ISO 9001:2008 CERTIFIED NEWSPAPER Wednesday 1 May 2013 21 Jumada II 1434 - Volume 18 Number 5686 Price: QR2 Milaha profit Doping case up 21pc to doctor gets QR344.6m one year in jail Business | 21 Sport | 32 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com [email protected] | [email protected] Editorial: 4455 7741 | Advertising: 4455 7837 / 4455 7780 Sheikha Moza in Amsterdam Kuwait deports No visas for Filipina 213 for grave traffic offences KUWAIT CITY: Kuwait has deported 213 foreigners over housemaids: Agents the past few days for commit- ting “grave” traffic offences as part of a drive to reduce acci- Philippine embassy denies ban on recruitment dents, a senior interior ministry official said in comments pub- DOHA: Local manpower agen- maids they were clearing on aver- rumours about the ban had been lished yesterday. cies say the Qatari authori- age a day and if the number had going on in the local community “We have deported 213 expatri- ties have stopped issuing work come down in recent months. circles for a while, but so far the ates during the past few days for visas for Filipina maids, but the All requests from prospective Qatari government has not yet violating traffic rules and com- embassy of the Philippines here employers in Qatar for workers given any official confirmation to mitting grave offences,” interior has denied any ban on domestic from the Philippines, including the embassy. ministry assistant undersec- workers from their country. domestic sector workforce, must The issue, he said, started when retary for traffic affairs Major “We are not providing maids be cleared by the embassy and the Philippine government strictly General Abdulfattah Al Ali told from the Philippines right now Polo. imposed the minimum wage of $400 Al Anbaa newspaper. because the immigration depart- “Those figures are with the for Filipina housemaids around the He said those deported were ment has stopped issuing visa for Overseas Employment Bureau in world as part of the Household caught driving without a driver’s them for the past few months,” an Manila and not with us,” a Polo Service Workers (HSW) Policy licence, used their private cars official from a manpower agency official said, evading questions Reform Package, which many to carry passengers, passed the said. from this newspaper. Qatari families opposed. red traffic light for a second time The Philippine Embassy The manpower agency official, “The Reform Package started and exceeded the speed limit by insisted there was no ban on however, said he and others in to be implemented in 2007 but over 40km. Filipina housemaids and said the recruitment business were it was only recently that it was Around 400 people die and thou- there was no official communi- hopeful that the situation would strictly enforced by the Philippine sands others are wounded from cation from the Qatari govern- change and Qatar would soon government,” said Almangeura. traffic accidents every year in ment in this regard. “We have resume issuing work visas for Promulgated six years ago, the Kuwait. Citizens who commit the not received any official commu- Filipina maids. policy was aimed at profession- same offences will have their vehi- nication to that effect,” Charge An official from another man- alizing domestic work and mini- cles seized for some time and could d’Affaires, Melvin C Almonguera, power agency confirmed that it mizing vulnerabilities of Filipina be sent to court. Kuwait also plans told The Peninsula yesterday. had been months that the Qatari housemaids. The policy stipulates to deport around 100,000 expatri- Embassy officials as well as authorities had stopped issuing a number of provisions and the ates a year for the next 10 years. those at the Philippine Overseas visas for Filipina maids. $400 minimum wage is just one Labor Office (Polo), however, Almongeura, though, reiterated of its features. Dortmund reach refused to comment when asked in remarks to this newspaper that Continued on page 6 H H Sheikha Moza bint Nasser arrives at the Nieuwe Kerk or New how many job requests for Filipina the issue was not new and that THE PENINSULA Church in Amsterdam yesterday for the inauguration of Dutch King Champions Willem-Alexander. See also page 4 League final MADRID: Borussia Dortmund Man gets three survived a stirring Real Madrid fightback to reach the years for stealing Arabs soften stance on peace deal Champions League final yes- terday with a 4-3 aggregate leopard cubs victory despite losing 2-0 after CAIRO: The Arab League yes- that collapsed just weeks after they conceding late goals at an elec- DOHA: A criminal court here terday flagged a shift in the terms Palestinian killed in Israeli air strike were relaunched in