ISO 9001:2008 CERTIFIED NEWSPAPER Wednesday 16 October 2013 11 Dhul-Hijja 1434 - Volume 18 Number 5854 Price: QR2 Europe moves British driver towards Edwards dies in banking union Porsche crash Business | 14 Sport | 16 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com [email protected] | [email protected] Editorial: 4455 7741 | Advertising: 4455 7837 / 4455 7780 Emir meets well-wishers on Eid No breakthrough Paramedics in talks to end US shutdown WASHINGTON: Negotiations in Congress to end the fiscal deployed at impasse sputtered yesterday, leaving both chambers grasping for a way to reopen the govern- ment and raise the country’s borrowing authority with tomor- Eid venues row’s deadline drawing near. The Senate halted discussions on its own plan, as it waited for the Many seek emergency care at HMC fractious Republican-controlled House of Representatives to come DOHA: Hamad Medical food, doctors said. At least 10 of up with an alternative proposal Corporation’s emergency unit the above cases related to inju- ahead of the October 17 deadline, stationed individual paramed- ries suffered in road accidents. No when the US Treasury says the ics at a number of locations deaths were, however, reported. government will reach its borrow- across the city where Eid Al Among the injured were three ing limit. Senate leaders had been Adha celebrations were lined up Chinese nationals. One of them close to a deal that would reopen yesterday to tackle any medical was described by doctors to be in the government and raise the emergencies. a critical condition. debt limit until early 2014, while These locations included malls, The pedestrian trio, it seems, the initial alternative plan pro- public parks and places like Aspire was hit by a car on the Corniche posed by House Republican lead- Zone and Souq Waqif where large Road. The children’s emergency, ers failed to gain enough support numbers turned up for festivities. handled more than 1,200 cases in in a closed-door meeting for the Interestingly, HMC officials the day and some of them related House to proceed. The disarray said they had also introduced to fever and respiratory problems. among House Republicans raised bicycle ambulances this Eid, Doctors said the number of questions about what the House ostensibly for people gathered in cases reported to the emergency The Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani talks to a child who turned up to greet him on Eid Al Adha will be able to pass. REUTERS public parks, among other places. unit on the first day of Eid Al yesterday. The Emir and the Father Emir H H Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani received at Al Wajba Palace See also page 9 The individual paramedics, Adha was much less than that well-wishers on the occasion of Eid. More pictures on page 2 both on foot and bicycles, were during previous years. apparently equipped with the The ambulance department necessary medical equipment to said they received some 430 calls take care of an emergency until for help in the day, while air an ambulance arrived. ambulance division received some It was, however, not known if six calls. Two million stone the devil during Haj these paramedics confronted any Four-wheel powered ambu- medical emergencies in those lances were deployed in areas like MINA: Around two million Muslims con- 600,700 domestic pilgrims, a massive drop of locations. Sealine and Khor Udaid. verged on Mina, Saudi Arabia yesterday to 57 percent. Saudi authorities have sharply cut back on Hajj visas for the HMC’s emergency unit, which The Ministry of Interior said symbolically stone the devil, the final stage Although the numbers were sharply reduced young, elderly and unwell, over fears of infections from the Middle also handles road accident cases, on its Twitter account that a car of the annual Haj pilgrimage that has so far from 3.2 million last year, the crowds of faith- East Respiratory Syndrome. The MERS virus received some 580 patients during fell off the flyover near the immi- gone off without incident. ful managed to transform the Mina Valley, just has killed 60 people worldwide, 49 in Saudi Arabia daytime yesterday. These cases gration headquarters. The occasion coincides with the first day outside the holy city of Makkah, into a vast HAJJ VISITORS millions Saudis 3,161,573 included stomach upsets due to The ministry didn’t say if there of Eid Al Adha, the feast of sacrifice, which sea of white as they flocked from all directions Foreigners 3.0 2,927,717 overeating, and other complica- were any casualties in this acci- is celebrated by Muslims around the world. towards the place of stoning. 