not a problem. I thank her
for understanding me, Ye Htut
said.
Ye Htut had earlier issued an
apology on Facebook, saying,
We have to take care with the
posts that we like and share,
for there may be hateful posts
and defamation. Apologies to
those who respect and support
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and to
those who visit my Facebook for
my failure.
Junta chief
vows drive
against
human
traf ckers
Agencies
Bangkok
T
hai military junta leader
Prayuth Chan-ocha has
pledged to crack down
on influential figures and offi-
cials who have profiteered from
trafficking illegal labourers
from neighbouring countries.
Prayuth made the remarks in
his weekly televised address al-
most at the same time with the
release of the US Trafficking
in Persons Report 2014, which
downgraded Thailand to the
lowest Tier 3 status, Xinhua
reported.
Thailand is a source, desti-
nation and transit country for
men, women and children sub-
jected to forced labour and sex
trafficking.
The majority of the traf-
ficking victims within Thai-
land tens of thousands of
victims, by conservative es-
timates are migrants from
Thailands neighbouring coun-
tries who are forced, coerced,
or defrauded into labour or
exploited in the sex trade, the
report said.
Prayuth said that traffickers
charged illegal migrant work-
ers about 20,000 baht ($618.6)
each for smuggling them into
Thailand, citing intelligence
information.
The labourers were also
forced to pay between 8,000
baht and 10,000 baht to in-
fluential people in Thailand,
Prayuth added.
More than 220,000 Cambo-
dian workers have reportedly
returned home from Thailand
over the past week, amidst
unconfirmed rumours that
the Thai junta would shortly
arrest and deport them.
The junta has categorically
denied it has a policy to crack
down on or deport foreign mi-
grant workers.
The rumours were spread by
influential figures and cor-
rupt officials who intended
to discredit the junta and reap
profit again from the migrant
workers when they return to
Thailand, Prayuth said.
Illegal migrant workers will
be allowed to work tempo-
rarily in Thailand while the
junta works out long-term
solutions to regulate them,
Prayuth said.
The majority of the
traf cking victims
within Thailand
tens of thousands of
victims, by conservative
estimates are migrants
from Thailands
neighbouring countries
who are forced, coerced, or
defrauded into labour or
exploited in the sex trade
AUSTRALASIA/EAST ASIA
17
Gulf Times
Sunday, June 22, 2014
13 shot dead
after attack
in Xinjiang
Reuters
Shanghai
C
hinese police yesterday
shot dead 13 attackers in
the restive far-western
region of Xinjiang after they
rammed a car into a police sta-
tion and detonated explosives,
Xinhua news agency said, in the
latest of a series of attacks to
worry Beijing.
China has been toughening its
response to violent crime after a
spate of attacks around the coun-
try, centred on Xinjiang, the tra-
ditional home of MuslimUighurs.
China has blamed previous
attacks on Islamist separatists
in the region, who they say are
looking to establish an inde-
pendent state there called East
Turkestan. It was not immedi-
ately clear who was responsible
for yesterdays violence.
The gangsters drove a truckto
ramthe building of the public se-
curity bureau of Yecheng County
in southern Xinjiang and set of
explosives. Police shot and killed
13 attackers at the scene, Xin-
hua said, adding that three police
were slightly wounded.
In 2012, seven attackers were
shot dead after killing 13 peo-
ple in a knife attack in Yecheng,
also known by its Uighur name
of Kargilik, a remote town on the
road leading to Chinas moun-
tainous border with Pakistan.
China has been on edge since
a suicide bombing last month
killed 39 people at a market in
Xinjiangs capital, Urumqi. In
March, 29 people were stabbed
to death at a train station in the
southwestern city of Kunming.
The rise in violence has
prompted a crackdown on vio-
lent crime. Authorities in Xin-
jiang have arrested dozens of
suspects in recent weeks for
spreading extremist propaganda,
possessing banned weapons and
other crimes.
China also executed over a
dozen people for terrorist attacks
in the region earlier this month
and three for an attack on Bei-
jings central Tiananmen Square.
Resource-rich and strategi-
cally located on the borders of
central Asia, Xinjiang has been
plaguedby violence for years, but
exiled Uighur groups and human
rights activists say the govern-
ments own repressive policies in
Xinjiang have provoked unrest,
something Beijing denies.
The crackdown against the
Uighur population is making it
hard for people to bear, Dilxat
Raxit, spokesman for the World
Uyghur Congress, the largest
group of exiled Uighurs, told Re-
uters by e-mail.
Opening re and killing those
resisting, and accusing them of
terrorism while skirting the root
causes, this will only lead to the
situation in the region becoming
worse.
President Xi Jinping said ear-
lier this year that the Kashgar
region, which sits in the far west
of Xinjiang, was the front line in
anti-terrorism.
The Silk Road city of Kashgar
has been at the centre of much
of the unrest. Yecheng is in the
Kashgar prefecture, and is more
than 1,500km southwest of
Urumqi.
Chinese leaders have also been
directing investment into Xin-
jiang. Xi pledged last month to
alleviate poverty and improve
ethnic unity in the region, the
most direct indication yet that
Chinas leaders want to address
the causes of violence.
A man proposes to his girlfriend as they are sprayed with coloured powder during a 5km colour run in Beijing yesterday.
Colourful proposal!
Conscript turns gun on comrades
Reuters
Seoul
A
South Korean conscript
soldier yesterday shot and
killed ve of his fellow
unit members and injured ve
others at a guard post near the
heavily armed border with North
Korea, a South Korean govern-
ment of cial said.
The exact circumstances of
the incident at the remote guard
post were not immediately clear,
although there was no indication
that North Korea was involved in
the incident.
The incident took place in the
Goseong county, a mountainous
region that borders the North on
the eastern end of the peninsula.
A separate of cial with the
army said there was an operation
to capture the conscript who is
believed to be onthe runcarrying
a rearm, live ammunitions anda
grenade.
All able-bodied South Korean
men must serve about two years
under a conscription systemthat
makes up a military of more than
600,000 troops aimed at deter-
ring aggression by North Korea,
which is one of the worlds most
militarised states.
Incidents involving rearms
at South Korean military units
are not frequent but have oc-
curredinthe past, typically when
conscripts who had been under
stress opened re on other unit
members or deserted the base
carrying weapons.
The tensely guarded border
across the Korean peninsula
was drawn up at the end of the
1950-53 Korean War. The two
Koreas remain technically at war
because an armistice and not a
peace treaty was signed to end
the conict.
North Korea stations a large
portion of its 1.2mn strong mili-
tary near the border backed
by artillery power. It regularly
threatens the South and the US
military based in the South with
destruction.
Earlier in the day, the Norths
of cial KCNA news agency ac-
cusedtheSouths president andits
defence chief as criminals who
fuelled military tension in com-
mentary typical of rhetoric from
Pyongyangthat warnedof war.
Asylum-seekers ofered
A$10,000 to return home
AFP
Canberra
A
ustralia is ofering asy-
lum-seekers in its Pacic
immigration camps up
to A$10,000 (US$9,400) if they
voluntarily return to their home
country, a report said yesterday,
prompting outrage fromrefugee
campaigners.
Fairfax Media reported that
those returning to Lebanon
from detention centres on Pa-
pua New Guineas Manus Is-
land and the tiny Pacic state of
Nauru were ofered the highest
amount of A$10,000.
Iranians and Sudanese were
given A$7,000 if they dropped
bids for refugee status, Af-
ghans A$4,000 and those from
Pakistan, Nepal and Myanmar
A$3,300, the report in The Syd-
ney Morning Herald said.
The Herald said under the
previous Labor administration
- in of ce until last Septem-
ber - the payments were much
lower, ranging from A$1,500 to
A$2,000.
Immigration Minister Scott
Morrison said return packag-
es were standard practice but
wouldnot reveal what the maxi-
mumpayments had been.
It has been the standard
practice for more than a decade
for settlement packages to be
ofered to those who voluntarily
return home, Morrison told the
Australian Broadcasting Corpo-
ration.
The packages are tailored in-
dividually for every person who
decides to voluntarily return
home, he said.
The packages range (interms
of) value and its not just in
terms of any nancial element,
but also training, support and
other issues to assist people to
get on their feet when they re-
turn, he added.
Labors immigration spokes-
man Richard Marles said the
government should be ensur-
ing that asylum-seekers claims
were being properly processed,
not issuing blank cheques.
When Scott Morrison was in
opposition, he opposed Labors
own reintegration packages and
now he is ofering sums which
are triple the amount, Marles
told the ABC.
Australia has toughened its
policy on asylum-seekers in re-
cent years, with those arriving
on unauthorised boats now re-
fused residency in Australia even
if they are deemed refugees.
Instead, they are held in de-
tention camps on Manus and
Nauru and are expected to be
resettled in those countries if
their claims are valid.
Since the policy was intro-
duced, more asylum-seekers
have chosen to voluntarily re-
turn to their country of origin
while the number of people at-
tempting to reach Australia by
boat has dried up, with no ves-
sels arriving for six months.
Morrisons of ce said 283
people had voluntarily returned
home from ofshore process-
ing centres since shortly after
the conservative government
of Prime Minister Tony Abbott
won power in September.
Refugee campaigners criti-
cised the idea of the payments,
and said returning asylum-
seekers could still face persecu-
tion back home.
The idea that you would put
people in a hell-hole like Manus
Island, treat them abysmally
and then try to bribe themto go
back to the appalling circum-
stances they left shows just how
morally bankrupt this govern-
ment is, Greens party leader
Christine Milne said.
Ian Rintoul from the Refugee
Action Coalition said he had
spoken to detainees in PNGwho
had accepted the money to re-
turn home, adding the amounts
had risen several times after an
Iranian asylum-seeker died in
riots on Manus in February.
The money thats being of-
fered to some people... its
straight out bribery, he said,
adding that relatively fewpeo-
ple are taking the money.
500,000 vote in Hong Kong poll
AFP
Hong Kong
M
ore thanhalf-a-million
people have voted in an
unof cial Hong Kong
electoral reform poll, organisers
said yesterday, in a ballot hit by
a massive cyber-attack and la-
belled by Beijing as illegal.
Online polling started on Fri-
day at noon and 500,436 resi-
dents had taken part in the civil
referendum, which asks how
voters would like to choose their
next leader, by 3pmyesterday.
The former British colonys
leader is currently appointed
by a 1,200-strong pro-Beijing
committee but there have been
increasingly vocal calls for resi-
dents to be able to choose who
can run for the chief executive
post.
China has promised direct
elections for the next chief ex-
ecutive in 2017, but has ruled out
allowing voters to choose which
candidates can stand.
Participation in the informal
ballot has already beaten all ex-
pectations, surprising even its
organisers, the Occupy Central
movement.
The pro-democracy group
said before launching the ex-
ercise, which runs until June
29, that they were hoping for
300,000 people to take part.
The 500,000 who had voted
in the rst 27 hours of the poll
represents a sizeable chunk of
the 3.47mn people who regis-
tered to vote at elections in2012.
The ballot allows registered
permanent residents of the
semi-autonomous city to vote
through a website or ona smart-
phone app and there are plans to
open polling booths around the
city today.
But the online voting system
has been targeted by a massive
denial-of-service attack, with
organisers swift to point the n-
ger at China.
We have reasonable sus-
picion to believe that Beijing
was behind the attacks because
which authority would have
the resources and motivation?
Benny Tai, one of the founders
of the Occupy Central move-
ment, told AFP.
Its unprecedented in Hong
Kong, Tai said of the size of the
attack.
Under the one country, two
systems agreement reached
when the city of 7mn people
was handed over from Britain
to Communist-ruled China in
1997, Hong Kong has guaranteed
civil liberties not enjoyed on the
mainland, including free speech
and the right to protest.
The poll allows residents to
choose between three options
for how they would like to see
the 2017 chief executive bal-
lot carried out - each of which
would allow voters to choose
candidates for the top job and
therefore be considered unac-
ceptable by Beijing.
Many pro-democracy activ-
ists fear that Beijing will hand-
pick the candidates to ensure
that the job does not go to any-
one who would be critical of
China.
Chinas State Council, the
equivalent of its cabinet, said on
Friday that any referendum on
howHong Kong elects its leader
would not have constitutional
grounds andwouldbe illegal and
invalid, state news agency Xin-
hua reported.
The comments appeared to
have little impact on voters.
More and more people see
that this is averycritical moment
and they must voice their views,
not just to have their say about
democratic rights, maybe also
about the other freedoms that
they treasure so much,Tai said.
Hong Kong is one of the few
parts of China where open
protests are allowed and pro-
democracy activists will be us-
ing the July 1 anniversary of the
handover to call for swifter elec-
toral reforms.
Last years event attracted an
estimated 430,000 protesters,
according to organisers.
Occupy Central has also
threatened to paralyse Hong
Kongs nancial district with
thousands of protesters at the
end of the year if of cials do not
allowvoters to choose their own
candidates.
Tai said the numbers taking
part in the unof cial referen-
dum would bolster the case for
reform.
Having a good turnout is
good, because then we might
have a stronger bargaining pow-
er at a later stage of negotiation,
he said.
The vote comes as concerns
grow that the civil liberties en-
joyed by Hong Kong - guaran-
teed until 2047 under the one
country, two systems agree-
ment - are being steadily eroded.
Beijings cabinet last week
published a white paper reas-
serting Chinas control over
Hong Kong, triggering angry
protests in the city.
It was Chinas rst ever policy
document stipulating howHong
Kong should be governed, in
what was widely interpreted as
a warning for Hong Kong not to
overstep its boundaries.
Occupy Central co-organisers (from left) Chan Kin-man, Benny Tai and Chu Yiu-ming, announce the
number of votes twenty-six hours after their unoficial referendum in Hong Kong.
S Korea ferry fugitives
wife is arrested
AFP
Seoul
S
outh Korean police yester-
day made apparent head-
way in the manhunt for a
fugitive businessman wanted
over Aprils ferry disaster with
the capture of his wife.
Kwon Yun-Ja, 72, was arrested
at a at in the southern suburbs
of Seoul following a successful
ambush, Yonhap news agency
said. But her husband Yoo Byun-
Eun, 73, was not at the site.
YTN TV showed Kwon,
her face covered with a dark
brimmed hat, being taken into
custody at the Incheon Prosecu-
tors Of ce.
Investigators want to question
her to obtain information that
may lead to the capture of her
husband.
Yoo is the patriarch of the
family behind Chonghaejin Ma-
rine Co, which owned and oper-
ated the 6,825-tonne Sewol ferry
which sank on April 16 with the
loss of around 300 lives, most of
themschoolchildren.
He is wanted for questioning
on possible charges of embezzle-
ment and criminal negligence, as
prosecutors investigate the extent
to which the Sewol disaster was
caused by a lack of safety stand-
ards and regulatory violations.
Yoo has no direct stake in
Chonghaejin, but his children
andclose aides control it through
a complex web of holding com-
panies.
His wife Kwon was accused
of diverting funds from one
of Chonghaejins subsidiaries
where she serves as the CEO.
A reward of 500mn won
($490,000) has been ofered for
information leading to the cap-
ture of Yoo and 100mn won for
that of his eldest son, Yoo Dae-
Kyun.
Last week, thousands of police
twice raided the compound of a
splinter religious group in pur-
suit of Yoo but to no avail. Yoo is
reportedly the de-facto leader of
the church.
Several church followers sus-
pected of helping Yoo evade a
nationwide dragnet have also
been arrested after he deed an
of cial summons to surrender to
prosecutors.
Kwon Yun-ja (centre) being
arrested at an undisclosed
location in South Korea on
embezzlement charges. (Face of
detainee pixelated under South
Korean law.)
BRITAIN
Gulf Times
Sunday, June 22, 2014 18
Revellers, some dressed in Aztec costume, celebrate the summer solstice at the Stonehenge yesterday. Druids,
a pagan religious order dating back to Celtic Britain, believe Stonehenge was a centre of spiritualism more
than 2,000 years ago.
Longest day!
Father of
jihadist
wants to
cry over
new video
AFP
London
T
he father of a British man who left to
ght inSyriasaidyesterdayhewants
to cry after his son appeared in an
online video aimed at recruiting jihadists.
Ahmed Muthana identied the man in
the 13-minute video, entitled There is No
Life Without Jihad, as his 20-year-old son,
Nasser Muthana, fromCardif.
Speaking to BBC Wales, Ahmed Muthana
saidseeingthe videomade himwant tocry
andaskedhis sonwhydidyoudothis?
Is he going to kill? he asked. He didnt
thinkof thechildren, thewomen, elderlypeo-
ple. Someoneis drivingthesekids todothis.
Nasser, who had received four univer-
sity ofers to study medicine, appears in the
YouTube video - dressed in a white turban
- using the name Abu Muthanna al-Yemen
and is anked by ve other men, three of
whomappear to be British.
His father slammedthosewho haddrawn
his son into the conict, saying they only
send other peoples children into battle.
He accused them of making a problem
for whole of the multicultural UK, not
just the Muslimcommunity.
British police are trying to remove the
online lm, which was posted by accounts
linked to militant group the Islamic State of
Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).
The jihadist group is renowned for its
ferocity, and is currently ghting against
the Syrian regime of Bashar al-Assad and
recently took Iraqs second city of Mosul.
British intelligence believe ISIL has re-
cruited around 400-500 Britons.
Ahmed Muthana told BBC Wales that he
was worried his son would come back to
me in a cof n. He explained that his son
had left home in November, and that he be-
lieved he had gone to study in Leicester or
Shrewsbury. I received a phone call saying
that hes in Turkey and thats it, he added.
I dont think thats Nasser talking, its
someone else is teaching him to talk like
this because the attitude of Nasser is 100%
completely diferent, he said.
The British government on Thursday
bannedthemilitant groupcurrentlyrampag-
ing through northern Iraq, adding it to a list
of proscribed organisations along with four
other groups linkedtothe Syrianconict.
It is nowanofence inBritainto belong to
or invite support for ISIL and the four other
proscribed groups, or even to wear clothing
or carry items in public indicating support.
Prime Minister DavidCameronis worried
that British nationals joining in the ghting
in Iraq and Syria pose a threat to Britains
security. Police have made 65 Syria-related
arrests since January 2013, Camerons of ce
has said, while 14people hadtheir passports
seized in the year to March, a signicant
numberof themrelated to Syria.
Blunkett set to quit as MP
Evening Standard
London
F
ormer Cabinet minister David Blun-
kett has insisted Ed Miliband is the
only man to lead the Labour party
to victory innext years general election- as
he announced his intention to stand down
as an MP. The blind former home secretary
has told his local party in Shef eld Bright-
side and Hillsborough that he will not seek
re-election in next years contest, ending a
career as an MP which began in 1987.
As he made the announcement, Mr Blun-
kett warnedLabour couldbe inthe political
wilderness until 2030 if it fails to win the
general election - but pledged his support
for Mr Milband.
He claimed a Conservative victory in
2015 would result in a government focused
on excluding the Labour Party and keep-
ing it out of of ce for as much as 15 years.
He said: (Ed) is the only man and he
is the only man because he is our leader.
Nobody is going to challenge him, he is in
a unique position, actually because Tony
Blair was bedevilled and in the latter days
so was Gordon Brown. Ed is free of that.
Ed Miliband will lead us to victory, I be-
lieve he can and I believe he will.
But warning of the consequences of de-
feat for Labour he told BBCRadio 4s Today
programme: I think we would be in the
wilderness for as much as 15 years because
all the changes that the Conservative ma-
jority government would bring in would
actually not be about fairness or equity or
even sharing power, it would be about ex-
cluding the Labour Party.
4mn repair bill for royals residence
Evening Standard
London
T
he Royal Family have defend-
ed an estimated 4mn re-
furbishment of the Duke and
Duchess of Cambridges Kensington
Palace apartment.
Taxpayers will foot the bill for
extensive work on the property, in-
cluding installing a new roof, over-
hauling the electrics and carrying
out signicant plumbing works.
A royal spokesman said repairs
and refurbishments would also see
a signicant amount of internal
buildingto return the residence to
function as a living space.
The apartment, which was last
refurbished in 1963, was designed
by Sir Christopher Wrenandwas the
home of Princess Margaret and Lord
Snowdon. Margaret remained there
after their divorce and lived there
until her death in 2002.
A royal spokesman said: This
is the Duke and Duchesss one and
only of cial residence. It is here that
they plan to stay for many, many
years to come.
We also had to take into account
the fact that Kensington Palace is a
scheduled ancient monument, and
all elements of the refurbishment
had to be agreed with English Her-
itage. Often this meant ensuring a
high standard of work in line with
the historical signicance of the
Christopher Wren building.
He said William and Kate paid
privately for all the internal fur-
nishings, including carpets and
curtains. They were also at pains to
ensure that the specication is not
extravagant.
He added: As with any other part
of the estate, it was the royal house-
hold(TRH) who were responsible for
the refurbishment of the residence -
where they couldinthe course of the
procurement process, TRH helped
to bear down on cost.
The household oversawthe plan-
ning, tendering and project manage-
ment of the refurbishment and were
responsibleforthebudget andspend.
Buckingham Palace also down-
played reports the Queen had taken
on a new 8mn helicopter for the
Cambridges use.
A spokesman for the Queen said
the monarch had secured an annu-
al lease for a helicopter, for a xed
number of hours.
The spokesman said the heli-
copter would be used by members
of the Royal Family - not exclu-
sively William, a qualified pilot
having undertaken training with
the RAF, and Kate - and that the
lease represented good value for
money.
He said: It will provide an alter-
native to chartering a number of dif-
ferent helicopters.
Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip attend the last day of the Royal Ascot horse racing festival at Ascot.
Londoners hunt for millionaires money in a park
Evening Standard
London
L
ondoners lled their pock-
ets with free cash yesterday
as they took part in a treas-
ure hunt in the city organised by an
American millionnaire.
The Hidden Cash trail, which
has already become a phenomenon
in the US, saw hundreds of people
hunt for 20 envelopes lled with
about 100 each around Kensington
Gardens in west London.
Clues were posted on the @Hid-
denCash Twitter page throughout
today to lead people to the enve-
lopes.
As of 5pm, at least eight envelopes
had apparently been found, as win-
ners posted pictures of themselves
with the cash online.
Californian real estate investor
Jason Buzi, 43, has revealed he is be-
hind the seemingly seless stunt.
Speaking to the Standard, he said
he plans to extend it to the rest of
the UK if the London event proves
successful and may look at sending
money electronically to winners in
the future.
He said: It seemed like today
went really well and people were
out there having a good time. People
said they were talking with stran-
gers, which doesnt often happen in
a city like London.
He continued: We denitely
want to expand it. There are no
plans to stop. It could evolve into
something diferent. We are looking
at sending money electronically. We
denitely want to keep the spirit the
same but the method might evolve.
Earlier this month, a separate
group of Good Samaritans who have
also been treating Londoners to a
free money trail were criticised for
not giving away enough cash.
The organisers said the hunt was
a bit of fun and they were disap-
pointed that some people appeared
unimpressed by the amount of cash
on ofer.
Mr Buzi said he could not under-
stand why the group had been criti-
cised.
He said: I do not know why
somebody would be critical of that.
There have been hundreds of copy-
cats all over the States andinthe UK.
If they are just giving for the fun of it
like we are, then we are for it.
EUROPE
19
Gulf Times
Sunday, June 22, 2014
P
ope Francis has issued the
strongest attack on or-
ganised crime groups by a
pontif in two decades, accus-
ing them of practising the the
adoration of evil and saying that
maosi are excommunicated.
It was the rst time a pope had
used the word excommunication
a total cut-of fromthe church
in direct reference to members
of organised crime.
Those who in their lives fol-
low this path of evil, as maosi
do, are not in communion with
God. They are excommunicated,
he said in impromptu comments
at a Mass before hundreds of
thousands of people in one of It-
alys most crime-infested areas.
To sustained applause he told
the crowd: This evil must be
fought against, it must be pushed
aside. We must say no to it.
He branded the local crime
group, the Ndrangheta, as an
example of the adoration of evil
and contempt of the common
good and said that the church
wouldexert its full force ineforts
to combat organised crime.
Our children are asking for
it, our young people are asking
for it. They are in need of hope
and faith can help respond to this
need, he said.
Vatican spokesman Father
Ciro Benedettini said the Popes
stern words did not constitute
a formal over-arching decree of
canon(church) law, regarding ex-
communication, which is a for-
mal legal process.
Rather, he said it was more of
a direct message to members of
organised crime that they had ef-
fectively excommunicatedthem-
selves, reminding themthat they
could not participate in church
sacraments or other activi-
ties because they had distanced
themselves from God through
their criminal actions.
Still, the use of the highly
charged word by a pope was sig-
nicant because many members
of organised crime in Italy see
themselves as part of a religious,
cult-like group, take part in sac-
raments, go to church and in
some cases have also found com-
plicity by some churchmen in the
south.
The Pope, Benedettini said,
was trying to isolate maosi
within their own communities,
sending a message that they
should not in any way be looked
up to as men of honour.
In 1993 pope John Paul II
sternly warned members of Sic-
ilys Maa that they would one
day face the justice of God.
The Maa responded sev-
eral months later with bomb at-
tacks against several churches in
Rome, including the Basilica of St
Johns, which is a popes church
inhis capacity of bishop of Rome.
Francis spoke in a homily at
the end of day-long trip to the
southern region of Calabria,
home of the home of the maa-
style Ndrangheta which investi-
gators say has spread around the
world.
The Ndrangheta has been
much harder for investigators
to combat than the Sicilian Ma-
a because its structure is more
lateral than hierarchical and its
tightly-knit crime families are
less ashy than the Sicilian mob
and harder to penetrate.
A 2013 study by Demoskopia,
an economic and social research
institute, estimatedthe Ndrang-
hetas annual turnover at some
53bn euros ($72bn) in 30 coun-
tries, equivalent to about 3.5%
of Italys total of cial economic
output.
Around half of its revenues
came through drug traf cking,
the study found.
Francis made the trip in part
to pay tribute to Nicola Coco
Campolongo, who was killed in
the town along with his grandfa-
ther in an organised crime attack
last January.
The charred body of the boy,
who had been entrusted to his
grandfather Giuseppe Iannicelli
after his parents were jailed on
drugs charges, was found along
with those of Iannicelli and a
Moroccan woman in a burnt-out
car in the town.
Francis, who last January
strongly denounced the murder
and asked the killers to repent,
comforted the boys father and
other relatives during a meeting a
Vatican spokesman called highly
emotional.
Never again violence against
children. May a child never again
have to sufer like this. I pray for
him continuously. Do not de-
spair, the spokesman quoted the
pope as saying.
The boys parents and grand-
father were part of a drugs traf-
cking clan of the Ndrangheta.
Social workers have come under
criticism for entrusting the boy
to his maternal grandfather, a
convicted drugs runner who was
out on bail.
The bishop of the area the Pope
visited, Nunzio Galantino, is
seen as one of the most progres-
sive inItalys poorer, underdevel-
oped south and has taken strong
stands against organised crime.
But there have been instances
of collusion of some priests in
other areas of Calabria where the
Ndrangheta is strongest, further
south along the Italian peninsula
near Reggio Calabria.
Pope says maosi are excommunicated
Reuters
Sibari, Italy
Francis: (the mafia) are excom-
municated.
U
kraines unilateral cease-
re hung in the balance
yesterday as clashes
spread across the separatist east
and Moscow rankled Kiev by
putting its central forces on full
combat alert.
The resurgence of violence in
the 11-week pro-Russian up-
rising threatening to splinter
the former Soviet state came
as Washington slapped sanc-
tions on top separatist leaders
and warned the Kremlin against
sending forces into Ukraine.
But Russian President
Vladimir Putin appeared ready
to continue sabre-rattling in
the worst East-West stand-of
since the Cold War by ordering
units from the Volga to western
Siberia to conduct snap military
drills.
There is no ceasere, a
woman named Lila Ivanovna
said just 4km southwest of the
battle-scarred rebel stronghold
city of Sloviansk (also spelled
Slavyansk and Slaviansk). They
were shooting last night and I
heard mortar and machinegun
re at four this morning. Noth-
ing has changed.
Ukrainian border guards said
the militia used sniper re and
grenade launchers to strike a
base in the eastern Donetsk re-
gion, four hours after President
Petro Poroshenko declared a
unilateral halt to hostilities that
have claimed more than 375
lives.
It said that troops had to re-
turn re when the same rebel
unit mounted a second attack
near a diferent Russian border
crossing a fewminutes later.
A spokesman for Ukraines
anti-terrorist operation con-
rmed the ghting around
Sloviansk while the defence
ministry said that one of its an-
ti-aircraft bases was attacked by
50 men in camouage.
Ukraines SBU security serv-
ice said nine border guards were
wounded in violence overnight.
But the separatist leader of
the self-proclaimed Donetsk
Peoples Republic told report-
ers that Sloviansk had absorbed
a heavy air and artillery assault
fromUkrainian troops.
Poroshenko ordered his forces
to hold re for a week on Fri-
day evening as part of a broader
peace plan that would eventu-
ally give more rights to the east-
ern industrial region which has
strong Russian ties.
However, the Western-backed
president also cautioned that
this does not mean that we will
not ght back against aggression
toward our troops.
We know how to protect our
nation, he told wounded sol-
diers during a visit yesterday to a
Kiev military hospital.
Russia dismissed Porosh-
enkos plan as an ultimatum
that left rebels with a choice be-
tween complete surrender or an
even more aggressive Ukrainian
army push.
The fact that the so-called
counter-terrorist military op-
eration has intensied in parallel
with the advancement of a peace
plan is a cause for much alarm
and concern, Russian Foreign
Minister Sergei Lavrov said on a
visit yesterday to Saudi Arabia.
Just two weeks into his term,
Poroshenkos attempts to re-
solve the countrys worst post-
Soviet crisis havealso beencom-
plicated by a newdeployment of
Russian forces along parts of the
border where the rebels mount
the most frequent attacks.
Putin appeared to be stirring
tensions further yesterday by
ordering troops stretching from
the Volga region in central Rus-
sia to the Ural Mountains and
swathes of Siberia to go on full
combat alert as part of an un-
announced readiness check.
The Russian defence ministry
said military exercises in the ex-
pansive region whose western-
most edge lies 400km east of
Ukraine would involve 65,000
soldiers along with 60 helicop-
ters and 180 jets.
But both Kiev and its Western
allies are also anxious about the
presence of new Russian forces
along the border amid charges of
growing ows of heavy weapons
crossing into rebel-held parts of
the industrial east.
Foreign ministry spokesman
Yevgen Perebiynis told AFP that
Putins order for snap drill in
central Russian cannot but also
raise concern if it is in any way
linked to earlier deployments
near the border.
Ukrainian of cials have told
EU and G7 teams in Kiev that
they have evidence of 10 addi-
tional tanks and sealed trucks
coming over the border close to
the eastern city of Luhansk (also
spelled Lugansk) since Thurs-
day.
A Russian defence ministry
source told the RBKnews agency
this week that troops were pre-
pared to enter Ukraines insur-
gent regions in order to put up
barriers between the civilian
population and the Ukrainian
army.
We will not accept the use,
under any pretext, of any Rus-
sian military forces in eastern
Ukraine, said White House
spokesman Josh Earnest.
US State Department spokes-
woman Jen Psaki noted that
most of the equipment being
gathered in southwest Russia
was no longer used by its mili-
tary.
We believe that Russia may
soon provide this equipment to
separatist ghters, Psaki said.
The US Treasury Department
also blacklisted seven Ukraine
separatists whom it accused of
being a threat to the countrys
peace and sovereignty.
But the measure was largely
symbolic because none is known
to have US assets that would be
frozen under Treasury Depart-
ment rules.
Clashes in east Ukraine
despite ceasere order
AFP
Andriyivka, Ukraine
The flag of the so-called Peoples Republic of Donetsk is seen as pro-Russian militants take the oath of
allegiance yesterday during the ceremony in the centre of Donetsk.
Poroshenko is seen presenting an award to a serviceman who was
wounded during fighting with pro-Russian separatists, at a hospital
in Kiev in this picture provided yesterday by the Ukrainian
Presidential Press Service.
L
eft-wing European lead-
ers have agreed to back
Luxembourg conserva-
tive Jean-Claude Juncker for
the post of European Commis-
sion president, saying that they
would seek other top EU jobs for
their party allies in return.
Among those posts was the
European Parliament presi-
dency, whose incumbent Martin
Schulz, a German Social Demo-
crat, won their backing to seek a
new term at the head of the EU
assembly.
The decision to back Juncker
at a meeting in Paris of eight
prime ministers, including Ita-
lys Matteo Renzi and German
Vice-Chancellor Sigmar Gabri-
el, makes Britains David Cam-
eron look increasingly isolated
before next weeks EU summit.
Cameron considers the
former Luxembourg premier
and veteran EU deal-broker too
ardent a proponent of European
integration.
He had been seeking allies
notably Renzi to help block
his nomination after Junckers
political grouping, the European
Peoples Party, wonlast months
European Parliament election.
However, French President
Francois Hollande said that
those present at the meeting
had agreed to respect the prin-
ciple that the leading candidate
of whichever party won the
election should have the right to
put forward that person for the
top Commission job.
And that happens to be Mr
Juncker. But we want a discus-
sion at the summit on the whole
set of European responsibili-
ties, Hollande told reporters,
adding that some of those roles
should be given to Social Demo-
crat-backed candidates.
Germanys Gabriel conrmed
that Schulz, who led the cam-
paign of Europes left-wing
parties in the elections, would
instead be put forward for a new
termas parliament chief.
Martin Schulz would have
been the ideal Commission
president, but elections are
elections ... and thats why
Juncker will become Commis-
sion president, he said.
Schulz, standing next to
Gabriel, told reporters that he
would formally present his can-
didature for the parliament post
and was quite optimistic that
a deal on the EUs top positions
would be agreed at the summit
in Brussels.
EU diplomats said this week
Juncker was the only name on
the table to run the EUs pow-
erful executive arm and looked
increasingly likely to be nomi-
nated at a June 26-27 leaders
summit.
Present at the meeting were
the government leaders of Aus-
tria, Belgium, Denmark, Italy,
Malta, Romania, Slovakia, and
the Czech Republic.
Renzi, whose country will
take over the rotating presiden-
cy of the 28-member EU next
month, left the Paris meeting
without speaking to reporters.
Europes left-wingers back
Juncker for top EU of ce
Reuters
Paris
Italian
parties
reach deal
on Senate
reform
Reuters
Rome
I
talian Prime Minister Matteo
Renzis centre-left Demo-
cratic Party (PD) has reached
an accord with centre-right par-
ties over proposals to curtail the
powers of the Senate, one of the
key planks in a wider constitu-
tional reformpackage.
The changes, agreed by party
of cials late on Friday, are in-
tended to create the conditions
for more stable government.
They would concentrate pow-
er in the lower house and make it
easier for a party to win a reliable
parliamentary majority.
Under the current system
of perfect bicameralism, the
Senate has virtually equal pow-
ers with the lower house but is
elected through regional votes
rather than a single national bal-
lot.
That increases the chances the
two houses will end up with dif-
ferent majorities.
Under the accord, the Senate
would become a regional cham-
ber which would lose its power
to pass legislation and to vote
no condence and bring down
a government.
It would still have the power
to request amendments and vote
on constitutional issues.
Responding to pressure for
a cut in the cost of the overall
political system, the number of
senators would be cut from 315
to 100.
Insteadof being directly elect-
ed, they would mainly be mayors
and local government repre-
sentatives with a small number
nominated by the president.
The accord will require a two-
thirds majority in parliament to
change the constitution, which
it should get if the agreement
with the opposition holds up.
It is expected to be brought up
for debate in parliament next
month.
H
undreds protested
against Turkish Prime
Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan in the French city of
Lyon yesterday as he visited Eu-
rope ahead of an expected bid for
the presidency.
Organisers said 1,000 people
took part in the protest organised
by pro-democracy and minority
groups near a local government
of ce, where Erdogan met re-
gional of cials. Police said there
were about 500 protesters.
His government is authori-
tarian. It scorns democracy by
violently repressing peaceful
demonstrations and minorities.
It is not normal that he comes
to the country of human rights,
said Mehmet Demirbas, the head
of a local cultural centre for the
Alevi community in Lyon.
The community, which ac-
counts for 10-15mn of Turkeys
76mn citizens, has often clashed
with Erdogans government.
Erdogan is touring European
countries with large Turkish
populations ahead of a widely
expected run for the presidency
in August.
As many as 10,000 people
demonstrated in Vienna when he
visited Austria earlier this week.
Hundreds protest Erdogan visit
AFP
Lyon
Left: Hundreds attend a demonstration in
Lyon. The sign reads: Erdogan. The assassin
is not welcome in Lyon. Turkeys Dictator
Get Out.
Erdogan speaking at the rally for supporters
in Chassieu, near Lyon.
20
Gulf Times
Sunday, June 22, 2014
INDIA
DU students
hurt during
protest over
four-year
programme
IANS
New Delhi
M
any students were in-
jured when police used
water cannons during a
protest against the Delhi Univer-
sitys four-year undergraduate
programme.
Police took the action when
the students tried to cross a bar-
ricade andmove towards the vice
chancellors residence.
More than 300 students,
mainly from the Akhil Bharatiya
Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), had
to face the water cannons. Some
were injured while some were
detained.
The ABVP is the students
wing of the ruling Bharatiya Ja-
nata Party.
The administration asked
police to do this. It is not right.
The University Grants Commis-
sion (UGC) has said in a letter
that the four-year programme
has to be scrapped... So why is
the vice chancellor not listen-
ing? said ABVP Delhi state sec-
retary Saket Bahugana.
The Delhi University Teachers
Association (DUTA) condemned
the attack on the students.
Members of the National Stu-
dents Union of India (NSUI) who
too were protesting against the
programme were also beaten up
by police.
The NSUI is af liated to the
Congress.
This is such a fascist behav-
iour of the administration. Four
of our student members have
been admitted to hospital. We
just wanted to submit a memo-
randum to the vice chancellor
but we were treated in this man-
ner, NSUI spokesperson Amrish
Ranjan Pandey said.
University of cials refused to
comment on the issue.
Various student groups have
been protesting against the pro-
gramme, demanding that the ad-
ministrationroll it back. The pro-
tests have intensied since the
BJPgovernment came to power.
On Friday, the UGC wrote to
the university asking it to scrap
the programme.
Intellectuals back writer
over anti-RSS remarks
ByAshraf Padanna
Thiruvananthapuram
A
group of prominent
Kerala intellectuals has
come out in support of
eminent literary critic B Ra-
jeevan who faces the wrath of
rightwing Hindu groups for his
remarks alleging their involve-
ment in the assassination of
Mahatma Gandhi.
The Rashtriya Swayamsevak
Sangh (RSS), the ideological
patronof Indias ruling Bharati-
ya Janata Party (BJP), recently
asked Rajeevan to withdraw
his defamatory remarks and
apologise or face prosecution.
We see this as a dangerous
pointer to the democratic space
being shrunk so much so that
those who tell a historic truth
is being forced to apologise,
the intellectuals said in a joint
statement issued yesterday.
The signatories include his-
torian Dr K N Panikkar, writers
Anand, Satchidanandan, Paul
Zacharia, M Mukundan, N S
Madhavan and Sarah Joseph,
lmmaker Lenin Rajendran,
politicians M A Baby, Binoy
Viswam and Palode Ravi and
Swami Sandeepananda Giri, a
scholar in Hinduism and pro-
ponent of its values.
They urged people who stand
for the democratic values and
secular camaraderie to join
hands against attempts to gag
free thinking and freedom of
expression in the name of false
nationalism.
In a public sphere like Kera-
las, taking Rajeevans remark to
court was a bit much. There are
various streaks for Hindutva
and they can hardly be difer-
entiated, said N P Ashley who
teaches English literature at the
prestigious St Stephens Col-
lege in Delhi.
If the RSSis verystrict about
such legalities, then they should
make statements that can only
be provenina court of law. Any-
thing less than that is unethical
as per their ownterms.
Nathuram Godse, the assas-
sin of the father of the nation,
was a Hindu nationalist who
had worked in the Hindu Ma-
hasabha and the RSS. Techni-
cally, he was not a member of
the RSS.
As for Gandhis assassina-
tion, the question is not really
whether they were technically
involved as an organisation but
whether they support the act as
one that supports the Hindutva
cause, said Ashley. Unless the
RSS is ready to disown Godses
ideology and act, their case
against the writer will remainin
the domain of superuous and
mindless technicality.
The normal response...is
an explanation sent to the edi-
tor for publication. If all of us
start running to lawyers when
we come across factual er-
rors, we will have little time for
anything else, said Satchidan-
andan. If we keep silent now,
this trend will only increase.
Already there is a lot of self-
censorship going on.
Earlier this month, seven
people, including the principal
of a polytechnic college, was
arrested on charges of equating
Prime Minister Narendra Modi
with dictators like Adolf Hitler
in their annual magazine.
Later, nine people associated
with another campus journal
were held for carrying a cross-
word puzzle insulting Modi
and Congress Party leaders
including former prime min-
ister Manmohan Singh. Both
magazines were brought out by
communist-controlled unions.
All of them, including the
students and members of the
editorial advisory committee,
are now out on bail after being
charged with wantonly giving
provocation intended to cause
riot, defamation and printing
matter known to be defama-
tory.
Modi may get
the honour of
addressing
US Congress
Manmohan Singh was the
last Indian primeminister to
address a joint session of the
US Congress in 2005
Agencies
Washington
P
rime Minister Narendra
Modi, once denieda visa to
enter the US over the Gu-
jarat riots, is expected to receive
the honour of addressing a joint
session of the US Congress dur-
ing a visit to Washington in Sep-
tember.
California Republican Ed
Royce, chairman of the House
of Representatives Foreign Af-
fairs Committee, wrote to House
Speaker John Boehner on Friday
and asked that he invite Modi
to address a joint session of the
House and Senate during the
prime ministers trip.
In every aspect - whether it
be in political, economic or se-
curity relations - the US has no
more important partner inSouth
Asia, the letter said. It is not
an overstatement to say that the
US-India relationship will be
one of the dening partnerships
of the 21st century.
Boehners of ce did not im-
mediately announce a response
to the letter, which was also
signed by North Carolina Re-
publican Representative George
Holding. Congressional aides
said they expected an invitation
would be issued to the Indian
leader.
The administration of presi-
dent George W Bush denied
Modi a visa in 2005 under a 1998
US law barring entry to foreign-
ers who have committed par-
ticularly severe violations of re-
ligious freedom.
In 2002, when Modi had just
become Gujarats chief minister,
more than 1,000 people, mostly
Muslims, were killed in sectarian
riots in the state. Modi denied
any wrongdoing. The Supreme
Court ruled in 2010 he had no
case to answer.
President Barack Obama con-
gratulated Modi on his election
victory in mid-May and invited
himto the White House.
Modis predecessor Manmo-
han Singh was the last Indian
prime minister to address a joint
session of the US Congress when
he visited Washington in 2005.
The two lawmakers said they
were optimistic that the man-
date given to Modi will help In-
dia thrive economicallyas Un-
der Mr Modis leadership, the
state of Gujarat has ourished.
Home to a mere 5% of the
countrys population, Gujarat
now accounts for nearly 25% of
all Indian exports. Poverty rates
have fallen dramatically, and in-
frastructure has grown impres-
sively, they noted.
Taking note of Modis busi-
ness friendly image, the law-
makers said: Importantly, Modi
has promised to focus on private
enterprise, reduce bureaucracy,
and strengthen trade ties with
major partners.
Since 2001, US-India trade
has experienced impressive
growth, but our commercial re-
lationship remains far below the
scale of our markets, they said
But Modis commitment to
cut the red tape that has long
plagued our trade relationship
gives reason for hope that our
economic partnership will our-
ish.
The US, which sees India as a
natural ally and potential coun-
terbalance to China in Asia, is
eager to expand business and
security co-operation with the
Modi government.
However, the relationship has
failed to live up to that billing,
due to bureaucratic and regu-
latory obstacles in India to ex-
panded business ties and a po-
litical dispute over US treatment
of an Indian diplomat accused
of mistreating her nanny, which
some analysts blamed on a lack
of policy focus by the Obama ad-
ministration.
But in a sign that the Indo-US
ties are on the rebound, Wash-
ington which had downgraded
Indias aviation safety ranking
in January, is now helping the
country get back its top billing.
The US Trade Development
Agency (USTDA) is funding the
appointment of Americas The
Wicks Group (TWG) as advis-
ers to the downgraded Direc-
torate General of Civil Aviation
(DGCA). It has started work-
ing with the DGCA to identify
its weaknesses in various elds
like rules, regulations and prac-
tices and then will help it rectify
them.
The downgrade by US Federal
Aviation Administration (FAA)
was a direct result of the pre-
vious Congress governments
abject failure to strengthen the
DGCA to ensure it had the re-
sources to ensure safety in In-
dias civil aviation sector that
saw a sharp rise in accidents
since the advent of low-cost air-
lines in India from2005.
The move has dealt a body
blow to Indian carriers as they
cannot add newights to the US
andaircraft of Indianairlines can
be heldup for checks indenitely
at foreign airports as the DGCAs
ability to ensure safety is now
suspect globally.
Attempting to reach out to a wider audience and
highlight the vulnerabilities of tribal communities
of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands who are in
constant conflict with the world at large, an author
and researcher has penned a fictional tale to
ofer lyrical insights into the pristine archipelago.
Pankaj Sekhsarias The Last Wave introduces
readers to the story through Harish, in his early
30s, whose broken marriage has left him grieving.
He accompanies his journalist friend for a story to
these breathtaking islands and during the course
of his stay, understands the complexities involved
in the constant conflict between the tribals, the
other residents and nature.
The central government was keen on promoting
childrens films by facilitating expansion of their
reach through various avenues, Information and
Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar said
yesterday. If the films are made and we are not
able to release them, then the end result will be
nil, he said in Mumbai while stressing the need
for production of good childrens films which
could contribute to their all-round development.
He said films produced by the Childrens Film
Society of India need to be promoted and
marketed well and the budget for promotion
and marketing them should be a build-in
component of the films overall budget.
Andhra Pradesh Governor E S L Narasimhan
yesterday said the bifurcation of the state left a
deep scar on the psyche of the Telugu people.
In his maiden address to the joint session of the
Andhra Pradesh legislature after the bifurcation,
Narasimhan said popular sentiments, aspirations
and expectations of a large section of the
populace remained unfulfilled. The decision
to bifurcate the united state of Andhra Pradesh
and the manner it was done has left behind a
deep sense of disappointment and trail of bitter
memories. The unscientific way of bifurcation
has left a deep sense of scar on the psyche of the
Telugu people. These will take some time to heal.
Andamans tribals plight
brought alive through book
Govt keen to promote
childrens films: minister
Bifurcation left scar on
peoples psyche: governor
CONFLICT
A factory worker is struggling for life after a
friend played a practical joke on him. He filled
compressed air into the workers intestine
through his rectum by a high-power compressor,
police said yesterday. The incident took place
on Thursday in Muradnagar area of Ghaziabad
but was reported on Friday night. Police said
Rajendra Singh and his co-workers were sitting
near the factorys compressor house. As a joke, a
co-worker placed the air pipe of the compressor
into Pintus rectum and opened the valve
through which the high-pressure air inflated his
intestine. Doctors said his condition was critical,
and his intestine may have ruptured.
Man battling for life
after friends prank
TRAGEDY INITIATIVE POLITICS
Yoga enthusiasts perform Surya Namaskar or sun salutation, on the occasion of World
Yoga Day in Bangalore yesterday. Hundreds of enthusiasts took part in the event in a bid
to raise health awareness among people.
World yoga day observed
Palestines Grand Mufti Mohamed A H Hussein
and parliamentarian Abdullah M I Abdullah
yesterday urged India to participate in the
Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS)
campaign against Israel for its continued
illegal occupation of Palestinian land. They
urged both the government and the people of
India to participate in the global movement.
Addressing a news conference in Hyderabad,
the two leaders cited the growing support for
the campaign even from the US and several
European countries. They hoped that the
campaign would finally lead to the end of the
last colonisation of the 21st century.
Palestine leaders
seek India support
CAMPAIGN
Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi meets Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi yesterday. The
prime minister is expected to receive the honour of addressing a joint session of the US Congress during
a visit to Washington in September.
Rajeevan: faces RSS wrath

21
Gulf Times
Sunday, June 22, 2014
INDIA
An elderly couple was murdered by unidentified
assailants in their house in Aligarh yesterday,
police said. The murder of retired bank
official Banwari Lal Sharma, 70, and his wife
Shyamlata, 62, was discovered by their maid.
They were hacked to death by sharp weapons,
the police said, adding that preliminary
investigations revealed that some long-
standing enmity could be the reason. Soon
after the news of the murders, senior district
officials including the senior superintendent
of police visited the crime scene. Dog squads
were pressed into service and finger prints
were taken, an official said.
A 22-year-old woman was allegedly raped by
two men, one of them her friend, near a hotel
located in the high security zone near the
prime ministers house in New Delhi, police
said. In her police complaint, the woman, a
resident of Ghaziabad, said the friend lured her
on the pretext of giving a job and asked her
to meet him near the Ashoka Hotel in central
Delhi. She alleged that the man, who was in a
car along with a friend, offered her a cold drink
laced with sedatives and raped her. She also
said that they again called her to a place near
the Inter State Bus Terminus (ISBT) and raped
her again.
External Afairs Minister
Sushma Swaraj will visit
Bangladesh from June 25 to
June 27, a statement from
her ofice said yesterday.
She will hold talks with
Bangladesh Foreign Minister
Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali. She will also call on
Bangladesh President Abdul Hamid and Prime
Minister Sheikh Hasina. Swaraj will also engage
with think-tanks, chambers of commerce and
industry and cultural organisations. This is
Swarajs first stand-alone visit abroad after
assuming ofice.
Health Minister Harsh Vardhan yesterday said the
central government would launch a campaign to
ensure 100%imminisation of children in states hit
by a suspected encephalitis outbreak. Now, my
priority is to ensure 100%imminisation of children
in encephalitis afected areas. I will launch this
campaignfromMuzafarpur (Bihar), HarshVardhan,
whoarrivedinPatnaonFridaynight, toldreporters.
HarshVardhanyesterdayvisitedMuzafarpur the
district worst hit bytheencephalitis - topersonally
takestockof thesituation. Inthepast threeweeks,
thesuspectedAcuteEncephalitis Syndrome(AES)
has claimedthelives of 130childreninBihar, mostlyin
Muzafarpur.
West Bengals bus operators yesterday stuck to
their decision to call a three-day strike beginning
on June 25 demanding an increase in bus
fares. Six private bus and minibus operators of
the state had earlier this week announced the
strike protesting against the state governments
failure to revise the fares in sync with the diesel
price hike. We want to know clearly from the
minister whether he will raise the fares, and from
which date, a spokesman of the Joint Council
of Bus Syndicate (JCBS), one of the largest
bus operators in the state, said. The JCBS runs
37,000 buses across West Bengal, including
8,000 in the state capital Kolkata.
Elderly couple hacked
to death in Aligarh
Woman alleges rape by
two men near Delhi hotel
Sushma Swaraj to
visit Bangladesh
Govt to launch encephalitis
immunisation campaign
Bus operators firm on
strike in west Bengal
MURDER CRIME DIPLOMACY HEALTH PROTEST
Protests escalate over
steep hike in rail fares
Football-mad Kolkata couple of to 9th nals
Indians held
in Iraq are
unharmed,
says govt
Thehikeis seen as thefirst
doseof thebitter medicine
that Modi recentlywarned
was neededtorevivethe
economy
Agencies
New Delhi
A
ngry demonstrators
blocked railway tracks
and burned ef gies of
Prime Minister Narendra Modi
yesterday to protest against a
steep hike in train fares, seen as
the governments rst tough step
towards reforming a sluggish
economy.
Modis government, which
came to power a month ago af-
ter overthrowing the Congress,
has pledged to revive the econ-
omy after it grew at just 4.7%
last year - the lowest in nearly
a decade.
The hike is seen as the rst
dose of the bitter medicine
that Modi recently warned was
needed to revive the economy,
Asias third-biggest.
In northern Uttar Pradesh
state, scores of ag-waving pro-
testers blocked railway tracks
in Allahabad city, forcing the
Ganga-Gomti passenger train to
halt.
And in the capital New Delhi,
hundreds of supporters of the
opposition Congress Party set
re to an ef gy of Modi before
police red water cannon to dis-
perse the crowd.
It is a massive hike. If they
continue to take steps like this,
I am sure people of the country
will punish the government,
Arvinder Singh Lovely, a Con-
gress leader, told reporters.
