Home | 2 Business | 21 Sport | 32 QU reviews Qatari stocks surge; PSG to mount fresh academic benchmark index assault after Doha dismissal policy breaks 10,000 mark break: Skipper Silva The Peninsula Newspaper @PeninsulaQatar @peninsula_qatar WEDNESDAY 23 DECEMBER 2015 • 12 Rabia I 1437 • Volume 20 Number 6653 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com [email protected] | [email protected] Editorial: 4455 7741 | Advertising: 4455 7837 / 4455 7780 Greece recognises Palestine QNB in $2.94bn Industrial Area being deal for Finansbank DOHA: QNB Group has agreed to buy a Turkish subsidiary of the National Bank of Greece for developed in 7 phases $2.94bn. Under the terms of the deal, QNB will buy NBG’s entire stake of 99.81 percent in Finans- Ashghal says first phase close to completion bank. The deal is subject to regu- latory approval. DOHA: The Industrial Area on heavy here,” said Ashghal. stations in the area and the new See also page 21 the outskirts of the city is being The Industrial Area Develop- road networks will have modern developed in seven phases, says ment Project has all the features street lights. THE PENINSULA the Public Works Authority. of a development project includ- Arrangements will be made to Ashghal said the first phase ing a network of roads and inter- pump out drain water. Turkey slams Russia is almost complete and work to sections with traffic lights. Ashghal gave the details to Al coat roads with asphalt will begin The intersections will be multi- Sharq in response to a report the for Syria air strikes soon. level and roads will have dedicated daily published on December 1 The first phase of develop- lanes for pedestrians, bicycles and to highlight the problems in the ANKARA: Turkish Prime Min- ment of the Industrial Area cov- motorcycles. The road develop- Industrial Area. ister Ahmet Davutoglu yester- ers street numbers 1 to 15. “After ment works will boast features Ashghal said that many issues day condemned an attack on the the asphalting of the streets, the like sewage networks, besides mentioned in the report do not rebel-held Syrian city of Idlib, project will be complete,” said facilities for underground elec- fall within its jurisdiction so it believed to have been carried out Ashghal. Work on three phases of tricity cables, water and telecom cannot comment on them. by Russian jets, and said Syria development of the Area is on and services. The Authority said it is coor- will not be part of “Russian impe- preparations are under way to The Industrial Area is large dinating with a number of bodies rialist goals”. launch the remaining four phases and important so that its ambi- concerned to execute the devel- Ties between Ankara and Mos- as well, according to Ashghal. tious development plan had to opment project in the Industrial cow have been severely strained “We are speeding up the execu- be divided into phases, which Area. Greek Parliament’s President Nikos Voutsis (left) hands over the parlia- after Turkey shot down a Russian tion of the development work of are being launched after careful Continued on page 5 ment’s resolution on the recognition of the State of Palestine by Greece warplane over Syria last month. Industrial Area because it is an planning. to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas at the parliament in Athens important zone and traffic is quite There will be electricity sub- THE PENINSULA REUTERS yesterday. Report on page 12 SEC to vet books at Independent school libraries Kidnapping of Qataris in Iraq DOHA: The Supreme Education Coun- tor as chairman, and deputy academic The job of the assessment commit- cil (SEC) has decided to assess all books supervisor and those in charge of the tee has been identified as: to review the a shameful act, says GCC and study material at Independent education resource centre as members. contents, give assessment of each sub- school libraries (education resource An assessment committee will be ject area and prepare reports that will RIYADH: Gulf Cooperation Council ity with Qatar in all efforts for getting its centres) to ensure they are up to date formed with representatives from dif- include recommendations with a clear (GCC) states yesterday said the abduc- citizens released, and hoped that contacts and do not contradict Islamic values and ferent subject areas. Each section will vision. tion of Qatari citizens in southern Iraq is between Qatar and Iraq will result in their the country’s traditions. assess the material related to its sub- The committee is supposed to focus a shameful act and a flagrant violation of safe return home. The SEC has set up two commit- jects. its review on the following: To identify international law and human rights. The Arab Parliament yesterday also tees to carry out the comprehensive The task of the first committee is to contents that do not suit Islamic teach- They added that it is contrary to the condemned the kidnapping of the Qatari review that will cover both the con- supervise the assessment process and ings, customs, social traditions, whether