BUSINESS | Page 1 SPORT | Page 1 Advani storms to another INDEX DOW JONES QE NYMEX QATAR 2-4, 24 COMMENT 22, 23 Qatar banks witness world title in REGION 5 BUSINESS 1-8, 13-16 double-digit growth 23,580.78 7,767.70 57.92 ARAB WORLD 6 CLASSIFIED 9-12 Doha +22.79 +9.62 -1.03 INTERNATIONAL 7-21 SPORTS 1-8 +0.10% +0.12% -1.75% despite blockade Latest Figures published in QATAR since 1978 TUESDAY Vol. XXXVIII No. 10651 November 28, 2017 Rabia I 10, 1439 AH GULF TIMES www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals Patriotic theme Asian football In brief body pleased with 2022 QATAR | Assistance QRC’s humanitarian preparations work ‘above politics’ Qatar Red Crescent has called for the dissociation of humanitarian action QNA the ongoing Qatar Stars League. from political matters, stressing at the Bangkok On Sunday, the Supreme Committee same time that the accusations against for Delivery & Legacy (SC) unveiled the one of its employees are baseless. design of Ras Abu Aboud Stadium, the In a statement yesterday it stressed As Qatar National Day preparations gain momentum, shops at Doha’s Souq Waqif are off ering a wide range of products inspired he Asian Football Confederation seventh 2022 FIFA World Cup stadium that it is a neutral and independent by the theme of patriotism as well as the ‘Tamim Al Majd’ portrait of His Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani. (AFC) is fully satisfi ed with Qa- announced for the tournament. humanitarian organisation operating PICTURE: Jayan Orma Ttar’s preparations for the 2022 Due for completion in 2020, Ras Abu in Qatar and internationally. It provides FIFA World Cup, it’s vice president Aboud Stadium has a bold and inno- disaster relief assistance, healthcare Saoud al-Mohannadi said in Bangkok vative design concept, never seen in a services and other services to those yesterday. FIFA World Cup venue before as it will aff ected by humanitarian crises. Al-Mohannadi, who is also the vice- be fully dismountable after the event is The statement pointed out that QRC president of the Qatar Football Asso- over. pays special attention to obliging ciation, is in the Thai capital to attend The modular building blocks Ras its employees and volunteers to the various meetings to be held during the Abu Aboud Stadium consists of are highest professional standards in ‘Bid to hurt Qatar’s riyal course of the prestigious AFC Annual modifi ed shipping containers, each humanitarian work, especially with Awards. containing fundamental stadium ele- regard to its impartiality, independence His comments came yesterday at a ments that can be quickly assembled and integrity. meeting of the Organising Committee and disassembled at various locations of the 2019 Asian Cup to be held in the as required, all in pursuit of the SC’s QATAR | Aviation may backfi re on region’ UAE, of which the Qatari is the chair- mission to ensure the 2022 FIFA World man. Cup Qatar leaves a lasting legacy for the Qatar Airways travel During the meeting, al-Mohannadi country, the region and the world. alert for Bali fl ights zAny instability could hit other dollar-linked currencies, says Khalid al-Khater talked about the progress of Qatar’s The meeting of the Organising Com- Due to volcanic ash activity, flights World Cup plans, saying that the AFC mittee for the 2019 Asian Cup conclud- to Bali Denpasar Airport (DPS) are By Andrew Torchia riyal involved trading Qatar government state reserves and the holdings of Qa- is fully aware of Qatar’s commitment to ed by emphasising on the separation subject to either delay or cancellation, Reuters bonds at artifi cially low prices to suggest tar’s sovereign wealth fund. host a spectacular tournament in fi ve of sport from politics when one AFC Qatar Airways has said in a travel the economy was in trouble. Al-Khater said Qatar, the world’s top years’ time. He said the AFC is confi - member talked about the impact of the alert. Passengers travelling to Bali This failed because the market in Qa- liquefi ed natural gas (LNG) exporter, dent of Qatar’s abilities as the host of Gulf crisis on the tournament. Denpasar are requested to check the ome Arab states are trying to tari bonds was illiquid so trading in high could in future consider other steps to the mega event. The committee also launched the ‘Flight Status’ tab on the Qatar Airways destabilise Qatar’s riyal but ef- volumes was diffi cult and because Qa- bolster the riyal if needed, such as tak- Al-Mohannadi noted at the meeting ‘vision and mission’ framework for home page for the latest flight status Sforts to drive down its value could tar had taken precautionary steps, said ing payments for LNG exports in riyals that Qatar announced the readiness of