Modis ef gy was also burnt in
the southern city of Hyderabad
by supporters of the Communist
Party of India (Marxist).
Passenger fares were in-
creased on Friday by 14.2% and
freight rates by 6.5%with efect
fromJune 25, the steepest in the
last 15 years.
Railway Minister Sadananda
Gowda said he was forced to
take the step in order to meet
all the necessary expenditure,
hinting at the nancial crunch
the state-controlled network is
facing.
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley
also defended the hike in a Face-
book post yesterday.
India must decide whether it
wants a world class railway or a
ramshackled one... the only way
railways can survive is when us-
ers pay for the facilities that they
avail, he wrote.
His colleague and Law Min-
ister Ravi Shankar Prasad also
justified the decision, saying
the increase was inevitable as
the Congress-led government
had left the railways in a sham-
bles.
The UPA government had
left the railways bleeding. It is
sufering a loss of Rs900 crore
(Rs9bn) every day and revenues
are not available, Prasad told
CNN-IBNchannel.
Information and Broadcast-
ing Minister Prakash Javadekar
termed the decision as a move
to provide people a better rail in-
frastructure.
Our decision is only a step in
that direction to provide people
security and better facilities. If
the railways is not safe, trans-
port would be hampered, Java-
dekar said.
The Indian railway system,
one of the worlds largest, is
still the main form of long-
distance travel in the huge
country. But years of financial
neglect and populist policy of
subsidising fares have hit the
network hard.
Congress spokesman Ajay
Maken said the increased fares
would put an additional bur-
den on the middle-class and
the poor, who are already facing
the brunt of high ination.
This comes at a time when
the prices of onions and pota-
toes have skyrocketed. As an
opposition party, we demand an
immediate rollback of this hike,
Maken said.
However, in an editorial yes-
terday, the leading business
daily Economic Times wel-
comed the courage shown by
Modis government in raising
the fares.
It said the move was justied,
given the high fuel costs and
railways desperate need for
more revenues.
The previous government led
the Congress did not revise the
fares in an interim budget an-
nounced just before the elec-
tions in April-May.
Prominent industry body
FICCI said an increase of this
magnitude in one go would not
have been necessitated had
tarifs been increased gradually
over the years.
We of course hope andexpect
that there will be a concomitant
improvement in both the qual-
ity and safety of services ofered
by Indian Railways (post the fare
hike), it said in a statement.
AFP
Kolkata
T
heir World Cup love af-
fair began more than
three decades ago in
Spain. Now 81-year-old Pan-
nalal Chatterjee and his wife
Chaitali, 72, are once more
heading from cricket-mad In-
dia to the ultimate football -
esta.
This may be my last one,
but I amso happy at getting the
chance to watch a tournament
in Brazil, Pannalal said during
a stopover in Singapore on his
way to what will be the couples
ninth World Cup.
Its always been my dream
to watch the World Cup in Bra-
zil, he told AFP by phone.
The Chatterjees, who live
in Kolkata, are life-long
football fans and Pannalal
has been involved as a vol-
unteer administrator for the
sport in eastern India since
the early 1970s.
They got their rst taste of
top-level football in 1982 when
a friend whom they were stay-
ing with in London got them
tickets for the tournament in
Spain, whena young Diego Ma-
radona rst garnered global at-
tention.
Such was the excitement of
the tournament that I was de-
termined from then on not to
miss any World Cups in the fu-
ture, said Pannalal.
Four years later, the Chat-
terjees were in Mexico when
Maradona captained Argentina
to victory and lifted the Jules
Rimet trophy at the Azteca sta-
dium.
The nal between Argenti-
na and West Germany was un-
forgettable. The Argentineans
won 3-2 and there was so much
excitement, he said.
While Maradona remains
the ultimate hero of Chaitali,
her husband is a staunch fan of
Brazil and speaks proudly of the
time Pele agreed to pose with
themfor a photo.
The couple, who have no
children and live off Pan-
nalals monthly pension of
Rs7,500 ($125) from his time
as a shipping clerk, scrimp
and save all year round to be
able to afford their trips eve-
ry four years.
For the last four years, I
have been holding back from
eating my favourite fish and
many days my stomach has
been half-empty to make sure
that we have enough money
for this tournament in Brazil,
he said.
Chaitali also manages to
make a bit of money by mak-
ing sarees and the couple have
a special World Cup fund which
they top whenever they can.
In order to make ends meet
in Brazil, the couple have taken
some of their own food, includ-
ing packs of potato chips and
packets of tea.
Impressed by their dedica-
tion, FIFA is providing them
free accommodation in Brazil
while a local television com-
pany is helping them with the
tickets.
In all the years that the cou-
ple have been going to the -
nals, the Indian teamhas never
even got close to qualication
- not that the couple have al-
lowed that to dampen their en-
thusiasm.
Pannalal describes his love of
the game as akin to an addic-
tion while his wife is able to
reel the dates, venues and stars
of all the tournaments.
IANS
New Delhi
I
ndians held captive in Iraq
are unharmed, the govern-
ment said yesterday after
establishing contact with the
workers who abducted by sus-
pectedSunni militants inMosul
townintheviolence-hit nation.
We can conrmthat all In-
dians are unharmed, External
afairs ministry spokesman
Syed Akbaruddin said.
Contact with the 40 ab-
ducted workers was estab-
lished late Thursday night.
The Indians, who belong
mostly to PunjabandHaryana,
were abducted a week ago by
suspected militants of the Is-
lamic State of Iraq and the Le-
vant, who have overrun large
parts of northern Iraq, taken
over Mosul and Tikrit and are
advancing towards Baghdad.
According to sources, the
Indian government is aware of
the identity of the captors.
The Indians are being given
food but the sources added
there is nosafetyincaptivity.
The sources also denied an
Amnesty International report
that several hundred Indians
were stranded in Najaf. The
Indian embassy has contacted
the Indians there and told them
those who wanted to return to
India wouldbe helpedtodoso.
The Indian mission would
help the workers with obtain-
ing passports, as their docu-
ments would have been taken
away by employers under the
labour laws there.
But, the sources added they
would not be able to help the
Indians with their contractual
obligations under which most
would have to forfeit their pay.
We will help those Indians
who want to come back ineve-
ry way, whether fromBasra, or
Najaf, which are far from the
conict zone. But we cannot
do anything about the con-
tracts they would have signed
with their employers, or the
salary they might have to for-
feit, the sources added.
All eight Indians in Baiji,
where ghting is raging be-
tween the Sunni militants and
the Iraqi government forces,
have been evacuated to safer
zones. Baiji is where Iraqs
largest oil renery is located.
In Kurdistan, in northern
Iraq, there are around 1,350 In-
dians. Kurdistanis peaceful and
relativelyuntouchedbythevio-
lence raging elsewhere. At least
49of the Indians have said they
want to return home, while in
Najaf 28 Indians said they want
togoback, the sources added.
With no ights between
Baghdad and Tikrit and Mosul,
the only way to evacuate the
Indians would be by the land
route, whichhas its ownrisks.
The nearest airport from
Mosul is located in Erbil,
nearly 90km away, and is the
capital of Kurdistan region.
Once the Indians are brought
to Erbil, ying themout of Iraq
would be no problem.
One of the Indians, who es-
caped fromthe abductors, was
in complete safety and had
reachedBaghdad. His debrief-
ing was on.
The sources said no demand
for ransom had been received
from the abductors. It is un-
derstood that India is in touch
with countries in the region
including Saudi Arabia, to
urge themto assist getting the
Indians freed.
A Bharatiya Janata Party
delegation met Iraqi Ambas-
sador Ahmad Tahseen Ah-
mad Berwari and said Indians
stranded in various cities in
Iraq shouldbe helpedto return
home safely. The envoy told
the delegation that Mosul was
not under the control of his
government. However, the 40
Indians in the custody of mili-
tants were safe, he conrmed.
On Thursday, Prime Min-
ister Narendra Modi headed a
high level meeting onthe safe-
ty of the Indians in captivity.
Meanwhile, the Punjab gov-
ernment said it would foot the
bill of phone calls made by
family members of men from
the state stranded in Iraq.
A spokesman of the Chief
Ministers Of ce said fre-
quent international calls being
made by the panic-stricken
family of the trapped people
was a costly afair, and Chief
Minister Parkash Singh Badal
decided that the state govern-
ment would repay the entire
expenditure.
Maharashtra CM
gets reprieve
The fate of Maharashtra Chief
Minister Prithviraj Chavan is now
likely to be decided only after
June 28 when state leaders will
travel to the national capital for
a meeting with the Congress
central leadership, party sources
said yesterday. The development
came in the wake of a series
of meetings Chavan held with
top party leaders including
Congress president Sonia Gandhi,
her political secretary Ahmed
Patel, former prime minister
Manmohan Singh and former
defence minister AKAntony
in NewDelhi. Two senior state
leaders - Shivajirao Deshmukh and
Shivajirao Moghe - also met Gandhi
while others like state minister
Narayan Rane are camping in
the capital. Later, Chavan told
reporters that Antony and Ghulam
Nabi Azad would not be visiting
Mumbai now. However, he
declined to comment on whether
he would resign or his resignation
has been sought by the party high
command.
Youth Congress activists burn an efigy of Railway Minister DVSadananda Gowda during a protest against the hike in rail passenger and freight fares in the northern city of Chandigarh yesterday.
Chytali Chatterje and her husband Pannalal Chatterjee display their
2014 FIFA World Cup tickets before leaving for Brazil, at their home in
Kolkata.
LATIN AMERICA
Gulf Times
Sunday, June 22, 2014 22
Ancient Inca roads win coveted World Heritage status
AFP
Doha
U
nesco yesterday granted
its coveted World Herit-
age status to a vast and
ancient Inca road system span-
ning six countries in South
America.
The listing of the Qhapaq Nan
roads will boost eforts to pre-
serve and promote the network
- an engineering marvel compa-
rable to the vast road system of
the Roman Empire.
Delegates at Unescos World
Heritage Committee voted to
grant the status at a gathering in
Doha, where they are consider-
ing some 40 cultural and natural
wonders for inclusion on the UN
list.
Covering some 30,000km and
constructed by the Incas over
centuries, the system has long
connected the peoples of Argen-
tina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia,
Ecuador and Peru.
The six nations came together
to submit the bid for its nomina-
tion and have vowed to work in
concert to preserve and restore
the road system.
Inclusiononthe list has signif-
icant economic implications as a
World Heritage Site is eligible for
nancial assistance toward pres-
ervation and the status is also a
powerful drawfor tourists.
This is a recognition of one of
the most important sites in the
world, Luis Lumbreras Flores,
who is responsible for the Qha-
paq Nan project at Perus culture
ministry, told AFP.
The road system, which
reached its height in the 15th
century, linked the Incan capital
Cusco in present-day Peru with
the vast reaches of the empire.
The Qhapaq Nan by its sheer
scale and quality of the road is
a unique achievement of en-
gineering skills in most varied
geographical terrains, linking
snow-capped mountain ranges
of the Andes... to the coast,
running through hot rainfor-
ests, fertile valleys and absolute
deserts, Unesco said in docu-
ments presented at the Doha
meeting.
It demonstrates mastery in
engineering technology, Unesco
said, calling it an exceptional
and unique testimony to the Inca
civilisation.
The system, which began
forming as trails thousands of
years ago, linked some 40,000
people of the Incan Empire, car-
rying traders, travellers, messen-
gers and armies.
The road system was eventu-
ally used by the mounted Spanish
conquistadors in their explora-
tion and conquest of the conti-
nent after their arrival in 1526.
It illustrates thousands of
years of cultural evolution and
was an omnipresent symbol of
the Empires strength and ex-
tension throughout the Andes,
Unesco said.
Parts of the network are under
threat from encroaching devel-
opment. Under a plan submit-
ted to Unesco the six nations will
sign on to an overarching preser-
vation scheme.
Experts said they hope the
granting of the status will bring
the road systemto greater atten-
tion and help eforts to explore
and preserve it.
We still cannot see the en-
tire road because a large part of
it is covered by vegetation, said
Fernando Astete, the chief ar-
chaeologist at Perus famed Ma-
chu Picchu site.
This road must be restored
and developed because of its sig-
nicance to heritage, he said.
Determining the boundaries
of the site has been extremely
complicated and Unesco settled
on selecting 273 components of
the route, covering about 700km
of road and some 11,300 hectares
of land.
US battles
to contain
surge of
migrants
Reuters
Washington
T
he White House on Friday
stepped up eforts to slow the
ow of illegal children into the
country, expanding the governments
ability to process and deport people
and announcing newfunding to boost
security in crime-plagued Central
American countries.
The Obama administration said it
would boost the ranks of immigration
judges, lawyers and asylum of cers to
quickly decide what happens to peo-
ple apprehended at the border and to
return themto their home countries.
We are surging resources to in-
crease our capacity to detainindividu-
als and adults with children, and to
handle immigration court hearings,
Homeland Security Deputy Director
Alejandro Mayorkas told reporters.
This will allow Immigration and
Customs Enforcement - or ICE - to
return unlawful migrants from Cen-
tral America who are ordered removed
to their home countries more quickly,
he said.
Of cialsfurtherannounced$9.6mnin
additional support toEl Salvador, Guate-
mala and Honduras to help themreceive
andreintegratepeoplewhoaresent back.
In an efort to address the causes
of ight from Central America, the
administration said it would launch a
$40mn program to improve security
in Guatemala and a $25mn programme
to provide services to youth in El Sal-
vador who are vulnerable to organised
crime.
Washington has scrambled to ad-
dress a ood of children arriving ille-
gally at the border causing President
Barack Obama has called an urgent
humanitarian crisis.
The president took the issue up on
Thursday with Mexican President En-
rique Pena Nieto, while Vice President
Joe Biden was in Guatemala on Friday
to discuss the problem with Central
American leaders.
Youre clearly not going to send a
child back to a circumstance where
there is no one there for them, Biden
said. But we do intend, and every-
one agreed, it is necessary to put them
back in the hands of a parent in the
country fromwhich they came.
Cecilia Munoz, the White House
domestic policy director, said that
some of Fridays measures were de-
signed to help Central American
countries stemthe migration.
Eforts aim to deal with the mis-
information that is being deliberately
planted by criminal organizations, by
smuggling networks, about what peo-
ple can expect when they come to the
US, she told reporters.
From October last year to June 15
this year, 52,000unaccompaniedchil-
dren arrived on the US border with
Mexico, Mayorkas said. DHS is look-
ing for more facilities to house the mi-
nors, he said.
US Republicans blame the inux of
children on Obamas 2012 decision to
give temporary relief fromdeportation
to some young people brought to the
US illegally by their parents.
House of Representatives Speaker
John Boehner urged Obama on Friday
to deploy the National Guard to han-
dle the children and relieve the taxed
Border Patrol. Earnest rejected that
idea, saying there are already signi-
cant enforcement resourcesdeployed
along the border.
Democratic Congressman Luis V.
Gutirrez further criticised the Na-
tional Guard idea as a nave and ag-
gressive knee-jerk reaction that is
completely inappropriate in these cir-
cumstances.
Kirchner wants just and
equitable deal on debt
AFP
Buenos Aires
A
rgentine President Cristina
Kirchner signalled her will-
ingness Friday to enter nego-
tiations on the countrys debt, as the
country faces a potential default at
the end of the month.
But a US federal judge ordered
Buenos Aires to pay holdout hedge
fund bondholders in the US, not Ar-
gentina.
Argentine Economy Minister Axel
Kicillof has proposed that Argentina
initiate steps to carry out a debt ex-
change inside the country.
But US District Judge Thomas
Griesa ruled that the move was in
violationof the court, andthat Ar-
gentina is prohibited from carrying
out the proposal.
Four days after the US Supreme
Court decided against Argentina in
its ght against hedge fund bond
holders, Kirchner said her country
has the right and the need to par-
ticipate in a negotiation that is just
and equitable.
We want to honour 100% of the
creditors, the 92.4% who renegoti-
ated in 2005 and 2010, and those
that didnt. We only ask them for
conditions that are fair, she added.
The top courts decision set the
clock ticking for the country to pay
back holdouts, who refused to join
the majority of creditors in support
of the restructuring several years ago
of nearly $100bn of defaulted debt.
Most creditors accepted large
write-downs of the bonds, but the
court ruling means Argentina now
must pay the holdouts 100% of the
debts face value - $15bn in total.
With that payment nowneededby
June 30, Argentina says it could be
forced to default on all its debt.
Since the Supreme Court ruling
on Monday, the country has sent
mixed signals, that it would turn to a
Plan B to move the restructured debt
away fromUS law, and avoid paying
the holdouts, and also that it would
negotiate over the issue.
Kirchner said Friday she wants
Argentinas lawyers to ask Griesa,
who originally handled the case, to
set conditions for a negotiated set-
tlement that would respect both US
and Argentine laws.
Sao Paulo slum throws down a World Cup gauntlet
AFP
Sao Paolo
Y
oungsters from a slum on the
outskirts of Sao Paulos Guarul-
hos airport have thrown down
a World Cup gauntlet: they have chal-
lenged the competition winners to play
a match against them.
With support froman NGO called Te-
cho, the players fromAnita Futbol Club,
in the Anita Garibaldi slum, issued their
cheeky invite to whichever team lifts the
trophy on July 13.
They want the professionals to see for
themselves their favela, or slum, whose
tumbledown housing has no water sup-
plies or connection to the electricity
grid.
Local youngsters play here - the favela
is named after the Brazilian wife of Ital-
ian revolutionary Giuseppe Garibaldi -
until after nightfall.
One of them, playing barefoot, gives
the ball a big thwack on the dusty sur-
face which serves as a pitch, while an-
other stretches out onthe goal netting as
if it were a hammock.
Their teammates practise crosses and
ultra-ambitious shots ongoal as they try
to emulate the idols they have so far only
seen on television, but want to meet in
the esh.
Residents moved into the district
13 years ago but the community is one
where tough reality bites hard, leaving
themto live on dreams of what might be.
They have survived around half a doz-
en attempts by the authorities to remove
them.
About 3,000 families live in the slum;
the jets that y in and out of Sao Paulos
international airport provide constant
company - and a reminder of the world
beyond their ramshackle homes that
they may never see.
When we arrived in 2001 the terrain
was dotted with eucalyptus trees. All we
have is what we have created with our
hands, not machines, says Elvis Vieira,
a 32-year-old DJ and community leader.
Hey, padrinho (godfather)! calls out
one of the youngsters still playing.
He and his teammates look up to Viei-
ra as one of those who instigated De-
sao Anita (Anita challenge), a range of
social initiatives to improve a commu-
nity now decked out for the World Cup
in Brazilian ags.
I would like to play Brazil because
that way the majority of players would
be returning to their roots, the pitches
where they learned to play football in
this country, says Anita FCs proud
coach Alexandre Romao, a 35-year-old
civil servant.
He says in the dressing room he tries
to motivate his players as if he were Luiz
Felipe Scolari, Brazils much-decorated
coach.
Ive embraced this utopian ideal (of
challenging the world champions) as I
see the boys believe it is going to happen.
And if they believe it, then so do I,
says Romao, one of the rst to arrive in
the favela on May 19, 2001.
He now lives in a modest house with
his wife and daughter, leaving every
morning to go to work at 4.30 in the
morning.
Renaldo de Oliveira Silva is 20andwas
borninthe northernregionof Bahia. But
he came to Anita with his brother aged
just seven.
Wearing a number 14 shirt he says his
favourite Brazilian player is the combat-
ive Inter Milan midelder Hernanes.
Despite his cherubic features, Renaldo
is already a father, who when not work-
ing as a mechanic at the airport spends
as much time as he canplaying for Anita.
Life here is calm, football is our en-
tertainment, the centre of our lives. We
always get together on the pitch after
work and at weekends to play and chat,
he laughs.
Pitchside and with her arms crossed,
Adenaclay Goncalves dos Santos watch-
es training. She is 29 years old but her
face bears the scars of someone who has
hadto endure a constant struggle to keep
her head above water.
I live here because I had nowhere to
go and managed to buy myself a plot of
land, she says.
At 16, Adenaclay, dressed in Brazilian
canary yellow, embarked upon a three-
day bus journey from the northeast,
eventually arriving in Sao Paulo.
There, she met her husband and they
had a son. Now she has a stable job as a
cleaner at Guarulhos.
Adenaclay says shed love nothing
more than for the world champions to
accept the challenge to come to the fave-
la and play the locals - her son is also on
the team.
God willing it will really happen.
They deserve it, theyve made a real ef-
fort. Here, making something of your
life is a daily battle. Its much more dif-
cult than winning the World Cup.
Youngsters play football at the Anita
Garibaldi shantytown in Sao Paulo.
Roussef launches re-election bid
AFP
Brasilia
B
razils President Dilma Roussef yester-
day formally launched her re-election
bid, leading in opinion polls despite lin-
gering discontent over World Cup costs.
Her leftist Workers Party (PT) approved
her candidacy in a voice vote of 800 members
meeting at a convention in Brasilia, with the
popular former president Luiz Inacio Lula da
Silva on hand.
It is time to move forward, it is time to make
more changes, the 66-year-old leader told her
party in a hotel convention hall decorated with
red stars and posters of the president.
Roussefs popularity has fallen but she leads
her rivals ahead of the October presidential
election, with 39% of voters backing her can-
didacy, a survey by pollsters CNI Ibope showed
Thursday.
She is well ahead of Social Democratic Sena-
tor Aecio Neves, with 21%, and socialist ex-
governor Eduardo Campos, a former ally, with
10%.
The PT convention turned into a defence of
the World Cup, with promises of changes in a
newRoussef administrationfollowing protests
over hosting the tournament that began June 12
and ends July 13.
Party members chanted one, two, three,
Dilma one more timeandLula, warrior of the
Brazilian people.
Some voices within the party called on Lula
to run for president as Roussefs popularity
fell, but the former leader, who left of ce with
an 80%approval rating, has backed his succes-
sor.
Many people have this feeling. But every-
thing has its moment. Lula himself told us that
she was the candidate. Its important we vote
for her, said Nadia Araujo, 47, a PT member
who was unable to enter the packed conven-
tion.
Brazilians held massive demonstrations dur-
ing last years Confederations Cup, a warm-up
to the main football event, to protest the World
Cups $11bnbill anddemandbetter public serv-
ices.
The protest movement has lost some steam,
drawing smaller crowds during the World Cup
but with sporadic clashes between riot police
and masked radical protesters.
A protester wearing a Batman mask holds a sign during a protest
march against the 2014 World Cup in Rio de Janeiro. The sign
reads Educators in the battle. Dont give up.
Indigenous Colombians from the Quechua ethnic group participate in a ritual during the celebration of the Inti Raymi yesterday in Cali. The Inti Raymi (Sun
Festival) is an ancestral indigenous celebration to honour the Inti (Father Sun) and the Pachamama (Mother Earth) for the life and food received, celebrated
every year during the winter solstice on June 21.
Winter solstice!
PAKISTAN/AFGHANISTAN
23
Gulf Times
Sunday, June 22, 2014
Seized with patriotic fervour, the federal
government of Pakistan has ordered the
Capital Development Authority (CDA) to
install a 541-square-foot flag on a 200-foot
pole in the federal capital of Islamabad. The
desire to have a giant flag at a central point in
the city was conveyed to the CDA chairman
in a recent meeting by the prime minister
himself.
The idea to have a massive flag erected in
the city is possibly inspired by New Delhis
monumental flagpole, measuring 207 feet, which
the prime minister saw on his recent visit to
India, said an oficial of the CDA.
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority
(PTA) has discontinued roaming facilities on
Afghan Subscriber Identity Modules (SIMs) in
Pakistan, in an efort to block anti-state and
criminal activities of terrorists, on a directive
issued by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
The directive was issued on the request
of law enforcement agencies, which
informed the government that Afghan
SIMs were being openly used inside tribal
areas in Pakistan by terrorists and criminal
elements. Sources revealed that the PM
desired that the task be completed in the
next few days.
Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui of the Islamabad
High Court (IHC) has restrained the federal
government from making appointments on
high-profile positions that violate the Supreme
Court verdict in the Khawaja Asif case. The
petition on which the order was given was filed
by Dawood Ghazanavi. He alleged that the federal
government had tried to dodge the directives
of the Supreme Court which had ordered that
appointments to top slots of public sector
organisations be made through a commission.
The court order endangers the appointments of
about 20 oficers who the federal government has
deputed in diferent public sector departments.
Law enforcement agencies in the federal capital
of Islamabad fear that militants from the Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa province can penetrate into a
village located at the foothills of the Margalla
Hills and target the nearby installations of the
armed forces, oficials in the capital police said
on the condition of anonymity. To add to the
worries of security agencies, three access points
to the capital city were also discovered through
the Margalla Hills, which may be used by
militants from KP to infiltrate the high security
zone around Islamabad. Police have increased
vigilance on the routes. Several additional
checkpoints have also been set up.
Former Pakistani prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani
and former governor of Punjab Latif Khosa attend
the 61st birth anniversary of slain former prime
minister Benazir Bhutto in Multan, yesterday.
Bhutto was killed in an attack during an election
campaign in Rawalpindi on 27 December 2007.
Proposal to hoist giant
national flag in Islamabad
Pakistan stops roaming
facilities on Afghan SIMs
Govt stopped from making
high-profile appointments
Police tighten security
in Islamabad
PATRIOTISM COMMUNICATIONS COURT ORDER DEFENCE BIRTH ANNIVERSARY
Pakistan choppers attack
rebels as exodus grows
P
akistani helicopter gun-
ships pounded militant
targets in the countrys
northwest yesterday, killing up
to 30 rebels, as the number of
civilians eeing an long-await-
ed ofensive there surpassed
300,000.
The exodus from the North
Waziristan tribal area, on the
Afghan border, came this week
after the military launched the
assault on militant hideouts in
the wake of a Taliban attack on
the airport in Karachi that left
dozens dead and destroyed a
nascent peace process.
Civilians have edinto the Pa-
kistani cities of Bannu, Peshawar
and Kohat and across the border
into Afghanistan.
The number of refugees is
expected to increase as around
300,000 people are trapped
in North Waziristan due to a
shoot-on-sight curfew which
was extended for one day after it
expired on Friday.
Authorities have told the
stranded residents to leave the
area by today.
Arbab Arif, the chief adminis-
trator of the tribal areas, told re-
porters inPeshawar that thetotal
number of people who ed the
region has surpassed 300,000.
He added that another 300,000
were yet to be evacuated.
An AFP correspondent in
Bannu saw hundreds of people
walking on foot to the town. The
government-run childrens hos-
pital in Bannu is overcrowded
with children sufering from di-
arrhoea.
Due to lack of space at the
hospital, four to ve children
were being accommodated in
one bed.
Around half a dozen children
lying outside the hospital were
being treated with the drip bags
hanging fromtree branches.
Registration points and camps
have been set up to deal with the
inux of people in Bannu, but
many prefer to travel on to stay
with relatives in other areas.
Sirajul Haq, asenior provincial
minister, saidthefederal govern-
ment and the provincial govern-
ment of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
have allocated Rs12mn for refu-
gees from the area. The money
is to be distributed among ten
thousand families.
He said the buses from all the
government-run colleges and
universities in the province will
be usedfor transporting refugees
fromthe tribal area to Bannu.
Meanwhile, the military said
all ranks of the army would do-
nate one days pay and provide
30 days rations for the people
eeing the military ofensive.
Earlier yesterday, the military
said 30 insurgents were killed
in targeted air strikes in Khyber
and North Waziristan agencies,
semi-autonomous tribal regions
on the Afghan border which are
an important base for the Paki-
stani Taliban.
Nearly 280 insurgents have
been killed since the start of the
operation on Sunday, according
to security of cials, though it
was not possible to conrm the
number or identities of those
killed.
The military ofensive began
after a bloody and dramatic at-
tack on Karachi airport last week
brought an end to months of
largely fruitless government ef-
forts to negotiate a peace deal
with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pa-
kistan.
Theexodus fromNorth
Waziristan, as aresult of
theofensivelaunched
byPakistani air force, is
increasing
AFP
Islamabad
People displaced from the North Waziristan tribal region where the Pakistan Army had launched a full scale military operation against Taliban
militants, receive medical treatment in neighbouring Bannu, yesterday.
Sindh refuses to
welcome IDPs
from Waziristan
C
hief Minister of Paki-
stans southern Sindh
province Syed Qaim
Ali Shah has said his province
cannot aford a further inux
of internally displaced per-
sons (IDPs) due to the ongo-
ing military operation against
militants in North Waziristan,
as the province has already
been facing dif culties owing
to the earlier inux of Afghan
refugees, IDPs and over 2mn
aliens.
Addressing a ceremony,
Shah said his government
sealed borders and took sever-
al measures to stop IDPs mi-
gration fromNorth Waziristan
to Sindh such as strict check-
ing of passengers entering the
province by road, air and train
fromother areas.
He said it was due to these
measures that at least 15 mili-
tants who had attempted to
enter Sindh as IDPs were ar-
rested.
However, the Awami Na-
tional Party (ANP) said it
would welcome IDPs from
WaziristaninSindh while ask-
ing the government to restrict
the entry of only those people
who had links with militants.
Sindh ANP General Secre-
tary Younus Bunairi said the
government shouldnot place a
ban on IDPs entry.
The people of Waziristan
were peace loving, but they
were made hostage by a mi-
nority group having an ex-
tremist mindset, he said, add-
ing that the ANP would fully
support the people who had to
leave their area due to the op-
eration.
He said that the ANP had
been facing threats frommili-
tant outts on a daily basis but
the party would never support
the move to banthe IDPs entry
into Sindh.
He said the operation in
North Waziristan was not
like the Swat operation that
caused displacement of a very
large population. He was of
the opinion that only a few
people would come to Karachi
and it was not a big deal for
the government to scrutinise
them.
Earlier, Sindh ANP Presi-
dent Senator Shahi Syed along
with Bunairi called on the
chief minister and discussed
the security situation in the
wake of the army operation
in North Waziristan against
militants.
Internews
Karachi
Pakistan isworlds biggest refugee-host
Pakistan hosts the highest
number of refugees, said
a report released by the
UNs refugee agency to
commemorate the World
Refugee Day on Friday.
Pakistan has been the top
host for refugees for 22 of the
last 35 years, said the UNHCR
Global Trends 2013 which
focused on wars human
cost.
The year 2013 experienced
the fourth-lowest level
of refugee returns in 25
years, as at least 98,400
refugees were resettled
in 21 countries. The 40
states hosting the largest
number of refugees were all
developing countries whose
per capita GDP was below
$5,000, the report revealed.
Afghanistan was on top
among 86 countries from
where exodus of refugees
remained the largest, said
the UNHCR report.
UN urges Abdullah to return to electoral process
T
he United Nations yes-
terday urged Afghan
presidential candidate
Abdullah Abdullah to return to
the electoral process after he
dropped out earlier this week,
accusing the organisers and the
president of fraud.
Abdullah withdrew by de-
claring his camp would regard
any outcome as illegitimate and
recalling his observers from the
vote count for last weeks run-
of election. He also invited the
UNto intervene.
We believe that the task
ahead of us is to have the candi-
dates re-engage fully inthe elec-
toral process, UN deputy chief
Nicholas Haysom told reporters
in Kabul.
We would want to empha-
sise that there is no other way of
electing a legitimate leader.
The run-of had pitted Adbul-
lah against Ashraf Ghani, nei-
ther of whomgained the 50%of
the vote needed to win outright
in the rst round of elections on
April 5.
Abdullahs withdrawal has in-
tensied longstanding concerns
about a struggle for power along
ethnic lines, casting doubt on
Afghanistans attempt to trans-
fer power democratically for the
rst time in its history.
While the vote count is con-
tinuing, Abdullahs withdrawal
has heightened tension across
the country. At least one deadly
gun battle erupted between rival
supporters this week.
The election comes as most
foreign troops are planning to
leave Afghanistan by the end of
the year. The fragile state of the
society they will leave behind
was underscored on Saturday
by a suicide bombing aimed at a
government of cial.
Ghanis teamhas saidit is infa-
vour of any process that increases
the transparency of the electoral
bodies but wants the election to
remain under local control.
We respect the role of the
UN ... but any solution should
be Afghan-led and shouldnt af-
fect the work of the Independ-
ent Election Commission and
Complaints Commission, said
spokesman Abbas Noyan.
The commissions were heav-
ily criticisedinthe rst roundfor
lacking transparency. Both can-
didates say they failed to prop-
erly adjudicate cases of fraud,
allowing hundreds of thousands
of fake votes to be includedinthe
nal tally.
However, Afghan of cials and
diplomats alike want candidates
to give the electoral bodies a
chance to prove they have re-
formed. A statement by Presi-
dent Hamid Karzai on Friday
backing Abdullahs call for UN
intervention was met with dis-
may by those advocating the in-
stitutions be respected.
He has lost his marbles, said
one Afghan of cial on condition
of anonymity, who said he was
seriously worried the electoral
process would collapse.
Abdullahs supporters have
organised protests in the capi-
tal this week and there are fears
that demonstrations could turn
violent and take on an ethnic
dimension. Most of Abdul-
lahs supporters are Tajiks, the
second-largest ethnic group.
Ghanis are mainly Pashtun, the
largest group in Afghanistan.
So far, protests have been
small, but they have taken on
a nasty tone. Several hundred
people gathered near the airport
yesterday, for example, where
they chantedwe will defendour
vote to the last drop of blood
and brandished banners with
slogans like Death to Karzai
and Death to Ghani.
The tone of the debate on
social media and in public has
alarmed the UN, among others.
It has urged the candidates and
the public to behave responsibly
and avoid inciting ethnic divi-
sions.
Should any violence ema-
nate from the demonstrations it
could set back the process, make
the task of trust-building more
dif cult, Haysomsaid, It could
lead to a spiral of instability. He
called the use of social media to
iname divisions disturbing.
The threat of violence was
underscored yesterday when a
suicide bomber killed himself
and a bystander in Kabul. Police
saidthe bombing was anattempt
to assassinate an adviser to the
High Peace Council, which is
seeking reconciliation with Tali-
ban ghters.
The adviser, MohamedMassom
Stanikzai, escaped unharmed, but
other several people were wound-
ed, police of cials said.
Reuters
Kabul
Afghan demonstrators shouts slogans in support of presidential candidate Abdullah Abdullah in Kabul yesterday.
PHILIPPINES
Gulf Times
Sunday, June 22, 2014 24
Groups slam selective justice in development fund scam
ByNeil A Alcober
& Llanesca Panti
Manila Times
N
owthat Senator RamonBong
Revilla is in detention and the
Sandiganbayan is readying ar-
rest warrants for his colleagues, Juan
Ponce Enrile and Jose Jinggoy Estra-
da, the government must start investi-
gating other personalities involved in
the porkbarrel scam, including allies of
President Benigno Aquino, a lawmaker
and a youth group said yesterday.
The League of Filipino Students
(LFS) demanded the immediate pros-
ecution of all of cials linked to the
misuse of the Priority Development
Assistance Fund (PDAF), while the
Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats
(CMD) party said it will continue to
press for the investigation of the peo-
ple identied with the president who
have also been implicated in the scam.
Bong is not enough! Three senators
are not enough! Pork barrel king Aqui-
no and his cohorts must also go, LFS
national spokesman Charlotte Velasco
said. This is a sabotage of justice. No
one should go scot-free.
Leyte representative Ferdinand
Martin Romualdez, who is Lakas-
CMDpresident, said his group will not
stop calling for the investigation and
indictment of all people implicated in
the scam.
At least three Cabinet members are
linked to the pork barrel scandal
secretaries Florencio Abad of the De-
partment of Budget and Management
and Proceso Alcala of the Department
of Agriculture, as well as Director-
General Joel Villanueva of Technical
Educationand Skills Development Au-
thority.
We will not intervene with the trial
in any way, but we will dig deeper into
the scam and continue pressing this
administration for the same probe of
all personalities being linked to the
fraud. There should be no political col-
our and the presidents allies should be
included, Romualdez said.
To this day, no legal actionhas been
taken by anybody against any of them.
We nd this grossly unfair at the very
least and selective justice at its worst.
We denitely wont take this sitting
down, he said.
Romualdez warned that his political
allies will continue the clamour for the
prosecution of everyone involved in
the scam.
He also called on the people to wait
for the verdict of the Sandiganbayan,
noting that although Revilla surren-
dered on Friday, his guilt has yet to be
proven.
Just because he is at the PNP Cus-
todial Centre does not mean that Sen.
Bong Revilla Jr is already guilty of
plunder. From now on, people should
only listen to the court regarding any-
thing about the case, Romualdez said
in a statement.
Velasco condemnedthe Aquino gov-
ernments application of selective jus-
tice, noting that while the Department
of Justice rushed the ling of criminal
charges against the three senators, the
president continues to coddle his al-
lies. Abad, Alcala and Villanueva were
implicated to the pork scam by Janet
Lim-Napoles.
The public has already unravelled
the lies of Aquinos manipulation and
cover-up. This, along with the pro-
tection hes been persistently giving
Butch Abad, Proceso Alcala, and all
of his allies proved that he is trying to
conceal the fact that he is indeed the
pork barrel king, Velasco said.
The group blasted Malacanang for
defending the Disbursement Accelera-
tion Programme (DAP) whose legality
has been questioned at the Supreme
Court.
The Manila Times last week reported
that majority of Supreme Court jus-
tices voted to declare DAP unconsti-
tutional.
It is clear that Aquino will never be
serious inghting corruption,Velasco
said.
Malacanang also yesterday assured
Revilla and all those charged in con-
nection with the pork scam of a fair
trial.
As the Sandiganbayan prepares to
undertake its mandated task, we ask all
Filipinos to reect that accountability
is built into our institutions. And that
just as no Filipino is above the law, all
Filipinos are accorded constitutional
rights, to be respected within a sys-
tem of justice and fairness that will
accomplish the ultimate goal of nd-
ing out the truth, Deputy Presidential
spokesperson Abigail Valte said in a ra-
dio interview.
But for Leon Flores, the former
chairman of the National Youth Com-
mission, the indictment of the three
senators proves that public servants
are accountable to the people.
He said Revillas surrender and the
expected arrest of Enrile and Estrada
should challenge the youth to become
better leaders.
Flores is also a co-founder of the
Angkopa movement that seeks to
train young people in politics.
It is time to bring fresh and young
faces in Philippine politics and replace
the Napoles list of corrupt politicians
with accountable and outstanding re-
formchampions, he said.
Dead top
militant is
alive and
a threat:
military
AFP
Manila
A
Filipino militant bomb-
making expert who had
been believed dead re-
cently eluded a military raid of
a guerrilla camp in the Philip-
pines, disproving earlier reports
of his demise, the military said
yesterday.
Abdel Basit Usman is on the
US governments list of most-
wanted terrorists, described
a bomb-making expert, and
the State Department ofered
an $1mn reward for information
leading to his arrest in 2009.
The Filipino press had re-
ported in 2010 that Usman was
among several people believed
killed early that year in a US
drone attack that targeted a Pa-
kistani Talibanleader ina remote
area of northern Pakistan.
However Philippine military
of cials nowsay that the reports
of his death were erroneous.
Usman, who the Philippine
and US governments say has
links to the Jemaah Islamiyah
and Abu Sayyaf group of South-
east Asian militants, was seen
in the camp of another armed
group on the island of Mind-
anao, southern Philippines mili-
tary spokesmanColonel Dickson
Hermoso said.
The Bangsamoro Islamic
Freedom Fighters (BIFF) is a
small offshoot of the Moro Is-
lamic Liberation Front, the
largest guerrilla force that
waged a decades-long armed
rebellion in the southern region
of Mindanao.
We launched a raid two
weeks ago. There was a fire-
fight and we recovered an arms
cache, but he was able to get
away, Hermoso said, adding:
Hes the one training the BIFF
members who are conducting
bombings in central Mindan-
ao.
Based on what we know, he
is still active, Philippine mili-
tary spokesman Lieutenant-
Colonel Ramon Zagala said
yesterday.
As far as were concerned
hes with the BIFF, he said.
Zagala said the Philippine
government was offering a
6.3mn-peso reward (about
$144,000) for information
leading to Usmans capture.
There is a standing warrant
for his arrest on charges of
multiple murder, Zagala added.
We are securing our com-
munities and vital installations
from his activities, Hermoso
added. The MILF signed a
peace treaty with the Philip-
pine government early this year
that had both sides committing
to create a Muslim self-rule
area in the region.
The BIFF has rejected the
deal and vowed to fight on.
Two BIFF members were
killed in the latest military op-
eration on June 10, when the
military also said they seized
firearms and bomb-making
equipment at the rebel training
camp near the town of Shariff
Saydona Mustapha.
Hundreds of skateboarders parade along a road as they celebrate Go Skateboarding Day, a global celebration coined by skateboard enthusiasts in recognition of the
sport, in Manila yesterday.
Skateboarding Day celebration
Rebels behead kidnapped construction worker
ByAl Jacinto
Manila Times
A
bu Sayyaf militants be-
headed one of their hos-
tages who was wounded
during a clash with government
soldiers in Sulu, reports said.
Troops pursuing the militants
recovered the headless body of
Remegio Lingayan in the town
of Indanan. Lingayan was kid-
napped along with his brother-
in-law Joselito Gonzales both
natives of Zamboanga City on
June 4 while working on a con-
struction project in the prov-
ince.
Quoting a military report, the
Anadolu Agency said Lingayan
was hit by bullets when soldiers
and policemen tried to rescue
him.
The militants could not pro-
vide medication to Lingayan so
they decided to behead him.
The fate of Gonzales is un-
known.
There were no of cial re-
ports from either the police or
military about the beheading of
Lingayan, but the ghting has
killed seven soldiers and at least
10 Abu Sayyaf ghters also died
in the clashes that also wound-
ed two dozen troops, according
to a statement of the militarys
Western Mindanao Command
headquarters in Zamboanga
City.
The militants, whose group is
linked to Al Qaeda and Jemaah
Islamiya, demanded P7mn from
the poor families of the two vic-
tims and threatened to decapi-
tate themif ransomis not paid.
The Abu Sayyaf is also hold-
ing several foreigners kid-
napped in Tawi-Tawi and Sabah
inMalaysia andbrought to Sulu,
where government of cials and
residents have repeatedly de-
nounced and condemned the
atrocities of the militant group.
Govt intensies campaign
against human traf cking
Manila Times
Manila
M
alacanang yesterday
vowed to strengthen
eforts to combat hu-
man traf cking after the coun-
try retained its Tier 2 status in
the United States annual Traf-
cking in Persons (TIP) report.
In a radio interview, Abigail
Valte said the eforts of the
Inter-Agency Council against
traf cking would continue
headed by the Department of
Justice to keep the countrys
Tier 2 status, through the ap-
pointment of more prosecutors
to handle traf cking cases.
Infact, last years 21 convic-
tions went up to 31 this year and
more cases have reached the
courts, she said.
We want to intensify eforts
to lower the number of traf ck-
ing victims. And we want the
conviction rate to go up, Valte
noted.
ThePalaceof cial saidtheTIP
report cited the countrys gains
incurbinghumantraf ckingand
the areas that needtoimprove.
The report released on June
20 said the Philippines re-
mained at Tier 2 on the State
Departments three-tier rank-
ing system. The TIPreport not-
ed that the Philippines made
signicant eforts to combat
traf cking. However, it noted
that the government does not
yet fully comply with the mini-
mum standards for the elimi-
nation of traf cking.
Valte said the Department
of Social Welfare and Devel-
opment continues to operate
26 temporary shelters for vic-
tims of abuse. The Philippine
Overseas Employment Agency
(POEA), on the other hand, has
been conducting pre-employ-
ment seminars for overseas
Filipino workers.
Thereport notedthat
thePhilippines made
signifcant eforts to
combat traf cking.
However, it notedthat
thegovernment does not
yet fullycomplywiththe
minimumstandardsforthe
eliminationof traf cking
Detained Revilla allowed
fan in hot detention cell
ByAnthonyVargas
Manila Times
S
en. Ramon Bong Revilla will be al-
lowed to have an electric fan in his
detention quarters at the Philippine
National Police (PNP) headquarters in Camp
Crame.
The fan will help ease Revillas migraine
brought about by the severe heat inside his
cell, his wife, Cavite Rep. Lani Mercado, said
yesterday.
Revilla spent his rst night Friday at the
PNP custodial centre where he is detained
while waiting arraignment for plunder and
graft in connection with the pork barrel
scam.
After surrendering to the Sandiganbayan
on Friday he was brought to Crame where he
was booked, ngerprinted and photographed
before being led to his cell.
The Sandiganbayan had found probable
causeto indict thesenator for plunder Thurs-
day and ordered the police to arrest him.
Two other senators, Juan Ponce Enrile and
Jose Jinggoy Estrada, are expected to be
served arrest warrants by the Sandiganbayan
next week.
The PNP spokesman, Chief Supt. Reuben
Theodore Sindac, said he sees nothing wrong
with bringing in a fan for Revilla..
Sindac said the senator has also requested
for a cooler, television set and other ameni-
ties, but the requests have to be approved by
the Sandiganbayan, and not the PNP.
Asked if a pastor or a spiritual leader could
visit Revilla, Sindac said there is no need be-
cause there is a regular Mass for high-prole
detainees inside the detention compound.
Revilla had the typical detainees meal of
porridge with egg for breakfast.
The senators family, lawyers and spiritual
advisers can see him during visiting hours,
Sindac said.
Mercado thanked the PNP for letting her
and her family stay with Revilla until 6pm
during his rst day of detention. Detainees
are only allowed visitors on Thursdays and
Sundays from9amuntil 3pm.
Ramon Revilla
SRI LANKA/BANGLADESH/NEPAL/BHUTAN/MALDIVES
25
Gulf Times
Sunday, June 22, 2014
A heavy downpour yesterday disrupted the
rail services in several parts of Bangladesh,
including the capital Dhaka, and temporarily
halted movement of ships at the countrys
largest seaport, officials said. They said the
torrential rain has damaged railway tracks
in Tangail district, forcing them to halt
movement of trains on the route from Dhaka.
Hundreds of passengers in two inter-city
trains on either side of the damaged tracks
were stranded midway following suspension
of the services. We are trying to fix the
problem in soonest possible time despite the
continued rains, a railway spokesman said.
The incessant rains since Thursday, have hit
normal life in several districts. The movement
of ships and freight at the Chittagong Port
was also suspended at the due the rains.
In the annual Traficking in Persons Report (TIP)
published on Friday, the US state department
said that the Maldivian government has yet
not met the minimum requirements required
to bring an end to human traficking. But the
Maldives is making significant changes, including
the ratification of the first anti-traficking law in
December and the awareness campaigns aimed
at protecting the rights of the expatriate workers
in the country, the department said. However,
the US said that the Maldivian government had
not properly trained and informed the police
and other enforcement agencies on the anti-
traficking law. It said that the Maldives have
not made any significant progress in preventing
human traficking and that some government
oficials were unable to distinguish between
human smuggling and human traficking.
Tek Narayan Kunwar, who is a judge at
Lalitpur district court, has been feted with
the prestigious TIP Hero honour for his role
in combating human traficking. US Secretary
of State John F Kerry honoured Kunwar
during the unveiling of the 2014 Traficking
in Persons (TIP) Report at a ceremony in the
US on Friday. The report recognises 10 TIP
Report Heroes for their eforts to fight human
traficking in their home countries. This year,
judge Kunwar was awarded the TIP Hero
honour for being at the forefront of eforts
in Nepal to counter traficking in persons by
fully implementing the Human Traficking and
Transportation Control Act (HTTCA) of 2007,
while championing the rights of victims, the
US embassy in Kathmandu said in a statement
yesterday.
Bhutan Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay has
refused to take his enhanced salary, and
announced he would donate the additional
Nu50,000 ($830) from his revised monthly
salary to charity. While presenting the
state of the nation report to parliament
on Thursday, the PM said many people
have criticised the salary for lawmakers
and cabinet ministers. Ill not defend the
increase or argue whether its too high or
not. However, on the prime ministers salary,
I also agree that its too high. Our country
cant aford it and my conscience will not be
able to accept it, Tobgay said. The PM would
only accept the salary equivalent to that
received by the ministers, and the additional
monthly amount of Nu50,000 would be
donated to charity organisations
There is no move to make provisions for
visa-free entry of Bangladeshi nationals
into India, a source in the external afairs
ministry said yesterday. We have seen
reports in the press regarding a decision
on visa-free entry for Bangladeshi
nationals. We would like to clarify that
no such decision has been taken by the
Indian government nor is any such move
under consideration, the source said. The
clarification was issued after Assam state
Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Thursday
objected to allowing visa-free entry to
Bangladeshi nationals below 18 and above
65 years of age. There had been reports
in the media that the central government
was contemplating visa-free entry for
Bangladeshi nationals to India.
Heavy rains disrupt rail
services in Bangladesh
Maldives of human
traficking watchlist
US honours Nepal judge for
anti-traficking eforts
Bhutan prime minister
declines revised salary
No visa-free entry for
Bangladeshis: India
INCONVENIENCE RELIEF RECOGNITION DECISION DENIAL
Lankan police probe Muslim
store re as tensions rise
S
ri Lankan police were in-
vestigating a re which
yesterday destroyed a
Muslim-owned clothing store
in a district where religious ten-
sions have been heightened after
anti-Muslim riots killed four
people and wounded 80.
Authorities have not ruled out
arson at the upmarket No-Limit
store in Panadura, 25km (16
miles) south of Colombo, police
spokesman Ajith Rohana said.
We are looking at the possi-
bility of arson as well as an ac-
cidental re, Rohana said. The
re started inthe upper oor and
we are still investigating.
The blaze came a day after Sri
Lankas Muslimminority short-
ened their Friday prayer services
because of heightened religious
tensions after clashes with hard-
line Buddhists earlier inthe week
in Kalutara district.
The district includes Panadu-
ra, and the popular and mainly
Muslim coastal resorts of Alut-
gama and Beruwala, where re-
ligious riots earlier in the week
killed four and wounded 80.
Hundreds of homes and busi-
nesses were set on re in the
violence.
President Mahinda Rajapakse,
who toured the riot-hit re-
sort of Beruwala, said he was
ordering a probe into recent
disturbances.
I will be appointing a high-
level panel to inquire into recent
disturbances, the president said
on Twitter.
The president, who is a mem-
ber of the Buddhist community,
made no reference to the re at
No-Limit, but he had previously
asked Buddhists and Muslims
not to whip up extremism.
The Muslim Council of Sri
Lanka said Islamic clerics in-
structed mosques to conduct
shorter services and asked the
faithful to disperse peaceful-
ly after lunchtime prayers on
Friday.
Muslim-owned businesses
shut down in Sri Lankas capital
Colombo on Thursday to protest
against the riots by extremist
Buddhists, defying Rajapakses
plea to stay open.
Police said workers had car-
ried out some electrical repair
work at the No-Limit store the
day before the blaze. There were
six people at the store, including
two unarmed guards at the time
of the pre-dawn re, he said.
Witnesses said they heard
several explosions as the
re completely gutted the
two-storey building.
Authorities tightened security
in the area following the blaze.
In March last year, two Mus-
lim-owned clothing stores, in-
cluding No-Limit, came under
attack fromBuddhist mobs.
Muslims account for about
10% of the 20mn population in
the mainly-Buddhist country.
AFP
Colombo
Sri Lanka Special Task Force soldiers standing guard after a fire at a Muslim-owned clothing store in Panadura yesterday.
Dhaka hospital to
open ICU for Mers
patients from Gulf
B
angladesh will soon open
an intensive care unit
(ICU) for Mers patients
in a hospital in Dhaka as most
of the countrys workers are
employed in the virus-prone
Gulf countries.
Following the detection
of the rst conrmed case of
Middle East respiratory syn-
drome coronavirus (Mers) in
the country, the health directo-
rate decided to open an inten-
sive care unit for Mers patients
at the Dhakas National Insti-
tute of Chest Disease Hospital
(NICDH).
Health directorate of cials
have already asked the NICDH,
which also set up a specialised
ward to treat avian inuenza
patients in 2009, to prepare a
needs-assessment and budget
for opening a specialised ve to
eight bed ICU.
However, no tentative dead-
line has been set for preparing
the facilities at the NICDH.
The conrmed diagnosis of
the countrys rst Mers patient
was announced on June 15. The
patient, who had recently re-
turned to Bangladesh from the
United States via Abu Dhabi,
is currently recovering at a
private hospital in Dhaka.
Dr Mahmudur Rahman, di-
rector, Institute of Epidemiol-
ogy Disease Control Research
(IEDCR), said a technical com-
mittee, headed by the direc-
tor general of health services
would sit in a meeting next
Tuesday to decide how an ef-
fective and advanced prepa-
ration programme would be
conducted.
