ISO 9001:2008 CERTIFIED NEWSPAPER Sunday 30 June 2013 21 Shaaban 1434 - Volume 18 Number 5746 Price: QR2 Protest against Djokovic, wind farm Serena in project last-16 Business | 22 Sport | 32 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com [email protected] | [email protected] Editorial: 4455 7741 | Advertising: 4455 7837 / 4455 7780 Emir meets Saudi minister Obama meets New Cabinet Mandela’s family in South Africa JOHANNESBURG: US Pres- ident Barack Obama met the to begin family of his “inspiration” Nelson Mandela in South Africa yesterday but was unable to see the anti-apartheid legend who remains critically ill in hospital. Despite tentative signs of an work today improvement in the condition of the 94-year-old icon, who has been Ministers met officials on Thursday in intensive care for more than three weeks, Obama decided not DOHA: The new Cabinet is all productivity and performance. to visit Mandela for fearing of dis- set to begin work from today Al Emadi is likely to meet senior turbing his “peace and comfort”. after the new faces inducted officials of the Finance Ministry Instead Obama met privately into it had introductory meet- in the days to come and discuss with relatives of his fellow Nobel ings with senior staff members with them how best employees’ peace laureate, including two of their respective ministries efficiency can be improved. daughters and several grandchil- last Thursday. H E Ahmed Al Hammadi, dren, and spoke by telephone with Foreign Minister H E Dr the new environment minister, Mandela’s wife Graca Machel. Khalid bin Mohammed Al Attiyah also visited the headquarters of “I expressed my hope that is expected to hold an interface his ministry on Thursday and is Madiba draws peace and comfort with senior ministry officials expected to begin his work today. from the time that he is spending today as he spent the Thursday H E Jassim bin Seif Al Sulaiti, with loved ones, and also expressed meeting diplomats. the transport minister, too vis- my heartfelt support for the Al Attiyah is not new to the ited the ministry’s headquarters entire family,” Obama said, using Foreign Ministry as he has been late last week and is all set to The Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani with Saudi Minister of National Guard Prince Meteb bin Mandela’s clan name. the Minister of State and knows begin work today. The Transport Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, who congratulated him on assuming the reins of power in the country, at Full report on page 14 most of his ministerial colleagues Ministry has been created as Qatar Al Bahr Palace yesterday. closely. hopes to have large rail networks Minister of Economy and and expressways and flyovers. Trade, H E Sheikh Ahmed bin The Youth and Sports Minister, Jassim Al Thani, visited his min- H E Salah bin Ghanem bin Nasser istry’s headquarters on Thursday Al Ali, was welcomed at the and met with the department headquarters of the Ministry of Food security plan getting final touches heads and directors and was Culture, Arts and Heritage on BY SATISH KANADY briefed about their responsibili- Thursday by the minister, H E Dr of 8 percent against the country’s respective countries before final- addressed. With the country’s ties and work. Hamad bin Abdulaziz Al Kuwari. total demand to 40-60 percent ising the plan, Jonathan E. Smith, aquifers fast depleting, farming For the new Minister of Both ministers discussed DOHA: Introduction of techno- in short term to mid-term, will Senior Adviser to the Chairman, has become expensive forcing sev- Finance, H E Ali Sherif Al Emadi, restructuring of the Culture farming, dedicated water be submitted to the government Sustainability and Strategic eral farmers to quit farming. too, it will be his first working day Ministry and ways to transfer resource, wooing strong private either early next month or after Communications, QNFSP said Since 2008, Qatar saw a 30 after he held meetings with senior the two key departments under players to the farming sector Ramadan, a top executive at the in an interview. percent decline in local food ministerial staff on Thursday. In the culture ministry, namely the are some of the key recommen- QNFSP told the The Peninsula in In addition to recommenda- production. his interface with colleagues, Al departments of youth centres dations that figure in Qatar’s an interview. tions to enhance the country’s The farming operations in the Emadi stressed the importance and youth activities, to the new National Plan for food security A team of more than 20 experts, production capacity, the National northern areas were hit badly of productivity and coordination ministry. The youth ministry will that is getting the final touches including some top international Plan has also suggested how to where aquifers have almost dried to avoid duplication of work. He be headquartered