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ISO 9001:2008 CERTIFIED NEWSPAPER Home | 3 Business | 17 Sport | 28 Art is about International Qatar’s Nasser having an open Islamic opens on course to mind: Sheikha new corporate win Desert Al Mayassa branch. Challenge. THURSDAY 2 APRIL 2015 • 13 Jumada II 1436 • Volume 20 Number 6388 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com [email protected] | [email protected] Editorial: 4455 7741 | Advertising: 4455 7837 / 4455 7780 QTA staff given judicial powers Sandstorm envelops Qatar to raid hotels, Schools closed; zero visibility at many places; some relief can be expected after 10am check violations DOHA: A number of employees DOHA: A massive sand- “It is unbelievable. It is dark all of Qatar’s tourism promotion storm swept through Qatar over,” an expatriate told newspa- agency have been armed with and other parts of the Arabian per at 11.50pm. “People are driv- judicial powers to conduct raids Peninsula late yesterday with ing at snail’s pace. The visibility is on hotels, tourist facilities and the government ordering all immensely poor,” he added. exhibitions to check violations schools, including private and Thick layers of dust were and book them. Independent, closed today. hanging in the air in several The Qatar Tourism Authority “All schools, whether places, including Doha, Dukhan, (QTA) said in a statement yester- Independent or private, will Jumailiya, and Umm Bab. day that the Public Prosecution remain closed today to ensure Al Mannai said that high pres- Department had conferred judicial the safety of students,” said school sure had built over large parts of authority on several of its staff. regulator, the Supreme Education the Arabian Peninsula that was Calling them judicial commission- Council (SEC). causing high wind which was ers, QTA said staff members have Staff members of the schools kicking up sand from the deserts been imparted special field train- will, however, report for duty, the mainly in Saudi Arabia. The ing for the purpose. The Ministry SEC said on its Twitter account. storm moved to Qatar from there. of Economy and Commerce, the University students are not Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh news- licensing authority for all businesses included in the SEC’s decision, paper said that some cities like in the country, has ratified the deci- the regulator clarified. Riyadh were totally engulfed by sion of the Public Prosecution, said The regulator has cancelled dust and winds were cruising at the statement. all school examinations that speeds at some places at 110km an The ‘judicial commissioners’ were scheduled to be held today hour. Riyadh newspaper’s online have the authority to pursue and said new exam dates will be edition said there were chances of offenders of the provisions of Law announced soon. rain today. Most GCC cities and No. 6 of 2012 regulating tourism, However, the exams that are areas were affected by the sand- and Law No 7 of 2013 governing to take place from Sunday will be storm, media reports said. exhibitions. The move will help held as scheduled, said the SEC. Fire alarms went out in shop- ensure that hotels, tourist facili- A senior weather forecaster ping complexes as the sandstorm ties and exhibitions in Qatar fully said dusty conditions may remain lashed Doha, making people panic comply with the provisions of the intense until at least 10 this morn- and run helter-skelter, especially laws and regulations issued from ing. “After 10am we can expect in the Villaggio Mall where a fire time to time. some relief,” said Abdullah Al tragedy had claimed many lives The move will make sure that Mannai, veteran researcher and in May 2012. hotels and other tourism sector analyst at the weather bureau. It couldn’t be known until the institutions adhere to international The sandstorm of the inten- time of going to the press as to tourism standards and practices. sity never seen at least in recent Vehicles move in low-visibility conditions during the sandstorm that hit Qatar yesterday. BAHER AMIN what damages the sandstorm “We are working to upgrade Qatar’s years, enveloped large parts of caused in Qatar in terms of road tourism sector to global standards,” Qatar all too suddenly by around from near the Old Airport, my car at several places in Doha and in meant only for emergency park- accidents. The interior ministry said the statement. “There is no 9.30 last night. seemed to have literally sailed into places outside as well. ing,” the Ministry of Interior said tweeted asking people, particu- doubt that the decision is a mile- “It came on suddenly like an a black hole,” said an expatriate. “Visibility is almost zero in all on its Twitter account. larly children, to avoid direct con- stone in QTA’s history,” said the avalanche. I was driving from “Nothing was