the tournament, which will take place information. Passengers may also backfi re by hurting other dollar-linked al-Khater, on sabbatical leave doing rather than dollars, which would create the reconstructed Khalifa International from January 5 to February 1, 2019 in contact their nearest Qatar Airways currencies in the region, a Qatari cen- research at Britain’s University of Cam- global demand for its currency. Stadium in May and will shortly an- the UAE. off ice: https://www.qatarairways.com/ tral banker said. bridge. He did not identify the measures. But he said there was a risk that ef- nounce the completion of two other Al-Mohannadi said that the tourna- en/worldwide-off ices.html, booking Khalid al-Khater, currently in Brit- Al-Khater blamed low quotes for Qa- forts to undermine the riyal could shake venues. ment has been expanded from 16 to 24 agent or Customer Care line on (+974) ain on leave from the central bank, was tar’s riyal in the off shore market on some confi dence in dollar-linked currencies The Khalifa International Stadium teams, and the 2019 edition in the UAE 4022 0072. commenting on moves by Saudi Arabia, banks - which he said were from nations of other oil-reliant Gulf Arab states. played host to the Emir Cup fi nal earlier will be the largest and best ever in the the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and boycotting Qatar, without naming the “It could spark contagion across a this year and is also hosting matches in history of the event. QATAR | Weather Egypt to isolate Qatar. Doha’s rivals say institutions - seeking to manipulate the region which is tied to the US through it supports terrorism, which it denies. market by exchanging the currency at dollar pegs, and which is already suf- Strong winds and dust “It’s deliberate economic warfare, a weaker levels than on the onshore mar- fering from fi nancial distress and eco- expected today strategy to cause fear or panic among ket. He did not provide evidence. nomic diffi culties due to low oil prices,” Strong winds and dusty conditions the public and investors to destabilise The riyal changed hands onshore last he said, calling attacks on Qatar’s riyal are expected in the country today, the the economy,” al-Khater told Reuters week very close to its offi cial peg of 3.64 “a weapon of mutual destruction”. Qatar among the safest Qatar Met department has said. in a telephone interview, saying he was to the US dollar. Any increase of pressure on the cur- The weather off ice has issued a giving his personal views. Equity index compiler MSCI said last rency of Bahrain, whose debt is rated warning for strong winds in off shore Saudi Arabia, the United Emirates, week it might use off shore foreign ex- junk, could cause Manama to seek sup- areas, too, along with high seas. The Bahrain and Egypt cut diplomatic and change rates to value Qatar’s stock market. port from Saudi Arabia, whose own countries in the world marine warning will be in place until trade ties with Qatar in June. Most in- Qatar’s central bank responded by economy is battling a big state budget Sunday, December 3. In a post on social dependent analysts think its economy, saying it would provide currency needs defi cit due to three years of weak oil QNA crime statistics, in which he pointed out media yesterday, the Met department with huge gas and fi nancial reserves, to all investors and was working with prices, al-Khater said. Doha that Qatar has become a prominent centre said fresh to strong northwesterly can weather the storm and do not see banks to ensure transactions could be He added that the boycott was forc- in the world security indicators. winds are expected today, which may any serious risk of a devaluation of the conducted normally. ing Qatar to be more self-suffi cient in He noted Qatar has the lowest crime lead to blowing dust and low visibility riyal, whose dollar peg of 3.64 riyals has Central bank governor HE Sheikh agriculture, food processing and light he Ministry of Development rate in the Middle East and the sev- in some areas. In addition, the sea state been enshrined in law since 2001. Abdullah bin Saud al-Thani, in offi ce manufacturing, accelerating a long- Planning and Statistics said enth-lowest crime rate globally in the will not be suitable for any marine Al-Khater, architect of Qatar’s monetary since 2006, said last month that the term goal to diversify the economy. TQatar ranks among the world’s same index, according to the latest an- activities, it said, urging people to be policy in the 2008 global fi nancial crisis, government and the central bank could “Now Qatar has to expedite it out of lowest in terms of crime rates, refl ect- nual Global Crime Index (Numbeo), cautious.