in a tower in at the Qatar National Food names, put their heads together keep the country immune from up and face the problem of saline told his colleagues in no uncertain Al Dafna. It was also discussed Security Programme (QNFSP) for more than three years before price volatility, maintain the water incursion. terms that he was there to carry that the new ministry will need office. finalising the ambitious National nutritional quality of the produce There is a need for new genera- out the directives of the Emir, an undersecretary and two assist- The National Plan that envis- Plan. The team took out over 25 and the economic sustainability of tion desalination plants dedicated H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad ant undersecretaries. ages to augment Qatar’s current international exchange trips and the farming sector. to the farming sector. Al Thani, particularly about his THE PENINSULA domestic production of agricul- visited over 80 countries to look Capacity building is one of THE PENINSULA emphasis on raising employees’ Continued on page 9 ture from the existing capacity at the development models of the key issues that need to be Continued on page 9 Expats lap up gold US spied on EU offices, says as prices tumble German mag DOHA: Sliding gold prices have bars of various denominations. BERLIN: The United States increased the lure of the yellow Summer is also marriage season has bugged European Union metal among expatriates ahead in these countries. offices and gained access to EU of the long summer break when Although 116-gramme bars internal computer networks, most people travel home. are more popular with expatri- according to secret documents Gold prices fell further last ates, smaller bars of five, 10, 20, 30 cited in a German magazine Friday with 24-carat available for and 50 grammes are also available yesterday, the latest in a series QR153.5 per gramme in the local and are a favourite mostly of the of exposures of alleged US spy market yesterday. Nepalese. programmes. The rate of 22-carat gold was “The demand for these bars is Der Spiegel quoted from a QR142.5 a gramme, while 18-carat so maddening that we sold out all September 2010 “top secret” US commanded a price of QR117, bul- the 320 (116-gramme) standard National Security Agency (NSA) lion traders and jewellers said. 24-carat gold bars we had with us document that it said fugitive They said they expected gold to today (yesterday),” a representa- former NSA contractor Edward ease further. “We wouldn’t be sur- tive from Gulf Exchange said. Snowden had taken with him, and prised if the 24-carat rate touches He said the demand was so high the weekly’s journalists had seen QR135 in a month or so,” said a that they were ordering the bars in part. bullion trader not wanting to be from Switzerland and Britain The document outlines how the named. almost every working day. NSA bugged offices and spied on As Ramadan and summer vaca- Jewellery stores also said they EU internal computer networks tions are about to begin, expatri- were doing brisk business as gold in Washington and at the United Egyptians opposing President Mursi hold posters with Mursi’s image crossed out and a card hat with the word ates — many of whom prepare to prices were tumbling. “We had Nations, not only listening to con- in Arabic ‘Leave’ written on the peak, as they take part in a protest in Cairo yesterday. leave for holidays— are lapping good business even when the rates versations and phone calls but up gold. were high,” said a representative also gaining access to documents As 22-carat coins are not in of a jewellery store. and emails. US officials could not supply, the demand for pure gold International media reports, immediately be reached for com- Egypt braces for anti-Mursi protests bars of various denominations is meanwhile, said that gold tum- ment. Martin Schulz, the presi- huge, particularly the 116-gram bled on Friday to a three-year low dent of the European Parliament, standard ones. to $1,180.50 (QR4,297) per ounce said that if the report was correct, CAIRO: Egypt braced for pro- to be “constructive” with the today across the Arab world’s The 116-gramme bar was (31.1gm) hit by upbeat US data it would have a “severe impact” on tests against Islamist President opposition. most populous nation to vent being sold in the local market for and receding inflation fears. relations between the EU and the Mohammed Mursi today, the The grassroots movement their rage against Mursi. QR17,000 yesterday, down more This was the lowest price United States. “On behalf of the anniversary of his turbulent Tamarod — Arabic for rebellion — At least eight deputies resigned than 10 percent from late last level since August 3, 2010, media European Parliament, I demand first year in office, after a week said it has gathered an unverified yesterday from the acting par- April.