ISO 9001:2008 CERTIFIED NEWSPAPER Friday 6 September 2013 30 Shawwal 1434 - Volume 18 Number 5814 Price: QR2 QE market Holder Murray cap falls falls to by 4.01pc Wawrinka Business | 14 Sport | 19 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com [email protected] | [email protected] Editorial: 4455 7741 | Advertising: 4455 7837 / 4455 7780 US and UK spy Rents of Barwa agencies crack Web encryption ‘affordable’ LONDON: US and British intel- ligence agencies have cracked the encryption that secures a wide range of online communi- homes to go up cations including emails, bank- ing transactions and phone conversations, according to newly leaked documents. Second hike in two years from Oct The documents provided by former US intelligence contrac- DOHA: State-backed real the first hike in rentals two years tor Edward Snowden to The New estate giant Barwa is raising ago, the decision had met with York Times, ProPublica and The rents of its “affordable” hous- resistance from tenants and Guardian suggest that the spy ing units in Mesaimeer and Barwa was criticised for not keep- agencies are able to decipher data Assailiya reportedly by 10 per- ing its promise to keep rents low. even with the supposedly secure cent, again. A further hike in just two years encryption to make it private. The last time it hiked monthly is sure to invite more criticism, The US National Security rents of these units (also by 10 especially after Barwa’s decision Agency, working with its British percent) was in 2011. The increase to drastically cut maintenance counterpart, GCHQ, accom- comes into force this October and costs. Tenants have been com- plished the feat by using super- will apply to all rent contracts plaining that Waseef, a Barwa Egyptian s ecurity officials inspect the scene of the bomb blast targeting Interior Minister Mohammed Ibrahim near computers, court orders, and renewed afterwards, local Arabic subsidiary that manages the two his home in Nasr City, Cairo, yesterday. It was the first such attack in Egypt since the 1990s. some cooperation from technol- dailies reported yesterday. complexes, carries out only basic ogy companies, the documents The two residential complexes maintenance work. indicate. together comprise 1,984 two- and “Tenants are made to pay for If the reports are accurate, the three-bedroom apartments. the replacement of any damaged highly secretive program would Rent hikes contradict Barwa’s equipment, even if it is a faulty AC Egypt minister escapes bid on life defeat much of the protection professed aim of helping lim- or bathroom fittings installed by that is used to keep data secure ited-income people by providing the company. There is no justifi- CAIRO: Egypt’s Interior Minister Mohamed and private on the Internet, from them with “affordable” homes in cation for a further hike in rents,” Ibrahim escaped an assassination attempt yester- Qatar condemns attack emails to chats to communica- both complexes. The first one, in said a tenant of the Mesaimeer day when a car bomb blew up next to his convoy DOHA: An official source at the Foreign tions using smartphones. Mesaimeer, was built some six complex. The situation, accord- and gunmen strafed his vehicle, prompting him Ministry expressed Qatar’s condemnation and The Guardian report said the years ago, at a time rents were ing to this tenant, is so pathetic to warn that a wave of terrorism by opponents denunciation of the assassination attempt on two spy agencies had “covert peaking at back-breaking levels that during a recent fire that of the military-installed government was just the Egyptian Interior Minister. In a statement partnerships” with technology and the idea was to help people gutted an apartment in the beginning. to Qatar News Agency, the source said Qatar companies and Internet provid- with limited income to move into Mesaimeer complex, fire alarms Ibrahim has been involved in overseeing a crack- condemned the criminal act which contradicted ers which allows the insertion of affordable homes. were not working. Company offi- down on supporters of Mohammed Mursi, the all human and ethical values and set a serious “secret vulnerabilities, known as After the latest hike, monthly cials admitted that alarm systems elected Islamist president overthrown on July 3 by precedent, and called on all Egyptians to exer- backdoors or trapdoors, into com- rent of a two-bedroom apart- were under maintenance. the army following protests against his rule. cise self-restraint at this critical stage of their mercial encryption software.” ment would reach QR3,630 (from A tenant of Assailiya complex No organisation claimed responsibility for the first country’s history that requires reconciliation, “It’s pretty shocking,” said QR3,300), while that of a three- claimed that the swimming pool attempt to kill a minister since the 1990s. “It