visible. roads and highways. Motorists The ministry kept tweeting, tact with the sandstorm due to agency’s chief tourism development the Corniche area to the Airport Fortunately, I was close to my are requested to follow safety asking motorists to be cautious allergies they may develop. officer, Hassan Al Ibrahim. Road, and as I entered a little destination,” he added. instructions. Don’t use hazard as most parts of the country were Continued on page 6 Continued on page 6 deeper into the D Ring Road Visibility had turned to zero lights while driving. They are affected by the sandstorm. THE PENINSULA THE PENINSULA HMC bed plan irks CMC GCC in talks with DOHA: Several members of the small compared to the population Russia on Yemen Central Municipal Council have growth,” CMC member Hamad Al expressed surprise and disap- Kubaisi told a local Arabic daily. arms embargo pointment over the announce- He urged the health authori- ment made by Hamad Medical ties to do a proper assessment UNITED NATIONS: Gulf Corporation (HMC) on Sunday and review the decision. “The countries are locked in tough that hospital beds in the coun- announcement is disappointing negotiations with Russia on a try will be doubled in 15 years. and it does not meet the aspi- UN draft resolution to impose an HMC said that by 2030 hospital rations of Qatar and the Qatar arms embargo and sanctions on beds will increase from the exist- National Vision 2030,” he added. Yemen, diplomats said yesterday. ing 2,100 to 4,200. The civic coun- Mohammed Zafir Al Hajri, The Gulf Cooperation Council cil members, however, believe that representing the Al Shahaniya (GCC) states has been negotiating it is a very small number com- constituency said that the HMC with the five permanent Security pared to the burgeoning popula- announcement came as a shock Council members and Jordan on a tion in the country and HMC’s “at a time the population is grow- text after Saudi Arabia launched decision was not realistic. ing fast and all the hospital cor- an air campaign on Yemen on “HMC’s assessment ignored the ridors are filled with visitors”. March 26, without a UN mandate. population growth taking place “Patients are forced to wait for Its push for an international every year and the huge infra- two to three months for surgeries arms embargo and sanctions tar- structure projects as well as the due to lack of beds. What HMC has geting the Houthis has run into World Cup and tourism projects. announced now must happen in major opposition from Russia, All these require more number of the next five years. That was what which has friendly relations with workers. At least 10,000 hospital I was expecting,” said Al Hajri. Iran. “The GCC will now need beds are required until 2030 and Continued on page 6 to lobby the Russians very, very what has been announced is very THE PENINSULA hard,” said a Security Council diplomat. During negotiations, Russia INSIDE presented amendments to the Iran talks extended draft resolution that would extend Page 9 an arms embargo to all sides, LAUSANNE: US Secretary including President Abdrabuh Riyadh’s actions of State John Kerry and his Mansur Hadi’s forces in the con- signal a new German and French coun- flict, diplomats said. AFP terparts extended marathon See also page 7 Saudi era talks in Switzerland yester- By Mohammed day for a second day beyond a IS storms refugee Al Rashed self-imposed deadline to reach a preliminary agreement with camp in Damascus Iran on its nuclear programme. When will Gulf A diplomat close to the talks DAMASCUS: Islamic State mil- Arabs wake up? said that a deal could be announced itants infiltrated a Palestinian within hours but had not yet been refugee camp in Damascus yes- By Mubarak Al reached, and the talks could still terday and were clashing with Duwailah collapse. Kerry and German a Palestinian group, the deepest Foreign Minister Frank-Walter foray yet by the extremist group IS destroying Steinmeier announced they would into the Syrian capital, seat of stay at least until today. French President Bashar Al Assad’s human history Foreign Secretary Laurent Fabius power. Jordan closed its only By Khalil Ali Haidar returned for more talks after fly- functioning border crossing with ing back to Paris the previous day. Syria following heavy clashes. Full report on page 10 Full report on page 10 THURSDAY 2 APRIL 2015 HOME 02 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com Deputy Emir honours outgoing envoys Deputy Emir H H Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad Al Thani met outgoing Korean Ambassador Chung Keejong and Benin Ambassador Seydou Baku Bukhari at his Emiri Diwan Office yesterday and presented them with the Sash of Merit in appreciation of their role in strengthening relations between Qatar and their countries. He also wished them success in their future assignments.