Lithium Battery Shipment Ban Hits Qatar Consumers
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
BUSINESS | Page 1 SPORT | Page 1 Carreno turns attention to INDEX DOW JONES QE NYMEX QATAR 2, 16 COMMENT 14, 15 REGION 3 BUSINESS 1 – 12 Uzbekistan Fitch affi rms Qatar’s ‘AA’ 18,491.96 10,989.79 44.24 ARAB WORLD 3 CLASSIFIED 7, 8 +72.66 -324.76 +1.08 INTERNATIONAL 4 – 13 SPORTS 1 – 8 rating with stable outlook match +0.39% -2.87% +2.50% Latest Figures published in QATAR since 1978 SATURDAY Vol. XXXVII No. 10200 September 3, 2016 Dhul-Hijja 1, 1437 AH GULF TIMES www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals Explosion at arms depot In brief Lithium battery shipment ban hits QATAR | Weather Rain and strong wind likely today Rain, strong wind and low horizontal visibility are expected this afternoon Qatar consumers in central and southern areas of Qatar. The maximum temperature of 44C The International Civil Aviation to the US. He noted that a similar in- is forecast at Abu Samra, followed by Organisation has banned the cident happened to his friend in Doha, 42C (Doha), 41C (Mesaieed, Wakrah, shipment of lithium-ion batteries who purchased lithium batteries worth Dukhan), 39C (Al Khor) and 38C as cargo on passenger aircraft due QR4,000 from an online store, which (Ruwais). The minimum temperature to safety concerns refunded the amount after the items of 29C is expected at Al Khor and were shipped back to the US. Ruwais, followed by 30C (Mesaieed, By Peter Alagos Some online stores have stopped Wakrah, Dukhan, Abu Samra) and 32C Business Reporter shipping lithium-powered items to (Doha). Yesterday’s peak temperature Qatar. A leading US store in an adviso- of 46C was recorded at Abu Samra, ry, said: “There are currently no ship- followed by 43C at Doha, Mesaieed nternational restrictions on the ping methods available to Qatar due to and Dukhan, 42C at Al Khor and 39C shipment of lithium-ion batter- carrier regulations regarding products at Ruwais. The minimum temperature Iies and lithium-powered gadgets containing lithium batteries. Please se- of 28C was recorded yesterday at and equipment have raised concern lect a diff erent shipping destination or Abu Samra and Al Khor, followed by among many Qatar residents, who said remove these items from your cart.” 29C at Ruwais, 30C at Dukhan, 31C at Smoke billowing from buildings in a northeastern neighbourhood of the Iraqi the situation has limited their options A Doha resident said he was for- Mesaieed and 33C in Doha. capital Baghdad where a blast at a weapons storage facility rocked the area when making online purchases of these tunate to get lithium batteries from a yesterday. The blast caused by a fire set off rockets that hit neighbouring districts, items. relative, who bought the items in the EUROPE | Diplomacy killing at least four residents and injuring 14 others, police said. Page 3 Many electronic products are pow- online purchase of assorted lithium US and hand-carried them to Doha. ered by lithium batteries, among them batteries was prohibited to enter Qa- Al-Muftah said one of his options is to Russia and Japan seek are tablets and smartphones, digital tar upon reaching Dubai. The items, transport lithium batteries from Dubai to end territorial row cameras, or laptops, as well as medical according to him, were shipped back to Qatar by road. Russia’s President Vladimir Putin equipment and power tools. and Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo But due to safety concerns, the In- Abe yesterday agreed to draw up ternational Civil Aviation Organisa- Safety alert over fi re risk fears proposals this year to end a row that tion (ICAO) has banned the shipment has bedevilled their relationship for Deadly blast of lithium-ion batteries as cargo on The Federal Aviation Administration the company “can ship lithium 80 years over a group of islands passenger aircraft. The ban, which (FAA) has issued a Safety Alert for batteries but it should be with the that lie between the two countries. took eff ect last April 1, was adopted by Operators (Safo) on “carriage of equipment such as mobile phones The dispute stems from the Soviet ICAO’s 36-nation governing council spare lithium batteries in carry-on and laptop computers”. Union’s decision, in the final days of on an interim basis until new packag- and checked baggage”. “We cannot ship lithium batteries World War Two, to seize the islands strikes Duterte’s ing standards for lithium batteries are “Lithium batteries present a alone because it is included among – known in Japan as the Northern developed, said news reports quoting risk of both igniting and fuelling items considered as ‘dangerous Territories and in Russia as the ICAO president Olumuyiwa Benard fires in aircraft cargo/baggage goods’,” the CSR from DHL stressed. Southern Kuriles – that Tokyo says Aliu. compartments,” the Safo said. The check-in counter at Hamad are its sovereign territory. home