teachings of Islam. nationals and urged the Iraqi govern- tent and quality of the books, Al Sharq review the reports of the assessment they are images, text or drawings. The Gulf bloc said the abduction is unac- ment to take measures to ensure their reported. committee, discuss its recommenda- Continued on page 4 ceptable and affects relations between the safety, and get them released as soon as A supervising committee has been set tions and facilitate implementation of Arab countries. possible. up in each school with the school direc- the proposals. THE PENINSULA A GCC statement expressed full solidar- QNA WEDNESDAY 23 DECEMBER 2015 02 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com HOME FM receives phone call from Bahrain QU reviews academic dismissal policy DOHA: Foreign Minister H E Dr Khalid bin Mohamed Al Attiyah received a telephone call Students failing three times in a course will not be dismissed from university from Bahrain’s Foreign Minis- ter Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed DOHA: Qatar University (QU) has First year students shall receive a warn- for academic probation decisions unless bin Mohamed Al Khalifa, who reviewed its policies related to academic ing and a hold is placed on their record if summer performance removes the aca- expressed the kingdom’s con- dismissal, probation, reinstatement and their GPA is below 2.0, and once under- demic probation for the student. Students cern over the abduction of Qatari course repeat for undergraduate students. graduate students receive two academic placed under academic probation or final citizens in Iraq and stressed As per the new policy, if students fail warnings for two consecutive semesters, academic probation may apply for transfer Bahrain’s support for Qatar in three times in a course, they will not be excluding the summer term, they are to another programme subject to QU rules measures it has taken to secure dismissed from the university. If they placed under final academic probation. and regulations as defined in the transfer their release. repeat their courses, the highest grade they Once placed under final academic pro- policy.” Dr Al Attiyah praised Bahrain’s receive will be calculated. bation at the end of a semester, under- Undergraduate students placed under support, stressing the depth of In its recent meeting, QU Execu- graduate students who fail to satisfy the academic probation or final academic brotherhood between both coun- tive Management Committee chaired by cumulative GPA requirement for “Good probation are allowed to register in a tries and peoples and said con- Dr Hassan Al Derham, President, QU, Standing” (a minimum of 2.0) at the end maximum of 12 credit hours per regular tacts at all levels are taking place approved new regulations of the Academic of the following semester, are academically semester and a maximum of six in the sum- for the release of the citizens as Probation policy. dismissed from QU in compliance with the mer term. Students may be allowed to reg- soon as possible. The panel set up standards for satisfac- policy for academic dismissal of undergrad- ister in more than the maximum number of QNA tory academic progress and achievements, Dr Hassan Al Derham, President, QU. uate students. This excludes the summer credit hours subject to prior approval from and defined procedures to identify and term and withdrawal from the academic the Student Affairs Committee. Under- Plans to develop notify undergraduate students not making into account in the following fall semester semester. graduate students will be placed under aca- satisfactory progress, to encourage them to evaluation. Dr Hasna said academic probation deci- demic warning once they exceed six years, improve academic performance. “Student academic standing is to be sions and/or academic warning notifica- excluding foundation programme. farmers’ markets New regulations cancelled the four updated by the office after final grades are tions are to be officially communicated “An advisory hold preventing students DOHA: Abdul Rahman Al intermittent academic warnings given to posted,” he said. by the office to concerned students, their from registering in classes is to be activated Sulaiti, General Supervisor, students in previous years. Once students Undergraduate students are placed adviser, and the head of their department by the office for all students placed under Farmer Markets (Al Mazroua, Al improve their cumulative GPA, this will under academic probation based on their at the end of each semester, excluding the academic probation or final academic pro- Khor/Al Dakhira and Al Wakrah cancel their previous warnings. cumulative GPA, and if they exceed 24 summer term unless summer performance bation, or receiving an academic warning fruit and vegetable yards) at the Dr Mazen Hasna, Vice-President and earned credit hours and their cumulative removes academic probation for the stu- for failing a course twice to ensure that Ministry of Environment, says Chief Academic Officer, QU, said student GPA is below 2.0.