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ISO 9001:2008 CERTIFIED NEWSPAPER Russia needs India in a spin high oil prices as England to survive level series Business | 14 Sport | 21 Friday 1 August 2014 • 5 Shawwal 1435 • Volume 19 Number 6144 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com [email protected] | [email protected] Editorial: 4455 7741 | Advertising: 4455 7837 / 4455 7780 72-hour Gaza truce agreed Qatar’s ‘water security Netanyahu vows to crush tunnels with or without ceasefire; toll 1,427 project’ deal signed GAZA/JERUSALEM: Israeli DOHA: Qatar’s ongo- commissioning of the initial Prime Minister Benjamin ing ‘drinking water secu- phase and is expected to be com- Netanyahu said yesterday he rity programme’ received a pleted by 2020. would not accept any ceasefire boost as the French company Once the project is fully that stopped Israel completing Saint-Gobain PAM signed commissioned, the reservoirs the destruction of militants’ two contracts with AlJaber together will be capable of stor- infiltration tunnels as US Engineering LLC worth ing potable water required for Secretary of State John Kerry $268m (200m euros). three months. said Israel and Hamas had The contracts involve the An earlier report said the agreed to a 72-hour ceasefire. supply of large-diameter pipes, reservoirs and pipeline network, “We are determined to com- fittings and valves for five giant with the support of respective plete this mission, with or with- water reservoirs to be launched pumping stations, will provide out a ceasefire,” Netanyahu said by General Electricity and up to 17 million cubic metres of in remarks at a meeting of his Water Corporation (Kahramaa). strategic potable water storage. full cabinet in Tel Aviv. “I won’t “The contracts are part of The network will allow water agree to any proposal that will not the ‘security mega reservoirs’ to flow from north to south and enable the Israeli military to fin- project managed by Kahramaa, vice-versa, so that it may be ish this important task, for the which aims at providing the delivered to any location in east- sake of Israel’s security.” country with a seven-day emer- ern Qatar irrespective of water In New Delhi, Kerry said both gency supply of drinking water,” availability. A 200km network of sides would begin the truce at the French multinational com- large diameter ring mains will 8am local time (0500 GMT) and pany announced. link the reservoirs. enter talks in Cairo. The reservoirs will be among The pumping stations of the “During this period, civilians the biggest in the region with reservoirs will be powered by in Gaza will receive urgently a capacity to hold water for electricity generated by solar needed humanitarian relief, and A Palestinian boy looks skywards while others inspect the damage of a car hit by an Israeli air strike in Gaza City the whole country for several panels. the opportunity to carry out vital yesterday. days in case of any emergency. Solar equipment will be functions, including burying the The mega storage facilities will installed on the surface of the dead, taking care of the injured, strike on a home in the Nuseirat Three civilians have been killed be based in Umm Birka, Umm reservoirs to generate electric- restocking food supplies and over- refugee camp in the central Gaza by Palestinian shelling in Israel. Katara to organise Salal, Al Thumama, Rawdhat ity, enabling each reservoir to due repairs on essential water and Strip, killing 11 members of a The US and the UN Security Rashid and Abu Nakhla. The function independently, using energy infrastructure could also family. Council have urged an immediate, festival of solidarity reservoirs will have an inte- solar power in case of outages continue.” The Israeli military said more unconditional ceasefire in Gaza to DOHA: Katara said yesterday grated network to link Doha or disruptions. Kerry said he was announc- than 90 rockets were fired from allow in humanitarian relief and it will hold a festival of solidar- with different parts of the Qatar’s per capita water con- ing the truce jointly with UN the Palestinian enclave. Hamas for further talks on a more lasting ity in support of Gaza on August country. sumption is one of the highest Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, said it had fired one rocket at cessation of hostilities. 