city In Qatar, the price range of lithium “To reduce the risk of lithium International Airport said spare batteries and lithium-powered prod- battery fires, the US Department lithium batteries could not be stored EUROPE | Personality ucts varies, and many residents rely on of Transportation’s Hazardous in checked baggage but might be Uzbekistan’s longtime AFP Davao, close to one of the city’s top online stores that provide lower prices Materials Regulations (HMR) and included in the passenger’s carry-on Davao, the Philippines hotels and a major university. or special rates compared to those of- equivalent International Civil luggage. Power banks, laptops and President Karimov dies “The force just hurled me. I practi- fered by local stores, which again may Aviation Organisation’s Technical digital cameras may be hand-carried Islam Karimov, president of ex- cally fl ew in the air,” Adrian Abilano- not have the exact products sought af- Instructions for the Safe Transport of by passengers. Soviet Uzbekistan for more than 25 t least 10 people died and doz- sa, who said his cousin was among ter by customers. Dangerous Goods (ICAO TI) prohibit Some airlines allow passengers to years, has died, off icials confirmed ens were injured when a bomb those killed, told AFP shortly after- Qatar-based photographer and vid- spare lithium batteries from checked hand carry small and medium lithium yesterday, and in an early sign of Atore through a bustling night wards. eographer, Hamad al-Muftah, told Gulf baggage (including baggage checked batteries, under 100 Watt-hour and who might succeed him, his prime market in Philippine President Rod- Davao is part of the southern region Times that he often purchased photo- at the gate or on-board the aircraft),” 100-160Wh, respectively, provided minister was designated mourner- rigo Duterte’s home city yesterday. of Mindanao, where Islamic militants graphic equipment or accessories on- it added. they are inside the equipment, in-chief at his funeral. Karimov, who The blast occurred just before 11pm have waged a decades-long separa- line because of cheaper prices. A customer service representative terminals are taped properly, or was 78 and served as Uzbekistan’s local time, leaving bodies strewn tist insurgency that has claimed more “Sometimes the equipment I need is (CSR) from Aramex Doha told Gulf are enclosed in original packaging. president from the moment it amid the wreckage of plastic tables than 120,000 lives. either too expensive to buy in Qatar or Times that it “cannot accept or ship Large lithium batteries (160+Wh) became independent from the and chairs on a road that had been Communist rebels, who have been is not available in the local store, which lithium batteries”. The same was are banned, with the exception Soviet Union, had been in hospital closed to traffi c for the market in the waging an armed struggle since 1968, is why getting them online is a more stated by a CSR from FedEx in Qatar. of mobility aids like a lithium-ion after suff ering a stroke. He will be heart of Davao city. also maintain a presence in rural areas practical option,” he said. A call to DHL in Doha revealed that powered wheelchair. buried today in his home city of An improvised explosive device neighbouring Davao. But al-Muftah lamented that his Samarkand. Page 9 caused the explosion, presidential Duterte had been mayor of Davao spokesman Martin Andanar said, for most of the past two decades, be- LATIN AMERICA | Politics adding drug traffi ckers opposed to fore winning national elections in a Duterte’s war on crime or militants landslide this year and being sworn in Brazil has ‘turned may have been responsible. as president on June 30. a page’, says Temer “There are many elements who are Duterte became well known for Eid al-Adha begins on September 12 First group of Brazil has turned a page on years angry at our president and our gov- bringing relative peace and order to of crisis, the country’s new leader ernment,” Andanar told DZMM radio, Davao with hardline security policies, he annual Muslim feast of Eid part of their pilgrimage. Qatar pilgrims Michel Temer said yesterday as he after referring to the drug traffi ckers while also brokering local deals with al-Adha will begin on Septem- Accordingly, yesterday, September made his international presidential and the militants. Muslim and communist rebels. Tber 12 after religious authorities 2, will be the last day of the Hijri month debut in China only a day after being “We are not ruling out the possibil- However in 2003 a bomb attack in Saudi Arabia failed to sight the Moon of Dhul-Qa’da and today, September in Makkah sworn in to replace Dilma Rousseff ity that they might be responsible for blamed on Muslim rebels at Davao on September 1, Saudi media have re- 3, will mark the beginning of the lunar following a bitter impeachment this but it is too early to speculate.” airport killed more than 20 people.