ISO 9001:2008 CERTIFIED NEWSPAPER Home | 5 Business | 17 Sport | 27 Qatar Charity Qatar banks’ Al Rayyan improves skills private sector lose to Al Khor of Gaza credit rises to in friendly fishermen. QR394bn. match. THURSDAY 13 AUGUST 2015 • 28 Shawwal 1436 • Volume 20 Number 6521 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com [email protected] | [email protected] Editorial: 4455 7741 | Advertising: 4455 7837 / 4455 7780 Freak accident Switzerland HMC warns of lifts sanctions against Iran improper use ZURICH: Neutral Switzerland will officially lift today sanc- tions against Iran that had been suspended since January 2014, the government announced yes- of antibiotics terday, citing a deal last month between Tehran and six big powers to curb Iran’s nuclear programme. Plan to control antimicrobial drugs “The Federal Council (govern- ment) wishes today’s steps to be DOHA: People should exer- of drug-resistant infections. seen as a sign of its support for cise caution in the use of anti- “Microorganisms exposed to anti- the implementation of the nuclear biotics and other antimicrobial microbial drugs adapt to the mol- agreement and its interest in medications in order to com- ecules of these drugs and develop deepening bilateral relations with bat antimicrobial resistance resistant traits so that standard Iran,” a statement said. (AMR), which is becoming a treatments become increasingly The government said major threat to public health ineffective. This results in an Switzerland wished to “promote across the globe, warns Hamad increased risk of serious illness a broad political and economic Medical Corporation (HMC). and death among patients with exchange with Iran” but would Antimicrobial resistance occurs infections caused by drug-resist- monitor implementation of the when microorganisms such as ant bacteria or pathogens.” A motorist rammed his car into a shop inside a Woqod petrol station at Umm Salal Mohamed on Tuesday, after nuclear deal. bacteria, viruses, fungi and para- “At HMC, we have observed an he mistakenly pressed the accelerator instead of the brake. He suffered minor injuries but the shop was damaged. REUTERS sites develop resilience to the increase in antibiotic resistance drugs commonly used to treat or over the past few years. The main prevent infections, QNA reported driving force for this increase yesterday. was abuse or overuse of antibiot- HMC’s Infectious Diseases Unit’s ics, especially for upper respira- Senior Consultant, Dr Hussam tory tract infections which are Yuan fall fuels fears of currency war Al Soub, said: “HMC launched mostly caused by viruses that do the Antimicrobial Stewardship not require antibiotic treatment”, SHANGHAI: China’s yuan fell to a four- devaluation as a one-off step to make the yuan today’s setting. “Apparently, the central bank Programme this year in an effort said Al Soub. year low yesterday, slumping for a second more responsive to market forces, yesterday does not want the yuan to run out of control,” to combat antimicrobial resistance According to the World Health day, after the central bank devaluation on sought to reassure financial markets that it said a trader at a European bank in Shanghai. at the hospital level. Organization (WHO), antimi- Tuesday, and sources said the government was not embarking on a steady depreciation. However, sources involved in the Chinese “This programme involves crobial resistance threatens the may let the currency slide even further to The devaluation had sparked fears of a global policy-making process said powerful voices many interventions including effective prevention and treat- help exporters. currency war and accusations that Beijing was within government were pushing for the yuan enforcement of the antibiotic ment of an ever-increasing range Spot yuan in China hit a low of 6.4510 per unfairly supporting its exporters. to go still lower, suggesting pressure for an restriction policy in Qatar, edu- of infections across the world. The US dollar, its lowest since August 2011, after “Looking at the international and domes- overall devaluation of almost 10 percent. cation of physicians on the proper WHO has noted an emerging the central bank set its daily midpoint refer- tic economic situation, currently there is no Tuesday’s yuan devaluation followed a run use of antibiotics, and infection resistance to drugs used in the ence at 6.3306, below the level set by Tuesday’s basis for a sustained depreciation trend for of poor economic data and resulted in the big- control. More efforts are needed treatment of certain urinary tract devaluation. The currency fared worse in the yuan,” the People’s Bank of China (PBOC) gest one-day fall since 1994, raising market at the level of primary healthcare, infections, tuberculosis, malaria international trade, touching 6.59 to the dollar. said. Foreign exchange traders later said state- suspicions that China was embarking on a the private sector and the