Dr Be-Nazir Ahmed, direc-
tor, communicable disease
control (CDC), said the author-
ities had been alert about Mers
since last year, andhave already
trained local-level health of-
cials about diagnosing and
treating the patients.
More than 100,000 Bangla-
deshi Muslims are expected to
take part in the upcoming Haj,
while thousands of expatriates
working in the Middle East also
face the risk of carrying the
Mers to the country.
If anybody arriving from
a Middle East country be-
comes sick with high fever,
pneumonia or respiratory ail-
ments within 15 days of return,
they should immediately seek
doctors advice, specialists
cautioned.
Before making the pilgrim-
age, Bangladeshi pilgrims have
been advised by doctors on
preventative measures against
Mers, while the Saudi govern-
ment has asked Bangladesh to
send physically t people to
performHaj this year.
The health directorate has
plans to create mass aware-
ness about the disease, with
the ministry of religious afairs
scheduled to meet on June 23 to
discuss Mers.
Dr Mahmudur, however, as-
sured that there is no need to
worry at the moment as the
prevalence of Mers is now low.
The preparations were made
as advance precautionary
measures, he added.
Globally, there have been 701
laboratory-conrmed cases
of Mers infection, including at
least 249 related deaths that
have of cially been reported to
the World Health Organisation.
Based on the current situ-
ation and available informa-
tion, the WHO has encour-
aged all its member-states
including Bangladesh to con-
tinue their surveillance for
acute respiratory infections
and to carefully review any
unusual patterns.
Until more is understood
about Mers, people with diabe-
tes, renal failure, chronic lung
disease, and immune-com-
promised persons are consid-
ered to be at high risk of severe
disease fromMers infection.
Therefore, these people
should avoid close contact with
animals, particularly camels.
ByMizan Rahman
Dhaka
Himalayan risks trigger exodus
of Sherpas from mountaineering
T
he April 18 disaster on the
Nepals Himalayan slopes
that killed 16 Sherpas,
seems to have accelerated an
exodus of Sherpas from the
mountain climbing business.
The younger generation has be-
come more educated and many
are moving away to less taxing
jobs inthe capital Kathmandu or
outside Nepal. Thousands have
migrated to the United States
and Europe.
Almost every family had
at least a few members who
worked for mountaineer-
ing teams in the past but now
things have changed. There
are less numbers of Sherpas
who are continuing the moun-
taineering tradition, said
Ang Tshering, of the Nepal
Mountaineering Association.
Since the April tragedy, which
briey ledto a boycott by Sherpa
guides, many have told Tsher-
ing they want to quit because of
pressure from families worried
about their safety.
But even before the accident,
Sherpas have been drifting away
frommountain work.
Cheddar Sherpa, who has
scaled Mt Everest seven times,
forbade his four sons from be-
coming guides and instead in-
sisted they go to college. One is
nowan engineer.
These people do not want
their children to face the hard-
ship they faced in mountain-
Agencies
Kathmandu
The Khumbu Icefall was the site where 16 Sherpas died under an
avalanche on April 18.
eering and hope to get theminto
better professions which are
easier and safer, Tshering said.
Once yak herders and potato
farmers inremote Himalayanvil-
lages, Sherpas began helping for-
eign climbers scale Nepals peaks
since the country opened up to
Westerners in 1950.
One of the big draws of the
job is its relatively good pay. In
a country where the average
annual income is just $700, a
high-altitude Sherpa guide can
make $7,000 during the three-
month climbing season. Foreign
climbers can pay $100,000 for
a chance to summit Mt Everest.
They face enormous dangers to
facilitate high-paying visitors.
They are rst up the mountain,
they breakthe snow, lay the ropes
used by the climbers and carry
the heaviest loads. They also face
the risk of avalanches and alti-
tude sickness. As their incomes
have risen, many Sherpa fami-
lies have left their rural homes,
hoping for a more comfortable
lifestyle in the city or abroad.
I never wanted to become a
mountaineer. I would probably
die from altitude sickness if I
even tried, said Karma Gyalzen,
a 26-year-old Sherpa who works
at a supermarket in Katmandus
tourist district.
While there are no estimates
of how many Sherpas have left
mountain climbing jobs, census
numbers show that the Sherpa
populationinNepal has declined
from 154,622 in 2001 to 112,946
in 2011. Those gures are dis-
puted by Sherpas who say cen-
sus of cials did not reach all the
villages and previously counted
Sherpas as other ethnic groups.
Wealthier families have sent
their children to foreign univer-
sities. In New York City alone,
some 4,000 Sherpas work in
restaurants, of ces and driving
taxis, according to Ang Chhiring
of the New York-based United
Sherpa Association.
The number of Sherpas mi-
grating to foreign countries has
swollen in the recent years, said
Bal Bahadur KC, a lawmaker
from Solukhumbu, a district
where many Sherpas live.
The dwindling number in-
volved in mountain climbing has
opened the way for other ethnic
groups such as the Tamangs and
Gurungs, many of them very
poor, to take jobs as high alti-
tude guides. Yet because of the
trust and name recognition that
Sherpas have earned over the
decades, some members of other
ethnic groups describe their jobs
as Sherpas.
For decades it was only the
Sherpas who worked on the
mountains, said Bishnu Gu-
rung, 46, who has scaled Ever-
est twice. It has been only a
few years since some of us from
other ethnic groups have been
able get a chance to guide moun-
taineers because there are not
enough Sherpas nowto meet the
demand.
Iraqs heritage
emerges slowly
from neglect
and conict
I
raqs natural and cultural her-
itage has long sufered from
recurrent wars and poor gov-
ernance, but recent years have
witnessed growing domestic and
international eforts to improve
the status of the countrys riches,
in particular by using the World
Heritage Conventionas a conser-
vationtool.
Iraq is a case in point when it
comes to the unequal geographi-
cal and typological distribution
of properties on the World Her-
itage list. No natural property is
yet inscribed or included in the
countrys Tentative List. Striking
is the absence of such prominent
Mesopotamian sites as Baby-
lon, Ur or Niniveh. There are no
buildings or ensembles repre-
sentative of the Abbasid and Ot-
toman periods in Baghdad, nor
any example of 20th century ar-
chitecture whereas the city was a
laboratory for the modern move-
ment.
To date, Iraq can only boast
three properties on the World
Heritage list: Hatra, capital of
the rst Arab kingdom; Ashur,
the rst capital of the Assyrian
empire; and Samarra Archaeo-
logical City, the second capital of
the Abbasid caliphate. The latter
two, on the list of World Herit-
age in Danger, bear testimony to
the toll takenonIraqs heritage by
decades of conict and misman-
agement.
What the 2003 US-led inva-
sion of Iraq and its aftermaths
have done to the countrys her-
itage has been widely publicised
in the media. Damage has ranged
from the looting of the Iraq Na-
tional Museumand several other
cultural institutions across the
country, to the plundering of
hundreds of archaeological sites
left unguarded after the collapse
of Saddam Husseins regime, to
the installation of military bases
inside or near major historical
sites, such as Babylon or Ur, and
to the defacing of monuments
by warring parties. This is what
happened in Samarra where the
upper part of the9thcenturyspi-
ral minaret was blown up, caus-
ing the property to be inscribed
in 2007 in emergency as World
Heritage inDanger.
This destruction was com-
pounded by twenty previous
years of domestic neglect. During
the1980s, theregimedivertedre-
sources from all sectors towards
nancing its war with Iran. The
following decade was marked by
the 1991 Gulf War, uprisings in
the SouthandNorthof the coun-
try, and the imposition of inter-
national sanctions. Especially in
the South, regional museums and
archaeological sites were looted,
and networks of antiquity traf-
ckers developed. Trends initiat-
ed in the 1980s accelerated: little
public funding was available for
heritage safeguarding, national
cultural institutions lost their
senior staf to emigration, and
the quality of academic educa-
tiondeclined.
Unsuitable interventionat sites
and monuments complete the
picture. Possibly the best known
episode is the reconstruction of
Babylon by Saddam Hussein in
the early 1980s when replicas of
the palace of Nebuchadnezzar
andtheIshtar Gatewerebuilt over
the ruins. Although there is no
doubtingthe outstandingvalue of
Babylon for humanity, the sites
World Heritage inscription was
deferred three times on account
of poor conservation and man-
agement, andquestions about the
authenticity of the main monu-
ments, all requirements for World
Heritage inscription.
The lack of rule of law, pre
and post 2003, has allowed
Iraqs most powerful govern-
ment institutions to pursue
development at the expense of
heritage, to the dismay of the
conservation community.
The mud-brick city of Ashur,
containing the remains of several
Assyrian palaces and a ziggu-
rat, was submitted by the State
Board of Antiquities and Herit-
age (SBAH) for inscription on the
World Heritage list in 2002 in a
attempt to counter a large scale
dam project that would have
ooded the site. Ten years later,
the SBAH sought the interven-
tion of Unesco after an oil pipe-
line was laid inside the bounda-
ries of the site at Babylon. Even
today, local authorities are doing
little to contain the urban sprawl
over the remains of Niniveh, and
encroachment on the hydro-
logical system built by Assyr-
ian King Sennacherib in Khinnis,
Kurdistan. Examples abound of
less high prole sites throughout
the country paying the price of
one-sided development or mere
laissez-faire policies. The deadli-
est mix is when political and de-
velopment considerations have
gone hand-in-hand as in the
cases of the Ahwar, or southern
Marshlands, a vast area of great
natural and culture importance.
Drainage plans to increase irri-
gated agriculture and eradicate
diseases were drafted as early as
the 1950s, but the near total des-
iccation of the marshes was only
accomplished during the 1980s
and 1990s to serve political and
strategic aims.
Today, Iraqi heritage profes-
sionals are sparring no efort to
try and reverse the trend, and
have reached out to international
institutions for support in train-
ing a new cadre of specialists in
state-of-the art methodologies
and technologies. Federal and
regional government bodies
charged with antiquities, cul-
ture and environment are also
harnessing the World Heritage
Convention to leverage political,
institutional and nancial sup-
port inside and outside Iraq for
the protection of major sites. In
the process, Unesco, IUCN, and
a number of other organisations,
such as the World Monument
Fund, are supporting capacity
development for the preparation
of nominationdossiers and man-
agement plans, and are champi-
oning international conservation
standards.
At this years World Heritage
Committee meeting, the nomi-
nation of Erbil Citadel will be ex-
amined. Next year will come the
turn of the mixed dossier of The
Ahwar of Southern Iraq and the
Relic Landscape of the Mesopo-
tamian Cities, composed of four
marsh area and three major ar-
chaeological sites, one of them
Ur. Iraq is expected to soon re-
submit Babylon for nomination
with a comprehensive manage-
ment plan. Thedossier of Wadi Al
SalamCemetery inNajaf is under
preparation. As for the Tenta-
tive List, a series of Abbasid and
Ottoman buildings in the neigh-
bourhood of Rasafa in Baghdad
was recently included, and ini-
tiatives were launched to enlist
some of the capitals modern
buildings and Basras Ottoman
neighbourhood.
The selection of natural sites
is on-going and should include
properties signicant for their
biodiversity and geological fea-
tures. Last but not least, Iraq
acted as a pioneer in the Arab re-
gionby creating a National World
Heritage Committee charged
with coordinating heritage con-
servationeforts across sectors.
AnIraqi heritage community is
resurrecting frominside govern-
ment institutions and civil socie-
ty, and is spearheading initiatives
to raise the prole of heritage
conservation among decision-
makers and society at large. In a
country still rife with political,
security, social, environmen-
tal and economic problems, the
challenge may appear daunting,
but this dedicated group has a
mission: restoring the pride of
the Iraqis in their outstanding
cultural and natural heritage.
ByGraldineChatelard
Research fellow, The French
Institute for the Near East Amman
Conict threatens future
of Syrian cultural artefacts
T
he conict in Syria is a
continuing tragedy that
has claimed over 160,000
lives. Experts estimate the eco-
nomic loss at over $140bn. Syri-
anCultural Heritage is one of the
casualties. Its loss is a wound to
the soul andidentityas recently
stated by Irina Bokova, the di-
rector general of Unesco. Is the
future of Syrian cultural heritage
irremediably doomed or is there
still some hope?
Syrian Cultural Heritage
Syrian Cultural Heritage is an-
cient, rich and varied, it is repre-
sentative of historical and even
pre-historical periods. In Syria
can be found some of the oldest
evidence of animal domestica-
tion, of agriculture, of humanset-
tlements andurbanplanning. An-
cient eastern cities and kingdoms
as well as Hellenistic, Roman,
Byzantine, Arabic and Ottoman
civilisations gave us masterpieces
and so even did short lived Cru-
saders states. The proximity and
sometime juxtaposition of their
monuments is oftenamazing.
Syria is also associated with
the three monotheistic religions
and was often dened as a cra-
dle of civilisations. Syria has
more than 5,000 attested cultural
sites. Perhaps as many others are
yet to be explored. Some of them
like tells are historical mounds
where settlements were built for
centuries, if not millennia. Ar-
chaeology made great leaps dur-
ing the last 80 years in Syria and
180 Syrian, foreign or mixed ar-
chaeological missions were work-
ingonthe eve of the conict.
38museums wererecentlybuilt
or arrangedinhistorical buildings.
The important ones are located in
Damascus and Aleppo, but many
other aresituatedinsmaller cities,
thus improving tourismpotential.
Syria Cultural Heritage also in-
cludes archive collections, librar-
ies, andmanydiferent immaterial
aspects like cuisine, song, dance
andtraditional crafts.
World Heritage Sites
Most of World Heritage sites
sufered from the conict. The
Old city of Aleppo was probably
he most damaged proportionally
as it was located onthe front line.
The Omayyad Mosque changed
handseveral times until its mina-
ret collapsed. The regular army
remains in the Citadel, but the
historic gate of the rst bastion
was damaged during an attempt-
ed assault. The souks were burnt,
a lot of historical houses and
monuments were bombed. Else-
where, cars and tunnels loaded
with explosives were detonated.
Old Damascus and the
Omayyad Mosque (1993)
Fighting erupted in July 2012,
inside the Midan, a historical
neighbourhood beside the old
walled city of Damascus. A vehi-
cle exploded in Bab Touma and
sporadic shelling still hits the old
city, including a mosaic-covered
facade of the Omayyad mosque
and a wall of the citadel. The
damage remains out of scale with
what happened in Aleppo, but
the old city remains at a higher
risk as the upper structure of
ordinary traditional houses is
made of wood. Many devastat-
ing res occurred in the past in-
cluding during 1925 revolution.
Bosra citadel-theatre is occupied
by the regular army and shelling
has hit some stone ancient hous-
es. Pamyrasite has changedhands
and the regular army is posi-
tioned on the citadel overlooking
the classical site. Army tanks and
armoured vehicles are installed
much too close to the ruins. An-
tique tombs have beenstolen.
Insurgent took the Krak des
Chevaliers when it was still un-
defended. The regular army re-
took it a long while later after an
air strike. Damage was assessed
and restoration work is planned.
No consistent reports have sur-
face about the Saladin Castle,
the other medieval castle.
The Antique villages area is
very wide and includes many
sites in a rural setting along the
Turkish border. Armed groups
have beenseeninQalaat Samaan
and disturbing news and images
have surfaced fromseveral plac-
es, but it is still too early to begin
a general assessment.
Challenges
The safeguard of Syrian Cul-
tural Heritage faces a wide array
of challenges. The destruction
due to the war is direct as well as
collateral. An observation of The
Hague convention of 1954 may
have prevented the use of cul-
tural sites for ghting purposes.
This was unfortunately not the
case. The scale of population
displacement is also cutting the
social roots of intangible herit-
age. Even natural heritage is a
rarely mentioned war victim.
Chaos and the collapse of
law and order generated ille-
gal excavations and smuggling
of moveable heritage on a huge
scale never seen before. A short
sightedrace for goldis irreme-
diably destroying yet unexplored
historical and pre-historical ar-
chaeological layers, eradicating
millennia old information about
mankinds earliest progress and
civilisations. Construction has
been taking place inside monu-
ments and in archaeological
sites. Additional oors were
raised on historical cities.
A new feature also appeared,
rather akin to vandalism and
iconoclasm, which is the volun-
tary and publicised destruction
of cultural heritage. This was
seen in Assyrian sculptures rep-
resenting kings and lions, as well
as of Islamic mausoleums. Even
some churches were not spared.
Syria has been for a long time
a rather secure country. The lack
of safety spread so quickly that
elementary precautions were
not taken on archaeological
sites. Destruction of built herit-
age is increasing over time. Some
monuments were even subject to
repeated and successive dam-
age along days, weeks or years of
conict..
Stakeholders
A recent survey by Heritage
for Peace, an NGO, has identied
38 diferent bodies undertaking
actions for the safeguard of Syr-
ian cultural heritage in Syria and
abroad. Perhaps we should re-
member that with about 2,600
agents, the Syrian Directorate
General of Antiquities andMuse-
ums (DGAM) was comparatively
one of the most powerful Arab
institutions in charge with Cul-
tural Heritage. Even if its head-
quarters is in Damascus, it is still
in contacts with its personnel in
diferent parts of the country,
whether in government-control-
led areas or not. It has evacuated
the collections of most museums
to safer places in a rather organ-
ised manner. Digital inventories
are being undertaken at a steady
pace. Training andraising aware-
ness campaigns are undertaken
at the national level. Foreign sci-
entists have praised the profes-
sionalismof this stand in a dif -
cult and dangerous context.
Universities, professional bod-
ies, associations, the civil society
and even opposition activists are
also feeling concerned and try-
ing tomonitor, assess, protect and
evacuate whatever theycan.
Foreign universities and re-
search centres are also active.
New specic NGOs are appear-
ing like the Association for the
Protection of Syrian Archaeol-
ogy (APSA) and ILA Souriya in
France or Heritage for Peace in
Spain. Meetings are drawing les-
sons fromother recent conicts.
Already representatives fromthe
DGAM and the Gaziantep in-
terim government have both
attended the same meetings.
International organisations
like Blue Shield issued alerts and
assessments, Icom published in
January 2014 a Red list about
moveable Syrian cultural Heritage
general characteristics. Thanks
to its Syrian members, Icomos in
co-operation with Iccrom and
the DGAMwas the rst to provide
training for risk preparedness to
Syrian professionals in January
2013, through the Internet. 170 of
them were able to attend. Tech-
nical leaets were prepared and
translated. Unesco, Icomos and
Iccrom also provided advisory
expertise to the DGAM and the
Municipality of Damascus to re-
duce damage and re risks in the
ancient city of Damascus. Some
sources of funding are also being
currently explored. Icomos, Icom
and foreign institutions gather
thousands of professional mem-
bers across the world that may be
fullymobilisedwhennecessary.
Unesco has been closely moni-
toring the situation and coordi-
nating with all stakeholders. The
director general of Unesco issued
several statements about the situ-
ation in Syria, including a joint
one with the secretary general of
UNin March 2014. The six Syrian
World Heritage sites were all in-
scribed on the list of world herit-
age indanger inJune 2013. Amost
successful workshop was held in
Ammanabout the traf c of Syrian
HeritageinFebruary2013. It gath-
ered of cial representatives from
Syria andneighbouring countries,
foreign embassies, scientists and
experts, international organisa-
tions, Interpol, western customs,
FBI, Christies, etc. Unesco is
presently setting up a European
funded emergency Safeguarding
of the Syrian Heritage project.
Icomos and Iccrom should be
privileged partners. This project
was presented to over 130 Syrian
and international experts in Paris,
at the endof May2014andshould
beginsoon. It shouldinclude:
1. Damage assessment,
mapping and inventories,
2. Communication and
awareness campaign to halt
damage to cultural heritage
3. Technical assistance
andcapacity building for nation-
al stakeholders and beneciaries
Directions
Icomos Task force for Syria has
remained neutral and optimistic.
This conict will endsome dayas
all wars do, the sooner, the better.
Whennormalityandsecuritywill
prevail, many actions will then
become possible such as a gen-
eral eld assessment of the situ-
ationandlarge-scale restorations
projects. Massive, quick and un-
bridledreconstructionmay how-
ever become as dangerous as war
itself for cultural heritage. Cul-
tural heritage wouldhowever be a
capital asset as a commonground
for reconciliation and for future
economic development plans. In
the meanwhile two sorts of ac-
tions are possible:
1. Inventories of ar-
chives, artefacts and build-
ings, mapping of monuments
and historic cities, training for
risk preparedness and future
responsibilities, raising aware-
ness of the general public, pro-
vision of advisory services and
prevention of illicit traf c.
2. Anticipation of future
possible scenarios, preparing
adequate comprehensive strat-
egies accordingly, with phased
technical, social, institutional,
juridical and nancial aspects.
Petra Trust: Empowering locals
to preserve their monuments
F
or twenty-ve years, the
Petra National Trust has ad-
vocatedfor andimplemented
projects that aim at the preserva-
tionof the archaeological, cultural,
and natural values and integrity of
Petra, a Unesco World Heritage
Site.
Our work supports local young
people through an educative proc-
ess to explore, learn about, and
understandthe importance of pro-
tecting Petra. We also implement
projects to preserve monuments
that are threatened or that pose
a threat to the safety of visitors,
to conserve the biodiversity and
geology of the Petra region and to
protect the intangible heritage and
culture of the people of Petra. All
our work is conducted in partner-
ship with relevant governmental
organisations and local and inter-
national specialists.
The pervasive ethos underpin-
ning our work is that the local
community must drive preserva-
tion eforts. Since 2010, we have
been working closely with mem-
bers of the local community, par-
ticularly youth and public school
teachers, to improve cultural
awareness and heritage education
and to facilitate opportunities for
them to make a diference in their
communities.
There are over 30,000 people
living in the Petra region today.
They inhabit six main towns and
villages: Beidha, Um Seyhoun,
Wadi Musa, Taybeh, Rajef and
Dlagha. These people, over hun-
dreds of years, had developed a
living relationship with the site.
They inhabited it, used its natural
resources, and weaved their beliefs
and histories with it.
In the ten years after the listing
of Petra as a World Heritage site in
1985, tourism to the area quadru-
pled. Since then, it has increased
tenfoldpeaking at one millionvisi-
tors in2010. These visitor numbers
forced the populations into a rapid
and dif cult adaptation. Their
lifestyles, culture and socio-eco-
nomic development were and con-
tinue to be inuenced, to various
degrees, by the demands for tour-
ismdevelopment.
These eforts include several
management bodies and plans,
often ill-conceived or lacking in a
holistic approach . The one thing
they all had in common over the
years is an overriding focus on
tourism promotion. The result is
a stressful impact on the monu-
ments and the natural environ-
ment of the Park; as well as the
erosion of the complex interde-
pendencies of the local community
with the site. Today, the relation-
ship betweenthe communities and
Petra is predominantly dened by
the economic value of the site and
focused on tourism-related indus-
tries and services.
After more than two decades of
working in the region, we, at the
Petra National Trust, identied
education and awareness as ap-
propriate ways to engage the local
communities to address the dis-
equilibrium between their aspira-
tions and the urgent imperatives
of site protection and preservation
within the Petra Park.
In 2010, with the help of in-
ternational specialists, we began
to develop three innovative edu-
cational programmes that instil
among the participants a sense of
identity and pride in Petras cul-
tural and natural heritage, and in-
spire a commitment to preserving
and protecting Petras signicance
and values. Our programmes are
ofered to young people and teach-
ers fromthe six local communities
in the Petra region.
The initial development proc-
ess started with the Junior Ranger
Programme (JRP). It is an interac-
tive ve-day workshop that intro-
duces participants to the diferent
values of Petra, such as culture
(peoples, traditions, and practic-
es), history, and biodiversity. The
methodology employed fosters
critical thinking skills and a crea-
tive approach to learning. We use
a variety of activities and learning
styles to meet participant needs
by being relevant to their lives,
providing an engaging educative
experience and stimulating them
to think more deeply about the
preservation of Petra. Our rst
curricula were aimed at 7 to 9 year
olds before extending to two more
age groups: 10 to 12 and 13 to 15. In
2014, PNT will extend the JRP to
include 16 to 18 year olds.
Building on the success of the
JRP and to maintain continuity in
our engagement with local com-
munities, we developed the Youth
Engagement Program (YEP). It is
designedas a series of civic engage-
ment activities conducted every
two weeks during the weekend.
The YEP instills a greater under-
standing of the values and signi-
cance of Petra, promotes heritage
preservation and fosters socially
responsible behaviour, such as
teamwork, conict management,
tolerance and respect. It is ofered
to 7 to 18 year olds and encourages
interaction among the participants
fromthe six diferent villages.
In 2013, we introduced a Train-
ing of Trainers (ToT) programme
to empower local teachers to take
ownership of heritage education in
the Petra region, andplay a key role
in the implementation of our two
youth education initiatives. The
TOT is designed to build teach-
er capacity by developing their
knowledge and enhancing their
condence in using inquiry-based
methodologies. Our approach en-
gages and encourages teachers to
take a more active role in educat-
ing their young people about the
signicance and values of their
own heritage.
We believe in the youth of Jordan
and of Petra, in particular. They
are the hope for the future con-
servation and protection of Petra.
We hope to continue working with
young people and their teachers to
buildagenerationthat is fully aware
of the signicance of their heritage.
(Princess Dana Firas is currently
Vice-President of the Petra Nation-
al Trust. She has served as Chair
of the Petra National Foundation,
US, since 2009. A former Fulbright
scholar, Princess Dana has worked
to promote cultural and natural
heritage preservation, sustainable
development and human security.)
ByPrincess Dana Firas
Jordan
Krak des Chevaliers.
Gulf Times
Sunday, June 22, 2014 26
By Dr Samir Abdulac
Secretary General of Icomos
France
Safeguarding the world
heritage site of Byblos
L
ocated on the Eastern Mediterrane-
an, 40kmnorth of Beirut (Lebanon),
Byblos is one of the oldest continu-
ously inhabited cities in the world, from
6000BCto the present time. Standing on
a natural sand stone clif, Byblos was list-
ed as a World Heritage Site in 1984 under
criteria III, IVand VI.
The archaeological site was extensively
excavated for over 60 years, between 1921
and 1983. Structures dating to the dif-
ferent periods can still be distinguished
where the evolution of the city is seen
in its diferent elements throughout the
ages. The authentic landscape (Medieval
houses, city wall, souks, harbour and the
archaeological site) gives a denite archi-
tectural value to the city. Furthermore,
the strategic coastal location has been at
commercial crossroads, mainly during the
Bronze Age period. However, the most
signicant value attributed to Byblos lies
in the discovery of the earliest Phoenician
alphabet engraved on the Ahiram sar-
cophagus dating back to the 11th century
BCwhich later became the basis of the ac-
tual western alphabet.
As a result of the recent war against
Lebanon , the Lebanese coast was par-
tially afected by the oil spill fromthe fuel
tanks of the Jiyeh power plant. The clean-
ing works were rst conducted by the
ministry of environment. An expert mis-
sion led by Mounir Bouchenaki, director-
general of the International Centre for the
Study of the Preservation and Restoration
of Cultural Property (Iccrom), was sent to
Lebanon by Unesco to assess the condi-
tion of the afected cultural heritage sites
after the war. Urgent measures were un-
dertaken to clean up the oil spill fromthe
World Heritage edices along the Byblos
shoreline. In addition, the mission found
two structures with no direct relation to
the war damages requiring critical atten-
tion to safeguard.
The northern Medieval tower displayed
serious underwater structural damage at
the southeastern corner foundation em-
phasising the need to reinforce structural
stability.
The foundation of the Bronze Age tem-
ple tower exhibited hazardous erosion at
the vertical section of the soil beneath the
temple walls. Critically located above the
existing level of the archaeological site, it
endangered the stability of the structure
as a whole. Consolidation works were ur-
gent to prevent further deterioration and
destruction of the temple.
Cleaning of theOil Spill fromByblos
SeaShore
The cleaning of the oil spill on the ar-
chaeological structures comprised:
1. The western protective wall with its
reused granite Roman columns.
2. The foundationandthe structures of
the two Medieval towers at the entrance of
the ancient port.
3. The Hellenistic sh-tank at the sea
shore.
Collection of all polluted waste and
debris was manually executed, placed
in heavy duty bags and transported to
the disposal area. Oil absorbent booms,
pads and snares were used at all times in
a fence-like manner in order to retain the
oil and prevent it from seeping out into
the sea. The clean-up operation also used
nylon bristle brushes and low hot water
pressure jet washing machines in order to
minimise the damage on the archaeologi-
cal structures. Thesepressurejets operated
using freshwater supply free fromany sol-
vent or chemical material. The water pres-
sure ranged between75 bars and 150bars.
The cleaning operation was carried out
in accordance with standards and proce-
dures approved by the ministry of envi-
ronment.
Reinforcement of the structural
stability of the Northern Medieval
Tower of Byblos Ancient Port
The northern Medieval tower displayed
critical under water structural damage
mainly at the southeastern corner foun-
dation.
The objectives of the conservation in-
tervention was to restore the damage
and protecting the tower from all natural
agents that may afect its structure.
The intervention targeted two major
elements:
1. The critical stability of the towers
southeastern corner.
An underwater cavity measuring 4m
length x 2mheight x 3mdepth was located
at its foundation level. The intervention
sought to rebuild the lost parts associated
with the two walls and rell the void with
special concrete for underwater casting,
allowing an expansion of the construc-
tions load towards the foundation thus
reassuring its structural stability. Stone
types similar to the ones at the archaeo-
logical structure were used to carry out
the conservation works.
2. The protectionof the Medieval tower
against natural destructive agents.
Undergrowth from vegetation roots de-
velopingdeepbetweenthestonesdestroyed
the binder causing inltration fromwater-
ways into the heart of the structure. There-
fore, the wild vegetation was carefully cut
out anda special anti-weedgrowthproduct
injected. The damagedstones were thenre-
placedby similar ones. Furthermore, a gen-
eral restructuring operation was performed
to consolidate the edice, prevent further
vegetation growth between the stones and
protect the masonry from any rainwater
erosion efect. Traditional lime mortar was
usedas a soft binder toavoidfuture damage
to the structure. This intervention assured
the stability of this unique existing Medi-
eval tower at the ancient port of Byblos and
preservedits outstandingvalue.
The Consolidation of the Temple
Tower
The foundation of the Bronze Age tem-
ple tower exhibited erosion at the verti-
cal section of the soil beneath the temple
walls. Critically located (three meters)
above the existing level of the archaeo-
logical site, it endangered the stability of
the structure as a whole.
The objective of the intervention aimed
at covering the soil in order to limit the
erosion phenomena caused by the afect-
ing agents.
The peculiarity of the temple as an
archaeological structure necessitated a
comprehensive documentation of the en-
tire building prior to and after any inter-
vention.
The consolidation process was man-
aged as follows:
1. The vertical erosion area under the
temple structure was brought under con-
trol by backlling earth all around it to
protect its foundation.
Ageotextile separationlayer was spread
between the archaeological soil and the
new backll material. A backll gravel
tout-venant was applied all around the
temple, extending to the rst foundation
level and covering all vertical denuded
sections.
Gabion cubes were installed in sin-
gle, double or even three rows to limit and
retain the gravel backll. In addition, a
10cmlayer of earth was spread on the top
of the backlling material and the Gabion
area.
2. At the southern side of the Great
Residence, also dating to the Bronze Age
period, an old reconstructed stone wall
had partially collapsed due to the feeble
retaining wall. The latter wall was rebuilt
according to the traditional method.
3. Joints were re-pointed on the top
of the masonry walls of the temple using
lime mortar to protect the masonry from
hydro-thermal exchanges, limit the ag-
gressive action of atmospheric agents and
prevent rainwater penetration into the ar-
chaeological walls.
4. A slope was created securing an ac-
cess to the original level of the temple.
The consolidation works sustained
the structure, made the temple tower
accessible to visitors and were naturally
integrated within the archaeological
site.
Involving local
communities
in preserving
heritage sites
ByKamal Raftani
Architect, Unesco ofice, Rabat
I
n 2012, the world celebrated the
40th anniversary of the Con-
vention concerning the pro-
tection of the World Cultural and
Natural Heritage under the theme
World Heritage and Sustainable
Development: The Role of Local
Communities. The aimof choosing
this topicwas toemphasisethecru-
cial role of local communities inthe
implementation of the Convention
through their efective involvement
in processes regarding the nomina-
tion, conservation and manage-
ment of World Heritage sites.
On the other hand, the choice of
such a theme was a reminder that,
despite the eforts made to enhance
local participation, it has to be rec-
ognised that there is still some way
togointhat regard. Thisassessment
has been conrmed by the World
Heritage Periodic Reporting Africa
2011, which stated that local com-
munities, includingindigenouspeo-
ples, were not suf ciently involved
in processes regarding the manage-
ment of World Heritage properties.
The same applies to a large part of
the developing world, including
most of the countries in the Middle
East andNorthAfrica region.
Looking at the situation in Mo-
rocco, over the last two decades the
country has experienced signicant
progress in terms of involving lo-
cal communities who are living in
or around its cluster of nine World
Heritage properties in decision-
makingprocesses pertainingtotheir
conservationandmanagement.
This paper presents two major
Moroccan cultural heritage case
studies whichdemonstrate the link-
ages between enhancing cultural
heritage conservation and socio-
economic development through lo-
cal communityinvolvement.
The rst case study relating to
the Medina of Fez shows how the
medina residents became actively
involved in the ongoing safeguard-
ing eforts, while the second one
presents the story of how a local
association was able to play a key
role in the ongoing World Heritage
nomination process relating to the
early 20th century colonial centre
of Casablanca.
Local communityinvolvement
intherehabilitationprocessof
theMedinaof Fez
The registration of the Medina
of Fez on the World Heritage List in
1981 was a starting point for an im-
portant ongoing safeguarding proc-
ess. However, throughout the two
decades following the international
designation, local communities
havent been able to play an active
role in conservation eforts. Actions
that were intended for the resident
population during this period were
limited to awareness campaigns on
the outstanding universal values of
the WorldHeritage site.
It was only towards the end of
the 1990s, with the launch of the
World Bank Rehabilitation project,
that a genuine new awareness oc-
curred among both local authori-
ties and site managers, as well as
resident population, stressing
how important it was for the local
community to participate and take
responsibility for the implementa-
tion of the project.
At the request of the World Bank,
a community development unit was
established to manage social devel-
opment and poverty alleviation ac-
tivities of theproject usingthereha-
bilitation process to promote social
participation and local employment
creation through labour-intensive
work on the upgrading of the his-
toric housingstockof the medina.
One main objective of the
project was to trigger self-rehabil-
itation initiatives through empow-
erment of the Medinas inhabitants
in order to enable themto invest in
their living or working space.
To achieve this objective, AD-
ER-Fes - a local government agen-
cy in charge of the rehabilitation of
the Medina of Fez - working with
a diverse range of local stakehold-
ers, including civil society repre-
sentatives, developed an inclusive
process of consultation and social
participationinthe designand im-
plementation of the interventions
on the historic housing stock.
In this respect, a key role was
given to the existing neighbourhood
associations as facilitators of com-
munity engagement, making con-
nections between local residents,
diverse stakeholders, and the ad-
ministration, and encouraging local
participation in the implementation
of housingrehabilitationactivities.
At the end of the project, the
World Bank Implementation com-
pletion report stated that partici-
pation was high, given the involve-
ment of anumber of local NGOs and
foundations in the development of
the project concept and of many lo-
cal stakeholders in the implementa-
tionof the social assessment..
Fromthen on, the Medina neigh-
bourhood associations grouped
in an umbrella association called
Union des associations et amicales
humanitaires de la mdina de Fs
- known locally as Union - , be-
came essential social actors in the
Medina of Fez. TheUnion has been
systematically involved in key deci-
sion-makingrolesinthesubsequent
government development projects.
In 2007, the Union took a step
forward as project leader of Zi-
yarates Fes Home-stay project, a
new concept of sustainable tour-
ism that gives visitors the chance
to stay with a family in a traditional
house and take part in the everyday
life of the citys old medina. This
innovative and promising project
was undertakeninpartnershipwith
a range of local decision-making
institutions, including the local au-
thorities and the regional board of
tourism professionals. Today, the
Union is managing a network of
30families who are members of the
Ziyarates Fes initiative.
Ziyarates Fes Home-stay is a
community-based tourism activ-
ity which uses innovative ways
of combining tourism with local
socio-cultural practices and the
active engagement of local com-
munities. It gives the participating
families the opportunity to im-
prove their living conditions and
keep their ancestral family houses,
while contributing to the preser-
vation of their cultural heritage.
Local communityinvolvement
inNominationprocess: thecase
of the20thcenturycolonial
centreof Casablanca
This second example is about
the experience of a local associa-
tion called Casammoire, which
is currently involved in the World
Heritage nomination process
of the early 20th century colo-
nial center of Casablanca. Since
its creation in 1995 by a group of
Casablanca residents, Casam-
moire has been a constant advo-
cate for the protection and the
registration of the colonial cen-
tres buildings on the national list
of historic buildings and sites.
After nearlytwodecades of ongo-
ing work on the ground, Casam-
moirehas todayreachedaculminat-
ing point of its missionas it is taking
the lead of an ongoing efort aiming
at getting the early 20thcentury co-
lonial centre of Casablanca listed as
a Unesco World Heritage site. This
was the rst time when a formal
agreement has been signed between
a ministerial department - namely
the Ministry of Culture - and a local
association - in this case Casam-
moire - allowing the latter to play a
keyroleinpreparingthenomination
proposal to be submitted to Unesco,
as well as conducting community
awareness campaigns to promote
the unique values of the nominated
site, data collection and documen-
tation, and a series of other activi-
ties aimed at increasing community
participation.
Concluding reflections
Both experiences from Fez and
Casablanca ofer valuable lessons
for involving local communities in
World Heritage issues which could
be highly relevant to other World
Heritage sites in Morocco. They
revealed the critical importance of
local participation to the successful
conservation and management of
WorldHeritage properties.
Restoration at the Byblos site.
World Heritage sites in Libya:
Challenges and opportunities
By Chiara Dezzi Bardeschi
Senior consultant, Unesco Libya
L
ibya is the proud home
to a very rich and diverse
cultural heritage, with
ve sites inscribed on the World
Heritage List (the archaeological
sites of Leptis Magna, Sabratha
and Cyrene (1982), the rock-art
sites of Tadrart Acacus (1985)
and the Old Town of Ghadames
(1986). In addition, the country
boasts numerous historical and
traditional cities, archaeologi-
cal sites (including underwater
heritage), modern architecture
masterpieces, museums and
collections, cultural and re-
search institutions, libraries and
archives; Libya also possesses a
rich intangible cultural heritage
that reects substantial cultural
diversity and creativity.
Burdened with the legacy of
policies established during the
pre-revolution regime, post-
revolution Libya struggles to
manage and protect its heritage
with a limited number of skilled
technicians and staf, profes-
sional isolation and little ac-
cess to international specialised
networking. As a consequence,
many cultural sites sufer from
weak control, a lack of mainte-
nance and regular care, as well
as frominappropriate conserva-
tion techniques and materials.
At the time of the 2011 unrest,
increased deterioration, de-
struction and looting at archae-
ological sites, as well as illicit
traf cking of cultural property,
represented the major predict-
able challenges.
Vandalism afected in par-
ticular the two World Heritage
Sites of Cyrene (Shahat) and
Tadrart-Acacus. In Cyrene, the
famous mosaic of the Four Sea-
sons has been vandalised and
two emblems depicting the sea-
sons were stolen. In the Tadrart
Acacus, ten important painted
and engraved rock art features
(located in the Awiss and the
Senaddar areas) were tragically
compromised in April 2009.
This said, the tale is not uni-
formly negative. The World Her-
itage Sites, as many other sites
throughout the country, were
very little damaged as direct ef-
fect of the 2011 unrest; many of
the sites and cultural institutions
weredefendedwiththevoluntary
involvement of civil society and
local communities, which clearly
show the recognition of heritage
for Libyancivil society.
At present, security chal-
lenges and issues in governance
make for a dif cult newobstacle.
Urban expansion and new con-
struction, not in all cases prop-
erly regulated are also a main
challenge. Urban encroach-
ment and uncontrolled building
construction are especially af-
fecting, at an alarming rate, the
integrity of the World Heritage
Site of Cyrene (Shahat) and its
bufer zone, in addition to the
archaeological remains located
within the modern urban set-
tlement of Shahat, which need
to be urgently documented and
adequately protected. Work to
nalise the management plans
of the ve World Heritage Sites,
today still lacking, hopes to ofer
a fundamental tool for a sound
planning and management of
these unique assets.
The Libyan Department of
Antiquities (DoA) and the Min-
istry of Culture, with Unesco
support, are striving to address
these challenges. Based on the
priority needs jointly identi-
ed in 2011 with the Libyan au-
thorities, Unesco is implement-
ing a broad capacity-building
programme aimed at upgrading
professional skills of heritage
professionals and security forces
as well as raising awareness of
communities for the protec-
tion and safeguarding of Libyan
heritage. In addition, through
tailored training, it supports the
integration of some 150 former-
combatants and youth seeking
employment into the Culture
sector. Financed by the Govern-
ment of Libya and the Govern-
ment of Italy, this programme
ranges from sites protection
and enhancement of security of
sites, cultural heritage collec-
tions and museums, to heritage
documentation, conservation
and management.
As part of these eforts, a ve
week training in conservation
took place at the World Heritage
Site of Leptis Magna and Villa
Silin (June-July 2013), bring-
ing together 35 conservators and
technicians fromthe DoA of ces
all across the country (Sabha,
Sabratha, Tripoli, Leptis Magna,
Benghazi and Shahat); a conser-
vation laboratory is being set up,
to serve the various DoA territo-
rial of ces. A follow-up training
sessionis scheduledinSeptember
2014. In addition, 40 staf from
the DoA (Benghazi, Sabratha,
Leptis Magna, Shahat, Tobruk,
Tripoli), as well as fromthe Cen-
tre for Historic Studies and Na-
tional Archives in Tripoli, were
trained in preventive conserva-
tion and management of archival
records (January-February 2014).
In 2013, three training sessions
on prevention and ght against
illicit traf cking of Libyan cul-
tural property were organised
(Tripoli, April; Sabratha Septem-
ber; Cyrene, November). These
involved some 200 participants
from diferent public institu-
tions (border patrol, customs and
tourist and antiquities police,
criminal investigation depart-
ments, etc.), as well as univer-
sity researchers, archaeology
professors and civil society as-
sociations, and they sought to
establish specialised units in the
country with the mandate to in-
vestigate and monitor illicit trade
of cultural properties in Libya.
These sessions also ofered the
opportunity of establishing a
dialogue platform with public
prosecutors and magistrates,
while underlining the urgency to
adopt an integrated approach to
face increasing illegal construc-
tion, takingintoaccount protect-
ed areas, future urban expansion
and new constructions planning
and regulation, starting fromthe
alarmingcaseof theWorldHerit-
age Site of Cyrene.
Yet the most key audience
which the Unesco programme
seeks to involve is youth. The
wider participation of youth
and civil society, through public
awareness raising and the in-
troduction of ad hoc outreach
programmes into the education
system is a key component to
protect the national treasures
Libyan sites represent. Here,
much attention is being placed
on having an outreach strategy,
with the preparation and broad-
casting of videoclips and advo-
cacy materials.
New approaches in herit-
age management are needed
too. Especially in wide and open
sites like the Acacus, known for
its thousands of cave paintings
in very diferent styles. Dat-
ing from 12,000 BC to AD 100,
manycontexts have yet tobe fully
documented and protected. The
Unesco/DoAjoint technical mis-
sioncarriedout inearly May 2013
identied viable recommenda-
tions for enhancing site protec-
tion and management. A key
aspect has been identied in the
establishment of a pilot centre at
the North entrance to the World
Heritage Site (in the historical
fort of Awaynat), as catalyst for
the protection and promotion of
the Tadrart Acacus desert sites,
placing local communities at the
heart of cultural heritage protec-
tion, to ensure that they continue
to benet ina suitable way.
The Leptis Columns in Libya.
27
Gulf Times
Sunday, June 22, 2014
With US economic growth expected to slow down
this year than the previous IMF forecast and weak
recovery seen in major emerging markets, the global
economy may not show encouraging signs in the short
to medium term.
At its recent annual review of the United States
economy, the worlds largest, the International
Monetary Fund cut its forecast for the US economic
growth this year by 0.8 percentage point to 2%, citing
a harsh winter, a struggling housing market and weak
international demand for the countrys products.
Following the large outow of global capital last year,
emerging markets (EMs) are now starting to feel the
economic pain. EM growth is slowing sharply, from
Brazil to Indonesia, Russia and South Africa, partly
reecting the tightening of domestic policies last year
to stabilise EM foreign exchange rates, QNB said in a
recent analysis.
Since the announcement by the US Federal Reserve
(Fed) in May 2013 of its intention to taper its asset-
purchasing programme or Quantitative Easing (QE)
global capital ew out of EMs, forcing EM central
banks to tighten domestic policies to stabilise their
exchange rates.
While the tightening has been relatively successful
in reversing the capital outow in some countries, the
impact on EM growth is just starting to be felt.
The last few weeks have witnessed a series of
disappointing EM data releases. Brazils Q1 real GDP
growth rate slowed to 0.7% (quarter-on-quarter
annualised), compared
with 2.3% for 2013 as a
whole. Indonesias rst
quarter (Q1) growth rate
declined to 3.5% (5.8%
in 2013).
South Africas Q1
GDP contracted 0.6%,
compared with growth
of 1.9% in 2013. The
most dramatic fall was
in Thailand with an
annualised Q1 contraction of 8.2%, partly reecting
the current political instability.
Against this trend, India saw a jump in Q1 GDP
growth to an annualised 8.2%, which QNB said was
partly due to a record $5bn spending on elections,
which added an estimated two percentage points to
growth in the rst quarter.
The IMF maintained its 3% growth outlook for the
US in 2015, saying a meaningful economic rebound
was under way. Still, the IMF said signicant slack
remains in the economy and US of cials must do more
to stimulate growth in the near term.
At the same time, the US must cut spending and
raise revenue in the long term to avoid public debt
overwhelming the countrys nances, the fund said.
Clearly, the generalised slowdown in emerging
markets growth is impacting global trade ows.
According to QNB, EMs account for approximately
40% of all global trade activity and have been among
the largest contributors to global export growth in
recent years.
The EM slowdown is therefore having an impact on
global export growth. According to the World Trade
Organisation, the USD value of global exports grew by
a mere 1.7% year-on-year in the rst quarter of 2014,
compared with 4.3% in Q4, 2013.
A balanced and sustainable global recovery becomes
possible only if both the advanced economies
and emerging markets contribute to global trade.
Considering the current fragile nature of the emerging
markets and slow pace of growth in the US and other
advanced economies, it will be a while before that
happens.
Emerging markets
must contribute
to global trade
P.O.Box 2888
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Production Editor: C P Ravindran
Gulf Times
Sunday, June 22, 2014
COMMENT
28
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The EM
slowdown is
therefore having
an impact on
global export
growth
Relief workers scrambling to
avert a famine report
daunting obstacles
IRIN
Juba
A
cross a swath of South
Sudan, elds where green
shoots should be poking
through the wet soil lie
untilled and overgrown; herds of
cattle that would sustain communities
through the lean season have been lost
or stolen; food stores have been looted
or burned.
The people of South Sudan, the
worlds youngest and one of its
poorest nations, are accustomed
to hardship. But six months of war
has uprooted so many of themand
destroyed their meagre livelihoods
that some 4mn require humanitarian
assistance.
Relief workers scrambling to avert
a famine report daunting obstacles:
from the failure of South Sudans
feuding leaders to halt the conflict,
to near-impossible logistics and
limited international attention and
resources.
The biggest single obstacle is the
absence of peace, Toby Lanzer, the
top UNhumanitarian of cial in South
Sudan, said. You still have a lot of
people on the move, the continuation
at least of a threat of violence breaking
out at any stage.
According to UNgures, about
1.5mn people have ed their homes
since December, when ghting broke
out between supporters of President
Salva Kiir and those of his former
deputy, Riek Machar. Thousands have
died in the violence, including many
civilians brutally targeted because of
their ethnicity.
The failure of international pressure
to stop the ghting before the planting
season has prompted increasingly loud
warnings that starvation could lead
to far more deaths unless beleaguered
civilians receive urgent - and
sustained - assistance.
A survey carried out in May by
government agencies and food
security experts forecast that 3.9mn
people, or one-third of South
Sudans population, would face
crisis or emergency levels of food
insecurity by the end of August, up
from 1.6mn a year earlier. Crisis
and emergency represent levels
three and four on the widely-used
Integrated Food Security Phase
Categorisation (IPC) scale.
Level ve is famine, dened by the
IPCas the absolute inaccessibility
of food to an entire population or
sub-group of a population, potentially
causing death in the short term.
For a famine to be declared, several
conditions have to be met, notably
a crude death rate of two per 10,000
people per day and a general acute
malnutrition rate greater than 30%.
In rural communities, families
would normally store stocks of food
to see themthrough to the next
harvest. But the displaced generally
left their supplies behind, and host
communities have had to share with
relatives and strangers. Families have
lost their livestock to theft, either by
rival communities or ill-fed ghters
fromeither side.
In addition, traders who would
bring foodstufs fromneighbouring
countries such as Uganda and Sudan
and exchange it for local commodities
have been absent for months because
of the ghting. Salt, for example, is
almost impossible to nd in some
areas, Lanzer said.
Unicef, the UNChildrens Agency,
said in April that the number of
children under ve years of age
sufering severe acute malnutrition
across South Sudan had reached
223,000, or double the total before the
crisis. It warned that 50,000 of them
could die this year unless they received
assistance, such as therapeutic
feeding.
Relief agencies identify the
southern counties of Unity State and
parts of neighbouring Jonglei among
the most critically afected areas of the
country.
In Unitys Panyijar county,
thousands of families fromthe
surrounding area have taken refuge on
islands in vast marshlands west of the
White Nile River. Relief of cials say
many are subsisting on water lilies and
tree leaves - a traditional fall-back in
lean times. World Food Programme
airdrops have brought some relief, but
aid workers say malnutrition levels
there are soaring.
Medical charity Medair said almost
half of the 4,500 children it had
screened in Panyijar since April were
malnourished. It found that families
were increasingly concentrating their
meagre rations on their strongest
ofspring.
They want all their children to
survive but they are worried that
they will lose themall, Medair
spokeswoman Wendy van Amerongen
said.
Hopes of trucking food and other
emergency supplies to isolated areas
before the rains made many roads
impassable were dashed by continued
insecurity.
The government and opposition
agreed in early May to observe a
month of tranquillity in order to
allowcivilians to go back home and
sowtheir land, and to let in more
humanitarian aid. But tful peace
talks in Addis Ababa have made little
progress, violence has continued,
and there have been fewreports of
civilians returning home in signicant
numbers.
Theres a lot of tension. Places like
Bentiu (the capital of Unity State) are
really on a knife-edge. Anything can
happen there, and its not the only
location, Mike Sackett, the acting
country director for WFP in South
Sudan, said.
Where WFP did manage to pre-
position food before the rains, much
of it has been looted by armed factions
or hungry civilians. In May, three
warehouses in Upper Nile State were
emptied after the areas where they
were located changed hands during
the ghting, Sackett said.
With most main roads impassable,
WFP has had to focus on airlifting and
airdropping supplies, mostly using
huge Russian-built Ilyushin cargo
planes.
To make sure the rations reached
the most needy, and help prevent aid
being seized by combatants, Sackett
said WFP was inserting small hit-
and-run teams into crisis zones
for little more than a week to assess
requirements, register those in need,
and oversee the airdrops and the
distribution. Other partners were
vaccinating children and distributing
seeds at the same time.
He said WFP enjoyed considerable
goodwill fromthe two warring parties
- a legacy of its massive aid operation
in the 1990s during Sudans long civil
war - and that this helped keep its
aircraft and ground teams safe.
However, Sackett said his agency
simply doesnt have enough food to
meet the needs.
Donors including the United States
and United Kingdompledged an extra
$600mn at a May conference in the
Norwegian capital, Oslo. However,
the UNsays it is still $800mn short
of what is needed for this year alone.
Sackett said it was still unclear how
much of the newmoney would be
allocated to WFP.
Even post-Oslo, we really havent
seen any surge of newconrmed
pledges that we can translate into
physical food, he said.
Plans to distribute 17,000 tonnes
of food in June, for instance, were
probably not possible because of a
constrained pipeline, he said. We
are overcoming the logistic constraints
by more and more aircraft, but we
dont have the food to get up to the
plan.
