ISO 9001:2008 CERTIFIED NEWSPAPER Construction material demand jumps Business | 17 Monday 12 January 2015 • 21 Rabial I 1436 • Volume 19 Number 6308 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com [email protected] | [email protected] Editorial: 4455 7741 | Advertising: 4455 7837 / 4455 7780 PM sets up Qatar’s massive three groups winter aid for for projects DOHA: The Prime Minister and Interior Minister H E Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani has issued Syrian refugees decisions to set up three minis- terial groups to ensure effective completion of strategic devel- opment projects and stimulate Charities donate QR145m private sector participation in the local economy. DOHA: Funds and assistance years, has provided financial sup- The decision, which is also aimed continue to flow from Qatar for port worth QR2.2m to refugees at fighting price increase in the Syrian refugees who are hit by and other needy people through local market, is in line with the harsh winter currently sweep- various charity organisations in earlier directives made by the Emir ing the region. Qatar. H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Two planes carrying Qatar’s Qatar Charity’s QR 36m relief Thani. The formation of the groups relief aid to Syrian refugees for Syrian refugees included the is expected to remove bottlenecks headed to Beirut Airport yester- distribution of stoves and fuel, in the implantation of projects and day while leading charities in the blankets and winter clothing for will give a boost to both public and country pledged assistance worth refugees in Arsal and Shebaa and private sector. The first ministe- a total of over QR145m to support on the Syrian-Turkish border. It rial group will coordinate and fol- the displaced Syrians. is in conjunction with the alloca- low up major projects of strategic Qatar Charity (QC) has allo- tion of emergency aid for Syrian importance. The panel’s tasks cated QR36m while Qatar refugees in Lebanon and on the French President Francois Hollande observes a minute of silence surrounded by heads of state including (from include developing plans and pro- Development Fund has offered a Turkish-Syrian border of QAR left to right) Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Mali’s President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, Germany’s grammes for the effective imple- grant of $30m (QR109m). 2 million for the benefit of over Chancellor Angela Merkel, European Council President Donald Tusk, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, mentation of major projects and Qatar’s emergency relief aid, 73,000 people in order to help King Abdullah and Queen Rania of Jordan as they attend the solidarity march on the streets of Paris yesterday. suggest priorities in line with the dispatched upon directives of the them to face the ‘Huda’ storm Qatar National Vision 2030. Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin On Friday and Saturday, QC This group will review the costs Hamad Al Thani included food, sent the first batch of urgent aid of major projects, and also propose blankets, winter clothes, medi- for distribution to Syrian refugees World leaders march against terror funding methods and tools and fol- cines, among other items. across Lebanon, particularly the low up their implementation proc- The permanent emergency, res- areas of Arsal, the Shebaa Farms PARIS: More than a million with world leaders, including the Emotions ran high in the griev- ess. It will also identify mechanisms cue, relief and humanitarian aid and the Syrian-Turkish border. people thronged the streets Israeli prime minister and the ing City of Light, with many of for giving contracts and prepare committee headed by the Internal The distribution included heaters of Paris yesterday in the big- Palestinian president, in an his- those marching in tears as they models of contracts and agreements Security Force (Lekhwiya) oversaw and heating fuel, blankets, car- gest rally in French history, toric display of unity. came together under the ban- for companies to follow. the preparation of the relief mate- pets, tents, mattresses, pillows led by dozens of world leaders A sea of humanity flowed ner of freedom of speech after The first group will also prepare rials and coordinated with authori- and warm clothing and medicines walking arm-in-arm as cries of through Paris’ iconic streets to France’s worst terrorist blood- a detailed plan to run projects after ties concerned to dispatch the aid. for children, and came in addition “Freedom” and “Charlie” rang mourn the victims of the three bath in half a century. their completion. This will include Dar Al Sharq has joined the to the running of mobile clinics, out across the country. days of terror that began with a The crowd brandished ban- determining the annual budget drive by donating QR250,000 at a cost of around QR2m, out of The interior ministry said 3.7 