ISO 9001:2008 CERTIFIED NEWSPAPER Wednesday 23 January 2013 11 Rabial I 1434 - Volume 17 Number 5588 Price: QR2 QIIB nets Paul Lawrie QR679m profit eyes Doha in 2012 hat-trick Business | 17 Sport | 28 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com [email protected] | [email protected] Editorial: 4455 7741 | Advertising: 4455 7837 / 4455 7780 Emir at 10 Downing Street Bahrain opposition Qatari families welcomes talks offer with caution DUBAI: Bahrain opposition keen to take groups demanding a parliamen- tary democracy in the country gave a cautious welcome yes- terday to an invitation from the king to talks aimed at break- care of orphans ing nearly two years of political deadlock. H M King Hamad bin Issa Al Khalifa made the reconcili- New law on orphan care soon: Official ation gesture late on Monday, authorising the Justice Ministry to invite “political societies and DOHA: There is a long wait- establish legal grounds for the independent members of the ing list of Qatari families keen guardianship of children of political community” to try to to provide guardianship to unknown parentage and to cre- revive discussions that ended orphans in accordance with ate awareness in society about the inconclusively in July 2011. Islamic laws, says the head issue,” Kamal said. Bahrain, where the US Fifth of the state-run organisation “There are many Qatari fami- Fleet is based as a bulwark against devoted to the care of parent- lies in the waiting list who wish to Iran, has been in political ferment less children. Adoption, as it adopt children from the founda- since protests led by majority Shia is defined in the West, is not tion,” he added. Muslims demanding democratic allowed in Islam. He said the media could play a change in the country erupted Qatar hopes to have a new law major role in influencing public in early 2011. Khalil Al Marzouq, in place soon for the care and opinion, and through the media a senior official from Bahrain’s protection of orphans, particu- Dhreima wished to end negative main opposition group Wefaq, larly those of unknown parent- stereotypes about orphans. said five opposition associations age, said Khalid Kamal, director Dr Khalifa Al Mohrezi, a spe- had met in the island State’s of Dhreima (Qatar Orphans’ cialist in family training and capital, Manama, to discuss the Foundation). human resource development, invitation. The Foundation, he said, said that as compared to Western “The opposition is inclined to was a temporary shelter for communities, Arabs had a nega- participate and to have repre- orphans, and the only way they tive image of children of unknown sentatives in this dialogue, hoping could become a part of the social parentage. that this dialogue will be a serious mainstream was if families “According to the statistics one,” Marzouq, a political assist- became their guardians as per available, we have about 44 mil- ant to Wefaq Secretary-General Islamic laws. lion children in the Arab world The Emir H H Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani with British Prime Minister David Cameron at 10 Downing Ali Salman, said by telephone Islam allows adoption of who are orphans,” Dr Al Mohrezi Street yesterday. The two leaders reviewed regional and international issues with emphasis on the develop- yesterday. orphans, but only for the pur- said, adding that these children ments in the region, including those in Syria and Mali. REUTERS pose of raising them and provid- felt inferior as society refused to ing them education and social accept them. security. They cannot be given the Qatari laws allow for orphans name of the family that adopts to acquire the nationality of them because of the issue of Qatar, Ali Ahmed Al Khinji, a Arab leaders vow free trade zone this year inheritance. legal expert, told this newspaper. Dhreima, Kamal said, was However, he said, because Islam coordinating with the judiciary so did not allow adoption as in the RIYADH: Arab leaders pledged Economic and Social Summit. from Arab countries and the per- affairs, Mohammed Al Tuwaijri, that adopting families could give West, regulations were needed to remove obstacles to finalis- The leaders, he added, were centage of foreign components,” had described investment laws in suitable first names to children on giving the family name to ing a free trade zone this year determined to clear obstacles to he told reporters. Arab countries as a “repellent for left in its custody for upbringing. adopted children, irrespective of and agreed to facilitate capital “achieve the Arab customs union The regulations of the customs investments”. Speaking on the sidelines of a their parentage. “Adoption is not flows, as they wrapped up an fully by 2015.” Saudi Finance union stipulate that exempted He also highlighted “significant workshop on “Media and social allowed in Islam. You can adopt a economic summit in Riyadh Minister Ibrahim