The humanitarian efort has faced
bureaucratic hurdles.
Lanzer said UNof cials spent weeks
persuading the government to remove
dozens of checkpoints along the few
main roads still open. Unof cial taxes
were adding 4,500 Sudanese pounds
($1,200) to the cost of delivering
a truckload of supplies. The UN
also persuaded the government to
streamline customs and immigration
procedures for aid workers and relief
goods.
The environment brings other
challenges. In Bentiu and Panyijar,
planes have been unable to land after
rain because the airstrip becomes
too boggy. The UNis negotiating
with oil companies to get access to
an all-weather strip north of Bentiu.
Still, UNagencies have reached over
80 locations in the past six months,
mostly by air.
The cost and limited capacity of
even the largest aircraft means WFP
is looking to send food barges up the
White Nile, despite the hazards.
In April, unidentied attackers red
guns and rocket-propelled grenades
at barges carrying food and fuel to a
UNbase in Malakal, another tense
northern town, injuring four crew
members and UNpeacekeepers.
Lanzer said it was dif cult to
persuade barge operators to try again.
But by early June, workers in Juba
were loading food onto a convoy of
barges that will have to cover the same
route through both government and
opposition controlled territory. WFP
of cials were already negotiating with
local power-brokers to try to ensure
their safe passage.
They are also passing through
areas where people are probably pretty
hungry so there are three main
threats, Sackett said.
For civilians, the rainy season brings
some respite. With richer grazing,
cattle produce more milk, while wild
foods and sh can be more plentiful.
Moreover, the rst so-called green
harvest comes in September, ahead of
the main crop in November.
But yields are expected to be meagre
in the north and east, where the
ghting has primarily raged. Once
those crops are used up, the food crisis
is expected to intensify.
Fromthe end of this year, we will
be plunging into a long lean season
that will go right up to the September
2015 harvest, Sackett said. The
likelihood of problems is certainly
greater this time next year than it is
now.
Famine threatens to
engulf South Sudan
Ukraine crisis forces US to bolster Europe forces
ByPeter Apps/Reuters
Washington
O
nly last year, the US
European Command was
facing some of the deepest
cuts of any region in the
US military. Now, after Russias
annexation of Crimea, the Pentagon
nds itself focusing on the continent
in a way not seen in decades.
Earlier this month, US President
Barack Obama said he would ask
Congress for an additional $1bn
to increase Washingtons military
commitment to the continent.
Last week, the US Air Force said it
had deployed two B-2 stealth bombers
to England, joining two B-52s sent
earlier this month. The two aircraft are
Americas premier nuclear bombers.
Washington has sent additional
warships to the Black Sea and the
Baltic, F-15, F-16 jets and early
warning AWACS aircraft to join
ramped up Nato patrols near Russian
airspace and troops to train in
Germany and Eastern Europe.
With ghting raging in eastern
Ukraine between pro-Moscowforces
and troops loyal to Kiev, Washington
says Russia has put large numbers
of troops on the border and may be
preparing to deliver tanks and artillery
to the separatists.
At a time of budget cuts and when
Obama would rather focus its strategic
gaze on Asia and the Middle East,
resources are limited and fewexpect
America to rebuild the permanent
garrison-type presence set up in
Europe during the Cold War.
While more military supplies will
be placed in the European region, US
units will be largely rotated through
fromexisting European bases and
elsewhere.
Washington also wants European
states to step up more.
Collective action doesnt mean the
US puts skin in the game while others
stand on the sidelines cheering, US
National Security adviser Susan Rice
told the annual conference of the
Centre for a NewAmerican Security.
Although the US has pledged to
strengthen the military capabilities
of non-Nato states near Russia such
as Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova,
of cials say no decisions have been
made on details and the real focus is
on boosting Natos defences.
In November, US Air Force General
Philip Breedlove, the head of the US
European Command, said the force
had been told to prepare cuts of up
to 20%, twice that of some other
regions, although a congressional
budget deal the following month
watered down the cuts in the
military as a whole.
For now, fewmilitary analysts or
western of cials believe Russian
President Vladimir Putin intends to
invade any Nato state.
Since 2008, Moscowhas increased
its defense spending some 30%.
However, Russias estimated budget
of $68bn annually is dwarfed by
Washingtons $600bn and remains
smaller than the military spending
of Britain, France and Germany
combined.
Still, the number of forces Moscow
can mobilise at speed often outstrips
anything the US or Nato can eld,
although experts say much Russian
equipment remains outdated.
According to the London-based
International Institute for Strategic
Studies, Russia has some 845,000
military personnel, more than 2,500
main battle tanks and thousands
of armored personnel carriers and
infantry ghting vehicles.
Shortly before annexing Crimea
in March, Moscowmobilised about
150,000 personnel in its western
military district.
The US has some 67,000 military
personnel in Europe, 10,000 of them
part of the Stuttgart-based Africa
Command (AFRICOM). After the
annexation of Crimea, it sent 600
paratroopers froma brigade based in
Italy to Poland and the Baltic States of
Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
Washington has also said it will
maintain a presence of some 100
US Army Special Forces in Eastern
Europe.
Beneficiaries waiting in line to collect their ration at a food-distribution taking place at the UNMISS-compound in Malakal,
Upper Nile State, South Sudan.
COMMENT
Gulf Times
Sunday, June 22, 2014 29
IRIN
Bertoua
F
rustrated by their living
conditions, refugees and other
migrants are streaming into
towns in eastern Cameroon
in search of jobs and a fresh start. But
there are concerns in the region about
the impact of the newarrivals in urban
areas and emerging tensions between
the newcomers and existing town-
dwellers.
Some 226,000 people have ed CAR
to neighbouring Cameroon, Chad, the
Democratic Republic of Congo and the
Republic of Congo since December
2013. Of the four host countries,
Cameroon has the largest number of
refugees.
Since the beginning of 2014, more
than 80,000 Central Africans have
ed the worsening violence in their
country, crossing the border into
Cameroon. Many are being settled
in villages, but for some, eastern
Cameroons towns hold more appeal.
The migration of refugees to urban
areas complicates eforts to protect
themand build an accurate picture of
the refugee population in the region,
warns Faustin Tchimi of the Cameroon
Red Cross in Bertoua.
There is a migration of refugees
to Bertoua urban, but it is dif cult to
knowthe number of refugees present
in the town, Tchimi points out.
Already, the refugees living in camps
and villages are a major challenge to
humanitarian workers who cannot
provide suf cient care and security
to all.
Augustin Bolly, head of refugees in
Guiwa camp II in Cameroons east,
told IRINthat many refugee men left
the camp to Bertoua and have never
returned, neither have we heard from
themsince. The information that
comes back is not encouraging. Some
simply went to buy goods to start
small businesses in Guiwa, says Bolly.
We learnt that they were detained.
Authorities in eastern Cameroon
say it is dif cult to knowexactly how
many refugees have gone into towns.
But they warn of security problems
that have to be addressed.
Felipe Camargo, UN Refuge
Agencys (UNHCR) emergency
coordinator for the CAR refugee
crisis, acknowledged that there is
movement of migrants into Bertoua,
but they are not considered as
refugees. Refugees are those that
stay in the camps and villages
identified by UNHCR.
The movement of refugees to
Bertoua is a major concern to public
authorities and we are putting in
place a plan on how to manage their
presence and ensure security, said
Irenee Galim Ngong, the prefect
of the Lom and Njerem districts of
Bertoua.
Security of cials in Bertoua
blame incidents of insecurity on the
foreigners and say they have ramped
up patrols. AlimAboubakar, a police
commissioner in Bertoua, described
the refugees causing trouble as
young men who are trying to survive
through odd jobs, stealing and even
committing armed robbery.
Some local residents complain of
incidents of violence by migrants.
I have been a victimof two cases of
aggression by migrants, said Bertoua
resident Umaru Sanda. Many people
are complaining.
Police commissioner Aboubakar
said at least ve migrants were being
arrested every night for petty crimes
or armed aggression.
According to reports fromBertoua,
in one incident a Central African
national got in a ght with local
residents, taking out a machete,
cutting of the hand of a policeman
trying to intervene and wounding four
other people.
The tensions are nothing new. Last
September, a confrontation erupted
between refugees and residents
as a group of refugees abandoned
their camp and marched to villages,
prompting the military to intervene
to stop the refugees fromgoing to
Bertoua town.
At the Bertoua Central Prison,
a warden who spoke to IRINon
condition of anonymity said that 32
migrants of diferent nationalities had
recently been brought to the prison,
but had no details on the number
detained, beyond conrming: we
have many refugees in our keeping.
The warden said those arrested
were detained. Attempts had been
made to get their cases looked at by
the UNHCR, but he explained that
the refugee agency had struggled
to identify most of the prisoners,
leaving their status unclear and
making it difficult for them to
receive protection.
While the prospects of getting work
draws many refugees into towns,
lack of proper documentation and
little or no job skills expose themto
exploitation and detention, making
their survival more dif cult. But those
who used to live in cities back home
nd life in the refugee camps and
villages unbearable.
I cannot stay in a village where
there is no electricity, water and very
poor housing conditions, explained
high school student Jodel Tanga, who
had left a camp in Mborguene in the
east of Cameroon for Bertoua eight
months ago.
Here, I know I can work and
maybe have the means to go back
to school one day, said Tanga I
dodged police checks to get to the
town. Many other refugees were
caught while travelling from the
camp to Bertoua and have never
been heard of again. Tanga pointed
out that check-points have since
been reinforced and it is now more
difficult to reach Bertoua.
Baba Karim, 26, has been working
as a motorcycle taxi rider for three
weeks in Bertoua. Karim admitted he
does not yet know the city properly.
I dont know the names of places so
I depend on clients and fellow riders
to direct me, Karim acknowledged,
but stressed his determination to
succeed. I must survive against all
the odds.
Karimsaid he had never lived in a
refugee camp before. What is there
for me in a refugee camp? Nothing.
People there dont have real lives; they
depend on aid workers and live in the
open.
He explained that he lived in a
building still under construction with
four other refugees, who are also after
menial jobs, sometimes getting hired
by builders working on the site.
As a motor cycle taxi rider, Karim
gets a daily income. I make at least
5,000 francs (US$10) each day and
give 3,000 francs to the motorcycle
owner. But there are hazards. Some
days I end up losing all the money
because I have to bribe my way out of
police detention.
Some detained migrants have
been forced to give incriminating
testimony.
I have been detained about ve
times for lack of identication papers
but later released due to the fact that
the police were frustrated with me and
also because I amstill young, said
16-year-ld Hassan Abu who works as
a porter.
But in their custody they force you
to say what you might not even have
a clue about. I knowof other refugees
fromCongo and CAR who have been
made to testify and are in prison
today.
CAR refugees seek city life in Cameroon
Live issues
Letters
We mustnt ignore attention-seekers
ByOliver Burkeman
Guardian News and Media
A
ccording to a newCanadian
study, its more emotionally
damaging to be ignored in
the workplace than bullied.
This nding raised some eyebrows:
after all, bullyings an overtly hostile
act, whereas were taught from
childhood that turning a blind eye to
those we cant stand is the civilised
thing to do. For a simple explanation
of this seemingly odd result, I refer
you to the path-breaking psychologist
Oscar Wilde: There is only one thing
in the world worse than being talked
about, and that is not being talked
about.
Workplace bullying can be awful,
but it does have one rather cheerless
payof: at least you can be certain that
people think youre worth bullying.
The ignored person (ignoree?) lacks
even that chilly solace. Ive often
wondered why would-be standup
comedians subject themselves to
hecklers at open-mic nights, but
perhaps thats the reason. Nobody
would choose an audience of drunken
hecklers; on the other hand: an
audience!
One person that study wouldnt
have surprised is Idries Shah, the
Indian-born philosopher who
died in 1996. Beneath almost
everything humans do, he argued,
lay an unacknowledged motive: the
attention-factor. The theory is, we
need attention almost as desperately
as food and warmth, but dont realise
it, so we fail to understand that many
everyday encounters are in fact
disguised attention-situations. In
a business negotiation, you might
think your only motive is to win; in an
argument with a spouse, you might
believe your primary goal is to get the
other person to change. Yet in both
cases you might really bemotivated by
trying to satisfy your unmet need for
attention.
Crucially, attention may be
hostile or friendly and still full
the appetite for attention. Abad-
tempered ght between friends is still
a formof engagement: in the very act
of ghting, each is acknowledging
that the other matters. Since Shahs
death, research has backed himup:
neuroscience suggests that social
isolation afects the brain similarly
to physical pain, while ostracismhas
been identied as a key factor in some
of the bloodiest US school shootings.
Are mass murders sometimes a
horrifyingly destructive attempt to
remind the world the murderer exists?
Our failure to understand our need
for attention routinely lands us in
trouble, Shah believed, because it
leaves us at the mercy of anyone,
however unpleasant, whos willing
to bestowsome. When people feel
ignored, a political leader who
makes themfeel acknowledged will
acquire their support, even if hes
an egomaniacal tyrant with no plans
to improve their lives. Acontrolling
or otherwise abusive partner will
doubtless pay you plenty of attention,
even as he or she destroys you. Worse,
youll be predisposed to believe it
when youre told its for your own
good: when people lack the attention
they require, Shah wrote, they are
vulnerable to the message which too
often accompanies the exercise of
attention towards them.
We think of attention-seeking as
a character aw. Start to see it instead
as a universal need met in healthy or
unhealthy ways and all sorts of things
fall into place: celebrity meltdowns
and Internet trolling, but also many
of your partners or your colleagues
otherwise inexplicable quirks. (Or
your own.) Life is an open-mic night,
and were all just trying to get noticed.
City needs more
petrol pumps
Dear Sir,
Is this the same Doha where raf e/gift
coupons were issuedbymost of petrol
pumps toencourage sales? I askthis
questionmyself whenever I get stranded
inlongqueues at petrol pumps.
While the number of petrol pumps
are increasing to cater to the growing
number of vehicles, many old pumps
are demolished to give way to modern
ones. According to statistics available,
as high as 9,000 newvehicles are
hitting the roads monthly. It is nice to
see newpumps being built in places of
old ones. Vehicles waiting in a queue
for fuelling up often aggravate traf c
jams near pumps. Pumps near Qatar
National Bank, on Cand Dring roads,
near Crazy signal are among those
demolished.
More petrol pumps please are
needed for smooth-owing traf c.
Muhammed Ashraf Madiyari
(madiyari@hotmail.com)
Prevent Sri Lanka
becoming Myanmar
Dear Sir,
I wishtoexpressmyheartfeltgratitude
forGulf Timessextensivecoverageabout
thecalamityfacedbytheMuslimsinSri
Lanka.MinoritiesinSri Lankaarefacinga
dif culttimethesedays.
I have no doubt that the Sri Lankan
community in Qatar shares the same
view. The awareness created by
respected media such as Gulf Times
will help the Colombo government,
the people of Sri Lanka and the
international community to join hands
and prevent Sri Lanka becoming
another Myanmar.
Rizwan Mahsoom
Doha

Bloodbath in
Middle East
Dear Sir,
The entire Middle East is ablaze like
a toweringinferno. Iraqis ina process
of total chaos andutter bloodshed.
The political mapof the Middle East is
beingredrawnandwritteninblood. The
bloodof innocent people. Peace is an
illusion, because toomanynations are
involvedinfermentingviolence. Every
nationhas its ownstrategic agenda. The
events unfoldinginIraqwill be felt inthe
corridors of power across the globe.
Americas foreignpolicyposture in
the Middle East lies intatters. The policy
of Americandominationof the world, as
nationbuilder-in-chief andpoliceman
of the world, has failedandmust be
abandoned, if not as a moral imperative,
thencertainlyout of political reality.
USpolicyintheMiddleEastoften
failedtoaccomplishitsobjectiveand
behavedcounterproductive.Military
solutionstramplednegotiations.Counter-
insurgencyproducedinsurgents.The
USidentiedanti-communismasits
principal guidetoforeignpolicyduringthe
ColdWar,butsimilarpoliciescontinued
aftertheSovietUnionscollapseand
disintegration.
If the presentations appear one-
sided, it is because USadministrations
appear one-sidedandhave exhibited
patterns that causedinternational
catastrophes. Interference ininternal
afairs of nations anddirect American
involvement have not brought peace
andstabilitytothe world. The Shia-
Sunni crisis will trigger a holocaust of
immense proportions. We are heading
for religious Armageddon. We are
witnessinginfernothat noamount
of militarymight cansubdue. Unless
sanityprevails, we will witness a
bloodbathof unimaginable proportions.
Farouk Araie
Johannesburg
Pakistans battle
against polio
Dear Sir,
Pakistanhealthof cials are trying
hardtointensifybattle against growing
poliocases inthe country. Despite the
governments eforts several newcases
have beenfoundinthe tribal border
area withAfghanistan, where militant
groups are targetingpolioworkers on
regular basis.
The government has organised a
conference in Islamabad with leading
religious scholars to pursue people
to join a polio vaccination campaign.
According to the World Health
Organisation instruction, no Pakistani
can travel outside country without a
polio vaccination certicate.
Thousands of Pakistani children are
at high risk of polio after the killing of
several polio workers, most of them
were women in Karachi and other
diferent parts of the country. After a
well-coordinated attack and killing of
several polio vaccination programme
workers the UNhas stopped
vaccination campaign in Pakistan.
Duetothelargeareaandlargecampaign
thegovernmentndsithardtoprovide
securityforthousandsof workerswho
aretakingpartinapoliovaccination
campaign.Peshawaristheworstafected
cityandseveral newcasesof polio
reportedthisyearthere.Poliofemale
workers,mostof thembelongingtopoor
families,aretargetof recentkillings.The
governmentispayingthemonlyRs250a
dayandmostof themarenotabletorisk
theirlivesforsuchasmall sum.
Khawaja Umer Farooq
Jeddah
Pleasesend 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.
CAR refugees heading for resettlement in Cameroonian villages.
Three-day forecast
TODAY
TUESDAY
High: 40 C
Low: 30 C
High: 43
Low : 31 C
Weather report
Around the region
Abu Dhabi
Baghdad
Dubai
Kuwait City
Manama
Muscat
Riyadh
Tehran
Weather
today
Clear
Clear
Clear
Clear
P Cloudy
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 Rain

Max/min
29/22
24/17
36/26
20/13
31/20
21/14
32/26
31/26
33/27
27/18
32/25
36/30
22/09
32/25
17/10
39/24
29/17
25/15
23/12
26/20
35/27
20/10
25/21
Weather
today
Clear
Clear
T Storms
C Rain
Clear
P Cloudy
T Storms
T Storms
T Storms
Clear
C Storms
P Cloudy
M Cloudy
C Storms
P Cloudy
C Storms
P Cloudy
P Cloudy
C Rain
T Storms
M Cloudy
Clear
Fishermens forecast
OFFSHORE DOHA
Wind: NW-NE 05-15/18 KT
Waves: 1-3/4 Feet
INSHORE DOHA
Wind: NW-NE 05-15/18 KT
Waves: 1-2 Feet
High: 43 C
Low : 31 C
MONDAY
Hot daytime and relatively humid at
night with slight haze at places
Clear
Clear
Max/min
36/29
41/27
40/29
45/33
43/30
44/32
43/31
39/26
Weather
tomorrow
Clear
Clear
Clear
Clear
Clear
Clear
Clear
P Cloudy
Max/min
37/28
41/28
40/28
44/32
43/30
43/32
42/30
Max/min
30/22
25/20
34/26
20/14
32/20
20/11
31/26
34/27
32/28
26/19
32/25
34/30
23/10
32/25
16/08
38/25
27/18
24/14
25/12
25/19
34/26
21/10
27/22
Weather
tomorrow
Clear
Clear
M Cloudy
P Cloudy
Clear
Clear
T Storms
C Storms
C Storms
Clear
C Storms
M Cloudy
C Rain
C Storms
C Rain
Clear
P Cloudy
P Cloudy
M Cloudy
T Storms
C Storms
M Cloudy
Cloudy
38/24
C
QATAR
31
Gulf Times
Sunday, June 22, 2014
Cancer programme
wins bronze at
Mena Transform
Awards 2014
T
he National Cancer
Programme has been
recently named bronze
winner in the Best Strategic/
Creative Development of a
New Brand category at the
inaugural Mena edition of the
Transform Awards 2014, one
of the leading annual awards
for the branding indus-
try covering Europe, Mena
and Asia.
The award ceremony was at-
tended by 250 executives from
the branding, advertising, dig-
ital and communications sector
in Dubai.
Dr Faleh Mohamed Hussain
Ali, assistant general secre-
tary of policy afairs, Supreme
Council of Health (SCH), said
upon receiving the award: Its
with great pleasure that we
receive this award, which cel-
ebrates all the hard work that
went into launching the Na-
tional Cancer Programme as
the beacon of hope to reduce
the rising number of cancer
incidents in Qatar. The Su-
preme Council of Health aims
at reaching out to society to
tackle cancer in the most ap-
proachable way possible, and
I believe this award proves just
that.
The recognition has come
within months of the SCH, Ha-
mad Medical Corporation and
Primary Health Care Corpo-
ration launching the National
Cancer Programme.
Launched on February 4,
the programme coincided with
World Cancer Day and is de-
signed to implement the many
recommendations proposed in
the National Cancer Strategy.
With the launch of its new
brand, the National Can-
cer Programme aims to raise
awareness about cancer and
promote a healthy lifestyle
in Qatar through high-pro-
le awareness campaigns
and community engagement
activity.
After its success in Europe
andAsia, theTransformAwards
launched its rst competition
in the Middle East, focusing on
ad, branding and creative agen-
cies based or operating in the
region and recognising creative
and strategic projects created
during the past year.
Inaugurated only four
months ago, the National
Cancer Programme has com-
menced several social activi-
ties and awareness campaigns.
Just recently, the programme
launched one of its highly an-
ticipatedawareness campaigns,
#QatarAgainstCancer, featur-
ing inuential gures from the
Qatari society to start a move-
ment against cancer through
educating the public about the
disease.
The graduating trainees with oficials and sponsors.
Minister attends graduation
of trainees with special needs
H
E the Minister of Econ-
omy and Commerce
Sheikh Ahmed bin Jas-
sim bin Mohamed al-Thani
yesterday attended the gradua-
tion ceremony of a qualication
course for trainees with special
needs.
The trainees from Shafallah
Centre for Children with Special
Needs were given job qualica-
tion training by the Ministry of
Economy and Commerce (MEC)
on clerical and administrative
skills that suit their capabilities,
so that they could have better
employment opportunities at
MEC.
Since its launch in 1999,
Shafallah Centre for Chil-
dren with Special Needs has
managed to provide job op-
portunities for 65 students,
who successfully passed all
the qualication courses, said
Mohamed Badr al-Sada, di-
rector of the centre, express-
ing great appreciation at the
eforts of MEC in making the
programme such a success.
Khalid al-Shuaibi, chairman
of Volunteer Committee for the
Employment of Disabled People,
said the MEC has been a pioneer
in promoting the qualication of
such people and hiring them. He
considered this as an encourag-
ing model for other entities in
the country.
Meanwhile, Maha Mohamed
al-Nesf, director of the Human
Resources Department at MEC,
said the ministry intends to of-
fer jobs for some of the graduate
trainees.
Electronics retail store launches special promotion
P
remium electronics retail
store Spark is ofering a
variety of special promo-
tions for the upcoming Ramadan
period.
The rst-of-its-kind concept
store is doling out special ofers
for upscale electronics and ap-
pliances such as large at screen
television sets that customers
can enjoy while watching the
FIFA World Cup currently on in
Brazil.
To guarantee customer satisfac-
tion and amplied shopping expe-
rience, Spark has divided its store
into eight zones with each one
showcasing a specic product.
With more than 250 world-
class brands, Spark ofers cus-
tomers a wide selection of
electronic products from qual-
ity brands at competitive prices
coupled with an excellent after-
sales service as well as free de-
livery and installation of home
appliances.
The store also features in-
novative lighting, customer-
friendly product displays,
spacious aisles, superior
quality nishes, and a visu-
ally stunning feel for an
unforgettable and friendly
shopping experience for all its
customers.
Products on display at Spark
showroom.
Schools prepare for Ramadan timings
With the holy month of
Ramadan expected to start next
week, schools in Qatar prepare
to have shortened working
hours. Most of the schools have
already sent circulars to the
parents to this efect.
There are a few schools working
during Ramadan. Most of them
are working only in the first
week of Ramadan and they will
have a shortened schedule.
Many of these schools will
be working from 7:30am to
12:30pm (five hours). All of
them are already working on a
shortened schedule due to rise
in temperatures.
For Indian schools, the new
schedule will be only for a few
days. Some schools are set to
close for summer break by July
1 or 2. In some cases, schools
will close for students by the last
week of June while staf will work
until July 3.
QATAR
Gulf Times
Sunday, June 22, 2014 32
Performances of the One Thousand and One Nights ballet will conclude at Katara - the Cultural Village Foundation tomorrow. Besides, another event hosted by Katara - Qatari photographer Rashid al-Muhannadis exhibition held under the theme
Contradiction - is also scheduled to end tomorrow. Both events have been major attractions for visitors to Katara. One Thousand and One Nights is being staged at the Opera House (8pm to 9.15pm) while the exhibition is taking place at Building 16.
Ballet, photography exhibition at Katara to conclude tomorrow
The Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy and Aspire Zone Foundation have unveiled the design of the Al Khor World Cup stadium,
which can accommodate about 60,000 spectators. The design of the Al Bayt Stadium at Al Khor Sports Club is based on Bayt Al Shaar, a
black-and-white tent used traditionally by nomadic people in Qatar and the region.
Al Khor World Cup stadium to accommodate around 60,000 people
Qatar won 2022 bid on innovative
file prepared by a young team
T
he le for Qatars 2022
FIFA World Cup bid was
prepared by young people
who were capable of innovation
and creativity that surpassed the
experiences of their senior com-
petitors in Europe, renowned
Qatari mediaperson Dr Elhamal-
Bar has pointed out.
She was speaking during a TV
programme on Kuwaiti chan-
nel Al-Youm. The programme
was in response to the campaign
launched by the UK and Austral-
ian media against Qatar winning
the rights to host the FIFA World
Cup in 2022.
She said Qatar learnt from the
unsuccessful attempts made by
Arab countries such as Morocco
(four attempts) and Egypt (one
attempt). Though they were
not successful, they were of great
consequence in inspiring young
people to do something great for
the Arab world. Further, Qatar
holds successful records in host-
ing several regional and interna-
tional sport events.
Dr al-Bar said the eforts of
Qatar in preparing for the 2022
World Cup would reect on all
countries in the region, whether
in terms of technical innovation
or economic success.
For instance, the coolingtech-
nology that will be environment-
friendly can be applied to other
areas and countries with similar
climate patterns. Some people
ask what benet the people would
get by spending something like
$200bn on a sport project that
would be used for a short period.
The answer is that the strategy
adopted by the country goes be-
yond that,she said.
Some of the stadiums and
sport facilities will be turned
into various service and com-
mercial projects, such as social
and sport clubs, hotels, shop-
ping malls and others, which
would certainly improve the
lives of the residents.
Regarding the negative reports
on the status of Nepalese men
working on FIFA 2022 projects,
she said these were fabricated as,
at that time, the work on these
projectshadnot commenced.Be-
sides, Nepalese of cials and dip-
lomats in Qatar have denied such
reports by presenting true stories
fromthe workers themselves.
Anyway, such reports, though
completely baseless, gave us
clues and incentives to improve
our legislation and upgrade the
living standards of the expatriate
labour force.
Dr al-Bar said Qatar enjoys
a prime location in the region,
which cangive easy access to vis-
itors to the neighbouring coun-
tries that have a rich historical
and cultural heritage.
Most of the countries in the
region are located at a distance
of one hour to three hours by air
fromQatar. This will improve the
economic situation of the whole
region. Besides, it will go be-
yond 2022 and the event itself as
visitors will promote the region
among their acquaintances and
friends, she said.
Regarding the fears that the
Middle East was a region full of
political instability, she said Qa-
tar ranked rst at the Arab level
on the Global Peace Index and
19th worldwide (2013), while UK
ranked 44, Brazil 81 and South
Africa 121.
This is an international re-
port and our security records
are better than excellent. When
it comes to the UK, reports of
the UN and the European Com-
mission indicate that it has the
highest crime rate in the whole
of Europe, she said.
The TV host interviewing Dr
al-Badr said while other bid-
ders for the 2022 FIFAWorld Cup
presented their les having 600-
700 pages prepared by experi-
enced professionals, the Qatari
bid - prepared by young people
- was submitted in an innovative
way. The oldest of them was at
that time aged 33 years.
Qatari sports commentator
Yousef Seif, speaking fromBrazil,
told the programme that Qatar
2022 was the pride of all Arabs
and representatives of interna-
tional media at the 2014 Brazil
World Cup agreed that Qatar had
ofered an amazing bid, while the
countries that did not win were
now launching an unjust media
campaign to make up for their
weaknesses.
He pointed out that the World
Cup was successfully held in
Uruguay in 1930 when its popu-
lation was just about 1.3mn. So,
size does not matter; the most
important thing is the ability to
organise aninternational event in
an innovative way, he added.
Kuwait-based Al-Youm TV is
specialised in news production
andtelecasts four newscasts daily,
besides debates and talk shows.
Dr Elham al-Bar said
the eforts of Qatar in
preparing for the 2022
World Cup would refect
on all countries in the
region, whether in terms
of technical innovation or
economic success
Sunday, June 22, 2014
Shabaan 24, 1435 AH
BUSINESS
GULF TIMES
American
Apparel CEO
misused funds
India growth
seen at 5.5%
this fscal year
INTERNAL PROBE | Page 18
BANK VIEW | Page 7
QNB extending global reach
to its premium customers
Q
NB will simultaneously launch in ve
countries its Global Recognition
Programme today which will cater
to QNB Firsts premium customers in Qatar,
Oman, Kuwait, UK, and France.
Heba al-Tamimi, general manager (group
retail) said the unique customer proposi-
tion will be launched by QNB First, the pre-
mium banking service of the lender, as the
rst service of its kindoferedby a regional
bank.
As the rst banking initiative of its type in
the MEA(Middle East and Africa) region, the
Global Recognition Programme is a quality
and comprehensive suite of premiumnan-
cial products and services, she said.
Al-Tamimi said the programme provides
condence and reassurance to the banks
premium customers that they are recog-
nised and protected by an international
banking group of scale, presence, and per-
formance.
Importantly, QNB First has taken the
next step in extending its service to this af-
uent customer segment within Qatar and
across its expanding network abroad. This
service is based around trust and under-
standing member needs, she stressed.
Al-Tamimi noted that the banks clients
are increasingly international in their mo-
bility and banking needs and that the pro-
gramme will support their lifestyle and aspi-
rations.
She said the service has been exclusively
designed to meet the expectations, lifestyle,
and ambitions of discerning QNB premium
banking customers both at home andabroad.
The exibility of the programme is show-
cased by three signicant privileges such as
the Global Traveler services, which will
provide global concierge services, use of 500
airport lounges, emergency cash, enhanced
credit card limits, and a credit card replace-
ment facility.
Similarly, the Global Investor services
entitles a customer to a Global ID, which will
provide a 360 degree view of their accounts
and also provide a rst-class real estate ad-
visory service for customers covering global
property portfolios along with mortgage fa-
cilities in select markets.
The Global Citizen service, meanwhile,
assists with all aspects around relocation
services and helps customers to set up their
accounts before they arrive in a newcountry.
Al-Tamimi added that after the simul-
taneous launch of Global Recognition Pro-
gramme, QNB plans to extend it across other
parts of its group network currently encom-
passing 26 countries.
GREAT PROGRESS: Page 3
Maersk Oil cuts daily
faring rate by more
than 90% since 2007
Global governance vital to revive economy: Seetharaman
Doha Bank Group CEO Dr R Seetharaman
recently participated in a panel discus-
sion at the International Arab Banking
Summit 2014 in Paris, which was themed
Transitions in world economy.
Seetharaman highlighted the major de-
velopments impacting global economy.
According to IMFs April outlook, the
global economy is expected to growby
3.6%in 2014.
However, recently the International
Monetary Fund slashed US growth to 2%
fromits April forecast of 2.8%, on account
of harsh winter and struggling hous-
ing market. The global GDP at constant
prices had grown by only 2.9%in 2013
however it had grown by 4.7% in 2005,
before crisis and had contracted by 0.4%
in 2009, immediately after the crisis.
Similarly, the global trade had grown by
only 2.1%in 2013. However, it had grown
by 6.5%in 2005, before crisis and had
contracted by 12.2%in 2009, immediately
after the crisis. The above developments
indicate that global economy is recover-
ing too slowly and still has not returned
to pre-crisis strength.
He said, The scope of regulation should
be expanded. It should remain flexible
to keep up with innovation in financial
markets and should focus on activities,
not institutions. Initiatives should be
undertaken to reduce rating agencies
conflicts of interest and improve investor
due diligence. Greater transparency in
the valuation of complex financial instru-
ments is needed. Money market infra-
structure should be improved. Monetary
policy should respond to the buildup
of systemic risk. Rules for cross-border
financial sector resolution is required and
a credible global liquidity framework is
needed.
Dr Seetharaman highlighted the impor-
tance of global governance to revive
economy. He said, G20 aims to lift global
growth over the next five years by more
than $2tn, creating tens of millions of new
jobs across the globe. The plan is to get
to a potential increase in G20 GDP of 2%
or more.
The financial services sector can also
play a key role in the revival of global
economy. G20 country growth strategies
will contain a mix of macroeconomic and
structural reforms at the domestic level
that suit each countrys circumstances
in areas with the greatest potential to
lift global growth. It will be focused
on increasing quality investment in
infrastructure which will create jobs and
boost economic growth, reduce barriers
to trade, develop reforms to promote
competition becoming more productive
and innovative and lifting employment
and participation.
On various financial sector reforms after
crisis, he said, The DoddFrank Wall
Street Reformand Consumer Protection
Act in US implemented the regulatory
reforms in response to the crisis. The
Volckers Rule was enacted under this
regulation to restrict proprietary trading.
Basel 3 has come out with revised capital
and liquidity coverage ratios.
The revised capital requirements will en-
able banks to plan themselves for growth
scenarios at the same time focus on
financial safety, through capital bufers.
In 2013 in relation to liquidity coverage
ratio the regulatory reforms expanded
the definition of high-quality assets to
include certain assets such as residential
mortgage-backed securities rated AA or
higher, corporate debt securities rated A+
to BBB-, and unencumbered equities that
meet certain conditions.
QNB clients are increasingly international in their mobility and banking needs and the
programme aims to support their lifestyle and aspirations
Dr R.Seetharaman speaks at a panel
discussion during the International
Arab Banking Summit 2014 in Paris.
BUSINESS
Gulf Times
Sunday, June 22, 2014 2
Egypt gas exports
drop as fuel needed in
domestic energy crisis
Reuters
Cairo
E
gypts natural gas exports
dropped 80.94% in April
froma year earlier, accord-
ing to the latest of cial statistics,
as gas promised for export was
diverted to meet a domestic en-
ergy crisis.
Gas production also fell
14.66%in April compared with a
year earlier, according to a report
by the state-runInformationand
Decision Support Centre pub-
lished this week.
The report put the value of
exports at just $30.5mn in April
compared with $160mn a year
earlier.
Steadily declining gas produc-
tion and foreign rms wariness
about any increase in investment
have combined with price subsi-
dies and rising consumption to
create Egypts worst energy crisis
in decades.
The government has decided
over the past year to divert most
gas output to the domestic mar-
ket.
Egypts new president, former
army chief Abdul Fattah al-Sisi,
must now try to lure investors
with a pledge not to break con-
tracts and to ofer attractive
terms in future deals.
Oil minister Sherif Ismail said
in a statement after meeting with
of cials fromItalianenergy major
Eni that he had directed the heads
of state-run oil company EGPC
and other state-run energy rms
to stay in continuous commu-
nication with foreign partners to
increase productionrates.
Ismail had earlier said natural
gas production would increase
by 500mn cubic feet daily by De-
cember, when several gas elds
are due to come on stream.
Disarray in the energy sec-
tor has worsened since the 2011
overthrow of Hosni Mubarak,
in part due to Egypts inability
to pay foreign rms for output.
Gifts of fuel from its Gulf allies
have not included natural gas.
British gas producer BG issued
a prot warning earlier this year,
cutting production forecasts and
serving force majeure notices
to afected buyers and lenders.
Sisi swore in a new govern-
ment last Tuesday that he hopes
will revive a sluggish economy
and lure back investors including
the energy rms needed to help
Egypt boost gas production.
Gulf premium may vanish
as views of region shift
Premium200-300bps adecade
ago, now in low double-digits;
changeinpuresovereignspreads is
most dramatic; Western monetary
easing partly responsible;
deepening market, falling political,
economic risk also reasons;
premiumcouldstill growagainif
global conditions change
Reuters
Dubai
L
ong a key feature of the Middle
Eastern bond market, the Gulf
premium is fading and may van-
ish entirely as soon as this year if the
region continues to gain ground as a
mainstreaminvestment destination.
The premium is the mark-up that
issuers in the Gulf have to pay over
developed-country issuers when they
sell similarly rated paper. It has exist-
ed since the birth of a signicant ow
of international bonds from the Gulf
about a decade ago.
It is attributed to a range of factors,
especially the geopolitical uncertain-
ties, unpredictable government poli-
cies, poor information disclosure and
shaky corporate governance standards
in the six-nation Gulf Cooperation
Council.
And in the past, the premium was
substantial; a decade ago, a highly rat-
ed issuer in an oil-rich economy such
as Abu Dhabi or Qatar might expect
to pay a premium of 200 or 300 basis
points.
But it has been narrowing stead-
ily over the past couple of years as the
Gulfs bond market has deepened and
foreign portfolio investors concerns
about the region have eased somewhat.
In recent weeks the premium has al-
most disappeared - and some think it
could do so entirely.
The Gulf premium has shrunk and
normalised over the past few years on
the back of improving fundamentals
as well as increased investor demand,
said Mohieddine Kronfol, chief invest-
ment of cer for regional xed income
at global asset manager Franklin Tem-
pleton Investments. Strong relative
performance and rapid market devel-
opment should support the GCC as an
attractive investment destination for
regional and international investors
looking to optimise and diversify their
portfolios.
The trend was underlined in dra-
matic fashion last week when UAE
telecommunications operator Etisalat
sold $4.3bn worth of US dollar and euro
bonds in four tranches, the regions
biggest corporate issue ever.
It also set a record for the cheapest
pricing - it was the rst time that any
Gulf issuer, including governments,
priced a bond in the double digits above
mid-swaps. The Qatar government
achieved 115 bps over mid-swaps with
a ve-year sukuk in July 2012, and a
10-year trade fromAbu Dhabi National
Energy Co in April 2014 was at that
level.
Etisalat bonds have tightened in the
secondary market since its sale and on
Thursday, its $500mn of bonds matur-
ing in June 2019 were bid at 2.32%.
Dollar bonds fromUS telecommuni-
cations rm AT&T, maturing in March
2019, were bid at 2.24%. Rated A3 by
Moodys, AT&T is three notches below
Etisalat, so a signicant Gulf premium
still exists - but it is small compared to
what it would have been a year or two
ago.
The gradual narrowing of the premi-
um over the last few years can be seen
in the spread between 10-year dollar
bonds issued in October 2010 by Qtel
International Finance, part of Qatars
telecommunications rmOoredoo, and
South Koreas Export-Import Bank.
The spread of the yield of QIF, rated
Aplus by Fitch, over the AAminus-rat-
ed EximBank has shrunk to 15 bps from
45 bps at the end of 2010.
For pure sovereigns, the premium
has shrunk even faster. The spread of
Abu Dhabis dollar bond maturing in
April 2019 above Canadas December
2019 US dollar bond has narrowed to 16
bps from28 bps at the end of last year,
even though Canada at AAA is rated
two notches higher than Abu Dhabi by
Standard and Poors.
Several reasons are behind the nar-
rowing. One is outside the Gulfs con-
trol: the plunge in global interest rates
anddrastic easing of Westernmonetary
policies over the last several years, in-
cluding the European Central Banks
decision this month to cut its deposit
rate belowzero.
This left foreign investors hungry for
yield and willing to bid up the prices of
Gulf bonds in a way they had not done
before. Some local institutional inves-
tors followed suit.
Investors hunger for xed income
assets, improving fundamentals and
a supply-demand imbalance com-
bined have caused the Gulf premiumto
shrink over the past few years - hence
global and regional investors are having
to accept the new pricing norm, said
Chavan Bhogaita, head of alternative
investments at National Bank of Abu
Dhabi.
Other reasons are specic to the Gulf.
The slow broadening and deepening of
the regions bond market has made it
more attractive for foreign investors by
improving liquidity.
Meanwhile, the rich Gulf states have
done well - surprisingly well, in the
eyes of some foreign investors - in rid-
ing out the geopolitical and economic
turbulence of the past ve years.
Their treasuries swelled by high oil
prices, they have banded together to
prevent the Arab Spring uprisings in
North Africa andthe Levant fromcaus-
ing serious instability in the Gulf. So
some foreign investors have cut their
assessment of political risk, for the me-
diumtermat least.
The bond markets condence in po-
litical stability has been evident in the
past two weeks, as GCC spreads and
credit default swaps have barely moved
while insurgents threaten to dismem-
ber Iraq.
Meanwhile, the volatility in emerg-
ing markets over the past year has fo-
cused on countries with big current ac-
count gaps andbudget decits. Because
of its oil earnings, the Gulf has huge
surpluses in both respects, making it
seem an oasis of economic stability in
the emerging market universe.
Another factor is the Gulfs
progress towards improving informa-
tion disclosure and corporate govern-
ance. There is a long way to go, but
authorities are working towards that
goal in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and
Qatar. The debt restructurings of Du-
bais state-linked firms have revealed
previously undisclosed data on how
the emirate operates, though much
remains secret.
While signicant improvements in
the UAEs statistical base are under-
way, important shortcomings remain,
the International Monetary Fund said
in a report last month.
Some traders think the momentum
of spreadcompressionis strong enough
for the Gulf premium to vanish in com-
ing months - though others think that
even if it does disappear, it could reap-
pear when global economic conditions
change.
Kronfol said further, sustainable
spread compression would depend on
the region addressing structural issues
such as governance standards, capital
market regulation and bankruptcy re-
gimes. These issues still prevent pric-
ing frombeing entirely in line with de-
veloped markets, he said.
One big risk for the Gulf, and all
emerging markets, is the prospect of US
interest rates starting to rise next year,
which could suck money back to West-
ern markets.
The Gulfs currency pegs to the dol-
lar should limit this risk, but even so,
Gulf economies will for the foresee-
able future remain heavily dependent
on one commodity, oil, and they will be
part of a volatile international environ-
ment.
The supersized Etisalat corporate
bond was issued with the lowest spread
of any Gulf bond above mid-swaps
ever. That is pricing for perfection, and
fails to discount the political risk that
is inherent in the region, said Daniel
Broby, chief executive at Gemfonds, a
global emerging market specialist.
Deutsche Posts DHL Express parcel delivery subsidiary said it is bolstering investment in the Middle East to support a region that is among its fastest growing, spurred
by demand from Egypt and Iraq, Bloomberg reported. The unit of the Bonn-based company is spending 100mn dirham ($27mn) to expand its ground operations in
Dubai, along with additional investments at the Dubai International Airport, in Abu Dhabi, in Saudi Arabia and in Cairo, for a total sum of about $341mn, it said. Business
is developing not dropping, people need the service more when communications are cut of, and they need more tools to reach people, Nour Suliman, the chief
executive oficer of DHL Express in the Middle East, said in Dubai. Egypt is doing fantastic. Iraq had zero infrastructure after the war and now companies are going there
to rebuild. DHL Express has 261 service centres in 19 countries across the Middle East.
Deutsche Post arm boosts Mideast investments to sustain growth
Dollarbonddrought
endingat UAEsmost
proftable bank
The most profitable bank
in the UAE is returning to
international bond markets
almost a decade since its last
dollar issue after borrowing
costs slumped to near their
lowest in at least 13 yearsm,
Bloomberg reported.
National Bank of Ras Al-
Khaimah, known as RAK
Bank, hired National Bank
of Abu Dhabi and Standard
Chartered to arrange the sale,
according to two people with
knowledge of the matter.
The lender, whose return on
equity last year was almost
double that of Abu Dhabis
NBAD, is tapping markets to
fund the fastest loan growth
since 2011. It is also taking
advantage of bond yields at
an average 4.6%, near the
lowest since the JPMorgan
Chase & Co index for Middle
East bonds began in 2001.
We believe we can get
money relatively cheaply at
the moment, Peter England,
RAK Banks chief executive
oficer, said in a telephone
interview. Were doing
something now to start to
gradually extend the tenor of
our funding.
RAK Bank is returning to the
market even after Standard &
Poors cut the outlook on the
Emirate of Ras Al-Khaimah,
which owns a 49% stake
in the bank. S&P put the A
rating on negative outlook
in a May 9 note, citing weak
government institutions and
data. RAK Bank is rated BBB+
by Fitch Ratings and Baa1 by
Moodys. It isnt rated by S&P.
Most investors may have
some concern about RAK
Bank after S&P revised the
Emirate of Ras Al-Khaimahs
outlook to negative,
Chiradeep Ghosh, a Bahrain-
based senior analyst at
Securities & Investment Co,
said in a telephone interview.
However, it shouldnt be
much of an issue as most of
the banks business is in Dubai
and not Ras Al-Khaimah.
Dubai is booming as trade
and tourism surge. The
economy may expand 5.1%
this year, the fastest pace
since 2007, according to
International Monetary Fund
estimates. The benchmark
index is the top-performing
globally in dollar terms this
year.
RAK Banks loan growth
increased 12.2% in the first
quarter, the most since a near
14% acceleration in the third
quarter of 2011, according to
data compiled by Bloomberg.
Proceeds from the dollar
bond will help reduce its
reliance on short-term
funding for longer-term
loans, England said. About
48% of all deposits at lenders
in the UAE are less than 12
months, according to the
Central Bank.
Most banks in the UAE sufer
from a duration mismatch
as they fund longer tenor
loans using deposits which
are relatively short-term in
nature, England said.
Etisalat bondshavetightenedinthesecondarymarket sinceitssaleandonThursday, its$500mnof bondsmaturinginJune2019werebidat 2.32%
BUSINESS
3
Gulf Times
Sunday, June 22, 2014
Q-Chem sustainability report dwells on greater
transparency, constructive engagement
Q
atar Chemical Company (Q-Chem) has
launched its 2013 Sustainability Report
entitled Responsibility in action.
Q-Chem general manager Ahmed Ibrahim
al-Emadi said the report follows the Global Re-
porting Initiative (GRI) G4 guidelines, which
were newly-updated and the most recognised
international standard for sustainability re-
porting.
As our rst GRI-aligned report, we are proud
to present our achievements as part of our jour-
ney to cultivate a culture of continuous improve-
ment, al-Emadi said.
He noted that the report highlights the
companys seven dimensions of sustainabil-
ity: materiality, tenets of operations, Q-Chems
contributionto Qatars humandevelopment, en-
vironmental management systems, operational
ef ciency, Q-Chems role within the energy and
industry sector, and the companys commitment
to governance and social responsibility.
The initiative, al-Emadi said, is also in line
with the Sustainability Development Industrial
Reporting (SDIR) programme, which was estab-
lished in 2010 by HE the Minister of Energy and
Industry Dr Mohamed bin Saleh al-Sada to en-
hance sustainability in the sector.
The report provides greater transparency
and constructive engagement with internal
and external stakeholders, he added.
Since its inception, Q-Chem had taken deci-
sive steps to implement its own quality manage-
ment system called Operational Excellence
(OE).
The OE has enabled Q-Chem to excel in its
daily operations with condence and ef ciency.
The launch of the sustainability report aims to
strengthen these eforts and boost communi-
cation with the stakeholders. We continue to
enhance our relationship with the stakeholders
to better understand the impacts that our opera-
tions have from economic, social, and environ-
mental perspectives, al-Emadi said.
Maersk Oil cuts daily
aring rate by more
than 90% since 2007
M
aersk Oil Qatar (MOQ)
has made great
progress safeguarding
the environment by signicantly
reducing its average daily aring
rate in recent years by more than
90%since 2007.
This is mentioned in Maersk
Oil Qatars 2013 Sustainability
Report, which was released in
Doha recently.
In addition, MOQ commis-
sioned a aring-reduction
study, which recommended
further long-term actions. The
signicant aring reduction has
also helped MOQ cut green-
house emissions fromits opera-
tions, which are nowat less than
50%compared with 2007 levels.
MOQ also reduced produced
water volumes in 2013 by 5%
when compared with 2012.
The other highlights of Mae-
rsk Oil Qatar 2013 Sustain-
ability Report include continued
investment in local goods and
services with $650mn spent
in 2013; developing nationals
through a new ve-year strate-
gic Qatarisation plan; strategic
partnerships with academic in-
stitutions and industry bodies;
and a sustained commitment to
improving health and contrib-
uting to local skills and capacity
creation, focusing on science,
technology, engineering and
mathematics (STEM) and lead-
ership development.
Maersk Oil Qatar managing
director Lewis Af eck said, As
operator of Qatars largest of-
shore oil eld - Al Shaheen - for
more than 20 years, we take our
responsibility to the long-term
sustainable development of Qa-
tar very seriously. This report
highlights the various steps we
are taking to be a responsible
operator, in alignment with the
four pillars of the Qatar National
Vision 2030, as well as outlining
a number of signicant environ-
mental, health and safety, social
and governance accomplish-
ments.
In terms of the health and
safety, the report shows that em-
ployees and contractors worked
7.9mn man-hours at Maersk Oil
Qatar in 2013, resulting in a lost-
time injury frequency (LTIF) rate
of 0.63 per million man-hours
across all operations: an LTIF
rate that remains better than the
International Association of Oil
and Gas Producers (OGP) indus-
try benchmark.
Last year, a total of 346 on-
shore newcomers and more than
1,000 ofshore newcomers un-
derwent Maersk Oils incident-
free behaviour-based safety
programme, which seeks to en-
sure that all personnel share a
common incident-free mindset,
culture and approach. Improv-
ing worker welfare was also a
key focus area for the company
in 2013, with added eforts being
made to improve working condi-
tions and protect health, safety
and wellbeing.
MOQ and Gulf Drilling Inter-
national (GDI) also signed two
new agreements worth approxi-
mately $428.5mn (QR1.56bn),
contributing to Maersk Oil Qa-
tars overall spending of approx-
imately $650mn on local goods
and services.
Recruiting, retaining and de-
veloping nationals were also
a key focus area as the com-
pany launched a new ve-year
strategic Qatarisation plan.
MOQ continues to increase the
number of Qataris employed
year-on-year.
At the end of 2013, some 191
Qataris were employed, an in-
crease in the number of Qataris
that it employs by 6%compared
with 2012. Qataris now make up
22% of the companys employ-
ees.
Qatarisation is of utmost
importance. We recognise the
importance of nurturing local
talent for the future of Qatar and
we work to develop capacity, as
well as providing opportunities
and an attractive working envi-
ronment for Qatari nationals,
said Sheikh Faisal bin Fahad al-
Thani, Maersk Oil Qatar deputy
managing director.
RasGas honoured for sustainability management feat
R
asGas Company Limited (RasGas)
received the award for Excellence in
Sustainability Management at the
Ministry of Energy and Industrys 2013
Report on Sustainability in the Qatar En-
ergy and Industry Sector ceremony held
on June 19.
The award, presented by HE the Minis-
ter of Energy and Industry Dr Mohamed
bin Saleh al-Sada, recognises RasGas
rigorous and mature approach and
strong grasp of sustainability govern-
ance.
RasGas acting chief executive of cer
Nafez Bseiso said the award recognises the
companys fully integrated approach to
sustainability management.
We truly believe that business success
and sustainable practices are inseparable
and this award reects our deep-rooted
commitment towards adhering to the
highest standards of governance, integrity,
and transparency across all our business
operations, Bseiso said.
In 2009, RasGas became the rst Qatari
energy company to publish a sustainabil-
ity report. Since then, RasGas has been the
recipient of two consecutive awards from
Qatar Petroleum (QP) for excellence in
Sustainability Reporting for Large Scale
Organisations.
The RasGas 2013 Sustainability Report
was designed to provide a comprehensive
review of the companys environmental,
social, and economic performance.
The report follows QPguidelines onsus-
tainability reporting and also adopts guid-
ance specic to the oil and gas industry
prepared by the International Petroleum
Industry Environmental Conservation
Association (IPIECA) and multi-sector
guidelines from the Global Reporting Ini-
tiative (GRI).
