ISO 9001:2008 CERTIFIED NEWSPAPER Home | 2 Business | 15 Sport | 19 Doha has QInvest launches QSL: Al Sadd ‘potential to real estate fund take off late become a film in partnership against Al Ahli destination’. with Pramerica. with 2-1 win. FRIDAY 2 OCTOBER 2015 • 18 Dhul-Hijja 1436 • Volume 20 Number 6571 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com [email protected] | [email protected] Editorial: 4455 7741 | Advertising: 4455 7837 / 4455 7780 GCC building code by year-end Iranian troops arrive in Code to be based on best practices to ensure safety, sustainable growth Syria; Russia bombs DOHA: A standard GCC building code is CIA-trained rebel camp to be launched by year-end, Minister of PM meets GCC housing ministers Labour and Social Affairs H E Abdullah BEIRUT: Hundreds of Iranian said. So far, direct Iranian mili- Saleh Mubarak Al Khulaifi said yesterday. troops have arrived in Syria in tary support for Assad has come He said ministerial and other committees the past 10 days to join a major mostly in the form of military and agencies concerned with housing will be ground offensive in support of advisers. Iran has also mobilised consulted before the unified code is finalised President Bashar Al Assad’s Shia militia fighters, including for launch. He was speaking to reporters on government, Lebanese sources Iraqis and some Afghans, to fight the sidelines of a meeting of GCC housing min- said yesterday, a sign the civil alongside Syrian government isters. Al Khulaifi’s ministry is also in charge war is turning more regional forces. of housing affairs. and global in scope. Moscow said it had hit Islamic About other panels and agencies, he said for Russian warplanes, in a second State (IS) positions, but the areas instance in Qatar, the Ministry of Municipality day of strikes, bombed a camp run it struck near the cities of Hama and Urban Planning, Ashghal (Public Works by rebels trained by the CIA, the and Homs are mostly held by a Authority) and Specifications and Standards group’s commander said, putting rival insurgent alliance, which Authority will be consulted on the draft of Moscow and Washington on unlike IS, is supported by US the code. opposing sides in a Middle East allies, including Arab states and Al Khulaifi said experiences of member conflict for the first time since the Turkey. states in housing were also discussed by GCC Cold War. Hassan Haj Ali, Head, Liwa housing ministers at their meeting. He said in Speaking by video link for an Suqour Al Jabal rebel group December housing ministers of Arab countries hour, US and Russian military which is part of Free Syrian Army will meet at Arab League in Cairo and discuss officials discussed ways to ensure (FSA), said one of the targets was Arab architecture, among other things. GCC Prime Minister and Interior Minister H E Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani met GCC their warplanes do not come into his group’s base in Idlib province, housing ministers will coordinate with one housing ministers in Doha yesterday. conflict as they carry out separate struck by some 20 missiles in two another at the meeting, said Al Khulaifi. Next air campaigns over Syria, White raids. His fighters had been trained year, they will meet in Saudi Arabia. House spokesman Josh Earnest by the CIA, as part of a programme Experts said the code will be based on inter- to building, enhancing and improving the comfortable buildings and houses for people. told reporters. He said it was the the US says aims to support groups national best practices and focus on safety performance of the GCC counties’ economies The ministerial meeting also discussed hous- first in a series of conversations. that oppose IS and Assad. He said and sustainable development. It will take into towards a bright future. ing information rules and database for the Two Lebanese sources said the Russian jets had been seen consideration environmental needs of the Kuwait News Agency (Kuna) said the code region and a website. the Iranian troops would also by his group who once served as region, its topography and Arab and Islamic will be unveiled on December 28 in Doha with Three housing prizes of SR100,000, SR70,000 be backed by Assad’s Lebanese Syrian air force pilots. architecture. the participation of GCC housing ministers. and SR30,000 were awarded to top winners. Hezbollah allies and Shia militia At the UN, Russian Foreign In his opening address to the ministerial The launch will include the first edition of The first went to a simplified housing project fighters from Iraq, while Russia Minister Sergei Lavrov said meeting, Al Khulaifi highlighted the impor- six codes, Kuna reported late on Wednesday, for youth in Riyadh, second was bagged by a would provide air support. Moscow was targeting IS but