BUSINESS | Page 1 SPORT | Page 1 El Arabi puts Duhail on top, INDEX DOW JONES QE NYMEX QATAR 2-8, 24 COMMENT 22, 23 Ooredoo to showcase Gharafa REGION 9 BUSINESS 1-14, 20-24 25,177.00 9,106.77 62.50 ARAB WORLD 9 CLASSIFIED 15-19 tech solutions at the -59.00 +27.34 +0.82 INTERNATIONAL 10-21 SPORTS 1-7 also win -0.23% +0.30% +1.33% Mobile World Congress Latest Figures published in QATAR since 1978 TUESDAY Vol. XXXVIII No. 10735 February 20, 2018 Jumada II 4, 1439 AH GULF TIMES www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals Emir gets Sudanese president’s message Road deaths In brief and injuries QATAR | Reaction Church shooting in Russia condemned Qatar strongly condemned the fall in Qatar shooting that targeted a church in Russia’s southern province of oad deaths and injuries in Qatar arrival time at accident spots from 15 Dagestan, which caused a number declined in 2017 compared to minutes to around 5-7 minutes. The of deaths and injuries. In a statement R2016, the General Directorate of new driving test strategy and curricu- yesterday, Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Traffi c announced yesterday. lum focuses on producing high quality Aff airs reiterated Qatar’s firm position “Only 5.4 road traffi c accident (RTA) drivers, equipped with proper traffi c rejecting violence and terrorism deaths per 100,000 persons were re- awareness. regardless of motives and reasons. It corded in the country last year, com- The use of more speed radars and expressed Qatar’s condolences to the His Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani has received a written message from Sudanese President Omar Hassan pared to the world average of 17.4,” surveillance cameras across greater families of the victims, the government al-Bashir, pertaining to the bilateral relations and ways to enhance them. The message was handed over by Dr Mustafa Othman explained Brigadier Ibrahim Saad al- Doha and the highways and the eff orts and people of Russia, wishing the Ismail, Sudan’s Permanent Representative to the UN Off ice in Geneva and assistant to the president and presidential envoy, when Sulaiti, head of Statistical Analysis at of the Public Works Authority (Ash- wounded speedy recovery. the Emir met him at his off ice in Al Bahr Palace yesterday. Offi ce of the Minister of Interior. ghal) in improving the roads helped “While the World Health Organisa- greatly in improving the traffi c scene in QATAR | Weather tion estimated 10-12 deaths per 10,000 the country. vehicles, in Qatar it was only 1.17 Brigadier al-Kharji stressed that the Chances of scattered deaths. If globally three deaths were major causes of traffi c mortality were rain over the weekend registered per 100 injured, it was two in high speed and not using seat belts, as Preliminary indications suggest there Qatar,” the offi cial told a press confer- in many cases the vehicle overturns are chances of scattered rain in the ence. even without colliding with other ve- country during the coming weekend, Irrespective of a 5% increase in hicles. the Qatar Met department tweeted number of vehicles in 2017 compared to But, he stressed that pedestrian fa- yesterday. Today, strong winds and No dialogue at cost 2016, accidents with injuries declined talities are still a challenge, as more high seas are expected in off shore by 1.3%, as 6,140 cases were recorded awareness eff orts should be exerted, in areas along with slight dust and some in 2016 and only 6,061 last year. Seri- particular among expatriate commu- clouds. The wind speed may go up to ous injuries declined by 14.8%, from nities and the labourers’ category, as 25 knots in these areas, with the sea 872 in 2016 to 743 in 2017, and fatalities most cases are among them. level rising to 9ft. Inshore, it will be hazy by 0.6%, thanks to the combined ef- Traffi c patrols have been intensifi ed in the early hours of the day, followed of sovereignty: FM forts of various state agencies. in key areas and companies instructed by mild daytime conditions with slight In 2017, the number of accidents de- to drop and pick their workers from dust at times, scattered clouds and a clined by 2.4%, while 97.5% of 240,333 safe points without letting them cross cold night. The temperature in Doha is zFabricated crisis is unprecedented treachery traffi c accidents reported in 2017 were the road. The same applies for the par- expected to range from 17-25C today; without injuries. Around 89.6 of the ents who drop their children at school. yesterday, it was 20-26C. zHails, supports role of the Emir of Kuwait injuries in last year’s accidents were The National Traffi c Safety Com- minor, with only 2% of the injured on mittee secretary-general Brigadier ARAB WORLD | Unrest