ISO 9001:2008 CERTIFIED NEWSPAPER Home | 3 Business | 14 Sport | 21 Minister opened EU officials hold Copa America: Arts Lounge in first formal talks Vidal stars Qatar’s section on worst-case as Chile beat of Expo Milano. Greek scenario. Ecuador 2-0. SATURDAY 13 JUNE 2015 • 26 Shaaban Rajab 1436 • Volume 20 Number 6460 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com [email protected] | [email protected] Editorial: 4455 7741 | Advertising: 4455 7837 / 4455 7780 Emir meets Saudi Deputy Crown Prince Outgoing CMC Qatar tourists to hold last session on prefer Turkey Tuesday DOHA: The outgoing Central Municipal Council (CMC) will hold the last session of its term on Tuesday. This is the fourth and Malaysia term of the 29-member council elected in 2011. Election to the fifth CMC was Tickets in demand despite fare rise held on May 11 in which some 14 members sought re-election and DOHA: Turkey and Malaysia beginning of July, but this time won. After Tuesday, the new CMC have emerged as favourite tour- it would be delayed a bit because will wait for an Emiri Decree for ist destinations for an increas- Ramadan comes in between. its installation. Some members of ing number of Qataris and Most tourists will travel after the new CMC expect the installa- expatriates, with traditional Eid, but bookings are in full swing. tion by this month-end. Arab destinations like Beirut, Holidays may be scattered this Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani yesterday met Saudi Deputy Crown Prince, Second Deputy Prime A highlight of the fifth term Cairo and Damascus losing year, which means there would Minister and Minister of Defence Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and his delegation who arrived of the CMC (whose tenure is for charm due to political and sec- be demand for tickets throughout in Qatar on a brief visit. Talks dealt with means of enhancing bilateral relations for the benefit of both peoples, four years) is that for the first tarian conflicts in the region, the season, said a travel agent. regional and international developments and matters of joint interest. The Emir also hosted a dinner banquet time two women have won seats. say travel industry sources. “For long holidays, Qataris in honour of Mohammed bin Salman and his delegation. One was sitting member Sheikha Despite a sharp hike in air prefer Europe and the US and Al Jefairi and the other Fatima Al fares to almost all destinations London traditionally tops the Kuwari, a first-timer. with the onset of summer, the list. France, Italy, Spain, among This will be Sheikha’s fourth industry has reported a high other European destinations, are consecutive term. Chairman of demand for tickets from tourists also attracting a large number of the current CMC, Saud Abdullah and vacationers. Qataris,” he said. Yemen ‘talks postponed to Al Hanzab, will be missed as he Although tourist flow to Middle He said shopping is a main didn’t seek re-election. His dep- East destinations has dropped hobby for most Qataris travelling uty, Jassem Al Malki, did from drastically, the number of Arabs with families. Constituency No. 1 and won on vacation is on the rise with There are some highly afflu- Monday, but prospects dim’ unopposed. the relative stability witnessed by ent Qataris who charter flights The current CMC has made some countries like Egypt. to visit their favourite summer GENEVA: Peace talks between with the delegations on Monday Yemen’s main cities and recognise many achievements. According “There had been predictions destinations. Yemen’s warring parties have morning,” said the statement. his authority. to information, it made some about a lull in business this year, While most Middle East desti- been postponed to Monday Talks will be held for three But it may also be because the 429 proposals on various issues, but we have seen an increase in nations have been hit hard, Dubai from Sunday as one delegation days. However, there are few, if Iranian-allied Houthis see little mainly concerning road expansion bookings to all major destina- remains the single destination in is arriving late in Geneva, a any, signs that any party is ready reason to give ground, having and traffic jams, and forwarded tions, despite high fares. the region that attracts tourists United Nations statement said to make compromises necessary increased the territory under to the government. At least 275 “Europe remains a favourite from Qatar throughout the year. yesterday. for a deal. their control despite 11 weeks (about 65 percent) were accepted destination for Qataris going for “Dubai is the most favoured Earlier, the UN announced that Ahmed said the sides would of aerial bombing by a coalition by the government for execution. long holidays while Turkey and destination for Qataris and expa- its