did tant role being played by the private sector quoting a senior Kuwaiti official who attended housing project at Al Jibail and the third was “They are not advisers ... we not deny that Russian planes had as an economic growth engine and genera- a preparatory meeting before yesterday’s hous- given to a project about alternative design to mean hundreds with equipment attacked FSA facilities. tor of high-added-value job opportunities ing ministers’ conclave. According to Kuna, reduce housing costs. THE PENINSULA and weapons. They will be fol- AGENCIES through which young people would contribute the code will help provide safe and reasonably Picture on page 2 lowed by more,” one of the sources See also page 5 Doha to host Gulf Economic Forum Limousines thrive after crackdown on illegal cabs DOHA: GCC Chambers DOHA: A new type of limou- face the risk of being caught by cars and their high maintenance In some cases, cars are owned by an authorised firm. This is the Union, in association with sine service is fast spreading in law-enforcing authorities. costs, car rental business has by drivers who are supposed to reason for the services to become Qatar Chamber and Exicon Qatar, thanks to the continuing They are new entrants in the become less profitable. Many pay a monthly fee for the licence. increasingly popular,” said the International Group, will crackdown on illegal cabs, say market, competing more with the small firms have been shut down Earlier, many low-income expa- expatriate. organise Gulf Economic Forum industry sources. taxi service than established lim- or switched over to limousine triates had been operating illegal Limousines are not permitted on October 25-26 in Doha. Many jobless expatriates are ousine operators. business,” said an expatriate run- cabs in the same way, using vehi- to pick customers from the roads, Officials representing GCC now operating limousines procur- The business thrives in two ning a rent-a-car firm in Doha. cles hired from rent-a-car firms like taxis. Most of their custom- ministries of commerce, industry, ing a licence from one of many ways — it benefits many low- In most cases, these companies on a long-term basis. ers are working people, school and finance, planning and economy will rent-a-car or transport compa- income workers; and has become are not directly operating the “As per rules, drivers have to university students and families, participate, along with chairmen nies authorised to run the service. a new source of income for many service, but giving cars on hire to be sponsored by the company. mostly using their services on a and board members of chambers They have found it a more rent-a-car firms struggling to freelance drivers, along with the However, many expatriates have regular basis. of commerce, concerned organi- secure job compared to operating survive. limousine licence and take a fixed been allowed to run limousine THE PENINSULA sations, institutions and offices an illegal cab because they don’t “With the rising costs of new daily or monthly rental. services using a licence provided Continued on page 2 as well as researchers in the eco- nomic, social and political fields. To be held under the theme ‘Enhancing Contribution of the Gulf Private Sector in Economic Bahrain to expel Development’, the forum aims to Gunman kills 13 in US serve as a platform for the pri- vate sector to deliver its vision OREGON: A gunman opened suspect was 20-year-old man but Iran ambassador, on regional economic develop- fire yesterday at a community he was not identified. ment and removing obstacles college, killing 13 people and In a call from the incident recalls envoy hindering commercial exchange wounding some 20 before he posted onto the website of the DUBAI: Bahrain recalled its between GCC states. It will review was shot dead by officers, in the Oregonian newspaper, an emer- ambassador from Iran yester- regional and international chal- latest mass killing to rock a US gency responder at the scene said day and ordered Tehran’s envoy lenges facing GCC states in light school, state. there were reports the shooter to leave within 72 hours, claim- of the economic crisis, regional The shooting rampage began had a long gun. A short time later, ing interference in its affairs, developments and the decline in at Umpqua Community College an emergency responder radioed the official BNA news agency oil prices. shortly after 10.30am. that the suspect was “down.” reported. Sheikh Khalifa bin Jassim Al Douglas County Sheriff John The daily said at least six were A foreign ministry statement Thani, Chairman, GCC Chambers Hanlin said the shooter was slain critically injured, citing an official said the action was in response Union, said the event aims to in an exchange of gunfire with with Life Flight.