zQatar speaks in the language of interests the road dying last year. Mohamed Abdullah al-Malki, recalled Brigadier Mohamed Saad al-Kharji, that the National Traffi c Safety Strat- Dozens of settlers zSiege countries keen to normalise the crisis director general of the General Direc- egy was launched in 2013 with a target storm Aqsa Mosque torate of Traffi c, attributed the posi- of six deaths per each 100,000 inhab- Dozens of Israeli settlers stormed zUS to provide all kinds of support to Qatar in tive achievements to improvement in a itants by 2022 but the number could yesterday Al Aqsa Mosque from the number of factors. be brought down to 5.4 in 2017 due to side of Al Magharba Gate protected by the event of any external attack Ambulances are well-distributed the collective eff orts of all the involved heavy guard from Israeli occupation throughout the country, reducing the parties. Page 24 troops. The settlers carried out QNA crisis as unprecedented in the modern suspicious and provocative tours Doha history of Qatar, labelling it as treach- across the mosque, with a number ery. He said Qatar, under the leader- Smart device for vehicle impounding of them performing silent Talmud ship of His Highness the Emir Sheikh movements and rituals in the now E the Deputy Prime Minister Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, took a A new smart device will be used to closed Bab Al Rahma inside the and Foreign Minister Sheikh strategic decision to deal with the siege impound vehicles, involved in certain mosque, the Palestinian (WAFA) news HMohamed bin Abdulrahman in a civilised and legal way, and to rise traff ic off ences, at the homes of their agency reported. al-Thani reaffi rmed yesterday that any above the level of the siege countries in owners, revealed Brigadier Mohamed dialogue with the siege countries will the way they treat the Qatari people. Saad al-Kharji, director general of the ARAB WORLD | Confl ict not be at the expense of Qatar’s sover- He also reviewed the stages of the General Directorate of Traff ic. eignty, stressing the need to have basic crisis since its beginning and the meas- The device, with a battery that can 77 dead as Syria principles, which are shielded by a clear ures the state took to counter the siege last up to six months, is connected to enclave pounded mechanism, to settle confl icts. under directives of the Emir, pointing the Traff ic Department with a tracking Heavy Syrian bombardment killed at Speaking before the Advisory Coun- out that there are no actual reasons for system which records any movement least 77 civilians in rebel-held Eastern cil, the minister said the siege countries the crisis but to place Qatar under the of the vehicle during the impounding. Ghouta yesterday, a war monitor said, have violated all articles of the Gulf guardianship of these countries, and Captain Riyadh Ahmed, head of Traff ic as regime forces appeared to prepare Co-operation Council (GCC) Charter, HE the Deputy Prime Minister and direct Doha’s internal and external pol- Awareness Section, pointed out that for an imminent ground assault. The reiterating the importance of having a Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohamed bin icy and exploit its resources to serve the the new “smart impounding” will work Brigadier Mohamed Saad al-Kharji escalation came as pro-government clear and binding mechanism to settle Abdulrahman al-Thani interests of these countries. through sending an SMS to the violators displays the new smart device for forces were also expected to enter the confl icts among member states. The minister hailed the great role of to report with the vehicle in question to impounding vehicles. northern Kurdish-controlled enclave Sheikh Mohamed spoke about the to international laws, activating co- the Emir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah al- the department concerned. of Afrin, to take a stand against a constants of Qatar’s foreign policy operation in multilateral frameworks Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah and his good Once the device is installed on a vehicle, the impounding is over and the device month-old Turkish assault there. Held which, he said, is based on building at the United Nations and specialised endeavours to resolve the crisis, noting it has to be parked at the destination deactivated. “The new system would by rebels since 2012, Eastern Ghouta friendly relations with other countries, bodies, adherence to international that Qatar has welcomed and support- within two hours and if the vehicle is further guarantee the safety of the vehi- is the last opposition pocket around protecting the interests of the state, conventions, in addition to the delivery ed this role.