ISO 9001:2008 CERTIFIED NEWSPAPER Home | 5 Business | 23 Sport | 32 ‘Focus on Qatar’ Qatar economy Mata magic opens with posts 4.8pc works wonders first feature growth in the for United; PSG film Clockwise. second quarter. register win. THURSDAY 1 OCTOBER 2015 • 17 Dhul-Hijja 1436 • Volume 20 Number 6570 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com [email protected] | [email protected] Editorial: 4455 7741 | Advertising: 4455 7837 / 4455 7780 Qatar first in PM attends Saudi Embassy celebrations Russia launches Syria air strikes MOSCOW/WASHINGTON: Russia launched air Mena region strikes in Syria yesterday in the Kremlin’s biggest Middle East intervention in decades, but Moscow’s assertion that it had hit Islamic State was immediately disputed by the United States and rebels on the ground. The air strikes plunged the four-year-old civil war in in WEF index Syria into a volatile new phase as President Vladimir Putin moved forcefully to assert Russian influence in the unstable region. The attacks also raised the dangerous specter of Competitiveness up from 16 to 14 Washington and Moscow running air strikes concurrently and in the same region, but without coordination. DOHA: Qatar has moved two Zealand, Belgium, Luxembourg, The Russian defence ministry said it carried out about notches up, from 16 to 14, in the Australia and France are listed 20 flights over Syria, hitting eight Islamic State targets latest Global Competitiveness below Qatar. Switzerland tops and destroying an Islamic State command post and an Index (GCI) to emerge on top the Global Competitiveness operations centre in a mountainous area. among the countries in the Index for the seventh year in Syrians living in rebel-held areas of Homs province said Middle East and North Africa a row. It leads the world in its the violence unleashed by the Russian air force unleashed (Mena) region. capacity to innovate and scores a whole new level of devastation on their towns. Jets flying In the 2015-2016 competitive- high for its education system and at higher altitudes than the Syrian air force emitted no ness report prepared by World labour market efficiency. Prime Minister and Interior Minister H E Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al noise to alert the people below to raids reported to have Economic Forum (WEF), Qatar, Qatar’s strength is a stable Thani attended celebrations of the Embassy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, on the killed at least 33 civilians, including children. grabbing the coveted 14th slot, macroeconomic environment, occasion of the 85th anniversary of the foundation of Saudi Arabia, which was held at REUTERS finds its place just below Canada driven by public budget sur- See also page 12 Doha Sheraton Hotel yesterday. in the global index and is placed pluses and low government debt , far above other GCC countries. cited the Global Competitiveness The report notes that Qatar Index. The report is an annual ranks first globally in terms of assessment of the factors driving ease of access to loans and placed productivity and prosperity in its stable macroeconomic envi- 140 countries. ronment in the second position. Qatar’s stable macroeconomic UK strengthening presence in Gulf: Dunne Qatar’s businesses and individuals environment is a result of high use latest technologies and widely windfall revenues from energy BY MOHAMMED IQBAL “The objective of this visit is to Gulf is part of a new national use Internet. Additional strengths exports. However, the recent take standing from senior mem- strategy that lays more empha- include high efficiency in goods decline in the prices of oil and DOHA: Britain is in the proc- bers of the government and to sis on defence spending. and services and a very high level gas is not captured in this year’s ess of strengthening its military show that Britain is back… Today “Following the general elec- of physical security. edition because of the time lag in presence in the Gulf amid grow- I met with the Prime Minister, tions in the UK in May, the new “Currently government pro- the data. It may undermine the ing threats to the security and Defence Minister and the Chief government has come out with curement plays a key role in pro- country’s performance in future, stability of this region, British of Staff. UK is back in terms of more clarity of purpose about moting innovation in Qatar. With the WEF report has cautioned. Minister of State for Defence looking to find more opportunities defence and security. We have a imports standing at 30.77 percent To maintain its strong posi- Procurement Philipp Dunne to provide regional security,” said mandate to deliver three things of GDP, promoting inward trade tion, Qatar will have to invest its (pictured) said here yesterday. Dunne in an interview with The to UK defence. First, to renew and investment could contribute exceptional wealth in the types Dunne was in Doha on the Peninsula. strategic deterrent to the level of to bringing in new