ISO 9001:2008 CERTIFIED NEWSPAPER Monday 21 April 2014 21 Jumadal II 1435 - Volume 19 Number 6042 Price: QR2 Doha Bank Liverpool posts QR399m move closer profit to title Business | 17 Sport | 28 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com [email protected] | [email protected] Editorial: 4455 7741 | Advertising: 4455 7837 / 4455 7780 PM meets Turkish minister More MERS Uniform food cases in Saudi Arabia, UAE inspection RIYADH: Saudi Health M i n i s t er D r A b du l l a h A l R abi a h yesterday announced that 13 new cases of MERS had been reported in the country: seven in Jeddah, four in Riyadh, one norms likely in Madinah and one in Najran. “This brings the total number of Coronavirus cases to 257,” Inspectors undergoing training Saudi Press Agency quoted Dr Al Rabiah as saying at a press con- DOHA: With the food moni- standards, which will identify the ference. He added that the min- toring law in the country made risks associated with food. The istry was making every effort to stricter, the authorities are inspections will not be limited to contain the virus. working on uniform standards checking the expiry date but go The Prime Minister and Interior Minister H E Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani met Turkish The Saudi minister confirmed for food inspection to ensure beyond that to the contents and Economy Minister Nihat Zeybekci yesterday. They reviewed cooperation between Qatar and Turkey and means his Ministry’s readiness to receive that the inspectors carry out ingredients,” said Al Baker. of boosting it. See also page 3 Haj and Umrah pilgrims. their job responsibly, a senior “It’s a new concept that we are Meanwhile, another cluster of official of the Supreme Council trying to implement in the coun- cases has been detected in the of Health (SCH) said yesterday. try, that all inspectors need to United Arab Emirates, and a The amended food monitoring have the same level of qualifica- Malaysian who was recently in law stipulates stiff penalties for tions and skills,” she added. the Gulf has been confirmed as sale of expired or damaged food Qatar has about 300 food New anti-tobacco law will infected, his country said. and authorises the Ministry of inspectors, of whom 250 will be MERS has no vaccine or anti- Municipality and Urban Planning attending the training sessions, viral treatment, but international and other bodies to publicise the being held in different phases. and Saudi health authorities say names of erring outlets. The uniform standards are also the disease, which originated in “We have to be very careful meant to develop a food inspection ban smoking inside cars camels, does not transmit easily when we announce names (of culture in the country wherein the between people and may simply outlets). We are accusing people inspectors will also be responsible DOHA: The new anti-tobacco He was speaking during an amounts on advertisements and die out. in front of others. So we have to for raising awareness. law expected to be issued soon anti-smoking workshop organ- try to bribe decision-makers Health experts have warned, be careful and inspectors should “This is to ensure that food will ban smoking inside cars and ised by the Ministry of Awqaf to stop framing of laws against however, that MERS has the know how to categorise the risks companies are run in the proper grant judicial powers to some and Islamic Affairs yesterday. The smoking. Smoking is on the rise in potential to mutate eventually. (associated with food) and the way and they understand the anti-smoking volunteers, an workshop aimed to strengthen the Arab world while it is declin- Saudi authorities yesterday said violations,” said Wasan Al Baker, international standards for food official of the Supreme Council the role of imams and preachers ing in the United States and that foreign experts would arrive Food Safety and Environment safety,” she added. of Health (SCH) has hinted. in curbing smoking. Europe, he added. in the kingdom soon to help the Health Manager at the SCH. Every year, Qatar destroys a The proposed law, which will A proposal to set up an asso- He called for increasing the government seek a cure for the The Ministry of Municipality large amount of imported food amend the existing anti-tobacco ciation in Qatar for combating prices of cigarettes in Qatar to disease. and Urban Planning said recently that does not meet health stand- law, also includes provisions smoking is awaiting approval curb their use. Cigarettes are The UAE state news agency that it will start publicising the ards, according to another senior to ban use and sale of chew- from the State Cabinet, said Dr cheaper in Qatar compared to WAM said late on Saturday that it names of erring outlets on its web- SCH