ISO 9001:2008 CERTIFIED NEWSPAPER Oil prices slip after rebound Business | 14 Friday 16 January 2015 • 25 Rabial I 1436 • Volume 19 Number 6312 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com [email protected] | [email protected] Editorial: 4455 7741 | Advertising: 4455 7837 / 4455 7780 Emir opens Handball World Championship Spectacular inaugural ceremony at Lusail Multipurpose Hall Qatar edge past Brazil in first match BY ARMSTRONG VAS nation make its commitment to proceeds of tickets sales will go its future to sport through its to the Education Above All pro- DOHA: The Emir H H Sheikh children, their aspirations and gramme “Educate A Child”, as Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani education. part of our efforts to support yesterday declared open the The ceremony also focused on projects aiming to help childhood 24th Men’s Handball World Qatar’s efforts in having a healthy and education,” Sheikh Joaan said. Championship at the newly society. “Striving for excellence in “I am honoured to extend my built Lusail Multipurpose Hall. body and mind, creating an envi- deepest gratitude and appre- Qatar beat Brazil 28-23 in the ronment where health, fitness, ciation to the Emir H H Sheikh opening game. intellect and aspirations are all Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, for The 60-minute ceremony, which supported and honoured is Qatar’s his endless support to the sports featured never-seen pyrotechnic pledge now and to its future gen- in our country, which is aligned displays and loud music, produced erations,” David Atkins, Artistic with the key pillars of Qatar by David Atkins Enterprises, the Director of the championship, said. National Vision 2030. Inspired same firm which produced the Speaking at the inaugural by this vision, countless efforts dazzling opening ceremony of ceremony H E Sheikh Joaan have been deployed to establish the Doha Asian Games in 2006 bin Hamad Al Thani, President impressive sports landmarks with and the Arab Games in 2011, took of the Qatar 2015 Organising international standards, to help the audience to futuristic sporting Committee, dedicated the cham- guide local institutions to support journey of the country. pionship to the children of the sport and athletes. Thankfully, The 15,000-capacity stadium world. “We dedicate this edition Qatar has become a global sport attracted a full house. The bril- of the Men’s Handball World destination uniting people from liant show which was laced with Championship Qatar 2015 to all over the world in a safe and laser light display saw the host the children of the world. The competitive environment.” Dr Hassan Mustafa, IHF President, thanked the Qatari lead- ership for promoting the game at all level in the country and urged the competing countries to play the game in a fair manner. “I would like to extend my deepest appreciation and grate- The Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani waving to the crowd during the opening ceremony of the 24th fulness to the Emir H H Sheikh Men’s Handball World Championship at the Lusail Multipurpose Hall yesterday. Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani for hosting this global event. We Organising Committee, and Dr Handball Association. On this state-of-the-art arenas. Qatar trust that it will be a remarka- Thani Abdulrahman Al Kuwari, point, I’d like to thank the Qatari 2015 will truly be a historic mile- ble championship. We also thank Director-General of Qatar 2015 authorities led by H E the Prime stone for the world of handball His Highness for his endless sup- Organising Committee, for their Minister and Minister of Interior, as it will be the first single city port to Qatari handball game efforts ahead of the global event. H E Minister of Defence, and H E to host a Men’s Handball World leading it to become a powerful “Qatar has spared no effort, nor Minister of Youth and Sports for Championship. game in the Asian level for all financial support to establish new their support,” he added. After 18 competition days the age groups. sport venues for the champion- The 2015 edition of the World Champion will raise the He also thanked Sheikh Joaan, ship which were all built as per International Handball massive trophy on February 1 at Ahmed Al Shaabi, President of international standards and in Federation’s (IHF) World the Lusail Multipurpose Hall. Fireworks go off over the arena at Lusail. Qatar Handball Association and record time. One of these venues Championship is contested by 24 THE PENINSULA the Vice President of Qatar 2015 is the headquarters of the Qatar teams at three newly constructed See also page 22 Record booking for marriage halls More than 7,400 voters register for CMC polls DOHA: The newly-built marriage complex at the beginning of of Rifa street on the The operating company Al Rayyan has at Al Rifa Street