ISO 9001:2008 CERTIFIED NEWSPAPER Thursday 2 May 2013 22 Jumada II 1434 - Volume 18 Number 5687 Price: QR2 QR8bn worth AFC election sukuk issued takes centre in Q1 stage today Business | 17 Sport | 27 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com [email protected] | [email protected] Editorial: 4455 7741 | Advertising: 4455 7837 / 4455 7780 Emir meets GCC chief Expatriates Media seminar remit $60bn disappoints in 7 years DOHA: Foreign workers have remitted from here an astro- nomical $60bn overseas in the past seven years — between participants 2006 and 2012, according to Qatar Chamber, the represent- ative body of the private sector which is the largest employer of ‘Press was free before Jazeera launch’ the foreign workforce. Qatar Chamber said in its DOHA: It is wrong to believe “Al Jazeera is not part of the annual report for 2012 that some that Al Jazeera is a symbol Qatari media as it does not talk 54 percent of the workers’ remit- of media freedom in Qatar, about local issues”. tances of $60bn were routed to because much before its Director of Media at the Qatar Asian countries, followed by Arab launch Qatar TV was han- Foundation for the Protection of nations that accounted for nearly dling issues that were bold Women and Children’s rights, half that volume (28 percent). and almost a taboo, the first she hinted Al Jazeera was India was the top destina- Qatari woman to join TV said launched because of the media tion of the remittances, fol- here yesterday. freedom that existed in the lowed by the Philippines, while Dr Elham Badr Al Sada also country before. the US, Egypt and the neigh- said Al Jazeera should not be “Even before Al Jazeera, the The Emir H H Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani with GCC Secretary General Dr Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani bouring UAE trailed, Al Sharq included among local media Qatari media was outspoken at the Emiri Diwan yesterday. Al Zayani briefed the Emir on the preparations for the 15th GCC consultative reported yesterday, saying that organizations as it never touches about many issues,” Mubarak summit, to be held in Saudi Arabia. the Chamber cited IMF figures upon Qatari issues. Jaham Al Kuwari, CEO of in its annual report. Al Sada was speaking at a semi- Qatar Media Corporation THE PENINSULA nar organized by the Doha Centre (QMC), said. for Media Freedom (DCMF) Speaking about one such yesterday to mark World Press instance, Al Sada said that when Attacked Indian spy Freedom Day, an event that sev- the passports of 5,000 Qataris Kuwait plans high service eral participants described as were revoked by the government, dies in Pakistan jail “irrelevant, unimpressive and she was able to speak about the badly organized”. issue on local television. LAHORE: An Indian national “It (the event) looked like “In the 27 years of my career charges on foreign workers on death row in Pakistan who an amateurish debate or dis- so far, I never received a call from was attacked last week by fel- cussions like the ones that the government to censor any- low inmates has died from his are held in our majlis (living thing,” Al Sada said. KUWAIT CITY: Kuwait plans ($21bn) a year on subsidies for that 213 expatriates had already injuries, reports said. Sarabjit rooms) every day,” said a Qatari Some participants of the semi- to increase service charges services like electricity and water been sent home for committing Singh, who was sentenced to participant who didn’t want his nar said they were shocked by on foreigners, media reports ... two thirds of which ($14bn) “grave” traffic offences. death 16 years ago on espionage name in print. the discussion on as crucial an said yesterday, triggering the go for expatriates,” the minister Last month, Minister of Social charges, was rushed to hospital The seminar was supposed to issue as media freedom by a ire of the main labour union said in remarks carried by Al Rai Affairs and Labour Thekra Al on Friday with multiple wounds, debate Qatar’s media landscape panel of speakers that consisted which also blasted the govern- newspaper. Rasheedi said the emirate plans including a severe head injury, but what was actually discussed of journalists who were not ment for deporting hundreds of He said that all neighbouring to deport around 100,000 expatri- after an argument in Lahore’s there were journalist-speak- independent. expatriates. Gulf states have raised charges on ates a year for the next 10 years to Kot Lakhpat Jail. ers’ —their so-called achieve- The moderator of the discus- State Minister for Cabinet expatriates and the government reduce the number of foreigners Officials at the Lahore hos- ments in the profession, said the sion also came in for criticism Affairs Sheikh Mohammad cannot follow suit because of a by one million. She did not say pital where Singh, 49, was being participant. from some participants who