public.” and human immunodeficiency The yuan has lost 3.5 percent against the owned banks were selling dollars on behalf of longer-term depreciation of its exchange rate Al Soub explained how the virus, among others. US dollar in China in the last two days, and the PBOC to restrain the yuan’s fall and the that would make Chinese exports cheaper. overuse or improper use of Continued on page 6 around 4.8 percent in global markets. spot market rate rallied strongly late in the See also page 17 drugs accelerates the emergence THE PENINSULA The central bank, which had described the day to close 6.3870, a rate which will influence REUTERS Migrants’ woes A migrant tries to get onto a train heading to the border with Serbia at a station in Gevgelija, on the Macedonian- Greek border, yesterday. Turkey, Iran help broker Syria truce BEIRUT: Syria’s warring a result of mediation by Turkey, major obstacle to the new diplo- parties declared a 48-hour which backs rebels fighting matic effort. ceasefire in a frontline area against President Bashar Al The Iranian foreign minister is yesterday after a month of Assad, and Iran, whose support expected to discuss a new peace unprecedented mediation from has been vital to his survival. plan for Syria in Damascus. Turkey and Iran, signalling a It was among the strong- “A ceasefire began at 6am today new approach by some regional est signs yet of a new regional for 48 hours to halt military oper- powers backing opposing sides approach towards a conflict that ations in Zabadani,” Hezbollah’s Al in the conflict. has killed a quarter of a million Manar TV reported. REUTERS The ceasefire halted fight- people, made 10 million home- ing between insurgents on the less, left swathes of Syria in one hand, and the army and its the hands of Islamic State mili- Lebanese militant Hezbollah allies tants and divided the countries Today’s edition on the other, in the rebel-held of the Middle East on sectarian town of Zabadani and in a pair grounds. includes 12-page of Shia villages in Idlib province. After four years in which The two areas are strongholds international diplomacy made no supplement on of each side under ferocious attack headway towards peace, countries by the other, meaning both could that support Assad and his oppo- benefit from a ceasefire by evacu- nents have been quietly discussing ating civilians or combatants. ways to end the war and tackle AUGUST 14, 2015 Three officials close to the common threat from Islamic Damascus described the truce as State. But Assad’s fate remains a THURSDAY 13 AUGUST 2015 HOME 02 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com QA deploys A350 on Doha-Dubai route World’s newest jet on 28 frequencies until September 1 DOHA: Qatar Airways (QA), Singapore and this month turns shoulder level for passengers in global launch customer for Singapore route into a triple daily the window seats due to the verti- A350, has deployed the world’s flight with a third A350. cal side wall panel design. newest aircraft on Doha-Dubai QA has four Airbus A350 and A350s also feature Oryx One route. 76 on order, and is the only air- entertainment system, with Commencing August 8, the air- line in the world to operate every over 2,000 options on individual line is showcasing A350 on 28 of family of Airbus’ modern airliner screens in all classes. The jet also its Dubai shuttle frequencies until portfolio. offers advanced air conditioning September 1. Passengers on A350 will ben- technology and LED mood light- Ishfaq Jalal, Acting Vice- efit from a new boarding experi- ing to enhance passenger comfort President, GCC, Levant, Iran, ence achieved by a dome-design while reducing fatigue after a long Iraq and Yemen, QA, said: “The entrance with welcome light flight. It will also offer in-flight introduction of A350 aircraft to distribution. The aircraft offers Wi-Fi connectivity for passengers the Doha-Dubai sector, a stra- extra wide seats with generous allowing them to surf the Web on tegic route for QA, will redefine room in all classes of service, the go. in-flight experience for our trav- thanks to design developments QA operates 133 weekly flights ellers. “A350 provides passengers offering greater comfort to all to Dubai, connecting to over with an unmatched travel experi- passengers. 150 international destinations, ence, thanks to its modern tech- A350s feature 36 seats in including five added this year — nology and spacious innovative Business Class in a 1-2-1 con- Amsterdam, Zanzibar, Faisalabad, design and features,” Jalal added. figuration, with an 80-inch full Sialkot and Multan. QA introduced its first and flat bed and 17-inch HD in-flight Following addition of Ras Al second commercial A350 serv- entertainment screen. Khaimah, Abha and Durban this ices to the German market with The Economy Class features year, QA will expand its net- flights to Frankfurt in January 247 18-inch wide seats in a work further next year with new and March.