is likely solidarity and work for consolidation of national Joseph Hall of the Center for bed room will go up to QR4,235 was not yet functional, even after that it was a suicide explosion as a result of a high unity. QNA Democracy and Technology, a (from QR3,850). four years of its opening. “The explosive device,” a ministry statement said, adding digital rights organization. Barwa officials were not avail- pool was never filled with water. It 21 people, including 10 policemen, were injured. security sources said police had killed two attackers. Hall said that if the reports are able for comment yesterday, but has now become like a junk yard,” Mursi’s Muslim Brotherhood condemned the They said the ambush began seconds after Ibrahim true, “it means that the elements the local Arabic dailies attributed said the tenant. He said Barwa attack. The ministry said the blast damage indicated left his home in the capital’s Nasr City on his way that keep information secure the company’s decision on rent officials always blame tenants for that a 50kg bomb had been used. Footage posted to work. A car driving ahead of the convoy exploded in transit are fundamentally hikes to rising maintenance costs. misuse of facilities. “If some ten- on YouTube showed a vehicle ablaze as shots rang and the minister’s armoured vehicle also came under undermined.” Misuse of facilities by some ants are misusing facilities, others out for three minutes. A distant, unidentified voice heavy gunfire. Bruce Schneier, a crypto- tenants is also pushing up main- should not be punished. Instead of could also be heard shouting “Allahu Akbar! (God Ibrahim said this week he had been told of plans to graphic specialist who follows tenance costs, one daily said, rising rents, Barwa should take is Greatest!)” kill him and that “foreign elements” were involved. national security issues, called quoting Barwa sources. measures to curb the misuse.” A government video showed bullet holes all along Armed forces chief General Abdel Fattah Al Sisi the revelations “explosive.” When the company announced THE PENINSULA the side of a white car identified as Ibrahim’s, and gave him an armoured car, he said. AGENCIES AFP 120-car pile-up in London US gives up on UN in Syria crisis UNITED NATIONS: The US declared “Our considered view, after months of Meanwhile, world leaders meet at a G20 yesterday that it has given up trying to efforts on chemical weapons and after summit in Russia where US President work with the UN Security Council on two-and-a-half years of efforts on Geneva Barack Obama will strive to bridge deep Syria, accusing Russia of holding the (peace talks), the humanitarian situation divisions over his push for military action council hostage and allowing Moscow’s is that there is no viable path forward in against the Syrian regime’s alleged use of allies in Syria to deploy poison gas this Security Council,” she said. chemical weapons. against innocent children. After Britain submitted the draft He said the world had set “a red line” US Ambassador to the UN Samantha resolution to council veto powers China, for Syria and it could not now remain Power’s remarks left no doubt that France, Russia and the US, its parlia- silent in the face of the alleged chemical Washington would not seek UN approval ment voted against British participation weapons attack on Damascus suburbs. for a military strike on Syria in response in planned US military strikes to pun- “I didn’t set a red line. The world set to the August 21 chemical attack near ish Syria’s government for the chemical a red line,” he said, referring to interna- Damascus. She said a draft resolution attack. tional rules banning the use of chemical Britain submitted to the five permanent Washington, which is seeking US con- weapons, even in case of war. “My cred- council members last week calling for a gressional approval for military action, ibility is not on the line. The international response to that attack was dead. blames the latest poison gas attack on community’s credibility is on the line and “I was present in the meeting where forces loyal to Assad. The US says that America and Congress’s credibility is on the UK laid down the resolution, and eve- sarin gas attack killed over 1,400 people, the line.” The US is also weighing expand- rything in that meeting, in word and in many of them children. ing support for Syrian rebels by having body language, suggests that that resolu- Power said the 15-nation council failed the Pentagon take charge of arming the A police officer and a rescue worker inspect the wreckage of some of the 120 vehi- tion has no prospect of being adopted, by to live up to its role as the guardian of opposition instead of a clandestine effort cles involved in multiple collisions, in dense fog during the morning rush hour, on the Russia in particular,” Power said.