Al Assaf said goods should have at least 40 per- deficiencies” in the 1980 common stigma attached with orphans and child to raise him, but giving him yesterday. officials working to facilitate a cent local components. agreement over capital move- children of unknown parentage” your name is not allowed. This is “We stress our determination customs union were struggling Meanwhile, Arab leaders ment. Foreign direct investment here yesterday, Kamal said the where the law needs regulation,” to complete all the prerequisites to sort out rules on the origin of agreed amendments proposed to inflow dropped from $68.7bn in government provided full support Al Khinji said. of (forming) the free trade area goods. strengthen the flow of capital and 2010 to $43bn in 2011, a year that for the protection of children of Islam promises the highest before the end of this year,” Arab “We still have problems with investments between countries, saw a wave of Arab Spring upris- unknown parentage. rewards to those who support League chief Nabil Al Arabi said the issue of country of origin... in Arabi said. The Arab League ings hitting several Arab nations. “The role of Dhreima is to orphans. THE PENINSULA at the end of the third Arab order to establish which goods are leader’s assistant for economic AFP Falcon prices Campus shooting in US keep soaring, Old airport to be in touch QR1m service till year-end DOHA: The prices of fal- cons have been soaring BY SATISH KANADY in the local market to an operating simultaneously for a extent that a species of the few months. Qatar Airways said bird is available for a whop- DOHA: When the New Doha it will move its entire operations ping QR1m. International Airport opens on to Hamad International Airport The price range of falcons April 1 this year it will operate in the second half of the year. in the local market is between simultaneously with the exist- The cargo operations and cater- QR100,000 and QR400,000. ing airport for a few months, a ing facilities at the new airport The craze and demand for senior civil aviation official said will be ready for operations within falcons among the locals has yesterday. a few weeks. Starting this sum- increased after a month-long The existing airport would mer, cargo flights are expected to falconry festival opened in function in at least the second begin their operations from the the Sealine area recently. half of 2013 when the new one, new facility. The demand for a species Hamad International, is expected “The next few months will see of falcon known as Hur in the to become fully operational. the new catering facility open in local language is so high that From March, freight forward- phases at Hamad International, each bird costs around a mil- ers and agents in Qatar will initially handling meals for air- lion riyals. process import and export con- lines operating from the new Qatari citizens mostly pre- signments at Hamad International airport. The catering facilities at fer the Hur falcon due to its Law enforcement secure the area near Lone Star College in Houston, Texas, US, yesterday as the campus Airport. Cargo uplift and arrivals the new airport would handling power and capability to hunt. was closed following reports of a shooter on campus. At least three people — including a gunman — will remain at the existing Doha 90,000 meals per day and serve Moreover, it is also a favour- were shot at the college following a dispute, officials said as details trickled out from the chaotic campus. International Airport from where all flights operating from both the ite of pet lovers and of those See also page 11 cargo will be transported by road airports”, Qatar’s Civil Aviation who have falcon breeding to the new facility. Authority Chairman, Abdul Aziz hobbies, said a salesman at a On April 1, at least a thousand Al Noiami, said yesterday. bird shop at Souq Waqif. passengers would commute from The trials of various facilities Falcons become expensive Kuwait protest dispersed Netanyahu’s party leads Qatar’s iconic airport and not involving passengers and cargo in this season when several less than half-a-dozen airlines, have been in place for over six falconry contests are held. KUWAIT: Kuwaiti police used smoke and stun TEL AVIV: Benjamin Netanyahu’s rightwing which do not want lounge facili- months now. The mass trials The falcons have been in grenades to scatter hundreds of protesters out- Likud-Beitenu list won a narrow majority in yes- ties, will be operating from the involving hundreds of passengers high demand for the past side the capital yesterday after they gathered to terday’s election but was weakened by an unex- new facility. But all other Doha- at a time will soon begin at the three years, said the sales- demand the dissolution of parliament and fresh pectedly strong showing by the centrist Yesh connected airlines will continue passenger terminal complex of man.