8. The festival will include cul- The project is proposed to be in the world. The country has who has also invested efforts in Israel’s commercial hub Tel “The shelling of a UN facility tural events, art shows and completed in two phases. The initiated several measures, the brokering an end to the conflict. Aviv, which the army said was that is housing innocent civilians musical performances by sing- first is expected to be commis- most important being Tarsheed, The Israeli military said it had intercepted. who are fleeing violence is totally ers, artistes and poets. There sioned in the first quarter of to create awareness about the called up an additional 16,000 Gaza officials say at least unacceptable and totally indefen- will also be art exhibitions in 2016 and the facility will have a need to use water and electricity reservists. They will relieve a 1,427 Palestinians, mostly, civil- sible,” the White House said while collaboration with centres and capacity to meet Qatar’s piped wisely. The campaign has helped similar number of reserve soldiers ians, have been killed in the bat- the US Defence Department associations in Katara such as water demand for seven days, the country reduce consump- being stood down. tered territory and nearly 7,000 urged Israel to do more to protect Qatar Fine Arts Society, Qatar in the event of an emergency. tion substantially in the past Gaza health officials said wounded. Fifty-six Israeli soldiers civilian life during its operations. Photographic Society and Visual The second phase will one year. 34 Palestinians were killed in have been killed in Gaza clashes AGENCIES Art Centre. Continued on page 2 commence shortly after the THE PENINSULA assaults that included an air and more than 400 wounded. See also page 5 THE PENINSULA WTO fails to agree key trade deal Prosperity, technology push Eid visits out of fashion DOHA: People from a locality in Qatar Al Janahi, a Qatari, reminiscing how cer- Not anymore. “Now, when I visit a home and make phone calls,” Abu Neda said, cit- over India threats used to gather at one place and go for tain traditions that were followed on occa- on Eid, I find people sleeping. They are sur- ing an example. GENEVA: The World Trade Eid Al Fitr and Eid Al Adha prayers sions like Eid have vanished. prised looking at me and say they were Prominent sociologist, Dr Batool Khalifa, Organisation yesterday said together in an environment of communal Al Janahi told the local Arabic daily Al expecting visitors at night,” said Khadija said how modern communications technol- its 160 members had failed to bonhomie in the days gone by. Watan in comments published yesterday Al Ajman, a Qatari woman. ogy had brought those people nearer you agree a landmark global cus- Things have changed drastically since, how people from a neighbourhood used to Dr Hassan Abu Neda, a Qatari sociolo- who were distant and turned those away toms pact in a move the US said as people are prosperous now and almost assemble at a place on Eid day early in the gist has a different viewpoint and said he from you who were nearer you. left the body on “uncertain new everyone has a car, so assembling at a point morning to walk together for prayers. did not see changes taking place in this “SMSs and phone calls can ever be a ground”. and taking a walk is out of fashion now. Then, people used to wait for the prayers modern era as unprecedented. substitute to courtesy calls used to be made “We have not been able to find Elders in the Qatari community are try- to end so they would gather at a place He told the daily how modern com- by people to their relatives and friends,” a solution that would allow us to ing hard to help preserve traditions and again and make a group and walk back munications technology had made things said Khalifa. bridge the gap,” WTO Director- make sure that younger people follow some to their neighbourhoods, he said. “And at “easier” for people. She said what is needed is training for General Roberto Azevedo said in customs on Eid days like visiting neigh- our homes, we would make special Qatari “People don’t need to send greeting cards youngsters and impressing upon them the a statement after the passing of a bours and relatives, but in vain. cuisines to mark Eid.” to relatives and friends anymore by post on fact that they must occasionally visit their July 31 deadline for the deal. “Many changes have taken place in our People would have lunch and then visit occasions like Eid, as they did before. Now relatives and friends. Continued on page 2 A draft of the so-called Trade society as time has passed,” says Mohamed their neighbours, relatives and friends. they send SMSs and texts using ‘whatsapp’ THE PENINSULA Facilitation Agreement, which would streamline global customs procedures, was agreed at a Bali Ooredoo launches SIM card in Myanmar conference last December and was meant to be finalised this month. EU sanctions on Russia begin But rifts between members, BRUSSELS: The European Union (EU) adopted sanctions yes- particularly over demands from terday curbing arms sales to Russia and cutting off financing for India that the world body gives targeted banks over Moscow’s support for rebels in Ukraine.