slaughter at the offices of satiri- ners saying: “I’m French and I’m for running the projects, and pre- for the relief of Syrian refugees. a total QR4m of emergency aid million people took to the streets cal magazine Charlie Hebdo and not scared” and, in tribute to the paring plans to manage human The company has handed over projects to address the current nationwide, with Paris alone see- ended with 17 dead. murdered cartoonists, “Make fun, resources, and identify the owner the cheque to Sheikh Thani bin cold winter, which will be carried ing an “unprecedented” 1.5 million The vast crowd chanted not war” and “Ink should flow, not and operator of the projects, and Abdullah Al Thani Foundation for out over the coming days. demonstrators. “Charlie, Charlie”, in honour of blood.” follow up on their implementation. Humanitarian Services (RAF). Continued on page 2 In the capital, President the cartoonists and journalists See also page 9 Continued on page 6 The company, in the last three THE PENINSULA Francois Hollande linked arms killed at Charlie Hebdo. AFP THE PENINSULA CMC polls: 1,240 register on first day DOHA: The forthcoming The Supervising Committee constituencies are open from 4 pm deletion of the names which will Central Municipal Council for the elections has allowed the until 7 pm every day. Registration be followed by an appeal period. (CMC) elections has evoked voters to register online through will continue until January 22. The final voters list will be pub- great interest among the citi- Metrash 2. Despite that a number Qataris who have completed 18 lished on March 3, said Brig. Majid zens especially women, with of voters preferred to register years on 5/2/2015 or those who Ibrahim Al Khulaifi, director of 1,240 voters registering on the manually leading to a huge turn- have completed 15 years after the Elections Department and the first day. Voters registration out at many registration booths. getting the Qatari nationality head of the supervising committee. started at 29 centers across the Of the total voters registered are eligible to register.The vot- The Supervising Committee has country yesterday. yesterday a high number — 525 ers who took part in the previ- announced the polling stations at “Constituencies are getting — were women, according to fig- ous elections have been asked to 29 constituencies and the rules overwhelming response for reg- ures released by the Ministry reregister because of the changes and procedures for the elections. istration in the voters list, espe- of Interior last evening. A total in some constituencies following Independent schools have been cially from female voters,” the of 715 male voters also regis- a restructuring. converted to polling stations, with Qatar’s aid for Syrian refugees at the Hamad International Airport before Ministry of Interior said in a tered yesterday. The registra- After registration closes, seven one center in each constituency. being airlifted to Beirut yesterday. statement yesterday. tion centers spread across the 29 days are given for addition or THE PENINSULA Sailiyah becomes a graveyard for birds Egypt frees ailing Mursi aide CAIRO: Egypt yesterday freed an ailing former aide to ousted Islamist president Mohamed Mursi following 18 months in jail BY RAYNALD C RIVERA cormorants, were spotted lifeless, without charge, his Canada-based family said. floating in the pond or left rotting “On Monday December 29, 2014 the attorney general issued an order DOHA: Some birdwatchers on the ground. for Khaled Al Qazzaz’s release. Today, Khaled was released from his have voiced concern over indis- The remains of the birds reveal hospital room,” the family said in a statement. criminate shooting of birds by the extent and span of hunting in Qazzaz, an adviser to Mursi on foreign affairs, was arrested along hunters for the sake of cheap the area. with hundreds of other aides and members of his Muslim Brotherhood thrill in Sailiyah, a famous bird- Another birdwatcher who on July 3, 2013, the same day the army deposed the former president. ing site in Qatar. spoke to this daily has expressed “He has a problem with his spinal cord,” his brother-in-law Ahmad Located around 20km west of concern that this hobby of shoot- Attia said from Toronto where the family is based. Doha, the area has been a favour- ing birds could pose potential “He has shifted his disk. There is a risk of permanent paralysis,” he ite spot for photographers and danger to other people visiting said in the English-language statement. birdwatchers who come to see the site. In November, Qazzaz was transferred from prison to a private hos- abundant species of birds, but “It would be acceptable if they pital and has since undergone surgery, the family said. lately has become a favourite site hunt birds for food as in the past, for hunters who have turned to but the problem is they just leave Wave of suicide bombings in Nigeria shooting birds as a new hobby.