special envoy would hold sepa- initially not sit at the same table. of Arab countries led by Saudi None was carried forward from Malaysia have been preferred by triates on short visits. rate “proximity” talks with two “All parties are still barricaded Arabia. Houthi leaders say they the previous CMC (third term). a large number of Qataris and “We see high demand for main warring parties on Sunday behind their positions and con- will attend talks without precon- Sources said these were the expatriates,” a travel executive tickets almost every weekend in the hope of bringing them to tinue to bet on war rather than a ditions, although they have com- maximum number of proposals told this daily yesterday. throughout the year,” said the the same table eventually. political settlement,” said Abdel- plained about a lack of clarity on any CMC, since its maiden term “With problems in the Middle agent. “Due to unforeseen circum- Bari Taher, a Yemeni analyst. who will attend and what will be in 1999, had come up with and for- East, Turkey has emerged as the Malaysia, especially capital stances, one of the Yemeni delega- This may be because President discussed. The exiled government, warded to the government. most favourite for Qataris and Kuala Lumpur, tops the list in tions will now arrive in Geneva on Abdrabbu Mansor Hadi insists meanwhile, is showing signs of The CMC has many commit- tourists from other Arab nation- Far East, followed by Singapore Sunday evening. UN Secretary- talks be limited to discussing divisions between Hadi and his tees, including complaints, legal alities,” he added. and Thailand. General Ban Ki-moon and his implementation of UN Security deputy Khaled Bahah. panel and services panels. The peak holiday season in THE PENINSULA special envoy Ismail Ould Chiekh Council Resolution 2216, which AGENCIES THE PENINSULA Qatar normally starts with the Continued on page 3 Ahmed will begin consultations calls for the Houthis to quit See also page 4 Continued on page 3 Ashobaa storm hits Oman Libyan militia Over 1,000 teachers to join abduct 10 staff of Independent schools this year Tunisia mission DOHA: More than 1,000 new teachers will join Independent Schools TUNIS: Libyan militiamen in the next academic year. They form the first batch of teachers kidnapped 10 staffers from being recruited from Qatar and other Arab countries, including Tunisia’s consulate in Tripoli Egypt, Jordan and Palestine. yesterday after storming the The new teachers include 182 for mathematics, 182 for Arabic mission, the government in language, 176 for English, 99 for science, 45 for social science, 34 for Tunis said. biology, 19 for visual arts, eight for history, 15 for special education, In a statement, the Tunisian 62 for physical education, 11 for geography, 34 for computer studies, foreign ministry denounced the 67 for Islamic studies, 11 for physics, and 25 for chemistry, Al Sharq intrusion of an armed group in reports. the consulate and the detention of 10 staff. Car auction for charity projects today Authorities were unable to say where the employees had been DOHA: Sheikh Eid Charitable Association will conduct an auc- taken but added that a crisis tion for cars today at 3.30pm at its new premises in Al Markhiya. cell had been established at the Proceeds will go to support the charity’s humanitarian projects in mission. Syria, Yemen and Qatar. See also page 4 Twenty cars, including different models of Toyota, Mitsubishi, Chevrolet, GMC, KIA, among others, donated by individuals and com- panies will be auctioned, along with two caravans and a small boat. Bahrain jails 57 on A Royal Oman Police helicopter performs a rescue operation in the flooded Welayat of Sur on the Arabian THE PENINSULA Sea, some 200km east of capital Muscat, following rainfall caused by the tropical storm Ashobaa yesterday. bomb plot charges Several wilayats were hit as rainfall flooded valleys and mountain passes. DUBAI: A Bahraini court has handed down sentences of up to life imprisonment against 57 Shias accused of plotting Veteran cleric recalls solemnising 15 weddings of a man attacks on police and other tar- gets, state media reported. DOHA: An ageing cleric who officiated at the time only a cluster of villages was However, if a marriage contract (‘aqd’ his wives and pick new ones. The defendants were convicted over thousands of Qatari marriages in known as Al Shamal city. or ‘nikah’ in Arabic) was solemnised at a Islam allows a man to have four wives of forming an organisation in his 53-year career says it is hard for him Marriage contracts at the time were cleric’s home, the fee would be QR200, Al at a time. “I vividly recall having officiated 2012-2013 that “used terrorism to forget a man for whom he solemnised oral, with two witnesses and the groom and Qahtani said.