Aside from RasGas, 36 other companies
from the energy sector set up exhibition
booths that showcased their sustainability
projects and case studies during the cer-
emony. HE Dr al-Sada presents the award to RasGas board of directors vice chairman Dr Ibrahim B Ibrahim and Bseiso.
Maersk Oil Qatar employees celebrate a milestone at the companys
ofshore facility.
Dolphin Energy records
20% reduction in flaring
Dolphin Energy has recorded
a 20%reduction in flaring and
at the same time exceeded the
Ministry of Environments flaring
target of 0.3%in gas export.
Dolphin Energy general man-
ager Adel Ahmed Albuainain
said the achievement is among
the highlights included in its fifth
sustainability report entitled
Powered by Performance,
which showcases the companys
commitment to the economy,
environment, and society.
Classified as A/GRI Checked by
the Global Reporting Initiative
(GRI) for the fifth consecutive
year, the report indicates high
levels of transparency and
disclosure, Albuainain said.
Notable achievements in the
companys performance in 2013
include successfully securing gas
without interruption in supply to
customers and recording 99.997%
plant availability; reaching 1bn bar-
rels of oil equivalent of cumulative
gross production; and achieving
23mn man hours without a lost
time incident (LTI), in addition to a
12%rise in community investment
expenditure in Qatar.
Aside fromthe 20%reduc-
tion in flaring, Albuainain said
environmental commitments
sawthe company register a 4%
reduction in total greenhouse
gas (GHG) emissions, 51% reduc-
tion in sulphur dioxide (SO2)
emissions, and 12% reduction in
water consumption.
Last year was good for Dolphin
Energy and this was further
illustrated by winning a number
of prestigious awards including
the Crystal Award in the field of
training and development at the
Ministry of Energy and Indus-
trys Annual Qatarisation Award
ReviewMeeting, Albuainain
said.
During the 4th Annual Qatar
Energy & Industry Sector Report
on Sustainability ceremony
held on June 19, Dolphin Energy
received the Sustainability Inno-
vation Award for its role in the
development of the Sustainable
Development Industry Report
(SDIR).
Albuainain said the recognition
underlines Dolphin Energys
commitment to the long-term
growth of Qatars energy sector.
This second award is a testimo-
ny of our ongoing commitment
to sustainable development,
which is critical to the industry
and central to achieving the
Qatar National Vision 2030, he
added.
Albuainain received the award
fromHE the Minister of Energy
and Industry Dr Mohamed bin
Saleh al-Sada and Economic Ad-
visor to HH the Emir Dr Ibrahim
B Ibrahim.
He said Dolphin Energy was
recognised for its commitment
to innovative stakeholder map-
ping and engagement, and for
highlighting its commitment
to understanding stakeholder
needs and how activities afect
diferent stakeholder groups.
Aligned with the Qatar National
Vision 2030, the programme
demonstrates the sectors
measurable contribution to
national development plans and
strategies; provides transparent
data on the performance of the
sector; advocates learning and
sharing best practices; encour-
ages a culture of innovation
and business excellence; and
supports individual companies
to implement sustainability
management and reporting.
He noted that achieving per-
formance excellence is a key
operational objective for the
company and drives the desire
to make improvements year-
on-year.
According to Albuainain, Dolphin
Energy has developed a set of
key performance indicators to
measure the continuous efort to
safeguard people, create value,
protect the environment and
its assets, and become a better
corporate citizen.
Dolphin Energy was among the
contributors to the publication
of the SDIR, which aims to drive
the implementation of sustain-
ability within the energy and
industry sector.
An initiative of Qatar Petro-
leum(QP), the ceremony was
attended by 36 oil and gas
operators, who contributed to
the publication of the report.
Albuainain receiving the award from HE Dr al-Sada and
Dr Ibrahim.
HE Dr al-Sada during a visit to the Q-Chem booth at a function in Doha recently.
BUSINESS
Gulf Times
Sunday, June 22, 2014 4
Billionaire Sawiris
takes second shot at
EFG-Hermes stake
Bloomberg
Cairo
E
gypts markets regulator is
giving billionaire Naguib
Sawiris a shot at fullling
a promise to reinvest in his home
country under the new political
leadership.
The Egyptian Financial Super-
visory Authority said on Wednes-
day it approved a 1.83bn Egyptian
pound ($256mn) ofer by Sawiris
and Cairo-based Beltone Financial
Holding to buy about 20%of EFG-
Hermes Holding, the biggest pub-
licly traded Arab investment bank.
EFG-Hermes shares have climbed
17% since Sawiriss ofer was an-
nounced on June 5.
It marks his second attempt to
buy a stake in EFG-Hermes after
the banks shareholders opted for a
tie-up with Qatars QInvest at the
time of his rst bid two years ago.
EFG- Hermess merger plans with
QInvest also failed after the banks
failed to win approval fromthe reg-
ulator, known as EFSA.
Naguib Sawiris has said hes in-
terested in investing in Egypt, and
taking a stake in a regional invest-
ment bank is an easy investment
to make, Angus Blair, founder of
Signet Institute, a Cairo-based re-
search and consulting group, said
by phone fromthe Egyptian capital.
Im not sure itll be an easy pur-
chase for himbecause EFG-Hermes
remains relatively tightly held.
If successful, Sawiris will own
17.82% of the lender, making his
New Egypt Investment Fund the
banks biggest shareholder, accord-
ing to data compiled by Bloomberg.
EFSAblockeda buyout bidfor EFG-
Hermes by Sawiris-backed Planet
IB in 2012, before shelving a similar
ofer by QInvest.
Beltone will ask EFG-Hermes to
buy it once the deal is done, accord-
ing to the joint ofer statement with
New Egypt published by EFSA on
Thursday. The proposal isnt bind-
ing and the bidders wont be al-
lowed to vote on the matter if they
get a seat on the investment banks
board, EFSAChairman Sherif Samy
said by phone on Thursday from
Cairo. EFG-Hermes said June 10 it
doesnt favour consolidation with
any of its competitors in Egypt.
In December, ve months af-
ter the military ousted former
president Mohamed Mursi, whom
Sawiris publicly opposed, he
pledged to invest $1bn in the coun-
try. Investor appetite is returning
after former army chief Abdel Fat-
tah al-Sisi took of ce as president
this month.
Sawiris, who set up a secular
party and contested previous par-
liamentary elections, has sold most
of his telecom businesses in Egypt
since political turmoil erupted in
2011. He remains incontrol of Oras-
com Telecom Media & Technology,
which operates mobile phone net-
works in North Korea, Pakistan and
Lebanon.
The deal wont be executed un-
less Sawiriss bid gets all the stock
its targeting, EFSAs Samy said on
Wednesday. Beltone would own
about 2%of EFG-Hermes, accord-
ing to the ofer.
EFG-Hermes said on Wednesday
it appointedHCSecurities &Invest-
ment to advise on the bid, according
to a statement from the company.
The 16 pounds per share-ofer must
be publicised in two newspapers
withintwo days of the go-ahead, af-
ter which it will remain open for 10
working days, EFSAsaid.
The investment bank, which had
a record 540mn-pound loss in2013,
has been implementing a cost-cut-
ting plan that included job cuts, the
sale of Dubai-based jeweller Damas
International and most of its stake
in Egyptian real estate developer
Six of October Development & In-
vestment Co.
Al Rajhi Capital tolaunchfrst sukukfund
The investment banking arm of Saudi Arabias
Al Rajhi Bank has received regulatory approval
for its first mutual fund that will invest in
sukuk (Islamic bonds), as demand for Shariah-
compliant debt rises in the Gulfs largest
economy. Al Rajhi is the countrys biggest
listed lender and the worlds largest Islamic
bank, but it has been slower than some of its
peers to embrace the sukuk market. It has
never raised money through a sukuk issue it-
self. A spokesman at Al Rajhi Capital could not
be reached for comment but a source at the
firmsaid the fund, in the pipeline since 2012,
had been prompted by a growing number of
client inquiries about investing in sukuk.
In January, the firmsaid it planned to expand
its business primarily by underwriting, arrang-
ing and investing in sukuk.
If successful, Sawiris will own 17.82% of EFG-Hermes, making his New
Egypt Investment Fund the banks biggest shareholder, according to data
compiled by Bloomberg.
BUSINESS
5
Gulf Times
Sunday, June 22, 2014
RBI lets foreigners access FX futures
Reuters
Mumbai
T
he Reserve Bank of India (RBI) allowed
foreign investors to access the currency
futures market for hedging their cur-
rency risks while also partially reversing the
restrictions put last year on banks proprietary
trading in the exchange traded currency fu-
tures.
The RBI said foreign portfolio investors can
participate in the currency futures market by
taking both long or short positions to the ex-
tent of $10mn without having to establish any
underlying exposure.
An FPI cannot take a short position beyond
$10mn at any time and to take a long position
beyond $10mn in any exchange, it will be re-
quired to have an underlying exposure, the
central bank said in the release.
The central bank said the responsibility of
ensuring the existence of the underlying expo-
sure shall rest with the foreign investor.
I dont think this is going to be a game
changer in the sense of the word, but you
have to see it in a wider ambit of making sure
that your markets are becoming more open
and more liberal for international investors,
said Hitendra Dave, head of global markets at
HSBC India.
The Reserve Bank of India also partially re-
versed the restrictions put on banks propri-
etary trading, allowing them to take long or
short positions of up to $10mn without estab-
lishing any underlying exposure.
In July last year, at the peak of the rupee cri-
sis, the central bank had barred all banks from
taking any proprietary positions in the cur-
rency futures market.
For banks who want to take positions over
$10mn will be required to establish the exist-
ence of an underlying, the central bank said in
the notification.
Banks were the primary market makers in
futures, so this will definitely add to the li-
quidity in the market. The measures taken
during the crisis last year will gradually be un-
wound and we will go back to more normal cir-
cumstances, said Ashish Parthasarthy, treas-
urer at HDFC Bank.
The Reserve Bank of India has been able
to build up its reserves, rupee has been stable
for some time now, elections are over, so defi-
nitely there is a higher level of confidence in
the currency both at the regulatory-end and
across market segments, Ashish Parthasarthy
added.
The Reserve Bank of India headquarters is seen in Mumbai. The RBI on Friday allowed foreign investors to access the currency futures market for
hedging their currency risks.
Political meddling
is at the root of
Indias power crisis
ByJohn Kemp
London
For decades, Indias power engineers had a dream: One Na-
tion. One Grid. One Frequency.
At the start of this year, that vision was realised. India finally
has a nationwide power systemstretching fromTamil Nadu
in the south to Kashmir in the north, Gujarat in the west to
Nagaland in the east.
On December 31, India commissioned the last link, a
high-voltage transmission line between Raichur and Solapur,
connecting the southern regional grid to the four other grids
serving the north, east, west and northeast, which had been
successively integrated since 1991.
The whole of Indias electricity systemwas synchronised
and started to function as one giant machine. Unification is
a powerful symbol of national identity and modernisation as
well as enabling the systemto operate more eficiently.
Britains seven regional networks were first synchronised
as long ago as 1937 in an unauthorised night-time experi-
ment by electrical controllers and oficially integrated in the
winter of 1938. Until then, having too many power stations
connected together in one big network had been thought too
risky, according to the Central Electricity Generating Board.
But the national grid kept Britains armaments factories run-
ning during the heavy air raids of World War Two.
The US integrated almost its entire network into two giant
interconnections that link into neighbouring parts of Canada
and Mexico: the Eastern Interconnection in 1962 and the
Western Interconnection in 1967.
China, too, is rapidly linking its regional grid operations
into a nationwide super-grid. But Indias belated arrival in the
super-grid club cannot disguise the underdevelopment of the
countrys electricity system.
More than 300mn people in India lack access to electricity,
according to the World Bank and the International Energy
Agency, compared with fewer than 3mn in China.
In 2012/13, Indias power systemwas able to supply a peak
of just 124,000 megawatts for a country of more than 1.2bn
people. By contrast, Britains power stations generated a
maximumof 55,000 megawatts for a country of 60mn.
On average, Indians consume 917 kilowatt-hours each
per year compared with 3,300 in China, 5,400 in Britain and
13,000 in the US. India has just over 1mn km (625,000 miles)
of high-voltage transmission circuits and 185 substations.
That compares with around 750,000 circuit-kilometres on
the main interconnections in North America, which has a
population a quarter the size of Indias, and more than 50,000
transformer substations in the US alone.
Generation is dominated by old and ineficient coal-fired
units that belch soot, toxic pollutants and carbon dioxide.
Coal accounts for 60%of Indias installed generation capac-
ity with some hydro (16%) and renewables (13%) as well as
smaller amounts of natural gas and nuclear.
Power cuts are frequent as demand often outstrips supply.
More than 10% of electricity demand routinely goes unmet at
peak periods, according to Indias Central Electricity Authority
(Annual Report 2012-13).
Indias grid has proved worryingly unmanageable and
unstable even before the synchronisation of a fifth region
with hundreds of millions more customers.
In July and August 2012, Indias two worst blackouts in
history cascaded across the north and the east, cutting
electricity to states and territories home to more than half of
the countrys population. Ironically, the only region spared
was the southern one because it was not synchronised with
the rest of the grid. The lack of direct connection served as a
firebreak as blackouts rippled across the network, the danger
foreseen by Britains grid engineers in the 1920s and 1930s.
Blackouts occurred because during the intense summer
heat, which stretched the countrys generation and transmis-
sion resources to the limit, many of Indias state electricity
boards ignored instructions to reduce power deliveries to
their customers. A cascading failure resulted.
But it is not just too much consumption that can destabilise
the grid. Last month, the northern grid collapsed when thunder-
storms and heavy rain hit Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Ut-
tarakhand. Bad weather caused a sudden reduction in demand.
As voltage and frequency surged, 69 high-voltage transmission
lines disconnected themselves to protect equipment.
Around 8,000 megawatts of load was dumped in half
an hour, equivalent to 6%of Indias power supply, including
3,500 megawatts in Delhi, according to a report prepared by
the Central Electricity Authority (Report on the Load Crash in
Northern Grid during the evening of 30th May 2014).
Cascading power failures are not unique to India. The
US, Canada, Brazil and Indonesia have sufered partial grid
collapses. But the frequency with which Indias grid has lost
control is a cause of concern.
John Kemp is a Reuters market analyst. The views
expressed are his own.
FOCUS
BUSINESS
Gulf Times
Sunday, June 22, 2014 6
Asia soaking up
US displaced oil
Dow Jones
Singapore
A
sia will be able to absorb increasing
amounts of crude oil not needed by
the US in the years ahead, providing
animportant outlet for oil suppliers inseveral
regions.
With new technology having unlocked
vast quantities of North American crude and
natural gas previously trapped in shale rock
beds, oil suppliers accustomed to selling to
the US are already having to search for new
customers.
They are nding buyers in Asia-particu-
larly China and India. Insuf cient Asian re-
serves and relatively strong economic growth
in parts of the region should ease worries
among African, Latin American and even
Middle Eastern oil producers that they might
struggle, or have to ofer deep discounts.
Producers of displacedoil for nowcandraw
comfort fromnot having to compete interna-
tionally with shale oil, as the severe restric-
tions onUS oil exports are unlikely to be eased
any time soon
The International Energy Agency said on
Tuesday that Chinas gross crude-oil imports
this year may overtake those of the US. The
day before, BPs Statistical Review of Energy
said that in net imports, China surpassed the
US last year, with seven million barrels a day.
Rising North American oil production will
disrupt international crude trade ows for
the rest of this decade, the IEA commented.
If the last ve years seemed eventful for the
oil market and industry, there is every reason
to believe that the next ve will be no less
transformative, it said, noting that by 2020,
Asias imports will represent 65%of interna-
tionally traded crude, and that the region will
absorb 27%of world oil output.
Between2009 and 2013, deliveries of crude
to the US fromWest Africa fell by more than
half, to 635,000 barrels a day from 1.59mn
barrels a day, anddeliveries fromLatinAmer-
ican fell to 1.69mn barrels a day from2.35mn
barrels a day, data fromBP and other experts
showed.
In the next three to four years, North
American oil production will force out a
total of 2.3mn barrels a day of seaborne oil
that normally would have been imported
from other countries, said Mark Chung,
senior manager of energy analysis at Ben-
tek Energy, a unit of McGraw Hill Financial.
This is in addition to the 2.9mn barrels a
day, or approximately 30% of US seaborne
oil imports, that were displaced between
2010 and 2014.
Oil producers at the highest risk of being
ousted from the US are West African coun-
tries, whose light crude is similar to that pro-
duced in North America. Also threatened are
suppliers of heavy crudes from Latin Amer-
ica, which may be completely displaced by
Canadian production growth by 2018, Chung
said.
Even Middle East oil producers are having
to give way, said David Wech, managing di-
rector of Vienna-based consulting rm JBC
Energy, who said that some US buyers and
Middle Eastern producers have agreed on
lower volumes in recent talks.
US oil imports have fallen since 2009 to
less than eight million barrels a day from
about 10mn barrels a day, though deliveries
fromthe Middle East are stable near two mil-
lion barrels a day.
China and India so far have been the main
buyers of oil displaced from the US, and also
of Middle East crude diverted fromeconomi-
cally struggling and contracting Japanese and
European markets. Elsewhere, demand in
major rening hub South Korea is near-stag-
nant but energy demand in Southeast Asia
will rise by over 80% by 2035, equivalent to
current demand in Japan, the IEAsays.
Since 2007, Africas light, sweet crude ex-
ports to Asia have increased and are expected
to reach three million barrels a day by 2015,
said Victor Shum, president of oil consulting
at IHS.
Latin American crude-notably, Venezue-
lan, ColombianandMexican-nowmakes up a
fth of Indias imports, up from7%ve years
ago, said Darshan Kumarsamy, oil analyst at
Chennai-based Beroe Inc.
Asia will be able to absorb increasing amounts of crude oil not needed by the US in the years ahead, providing an
important outlet for oil suppliers in several regions
Bloomberg
Jakarta
I
ndonesias rupiah and the Indian rupee led
declines among Asian currencies this week
on concern the two nations trade decits will
widen after violence in Iraq caused a spike in glo-
bal oil prices.
Brent crude reached a nine-month high of
$115.71 per barrel on June 19 as militants closed in
on Baghdad, capital of the Organisation of Petro-
leum Exporting Countries second-largest pro-
ducer. The Bloomberg-JPMorgan Asia Dollar In-
dex recorded its rst weekly drop this month and
Vietnams dong weakened after the central bank
devalued the currency for the rst time in a year
to boost exports.
The situation in Iraq is of concern, said Ho
Woei Chen, an economist at United Overseas
Bank Ltd in Singapore. Emerging-market cur-
rencies, especially those with problematic exter-
nal balances and a reliance on imported oil, are
vulnerable.
The rupiah slid 1.5% this week to 11,972 per
dollar in Jakarta on Friday and the rupee fell 0.7%
to 60.1875, prices from local banks compiled by
Bloomberg show. The Chinese yuan declined
0.3% to 6.2260, Thailands baht dropped 0.2%
to 32.452 and the dong weakened 0.4%to 21,310.
The Asia Dollar Index, which tracks the regions
most-traded currencies excluding the yen, lost
0.3%to 115.72.
The rupiah touched 12,027 per dollar on June
18, the weakest level since February 13. Indone-
sia, a former Opec member, is unlikely to become
a net oil exporter again, leaving policy makers
to grapple with a long-term revenue shortfall
as production shrinks, Finance Minister Chatib
Basri said in a June 18 interview. Fuel imports
made up 23%of the countrys overseas purchases
in April.
The rupee declined for a fourth week, its long-
est losing streak since April. Indias trade short-
fall reached a 10-month high of $11.2bn in May
and wholesale-price ination accelerated to this
years fastest pace at 6.01%, reports showed this
month.
Federal Reserve chair Janet Yellen brushed
aside concerns about quickening ination, say-
ing on June 18 that US borrowing costs are likely
to stay lowfor a considerable timeafter the end
of the central banks bond purchases.
The Feds pledge will keep some Asian curren-
cies supported as funds ow into emerging mar-
kets, according to Sook Mei Leong, the Southeast
Asia head of global markets research at Bank of
Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ Ltd in Singapore.
Some Asian currencies continue to hold up
very well, she said. The Fed is still dovish, which
is positive for risk- taking, Leong said.
Elsewhere in Asia, Taiwans dollar and the
Philippine peso were little changed this week at
NT$30.065 and 43.790, respectively. Malaysias
ringgit fell 0.2%to 3.2235 and South Koreas won
slipped 0.3%to 1,020.61.
Rupiah, rupee lead weekly
drop in Asian currencies
Indias five-hundred rupee banknotes are stacked at a bank branch in Mumbai. The currency fell 0.7%
to 60.1875 this week.
Reuters
Beijing
A
fter taking a social media drubbing in the
West for accepting self-censorship in China,
jobs networking site LinkedIn Corp faces
bigger obstacles to growth in a market it is counting
onlocal rivals and a unique workforce mindset.
LinkedIn is intent on making the kind of break-
through in China that eluded Internet giants like
Google Inc, Yahoo Inc and Amazon.com Inc. To
do that, beyond coping with censorship, it must
match big domestic players, already tuned into a
generation of self-styled Internet losers with
their own, irreverent take on corporate culture.
Earlier this month, the Wests most popular on-
line career network censored posts from users in
China marking 25 years since Beijings crackdown
on pro-democracy activists in Tiananmen Square.
If that earned LinkedIn scorn on Western social
media, it passedlargely unnoticedwithinmainland
China, and Wall Street investors were unmoved.
The LinkedIn mission is to connect all the
worlds professionals, and the country with the
most professionals in the world is China, Reid
Hofman, the co-founder of the rm based in
Mountain View, California, said at a Shanghai
presentation last month. Established local peers
like Dajie, Wealink and Tianji with over 60mn
members between them stand in the way.
The stakes are high for LinkedIn, which
launched in China in February saying it would co-
operate with the censorship climate that global so-
cial media sites like Facebook Inc and Twitter Inc
have shunned. The company said then a localised
site would help it reach 140mn professionals in the
worlds second-biggest economy - a boon for a
company seeking to expand its current audience of
277mn members as it saturates developed markets.
Some 10 years after it was founded as a site to
connect jobseekers with recruiters, LinkedIns net
income rose by a quarter last year to $26.8mn. A
year earlier, it nearly doubled.
The newcomers strategy for China appears de-
ceptively simple to ofer Chinese-speakers pro-
fessional networking on a global scale in their own
language. Its a strategy viewed with scepticismby
rivals and by some of LinkedIns own existing
members among Chinas skilled workforce, uent
in English and already accessing the site for con-
tacts with the rest of the world.
I dont see any necessity for the switch from
English to a Chinese version because 99% of
Chinese users of LinkedIn are very high level and
English language is not a problem to them, said
Xia, who works in public relations and has used
LinkedIn for four years. Xia declined to give his full
name, citing censorship sensitivities.
Asked to comment on prospects and local com-
petition in China for this story, LinkedIn said it was
focused on localising its site for Chinese profession-
als and connecting them with other professionals
around the globe. Localising efectively is a gambit
that attempts to do what Google and others could
not. Were currently trying hard to break the spell
of international Internet rms struggling in Chi-
na, Derek Shen, LinkedIn Chinas president, said
at last months Shanghai event.
LinkedIn has added 1mn users since its high-
prole launch of Chinese-language operations and
now has more than vemn members on its China
site. That leaves it a long way behind still-growing
local professional networking sites such as Dajie
(27mn members), Wealink (20mn members) and
Tianji (14mn), as well as jobs boards like 51job Inc
and Zhaopin. In the same period as LinkedIn grew
by 1mn users, Dajie said it had added 2mn.
Domestic competitors like Dajie agree localisation
is crucial. But theyareunsureif thecompanys West-
ern image will appeal to Chinas Internet-friendly
workforce, many of whom proudly refer to them-
selves diaosi, or losers an expression of a more
detached attitude to work and careers thanis usually
made public byambitious professionals inthe West.
Really, Dajies and LinkedIns models are simi-
lar, but there are very big diferences in the actual
products andoperations,saidSusanWang, Dajies
chief executive, in an e-mail to Reuters.
Dajie works to satisfy the needs of the post-80s
and post-90s loser generation of users, and pays
more attentionto the freshness of the product, and
the need to feel lively, Wang said.
LinkedIn tends more towards satisfying users
who are in the more cautious traditional European
and American business systems, a logical social
networking attitude, focusing on coldly beneting
users careers to drive the site.
On top of professional networking, Dajie dif-
ferentiates itself by letting users publish commen-
taries on companies, make fun of their workplace,
evaluate their employers and fool around, said
Wang. LinkedIn may not yet be doing enough to
connect with the professional Chinese audience
it is targeting, according to Wang Xiaofeng, a Bei-
jing-based analyst with Forrester Research.
When they entered China of cially they used a
Chinese name, Lingying, and used a Chinese ver-
sion of the website, but theres still not much Chi-
nese content available, she said.
Wang said LinkedIn still has a lot of potential in
China, but the key will be ofering more Chinese
content and industry-specic networking for pro-
fessionals, something it has so far failed to do.
Censorship remains an area to be negotiated
with care. Chinas demands on Internet rms
wanting to do business there have seen of, or
damaged the reputations of two of Silicon Valleys
big hitters, Google and Yahoo.
Like LinkedIn, Google agreed to censorship when
it launchedits China searchsite in2006. But its for-
tunes quickly waned after a 2010 dispute with the
government on self-censoring search results. It de-
camped to Hong Kong and by May this year Google
had less than 1% of Chinas search engine market,
according to Beijing-based data rmCNZZ.
In China, LinkedIn must beat local
rivals to win over loser workforce
AFP
Beijing/Washington
B
uying stock in online giant
Alibaba or other Chinese
Internet companies that
bypass Beijings restrictions on
foreign ownership could be a big
risk for investors, a US govern-
ment panel warns.
An agency that advises Con-
gress on national security im-
plications of the US-China
trade and economic relationship
raised the red ag this week, as
Alibaba, the worlds largest on-
line retailer, prepares for its US
stock listing.
Alibaba, social networking gi-
ant Weibo and several other Chi-
nese Internet rms use a complex
legal mechanismin which own-
ership is deliberately obscured by
a series of shell companies, the
US-China Economic and Secu-
rity Review Commission (USCC)
said in a report on Friday. In the
case of Weibo, for example, the
report noted that a Cayman Is-
lands Corp owns 100%of a Hong
Kong company that in turn con-
trols the groupthroughthree lay-
ers of Chinese entities.
This intricate ruse is a way
of making the business appear
to be Chinese-owned to Chi-
nese regulators while claiming to
be a foreign-owned business to
foreign investors. Neither claim
is technically true, and the ar-
rangement is highly risky and
potentially illegal in China, the
report said.
US warns
of risks in
Chinese
Net rms
The LinkedIn application icon is displayed along with other apps on an Apple iPhone 5s in Hong Kong.
The jobs networking site is intent on making the kind of breakthrough in China that eluded Internet
giants like Google, Yahoo and Amazon.com.
BUSINESS
7
Gulf Times
Sunday, June 22, 2014
IANS
New Delhi
T
he Indian economy is expected
to grow at 5.5% in the current
nancial year and 6.3% in 2015-
16, the World Bank said on Friday.
According to the Global Economic
Prospects 2014 report released by
the World Bank here, Indias economic
growth is estimated to accelerate to
6.6% in 2016-17.
With a rising global demand, we
expect that a rebound in domestic in-
vestments and a pick-up in manufac-
turing activity will help India move
from two years of sub-5% growth to
over-6% in the next year, said Onno
Ruhl, World Bank Country Director,
India.
Removing bottlenecks in energy
supply, improving the business cli-
mate, and unlocking stalled PPP con-
tracts are some of the key areas that
could be addressed in the short term
to bring India back to a high growth
trajectory, Ruhl said at a media con-
ference here. Unlike most developing
countries, Indias recent growth has
been well below potential, which pro-
vides space for economic activity to
accelerate without building ination-
ary pressures, the report said.
This comes at a time when the
outlook for most other developing
countries is largely flat as they have by
now recovered from the crisis and are
growing close to potential, the report
said.
Ruhl suggested short- and medium-
term priorities that could help India
regain its growth momentum and im-
prove progress in poverty reduction.
Removal of immediate bottlenecks
to growth will be crucial. Improving
the business environment by reducing
the regulatory and compliance costs
for rms could help remove some of
these hurdles. Revitalising the power
sector, by improving the performance
of distribution utilities, and ensuring
that players in the sector are subjected
to nancial discipline is another step.
Further investments in infrastruc-
ture, including re-pricing stranded
PPP contracts and developing an inte-
grated logistics strategy could address
missing links in the transport system,
he said.
Overall, the global economy is ex-
pected to pick up speed as the year
progresses and is projected to expand
by 2.8% this year, strengthening to
3.4% and 3.5% in 2015 and 2016 re-
spectively.
High-income economies will con-
tribute to about half of global growth in
2015 and 2016, compared with less than
40% in 2013. Developed economies are
projected to inject an additional $6.3tn
to global demand over the next three
years, which is signicantly more than
the $3.9tn increase they contributed
during the past three years, and more
than the expected contribution from
developing countries.
Indias economy to grow at
5.5% this scal: World Bank
Workers are seen at a construction site near DLF Cybercity in Gurgaon. The Indian economy is expected to grow at 5.5% in the current financial year and 6.3% in 2015-16,
the World Bank said on Friday.
Foreign investors extend bets on pure India plays
Reuters
Mumbai
F
oreign investors in India are
changing investment strategies
to favour domestic-oriented
companies, mid-cap stocks and state-
owned enterprises, based on hopes
that Prime Minister Narendra Modis
new government will revive Asias
third-largest economy.
These sectors have underperformed
the wider market over the past year and
are seen having far more upside poten-
tial if the economy picks up thanks to
Modis reformist agenda.
There is a positive structural
change underway in the Indian econ-
omy. Indian nancials and cyclical
stocks look attractive,said Gaurav Pa-
tankar, a fund manager in New York at
The Boston Company Asset Manage-
ment, which oversees $50bn in assets.
Patankar, whose rm is overweight
Indian stocks, was optimistic that the
strong mandate givenby voters to Modi
would lead to better governance, and
more focus on how state-owned com-
panies are run, shrinking the valuation
gap with private sector rivals.
Reecting the gap in valuations, the
Mumbai Stock Exchange public sector
unit index for state-runrms is trading
at a price to earnings ratio of 11.9 times
compared to 15.5 times for the bench-
mark BSE Sensex.
Investors rebalancing has moved
funds away from exporters, large cap
companies and rms that compete
with state-owned companies.
Since Modis landslide victory on
May 16, the BSE midcap index has
surged 15.9%, and the BSE public sec-
tor index has added 11%, outperform-
ing a Sensex that has gained 4.5%.
Fund managers think the economy
has bottomed out after two disappoint-
ing years of below 5% growth the
worst slowdown in more than a quarter
of a century. And while the Sensex hit
record highs on June 11, its valuations at
around 15.5 times forward earnings are
still at par with its 10-year average.
India has received net foreignportfo-
lio ows of $10bn so far this year, more
than other emerging markets in Asia,
such as South Korea, which received
$1.8bn and Taiwan, which received
$8.56bn, according toThomsonReuters
data. Foreign investors such as Canada
Pension Plan Investment Board, and
US-based GMO increased exposure to
domestic-oriented stocks last month,
even when the stocks they bought were
trading near their record high levels.
Despite the heavy inux of overseas
ows, Credit Suisse said last month In-
dia is still not a crowded play.
The investment bank estimated that
net foreign buying of Indian shares on
a rolling 12-month basis as a percent-
age of market cap was running at 0.9%
compared to its historical average of
1.2%. For all the new-found enthusi-
asm for the Indian market, there are
risks. A potential surge in US bond
yields, ona pick-up ingrowth andpos-
itive jobs data, could spoil the appetite
for risk in emerging markets.
Investors will also want to see the
Modi government take concrete steps
to unlock economic growth, while also
demonstrating scal discipline needed
to give Reserve Bank of India Gover-
nor Raghuram Rajan a better chance
of taming ination in order to reduce
interest rates.
I would mostly be watching how
the equation plays between Raghuram
Rajan and Modi. I hope Rajan remains,
he is doing a great job in controlling in-
ation, said David Kunselman, senior
funds manager at Excel Funds Man-
agement which oversees $600mn in
emerging markets.
Traders are seen at the Bombay Stock Exchange. Foreign investors in India are
changing investment strategies to favour domestic-oriented companies, mid-cap
stocks and state-owned enterprises.
Investors
scramble
for Chinas
first IPOs
in months
Dow Jones
Shanghai
The return of initial public
offerings in China has been
warmly welcomed by inves-
tors this week who believe
they are sure to make money
from buying low-priced new
shares.
The China Securities
Regulatory Commission said
on June 9 that it would allow
10 companies to pitch their
shares to investors, marking
the restart of Chinas IPO
market following a months-
long halt in new listings.
The first four companies of
the 10 allowed to list received
a combined 380bn yuan
($61bn) of valid subscrip-
tion orders from investors
earlier this week, data from
Wind Information showed,
indicating that their shares
were more than 200 times
oversubscribed. Together, the
companies raised 1.8bn yuan
in total.
The robust demand for
cash used for new shares
subscription has in recent
days stirred the stock and
bond markets. The bench-
mark Shanghai Composite
Index fell 2% for the week,
partly due to fund outflows,
as many investors geared
up to place orders. The
benchmark weighted aver-
age of seven-day repurchase
agreement rate was up at
3.49% from last Fridays close
of 3.05% as traders borrowed
money for new-shares sub-
scription.
The four companies
priced their IPOs at price-to-
earnings ratios between 13
and 22 times below or in line
with the average level of their
already-listed competitors.
The valuation gap for these
low-priced IPOs are abso-
lutely gifts for investors, said
a trader with a local bank.
Of the four, Shanghai
Lianming Machinery Co is
the hottest, with its sale to
institutional investors 1,324
times oversubscribed, an
all-time high of its kind. Its
retail tranche was 228 times
oversubscribed. Lianming
raised 198.6mn yuan after
selling 20mn new shares. The
company priced its shares at
9.93 yuan apiece, or 13 times
its 2013 earnings, which is
identical with the average
level of its industry.
The lowest pricing was
from Feitian Technologies
Co at 33.13 yuan a share, or
17 times its 2013 earnings.
The ratio is only one third of
the industry average. Feitian
raised 787mn yuan, the high-
est total of the four.
The CSRC last approved
IPO applications in January
and the most recent stock-
market debuts in China were
on February 19.
The 10 companies due to
list aim to raise a combined
5.3bn yuan. They havent dis-
closed specific listing dates
but analysts say the compa-
nies might debut shares as
early as later this month.
Reuters
Jakarta
I
ndonesia is drafting a new mining ex-
port tax that would more than halve
the base rate to be paid by miners but
doubts remain whether it would be ac-
cepted by major copper miners and end a
five-month-old dispute that has halted
concentrate exports.
Indonesias main copper concentrate
producers Freeport-McMoRan Copper
& Gold Inc and Newmont Mining Corp
stopped exports in January when the gov-
ernment introduced new mining rules, in-
cluding an escalating export tax.
The two US companies have previously
insisted they should not have to pay any
additional taxes because it would violate
their current mining contracts, casting
doubt on whether even a lower tax rate
would be accepted by the miners.
Coal and Minerals Director General Su-
khyar said on Friday the new draft regu-
lation meant the export tax would start
below 10% and would be linked to a com-
panys progress in building a smelter.
Yesterday I had discussions with the
finance ministry and they said the draft is
already finalised, Sukhyar told reporters,
adding that it been agreed by the mining,
industry and finance ministries.
Finance Minister Chatib Basri said on
Friday the draft tax regulation still needed
to be approved by chief economics minis-
ter Chairul Tanjung and President Susilo
Bambang Yudhoyono.
The CEOs of both the companies have
been in Jakarta in recent days to meet with
Tanjung in a renewed government push to
find a solution.
It is not known whether the CEOs are
still in Jakarta.
Sukhyar said both the US miners had
agreed to pay the new export tax rate. How-
ever, neither firm would confirm whether a
reduced rate would be acceptable.
We have not received it yet, Newmont
spokesman Rubi Purnomo said in an email
about the new draft export regulation and
rate.
We are very hopeful that the govern-
ment will give us certainty very soon and
a resolution that will allow PTNNT (New-
mont) to resume operations in economi-
cally sustainable manner.
Freeport declined to comment on Friday.
The current copper export tax kicks in at
25% and rises to 60% in the second half of
2016, before a total concentrate export ban
in 2017.
Yudhoyonos outgoing administration
has been trying to force miners to build
smelters and processing plants in Indo-
nesia, but a lack of progress in ending the
dispute has led Newmont to declare force
majeure and Freeport to slash output. Even
if the export tax rate is reduced in the new
government draft regulation and then ac-
cepted by the companies, large hurdles re-
main before exports can be resumed.
If the new tax rate is tied to smelter con-
struction progress, although Freeport and
Newmont have agreed to conduct a feasi-
bility study into building a copper smelter,
both have questioned whether it would be
economically viable.
Freeport also says it needs the certainty
of a contract extension beyond 2021, before
agreeing to invest more than $17bn needed
for a copper smelter and to turn its Gras-
berg complex into an underground mine
after 2016.
Discussions with Freeport over a con-
tract extension were continuing, Sukhyar
added.
An extension to Newmonts deal, which
ends in 2030, is not under discussion in the
contract talks, according to government
officials, with the main issue of concern
being a proposed increase in royalty per-
centages paid to the government.
Indonesia sets mining export tax cut in draft regulation
An open pit is seen in the Batu Hijau copper and gold mine operated by Newmont in Jakarta. Indonesia is
drafting a new mining export tax that would more than halve the base rate to be paid by miners but doubts
remain whether it would be accepted by major copper miners and end a five-month-old dispute that has
halted concentrate exports.
Weekly Market Report
T
he Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE)
Index declined 525.10 points, or
4.05%, during the trading week,
to close at 12,453.76 points. Market cap-
italisation decreased by 3.34% to reach
QR681.6bn compared to QR705.1bn at
the end of the previous week. Of the
43 listed companies, 11 companies
ended the week higher, while 31 fell
and 1 remained unchanged. Qatar
Cinema & Film Distribution Company
(QCFS) was the best performing stock
for the week, with a gain of 21.52% on
only 0.1mn shares traded; the stock is
up 43.64% year-to-date (YTD). On the
other hand, Ooredoo (ORDS) was the
worst performing stock, with a decline
of 11.80% on 0.9mn shares traded;
the stock is down 5.25% year-to-date
(YTD).
ORDS, QNB Group (QNBK) and Mas-
raf Al Rayan (MARK) were the biggest
contributors to the weekly index de-
cline. ORDS contributed 108.15 points
of the indexs weekly decline of 525.10
points. QNBK was the second biggest
contributor with a contribution of
89.76 points. Furthermore, MARK con-
tinued its declining trend and pushed
the index down by 81.06 points. How-
ever, despite the recent decline, the
stock has been one of the best per-
forming stocks in 2014 year-to-date
(YTD) with a price return of 63.58%.
On the other hand within the QSE
Index, Qatar Insurance (QATI) and
Gulf International Services (GISS)
helped arrest the decline. QATI added
5.10 points to the QE Index. The stock
has had a decent run in 2014, posting
a price return of 50.38%. GISS also
positively contributed 2.68 points to
the index during the week. GISS is up
92.83% YTD in 2014.
Trading value during the week de-
creased by 22.08% to reach QR3.2bn
vs QR4.0bn in the prior week. The
banks and financial services sector led
the trading value during the week, ac-
counting for 39.11% of the total equity
trading value. MARK was the top value
traded stock during the week with to-
tal traded value of QR500.7mn.
Trading volume decreased by
33.29% to reach 66.7mn shares vs
100.0mn shares in the prior week. The
number of transactions increased by
1.03% to reach 46,935 transactions
versus 46,458 transactions in the prior
week. The banks and financial services
sector also led the trading volume, ac-
counting for 29.70%. MARK was also
the top volume traded stock during
the week with total traded volume of
9.6mn shares.
Foreign institutions turned bearish
during the week with net selling of
QR132.6mn vs net buying of QR64.3mn
in the prior week. Qatari institutions
turned bullish with net buying of
QR122.2mn vs net selling of QR71.2mn
the week before. Foreign retail inves-
tors turned bearish for the week with
net selling of QR28.0mn vs net buying
of QR12.5mn in the prior week. Qatari
retail investors turned bullish with net
buying of QR38.7mn vs net selling of
QR5.7mn the week before.
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 breached its higher highs
and higher lows pattern on the charts, as
it fell in four of the five trading sessions.
The index opened on a positive note on Thurs-
day, but later fell in the day to close at 12,453.76,
down 1.09%. The index lost more than 4% dur-
ing the week, moving below the psychological
level of 12,500. However, the index managed to
hold on to its support level of 12,450. If this level
is broken, the index may move toward its next
strong support of 12,250. The index closed at
its lowest point of the day on Thursday, which
suggests that it remains weak, and may fall
further from the current level. The RSI and the
MACD continued to trend lower, supporting this
negative market view. On the upside the 12,600
level is a strong resistance level for the index.
A close above the 21-day moving average (cur-
rently at 13,099.58) would indicate a reversal of
the short-term downtrend.
R
SI (Relative Strength Index) indicator RSI
is a momentum oscillator that measures
the speed and change of price movements.
The RSI oscillates between 0 to 100. The index is
deemed to be overbought once the RSI approach-
es the 70 level, indicating that a correction is likely.
On the other hand, if the RSI approaches 30, it is an
indication that the index may be getting oversold
and therefore likely to bounce back.
MACD (Moving Average Convergence Diver-
gence) indicator The indicator consists of the
MACD line and a signal line. The divergence or
the convergence of the MACD line with the signal
line indicates the strength in the momentum dur-
ing the uptrend or downtrend, as the case may
be. When the MACD crosses the signal line from
below and trades above it, it gives a positive indi-
cation. The reverse is the situation for a bearish
trend.
Candlestick 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 low intraday movements form the
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 prac-
tically 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
Source: Qatar Exchange (QE)
Source: Qatar Exchange (QE)
QSE Index and Volume
WeeklyIndex Performance
Qatar 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
17
Gulf Times
Sunday, June 22, 2014
BUSINESS
Gulf Times
Sunday, June 22, 2014 18
Oil, metal prices rally on escalating violence in Iraq
WEEKLY COMMODITIES REVIEW
AFP
London
Crude oil and metals prices rallied this
week on escalating violence in Iraq, a
weaker dollar and on Chinese growth
prospects, traders said.
OIL: Brent hit nine-month peaks as
dealers tracked the unfolding sectarian
conflict in crude-exporting Iraq.
Predominant gains this week have
derived from the ongoing siege of
Iraqs largest oil refinery, Baiji, said
Dorian Lucas, an analyst at energy
consultancy InenCo.
Thus far the gains in Brent crude
are based around sentiment that oil
supplies from Opecs second largest
producer may be disrupted.
Even with the siege of the Baiji oil
refinery, no export supply has been
disrupted, as this facility is used for the
production of domestic consumption
products, he noted.
On Thursday, Brent reached $115.71
a barrelthe highest point since
September. Brent is a benchmark for
the pricing of Middle East crude.
Oil saw support from the risk of
conflict in Iraq disrupting oil supplies,
as the US said it would send military
advisers to the country, Singapores
United Overseas Bank said in a note to
clients.
US President Barack Obama on
Thursday announced that he was
ready to send 300 advisers to Iraq and
if necessary to take targeted and
precise military action to counter
radical Sunni fighters.
We will help Iraqis as they take the
fight to terrorists who threaten the
Iraqi people, the region and American
interests as well, he said.
Washington has already positioned an
aircraft carrier in the Gulf and is also
considering using drone strikes against
the militants.
A Congressional source has said US
Secretary of State John Kerry will travel
to Iraq soon. The militants have
captured swathes of the countrys north
but have yet to directly threaten the key
oil-producing region in the south.
The crisis has rocked the global oil
market because Iraq is the second-
biggest producer within the 12-nation
Organization of Petroleum Exporting
Countries (Opec).
The country has more than 11% of the
worlds proved resources and produces
3.4mn barrels a day.
Further substantial (price) gains are
only expected with an actual disruption
of supply, Lucas added.
With 3.3mn barrels per day produced
in the southern oil fields, which remain
far removed from the conflict and
exports predominantly originating
from this region an actual disruption
remains unlikely at present.
By Friday on Londons Intercontinental
Exchange, Brent North Sea crude for
delivery in August stood at $114.66 a
barrel compared with $113.29 for the
July contract one week earlier.
On the New York Mercantile Exchange,
West Texas Intermediate or light sweet
crude for July gained to $107.13 a barrel
compared with $106.64 a week earlier.
PRECIOUS METALS: Haven investment
gold rallied on investor concern over
Iraq, which pulled sister metal silver
up to a three-month high of $20.98 an
ounce on Friday.
Gold reached a two-month peak of
$1,322.41 an ounce on Thursday.
Precious metals benefitted as the dollar
weakened against rival currencies,
pushing up demand for commodities
priced in the US unit.
The dollar fell after Federal Reserve
chief Janet Yellen on Wednesday said
the US economy had picked up after
the first quarters contraction. However,
she also downplayed a pickup of
inflation as any sign of a need to
tighten monetary policy.
Janet Yellen delivered a meticulously
balanced message... which was
supportive for gold. While the Fed
acknowledged that rates might rise
sooner than expected, the peak in
the hiking cycle should be lower than
anticipated, said analysts at French
bank Natixis.
Elsewhere, the instability in Iraq is
raising concern that the whole region
is at risk of falling into a sectarian
war which could materially afect the
supply of oil and as such gold once
more ofers a safe haven refuge for
investors, the bank added in a client
note. By Friday on the London Bullion
Market, the price of gold jumped to
$1,312.50 an ounce from $1,273 a week
earlier. Silver increased to $20.62 an
ounce from $19.58. On the London
Platinum and Palladium Market,
platinum climbed to $1,456 an ounce
from $1,437.
Palladium advanced to $829 an ounce
from $816.
BASE METALS: Prices rose across the
board, with zinc reaching a 16-month
high at $2,179 a tonne on Friday.
The supply side of zinc remains
heavily constrained given the number
of large mines around the world that
have recently come to the end of their
commercial lives or are imminently
about to do so, Natixis analysts said.
With even a modest rise in global
demand for zinc, this will leave the
market facing a growing deficit.
Base metals prices generally were
supported by a falling dollar and on
Chinese growth prospects.
The Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang
was surprisingly unequivocal in his
assertion that the government would
not accept (annual) economic growth
of below 7.5%, noted Commerzbank
analysts on his comments made during
a visit to London.
China, the worlds second largest
economy after the US, needs vast
supplies of commodities, especially of
metals, to power its growth.
By Friday on the London Metal
Exchange, copper for delivery in three
months climbed to $6,779.75 a tonne
from $6,649.75 a week earlier.
Three-month aluminium increased to
$1,894 tonne from $1,841.50.
Three-month lead grew to $2,146 a
tonne from $2,080.
Three-month tin gained to $22,650 a
tonne from $22,600.
Three-month nickel advanced to
$18,523 a tonne from $18,087.
Three-month zinc jumped to $2,172.25 a
tonne from $2,083.
COCOA: Futures hit near three-year
highs at $3,128 a tonne on Thursday but
gains could be capped ahead.
Demand is good but the current run
of very good weather in Central West
Africa is keeping any sharp upside
contained for the time being, noted
Citi bank analyst Sterling Smith.
By Friday on LIFFE, Londons futures
exchange, cocoa for delivery in
September rose to 1,928 a tonne from
1,924 a week earlier.
On the ICE Futures US exchange, cocoa
for September grew to $3,116 a tonne
from $3,069 a week earlier.
COFFEE: Prices retreated, with Arabica
reaching four-month lows at 166.55 US
cents a pound on Thursday.
Prices on the cofee market remain
highly volatile, noted analysts at
Commerzbank.
On ICE Futures US, Arabica for delivery
in September fell to 170.50 US cents a
pound from 178 cents a week earlier.
On LIFFE, Robusta for September
slipped to $1,978 a tonne from $1,988
for the July contract a week earlier.
SUGAR: Futures rose sharply on the
prospect of tighter Brazilian and Indian
supplies, traders said.
By Friday on LIFFE, the price of a tonne
of white sugar for delivery in August
jumped to $488.50 from $457.70 a
week earlier.
On ICE Futures US, the price of
unrefined sugar for October rallied to
18.63 US cents a pound from 17.60 US
cents a week earlier.
RUBBER: Prices in Kuala Lumpur
extended gains as the ringgit weakened
against the US dollar, boosting demand
for the commodity.
The Malaysian Rubber Boards
benchmark SMR20 rose to 173.60 US
cents a kilo from 168.55 cents a week
earlier.
Smoke rises from an oil refinery in Baiji, north of Baghdad. Even with the siege of the Baiji oil refinery, no export supply
has been disrupted, as this facility is used for domestic consumption products.
American Apparel nds
CEO misused funds;
helped discredit staf
Reuters
New York
A
n internal investigation at Ameri-
can Apparel has found that its
CEO Dov Charney violated com-
pany policies, ranging from misusing
company funds to failing to stop the dis-
crediting of at least one former employee
who had accused him of sexual harass-
ment, a person close to the matter said.
The companys board ousted the
45-year-old Charney as chairman on
Wednesday, citing unspecied allega-
tions of misconduct. It suspended himas
president and chief executive of cer, and
plans to re him for cause, following a
30-day period stipulated in his contract.
The companys independent directors
hired law rm Jones Day in mid-March
to lead the investigation, said the person
and a separate source familiar with the
matter. It is unclear what events prompt-
ed the board to initiate the investigation,
which is ongoing.
The probe revealed that Charney, who
founded the hipster clothing brand, was
using company funds to book ights
for his parents, the person said. He also
sometimes provided corporate apart-
ments to friends andstayedinthemhim-
self when he wasnt on company busi-
ness, according to this person.
The investigations ndings also in-
cluded that Charney had known about
but failed to stop a blog created by an
American Apparel employee that dis-
played naked photographs of former
saleswoman, Irene Morales, who had
sued him, the person said.
A person familiar with Charneys
thinking saidthat any use of photographs
of the former employee by American Ap-
parel was only done to counter her dam-
aging allegations and the strategy was
approved by other company of cials.
This personsaid that Charney believed
any use of apartments was not mate-
rial and was normal business practice.
In terms of the travel charges, this per-
son said Charneys father is on American
Apparels payroll and that his mother,
although not an employee, is a retail and
design contributor to the company.
Charneys employment contract enti-
tled himto vacation benets and reim-
bursement of reasonable and necessary
business expenses, according to a com-
pany ling in April. His father, Morris
Charney, received $238,000 in architec-
tural consulting and director fees from
the company in 2013, the ling showed.
A spokesman for American Apparel
declined to comment. A representative
for Jones Day was not immediately avail-
able for comment.
The company, which only has a mar-
ket value of $120mn, has been struggling
with weak sales and heavy debt. While
the industry lauded Charney for his cre-
ativity, the company has been under re
for lax nancial controls and concerns
about the strength of its management
team.
In recent years, Charney has fought of
a series of sexual harassment lawsuits. In
one of the most high-prole cases, Mo-
rales claimed she was held as a teenage
sex slave, forced to perform sexual acts
during an eight-month period, including
oral sex in Charneys Manhattan apart-
ment just after she turned 18.
A lawyer for American Apparel said in
2011 that it was Morales who had stalked
Charney and was trying to shake down
the company. In 2012, a New York judge
ordered her $250mn claim to be arbi-
trated. The status of the arbitration pro-
ceedings could not be immediately de-
termined.
American Apparel is in talks to hire an
investment bank, expected to be bou-
tique Peter J Solomon, one of the peo-
ple close to the matter said. The bank,
which could not be immediately reached
for comment, will provide capital if the
companys lenders declare it indefault on
some of its debt, the person said.
Charney: Facing serious allegations.
Bank of Portugal
wants BES chief
executive to quit
Reuters
Lisbon
T
he Bank of Portugal
wants the chief executive
of Banco Espirito Santo
(BES) to quit, three people fa-
miliar with the matter said, fol-
lowing the discovery of nancial
irregularities at a holding com-
pany that owns a stake in BES.
A central bank team met with
representatives of the Espirito
Santo family that has controlled
BES for decades to discuss their
future role in Portugals big-
gest listed bank. Family member
Ricardo Espirito Santo Salgado is
the banks CEO.
There was a meeting at the
Bank of Portugal and there are
likely to be some changes in the
banks management, including
the departure of the CEO, one
source said.