official. ing tobacco (such as sweika), Al Ahmed Mohamed Al Mulla, head some other GCC countries, said had recorded 12 new cases of coro- site from April 24. “Thousands of tonnes of food Sharq reported, quoting Tariq of the Smoking Cessation Clinic Al Mulla. navirus infections that were dis- Speaking on the sidelines of is rejected and disposed of every Salahuddin, head of the Legal at Hamad Medical Corporation. Citing statistics issued by the covered during “routine checks” a training programme for food year. It mostly gets damaged while Department at the SCH. Cigarettes are the most popu- Civil Defence authorities, he said on people who had come in contact inspectors at the SCH premises transporting, expired or the expiry The fine for smoking in pub- lar medium of tobacco use among about 50 percent of the cases of with infected individuals. yesterday, Al Baker said that date is close. Sometimes, we send lic places will being increased by smokers, followed by shisha and fire in homes, restaurants and WAM quoted the health author- the ultimate aim of the training it back, but that is expensive, so the new law. It will ban smok- sweika. There is another kind of warehouses in Qatar were caused ity as saying that the patients were sessions was to develop uniform we destroy it,” said Dr Mohamed ing inside cars and impose a fine tobacco, called “Al Saud”, which is by smoking. being kept in hospital and “did not standards for food inspection that bin Hamad bin Jassim Al Thani, on those violating this rule. The used mostly by some Arab com- Since the launch of the Smoking pose a danger to the public or to meet international standards. chairman of the National Food new law will give judicial powers munities. The smoking habit is Cessation Clinic, about 35 percent patients”. It expected the patients “All the inspectors, whether Safety Committee. to some anti-tobacco volunteers more difficult to quit than other of the smokers who have visited to be rid of the MERS virus within they are from the SCH or the Continued on page 4 to detect and report violations, types of tobacco use, said Al Mulla. the clinic have quit the habit. 10 to 14 days. municipalities, will follow the same THE PENINSULA Salahuddin said. Tobacco companies spend huge THE PENINSULA AGENCIES Kuwaiti papers suspended over Ministry campaign to popularise West Bay bus service DOHA: The Ministry of Municipality Bay and the Corniche to allow motorists to suggestions on social media and many are said Mohammed Al Sayed, director of Doha ‘plot’ tape stories and Urban Planning has announced use the bus service during rush hours. appreciating this free service,” said the Municipality. He welcomed the sugges- several measures to popularise the free Two parking areas are already available, ministry. tions and comments given by passengers KUWAIT: A judge has sus- West Bay shuttle bus service launched in near the Post Office and in West Bay — The ministry said such initiatives will to develop the service. A suggestion box is pended two Kuwaiti newspapers January, which has few takers. between Asas tower and Beach tower — the take time to succeed and it will work closely available in each bus. for two weeks after they pub- The plan includes setting up air-condi- Ministry said yesterday. with the Ministry of Transport to improve Fourteen buses shuttle from 6am to 12 lished stories about a recording tioned bus shelters. “The Ministry is trying to find the possi- the services as well as the number of users. midnight throughout the week, connecting that discusses an alleged plot to The Ministry is also planning an innova- bility of establishing new lanes and stops for “We need to be aware of the timing to all tourist sites, business centres, offices, overthrow the Gulf state’s rul- tive campaign named “Irkun Irkab”, which the buses,” Qatar News Agency said, citing start such new projects and the way they commercial complexes, residential areas ing system, their editors said can be loosely translated as “ park your car a ministry statement. The Ministry said the can realise their goals. We cannot ignore the and hotels in West Bay. They stop at 36 yesterday. and get into a bus.” number of passengers had increased about citizens’ attitude towards public transpor- bus stops and the service has a frequency Kuwait has imposed a news As part of the campaign, the Ministry will 63 percent since the launch of the service. tation. The Ministry will keep supporting of 15 minutes, said the Ministry. blackout on a sensitive investiga- provide more car parking areas along West “People are giving comments and such projects to promote public transport,” THE PENINSULA tion into the tape, saying earlier this month that media coverage about it was damaging to the Barca win country.