technologies and of innovation and transfer of last leg of a Gulf tour which also He said he also visited the UAE nuclear submarines. Second, to know-how and enhancing a culture technology and know-how that covered the UAE and Kuwait. and Kuwait to convey this mes- was not intended to make any maintain the level of our armed of innovation,” the report said. can translate into future eco- Yesterday he met with the Prime sage to leaders there while the military deals with Qatar but forces and third to increase Among its GCC peers, the nomic growth. Minister HE Sheikh Abdullah bin UK Defence Secretary has been only to “explain the strate- expenditure on defence.” UAE ranked 17th and Kuwait THE PENINSULA Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani and visiting Oman and Bahrain. gic context”. Consolidating the Continued on page 8 34th. Countries such as New See also page 21 other senior government officials. Dunne, however, said his visit British military presence in the THE PENINSULA Iran boat with arms for Houthis seized DUBAI: Saudi-led coalition forces said yester- anti-armoured Concourse shells, 54 anti-tank shells, day that they had seized an Iranian fishing boat shell-battery kits, firing guidance systems, launchers loaded with weapons on its way to deliver them to and batteries for binoculars. Houthi fighters in Yemen. “The Command of the Coalition ... foiled an The announcement came a day after tribal fight- attempt to smuggle weapons destined to the Houthi ers backed by the coalition won control of a strategic militias, on an Iranian fishing boat,” the statement dam in central Yemen from Houthi forces following said, adding the vessel was seized on Saturday, some weeks of fighting east of the capital Sana’a. 150 miles off Salalah in southern Oman. There was The coalition, which also includes Bahrain, Qatar, no immediate comment from Iran. The coalition Egypt and the UAE, has been battling the Iranian- has long accused Iran of arming the Houthis, who backed Houthis for more than six months. It aims seized control of Yemen starting in September last to restore to power President Abdrabuh Mansur year, claiming they were out to fight corruption and Hadi’s government, forced out by the Houthis, and to force Hadi to bring them into the government. contain what Gulf Arab states see as Tehran’s grow- The seizure of the Marib dam is the biggest suc- ing influence in their backyard. cess for several weeks for the Yemeni militia fighting As part of the campaign, Saudi-led naval forces alongside Gulf troops. Together they have pushed have imposed a near-blockade to prevent weapons toward the Houthi-controlled capital Sana’a, 110km from reaching the Houthis, resulting in long delays west of the dam, but progress has been slowed by and mandatory searches for shippers in the region. landmines and stiff resistance from Houthi forces A coalition statement said 14 Iranian sailors in rugged mountains. REUTERS were detained on the boat, which was carrying 18 See also page 9 Palestinian flag flies at UN Bahrain uncovers large bomb-making factory DUBAI: Bahraini security forces have discovered a large bomb-making fac- tory and arrested a number of suspects linked to Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, the interior ministry said yesterday. The Interior Ministry said that the bomb-making facility in Nuweidrat, a residential district south of Manama, con- tained more than 1.5 tonnes of high-grade explosives, making it one of the biggest finds in the kingdom. “The facility had been adapted to accommodate an elabo- rate network of hidden underground bun- The Palestinian flag flies after being raised by President kers and an above-ground manufacturing Mahmoud Abbas in a ceremony at the United Nations General operation,”the statement said. Assembly at the United Nations in Manhattan, New York, yes- Chief of Police Major-General Tariq Al terday. Even though Palestine is not a member of the UN, the Hasan said Iran was responsible for the plant. General Assembly adopted a Palestinian-drafted resolution “This significant discovery marks yet another disturbing incident in which relentless Iranian that permits non-member observer states to fly their flags actions are attempting to undermine security alongside those of full member states. See also page 8 and stability within Bahrain and the wider region,” he said. REUTERS THURSDAY 1 OCTOBER 2015 04 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com HOME Emir condoles PM meets UK defence minister with Saudi King DOHA: Emir H H Sheikh FM chairs Syria Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani has sent a cable of condolences to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud on the death of his Special Adviser meet in New York Prince Nawaf bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, praying to Almighty Allah to rest the departed soul in Paradise and grant patience Dr Al Attiyah also heads GCC meetings with EU, Australia and solace to his family.