Local media had reported that
Ricardo Espirito Santo Salgado
was likely to announce his resig-
nation on Friday.
The countrys nancial mar-
ket regulator CMVM suspended
trading in BES shares on Friday
pending clarication from the
bank over the reports.
BES and representatives of
the Espirito Santo family could
not immediately be reached for
comment.
The family is Portugals only
banking dynasty, its origins dat-
ing back to a money-changing
business set up in 1869.
It lost control of BES this
month when the bank sold 1bn
of new shares to strengthen its
capital base ahead of European
Central Bank stress tests.
The Espirito Santos still con-
trol many other assets in the
country through a complex array
of holding companies. Members
of the family sit on several Por-
tuguese company boards.
This months capital increase
drew strong investor demand
even though the sale prospectus
issued in May spoke of mate-
rial irregularities involving Es-
pirito Santo International (ESI),
a Luxembourg-based holding
company through which the Es-
pirito Santo family holds part of
its stake in the bank.
The prospectus said the ir-
regularities afected the com-
pleteness and trustworthiness
of ESIs accounts.
BES has said it is insulated
against the problems at ESI.
The Bank of Portugal team has met with representatives
of the Espirito Santo family that has controlled BES for
decades to discuss their future role in Portugals biggest
listed bank
BUSINESS
19
Gulf Times
Sunday, June 22, 2014
Fed chief gives the green light for more stock gains
Reuters
New York
F
ederal Reserve chief Janet Yellen
signalled that rational exuber-
ance is just ne.
That, at least, is howsome of Amer-
icas largest money managers inter-
preted her comments on Wednesday
suggesting interest rates will remain
lowthrough 2016.
It reinforced their views that easy
money means the US stock market
rally has further to run despite notch-
ing a series of record highs already this
year. That couldeasily put the S&P500
benchmark on track to surpass 2000
for the rst time, and to do so well be-
fore the end of the year.
Such a gain for 2014, after a 30%
rise in 2013, would surprise those who
worried that stocks might be getting
overvalued and were due for a sizable
pullback.
One reason for increasing con-
dence is that the resilience of the mar-
ket has been very strong in the face of
various shocks this year. A combina-
tion of an improving economy, rising
earnings, and the cheap borrowing
costs, has made that possible. Stock
investors have shaken of last years
budget uncertainty in Washington, a
sharp drop in high-growth technol-
ogy companies and biotech shares, the
conict in Ukraine, and more recently
the apparent tearing apart of Iraq that
resulted in a spike in oil prices.
What I have is a sweet combination
of a self-sustaining, long lasting eco-
nomic expansion joined with a long-
lasting monetary accommodation,
said Steven Einhorn, vice-chairman of
Leon Coopermans hedge fund Omega
Advisors, which has $10.5bn in assets
under management.
I dont think this bull market is
over, he said, adding he estimates
stocks could rise another 3 to 5% this
year. That may soundmodest but when
added to an average S&P 500 dividend
yield of 2%, it looks pretty attractive
against the 2.62% yield of a 10-year
Treasury note.
Yellen on Wednesday said interest
rates could stay well below longer-
run normal values at the end of 2016,
leading to further gains in stock pric-
es that on Thursday pushed the S&P
500 to a new record. The S&P 500
gained 2.50 points or 0.13%, to close at
1,959.48. While the Fed lowered some
of its economic forecasts, Yellen none-
theless cited reasons for optimism
about the worlds biggest economy, in-
cluding resilient household spending
and an improving jobs market.
Even if the market closed the year at
this level it would mark the best three-
year run for US stocks since the 1997-
1999 period. Thats driven greater
household interest in equities. Retail
investors have dropped $61bn into US-
based stock funds this year, according
to Lipper.
TomNally, a president at TDAmeri-
trade Institutional, told the Reuters
Global Wealth Management Summit
on Wednesday that retail clients have
an average of 19% of their assets in
cash, slightly below the historical av-
erage of 20 to 25%. Advisers working
with the rm are even more bullish -
with 8%of their clients assets in cash.
We still think we are in one of the
biggest bull markets of our careers,
saidRich Bernstein, founder of Richard
Bernstein Advisors LLC in New York,
and a former top Merrill Lynch invest-
ment strategist.
While rst-quarter growth disap-
pointed, economists say the efects of
unusually bad winter weather will fade
later this year. Expectations for corpo-
rate earnings growth have improved,
with 2014 earnings expected to growat
9.1%, up from8.7%on April 1, accord-
ing to Thomson Reuters data.
Several fund managers said the
slowness of the economic expansion
may work in favour of the slow grind
higher in stocks. The languid pace has
prevented over-enthusiastic expecta-
tions frominvestors and the buildup of
xed-cost investments that sow the
seeds for the next recession,Bernstein
said. It is simply too early inthis busi-
ness expansionfor shares to peak,said
Einhorn. If Im correct that this par-
ticular economic expansion has years
to go, thenthis bull market shouldhave
a good deal of time and price left in it.
Whats been striking about the rally
is, in a sense, just howboring it has be-
come. The S&P500hasnt closed up or
down by more than 1%in 43 consecu-
tive trading days, the longest streak
since 1995, said Antony Filippo, a To-
ronto-based independent investment
manager.
The CBOE Volatility index closed
at its lowest in more than seven years
on Wednesday. To some, this suggests
investors have become complacent,
that is, ignoring potential problems
that could derail a rally, but a number
of strategists suggested that just be-
cause investors arent paying for pro-
tection does not mean they dont have
worries.
You always want to be on guard for
excesses ... but as it stands now the
bias does appear to be toward the up-
side, said Dan Greenhaus, chief strat-
egist at BTIG, who sees the S&P 500 at
1980 by year-end.
The years strongest performers are
a mix of defensive stocks with high
dividends, like utilities - which have
risen 14% - and growth areas like
health care, technology and energy.
Polish bank-telecom tie-ups show way for Europe
Reuters
Warsaw
P
olish banks and telecoms rms
are joining forces to ofer low-
cost banking on mobile phones,
in what could be a test run for similar
tie-ups across Europe as companies
look for newways to winand keep cus-
tomers in saturated markets.
European banks and mobile compa-
nies have so far been wary of sharing
their customer bases, and put of from
alliances by onerous regulations in
some markets, as well as a reluctance
among some consumers to hold multi-
ple bank accounts.
But that may be starting to change
as sluggish growth in both of their in-
dustries push them to consider new
options, and as the European Union
standardises regulations and promotes
competition in its drive for a single
market across the region.
In Poland, where regulations are
comparatively light and multiple bank
accounts already commonplace, the
local arm of German telecoms group
Deutsche Telekomand Alior Bank have
teamed up for a mobile banking service
which they think could provide a blue-
print for the rest of the continent.
It should show the way in which
banking and telecoms are heading,
said Miroslav Rakowski, chief execu-
tive of T-Mobile Polska, Deutsche Tel-
ekoms Polish business.
Broadly speaking, the relationship
works like this: T-Mobile gets access
to Aliors nancial services and online
banking technology which it can ofer
to its clients, giving them a reason to
stay loyal to the operator in a competi-
tive market.
Meanwhile Alior, a mid-tier lender
which at the moment has over 250,000
Internet banking clients, gets a chance
to persuade T-Mobiles 15.6mnusers to
open a bank account with it.
As for customers, they get a free
bank account and a debit card which
contrasts with the charges levied on
some accounts in Poland and else-
where in Europe - as well as the abil-
ity to make online money transfers and
payments, and to take out loans.
They can also get up to 500 zloty
($160) cashback if they use the account
to pay telephone bills and make at least
one monthly card payment using so-
called near-eld communication
- which allows shoppers to buy items
by tapping their phone on a specialised
reader. Early signs are good, with 1,000
customers a day signing up for the deal
since its launch last month, according
to Rakowski.
Tibor Bokor, a London-based ana-
lyst at investment bank Wood & Co,
believes it could be harder to make
a splash with such an ofer in some
western European markets. In Britain,
for example, most bank accounts are
already free, while in many markets
there are an array of banking and pay-
ments apps to choose from.
However, he added the forecasts for
banking tie-ups made by Polish mobile
rms during recent roadshows were
more bullish than I imagined. The
forecasts have not been made public.
Were at the testing phase. Once we
learn from it, it could maybe be repli-
cated in the West and denitely should
be replicated in eastern countries that
are directly comparable to Poland,
Bokor said.
Deutsche Telekom board member
Claudia Nemat said experience from
the Alior tie-up would be applied in
comparable projects in the Czech Re-
public, Macedonia and Slovakia, and
also in its home market of Germany.
It is not alone is using Poland to try
out a bank alliance. Frances Orange
has said it is planning a similar ofer in
conjunctionwith Germanlender Com-
merzbanks Polish business mBank
Polands fourth-biggest lender. Mean-
while, Polands third-largest mobile
operator Polkomtel , a unit of Polish
media group Cyfrowy Polsat, is already
bundling its ofer with a small lender,
Plus bank. The bank and Cyfrowy have
the same controlling shareholder.
Some telecoms rms have been ex-
perimenting with nancial services for
a while, and many banks already ofer
mobile banking. But working together
can share the costs. Last year, Spains
Telefonica and lenders CaixaBank
and Santander announced a venture
to develop new business opportuni-
ties, while in the US, T-Mobile has
launched a Visa card with banking fea-
tures, including allowing consumers
to deposit cheques using smartphone
cameras.
The crossover between banking and
telecoms has been greatest in Asia and
Africa, tapping into markets where
many people do not have bank ac-
counts, yet mobile phone use is wide-
spread. Vodafones M-Pesa service, for
example, is growing rapidly in Africa.
It partners with banks in some coun-
tries, andVodafone saidthis year it was
extending the service to Europe, start-
ing with Romania.
The urry of activity in Poland,
however, marks it out as a particular
test ground. Rather than focused on
reaching customers relatively new to
banking, it is about seeing whether
telecoms rms and banks can work
together in saturated markets to win
customers from rivals, and then keep
them. With around 57mn SIM cards
and 38.5mn bank accounts in a country
of 38mn people, Poland is becoming a
tougher market for both banks and tel-
ecoms rms.
Polish lenders expect only a 1.1%rise
intheir net prot this year, with the ef-
fect of an improving economy likely to
be ofset by low interest rates which
squeeze banks margins.
Last year, Polands biggest bank PKO
BP and second-largest Pekao both
launched mobile payment systems
that do not involve direct partnerships
with telecoms operators, which have
together attracted around 130,000 us-
ers. But for mid-tier or smaller banks,
without the marketing resources of
the bigger players, such investment is
much harder, making a tie-up with a
telecoms rmanattractive way to ofer
customers the cutting-edge services
that can help themcompete.
Clients dont live for banking, they
bank to accomplish their goals. So a
bank cannot be cocky anymore, said
Wojciech Sobieraj, the CEO of Alior
Bank, which is controlled by Carlo
Tassara Group, a holding company for
French nancier Romain Zaleski.
Yellen: Upbeat on economy.
Portugals BCP mulls
raising capital; sets
sights on asset sales
Reuters
London
P
ortugals second-largest listed
bank MillenniumBCP sees a win-
dowof opportunity to raise capital
that would allowthe lender to accelerate
a key part of its restructuring plan, chief
executive Nuno Amado told Reuters.
The bank, bailed out with 3bn
($4.09bn) of convertible bonds in 2012,
had promised to fully repay the state by
early 2017 and sell of key assets, includ-
ing its Romanian business and a fund
manager, by the end of 2015.
In an interview almost ve weeks af-
ter Portugal exited its EU/IMF bailout
programme, Amado outlined his banks
hopes of outperforming the restructur-
ing planagreedwhenPortugal was inthe
midst of its deepest recession since the
1970s and banks were facing hefty losses
frombad loans.
The 56-year-old conrmed BCP is
considering a capital hike to help it to
repay the state loans faster, but rejected
media reports that the bank has decided
to raise 2bn. We know that there is a
window (to raise money), the fact that
there is a window doesnt mean that we
go through the window, he said. We
are doing a review to see if there is a
better alternative than the current plan
(which does not involve raising capital).
Amado said the bank would make a
decision before August, but would not
comment on the size of any capital rais-
ing beyond saying that it would not be
small and that the bank does not en-
visage repaying all of the outstanding
2.6bn government loan this year.
BCPs had a core Tier 1 capital ratio
a key measure of capital strength of
12.2% at the end of March. Portugals
largest listed bank, Banco Espirito San-
to had a lower ratio but recently raised
1.045bn. The third largest listed player,
BPI, had a higher ratio than BCPs.
Amado said his bank had acceler-
ated the sale of its Romanian business,
where it has 477mn of loans, and could
close it later this year, ahead of an end-
2015 deadline agreed with the Euro-
pean Commission. We have identied
potential bidders ... it is already at an
advanced stage, Amado said of the Ro-
manian process. Until it is completed
we dont knowif it will complete or not.
The bank also hopes to sell its Portu-
guese asset management business later
this year, ahead of an end-2015 deadline.
BCPs loan book shrank 0.6% to just
under 59.4bn in the three months to
March 31, mirroring a contraction seen
across the Portuguese sector as a slug-
gish economy depresses loan demand.
Amado said a newlending programme
from the European Central Bank could
help. The ECB announced on June 5 that
it would lend 400bn at ultra-low rates
for uptofour years tohelpbanks lendinto
the real economy. We are waiting for the
details of what are the SMEs (small busi-
nesses), what are the type of products,
what is the type of collateral calculation,
the haircut we will have,he said.
If the bank gets clarity on this, the
newECB money could make it easier for
BCP to make longer-termloans to busi-
nesses, since the four-year term BCP
would be borrowing from the ECB at
would make it easier to ofer medium-
termloans to businesses. The TLRTO is
important, it will allow me to make this
matching (of longer lending with longer
borrowing) and obviously will put the
pressure on the reduction of interest
rate, he said.
MillenniumBCP, bailedout with3bnof convertiblebondsin2012, hadpromisedtofullyrepaythestatebyearly
2017andsell of keyassets, includingitsRomanianbusinessandafundmanager, bytheendof 2015
Icahn threatens
proxy war if
Family Dollar
Stores not put
up for sale
Reuters
New York
A
ctivist investor Carl Icahn
asked struggling retailer
Family Dollar Stores to
put itself up for sale immedi-
ately, threatening a proxy war
to replace the companys entire
board if a sale process was not
started.
Icahn, who became Family
Dollars largest shareholder ear-
lier this month, also asked that
three of his representatives be
added to the companys board
immediately andbe part of a new
committee tasked with nding a
buyer.
Although we appreciated the
cordial nature of our discussion
at last nights dinner, it was ap-
parent that we have a strong
diference of opinion as to the
future of our company, the bil-
lionaire said in a letter to Family
Dollars Chief Executive Howard
Levine.
Family Dollars shares rose
about 3% to $70 in extended
trading, after closing at $68.14
on Thursday, valuing the com-
pany at about $7.77bn.
Icahn said he believed the
company would attract signi-
cant interest from strategic and
nancial buyers and that this
was a perfect time to sell, given
the advantageous stock market
and interest rate environment.
He warned he would approach
shareholders directly by starting
a written consent solicitation
within the next few weeks if the
company did not act immedi-
ately.
Family Dollar responded on
Thursday saying said the com-
pany was condent that its im-
mediate, strategic actions to
improve its performance would
position it to deliver stronger re-
turns for its shareholders.
Austria central
bank warns
risks of wiping
out Hypo debt
Reuters
Spielberg, Austria
A
ustrias central bank
warned the government
of the risks of wiping out
debt held by investors in state
bank Hypo Alpe Adria, but did
not try to inuence a law on it
unveiled last week, National
Bank Governor Ewald Nowotny
was quoted as saying.
Austria broke new ground for
debt markets by deciding to can-
cel 890mn ($1.2bn) of subordi-
nated Hypo Alpe Adria debt held
by investors, despite guarantees
by the banks home province of
Carinthia.
The one-of move aims to
ensure that investors not just
taxpayers who have pumped
5.5bn into Hypo so far share
the costs of winding down the
stricken lender, of cials say, but
it has shaken condence in Aus-
trias credibility.
Nowotny, who had been a vo-
cal opponent of letting Hypo go
bust, has come under re from
bankers for not doing more to
head of the legislation that
could take force in August.
It is apparent that involv-
ing creditors can be risky, as the
OeNB (central bank) pointed out
in its comment (on the law),
Nowotny said in an interview
with Prol magazine.
The OeNB stressed the spe-
cial need for comprehensive
information about the spe-
cial character of the proposed
measures, he added in the in-
terview, excerpts of which were
released ahead of publication on
Monday.
He said the central bank was
not involved in drawing up the
law, but was asked only to com-
ment on issues of nancial mar-
ket stability and capital markets.
In Hypos case there are no
perfect solutions. This is rather a
matter of the lesser evil.
Sunday, June 22, 2014
BUSINESS GULF TIMES
Three strands run through the new Silk Road
ByGeorges Elhedery
When German geographer Baron Ferdinand von
Richthofen coined the term Silk Road in 1877
to depict the two thousand-year-old east-west
trade artery built on the exchange of Arabian
stallions and fine fabrics, he could never have
imagined that 137 years later one in every three
new cars in China would be fuelled by Middle
East oil.
Chinas economic presence in the Middle East is
fast expanding. Chinese engineers assembled
the 26,000 reflective glass panels, each
individually hand cut, for the 828-metre-high
Burj Khalifa, the worlds tallest building. Chinese
goods are big business in the modern shopping
centres in Dubai and the old bazaars and souks
in Egypt and Morocco. Everywhere you look,
the interdependency between the regions is
strengthening.
The relationship has three distinct strands. The
first is a thirst for oil. Chinas rapid industrial
growth and continued urbanisation have vastly
increased the countrys energy needs. In 1993
China became an energy importer. By the end
of 2013 it had overtaken the US as the worlds
largest importer of crude oil.
China imports more oil from the Middle East
than any other region. The International Energy
Agency expects Chinas imports of Middle
Eastern oil to jump from 2.9mn barrels per day
in 2011 to 6.7mn in 2035, equivalent to 60% of
todays total US oil imports1.
Saudi Arabia is the largest source of Chinas oil
imports. Saudi oil companies own refineries in
China, while Chinese firms have begun to invest
in Saudi infrastructure and industry. In late April,
Abu Dhabi signed a joint oil production deal with
China National Petroleum Company to boost
output from ageing oilfields.
The second strand is the desire to sell goods.
MENA-China trade has increased 50-fold in
the last 20 years to nearly $300bn in 2013iii.
Beyond oil, the Middle East is looking to build
economies that have the capacity to create jobs
for its large, youthful populations in sectors
including tourism, technology and aviation.
Saudi Arabias exports of plastics, chemicals
and pharmaceuticals are already growing
faster than oil exports. As far as Dubais imports
are concerned, China leads the list of trading
partners followed by the US then India. This
is turning the city-state into a regional hub
of the new Silk Road. Negotiations for a Free
Trade Agreement between China and the GCC
appear close to restarting following a hiatus of
more than two years. Given China is now the
GCCs main trade partner, this is encouraging.
China can play a role in supporting Middle East
economic diversification.
The third strand is the development of closer
financial links. The Renminbi (RMB) is becoming
the currency of choice along this new Silk Road.
As the trading relationship between the Middle
East and China grows, companies are beginning
to weigh up the advantages of financing trade
and investment flows in RMB, as opposed to
dollars or euros. With the Chinese currency
already almost fully convertible, there are clear
eficiencies. Chinese steel is being used to build
Abu Dhabis Midfield Terminal, the eagerly
awaited multi-billion dollar extension to the
airport and key pillar of its 2030 economic
vision. The steel is being paid for in RMB,
reducing the total cost of each shipment.
In the longer term there is the prospect of
commodities contracts, including oil, being
written wholly or in part in RMB.
Greater interdependence is the source of much
opportunity for China and the Middle East. It is
no surprise that high level delegations from both
regions have worked to deepen relationships in
recent years. That Saudi Arabias King Abdullah
in 2006 made Beijing not Washington his
first overseas destination underscores Chinas
importance to the Gulf.
The shared history is longstanding. The first
evidence of the silk trade dates back to fibres
found in the hair of an Egyptian mummy in 1070
BC. During the middle ages large merchant ships
made of bamboo travelled the seaways between
China and Egypt filled with Persian rugs and
Chinese porcelain.
During this golden age, the Middle East
possessed enormous economic power. To
unlock the regions formidable growth potential
today, the private sector must become the
main source of growth. That involves accessing
global markets, such as China. Ibn Battuta, the
14th-century explorer whose travels along the
Silk Road took him to China, said: [if] you seek
success then head for the land of the east. Today,
the reawakening of ancient trade links could help
the Middle East secure lasting prosperity.
Georges Elhedery is HSBCs head of global
banking and markets, Middle East and North Africa
(Mena). The views expressed are his own.
US investors eyeing consumer discretionary turnaround
Reuters
New York
S
hares of specialty retailers and
apparel makers helped lead the
charge of the markets bottom
in March 2009 but unravelled this
year, leaving consumer discretionary
stocks as the sole sector to still be lower
through the rst half of 2014.
Whether these stocks can snap out
of that slump may hinge on what a
clutch of high-prole names in the
sector has to say about the health of
consumer spending next week.
The S&P 500 consumer discretion-
ary sector index is down 1.1%since the
end of 2013, the worst performance of
any of the 10 macro sectors so far this
year, while the benchmark index is up
6.2%.
Prot estimates for the sector have
deteriorated as well, shrinking by the
most of any sector other thanmaterials
since Jan. 1. Earnings are nowexpected
to have risen just 8.7% for the year,
compared with 13.5%at the start of the
year, Thomson Reuters data showed.
As prot estimates have fallen faster
than stock prices in the sector, price-
to-earnings multiples have shot high-
er, making the group the priciest in the
S&P 500 at 18.6 times estimated earn-
ings.
Next week brings results froma cou-
ple of the bull markets big performers:
Bed Bath and Beyond onthe retail front
and Nike in sports apparel. Investors
will also see earnings next week from
Carnival, which has not performed
quite as well.
Its one of the sectors that has really
had a lot of the froth burnt out of it,
said Quincy Krosby, market strategist
at Prudential Financial, which is based
in Newark, New Jersey. Worries over
the strength of the consumer, particu-
larly in the lower end and middle, is ...
reected in the shares.
With turmoil in Iraq and rising oil
prices, fuel costs during the US sum-
mer travel season may be chief among
those concerns, she said. That makes
companies third-quarter forecasts
important. Bed Bath and Beyond is
down 25.2%for the year, while Nike is
down 4.5%and Carnival is down 2.6%.
Other signs of trouble have come
from consumer discretionary compa-
nies themselves. More S&P 500 con-
sumer discretionary companies have
warned on the second quarter than
any other sector, with 22 negative out-
looks including ones from Bed Bath
and Beyond and Carnival and zero
positive ones, Thomson Reuters data
showed.
On Thursday, Coach s shares tum-
bled when it forecast during an inves-
tor day presentation that revenue will
fall by low double digits in percentage
terms for the year ending June 2015.
The stock fell 11.8%this week.
They managed to signicantly ex-
ceed to the downside an already low
bar, said Michael James, managing
director of equity trading at Wedbush
Securities in Los Angeles.
Its not as if everything in retail is a
disaster, but froma stocks standpoint,
it would be smarter to underweight
positions in retail.
Further clues on the consumer front
may come from economic data, with
reports on consumption and consumer
condence also due next week.
US consumer spending is expected
to have rebounded 0.4% in May after
dipping 0.1%inApril, a ThomsonReu-
ters poll showed. The US Consumer
Condence Index is expected to edge
up to 83.5 in June from83 in May.
Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. Profit estimates for the consumer discretionary sector have
deteriorated, shrinking by the most of any sector other than materials since January 1.
ECB chief sees no sign of
deation in eurozone
Reuters
Frankfurt
E
uropean Central Bank
President Mario Draghi
said large-scale asset pur-
chases are part of the central
banks toolkit, but for now it
would focus on its latest set of
stimulus measures.
Draghi told Dutch newspa-
per De Telegraaf in an interview
published yesterday that the eu-
rozone recovery was still weak,
uneven and vulnerable and that
interest rates would stay low
over a longer period.
Asked what needed to happen
before the ECB would start buy-
ing assets to give banks more
money to lend, also known as
quantitative easing, Draghi said
that would be the answer to a
deterioration of ination ex-
pectations over the medium
term.
At the moment, however, we
are focusing onthe measures an-
nounced on 5 June, Draghi was
quoted as saying.
The ECBs target for medium-
termination is below, but close
to 2%, a far cry fromthe current
level of 0.5%, which has sparked
concern the eurozone could en-
ter a Japan-style deationary
spiral of falling prices, slowing
growth and waning consump-
tion and investments.
At the June policy meeting,
the ECB cut interest rates to
record lows - the deposit rate
below zero - and launched a se-
ries of steps to boost lending to
companies. Draghi said after the
meeting the ECB could still do
more if necessary.
Buying government bonds is
indeed possible within our man-
date, namely if the purchases
are aimed at ensuring price sta-
bility, Draghi told the paper.
Quantitative easing can include
not only government bonds, but
also private sector loans. We
will discuss that when the time
comes, Draghi said.
But he emphasised that the
ECB had not seen any deation
in the sense of prices declining
across the whole spectrum in
the eurozone, with households
and rms postponing con-
sumption and investment be-
cause they are waiting for lower
prices.
The recovery was still vul-
nerable, however, and Draghi
warned that disruptions in the
global economy could quickly
change the situation. Persist-
ently lowinationalso made ad-
justments more dif cult, Draghi
added. Asked how long interest
rates would remain low, he said:
We have prolonged banks
access to unlimited liquidity up
to the end of 2016. That is a sig-
nal. Our programme in support
of bank lending to businesses
will continue for four years. That
shows that interest rates will re-
main lowover a longer period.
Thereafter rates would in-
crease when the recovery rmed
up. Akey step that took the sting
out of the European debt crisis
was Draghis signature policy
the OMT bond-buy plan he
launched in 2012 to back up his
pledge to do whatever it takes
to save the euro. Even with-
out deploying the tool, markets
calmed down.
Draghi said he was, like many
others, surprised by the magni-
tude of the efect the programme
has had. We were all surprised,
he said, adding that the pro-
gramme despite not being used
so far could be activated if need-
ed. In order to be credible, we
also had to be sure that we could
actually use the instrument. We
were not bluf ng, most certainly
not, he said.
Turning to eurozone politics,
Draghi said far more is neces-
sary for a perfect monetary un-
ion and suggested to subject
structural reforms to union-
wide discipline, too.
In the case of the budget
agreements, sovereignty has
been shared among member
states. That should also be done
with respect to the labour mar-
ket, competitiveness, bureauc-
racy, agreements on the internal
market, Draghi said.
You could grant greater pow-
ers to the European Commis-
sion, or to the member states
within the European Council, or
you could create new European
institutions. That is not for me
to decide, Draghi said.
Draghi: Focusing on stimulus measures.
Shell ready to pay
30mn to settle
oil spills in Nigeria
Reuters
London
R
oyal Dutch Shell is ready
to pay up to 30mn
($51mn) in compensa-
tion for two oil spills in Nigeria
in2008, but lawyers saidit may
face a far bigger pay out after a
London court ruled it could be
liable for damage.
Around 15,000 residents of
the Bodo community in the
Niger Delta represented by law
rmLeigh Day appealedin2011
to aLondoncourt for morethan
300mn in compensation.
Claimants say that the two
spills resulted in the leakage of
of 500,000 barrels of oil but
Shell estimated the volume at
around 4,000 barrels.
Shell has already ofered
some compensation for the
spills.
In a preliminary hearing
ahead of a trial which will take
place in May 2015, the London
high court ruled that Shells
Nigerian subsidiary could be
liable if it were proven that it
did not take reasonable steps to
protect and maintain the pipe-
line from thefts which have
plagued the key African oil
producer.
Short of a policing or mili-
tary or paramilitary defence of
the pipeline, it is my judgement
that the protection require-
ment involves a general shield-
ing and caring obligation, the
judge said in a ruling.
Leigh Day argued that under
the Nigerian Oil Pipelines Act
anyone who sufered from an
oil spill can claim compensa-
tion if they can show a com-
pany was guilty of neglect in
failing to protect, maintain or
repair its pipeline.
The lawyer representing the
claimants on Friday rejected
Shells ofer.
Shell has consistently
sought to underestimate the
damage whilst paying only lip
service to an apology. These
spills, which are some of the
largest oil spills in history,
have devastated a community
of many thousands of people
and ravaged the environment,
Martyn Day said in a state-
ment.
The ofer of 30mn pounds
has been ofered before and has
been atly refused by our cli-
ents who found it insulting and
derisory, nothing has changed
this view.
Shell urged the claimants to
reach a settlement before the
May trial that is expected to
last three months.
From the outset, weve ac-
cepted responsibility for the
two deeply regrettable opera-
tional spills in Bodo, Mutiu
Sunmonu, Managing Director
of the Shell Petroleum Devel-
opment Company of Nigeria
Ltd (SPDC), said in a state-
ment.
We hope the community
will now direct their UK legal
representatives to stop wasting
even more time pursuing enor-
mously exaggerated claims and
consider sensible andfair com-
pensation ofers, Sunmonu
said.
Thousands of oil spills have
occurred in Nigeria since the
1970s as a result of oil theft,
many of which have yet to be
cleaned up.
The London high court
ruled that Shells Nigerian
subsidiary could be liable
if it were proven that it did
not take reasonable steps
to protect and maintain
the pipeline from thefs
which have plagued the
key African oil producer
Massa back
on pole for
the Austrian
Grand Prix
FORMULA 1 | Page 9 TENNIS | Page 10
I feel much
better than I did
for Wimbledon
2013: Federer
Sunday, June 22, 2014
Shabaan 24, 1435 AH
GULF TIMES
Great Messi strike rescues
Argentina against Iran
DPA
Belo Horizonte, Brazil
A
rgentina were rescued by Li-
onel Messis wonder-strike
in injury time to defeat Iran
1-0 yesterday and guarantee
qualication to the knock-out phase of
the World Cup.
Messi, and Argentina, had been dis-
appointing throughout the game but
this was forgotten in the 91st minute
when the Barcelona striker curled a
shot from 20 metres beyond keeper
Alireza Haghighi.
Iran had defended bravely through-
out the match and as the contest pro-
gressed they had looked the more likely
to take victory against their stronger
opponents.
But Sergio Romero saved from Reza
Ghoochannejhad and Ashkan Dejagah
either side of Dejagah having a strong
penalty claim waved away to set the
stage for Messis moment of magic.
Messi had scarcely been involved
until his last second intervention. He
took a relatively harmless pass fromthe
right ank, moved a stepaway fromhis
marker and made the space required to
send his shot arcing into the far corner
of the net.
It broke the hearts of Iran who de-
served better but are now on the verge
of eliminationfromthe WorldCup with
just one point fromtwo games.
He is a decisive player. When you
have Messi, anything is possible, Ar-
gentina coach Alejandro Sabella said
after the game.
In the rst half we had four or ve
chances on goal, but in the second half
they made life dif cult for us. It took a
lot of efort, he added.
Argentina are searching for a rst
major title in 21 years and possessing
one of the most formidable attacks at
the World Cup had giventhemhope the
drought could nally be ended.
But unless coach Sabella can find
a way to make that attack click, the
1993 Copa America could remain the
most recent addition to the Argentine
roll of honour.
The experimental 3-5-2 used to start
the previous match against Bosnia-
Herzegovina, which was shakily won
2-1, was abandoned for a return to 4-3-
3 in Belo Horizonte.
Di Maria supported a front line of
Higuain, Aguero andMessi but eventhe
fab four struggled to breach the well-
drilled Iranian defence.
Despite dominating rst half posses-
sion, Argentina found chances hard to
come by through open play. Haghighi
was alert to rush fromhis line and block
at the feet of Higuainandthe keeper did
tipped away a curling shot fromAguero
at the end of a lovely move.
Argentina had further opportunities
fromset pieces but neither Marcos Roja
or Ezequiel Garay could direct their ef-
forts on target.
It was 16 years to the day of their only
World Cup victory, 2-1 over the United
States at France 98, and Iran seemed
inspired by history. While lacking the
class of their opponents, their narrow
and deep defensive shape was enough
to stie them.
Such was the discipline of Carlos
Queirozs team, even counterattacks
seemed limited to a fewintrepid players
breaking into Argentine territory.
Though these carried little threat,
it earned set pieces at the start and
end of the half which were brilliantly
whipped in by Dejagah but central
defender Seyed Hosseini twice failed
to test Romero when he should have
done better.
After the break Argentina began with
renewed urgency but when Aguero
mistimed a near post header, it was Iran
who gained courage and should have
gone in front.
Ghoochannejhad sent a header
straight at Romero in their rst truly
incisive attack but the second followed
a minute later andwas unceremonious-
ly ended with Pablo Zabaleta scything
down Dejagah in the box.
Iran had a let-of when Messi strode
through the middle of the park only to
side-foot wide from just outside the
box on the hour mark.
The lively Dejagah then saw a diving
header tipped over the bar by Romero
who had strayed dangerously far from
his line. There was a dramatic nish as
Haghighi made two late saves and Iran
could have won as Ghoochannejhad
broke behind Zabaleta only to fail when
faced with Romero.
Messi had no such problem and Ar-
gentina could breathe a sigh of relief
with their second narrow victory in as
many games. But with this perform-
ance Argentina will struggle against the
better teams.
Lionel Messi of Argentina celebrates his goal
against Iran in Belo Horizonte, yesterday. (EPA)
Judge orders World Cup water breaks
Reuters
Rio de Janeiro
A
Brazilian judge on Friday
ordered FIFA to follow its
own guidelines and stop
play at all WorldCup games
every thirty minutes for a water
break if the temperature is 32 degrees
Celsius (90 Fahrenheit) or higher.
Rogerio Neiva Pinheiro, a judge
of Brazils Labor Court in Bra-
silia, also ordered that FIFA face
a 200,000 real ($89,686) fine for
each game that it fails to comply
with the water-break rule.
The suit was brought on behalf
of players at the World Cup by in-
dependent government labor-code
prosecutors who had sought a ruling
imposing water breaks on the Brazil-
ian labour-regulation standard of 30
degrees Celsius (86 Fahrenheit), the
ruling said. FIFA dismissed the deci-
sion as largely irrelevant.
We did not reach or exceed
32 degrees at any moment in any
game so far, FIFA spokeswoman
Delia Fischer told Reuters. The
court is only ordering us to fol-
low our own procedures which we
have always planned to do.
FIFA is facing a growing wave
of criticism for its insistence that
countries hosting its major events
such as the World Cup adapt their
laws to meet FIFAs needs.
Brazil has already agreed to sus-
pend a ban on the sale of beer at sta-
diums during the Cup, implemented
to reducebrawling anddeaths among
fans, at the request of FIFA.
FIFA did not say if it plans to chal-
lenge the ruling. Public prosecutors in
Brazil frequently challenge companies
and individuals in court. While in-
junctions are frequently granted, they
are alsofrequently overturned, adding
to Brazilian legal costs with little ac-
tual impact onbehaviour.
He is a decisive player. When you have Messi, anything is possible
MatchStats:
Argentina 1 (Messi 90+) Iran 0
ARGENTINA IRAN
1 Goals scored 0
19 Total shots 8
9 Shots on target 4
10 Corners 6
0 Ofsides 1
8 Fouls committed 14
0 Yellow cards 2
0 Red cards 0
71% Possession 29%
REPORT: ARGENTINA 1-0 IRAN
Inthefrst half we hadfour or fve
chances ongoal, but inthesecond
half theymade lifedif cult for us.
It tookalot of efort
Italys Mario Balotelli drinks water
during the match against Costa Rica.
Portugal tired of media
focus on Ronaldo
TAKE IT EASY
DPA
Campinas, Brazil
P
ortugal striker Helder Postiga
said on Friday the squad were
tired of the constant spotlight on
Cristiano Ronaldo.
The Portuguese would not be in Bra-
zil had it not been for Ronaldos brilliant
four-goal salvo against Sweden in the
play-ofs, and Postiga said the media fo-
cus on the superstar takes its strain.
Asked if the players were sick of Ron-
aldo questions, Postiga replied:
Yes, but if I am tired of hearing them
every day then you can imagine how it is
for him. I think the talk is too much. He
has been training at maximum that is all
there is to say.
Postiga is set to come into the Portugal
rst team in the absence of the injured
Hugo Almeida. He was also asked if he
felt Ronaldos ability to play through the
middle might mean he loses his place to
his long-time friend.
He said: It true that Ronaldo can play
in various positions. That is why he is
such and important player for us. He can
make the diference.
Ronaldo trained with strapping around
his left leg, and Postiga said:
Ronaldo always nishes the training
and then puts ice on but there are nor-
mally about 10 players doing the same so
it is nothing unusual.
Portugal have seen seven players pick
up injuries since arriving in Brazil.
I hope this gets better. These are
things that happen especially when you
have a long hard domestic season, the
striker said.
Speaking at Portugals Campinas train-
ing base before the ight to Manaus later
on Friday Postiga also spoke about the
tropical conditions that await the team
when they play the United States today.
The striker, who spent the second half
of the season on loan at Lazio, was asked
if Portugal would train in the sauna as It-
aly had reportedly done before their game
against England last week.
We do spend time in the sauna some-
times so maybe we will do some train-
ing there too. The temperature has to be
a secondary concern because we have to
concentrate on the game and on the USA.
We know what we did and didnt do
in the rst game but the competition is so
short that youhave to forget andmove on.
This game is decisive and we will do our
best to not let the country down.
After the United States, Portual face
Ghana onThursday inBrasilia. They have
not faced two games of this importance
since beating Sweden in qualication
play-ofs.
Portugals Joao Moutinho (left) and
Cristiano Ronaldo look out from their
locker room in Campinas
Portugals Cristiano Ronaldo takes part in a
training session in Campinas. (Reuters)
Ronaldo struggles a hurdle
in Portugal preparation
Reuters
Manaus, Brazil
L
ike many people around the
world, YasmimCesar is a fan
of Portugals WorldPlayer of
the Year Cristiano Ronaldo.
Unlike most, though, she has a large
blue CR7 tattoo just below her
left collarbone.
And when the 20-year-old has
children, she says she plans to call
themCristiano and Ronaldo.
Cesar was inthe crowdlate onFri-
day when the Portuguese team ar-
rived at their hotel in Manaus ahead
of Sundays World Cup Group G
game against the UnitedStates.
Cesar, who held a home made
There is only one Ronaldo poster,
said her fascination with the pho-
togenic 29-year-old forward start-
ed when Portugal beat England on
penalties in the 2006 World Cup.
He scored a goal and dedicated
it to his father who had just died.
Well, from that point on, I got in-
terested in his story, I started to get
interested in order to understand,
she told Reuters Television.
To help show her dedication,
she got the tattoo in April. The
seven in CR7 refers to Ronaldos
squad number with Portugal and
Real Madrid.
It did hurt a bit but all pain is
bearable for him. And I loved it, my
newtattoo, said Cesar.
Perhaps not surprisingly, Cesars
mother Ednilda was not impressed
by the idea at rst. She eventually
agreed on the grounds that Yasmim
might otherwise do something
crazy or foolish.
The tattoo features prominently
on Cesars Facebook page. Her bed-
roomwall is covered with photos of
the player and she has dozens more
stored away.
TherearepeopleinBrazil whosay
Cristiano Ronaldo is arrogant ... but
for those who really knowhimhe is a
nice guy,said Cesar, who is studying
tobecome a sports teacher.
Cesar bought a gold coloured
necklace with a cross to give to
Ronaldo but did not manage to get
anywhere near him. Just seeing
the player was some consolation,
though.
Its like a dream come true, it
has been 10years, so I still cant be-
lieve it, she exclaimed.
Brazilian fan of Ronaldo takes
dedication to painful level
HERO WORSHIP
20-year-old Yasmine Cesar poses in her house in Manaus. (Reuters)
Gulf Times
Sunday, June 22, 2014 2
PREVIEW: USA VS PORTUGAL 1AM QATAR TIME
AFP
Manaus
L
ingering doubts about the fitness
of world player of the year Cris-
tiano Ronaldo have left Portugal in
disarray ahead of their World Cup
Group G clash with the United States in
Manaus today.
Already reeling from a crushing 4-0 de-
feat to Germany in their opener, Portugal
face almost certain elimination if they lose
to US.
But their preparationfor the game couldnot
be goingmuchworse.
Although thePortugal camp insist theReal
Madrid forward is t, Ronaldo has been seen
sporting an ice pack on his knee at training
sessions and leaving early as his team-mates
continued to train, while he was far fromhis
scintillating best against the Germans.
Much media speculation has focused on
whether or not he will play against the US,
or indeed if he does, whether or not he will
be fully t.
But fellow forward Helder Postiga was
adamant that too much is being read into
an ice pack.
I personally think that the Cristiano Ro-
naldo talk is a bit too much so I imagine how
he must be feeling about that, Postiga said.
But regarding his physical condition,
hes been training at his maximumand if its
not listed in the clinical information of the
Portuguese (football) federation its because
hes t to play.
But Ronaldo is just one of Portugals
problems as they will be missing several
other players.
Real centre-back Pepe has been suspend-
ed for one match after his stupid and need-
less red card against Germany for headbut-
ting Thomas Mueller, who went on to score
a hat-trick.
Given his volatile nature, that may be a
blessing in disguise in a tournament where
one error can prove hugely costly.
Fabio Coentrao has been ruled out of the
tournament with a torn thigh muscle while
forward Hugo Almeida has a pulled ham-
string and reserve goalkeeper Rui Patricio
pulled a thigh muscle.
It is hardly the ideal preparation to face
buoyant USA, who began their campaign
with a last-gasp 2-1 win over Ghana, aveng-
ing defeats to the Black Stars at the last two
World Cups.
WE RESPECT USA
Yet Portugal coach Paulo Bento believes that
his side are simply better than their oppo-
nents. The best versionof Portugal canbeat
the United States. We respect the USA as a
very good team, he said.
They have grown up over the last years
so we have to respect them but we believe
in ourselves, we believe in our work, in our
quality, so we have to be responsible, we
have to be in the best condition to win this
match and we believe it.
The US are not without problems of their
own as striker Jozy Altidore is out of the
game due to a hamstring injury, although US
Soccer believe he could be available later on
in the tournament.
There is better news when it comes to
Clint Dempsey, the opening goalscorer
against Ghana who broke his nose in that
match.
He is likely to line up against Portugal
wearing a protective face mask.
Centre-back Matt Besler, who like Alti-
dore had to come of in the rst half against
Ghana due to a hamstring problem, is an-
other who should be t to play.
We believe in ourselves, in our work, in our
quality. We have to be in the best condition
to win this match and we believe it
Factbox: UnitedStatesvPortugal
Where: The Amaznia arena, Manaus,
Capacity: 40,549
Probable teams:
United States: 1-Tim Howard; 23-Fabian
Johnson, 6-John Brooks, 20-Geof Cam-
eron, 7-DaMarcus Beasley; 15-Kyle Becker-
man, 4-Michael Bradley, 13-Jermaine Jones,
11-Alejandro Bedoya; 8-Clint Dempsey;
9-Aron Johansson
Portugal: 12-Rui Patricio; 21-Joao Pereira,
13-Ricardo Costa, 2-Bruno Alves, 19-Andre
Almeida; 4-Miguel Veloso, 8-Joao Moutin-
ho, 16-Raul Meireles; 7-Cristiano Ronaldo,
23-Helder Postiga, 17-Nani
Key stats:
Unites States beat Portugal 3-2 in the only
competitive meeting between the two
sides, the result helping them advance to
the last 16 in the 2002 World Cup at the
expense of the Portuguese.
United States coach Juergen Klinsmann
was in charge of his native Germany when
they beat Portugal 3-1 in the 2006 tourna-
ments third-place match.
Portugal sufered their worst World Cup
defeat in the previous 4-0 drubbing by
Germany.
Portugal have twice reached the semi-
finals in their five previous World Cup
appearances.
Previous meetings: These two teams
have met five times, winning two games
each while one ended in a draw. Four of
them were friendlies and they are also
level on five goals apiece overall.
3
Gulf Times
Sunday, June 22, 2014
Algeria ready to turn goal trickle into food
Reuters
Porto Algere, Brazil
A
lgeria scored their rst World
Cup goal in 28 years in their
opener and will hope the
ofensive oodgates have
opened in a crucial Group H match
against a leaky South Korea today.
With dark horse Belgiumsitting atop
the group standings and Russia and
Korea joint second after an opening 1-1
draw, Algeria will be ghting for their
World Cup lives today at Porto Alegres
Beira Rio stadium.
Back in the World Cup for the fourth
time, the Desert Foxes have never
made it past the rst round and will
need a result against the Koreans if they
are to extend their stay in Brazil.
The only Arab nation present at the
tournament, the Algerians arrive at this
gritty port city believing a place in the
last 16 is within their reach after going
down 2-1 to highly rated Belgium.
Condence and mood, however,
will not be as high in the South Korean
camp after sloppy play intheir back end
cost thema victory against Russia.
After yielding 11 goals in ve World
Cupwarm-ups, theKoreansagainlooked
vulnerableat thebackintheir opener and
Algerias coach Vahid Halilhodzic will be
plottingtoaddtotheir woes.
When Soane Feghouli converted a
spot kick to give Algeria a 1-0 lead over
Belgium, the Arab nation celebrated
their World Cup nals goal since 1986
and were on course for a famous upset
until the Europeans struck twice in the
last 20 minutes.
We could have won, lamented
Halilhodzic. We were heroic in the
rst half. At half-time I was sure we
would make it. Weve missed a major
opportunity. But I dont want to blame
anyone. You can say I amthe one to be
blamed, as usual.
Belgium is one of the best teams in
Europe. My teamgave as much as they
could in the present time.
South Korea, fourth place nishers in
2002 on home soil, also see the contest
as a must-win with group favourites
Belgiumlooming on the horizon.
We have to defeat themto get to the
round of 16, said Korean midelder
Koo Ja-cheol. Well concentrate on
doing whatever it takes to win.
Korean coach Hong Myung-bo, the
elegant sweeper who led Korea to the
2002 semi-nals, will want to see a
better efort defensively but is also
considering his attacking options.
A team that plays with plenty of of-
fensive air and ambition Hong could
keep Park Chu-young as his main
striker against Algeria or bring in Kim
Shin-wook or Lee Keun-ho, a sergeant
serving in the South Korean military
who earns less than $150 per month.
Algerias Sofiane Feghouli (right) eyes the ball past team-mate Riyad Mahrez
during a training session at the Atletico World Sports Center in Sorocaba. (AFP)
Belgium eager to
seal Last 16 spot
AFP
Rio de Janeiro
H
aving come from behind to beat
Algeria in their opening game,
Belgium can reach the World
Cup knockout phase by beating
Russia at Rio de Janeiros fabled Mara-
cana today.
Marc Wilmotss golden generation
looked destined to make a meek entrance
into the tournament after falling behind
to a Soane Feghouli penalty inBelo Hor-
izonte on Tuesday, but late goals from
substitutes Marouane Fellaini and Dries
Mertens got themof to a winning start.
With Russia having been held 1-1 by
South Korea in their Group H opener,
the last 16 is already within sight for
Belgium, who are seen as dark horses to
win the tournament after going through
qualifying unbeaten.
Belgium centre-back Nicolas Lom-
baerts, who plays for Russian side Zenit
Saint-Petersburg, knows better than
most what to expect fromFabio Capellos
side, and he expects his team-mates to
have a physical edge.
Capello places lots of importance
on organisation, said the 29-year-old,
whose side is appearing at a rst major
tournament since 2002.
Well have to pay attention on the
turnovers. Russia are not very physical.
Our size should be an advantage.
Theyve only got two players taller
than six feet (1.85 metres). Theyll try
to hurt us by keeping the ball on the
ground.
Lombaerts is on standby to play in case
BelgiumcaptainVincent Kompany is un-
able to shake of a minor groincomplaint.
The Manchester City defender missed
training on Thursday and Friday, but
Wilmots is condent that he will be able
to take part in Saturdays eve-of-match
session at the Maracana.
Vincent felt something in the last
fewminutes against Algeria and couldnt
sprint at 100percent, the Belgiumcoach
told a press conference at the teams base
in Mogi das Cruzes, near Sao Paulo, on
Friday.
We decided that hed spend two days
working separately with (physiothera-
pist) Lieven Maesschalck and the (medi-
cal) staf. He should be back on the pitch
for training with the squad on Saturday.
IMPOSSIBLE TO PLAY WORSE
Chelsea playmaker Eden Hazard, crea-
tor of Mertenss winning goal against
Algeria, is also expected to be fit de-
spite sustaining a bruised toe during
that game.
Should Russia lose, Capellos side
would nd themselves on the brink of
elimination ahead of their nal game
against Algeria on Thursday.
Russianeededa74th-minutegoal from
Aleksandr Kerzhakov to rescue a point
against South Korea after goalkeeper
Igor Akinfeevs blunder had allowed Lee
Keun-Ho to break the deadlock.
It was a low-key opening for a team
who pipped Cristiano Ronaldos Portugal
to an automatic berth in European quali-
fying, but Spartak Moscow midelder
Denis Glushakov has urged his side to put
it behind them.
We should forget the rst game be-
cause its in the past and we have to focus
on the game against Belgium, he said.
We have a huge responsibility on our
shoulders, so we have to try to do our best
to get the three points to get a chance to
qualify.
We know the Belgian players are re-
ally good and they have top players play-
ing in the best clubs in Europe.
Glushakovs positioninthe teamis un-
der threat from Dynamo Moscow mid-
elder Igor Denisov, while Kerzhakovs
goal inCuiaba has strengthenedhis claim
to a starting berth.
Russian media reports, meanwhile,
suggest that CSKA Moscow playmaker
Alan Dzagoev will replace Zenits Oleg
Shatov in the number 10 role.
We have to play better against Bel-
gium, says defender Sergey Ignashevich.
Its impossible to play worse thanwe did
against Korea.
Well have to pay attention on the turnovers. Our size should be an advantage
Belgiums midfielder Dries Mertens takes part in a training session in Mogi das Cruzes. (AFP)
AFP
Rio de Janeiro
F
abio Capello declared
the England managers
job would be his last in
footballa high-prole
international end to a glittering
career in the club game.
But two years after quitting the
post the bespectacled Italian, 68,
is still prowling the touchline,
now in Russias colours, unable
to resist the lure of pitting his
wits against his fellow coaches
on the games biggest stage.
The Italian countryside is a
wonderful place to retire to but
my motivation is very simple: I
want to do something diferent,
learn new languages, have new
experiences, like Im having in
Russia, said Capello.
Capellos reputation was
dentedat least in Englandby
a poor showing at the World Cup
in South Africa in 2010 but his
coaching CV otherwise makes
for impressive reading.
He has won ve Serie Atitles
four with ACMilan and one with
Romaplus two La Liga crowns
with Real Madrid. He also won
the Champions League during
his time with Milan.
Capello, anextremely cultured
man who has put together an im-
pressive modern art collection,
has clearly not softened in his
approach despite his advancing
years, imposing a social media
blackout on the squad in Brazil.
Explaining his reasons for the
draconian measure on the eve of
Russias opener against South
Korea, he said: Players cant use
social media here. They must ab-
stain for one month, then when
they get home they can go crazy.
Russia drewthat match 1-1 and
next face a vibrant young Belgian
side today before playing their
last Group H game against Alge-
ria on June 26.
Capellos hardline approach
mirroring his remarks once that
he admired the order that Span-
ish dictator General Francisco
Franco brought to the country
during his rule from 1939-75 -
gets the thumbs-up from his
Russian charges in Brazil.
Defender Aleksei Kozlov,
speaking after training in the
sunshine in Itu, outside Sao Pau-
lo, said the Italian coachwho
also enjoyed an impressive inter-
national playing careerruns a
tight ship.
In the national teamright now
discipline is really high, it is really
strict and everyone is working so
hard, so professionally, said the
DynamoMoscowplayer.
I feel really comfortable
working under his (Capellos)
command, added Kozlov.
Hes a great coach and has
great experience. He has wonlots
of things in football and when
you work with him you feel that
youre learning something new
every day.