pri- Abdullah Al Sabah said in com- 1992 law that bans it from raising what measures would be adopted treated said he died at 1am local Taking part in a discussion on vately complained that he wasted ments published yesterday that charges without legislation. to put the plan into effect. time today. Sarabjit sustained Qatar’s media strategy, Al Sada time discussing resumes and the government has sent a draft The minister’s remarks come Kuwait has 2.6 million expatri- several injuries, including a frac- said of Al Jazeera, which is gen- experiences of the panelists. law seeking to raise public serv- amid government threats to deport ates who form 68 percent of the tured skull, when six pri-soners erally considered as a symbol of THE PENINSULA ices charges on expatriates. large numbers of expatriates and country’s 3.8 million population. attacked him. AFP media freedom in Qatar: Continued on page 5 “The state spends KD6.0bn after a senior traffic official said AFP Earlier report on page 14 Obama may name All-German final in Champions League new Gitmo envoy BARCELONA: Bayern all in the second-half, saw them WASHINGTON: President Munich beat Barcelona 3-0 in to an astonishing 7-0 aggregate Barack Obama is considering their Champions League semi- victory and a date with Borussia appointing a new senior State final second-leg in Barcelona Dortmund at Wembley on May Department official to work yesterday to set up the first 25. Barcelona — appearing in a out how to transfer detain- ever all-German final and the record sixth successive semi-final ees to permit the closure of Bundesliga champions’ third — never threatened to overcome the war-on-terror prison at final in four years. the first-leg deficit as they slipped Guantanamo Bay. Goals by Arjen Robben, an to their worst aggregate defeat in The White House said yester- own-goal by Gerard Pique and European competition. AFP day that Obama would consider a header by Thomas Mueller, See also page 28 the measure as part of the new effort to close the controversial facility that he promised during a press conference on Tuesday. With most of the remaining 166 inmates at Guantanamo Bay now on hunger strike, Obama said that the camp was no longer sustain- able and was not in America’s national security interests. Vehicles plying on a flooded street in the Saudi Arabian capital Riyadh, yesterday. Obama ordered the closure of Guantanamo Bay within a year when he took office in 2009 See also page 10 Flash floods kill 16 in Saudi Assad makes rare RIYADH: Sixteen people have Hail in the north and in the west. The vast Arabian Peninsula public appearance died and three more are miss- Earlier yesterday, the kingdom country has not experienced such ing in Saudi Arabia after down- said 13 people had died and four a high volume of rainfall for 25 DAMASCUS: Syria’s pours caused flash floods in were missing but later the civil years. President Bashar Al Assad several areas of the kingdom, defence statement updated the But around 10 people were made a rare public visit yester- the civil defence authorities said toll saying “the number of dead killed in 2011 when flooding day to an electrical plant in cen- yesterday. bodies retrieved until midday has swept through the western city tral Damascus to mark Labour Two others died in flash floods risen to 16”. of Jeddah, where 123 people also Day, the presidency’s official in neighbouring Oman, local It urged people to avoid valleys perished in floods in 2009. Facebook page said. media reported, as cloudbursts and plains that have been flooded The inability of Jeddah’s infra- “President Assad is now visit- swept across most Gulf countries. by heavy rainfall that began on structure to drain off flood waters ing the Umayyad electrical plant The official SPA state news Friday. and uncontrolled construction in in Tishreen Garden in Damascus agency quoted a civil defence Television footage showed 4X4 and around the city were blamed and congratulates its workers and statement as saying people died cars stuck in the middle of valleys at the time for the high number Syria’s workers on their holiday,” Barcelona’s Dani Alves heads the ball with Bayern Munich’s Franck Ribery, in several areas including in the and people clinging to a tree to of victims. the Facebook page said. during their Champions League semi-final second leg match at Camp Nou capital Riyadh, Baha in the south, escape fast-flowing flood waters. AFP See also page 7 stadium in Barcelona, yesterday. THURSDAY 2 MAY 2013 02 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com HOME Qatar Airways’ Dreamliner back in skies Flight a tribute to Boeing: Official DOHA: Qatar Airways yes- first to fly on Qatar Airways’ 787 terday resumed its Boeing once it returned to service, and 787 services after a worldwide I’m thrilled that our Dreamliner grounding of the aircraft in fleet is back in the skies, providing January.