TUESDAY 4 DECEMBER 2012 • [email protected] • www.thepeninsulaqatar.com • 4455 7741 inside The best of COMMUNITY • Pakistan Professionals Forum to hold free books of 2012 medical camp P | 4 P | 11 CAMPUS • Qatar Academy hosts spirit assembly in preparation for ISAC football tournament P | 5 MOVIE • Twilight shines in third box office win over Bond P | 8-9 RECIPE CONTEST • Win a dinner for two by sending your favourite recipe. More details inside. COVERING P | 10 TECHNOLOGY • Clashes over COP18 internet rules to mark Dubai meeting They have come from all over the world. P | 12 For two weeks 1,500 journalists make PLUS... Doha their home to cover the largest • Comics, Word Puzzles, conference on climate change. Crosswords, Hyper Sudoku, Kakuro, TV P | 2-3 listings and more P | 13-15 2 PLUS | TUESDAY 4 DECEMBER 2012 COVER STORY by Isabel Ovalle to, for instance, hall number 3, where delegations are lot is going on in located, almost at the Qatar National beginning of the corridor. Convention The space for media is Media at COP18: A Center (QNCC) big and well equipped with these days, and the world plenty of computers, and wouldn’t know about it numerous booths for televi- if it wasn’t for one key sion and radio stations, as Taking the message link on the chain: media. well as news agencies from Over 1,500 journalists are different countries. accredited to cover the UN The hall is usually not climate change conference very busy, evidently because in Doha, and their work is journalists are on the hunt across the globe essential to the process, for an exclusive story. All just as much as that of del- the same, professionals egates, nongovernmental from all over the world organizations, ministers gather there, becoming a and other parties involved. representation, in small- Keeping record of what scale, of the UN. is really happening in the Ciro Di Costanzo, from halls of QNCC is a difficult Excélsior newspaper from task that not all can accom- Mexico City, has covered plish. Lack of time, impos- previous conferences in sibility to be in two places Cancun (Mexico, 2010) at once, are important and Durban (South Africa, obstacles. Jokes aside, there 2011). He explained that the is much more to a journal- first week of the meeting is ist’s job than that of attend- valuable to lay the founda- ing a press conference, and tion for agreements, which a big challenge attached to will “hopefully” be reached the job is gaining the trust during the second week, of potential sources in a especially from December record time. 5, when the high level nego- Professionals specialised tiations begin. “If there is in environmental or scien- important news, they will tific reporting have a great be given during the second advantage, as well as those week, even though the hard who have attended previous work was the first week,” he conferences of the parties added. addressing climate change. It’s not the first visit These reporters know well to the Middle East for Di how to prioritise and are in Costanzo, and he thinks a unique position to com- that matters concerning pare the Doha summit with the region have not been previous ones. sufficiently addressed. The media space for the “This generates scepticism, press in Qatar’s convention people wonder if there is center is located in hall 9, really a commitment with the last one in the ground the environment and the floor. It takes approximately reduction of emissions,” he 15 minutes to walk from if stated. PLUS | TUESDAY 4 DECEMBER 2012 3 The presidency is in charge of boosting negotiations, “I hope that in the end there is an agreement to extend the commitment period of Kyoto Protocol and raise the level of ambition to decrease emissions”, Delegates need added this Mexican journalist. While regarding activism of NGO’s in to reach solutions COP18, he said that “there is none”. It’s not the first COP for Raoul fast, they can’t go Antoine Siemeni, of Afrique Environment Plus, who was also on for ever. If the present in Durban. His view is clear: house is on fire, “parties seem tired”. This journalist from Congo stated that, “so far, the conferences aren’t conference is not very attractive”, while he wondered how many more the answer. COPs can be held. “Delegates need to reach solutions fast, they can’t go on for ever. If the house is on fire, Raoul Antoine Siemeni conferences aren’t the answer,” he Afrique Environment Plus added. On his past experience in COP17, he remembers that countries were Even though it’s his first time in also very tired back then. “Canada Qatar, this Argentinean journal- and Japan said no to the Kyoto ist has noticed that the country is Protocol. Ultimately, if there is no very secure and respectful. On this disposition to limit emissions; there basis, he said