Capello says hunger
undiminished
Russias Italian coach Fabio Capello
DESIRE
Factbox: Algeria v South Korea
Where: The Beira Rio stadium, Porto
Alegre, Capacity: 48,849
Referee: Wilmar Roldan (Colombia)
Probable teams:
South Korea: 1-Jung Sung-ryong;
12-Lee Yong, 3-Yoon Suk-young, 5-Kim
Young-gwon, 20-Hong Jeong-ho;
16-Ki Sung-yeung, 14-Han Kook-
young, 17-Lee Chung-yong, 9-Son
Heung-min, 13-Koo Ja-cheol; 10-Park
Chu-young
Algeria: 23-Rais Mbolhi; 2-Madjid
Bougherra, 3-Faouzi Ghoulam, 5-Rafik
Halliche, 12-Carl Medjani; 14-Nabil
Bentaleb, 10-Sofiane Feghouli,
21-Riyad Mahrez, 22-Mehdi Mostefa,
19-Saphir Taider; 15-El Arabi Soudani
Key stats:
The only Arab nation present in
Brazil, Algeria scored their first World
Cup finals goal in 28 years in a 2-1 loss
to Belgium. Sofiane Feghouli con-
verted a spot kick in the 25th minute
to notch Algerias first since a 1-1 draw
against Northern Ireland in the 1986
tournament.
Algeria were the last African
qualifiers, beating Burkina Faso 1-0
in the second leg of their play-of to
advance on away goals after a 3-2
first-leg defeat.
South Koreas best finish at a World
Cup was fourth place in 2002 on
home soil. They became the first
Asian side to reach the semi-finals
after a run that saw them defeat Por-
tugal, Italy and Spain before falling to
Germanyin the last four.
This is the 30th World Cup match
contested by South Korea, who have
made more appearances in the event
than any other Asian team.
Previous meetings: The only meet-
ing between these two came in a
1985 friendly in Mexico won by South
Korea 2-0.
Factbox: BelgiumvRussia
Where: The Maracana stadium,
Rio, Capacity: 74,738
Possible teams:
Belgium: 1-Thibaut Courtois;
2-Toby Alderweireld, 4-Vincent
Kompany, 5-Jan Vertong-
hen, 15-Daniel Van Buyten;
7-Kevin De Bruyne, 22-Nacer
Chadli, 6-Axel Witsel, 19-Mousa
Dembele; 10-Eden Hazard,
9-Romelu Lukaku
Russia: 1-Igor Akinfeev; 14-Va-
sili Berezutskiy, 4-Sergey Igna-
shevich, 22-Andrey Eshchenko,
23-Dmitry Kombarov, 18-Yury
Zhirkov; 8-Denis Glushakov,
19-Alexander Samedov, 20-Vic-
tor Faizulin, 17-Oleg Shatov;
9-Alexander Kokorin
Key facts:
Though only playing in their
first finals since 2002, Belgium
came to the tournament as
bookmakers fifth favourites
behind Brazil, Argentina, Ger-
many and Spain.
After the break up the Soviet
Union, Russia have appeared at
two World Cup finals, failing to
make it out of the group stage
in 1994 and 2002.
Russia won seven of their 10
qualifiers to finish above Portu-
gal in their qualifying group.
Previous meetings:
The pair have met eight times,
including matches involving
the Soviet Union. Russia lead
the series 4-3, with one match
drawn.
This is their fifth meeting at
the World Cup, where each
side has claimed two victories
apiece. Their last meeting was
won 3-2 by Belgium in 2002.
Belgium coach Marc Wilmots is
his countrys all-time top scorer
at the World Cup with five
goals. The former midfielders
last strike came against Russia
in that 3-2 win in 2002.
PREVIEW: BELGIUM VS RUSSIA 7PM QATAR TIME
PREVIEW: SOUTH KOREA VS ALGERIA 10PM QATAR TIME
Gulf Times
Sunday, June 22, 2014 4
Ecuadors other Valencias
brace sinks Honduras
Tico-taka takes Costa Rica into last 16
Maradona slams FIFA over
Costa Rica doping scrutiny
Honduras go down 1-2 despite Costly scoring nations first World Cup goal in 32 years
Reuters
Curitiba, Brazil
E
nner Valencia struck twice to give Ec-
uador a 2-1 World Cup win over Hon-
duras on Friday and raise their hopes of
making the last 16, leaving the Hondu-
rans with only a rst nals goal since 1982 as
consolation.
France top group E with six points and a
healthy goal diference while Ecuador and
Switzerland each have three points. Honduras
have lost twice and are facing likely elimina-
tion.
Honduras, who have yet to win a World Cup
game in eight attempts, did at least have the
satisfaction of ending that 32-year barren run
when striker Carlo Costly drove home after 31
minutes to put them1-0 up.
However, striker Enner Valencia, no relation
to the more famous Ecuador captain Antonio
Valencia, is making a name for himself at this
tournament and put his team level three min-
utes later. Valencia slid in at the far post after
a shot from defender Juan Carlos Paredes was
deected across the face of goal.
Honduras thought they had taken the lead
again on the stroke of halftime. Costly head-
ed against the bar and his fellow striker Jerry
Bengtson bundled the rebound over the line
but his efort was rightly ruled out for handball
by Australian referee Benjamin Williams.
Valencia sealed an entertaining game with
a downward header from a freekick after 65
minutes, his third goal of the tournament to
the delight of thousands of yellow-shirted Ec-
uadorans in the southern Brazilian city of Cu-
ritiba.
Valencia, who spurned a clear chance when
the game was goalless, had the ball in the net
again in stoppage time but referee Williams
had blown for a foul and denied him a hat-
trick. The victory puts Ecuador back in with a
chance of progressing after their 2-1 defeat to
Switzerland in their rst game.
COACHES REUNION
Ecuador are coached by Reinaldo Rueda, who
was in charge of Honduras when they played
in the 2010 World Cup and found the reunion a
bittersweet occasion. The game went as pre-
dicted. I think we controlled Honduras well,
said Rueda, a Colombian. For me it is a mix of
emotions, the professional and the personal. To
play against these players, two teams with a lot
of character, he added.
His fellow Colombian Luis Fernando Suarez
is now coaching Honduras, having taken Ec-
uador to the second round of the tournament
in 2006, their best performance. Suarez said
that Honduras would keep ghting for survival
in their nal group game against Switzerland in
the heat of Manaus on Wednesday. If we are
eliminated, we will leave after giving every-
thing, he said. Ecuador now face the rampant
French in their last group game. France put on
an impressive display to beat Switzerland 5-2.
The France game is going to be very dif cult.
We have to focus onour game andhope we get a
positive result, said Rueda.
Ecuadors Enner Valencia (right) celebrates with team-mates after scoring a goal against Honduras at the Baixada arena in Curitiba, on Friday. (Reuters)
SPOTLIGHT
FOCUS BOTTOMLINE
AFP
Sao Paulo
C
osta Ricas ve-man back-
line and lightning counter-
attacks may look like a de-
fensive set-up but four goals
intwothrilling groupgames suggests
their tico-taka system could yet
take themdeep into the World Cup.
The early elimination of world
champions Spain has prompted
many observers to declare the death
of their tiki-taka style of play, in
which possession is paramount,
while counter-attacking teams are
ourishing inBrazil.
Realising they cannot compete
withthe worlds best players byplay-
ing a passing game, less-heralded
teams such as Costa Ricas Ticos are
choosing instead to focus on tight
defence and taking their chances
whenthey get them.
Faced with the attacking might
of former World Cup winners Uru-
guay and Italy, the Costa Ricans have
started both of their Group D games
with ve at the back and two hard-
working central midelders in Celso
Borges and YeltsinTejeda.
Their job is to close down attacks
before they begin and win the ball
back. Against Italy they gave Andrea
Pirlo a torrid time, limiting him to a
handful of forward passes and often
taking the ball of his toe before he
could gainpossession.
When the Costa Ricans do win the
ball, they do not just lump it forward
either. They seek to keep possession
in tight passing triangles while still
looking for a quick ball forward to
Joel Campbell, Bryan Ruiz or Chris-
tianBolanos.
When called upon, their fullbacks
have no problems pushing on and
joiningtheattack, andit was left back
Junior Diaz who provided the pin-
point cross for Ruiz to power home a
header of the underside of the cross-
bar inthe 1-0victory against Italy.

NOSURPRISE
Only once was the hard-working
defensive system exposed against
the Italians. With the Costa Ricans
caught high up the eld, the ball was
quickly worked to playmaker Pirlo,
whose sublime pass was wasted by
Mario Balotelli, who lobbed wide.
The only people not surprised by
their success in Brazil, where they
have won both of their group games
and have already qualied for the
knockout stages, are the Costa Ri-
cans.
But with the rest of the football
world nowaware of howthey set up,
the question is whether tico-taka
and the players that have imple-
mented it so well can cope with the
scrutiny.
For us its not a surprise, assist-
ant Costa Rica coach Paulo Wan-
chope toldReuters. We always knew
the great talent of the players that we
have, and we knew the great players
we were going to play against. The
only thing we need to concentrate on
is step-by-step, game-by-game.
Wanchope, who spent much of his
playing career as a striker inEngland,
is condent Los Ticos can continue
their successful march in Brazil but
stressed they are not looking too far
ahead.
We wonagainst two worldcham-
pions. Now we have England in the
next game. Well play that game to
winand thengo forward.
AFP
Sao Paulo
F
ootball legend Diego Maradona hit
out at FIFA after claiming seven of
Costa Ricas players were subjected
to post-match doping controls over
fears sponsors would not pay up if bigger
teams like Italyfailedtoget out of the group
stage at the WorldCupnals.
Costa Rica, who stunned South Ameri-
can champions Uruguay 3-1 last week,
qualied for the last 16 with a superb 1-0
win over four-time champions Italy in Re-
cife. In accordance with FIFA regulations,
twoplayers fromeachside underwent dop-
ing controls following the clash at Arena
Pernambuco. However ve other Costa
Rica players, unnamed in a report yester-
day, were also called to give samples. Ma-
radona, who was sent home fromthe 1994
WorldCupinthe UnitedStates after testing
positive for a cocktail of banned products
including ephedrine, said FIFAs decision
amountedtoalackof respect for therules.
The Argentinian also suggested the cen-
tral Americans had come under extra scru-
tiny because sponsors would not pay as
promised if more established teams like
Italy failedtogothrough.
Why test seven players fromCosta Rica
andnot sevenfromItaly ?saidMaradona.
According to Gazzettas report, FIFA
explained that, as well as the two play-
ers from each side normally scheduled for
post-match doping controls, ve Costa Ri-
can players were added to the list because
they were not available for pre-tournament
testing beforehand.
But Maradona said that explanation was
unsatisfactory: This is onlyhappeningbe-
cause some people are annoyed Costa Rica,
andnot the big teams, are going through(to
the next round), and so the sponsors wont
pay what theydpromised(topay).
Costa Rican fans celebrate after their teams win in San Jose. (AFP)
Costa Ricas central midfielder Celso Borges (right) and Claudio Marchisio of
Italy vie for the ball at the Arena Pernambuco in Recife, Brazil. (EPA)
Curitiba, Brazil: Hondurass first World Cup goal
in more than three decades was all for noth-
ing, coach Luis Fernando Suarez said after his
side surrendered the lead and went down 2-1 to
Ecuador in Group E on Friday.
Honduras, who last scored at a World Cup
finals at the 1982 edition in Spain, took a surprise
lead in Curitiba thanks to Carlo Costlys 31st-
minute strike which ensured that Honduras just
avoided breaking Bolivias unwanted record run
of 517 minutes without a World Cup goal.
However, two goals from Ecuador forward En-
ner Valencia secured a comeback success that
kept the South Americans hopes of making the
second round alive and condemned Honduras
to likely elimination.
The first goal in 32 years? Its not worth talk-
ing about, Suarez said. We lost and thats the
only thing that matters, added the Colombian,
who led Ecuador to the last 16 of the 2006 World
Cup in Germany where they lost 1-0 to England.
This goal after so many years, it wasnt worth
so much because we lost.
Suarez said Honduras would give it their all
in their final group game against Switzerland in
Manaus on Wednesday but appeared resigned
to elimination from a group in which France look
certain to finish top with the Swiss and Ecuador
fighting it out for second.
France thrashed Switzerland 5-2 earlier on
Friday and beat Honduras 3-0 in their open-
ing game and top the group on six points, with
Switzerland and Ecuador level on three.
The worst would have been to be eliminated
already, Suarez said. Well try as we always do.
As long as there is a chance in these finals we
wont give up.
We need to bow out on a high note. If you
dont try everything it will play on your con-
science forever. We dont want that to happen
when we leave the World Cup.
Rare Honduras goal counts for nothing, says coach
MATCH STATS
HONDURAS ECUADOR
1 Goals scored 2
16 Total shots 8
9 Shots on target 5
4 Corners 12
1 Ofsides 1
15 Fouls committed 17
2 Yellow cards 3
0 Red cards 0
49% Ball possession 51%

GROUP E STANDINGS
P W D L F A Pts
France 2 2 0 0 8 2 6
Ecuador 2 1 0 1 3 3 3
Switzerland 2 1 0 1 4 6 3
Honduras 2 0 0 2 1 5 0
Carlo Costlys strike ensured Honduras just
avoided breaking Bolivias unwanted record run
of 517 minutes without a World Cup goal.
5
Gulf Times
Sunday, June 22, 2014
English Press slam smiling World Cup idiots
AFP
London
E
ngland were left looking like
smiling idiots just happy to be
at the party, Britains newspa-
pers said yesterday after their
humiliating early exit from the World
Cup was conrmed.
With Englands tournament in Bra-
zil overCosta Ricas 1-0 win over
Italy on Friday making their survival
mathematically impossible after two
defeatsthe press began casting about
for scapegoats.
Newspapers vented anger at the
Football Association, the national gov-
erning body, for giving manager Roy
Hodgson the green light to carry on in
charge -- 35 minutes before England
went crashing out of the tournament.
The Daily Mail said it was bloody
insulting for the FA to declare Hodg-
son safe in his job so quickly.
Greg Dyke, the erratic FA chairman,
decided it should be the very day for him
todeclarehis publicsupport for his man-
ager in what looks like a Sepp Blatter-
esque displayof disengagedbufoonery.
He might as well have said: Who
cares about the fans anyway, Ill just
do what I want and sod the lot of you.
The paper added: This is as good
as it gets. This is what we must expect.
This is who we are now. The smiling
idiots just happy to be at the party.
Dyke talks blithely of winning a
World Cup in 2022 but his is an organi-
sation devoid of ambition.
The Daily Telegraph said the FA
should apologise to Englands fans.
They think its all over. It is now.
How those words haunt England, the
broadsheet said.
The national teams latest failure...
demands an apology from the FA, Roy
Hodgson and the players.
The fans did not expect much, but
they expected more than this; at least
givethemtheinevitablepainof penalties.
But this was humiliating, being turfed
out of this wonderful party before they
hadhardlytastedtheir rst caipirinha.
The Guardian said the familiar
search for scapegoats andanswerswas
under way as it tried to work out howto
apportion blame.
Englands biggest names failed to
ignite, it said.
Meanwhile the Premier League
paradoxits huge success as a global
product having squeezed the chances
of young English playersis only get-
ting worse.
The Times said there was a lesson to
be learned somewhere in the debacle,
and it was hard to argue that English
footballs structure was better than
Costa Ricas.
Some problems are not solved by
money, by state-of-the-art facilities,
by ooding the country with coaches,
it said.
Some problems, such as a failure to
conserve possession, are more deep-
rooted. Until those issues, cultural and
knotted, are solved, the country can
kiss any hope of success goodbye.
The Independent said the FA was us-
ing the only tactic it hadnt tried yet:
standing by an England boss.
However, Hodgson had the classic
demeanour of the diminished England
manager: the colour drained from his
skin and the grey FAsuit evoked an Eng-
lishness that owed more to (1990s prime
minister) JohnMajor thanJames Bond.
The Sun said it might be the end of
the WorldCup, but it was not the endof
the world, urging readers to sing Monty
Pythons Always Look on the Bright
Side of Life.
England exit
leaves Gerrard
heartbroken again
AFP
Sao Paulo
I
n the space of only 55 days, Eng-
land captain Steven Gerrard has
seen his dreams of late-career
glory with club and country
slither through his fingers in acutely
painful fashion.
After the trauma of Liverpools home-
straight collapse in the Premier League
title race, the 34-year-old met with fresh
heartbreak at the World Cup on Friday
when Italys 1-0 loss to Costa Rica con-
demned England to an embarrassing
group-phase exit.
In an unfortunate harbinger of what
was to come, Gerrards words before
Englands 2-1 loss to Uruguay in Sao
Paulo on Thursday prophesied the mis-
ery that nowawaits himin the aftermath
of his sides elimination.
He spoke of a terrible, long, frustrat-
ing summer if we dont get it right and
said that early elimination from a major
tournament can take an awful long time
to get over.
It is not the rst time that Gerrards
words have returned to haunt him this
year.
Following a stirring 3-2 win over Man-
chester City on April 27 that left Liver-
pool on course for the Premier League
title, he was caught on camera passion-
ately rallying his team-mates with the
cry: This does not slip!
Two weeks later, it was a freak slip
from Gerrard that let in Chelsea striker
Demba Ba for a goal that decisively took
the momentum in the title race away
fromAneld and back towards City.
In another unfortunate case of deja
vu, Gerrard was twice the source of Eng-
lands undoing against Uruguay.
He supplied plenty of assists for Luis
Suarez over the course of the Premier
League campaign, but the Uruguayan
could not have expected his club-mates
generosity to continue in Brazil.
Gerrard was at fault for both of Sua-
rezs goals at the Corinthians Arena,
giving the ball away in the build-up to
his rst and then inadvertently icking
a long punt from Uruguay goalkeeper
Fernando Muslera into his path for the
second.
They were head-in-hands moments
to rank alongside the blind back-pass
to Frances Thierry Henry at Euro 2004,
which allowed Zinedine Zidane to score a
decisive injury-time penalty, and his un-
successful spot-kick in the quarter-nal
shootout against Portugal at the 2006
World Cup.
Reborn as a deep-lying organiser, Ger-
rard enjoyed something of an Indian sum-
mer in the 2013-14 season, but whereas
he benets fromthe support of two other
central midelders in Liverpools 4-3-3
system,inBrazil hehasbeenoverburdened.
In England manager Roy Hodgsons
4-2-3-1, Gerrard has had only club-mate
Jordan Henderson for company in the
mideld engine room and against Uru-
guay it left himlooking his age.
The captain was at fault for both of Suarezs goals in the match against Uruguay
AFP
Sao Paulo
E
ngland manager Roy
Hodgson believes that
there are exciting times
ahead for his youth-
ful squad despite overseeing
his countrys first group-phase
elimination at a World Cup for
56 years.
Costa Ricas shock 1-0 win
over Italy in Recife on Friday
condemned England to a first-
round exit for the first time
since Just Fontaine and a teen-
age Pele were plundering goals
at the 1958 tournament in Swe-
den. After an unbeaten quali-
fying campaign and pre-com-
petition training camps that
Hodgson described as perfect,
Englands World Cup lasted just
six days, following consecutive
2-1 losses to Italy and Uruguay.
Bottom of Group D, England
now face the ignominy of play-
ing their final game against a
Costa Rica team who could elect
to rest players in preparation for
the last 16, and Hodgson made
no attempt to disguise his dis-
appointment.
Im very low, yes. So are the
players, he said.
We had high hopes, we
thought we could make an im-
pact. But unfortunately we
havent won the games. To
make an impact, youve got to
win games, and weve lost both
our games.
There was a sliver of good
news for Hodgson on Friday
when Football Association
chairman Greg Dyke announced
that the 66-year-old would be
allowed to see out his contract,
which runs until 2016.
Hodgson has blooded prom-
ising young players such as Ra-
heem Sterling and Ross Barkley
in Brazil and he backed them to
continue improving in the years
leading up to the 2016 European
Championship in France.
I believe the team going for-
ward will be a very good team,
he said.
I think there are good young
players. Even against Uruguay
we saw some good individual
performances and the young
ones that came on, even they
did quite well.
But results colour every-
thing. We played against a very
tough-tackling and strong, de-
fensive Uruguayan team.
I dont think theres any
need to have any doubts this
England group of players will go
on to do good things in the time
ahead.
He added: I think the team is
evolving. I think it will evolve,
of course.
Im proud of the way theyve
approached this tournament
and everything they put into it.
At the moment Im just devas-
tated they got nothing out of it.
Dyke recently published pro-
posals aimed at increasing the
dwindling number of England-
eligible players playing in the
Premier League, with caps on
non-European Union players
one of his initiatives.
Devastated
Hodgson clings to
England promise
England manager Roy Hodgson
VanPersie: Englandwereunlucky
Englandjobwouldinterest me
oneday, says Mourinho
London: The opportunity to manage
the England national team in the
future is something that Chelsea
boss Jose Mourinho would welcome
because he likes the country very,
very much. Roy Hodgsons side
were knocked out of the World Cup
in Brazil after Costa Rica beat Group
D rivals Italy 1-0 on Friday but Mour-
inho ruled out any prospect of taking
on the England job any time soon.
Asked if he would ever manage
England, the former Real Madrid,
Inter Milan and Porto coach told ITV
News: Yes. Not now, not seven years
ago when I had the chance.
I made the right decision then, my
wife helped me make the right deci-
sion, added Mourinho in a reference
to when his first spell at Chelsea
came to an end in 2007.
Not now. No way. Im too young, too
strong, have too much appetite to
train every day, to play every game,
to play three times a week. But I like
your country very, very much. I feel
at home, said Mourinho.
Of course the passport doesnt
change, the heart doesnt change.
Im Portuguese 100 percent.
Mourinho, who went back to Stam-
ford Bridge 12 months ago after
ending his three-year reign at Real,
said he was looking forward to see-
ing former Arsenal midfielder Cesc
Fabregas at Chelsea next season.
Fabregas, 27, whose Spain team have
also been eliminated from the World
Cup, joined the Londoners from
Barcelona earlier this month.
He is the kind of player we need,
not just for his qualities as a player
but also his competitive personality,
said Mourinho. He is a player in the
best years of his career, he knows
England well, he knows the Premier
League so he will not need time to
adapt. Chelsea failed to win a trophy
under Mourinho last season, finish-
ing third in the Premier League.
KEEPING FAITH SPOTLIGHT
BOTTOMLINE
Inanunfortunateharbinger of
what was tocome, Gerrards
words beforeEnglands 2-1 loss to
UruguayinSaoPauloonThursday
prophesiedthemiserythat now
awaits himintheafermathof his
sides elimination
Rio de Janerio: Manchester
Uniteds Dutch star Robin van
Persie expressed his sympathy
over Englands shock World
Cup exit.
I think its a shame, because
in my opinion England played
quite well, he said in Rio de Ja-
neiro. They were so unlucky.
Theres a thin line between
winning or losing, going
through or going home, he
said.
Van Persie showed support for
fellow United striker Wayne
Rooney, who has come under
heavy fire from critics over his
performances in three World
Cups.
Wayne was the reason why I
came to Manchester United, to
play with him, and I never re-
gretted that move, Van Persie
said. He showed me that hes a
world class player.
The Dutch forward noted,
however, that Rooney has been
the focus of media attention
since he emerged as a promis-
ing player, and that he does
not think the England striker
will be afected by the latest
criticism.
That is his life, Van Persie
said.
Still, he said, it would be grossly
unfair to blame Rooney for his
performances in Brazil. He as-
sisted Daniel Sturridge for Eng-
lands goal in their 2-1 defeat to
Italy and scored himself in their
2-1 defeat to Uruguay, as well
as missing several chances by
inches, Van Persie said.
Under fire: FA chief John Dyke.
Englands Gary Cahill (L) and Steven Gerrard react during their group D preliminary round match against Uruguay at the Arena Corinthians in Sao Paulo on Thursday.
Reuters
Belo Horizonte
A
s if early exit from the World
Cup in Brazil was not de-
pressing enough for Eng-
land, now they return to the
scene of their infamous loss to a team
of American amateurs six decades ago.
It was in Belo Horizonte, where the
current team play their last Group D
match against Costa Rica on Tuesday,
that then much-feared England lost
1-0 in 1950 to a feisty, blue-collar US
side in one of the World Cups greatest
ever upsets.
The English were known as the
kings of football at the time, so it was
a really black day for them, said US
author Geofrey Douglas, whose 1996
book The Game Of Their Lives is the
denitive version of what happened on
June 29, 1950.
I think it would be rubbing salt in
the wound to remind todays team of
what happened then, he told Reuters,
referring to the English gloom after
losses to Italy and Uruguay rendered
their upcoming game in Belo Horizonte
a meaningless farewell.
So cocky were the 1950 England
team before the game at the Independ-
ence Stadium versus the 500-1 against
supposed nobodies from the US that
they left out wing wizard Stanley Mat-
thews to be fresh for more illustrious
opponents later on.
The American lineup included a
postman, hearse-driver, wallpaperer
and various construction workers.
In front of about 10,000 spectators,
the match at rst appeared to be go-
ing to script as a talented team boast-
ing the likes of Stanley Mortensen, Alf
Ramsey and Tom Finney bombarded
the US goal with six shots in the open-
ing 12 minutes.
Then, in the 37th minute, the un-
thinkable happened.
New York dishwasher Joe Gaetjens,
playing up front for the Americans,
dived for a cross and saw the ball glance
of his head for a 1-0 lead. His team-
mates could barely believe it.
Some said the goal was a uke, com-
ing of the back of Gaetjens head with-
out him realising. It did not matter.
The English got a little mad about
that, chuckled team mate and de-
fender Harry Keough, reliving the mo-
ment in a FIFA lm. (To see it, log on to:
http://bit.ly/1npejb)
The rest of the game was backs to
the wall for the Americans, with goal-
keeper Frank Borghi coming time-
and-again to their rescue. The mainly
Brazilian crowd got behind the under-
dogs and, amazingly, they somehow
held on.
They (the English) dominated the
game completely... maybe 85-90 per-
cent, Keough said. England were
much better than us but that was one
day that doesnt happen very often.
There was no live coverage in those
days, so when the New York Times re-
ceived a wire with the result, a disbe-
lieving editor assumed it was a mistake
and left it out.
Legend also has it that some London
media assumed a digit was missing and
0-1 actually meant 10-1 to England.
Instead of returning as heroes after
the World Cup, the Americans had a
quiet homecoming to their wives and
friends. Some were docked pay and
one apparently lost his job due to their
absence in Brazil.
It was just so not on the map here,
added Douglas, an adjunct professor at
the University of Massachusetts.
These guys for thirty or so years
after the game never heard anything
more about it. They were blue-collar
guys who played soccer at the week-
end. They just played for pride and fun,
not the six- or seven-gure salaries of
today.
Call it sour grapes, but there was
controversy after the match. England
rst claimed they had a goal unfairly
disallowed, then complained three of
the Americans did not have citizen-
ship, including the Haitian-born goal-
scorer Gaetjens.
While the United States have come
a long way since those days, they re-
main outsiders at this years World
Cup despite a cracking start with a 2-1
win over Ghana in Group G. They face
tough games with Portugal today and
Germany on Thursday.
Although most football fans will
know the 1950 tournament for Uru-
guays famous win over hosts Brazil at
the Maracana that secured the trophy,
Americans will perhaps be seeking in-
spiration from a certain dishwasher
and his pals.
Gulf Times
Sunday, June 22, 2014 6
Dont mention 1950! England
head to scene of US upset
Spains Xavi and Xabi
Alonso say adieu to
international game
The American lineup included a postman, hearse-driver, wallpaperer and various construction workers.
SPOTLIGHT
BOTTOMLINE
DPA
Madrid
K
ey midelders Xavi Hernandez
andXabi Alonso are both poisedto
quit the troubled Spanish national
team, according to media reports
yesterday.
Neither veteran has yet announced it
publicly but they have reportedly conrmed
the news to friends and family.
Their last match for Spain, if picked, will
be the largely irrelevant World Cup Group
B game against Australia on Monday. The
reigning champions were the rst team to
be eliminated after painful defeats against
the Netherlands and Chile.
Xavi and Xabi were crucial to Spain cre-
ating a new record by winning three con-
secutive major international tournaments:
Euro 2008, the 2010 World Cup and Euro
2012.
They will be sorely missed. Two of the
key pillars of the historic side are leaving,
commented Radio Marca yesterday.
Xavi, 34, is also set to leave Barcelona,
in order to wind down his career in Qatar.
He has been the elegant fulcrum of Spains
highly successful tiki-taka short passing
style, since making his debut for La Roja in
2000. He has played 134 times for Spain,
scoring 13 goals. He was controversially
dropped by coach Vicente del Bosque for
Wednesdays do-or-die clash against Chile
following a dull display against the Dutch.
Xavi is the third inuential veteran to
quit Barcelona this summer, following goal-
keeper Victor Valdes and defender Carles
Puyol.
Xabi, 32, has been the defensive mideld
anchorman for Spain since 2005, playing
113 matches and scoring 16 goals.
He was critical of Spains World Cup
campaign, saying yesterday:
As a group we have been short of ten-
sion ... We had a great run, which made his-
tory and now, after this defeat, things will
change. Its a human question, weve had
a lot of success but staying at that level is
very tough. We need to cope with this pain-
ful defeat as well as we can.
It is also expected that veteran striker
David Villa - not yet used at the World Cup
- will also leave the team, after signing for
Australian club Melbourne City.
On the other hand, goalkeeper Iker
Casillas seems determined to continue for
La Roja despite poor displays against the
Netherlands and Chile.
Another veteran who reportedly wants
to continue for Spain is striker Fernando
Torres, despite being pushed onto the subs
bench at the World Cup by the Brazil-born
Diego Costa.
For his part, del Bosque said on Friday he
is debating whether to continue inthe jobor
not, saying:
If I amthe problem, then I will go.
Spains goalkeeper Iker Casillas (L) and midfielders Javi Martinez (C) and Xavi Hernandez
talk during a training session in Curitiba yesterday.
Picture at left shows Joe Gaetjens scoring for USA against England in the 1950 World Cup. At top, Gaetjens being carried of
the field by Brazilian fans after the match.
Cup TV
coverage
breaks
host of
records
Reuters
Sao Paulo
J
apans clash against Ivory
Coast was one of the most
viewed games of the 2014
World Cup so far as televi-
sion coverage shattered a host of
records during the rst round of
group matches, FIFA said on Fri-
day.
As many as 34.1 million view-
ers in Japan watched the teams
2-1 defeat by the Ivorians on the
NHKchannel at 10amlocal time,
while 42.9 million in Brazil saw
the hosts beat Croatia 3-1 in the
tournaments opener on TVGlo-
bo. The match between the US
and Ghana was watched by 11.1
million on ESPN in the United
States, setting a new record for
ESPN coverage of a mens World
Cup match.
These record-breaking g-
ures showjust howpopular foot-
ball and the FIFA World Cup is
across the world, from Japan to
Argentina, said FIFA TV direc-
tor Niclas Ericson.
We are seeing highly encour-
aging growth in interest in mar-
kets such as the United States
and Australia.
Englands 2-1 defeat by Italy in
the Amazon city of Manaus at-
tracted 14.2 million on BBC 1 in
the UK and 12.8 million on RAI 1,
the highest TVaudiences in both
countries in 2014.
Germanys ARD channel had
26.4 million watching the coun-
trys 4-0 win over Portugal.
FOCUS
AFP
Paris
T
he French press
hailed their countrys
breathtaking per-
formance after they
recorded their second consec-
utive victory at the 2014 World
Cup, beating Switzerland 5-2
on Friday. Following their 3-0
victory over Honduras in the
rst round of matches, Les
Bleus blew away their neigh-
bours Switzerland in a match
which LEquipe described as
a magical display and fea-
tured a side which has all the
weapons to become one of the
star teams at this World Cup.
The victory came four years
to the day after the French
World Cup squad went on
strike in South Africa and puts
themon the brink of qualica-
tion for the second round.
For LEquipe the French
teams triumph was breath-
takingandmarkedthe anni-
versary by burying (the mem-
ory) once and for all.
The euphoria that they
have created is proportional to
what they showed with their
desire, commitment, gener-
osity, enjoyment and audac-
ity, wrote Fabrice Jouhaud in
the French sports daily. Make
the most of this moment, he
added, as France played in a
way we have so rarely seen in
the last 10 years. Switzerland
conceded just six goals in their
qualication for the nals, but
the papers front page said that
Switzerland were blown away
by the attacking verve of the
French side.
Until now, argued col-
umnist Vincent Duluc, eve-
rything has gone well. Very,
very well.
Impressive was the
verdict of Le Parisien, who
claimed that France had
opened up new horizons,
claiming that we have not felt
such enjoyment since 1998,
when Les Bleus won the com-
petition on home soil.
After this performance,
the paper continued, there is
nothing we cant dreamof.
France has rediscovered
a team which is capable of
continuing the good times and
bringing success, it added
Liberation said Didier Des-
champs side blew open the
bank in a match where they
obliterated their opponents,
while for Le Figaro, the result
came as as a slight suprise.
We expected a tight match,
as did the Swiss. This was an
explosive encounter the like of
which the French teamhavent
delivered for a long time.
Elsewhere, the regional
Courrier Picard newspaper
hailed the French side as ir-
resistable, while la Nouvelle
Republique du Centre Ouest
and La Provence were categor-
ic, branding the French teamas
euphoric.
French press hail
breathtaking
performance
against Switzerland
PRAISE
Thevictorycame
four years tothedayafer
theFrenchWorld
Cupsquadwent on
strikeinSouthAfrica
7
Gulf Times
Sunday, June 22, 2014
Security to be stepped up at all 12 venues
DPA
Rio de Janeiro
W
orld Cup security will
be stepped up at all 12
venues, the ruling body
FIFA said on Friday
night after meetings with local or-
ganizers (LOC) and Brazilian state
authorities.
Private and public forces will see re-
enforcements, with Rio de Janeiro au-
thorities saying earlier in the day that
their personnel will be strengthened
by 600 ofcers for the next game at the
Maracana between Belgiumand Russia
today.
The measures were taken after
some 300 Chilean fans tried to force
entry without tickets for the match
against Spain on Tuesday via the Ma-
racana media centre, leading to 87 ar-
rests.
Fridays meeting was between repre-
sentatives fromthe ministry of justice,
the ministry of defence, the ministry of
sport, FIFAand the LOC.
All parties reafrmed the integrated
security concept and made a detailed
analysis of the operations at the stadia,
a statement said.
As a result of this evaluation, it was
decided to reinforce security in the
stadia perimeters (both physically and
with personnel) and to increase the
presence of public security on access
control points (mag & bags) as well as
private security (stewards) inside the 12
stadiums.
No numbers of the added personnel
was given. State authorities are respon-
sible outside the stadium perimeter,
while footballs ruling body FIFA and
the World Cup organizing committee
have stewards inside.
The Chile v Spain game was safe-
guarded by 1,037 stewards and 3,000
state security forces.
Earlier Friday, Rio ofcials an-
nounced the additional 600 ofcers
and a reworked security concept.
The measures will apply for todays
game, they said. The numbers may
change again for upcoming matches at
the Maracana, including the July 13 -
nal. Todays game is not considered a
high-risk game.
The Estado de Sao Paulo paper said
on its website Friday that the army
contingent will also be strengthened
for the final, mainly to protect the
heads of state and their entourage,
but also positioned in strategic areas
around the city. The South American
teams of Chile and Argentina have by
far the biggest number of fans in Bra-
zil, with tens of thousands following
them.
Chile play the Dutch for first place
in group B on Monday in Sao Paulo
and will also at least play of round
of 16 game. On Wednesday, up to
100,000 Argentinians are expected
for their teams last game against
Nigeria in Porto Alegre, the closest
venue to Argentina some 1,000 kilo-
metres across the border. Some 30
Argentina fans were temporarily ar-
rested Sunday when they climbed a
wall to get into the Maracana for the
game with Bosnia.
Deep inside Brazils
jungle, its the World
Cup in paradise
DPA
Manaus

A
few miles upriver on the
mighty Rio Negra from the
Amazon city of Manaus, some
members of an indigenous
tribe are painting their faces.
Usually this tribe daub their faces
and bodies with red and black paint in
intricate geometric designs. But on this
bright afternoon, the designs are dif-
ferent: the red, green and white of the
Italian ag.
Here in Brazil, World Cup fever
reaches deep into the Amazon jungle,
and the locals do everything they can to
watch every game, even though the vil-
lage generator works for only four hours
a day.
In this case, the task is made easier
by the fact that a German man lives in
the village. Christian Blankenhorn, 41,
moved there in September 2010 after he
met Gisselle Umussy, the daughter of
the chief, while visiting as a tourist.
Now he spends three months a year
there with his wife and two-year-old
daughter Luna Whissu. The rest of the
year he travels the world as an engineer
for Airbus. The village is primitive, but
Blankenhorn has built a primitive hut
complete with 2kw solar panels and a
at screen TV, which he insists is only
used to watch the Copa.
I dont want her watching those
crappy adverts, he says, pointing to
his daughter. She already speaks three
languages, Portugese, Tucana, the lo-
cal Indian dialect, and also understands
English. She is also uent in handling a
smartphone, which she casually plays
with as her dad talks.
When the tourist boats come many
of the villagers still wear their tradi-
tional grass skirts and headdresses, and
the women and young girls dont wear
shirts and paint their breasts.
The setting is idyllic. Huts made of
crudely sawn lumber, and a few of brick
dot a green hillside above the rust-col-
oured waters of the Rio Negra, where
the river is more than 10km wide. Be-
hind the village, and across a dirt patch
which serves as a football pitch, a net-
work of this trails lead into the thick
jungle.
Locals never venture in without a
good machete for protection. The jun-
gle is filled with monkeys, wild boar,
snakes and jaguars and even if you
step in just a few metres the sound of
birds fills the air. The river and lagoon
have crocodiles, but Blankenhorn has
never heard of them attacking anyone.
Theres more danger of stepping on a
nail or a piece of glass, he says, add-
ing that the streets of Berlin are more
dangerous than the jungle. In a large
thatched roof communal building
the tribespeople perform traditional
dances for the visitors and sell them
headdresses and bead necklaces. In
the final dance the tribesmen invite
the lady tourists to join them, and the
indigenous women take the hands of
the male tourists. It sounds corny but
it creates an unforgettable moment for
the visitors and forms a strong bond.
Some outsiders might lament that
the traditional ways are disappearing.
But its hard to begrudge these peo-
ple the minimal comforts that western
technology can bring.
Blankenhorn is also torn by the
seeming contradiction in his life, and
struggles with how he will educate his
young daughter. He wants her to be
educated, he says, but most important
she must have her roots xed here. She
is an Indian and she must always know
that. He is charmed by the simple ways
of the village, the unwritten laws that
govern the community, and the simple
way of life.
You are married when the chief says
you are. The Indian law is not written.
Its protected by the people. Its in their
mind. But he also recognizes that some
villagers nd it hard to adapt to modern
ways, littering the jungle with their
trash, and outstaying their welcome at
his house if he ofers them food.
But Blankenhorn knows that he must
help them deal with the modern world
after thousands of years in which such
simple concepts as money were not
known to them. He has taught them
how to save money by organizing their
shopping trips so that they can share a
river taxi to the city every two weeks.
An Italian woman who is married to
the chiefs son is doing her doctorate on
cataloguing the designs of their handi-
crafts, recording Chief Raymondos
stories and medicines, and helping or-
ganize their economy so that they can
integrate tourism with their traditional
way of life.
She sits with her husband and ex-
tended family in Blankenhorns hut as
Italy play Costa Rica. She is working
on her dissertation on her MacBook,
while her husband chops a small piece
of wood with a machete for a headdress
and chief Raymondo sits in a hammock
chair and saws another piece of wood.
Its a typical family scene. Its the
World Cup in paradise.
They may not have regular electricity, but indigenous villagers are still crazy about the event
Life is a beach: Brazilian youths play soccer at the Ponta Negra beach in the Amazon city of Manaus.
SPOTLIGHT
BOTTOMLINE
For a
Brazil
family,
fve is not
enough
Reuters
Brasilia
B
razil have won a hand-
ful of WorldCups but for
one local family ve is
not enough.
Fourteen members of the Da
Silva family were born with six
ngers on each hand and six toes
on each foot thanks to a rare ge-
netic condition called polydac-
tyly.
The family, who live near the
capital, Brasilia, are staunchly
proud of their additional digits,
and say they believe they can
help the national team win their
sixth title in Rio de Janeiro next
month.
We are giving so much ener-
gy for Brazil to win the Cup, and
I believe this energy will flow
on to the pitch and they will
play really well and win their
sixth World Cup, 28-year-old
Ana Carolina Santos da Silva
told Reuters in the family home
Aguas Claras.
The family members sixth
ngers function exactly as the
others and do not hinder ac-
tivities like cooking, strumming
guitar or playing in goal.
Fifteen-year-old Joao de As-
sis da Silva sports the number
10 shirt that was worn by Brazil
great Pele and the teams cur-
rent young hope Neymar but he
wants to be a goalkeeper.
Everyone in Brazil loves foot-
ball and wants to be a footballer
as well when they grow up, he
said, kicking a ball around the lo-
cal basketball court with his two
young cousins.
Having six fingers has
helped me a lot playing foot-
ball. I can hold the ball more
easily, my hands are bigger than
other peoples so its easier to
reach up to get balls that go over
my head, he said, showing off
the impressive breadth of his
hands.
The rst recorded member of
the family to have six ngers was
Joaos great grandmother.
Some surviving female family
members with the trait have had
their sixth toe removed in order
to t into feminine shoes, but the
men have kept all six.
Far from fearing discrimina-
tion, grandmother Silvia Santos
da Silva says family members
born without the trait feel like
the odd ones out.
My father always lookedupon
this as something natural and for
us, people with ve ngers are
the ones that are abnormal. For
example, my grandson who has
ve ngers feels excluded from
the family, she laughed.
Brazil got of to a strong start
with an opening 3-1 win against
Croatia but were held to a 0-0
drawby feisty Mexico.
They play Cameroon in Brasil-
ia on Monday in their nal Group
A clash, and the Da Santoss will
be watching with their ngers
crossed that the national team
can go all the way.
FOCUS
AFrenchsupporter (2ndR) gestures
as heis escortedofthefeldby
securityafer invadingthepitchat
theendof aGroupEfootball match
betweenSwitzerlandandFrancein
Salvador onFriday.
State authorities are
responsible outside the stadium
perimeter, while footballs
ruling body FIFA and the World
Cup organizing committee have
stewards inside
Someoutsiders might lament
that thetraditional ways are
disappearing. But its hardto
begrudgethesepeoplethe
minimal comforts that western
technologycanbring
Beltrans homer lifs
Yankees past Orioles
Agencies
New York
C
arlos Beltrans career
has been full of ex-
traordinary moments,
but his rst fewmonths
as a Yankee had been rather av-
erage. He sustained an elbow
injury that kept him out of the
lineup for 21 games. His batting
average had hovered around
.200for most of the season. The
three-year, $45 million contract
he signed this past of-season
was appearing to be another re-
grettable decision the Yankees
had made with an aging player.
But the tone of Beltrans sea-
son, and perhaps the Yankees
season as well, quickly changed
with his three-run, game-win-
ning homer Friday night against
the Baltimore Orioles to help
the Yankees to a 5-3 win.
With Beltrans help, the Yan-
kees have now won four con-
secutivegames andhaveclimbed
to a season-high six games over
.500. It was a tremendous at-
bat anda tremendous winfor the
team,Manager Joe Girardi said.
The Yankees were having
a frustrating night until the
ninth. They loaded the bases in
the second, fth and sixth in-
nings against the Orioles starter
Ubaldo Jimenez, who tied a ca-
reer highwithsixwalks. But they
could not score a run in any of
those innings. The Yankees were
trailing, 3-1, and had stranded 11
runners entering the ninth.
They appeared ready to strand
another when Derek Jeter struck
out and Jacoby Ellsbury ied out
to center eld after Brett Gard-
ner singled of Zach Britton to
leadof the bottomof the inning.
Britton entered Fridays game
rst in the American League,
with a 0.72 earned run average
as a reliever. But then he walked
MarkTeixeira andalloweda run-
scoring single to Brian McCann,
which brought up Beltran.
Since his return fromthe dis-
abled list on June 5, Beltran was
hitting .182 with only one home
run. But in the past few days,
Beltran had begun to feel more
comfortable with his swing. He
was hitting the ball harder than
he had in weeks.
On a 3-1 count Friday, Brit-
ton threw a 96-mile-per-hour
fastball that Beltran sent deep
into the left-eld stands. It was
only the second home run Brit-
ton had allowed this season.
When you feel good at the
plate, you want to be in that
spot, Beltran said. When
youre not swinging the bat
well, you dont want to be in
that spot. Thank God the past
couple of days Ive been feel-
ing more comfortable at the
plate. Ive been putting good
at-bats together. And I just felt
condent that I was going to do
something positive.
I know hes a tough pitcher,
ball with a lot of movement. I
just told myself to get something
up in the strike zone. Once I was
in3-1, thats a hitters count, and
I have to be able to be aggressive
and get a good pitch to hit.
Beltran quickly ran around the
bases, a big smile on his face as he
roundedthirdandheadedintothe
crowd of teammates waiting for
him at the plate.I think its im-
portant, Girardi said of what the
homer could mean for Beltrans
season. Its been somewhat of a
strugglesincehegot hurt. But you
can see him start to square some
balls up.The win saved Hiroki
Kuroda from what would have
been a tough-luck loss. He did
not allow a hit for ve innings
Friday and he appeared to be
an ace anew. This was vintage
Kuroda and not the veteran who
had seemed to age rapidly in
the past year. Kuroda has never
been young during his two-plus
year stint with the Yankees, but
this season, while his earnedrun
average reached career highs, he
appeared every bit his 39 years.
Yet even while Kuroda domi-
nated, the hopes of a no-hitter
appeared dashed when he ended
the fth inning having thrown
83 pitches. Before Friday, Kuroda
had thrown 100 or more pitches
only twice this season. His sea-
son-high pitch count last year
was 117, and that came as he was
beginning to fade later in the
season. This season, the Yankees
have hardly dared pushed Kuro-
da too far past 100pitches.
Fridays sixth inning showed
why. Kuroda allowed a lead-
of double to the light-hitting
Nick Hundley, who entered
Friday with a .147 average. Af-
ter securing a y ball out from
Nick Markakis, Kuroda allowed
consecutive run-scoring hits to
Steve Pearce and Adam Jones.
Chris Davis then followed with
a single before Kuroda retired
the next two batters. But by
then, his no-hitter and the Yan-
kees lead was gone.
BASEBALL
When you feel good at the plate, you want to be in that spot
Reuters
New York
T
iger Woods, out since
late March after having
back surgery, will return
to competitive golf at
next weeks Quicken Loans Na-
tional at Congressional Country
Club in Bethesda, Maryland, the
former world number one said
on Friday.
Woods said he expected to
be rusty but was excited to be
returning. Ive just started
to hit full shots but its time to
take the next step, Woods said
on his Facebook page. I will
be a bit rusty but I want to play
myself back into competitive
shape. Excited for the challenge
ahead. The June 26-29 PGA
Tour event is hosted by Woods
and benets the Tiger Woods
Foundation. I think everyones
surprised its next week be-
cause I dont think anyone had
a clue, but he knows his body
better than anybody, two-time
US Open champion Lee Janzen
told Golf Channel. But Woods
agent Mark Steinberg said, His
doctors and trainers have given
him the go ahead. He has been
listening to them every step of
the way. Woods last played a
competitive round on March 9
when he tweaked his back on
the nal day at the WGC-Ca-
dillac Championship in Miami
and nished ve over par for the
tournament, tying for 25th after
a closing 78.
Three weeks later he under-
went a procedure to alleviate a
pinched nerve in his back that
had troubled him for months.
Canadian golfer Graham De-
Laet had similar surgery in 2011.
It was a long road back for
me, DeLaet said. It took me
a full year before I really felt I
could compete out here. Im
sure hes got a great team around
him and he wouldnt be making
that decision if he didnt feel
healthy.
Woods missed this years rst
two majors, the Masters and US
Open, as he recovered and there
was speculationthat he couldalso
miss the years third major, the
July 17-20 British Open at Royal
Liverpool inHoylake, England.
The 38-year-old American
has missed six major champi-
onships due to injury, and he
remains stuck on his career tally
of 14 wins in golfs blue riband
events.Woods has not won on
the PGA Tour since a seven-
shot triumph at last Augusts
Bridgestone Invitational in
Ohio.
Rusty Woods will return to
competitive golf next week
SPOTLIGHT
AFP
Cromwell, Connecticut
A
merican Scott Langley
had eight birdies in a
ve-under 65 on Fri-
day to grab the second-
round lead in the US PGA Tours
$6.2 million Travelers Champi-
onship.
Langley, a 25-year-old seek-
ing his rst victory on the US
Tour, hadan11-under par total of
129 after two rounds on the TPC
River Highlands Course.
He was one stroke in front
of South Korean K J Choi and
Americans Michael Putnam and
Harris English. Putnams 63 was
the best round of the day, while
English carded a 64 and Choi a
65. I just had really good tem-
po, Langley said. The name of
the game out here is putting. I
puttedquite well. I feel condent
on the greens. My speed is pretty
well dialed in.
First-round leader Brendan
Steele was in a group on 131 af-
ter a second-round 69. He was
joined by fellowAmericans Ryan
Moore (68), Eric Axley (67) and
Jamie Lovemark (63).
Dustin Johnson was alone
in ninth place after his second
straight 66 for 132. Through the
rst two rounds, Johnson has
missed just six greens in regula-
tion and made a dozen birdies.
Im hitting the ball well, Im
getting good looks at the hole,
making some putts, Johnson
said. Langley, in his second sea-
son on the PGA Tour, is trying to
become the fth straight player
to make the Travelers Champi-
onship his rst tour win.
On Friday, he hit 13 of 14 fair-
ways in regulation and 16 of 18
greens. His eight birdies ofset a
bogey and a double-bogey.
Langley teed of on 10 and
birdied 11 and 12. He birdied 14
and 16 from within 10 feet and
picked up another stroke with a
birdie at one. After a three-putt
double-bogey at the second, he
responded with a birdie at the
next hole and sandwiched a bo-
gey at seven between birdies at
six and eight.
New York Yankees Carlos Beltran hits a walk of three-run home run against the Baltimore Orioles. PICTURE: USA TODAY Sports
Langley seizes slim
second-round lead
GOLF
RESULTS
Chicago Cubs .. 6 Pittsburgh ..... 3
Detroit ....................... 6 Cleveland ......4
NY Yankees..........5 Baltimore ....... 3
Atlanta ...................... 6 Washington 4
(13 innings)
Toronto ...................14 Cincinnati ......9
Miami .......................... 3 NY Mets .......... 2
Houston................... 3 Tampa Bay ....1
Seattle ........................ 7 Kansas City . 5
Minnesota .............5 White Sox ......4
Philadelphia ........5 St. Louis .............1
Milwaukee ...........13 Colorado ..... 10
Arizona .....................4 S Francisco ....1
LA Angels ..............7 Texas .................. 3
Oakland ...................4 Boston .............. 3
San Diego ............. 6 LA Dodgers 5
Blatt makes switch from
Euroleague to NBA
The Cleveland Cavaliers announced David Blatt as their new coach
on Friday, handing the 55-year-old a three-year contract to become
the first head coach to make the switch from the Euroleague to the
National Basketball Association (NBA).
Blatt, who resigned his post at Maccabi Tel Aviv last week, is the
Cavs third coach in as many years, where he will be handed the task
of leading them back into the playofs after a four-year hiatus since
the departure of LeBron James. David is a great basketball coach
and a special person, Cavaliers general manager David Grifin said
of the Boston-born Blatt in a statement.
His abilities to communicate, to build relationships with his players
and to foster winning environments at several stops throughout
Europe and across the highest levels of international competition
speaks for itself.
He brings unbridled passion, energy and creativity to his craft.
These qualities have enabled David to reach a level of success that
is truly unique. I have watched Davids work for many years. He has
an uncanny ability to adapt his system to maximize the talents of his
teams year after year. That is why I am very confident he will make a
smooth transition to the NBA.
SPORT
Gulf Times
Sunday, June 22, 2014 8
Wie surges three clear afer
second straight 68
Michelle Wie stamped her
authority on the US Womens
Open at the halfway stage
when she raced into a three-
shot lead over fellow American
Lexi Thompson after the sec-
ond round in Pinehurst, North
Carolina on Friday.
On a day when 11-year-old
Lucy Li played respectably but
missed the cut, former child
prodigy Wie birdied her final
two holes, rolling in a curling
15-footer at the last with her
stooped cross-handed putting
style for a second consecutive
two-under-par 68 at Pinehurst
No 2 Course.
She posted a four-under 136
total, while Thompson also
shot 68 to end the day the only
other player under par, setting
the stage for a possible battle
with Wie for the second suc-
cessive major.