September tric Bernabeu. Real looked has sentenced a man to three of its 2002 Arab Peace Initiative 2010. “The statement that was down and out before substitute years in jail after he was found to incorporate the idea of mutual GAZA: Israel yesterday launched its first targeted attack in made by the Arab League today is Karim Benzema scored from guilty of stealing a pair of what land swaps in the context of an Gaza since a war in November, killing a Palestinian in an air a very positive statement,” she said. close range in the 83rd minute apparently were pet leopard Israeli-Palestinian peace deal, a strike that put further strain on a five-month-old ceasefire. “I believe it is very important and Sergio Ramos struck five cubs from a home. An associate step welcomed by Israel. There was also bloodshed in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, for the Palestinians to understand minutes later but with the home of the convict who was accused The principle of land swaps where for the first time since 2011, a Palestinian killed a Jewish set- that the Arab world supports a fans going wild as they urged by the prosecution of being an has been affirmed by Israeli and tler. Israeli soldiers shot and wounded the attacker after he stabbed negotiated peace treaty between their team forward Dortmund accomplice in the crime was Palestinian leaders in previous the man at a busy intersection. Israel and the Palestinians that held on. acquitted as the court said no rounds of talks but has never Israel said the Palestinian killed in the air strike, Haitham Al ends the conflict,” she said, stress- See also page 32 evidence was found against him. formed part of the Arab initia- Meshal, 29, was a jihadi who was an expert in making rockets. It ing that the details would have The leopard cubs were kept in a tive that was unveiled by Saudi accused him of involvement in a rocket attack from Egypt’s Sinai to be hammered out by the two 24pc hike in average room adjacent to the living room Arabia in February 2002. peninsula against Israel’s Red Sea resort of Eilat on April 17, which sides, “and hopefully soon.” (majlis) in the owner’s home. Under the original plan, the had caused no injuries or damage. REUTERS “I hope that the Arab League’s salary in Qatar It so happened that there were Arab League’s 22 member states statement and position can help in DOHA: There has been an festivities in the owner’s spacious would forge full diplomatic rela- relaunching negotiations between almost 24 percent increase in house on the night of the incident tions with Israel in exchange for proposal emerged late on Monday delegation and the secretary of Israel and the Palestinians. The the average monthly pay across and some 100 people had gathered “total withdrawal by Israel to the following talks between top state have given to the diplomatic sooner, the better.” all sectors in Qatar in 15 months there, a quarter of them singers June 4, 1967 lines” and the estab- Arab League members and US process,” the official said, speak- Details of the new stance since 2011-end, official figures and musicians. lishment of a Palestinian state. Secretary of State John Kerry. ing on condition of anonymity. were briefly mentioned by the released yesterday reflect. The convict was one of the But the Arab League on Israel’s chief peace negotiator, “The two sides can present their Arab League delegation’s leader, The average monthly wage in invitees to the revelries and he Monday said it could involve a Tzipi Livni, hailed the announce- positions when the negotiations Qatar’s Prime Minister and the first quarter (January to took along a friend. The party- “comparable and mutual agreed ment as “very good news,” but start,” he said. Livni described Foreign Minister H E Sheikh March) this year was QR9, 177 ing went on until midnight. To his minor swap of the land” to reflect another official was much cooler. the move as “an important step,” Hamad bin Jassem bin Jabor Al ($2,521), while the figure for the shock, the owner discovered the the realities on the ground. “Israel welcomes the encour- saying she hoped it would lead to Thani, at a press conference with entire year of 2011 was QR7, 401 next morning that his baby leop- Details of the revamped agement that the Arab League a renewal of direct peace talks Kerry. AFP ($2,033). Full report on page 8 ards were missing from their room, which had three doors, two of which were locked, with the third one having no lock on it. First green taxi A police complaint about the theft was lodged on the owner’s behalf. The police got a clue when Steep rise in complaints a local website mentioned that a leopard had been taken by someone to a veterinary clinic for vaccina- tion.