that “perhaps that’s is no solution,” he concluded. why NGO’s haven’t been more par- Victor Edgardo Ingrassi works ticipative or visible. There are no for La Nación in Buenos Aires events in the street, outside the (Argentina). In his opinion the first convention center for citizens to week serves as a meeting point for approach and find out what’s going delegates. During this time the press on,” he added. has access to scientific reports that David Zhang, from People’s Daily, serve as a pressure mode for dele- official newspaper of China’s com- gates to close deals related to studies munist party, said that “Qatar has that are “more dark and catastrophic created a very comfortable environ- every year”. ment, people from the whole world Ingrassi worked in Durban feel amazed, and it has been a great for COP17, back then talks were experience”. extended two extra days because All journalists agree that more there was no agreement. “Delegates, public pressure would contribute to secretaries of environment and negotiations moving forward faster. ministers literally fell asleep on the Media professionals feel responsible tables in the morning, after staying for raising awareness about environ- up all night negotiating. That is not mentalism and the legacy left behind PICS: Salim Matramkot & Shaival Dalal positive for discussions or for COPs for generations to come. in general,” he said. The Peninsula 4 PLUS | TUESDAY 4 DECEMBER 2012 COMMUNITY Pakistan Professionals Forum to hold free medical camp akistan Professionals Forum attend to all the patients coming to Qatar is organising a free the camp. medical camp on Friday, Arrangements have been made for PDecember 7, at Pakistan patients with gynaecological problems Education Centre in Abu Hamour. to be attended to by lady doctors. The camp will be open to individu- All consultation, treatment and als of all nationalities from all walks medication will be provided free of of life, and is being especially held charge, courtesy of Hamad Medical for the benefit of low-income work- Corporation. ers. Provisions are being made to run Special transport arrangements clinics in different specialties all day have been made to pick up and drop to treat common ailments. Clinics for registered patients from several loca- gynaecology, paediatrics, ENT, oph- tions within the city. thalmology, internal medicine and The camp will be officially inaugu- dental hygiene will open their doors rated by the chief guests, Dr Sheikha to patients on Friday. Aisha bint Faleh bin Nasser Al Thani, ICBF President Kareem Abdulla, General Manager of Gulf Incon Ganesh A dedicated team of expert doctors and the Ambassador of Pakistan to Sreenivasan and other officials at the ticket releasing ceremony. in all specialties, nurses, pharmacists Qatar, Mohammad Sarfaraz Khanzada. and technicians will be present to The Peninsula ICBF to screen Talaash to raise fund for charity ndian Community Benevolent along with Rani Mukharjee and Forum (ICBF), a charita- Kareena Kapoor. The film is run- ble organization working ning to packed theatres in India. Iunder the aegis of the Indian The tickets are available at the Embassy in Qatar, is organizing counter in Doha Cinema, and can a charity film show on Friday, also be purchased from ICC and December 7, at 2.30pm in Doha the ICBF Help Desk at the Indian Cinema. ICBF President Kareem Embassy after 6pm. Abdulla has appealed to all local Ganesh Sreenivasan, General Indian organizations in Qatar to Manager of Gulf Incon, released support this programme, since all the tickets in the presence of local proceedings from the same would media representatives, the ICBF be channelled to various humani- president and committee members. tarian causes. For more information, call The Hindi movie “Talaash” fea- 55854791 or 55335679. tures Bollywood star Aamir Khan The Peninsula Dr Mazhar Monga (centre), Chairman PPFQ, with Adnan Kirmani (left), President, and Shabber Ali, General Secretary, at the press meet to announce the medical camp. The Qsports Indian Pravasi welfare board director Dhow team The Qsports Dhow team finished first among the Qatari teams in an exciting race at the Katara Dhow Festival recently. While Omani teams dominated the event – they took the top four spots – the Qsports team finished fifth, beating the other four Qatari teams in the finals. The Qsports team included Arab, Asian, European and American residents in Qatar. Captain Former Kerala minister M M Hassan (second left) presented a shawl to Joppachan Thekekutt, who Shahad Miah, who steered the dhow, was delighted with the was elected as one of the directors of the Pravasi Welfare Board, at a function held in his honour result: “We had no opportunity to practise, so I am very pleased in Doha recently.