Thompson won the Kraft
Nabisco Championship in April,
while Wie finished second after
the pair started the final round
tied for the lead. First round
leader, American Stacy Lewis,
carded 73 to slip four strokes
behind with South Korean
Yang Amy (69) and Australian
amateur Minjee Lee (71).
Yesterday I was thinking if I
just did this again, that would
be nice, Wie told reporters.
Its a grind out there. (Im)
really grateful for the par putts
that I made and some of the
birdie putts that I made.
Wie, 24, has been playing in the
US Open since 2003, so she
understands that the halfway
lead does guarantee anything.
Being in contention, having
the clubhouse lead for now,
Im just really excited for the
weekend, she continued.
I think the US Open as an
American is one of the most
important tournaments, but
at the same time Sunday is a
very, very long time, far away.
LI HAPPY
Wie has been in the public
eye for more than a decade.
In 2004, she came within
one stroke of making the cut
against the men on the PGA
Tour at the Sony Open in
Hawaii. Her career stalled for a
few years, but this season she
is second behind Lewis on the
LPGA money list thanks to a
victory and a bunch of top 10
finishes.
Long-hitting Thompson reeled
of three successive birdies on
her back nine to vault up the
leaderboard. Today went very
well for me, Thompson said.
I didnt really get stressed out
about the bad shots, just went
to the next one.
Li, meanwhile, was far from
overawed on the biggest stage
of her young life as she carded
a second straight 78 that
included a triple and a double
bogey. Im really happy with
how I bounced back from
those big numbers, said Li, the
second youngest player ever
to compete in a U.S. Womens
Open.
Keegan Bradley of the United States studies his putt during the
second round of the Travelers Championship golf tournament at the
TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Connecticut, yesterday. (AFP)
Massa on pole as
Williams celebrate
Austrian sweep
AFP
Vienna
W
illiams driver Felipe
Massa secured his
rst pole position
in six years yester-
day, setting up an exciting duel
with Mercedes for todays Aus-
trian Grand Prix.
The 33-year-old Brazil-
ian outpaced the competition
with a fastest lap of one minute
and 08.759 seconds in the dy-
ing minutes of the qualifying
round, to take his 16th career
pole, 0.087 seconds ahead of
teammate Valtteri Bottas.
Massa deprived Mercedess
current championship leader
Nico Rosberg of a third suc-
cessive pole position, leaving
the German trailing by 0.185
seconds with the third fastest
time.
Im so happy with whats
happened today with us, our
team. Its such a great moment.
Its been a long time since I had
my last pole position, which
was in Brazil in 2008, Massa
said after the qualifying round.
For sure we need to concen-
trate on the race tomorrow, its
a very dif cult, important race
for us. But I think its a great
moment, he added.
Bottas, who achieved his best
ever result on Saturday, was
similarly ecstatic: Its a great
achievement. Of course its
only Saturday but I am really
looking forward to tomorrow.
Mercedes and Williams had
already dominated the three
practice sessions at the Red
Bull Ring this weekend.
But Rosberg and 2008 cham-
pion Lewis Hamilton had to
watch Massa and Bottas speed
ahead on the 4.3-kilometre
track.
Hamilton, a four-time Grand
Prix winner this season, even-
tually nished in ninth place.
I denitely didnt expect
Williams to be ahead of me
today but they did a good job,
Rosberg conceded.
Still, he remained in ght-
ing spirit ahead of todays race,
which sees the return of the
Austrian Grand Prix after an 11-
year absence.
Third place is ok. I have a
cool car for the race tomorrow
so everythings possible, said
this years Australian and Mo-
naco Grand Prix winner.
I will do my best. It was
a strong performance (from
Massa and Bottas) but I think
I can be faster in the race. So
well see... I think I have good
chances.
Ahead of this weekend, it
was Red Bullfresh from tak-
ing rst and third places at the
Canadian Grand Prixthat
were widely expected to set up
an exciting duel with the cur-
rent leaders.
But the Austrian team has
struggled in Spielberg despite
racing on home turf. Germanys
Sebastian Vettel barely made it
past the rst qualifying round
with just the 15th fastest time
and then succumbed in the
second round, a far cry from his
championship winning form in
the past four seasons.
Teammate Ricciardo mean-
while improved his times yes-
terdaynishing qualifying
with the fth fastest timebut
still failed to match his per-
formance from Montreal when
he won his rst ever Grand Prix.
Already after the rst prac-
tice sessions, Red Bulls driv-
ers admitted they would not be
going into Sundays race as the
favourites, with Mercedes too
strong at the moment.
Except for Montreal two
weeks ago, Mercedes have
enjoyed a near-perfect sea-
son, winning the rst six rac-
es, allowing them to build a
119-point lead in the construc-
tors standings ahead of Red
Bull.
Facing a new track this week-
end that included some tricky
turns, several driversinclud-
ing Hamilton and Alonsosaw
times disallowed yesterday af-
ter going too far of course.
Force Indias Sergio Perez
will meanwhile drop ve plac-
es on the grid for his horric
crash with Massa in Montreal
two weeks ago. Marussias Max
Chilton also has a three-point
grid penalty for causing a col-
lision in Canada and will start
at the back.The last Austrian
Grand Prix winner in 2003 was
seven-time champion Michael
Schumacher.
FORMULA ONE
For sure we need to concentrate on the race tomorrow, its a very dificult, important race for us
Agencies
Epping, New Hampshire
C
lear, cool weather con-
ditions generally mean
quick runs and very
fast speeds for Top
Fuel dragsters, but the Qatar
Al-Anabi Racing Top Fuel team,
the three-time and defend-
ing NHRA Mello Yello Top Fuel
World Champions owned by His
Excellency, Sheikh Khalid bin
Hamad al-Thani, has not yet
found the combination to take
advantage of the nearly perfect
racing conditions.
Al-Balooshi is ninth while
Shawn Langdon is 15th after
the rst day of qualifying for
the second annual Auto-Plus
NHRA New England Nation-
als, the 11th of 24 events that
make up the United States 2014
NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing
Series season.
Situated some 60 miles north
of Boston, New England Drag-
way draws tremendous crowds
of race fans that pack the grand-
stands to watch the 8,000
horsepower Top Fuel dragsters
reach speeds in excess of 320
mph. Al-Balooshi was on a bril-
liant pass in the rst qualifying
round Friday afternoon, but the
car was a touch too aggressive
and smoked the tires in the mid-
dle of the run.
Inthe evening session, the gold
Al-Anabi car madeasmooth, sol-
id run at 3.819-seconds at nearly
321 mph much to the delight of
the NewEngland race fans.
So far so good for the Al-
Anabi team this weekend,
al-Balooshi said. We are not
where we want to be yet, but we
have two more runs to get better.
The weather is cool so I know
Jason (crew chief Jason McCul-
loch) and everyone else on our
team will work their hardest to
have us ready to race on Sunday.
I am sure we can improve our
qualifying position.
On the silver side of the Al-
Anabi pit area, reigning NHRA
Mello Yello Top Fuel World
Champion Shawn Langdon is
currently 15th in the qualify-
ing order. In the rst round,
Langdons silver Al-Anabi car
launched perfectly and appeared
headed to an excellent result be-
fore a mechanical failure forced
Langdon to abort the run.
In the Friday-evening round,
the silver Al-Anabi team put an
aggressive tune-up in the car
to take advantage of the cool
air and go for the No 1 quali-
er. Unfortunately, the tune-up
was too aggressive, and the Al-
Anabi car smoked the tires. Like
his teammate, Langdon has two
more chances to improve his
qualifying position.
We were going for it, but it
didnt work out, Langdon said.
The conditions were right to
run some great numbers, and we
wanted to get the No 1 qualier
for Sheikh Khalid and everyone
on the Al-Anabi team. We just
got a little bit too aggressive and
smoked the tires, but well do
our best to improve our position
and be ready to go on race day.
Al-Anabi Racing operates out
of multiple locations in both the
United States and Qatar. In the
United States, the Brownsburg,
Ind.-based operation is a two-
car NHRA Mello Yello Drag Rac-
ing Series team that is managed
by Alan Johnson Racing.
Sheikh Khalids initiative
has created increased interna-
tional awareness of the State
of Qatar while highlighting the
nations international sports
outreach. Alan Johnson is a 15-
time NHRA champion in vari-
ous capacities including crew
chief, team owner and team
manager.
Al-Balooshi leads Al-Anabi Racing Top Fuel team
DRAG RACING
AFP
Jakarta
T
op shuttler Lee Chong
Wei was knocked out
of the Indonesia Open
in the semi-nals yes-
terday in a shock loss to fourth-
seed Kenichi Tago of Japan.
The Malaysian could not keep
up with Tago in the rst game,
making unforced errors and
placing the shuttle wide of the
sidelines.
Tago played better and more
aggressively today, Lee said.
After dominating the second
game, lee lost control again as
Tago bagged the match with a
cool 21-16, 15-21, 21-16.
It was a good day for under-
dogsin the mens other semi
Jan O Jorgensen defeated sec-
ond-seedChenLong fromChina
while Thailands Ratchanok In-
tanon of Thailand knocked out
second-seed Wang Shixian in
the womens singles.
Intanon lost the rst game
against Wang but claimed the
next two from the 24-year-old,
ending 19-21, 21-16, 21-13 in a
match consisting of riveting long
rallies.
The Thai player reached deep-
er down the court than Wang
did, proving the faster and more
precise, despite several sharp
smashes fromWang that left In-
tanon on her knees.
Im so happy today to win
after I lost six times to her. I
played lots of rally points while
Wang played lots of mistakes.
I think my defence and attacks
were good today, Intanon said
through a translator.
In a second unexpected win,
Jorgensen of Denmark beat Chi-
nas Chen Long in the mens sin-
gles, 21-19, 21-18.
This was awesome. Amaz-
ing support. It was my rst win
against Chen Long and its in
Indonesia. I cant ask for more.
Imreally happy,anecstatic Jor-
gensen said after the match.
China had better luck in the
womens singles, with world
number one Li Xuerui defeating
Thailands Nichaon Jindapon,
21-19, 21-10.
It was quite dif cult to face
her in the rst game, but I had
it pretty easy in the second. Im
optimistic I can beat Ratchanok
Intanon and win the nal again,
Li said. To Indonesian fans dis-
appointment, Chinas Xu Chen
and Ma Jin had the home teams
Tontowi Ahmad and Liliyana
Natsir scrambling in the mixed
doubles after their rst game
win, ending 18-21, 21-12, 21-15.
The Indonesians made several
unforced errors and at one point
lost eight consecutive points.
The hosts have just one hope
for glory in the nals, with mens
pair Mohammad Ahsan and
Hendra Setiawan knocking out
Koreas Kim Ki Jung and Kim
Sa Rang 17-21, 21-13, 21-10, to
meet Lee Yong Dae and Yoo Yeon
Seoung in todays nal.
(LtoR) Third placed Mercedes German driver Nico Rosberg, first placed Williams Brazilian driver Felipe Massa and second placed Williams Finnish
driver Valtteri Bottas pose after the qualifying session of the Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg, Austria yesterday. (AFP)
RESULTS
RESULTS
Mens singles
Jan O. Jorgensen (DEN) bt
Chen Long (CHN) 21-19, 21-18
Kenici Tago (JPN) bt Lee
Chong Wei (MAS) 21-16, 15-21,
21-16
Womens singles
Ratchanok Intanon (THA) bt
Wang Shixian (CHN) 19-21,
21-16, 21-13
Li Xuerui (CHN) bt Nichaon
Jindapon (THA) 21-19, 21-10
Mens doubles
Lee Yong Dae (KOR)/Yoo Yeon
Seong (KOR) bt Fu Haifeng
(CHN)/Zhang Nan (CHN) 21-16,
23-21
Mohammad Ashan (INA)/
Hendra Setiawan (INA) bt Kim
Ki Jung (KOR)/Kim Sa Rang
(KOR) 17-21 21-13 21-10
Womens doubles
Tian Qing (CHN)/Zhao Yunlei
(CHN) Jung Kyung Eun (KOR)/
Kim Ha Na (KOR)
Ma Jin (CHN)/Tang Yuanting
(CHN) bt Jang Ya Na (KOR)/
Kim So Young (KOR) 22-20
22-20
Mixed doubles
Xu Chen (CHN)/Ma Jin (CHN)
bt Tontowi Ahmad (INA)/Liliya-
na Natsir (INA) 18-21, 21-12, 21-15
Joachim Fischer Nielsen
(DEN)/Christinna Pedersen
(DEN) bt Lee Yong Dae (KOR)/
Shin Seung Chan (KOR) 21-18,
21-15.
SPORT
9
Gulf Times
Sunday, June 22, 2014
Underdogs Tago,
Intanon make
Indonesia Open fnal
BADMINTON
Rod Higgins.
Kenichi Tago of Japan hits a return against Lee Chong Wei of
Malaysia during their single semi-final at the Indonesia Open in
Jakarta yesterday. (EPA)
Intheeveningsession, the
goldAl-Anabi carmadea
smooth, solidrunat 3.819-sec-
ondsat nearly321mphmuch
tothedelight of theracefans
STARTING GRID
1. Felipe Massa (Brazil) Williams-Mercedes
2. Valtteri Bottas (Finland) Williams-Mercedes
3. Nico Rosberg (Germany) Mercedes
4. Fernando Alonso (Spain) Ferrari
5. Daniel Ricciardo (Australia) RedBull-Renault
6. Kevin Magnussen (Denmark) McLaren
7. Daniil Kvyat (Russia) Toro Rosso-Renault
8. Kimi Raikkonen (Finland) Ferrari
9. Lewis Hamilton (Britain) Mercedes
10. Nico Huelkenberg (Germany) Force India - Mercedes
11. Jenson Button (Britain) McLaren
12. Sebastian Vettel (Germany) RedBull-Renault
13. Pastor Maldonado (Venezuela) Lotus-Renault
14. Jean-Eric Vergne (France) Toro Rosso-Renault
15. Romain Grosjean (France) Lotus-Renault
16. Sergio Perez (Mexico) Force India-Mercedes
17. Adrian Sutil (Germany) Sauber-Ferrari
18. Esteban Gutierrez (Mexico) Sauber-Ferrari
19. Jules Bianchi (France) Marussia-Ferrari
20. Kamui Kobayashi (Japan) Caterham-Renault
21. Marcus Ericsson (Sweden) Caterham-Renault
22. Max Chilton (Britain) Marussia-Ferrari
Qatar Al-Anabi Racing Top Fuel driver Khalid al-Balooshi makes his Friday-night
qualifying run in Epping, NewHampshire. PHOTO COURTESY: Gary Nastase.
I feel much better
than I did for
Wimbledon 2013
Reuters
London
A
year after having his
butt kickedat Wim-
bledon, a tter and
healthier Roger Fed-
erer was back at the All England
Club yesterday eager to kick
butt himself over the next fort-
night.
Little-known Ukrainian
Sergiy Stakhovsky enjoyedmore
than 15 minutes of fame after he
condemned the seven-times
champion to a brutal second-
round defeat last June.
That result not only ended
Federers remarkable run of
reaching 36 consecutive grand
slam quarter-nals or better
dating back to 2004, it was also
the rst time in eight years he
had lost to a rival ranked outside
the top 100.
Though he didnot let onthen,
the Swiss master now admits
the bewitching racket skills that
had wowed fans fromLondon to
South Africa and Melbourne to
New York temporarily lost their
magic in June 2013.
Its a pleasure being healthy
and really t and eager to give it
a go again,saidFederer, dressed
impeccably in a white RF em-
bossed pullover and track pants.
I feel I have a very good
chance again this year, he told
reporters. I hope to utilise my
tness. Im really coming in
with a much better feeling than
maybe in the last year, for in-
stance.
I dont knowif my game was
good enough to win the entire
thing last year.
I had too many hiccups
leading into Wimbledon and
probably ... winning Halle (just
before Wimbledon) ... I think
masked the problems I was
playing with, the way I was
playing, added Federer.
There were certain things I
wanted to do but I couldnt g-
ure out or couldnt do it, added
the Swiss fourth seed who will
open his campaign for a record-
extending 18th grand slam title
against Italian Paolo Lorenzi.
EVERYTHING WORKING
This year I feel all the op-
tions are there. Return, serve,
serve and volley, come in, my
backhand, everything is work-
ing to my liking.
For that reason I feel Im a
bit more relaxed mentally be-
cause I knowit is there. I clearly
want to do better than last year,
theres no doubt about it.
Since that surreal day last
June, it is not only Federers
racket-wielding abilities that
have undergone a transforma-
tion.
He now has his childhood
idol Stefan Edberg in his corner,
having hired the Swedish great
as a part-time coach, and has
double the amount of children
after his wife delivered a second
set of twins.
With his 33rd birthday seven
weeks away, Federer says henow
savours his trips to the slams
even more, even if it means
coming face-to-face with up-
starts like Stakhovsky who are
waiting for the chance to tell
my grandkids that I kicked the
butt of Roger Federer.
I see himand we always joke
about the match ... and that we
can only face each other in the
nal this year so its all good for
both of us. Well for me at least,
laughed the popular Swiss.
As you get older you appre-
ciate everything even more. You
enjoy it more because you know
you might not have another 15
Wimbledons left.
So youre even more ... hap-
py to be part of this great expe-
rience every time.
FOCUS
Its a pleasure being healthy and really fit and eager to give it a go again
AFP
London
W
orld number one
Rafael Nadal fears
he could be the
victim of another
Wimbledon giant-killing this
year.
Nadal continues to trounce
all challengers on his favourite
claycourts at the French Open,
where he was crowned cham-
pion for an incredible ninth time
earlier this month.
But after reaching the All
England Club nal ve times
between 2006 and 2011, the
two-time Wimbledon champion
has endured a miserable time
on grass of late. Nadal endured
a shock loss in the Wimbledon
second round against Lukas
Rosol in 2012 and was embar-
rassed by Belgiums Steve Darcis
in the rst round last year.
The 28-year-old followed that
by sufering his third successive
loss on grass when he crashed
out of the Wimbledon warm-up
in Halle against Dustin Brown
earlier this month.
Roger Federer, the seven-time
Wimbledon champion, had said
earlier yesterday that Nadal
might be vulnerable in the early
rounds and the second seeded
Spaniard agrees that the transi-
tion from the clay to grass with
little preparation time makes
him nervous of potential prob-
lems lying in wait next week.
Ive said before this is really
the most dangerous tournament
of the year, Nadal told reporters
on Saturday.
When I arrive at Roland
Garros I already played for one
month on clay. I played a lot of
matches. So more or less I can
imagine how I am going to play.
US Open is the same.
Here, especially the begin-
ning of the tournament, the
courts are a little bit faster. The
feeling on court is a little bit
strange for everybody. Especially
the top players who have more
pressure. Then the match is de-
cided in a few balls, so you need
to convert the small opportuni-
ties that you have. If you are
able to win a few matches, you
have the feeling you are in the
tournament and everything be-
comes a little bit more.
Rosol lurks
With Rosol lurking as a poten-
tial second round opponent this
year, and big-serving Ivo Kar-
lovic another tricky challenger
in the third round, Nadal, who
starts against Slovakias Martin
Klizan, knows he has to navigate
the rst week successfully before
he will start to believe he can win
the tournament.
He has often arrived at Wim-
bledon struggling with knee and
back problems, with the gruel-
ling claycourt campaign aggra-
vating his long-standing injury
issues.
But this year the 14-time
Grand Slamwinner says he feels
in better shape heading into the
tournament in south-west Lon-
don. I am feeling better this
year than last couple years, seri-
ously. Personally I feel that I am
doing the things better, he said.
I am able to move myself
more freely now. Im not scared
about my knee. Thats the most
important thing for me.
But then is true that for the
last couple of years I didnt play
lot of matches on grass.
I amcondent that I can do it
again. Not talking about to win,
talking about play better than
what I did last couple of years on
grass.
Nadal fears another
Wimbledon giant-killing
HURDLE
Seven-time Wimbledon champion Roger Federer.
TENNIS
Gulf Times
Sunday, June 22, 2014 10
AFP
London
S
erena Williams admits
she will start her chal-
lenge for a sixth Wimble-
don title still fuming over
her shock defeat at the French
Open.
Williams, who last won Wim-
bledon in 2012, slumped to an
embarrassing second round
exit in Paris as Spains Garbine
Muguruza crushed the world
number one in straight sets.
It was one of the worst defeats
of Serenas gloriously successful
career, and coming after a last
16 loss at the Australian Open,
added to the growing belief that
she may no longer be at the peak
of her powers.
Asked how quickly she had
managed to put the French Open
loss behind her, Serena said:
Who says I was over it? Yeah, I
doubt it. Knowing me, no.
The 32-year-old American
cut a grumpy gure at her pre-
Wimbledon press conference
yesterday, issuing short answers
to many questions and showing
little of her efervescent per-
sonality. Her downbeat mood
was interpreted by some as a re-
sponse to the decision by Wim-
bledon of cials not to select her
to play the rst match on Centre
Court on Tuesday.
That priviledge is usually
given to the womens cham-
pion and, with last years win-
ner Marion Bartoli now retired,
it was thought Serena, a 17-time
Grand Slam champion, would
be chosen. Instead, tournament
chiefs have picked Germanys
Sabine Lisicki, who beat Serena
in the fourth round at Wimble-
don last year en route to a nal
defeat against Bartoli.
She was in the nal last year,
so she was two sets closer than I
was. So why not? Serena said.
For me, you have to be ready
to play on any day.
Serenas struggles this year
have only heightened her relief
to be back at Wimbledon on the
fast grasscourts that so suit her
power game.
She has reached the nal on
seven occasions and is condent
of once again carrying of the
Venus Rosewater dish awarded
to the womens champion.
It feels good. When I came
here, I just felt a sense of being
home. I really like being here,
she said. Imreally prepared for
and really excited to be here.
I feel good. Ive been doing
just a lot of training, just work-
ing out, trying to get ready for
the next event, which so hap-
pens to be Wimbledon.
One of Serenas fewbad mem-
ories at Wimbledon came when
she lost the 2004 nal to a then
unknown teenager called Maria
Sharapova.
Quizzed about the 10th an-
niversary of that defeat, Wil-
liams briey cast of her gloomy
mood to pay a generous tribute
to Sharapovas career.
Its hard to believe its been
10 years. Its not many people
that have a really long career like
that. Just speaking longevity-
wise, I think its great, she said.
You have to evolve. You cant
just play tennis and just keep
hitting and hitting. You have to
do things better and I think shes
been able to do that.
Serena bids to make
up for Paris pain
SPOTLIGHT
Lopez downs Gasquet to
retain Eastbourne title
FelicianoLopez has found a new home on the
lawns of the Aegon International, completing a
successful title defence yetserday with a 6-3, 6-7(5),
7-5 victory over Richard Gasquet. Lopez, who
defeated another Frenchman in Gilles Simon last
year, needed two hours and 13 minutes to deny
Gasquet his 11th ATP World Tour crown. The 32
year old claimed his fourth tour-level trophy over-
all, maintaining a torrid run on grass in 2014 that
began with an appearance in the final of the Aegon
Championships last week. He is the first player
to reach consecutive grass-court finals prior to
Wimbledon since 2001, when Lleyton Hewitt and
Thomas Johansson both featured in back-to-back
title matches on the surface.
The former World No. 15 brings home $77,315 and
250 Emirates ATP Rankings points, becoming the
eighth over-30 champion on the ATP World Tour
in 2014.
Meanwehile Madison Keys broke through for the
first title of her career as she beat experienced Ger-
man fifth seed Angelique Kerber 6-3, 3-6, 7-5 to win
the Eastbourne International yesterday.
Three years after first stepping onto a grass court,
the 19-year-old from Florida became the first Amer-
ican to claim the title at Devonshire Park since
Chanda Rubin in 2003. Kerber saved three match
points in the final game as the losing 2012 finalist
struggled to stay in the match, but Keys ended
those hopes as she earned the victory in just under
two hours when Kerber hit the net with her 48th
unforced error.
Agut, Vandeweghewinmaidentitles
Spains Roberto Bautista Agut claimed the first
title of his career at the ATP/WTA s-Hertogen-
bosch Open yesterday, just hours after Coco
Vandeweghe clinched her maiden success on the
same court. Bautista Agut, the world number 28,
came from a set down to beat 2009 champion
Benjamin Becker of Germany 2-6, 7-6 (7/2), 6-4 in
just under two hours as he continued his breakout
season. The Spaniard, who entered the worlds
top 30 for the first time last month, was forced to
do things the hard way, though, as Becker raced
through the opening set courtesy of two service
breaks with Bautista Aguts second serve coming
in for heavy punishment.
The second set was much tighter with a tie-break
required to separate the players and it was Bautista
Agut who held his nerve as Becker faltered, forcing
a decider. Becker hammered an ace to save break
point in the opening game of the final set but
Bautista Agut made the crucial breakthrough two
games later before shutting the door on his rival
to earn his first ATP title, going a step further than
he did a year ago in Chennai. Earlier, American
Vandeweghe also lifted her first title following a
6-2, 6-4 victory over Chinas Zheng Jie.
Former champ Wade slams
Murrays Mauresmo move
Virginia Wade has slammed
Wimbledon champion Andy
Murrays decision to hire
Frenchwoman Amelie Mau-
resmo as a joke.
Murray rocked the tennis world
earlier this month when he
announced Mauresmo would
succeed Ivan Lendl as his coach
initially for the grass-court
season.
Former world number one
Mauresmo is one of the only
female coaches to work with a
leading male player and Wade,
who won Wimbledon womens
crown in 1977, is unconvinced
the move will prove a success.
The Scot will begin the defence
of his Wimbledon title on
Monday, the first British singles
player to do so since Wade in
1978.
Its hard to read him. Maures-
mo was a total shock, I thought
they were all fooling around. I
think again hes maybe trying
to mess with everybody. I dont
know, Wade said on Saturday.
She was a great player, shes a
great person. I think she was a
little fragile mentally because
she had the capabilities of beat-
ing everybody.
Shes laid back, shes a very
nice, mature person. But I cant
work it out at all.
You like to try to get behind
peoples thinking but I cant re-
ally with this one. You try to see
what somebodys going to ofer
that player.
Unless he just needs some-
body there to say well done,
which is possible too. As a
player you need somebody to
endorse you sometimes and
not try to change anything.
I have to say I thought Lendl
would be a dificult choice but
that was very successful.
Theres not quite the same
intensity about Andy as maybe
a year ago.
Djokovic shrugs of wrist injury fears
Novak Djokovic insists the wrist injury
that forced him to pull out of a Wimble-
don warm-up event this week wont afect
his bid to win the grasscourt Grand Slam.
After being troubled by the right wrist
problem since Monte Carlo in April,
Djokovic has been taking extra care not
to aggravate the injury with Wimbledon
just days away. The 27-year-old felt the
injury may have been in danger of flaring
up due to the tricky transition from clay
to grasscourts and that prompted him to
pull out of an exhibition match in London
earlier this week. But he has practised
pain-free over the last few days and the
2011 Wimbledon champion expects to be
fit enough to make a strong bid to win the
All England Club crown for the second
time.
Its the first time that I have problems
with the wrist. I started feeling it before
Monte Carlo tournament started,
Djokovic told reporters at Wimbledon
yesterday.
I played Monte Carlo under strange con-
ditions, under a lot of pain. I decided to
skip Madrid, which was a good decision,
because I played pain-free in Rome and
Roland Garros.
Right now I dont feel any pain. But I felt
like when Im changing surfaces, espe-
cially from clay to grass, in the opening
few days of the practice here got a little
bit of a strange sensation in the wrist.
Now its fine, so hopefully it can stay that
way. Djokovic will need to be at his best
physically and mentally as he tries to
reverse a worrying recent trend of falling
just short of the sports top prizes.
The Serb has won just one Grand Slam ti-
tle in the last two years and has lost in five
of his last six major finals, including an
agonising French Open defeat to Rafael
Nadal earlier this month.
RUGBY
11
Gulf Times
Sunday, June 22, 2014
Reuters
Sydney
A
ustralia defeated
France 39-13 in Syd-
ney yesterday to clean
sweep the three-Test
series, dominating possession
and territory and displaying an
expansive game.
Criticised after their ugly,
try-less 6-0 win in the second
Test at Docklands stadium, the
Wallabies ran in ve tries to
one, with Test debutant lock
Will Skelton scoring the rst
within minutes.
The victory in front of a
record43,188fans at the Sydney
Football Stadium marked the
Wallabies seventh successive
win, their best run since the
WorldCup-winning days under
Rod Macqueen in 1999.
We dominated posses-
sion and territory and while we
didnt make the most of every
opportunity, I was pretty happy
with the intent, said Australian
coach Ewen McKenzie. Skel-
tons 135 kg frame and speed
sparked attack in the Wallabies
backline, with captain Michael
Hooper and fullback Israel
Folau always threatening.
EXPANSIVE GAME
Australia promised an expan-
sive game and threw the ball
from one side of the ground to
the other, with a heavier for-
ward pack frequently barging
through the French defence.
The visitors were unable to
penetrate and had to settle for a
try late in the game.
French frustration was re-
ected when prop Rabah Sli-
mani was yellow carded for
tackling Hooper without the
ball. Adding salt to the wound,
Folau with an outstretched arm
scored in the corner minutes
later and with a conversion by
Bernard Foley, Australia were
20-6 at the break.
With Australia comfortably
in front, coach Ewen McKenzie
called for the Wallabies to up
the tempo in the second half
and it was not long before re-
placement Kurtley Beale sent a
lighting pass to Hooper to send
himying over the line.
Folau was always threaten-
ing, scoring two of the Walla-
bies ve tries. Only the occa-
sional scrappy passing dented
the Wallabies attack. France on
the other hand showed only a
few rare glimpses of Les Bleus
are, with poor handling ter-
minating their attacks.
France coach Philippe Saint-
Andre acknowledged that they
had been outplayed by Austral-
ia. Today Australia win all the
contact areas, they go forward
all the time... they hadmore ur-
gency, more skill so congratu-
lations to them, Saint-Andre
said.
It was the end of a long sea-
son for out players but there is a
game in Paris in November and
they will see one French team
that is completely diferent.
Aussies beat France to sweep series
Australias Will Skelton (centre) tackles Frances Alexandre Flanquart during the third Test at the
Allianz Stadium in Sydney yesterday. Australia won 39-13. (AFP).
FOCUS
All Blacks on brink
of history afer
crushing England
THIRD TEST
The first half performance was really special and really won us the game
AFP
Hamilton
T
he All Blacks crushed England 36-
13 at Waikato Stadium yesterday
to sweep their three-Test series
and equal the world record of 17
consecutive Test wins.
New Zealand scored ve tries, three by
blockbusting wing Julian Savea, as they
signicantly stepped up the intensity
and accuracy from their 20-15 and 28-27
victories in the rst two Tests. The rst
half, when the All Blacks raced to a 29-6
lead, was as good as it gets, in the eyes of
coach Steve Hansen.
The rst half performance was re-
ally special and really won us the game,
he said. The things we did well were the
things that wed been working hard on
and we executed our skill sets nicely, our
set piece was good, our running lines were
great, catch and pass was good and we n-
ished of tries.
England coach Stuart Lancaster pulled
no punches in his half-time message, and
the second half saw the Red Roses attack
more efectively. There were some sharp
words at half-time, said Lancaster, who
also replaced inside centre Kyle Eastmond
during the break.
Luther (Burrell) came in at 12 and I
thought we showed a lot more urgency
and intensity in the second half which ob-
viously reected in the performance.
It was not enough, however. Such was
the control the All Blacks had that when
the nal hooter went with themin posses-
sion, they kept the game going for another
two minutes until Savea scored his nal
try. NewZealand nowhead into the Rugby
Championship with 17 consecutive wins,
matching the record of the 1965-69 All
Blacks and the 1997-98 Springboks.
It was the All Blacks decision to resist
testing too many newcombinations in the
Hamilton dead rubber that paid dividends
as they put together their most uid per-
formance of the series.
Twelve of the starting 15 played every
match, while England changed ve for the
second Test and seven for the third. The
unfamiliarity of combinations showed.
They made a poor start when a Freddie
Burns kick-of did not go 10 metres, and
little improved fromthere as they sufered
their worst defeat on the tour, which they
had undertaken with a squad of 46 and
hopes of at least one Test victory.
Instead, they leave winless, yielding
rst-half leads in the rst two Tests and
never getting near the front in the third.
STRONG START
The All Blacks put a string of poor starts
behind them as they stretched England
across the park in the third Test yesterday,
with Savea scoring twice in the rst eight
minutes. Aaron Smith added two more
tries and Aaron Cruden three conversions
to have NewZealandup 29-6 at half-time.
The All Blacks were keen to attack down
the left ank inthe opening quarter, where
Savea scored both his tries as England
wing Chris Ashton kept drifting ineld.
Smiths tries were from handy support
play, rst receiving of Cory Jane who had
glided past Marlon Yarde, and then from
Ben Smith.
England rallied immediately after half-
time, when the blockbusting pair of Manu
Tuilagi and Yarde stormed up to the line
with All Blacks defenders hanging help-
lessly of them. Left wing Yarde was cred-
ited with the try.
Yarde went close again as England
maintainedpressure onthe All Blacks line,
but the revival burnt out after 10 minutes
allowing New Zealand to head back to
more familiar territory at the Englandend.
With their condence up, and holding a
29-13 lead, the All Blacks traded a kickable
penalty for a line-outbut their attempt
to drive over the line was snufed out, and
they were not to score again until Savea
touched down in injury time.
The All Blacks chance to take the record
consecutive wins outright comes in their
next Test against Australia on August 16.
Agencies
Suva, Fiji
S
amoa nished top of the
Pacic conference in
the Pacic Nations Cup
tournament when six
Tusi Pisi penalties produced an
18-13 win against Fiji in Suva
yesterday in the nal regional
match.
Fiji scored the only tries, but
were let down by their own ill-
discipline as they lost at home to
their Pacic neighbours for the
rst time in 16 years. The result
was a setback for Fiji ahead of
their must-winWorldCup qual-
ier against the Cook Islands
next week.
Their star had been rising in
recent weeks as they moved up
to 10th in the world rankings fol-
lowing wins over Italy (25-14)
and Tonga (45-17).
Samoa, ranked one place
higher than Fiji and having al-
ready qualied for the World
Cup, drewwith Tonga 18-18 and
beat Italy 15-0.
In a match billed as the Bat-
tle of the Pacic, Samoa led Fiji
15-5 at half-time from ve Pisi
penalties, the last in the 40th
minute when Leone Nakarawa
was yellow-carded.
Despite starting the second
half a man down, Fijis Napolioni
Nalaga scored a try immediately
after the break. Nemani Nado-
lo, who scored in the rst half,
landed a penalty soon after to
narrowthe gap to 13-15.
Samoa were twice reduced to
14 men in the second half with
Fautua Otto and then captain
David Lemi both sent to the sin
bin, but in a brief period in the
middle of the half, with all play-
ers on the eld, Pisi landed his
sixth penalty.
Fiji had four kickable penal-
ties in the last 10 minutes, but
opted to go for line-outs where
they were held out by the Samoa
defence.
WEIR PENALTY GIVES
SCOTS WIN OVER PUMAS
A Duncan Weir penalty in in-
jury time was enough to give
Scotland a battling 21-19 victory
over Argentina in a one-of Test
match in Cordoba on Friday.
It meant three away wins out
of three for the Scots under new
coach Vernon Cotter following
narrowvictories over the United
States and Canada.
The close-season tour ends
next week end with a game
against South Africa in Port
Elizabeth. Stuart Hogg and Javi-
er Ortega Desio traded rst-half
tries in Cordoba before Nicolas
Sanchezs drop-goal gave the
Pumas an 8-7 lead at the break.
The home team then took
command in the second half and
moved nine points clear with
a try from replacement winger
Joaquin Tuculet and two penal-
ties fromSanchez.
JAPAN PUT ITALY TO SWORD
FOR 10TH STRAIGHT WIN
Japans forward line put in a dy-
namic performance as the Asian
champions extendedtheir record
winning streak to 10 games with
a nail-biting 26-23 victory over
Italy yesterday.
Male Saus bulldozing try on
the hour mark ultimately proved
the diference for Japan but the
home side had to survive a nerv-
ous nish before recording their
rst win in six meetings with the
Azzurri.
AFP
Johannesburg
A
late penalty try se-
cured a last-gasp 31-
30 victory for South
Africa against Wales
in Nelspruit yesterday, killing
Welsh hopes of an historic win.
Wales ledfor most of the match,
but two yellow cards late in the
rst half and a South African
onslaught late in the second
that culminatedina penalty try,
proved too much for the visi-
tors.
After a lacklustre rst Test,
Wales played with purpose as
they tried to beat the Boks for
the rst time away and domi-
nated much of match only to be
heartbreakingly undone at the
last. With conditions perfect,
both teams sought to pass the
ball aroundinthe opening stag-
es, probing and prodding for
openings inthe oppositionline.
Dan Biggar opened the scor-
ing when the Springboks were
again pinged at the ruck, slot-
ting home a penalty andputting
Wales 3-0-up. After Morne
Steyn had missed a chance to
bag three points for his side,
Wales got the rst try of the
game.
Alex Cuthbert collected a
crash ball, broke through the
Bokss back line, of oading to
Jamie Roberts who powered in
to touch down under the posts.
With Waless tails up and the
Boks in disarray, Cuthbert
crossed the line himself just
moments later, with Biggar
againmaking the conversion.
Wales were 17-0 ahead with
around a quarter of the game
gone.
The wheels then came of
for Wales, as close to the half-
hour mark they were reduced
to 14 men, with Luke Charteris
yellow-carded while defending
a ruck onhis owntry line.
The Springbok pressure
quickly told.
The home side were awarded
a penalty try moments later
which resulted in Wales being
reduced to 13 men with Biggar
joining Charteris inthe sinbin.
The Springboks then took
further advantage with a uid,
ranging, length-of-the-eld
try that was eventually run
home by Cornal Hendricks, his
rst try for his country. That
left South Africa trailing 14-17
at half-time.
PRESSURE PHASES -
Wales managed to weather the
rst minutes of the half and
when back to 15 men looked
a diferent proposition. After
putting the ball through pres-
sure phases in the Bokss 22,
Ken Owens opened the second
half scoring with a drive over
the line frommeters out.
Biggar converted making it
South Africa 14 Wales 24. On
55 minutes, Steyn briey cut
the decit by three points with
a successful penalty, only to be
matched seconds later by Big-
gars own efort, which brought
the score to 17-27.
Samoa break 16-year
drought with win in Fiji
Last-gasp South
Africa break
Welsh hearts
ROUND-UP
SPOTLIGHT
South Africas Cornal Hendricks is tackled by Wales hooker
Ken Owens at Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit yesterday.
NewZealands Malakai
Fekitoa gets away from
Joe Marler of England
during their final Test
match in Hamilton
yesterday. (Reuters)
Samoas Tusi Pisi scored six
penalties against Fiji in Suva
yesterday.

Sunday, June 22, 2014
GULF TIMES
SPORT
ByMikhil Bhat
Doha
L
ast year, in the nal of the World
9-Ball Pool Championship, An-
tonio Gabica was leading the race-
to-13 nal 6-4 and the strong
Filipino crowd grew excited seeing one of
their owntaking the leadagainst Thorsten
Hohmann, a former world champion.
And then, inexplicably, a straight ve-
ball bobbled at the mouth, refusing to
go in. That mistake cost Gabica way too
much, and Hohmann won seven of the
next 10 frames to win his second world
championship title.
A year later, the two 2013 nalists are
still a contrasting sight. Hohmann, nick-
named the Hitman, oozes condence.
Gabica, with no tournament practice
since his 2013 exploits, is admittedly un-
der a lot of pressure.
Even last year I felt very condent
about my game but I just had a great op-
ponent. This year my draw was a little
bit better and I feel just as condent. So I
dont really know whether it makes a dif-
ference, Hohmann said yesterday after
running through his match against Indias
Sumit Talwar 9-3.
Gabica, on the other hand, took two
long hours to close out his opening 9-5
victory against Chinese Taipeis Kuo Pe
Cheng. Too much pressure, he said af-
ter the match. He is a good player, but I
had a bit of luck to have won despite a few
misses.
Gabica, a coach with the Qatar Billiards
and Snooker Federation (QBSF), practices
year-long with the Qatar team. Thats
the only thing that helps me. Playing in
other tournaments obviously helps. It
helps in handling pressure too. We are not
machines. If you come under pressure,
youare boundto make mistakes. Andthen
there are also the fans and supporters,
both Qataris and Filipinos, I want to do it
for them, he said.
Fans, Hohmann said, can work both
ways. It is always tough if you dont have
fans behind you. If you make early mis-
takes and let the opponent run away with
it, the crowd will carry their player to vic-
tory. But if youcankeep with himearly on,
eventually that support can turn around
and be a burden. Now you have a 1000
people who want you to win and if you
dont, you are the bad guy. Thats what
happened in the nal last year. He missed
that ve ball and then crumbled under
pressure, Hohmann said.
But Hohmann understands that pool,
especially at the world championships,
can be quit unpredictable. You could be
out in two matches. Spain at the World
Cup. So that can happen here as well. I
just go match by match, said Hohmann,
who is relishing the run of the Germans in
Brazil. He is not even thinking about be-
coming the rst player to successfully de-
fend the title for the rst time in 23 years.
It would be nice if you make history,
he said. But I just go match by match. I
would just try my best.
Talking about the Qatari players in the
competition, Hohmann said, Its nice to
see Qataris getting better. They started
around 10 years ago, building this. The
tournaments getting better and bet-
ter. The venue is nice, the organisation is
great, the players are getting better. They
might not win here but they are always
able to beat somebody good and get far
enough. There might be a day when there
will be a world champion fromQatar.
Hohmann and Gabica start with victories
WORLD 9-BALL POOL CHAMPIONSHIP
Group 1: Thorsten Hohmann
(GER) 9 - 3 Sumit Talwar (IND);
Tanaka Masaaki (JPN) 9 4
Mohamed al-Hosani(UAE): Marco
Teutscher (NED) 9 6 Mohamed
Al Bin Ali (QAT); Cheng Yu Hsuan
(TPE) 9 - 5 Erik Hjorleifson(CAN)
Group 2: Jalas Yousef (VEN) 9- 5
John Morra (CAN); Tohru Kuriba-
yashi (JPN) 9- 7 Scott Cooney
(GBR); Hsu Kai Lun (TPE) 9 - 5
Hasan Hwaida Idan (IRQ); Dang
Jing Hu (CHN) 9- 2 Dimitri Jungo
(SUI)
Group 3: Shane Van Boening
(USA) 9 5 Hamzaa M. Saeed Ali
(ERI); Daniele Corrieri (ITA) 9 - 5
Alexander Kazakis (GRE); Fu Chei
Wei (TPE) 9 4 Ahmad Taufiq
(BRU); Abdul Rahman al-Ammar
(KSA) 9 5 Melkonyan Babken
(ROU)
Group 4: Nick Van Den Berg
(NED) 9 7 Ramil Gallego (PHL);
Mehdi Rasekhi (IRI)9 - 4 Mishel
Turkey (QAT); Antonio Gabica
(PHL-QAT) 9 5 Kuo Po Cheng
(TPE); Michel Bartol (CRO) 9 3
Fahim Sinha (BAN)
Group 5: Mika Immonen (FIN)
9 - 5 Liu Hai Tao (CHN); Ryu Seung
Woo (KOR) 9 6 Yukio Akagari-
yama (JPN); Fabio Petroni (ITA)
9 5 Hunter Lombardo (USA);
Waleed Majed (QAT) 9 - 2 Detlef
Grzella (RSA)
Group 6: Ralf Souquet (GER) 9 1
Frailin Guanipa (VEN); Abdulla
al-Yusef (KUW) 9-3 Mohammed
Hamouda (EGY); Niels Feijen
(NED) 9 4 Eric Lee (HKG); War-
ren Kiamco (PHL) 9 7 Stephan
Cohen (FRA)
Group 7: Dennis Orcollo (PHL)
9 - 8 Jason Klatt (CAN); Ko Ping
Chung (TPE) 9 8 Karol Skowerski
(POL); Jayson Shaw (GBR) 9 6
Chang Jung Lin (TPE); Ivo Aarts
(NED) 9 5 Abdulla Mohamed
(UAE)
Group 8: Roman Hybler (CZE)
9 5 Daryl Peach (GBR); Hijikata
Hayato (JPN) 9 6 Vilmos Foldes
(HUN); Carlo Biado (PHL) 9 3
Nour Wasfi al-Jarrah (JOR); Tom
Storm (SWE) 9 8 Glen Coutts
(NZL)
Group 9: Karl Boyes (GBR) 9 4
Sayeem Hossain (BAN); Bruno
Muratore (ITA) 9 8 Maj Al Azmi
(KUW); Jeong Young Hwa (KOR)
9 5 Efren Reyes (PHL); Raymund
Faraon (PHL) 9 8 Denis Grabe
Group 10: Wu Jiaqing (CHN) 9 7
Stefan Sprangers (NED); Elvis
Calasang (PHL) 9 3 Marzen
Berjaoui (LEB); Mieszko Fortunski
(POL) 9 5 Albin Ouschan (AUT);
Konstantin Stepanov (RUS) 9 - 8
Alejandro Carvajal (CHI)
Group 11: Wang Can (CHN) 9 2
Brandon Shuf (USA); Aloysius
Yapp (SIN) 9 5 Mohamed Elas-
sal (EGY); Huidji See (NED) 9 - 3
Jurgen Jenisy (AUT); Andreas
Gerwen (SWE) 9 4 Mohamma-
dali Pordel (IRI)
Group 12: Mario He (AUT) 9 7
Chang Yu Lung (TPE); Ali Obaidly
(QAT) 9 4 Mohammad Ali
Berjaoui (LEB); Nick Economopou-
los (GRE) 9 3 Christian Aguirre
(ECU); Nguyen Anh Tuan (VIE) 9
6 Francisco Felicilda (PHL)
DAY ONE RESULTS
Sri Lanka fght back
afer Robson ton
SECOND TEST
AFP
Leeds
A
ustralia-born opener Sam Rob-
son scored his maiden Test cen-
tury before Sri Lanka checked
Englands progress on the sec-
ond day of the second Test at Headingley
yesterday.
England were 320 for six in reply to Sri
Lankas 257, a lead of 63 runs, at stumps
after Robsonhadmade 127inonlyhis sec-
ondTest. But withEnglandonthevergeof
taking command, Sri Lanka fought back
with three wickets late in the day. And
both Matt Prior (three not out and Chris
Jordan (four not out) were dropped be-
fore the close. Englandresumedyesterday
on 36 without loss after bowling out Sri
Lanka on Friday. Captain Alastair Cook
had added just three runs to his overnight
14 when he nicked paceman Dhammika
Prasad to Kumar Sangakkara at rst slip.
That left Cook still searching for his
rst Test century since compiling the
last of his England record 25 hundreds at
Headingley last year. But Robson, 21 not
out overnight, condently of-drove Sha-
minda Eranga for four in what was an im-
portant innings for the 24-year-old, the
son of an English mother, after his Eng-
land debut in the drawn rst Test of this
two-match series at Lords yielded scores
of just one and 19.
Meanwhile, Gary Ballance, fresh from
his maidenTest hundred, uppercut seam-
er Nuwan Pradeep and swept left-arm
spinner Rangana Herath for well-struck
fours. Robsons edged boundary of Pra-
deep sawhimto fty as England were 106
for one at lunch, with Robson 55 not out
and Ballance 30not out.
Ballancehadaddedjust onetohis lunch
score when Herath appealed for lbw. New
Zealand umpire Billy Bowden upheld Sri
Lankas appeal but England challenged
and, with the Decision ReviewSystemin-
dicating the ball would have turned past
leg stump, Yorkshires Ballance survived.
The Zimbabwe-born left-hander had
another reprieve when on 61, he was
dropped at short leg of the inside edge by
Kaushal Silva, withHerathagaintheluck-
less bowler. Robson also had a break on 78
when he was hit on the pad by Prasad but
Sri Lanka, thinking he had hit the ball, did
not appeal.
Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews
brought himself on with England 183 for
one of 65 overs. And the all-rounders
ninth ball did the trick, Ballance edging to
wicketkeeper Dinesh Chandimal, recalled
after Prasanna Jayawardene broke a nger
at Lords.
Robson, 98 not out at tea, went to three
gures witha twointothe covers of Pras-
ad as his parents watched from the old
Headingley Pavilion. But Robsons six-
and-a-quarter hour innings came to an
end when, after Sri Lanka had taken the
newball, he was bowled between bat and
pad by Pradeep to end a 253-ball knock
also featuring 15 fours. Robson put on 142
for the second wicket with Ballance (74)
and 87 for the third with IanBell.
It seemed there was little to stop the
experienced Bell joining the select group
of seven players who had made hundreds
in their 100th Test until, on 64, he didnt
get enoughona glance of Eranga andwas
caught by Chandimal.
England are 320 for six in reply to Sri Lankas 257, for a lead of 63 runs
SCORECARD
SRI LANKA I INNINGS 257
ENGLAND I INNINGS (O/N: 36-0)
A. Cook c Sangakkara b Prasad 17, S.
Robson b Pradeep 127, G. Ballance c Chan-
dimal b Mathews 74, I. Bell c Chandimal b
Eranga 64, J. Root c Chandimal b Mathews
13, M. Ali c Chandimal b Eranga 2, M. Prior
not out 3, C. Jordan not out 4; Extras (lb2,
w3, nb11) 16
Total (for 6 wickets, 104 overs) 320
Fall of wickets: 1-49 (Cook), 2-191 (Bal-
lance), 3-278 (Robson), 4-311 (Bell), 5-311
(Root), 6-313 (Ali)
Bowling: Pradeep 22-3-90-1 (7nb, 1w);
Eranga 27-10-63-2 (4nb, 1w); Herath 25-3-61-
0; Prasad 20-3-75-1; Mathews 10-3-29-2 (1w)
England lead Sri Lanka by 63 runs with
four first-innings wickets remaining
Agencies
Port of Spain
W
est Indies captain
Denesh Ramdin
was pleased with
his sides 10-wicket
win over New Zealand on Friday
in Trinidad, but was still critical
of the way his players wrapped
up the game, saying they took
too long about it.
Day ve was full of rain and
had the Kiwi resistance by BJ
Watling and Mark Craig lasted
much longer than the 99 runs it
had, the weather may have pre-
vented the win. In the end, the
hosts needed 93 runs to win, of
which Chris Gayle smashed 80.
Ramdin said: It was frus-
trating, having that lower order
come and put some partnership
there. They created some chanc-
es, we did not take them and at
the end of the day, I think we
were lackadaisical in the eld.
We were not hungry for the
last couple of wickets there. And
we came back this morning with
a lazy attitude and it could have
haunted us. But we came out on
the better end in this match.
The skipper did praise his side
though, adding: It was a fan-
tastic victory in the end. It was
a hard fought one as well. Our
bowlers put in a lot of efort. Our
batters did the job in the rst in-
nings, which is always good, try-
ing to set up the match.
Coming out of the Jamaica
game, what we needed to put
into this game was to attack their
bowlers more, be condent, play
our natural game. The batting
has been coming along.
Our condence going into
this Test match was a lot better
thanthe one inJamaica. We went
out and played positive cricket,
took the attack to the New Zea-
land bowlers.
We bowled right areas. We
were more patient. We tried to
cut out the four-balls. On the
rst day, they were 80-odd for
one or two wickets andwe pulled
it back tea time andthenbowling
them out having lost the toss,
any captain will take that in a
days play.
Ramdin was notable pleased
with the young batsmen, espe-
cially debutant Jermaine Black-
wood, who made a fty, Kraigg
Brathwaite with his century, and
Darren BRavo showing his worth
with a ton too.
Ramdin said: Jermaine
Blackwood is an exciting young
player. His name has been call-
ing for the past couple of seasons
in terms of runs at rst-class
level. They talk about applica-
tion but when you go out and
the manner in which he got his
runs, he applied himself as well
as played his shots throughout
the innings.
He surprised everyone, they
did not know anything about
him, and hopefully next game he
can get a good score and go from
strength to strength. You could
see the energy that he brings to
the team. Always enthusiastic,
he wants to learn, he wants to go
in every elding position. Young
Kraigg Brathwaite batted well for
his century."
Ramdin berates
lazy players
despite win
FOCUS
Chris Gayle and Kraigg Brathwaite celebrate West Indies' win. (WICB)
England's Sam Robson
celebrates his maiden
Test century at
Headingley. (AFP)
A competitor in action at the World 9-Ball Pool Championship yesterday.
Antonio Gabica