has evoked tremendous Doha-Al Shahanyiah road. Since the booking posted booking details on its website http:// interest among citizens getting married. started mid January, 39 bookings were made www.alrayyanevents.qa/. Citizens can also DOHA: A total of 7,442 Qatari done in few minutes, the daily At least 100 bookings have already been for the same month and the remaining 61 for can get details about bookings over telephone voters have registered for the said, quoting Mohammed Yunus made for the next one-and-a-half months for February, said the daily. The halls are fully 33802042 or email [email protected]. forthcoming Central Municipal Jusaiman, head of the Supervisory the five marriage halls at the complex, a local booked throughout the coming week, it added. Booking should be made in the name of the Council (CMC) elections until Committee for the elections. Arabic daily reported yesterday. The halls are There is more demand for the halls during bride or bridegroom. If the halls were booked Wednesday, a local Arabic daily The official said many vot- available for citizens at nominal charges. The week-ends starting from Wednesday to Friday. in others’ names the booking will be cancelled reported. Voters registration ers had come with the IDs of first Qatari marriage at the facility is sched- All five halls are mostly fully booked during these as soon the irregularity is found out, said the started last Sunday at 23 con- their wives and old members in uled for today. days. There is less rush on Saturday, apparently daily quoting the operator. Two similar mar- stituencies across the country. the family to register on behalf The complex was built by the government in because the working days start on Sunday and riage complexes will be built soon in Al Wakra Turnout of women voters is of them. However, they have view of the high rents of marriage halls in the other days of the week. The halls are available and Al Daaen to serve the citizens in those steadily on the rise, with a total not been allowed to register. country to help aspiring couples address the for marriages on six days in a week, with one- municipalities, added the daily. of 3,294 women registering on the “People are cooperative when we huge cost of marriage. The facility is located day break for cleaning and maintenance. THE PENINSULA first four days. The remaining explained the rules and proce- 4,148 registered voters were men. dures to them,” he said. The authorities have made spe- The eligible voters can regis- cial arrangements for the elderly ter on line through Metrash 2 or Arab FMs endorse Palestinian plan and people with disabilities who must come in person to the regis- Overloaded vehicles have difficulties in completing tration centers in their respective the registration procedures. They constituency. Registration is open being monitored only need to sit in their cars and from 4pm to 7pm daily and will the registration center staff will close on January 22. at Abu Samra border go to them and get the procedures THE PENINSULA DOHA: Authorities have intensi- fied monitoring of overloaded pas- senger vehicles crossing the Abu Samra border post in a bid to Qatar slams republication reduce accidents. The Ministry of Interior warned on its Twitter account yesterday of Charlie Hebdo cartoons that it will stop all cars carrying pas- sengers above the legally permitted DOHA: Qatar has strongly condemned the French Charlie Hebdo capacity from exiting or entering the newspaper and some European newspapers republishing offending border post. cartoons about the Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him). “For a safe travel via Abu Samra In a statement , the Foreign Ministry said that freedom of expres- border, don’t overload vehicle with sion does not mean offending others and provoke feelings and cyni- more passengers than specified in cism on the beliefs and religious symbols. The Ministry stressed that the vehicle permit,” said the ministry. such actions were shameful and would not serve the interests of any For instance, a five-seat saloon car is one but it would fuel the hatred, anger, and constitute a violation of permitted to carry five passengers, human values and the principles of peaceful coexistence, tolerance, as mentioned in the vehicle permit. moderation and mutual respect among peoples. The Ministry said that overload- A general view of the Arab League Foreign Ministers emergency meeting at the League’s headquarters The Ministry called on Western media to respect others and ing vehicles will affect their condition in Cairo yesterday. The ministers endorsed a Palestinian plan to resubmit a draft resolution to the UN their beliefs and keep away from intolerance and extremism and and durability and could lead to acci- Security Council calling for Israel to withdraw from occupied territories by late 2017.