2,789,399 tions like diabetes, liver and kid- dent or other road mishaps. It The numbers were sharply lower this year An endless torrent of pilgrims, dressed in ney-related problems on account urged motorists to drive safely. because quotas were reduced due to mas- the ihram, a two-piece seamless white gar- 2.5 of eating a lot of sweet and fatty THE PENINSULA sive construction work to expand the Grand ment, cried “Allahu akbar” (God is greatest) 2,129,531 MERS cases (deaths) Apr 2012 – present Mosque, Islam’s holiest site, and fears over the as they hurled pebbles they had collected over- 2.0 Saudi Arabia 1,767,000 deadly MERS coronavirus. night at nearby Muzdalifah at concrete pillars 116 (49) Health ministry spokesman Khaled Al representing the devil. 1.5 93 killed in Philippines earthquake Cases Merghalani said no cases of coronavirus or Some pilgrims also took the opportunity 138 CEBU: A powerful earth- pedes across popular tourist any other disease had been detected, making to reflect on unrest in their home countries. 2013 visitors Deaths 1.0 Saudis: 750,000 60 quake killed at least 93 people islands. Fifteen of the con- this year’s Haj so far free from diseases and A small group of Syrians were seen carrying Foreigners: 1,379,531 in the Philippines yesterday as firmed fatalities were in Cebu, incidents. the rebels’ flag, while a number of Egyptians 0.5 Others Tunisia 3 (1) it tore down modern buildings, the country’s second most The Saudi public statistics department raised their four fingers, a sign of support for UAE 6 (2) Jordan 2 (2) destroyed historic churches important city. AFP said there were a total of 1.98 million pil- deposed Islamist president Mohammed Mursi. Qatar 5 (3) France 2 (1) 0 UK 3 (2) Italy 1 (0) and triggered terrified stam- Full report on page 11 grims. Of those, 1.38 million came from 188 However, no protests were staged. AFP 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 countries, a 21-percent slide, while there were See also page 4 Sources: Saudi government, WHO Picture: Associated Press © GRAPHIC NEWS Iran gives Ali Baba... fires up Doha key proposal Qatar unaffected Former Qatar coach by global crisis, during meet says QCB chief Metsu dies of cancer GENEVA: Iran yesterday pre- LILLE, FRANCE: Former team, Adel sented world powers with what DOHA: Qatar’s financial sector Qatar national team coach Khami, it dubbed a potential break- remains strong and unaffected Bruno Metsu (pictured) has spoke of through to end a decade-long by the weaknesses of some of died from cancer at the age of his admi- standoff over its nuclear drive, the developed economies of the 59, friends confirmed yesterday. ration for and held landmark talks with US world, said H E Abdullah bin The Frenchman, who was diag- Metsu. officials. All sides underscored Saud Al Thani, Qatar Central nosed with colon cancer in 2012 He said: the positive atmosphere of the Bank governor. In an introduc- and famously led Senegal to the “He was revived negotiations under the tion to the country’s Financial quarter-finals of the 2002 World a person new administration of President Stability Report for 2012, he Cup, stood down as coach of who we Hassan Rowhani — who suc- said a number of new initiatives Dubai first division side Al Wasl cannot for- ceeded Mahmoud Ahmadinejad aimed at reinforcing the organi- in October due to health reasons get, especially his humanitarian in August — though Western sational structures of the local — his final coaching job. aspect. I worked with this man negotiators said they were still financial sector and the regula- After a successful spell with at Al Gharafa and he was a lovely examining the details of what tory norms had led to a strong Senegal, Metsu managed a person. The people, especially Iran had put on the table. and stable financial sector. number of clubs in the Middle the players and administration Rowhani has pledged trans- The QCB chief said setting up East, including being the coach staff, loved him because he was parency on the nuclear pro- a Financial Stability and Risk of Qatar from 2008 to 2011 where cooperative”. gramme and engagement with Control Committee (within the he led the 2011 Asian Cup hosts to Khami, who had visited Metsu the international community. purview of the QCB) had resulted the quarter-finals before losing to in France, added: “He was a hum- Iran’s meeting with the European in the development of the finan- eventual winners Japan 3-2. ble and respectable man and was Union-chaired P5+1 group ends a cial sector and prosperity. “Our The Qatar Football Association shaking hands and discussing dif- six-month freeze sparked by its banks are enjoying a good level of (QFA) sent their ‘sincere condo- ferent issues with people.” refusal to curb uranium enrich- capitalisation and have high prof- lences’ to Metsu’s family, said It is believed the disease had ment in exchange for easing sanc- itability and their non-perform- a post on their official Twitter spread to his lungs and liver.