ISO 9001:2008 CERTIFIED NEWSPAPER Home | 3 Business | 14 Sport | 20 Plan to merge European Australia down Police College, Commission Pakistan to training institute chief flags EU set up India into academy cash for Greece semi-final SATURDAY 21 MARCH 2015 • 1 Jumada II 1436 • Volume 19 Number 6376 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com [email protected] | [email protected] Editorial: 4455 7741 | Advertising: 4455 7837 / 4455 7780 Emir monitoring workers’ QFIS building opens welfare, says Blatter ‘2022 World Cup will be a catalyst for positive social change’ DOHA: Emir H H Sheikh actions on its preparations for Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani is the 2022 event.” personally following up on the FIFA to change voting system “FIFA can send at any time steps being taken to improve individuals or committees to fol- the condition of workers in low up on the work progressing Qatar, says FIFA. to pick World Cup hosts on the ground,” said Blatter. Qatar does not only have FIFA DOHA: FIFA says the questions that were raised over Qatar Talking about the 2018 World 2022-related projects. It has winning the right to host the FIFA World Cup in 2022 have Cup fixture in Russia, he called long-term infrastructure projects led it to introduce a slew of key reforms and ensure more for an end to “political interfer- as well, so it wants to improve transparency. ence in sports” by the European the situation of all workers, said “FIFA has taken this issue seriously — the issue of Qatar win- Parliament and said the 2018 fix- the FIFA chief. ning the 2022 bid by 14 to eight votes in a secret ballot voting,” ture will indeed take place there. These are long-term projects said Secretary-General of the world soccer governing body, Jerome “The World Cup will take place related to Qatar’s future and Valcke. in Russia in 2018, that’s sure,” that’s why the welfare of all work- FIFA is working to avoid issues that create suspicions, and said Blatter. “They are work- ers and not only those engaged in developing a new voting system to select hosts for the 2026 and ing very hard and a boycott of FIFA projects is important for 2030 World Cup tournaments. a World Cup or of any sporting the country, said Sepp Blatter. “In the general assembly meeting of FIFA in 2019 this new and event has never brought any “It is clear that Qatar takes transparent voting system will be developed,” Valcke was quoted solutions to anybody.” its responsibility as host (of 2022 by Qatar News Agency (QNA) as saying in Zurich yesterday. “On the contrary, in Russia, World Cup) seriously and sees There will be a new system in 2019 for holding both rounds of the World Cup will be able to the event as a catalyst for posi- voting that are needed to select the hosts of the 2026 and 2030 stabilise the situation this region tive social change,” he said. events. of Europe is suffering from. I am The head of the world soccer There will be transparency and a monitoring system in place sure football is stronger than any governing body was addressing a with extensive rules. “We must put the past behind,” he said of other movement.” news conference in Zurich yes- the recent controversies. Football is never affected by terday after a FIFA executive About the winter schedule of the 2022 FIFA World Cup to be wars, Blatter said. committee meeting, Qatar News held in Qatar, he said all soccer clubs were important. About his election, he said he Agency (QNA) reported. “Without their involvement there wouldn’t be the 2022 FIFA was fully confident of victory and “During my visit to Qatar event. We must look at future with optimism. We at FIFA have would not be pressed into taking last Saturday and Sunday, I dis- agreed to hold the final on Qatar’s National Day in 2022.” decisions to suit others’ agenda. cussed a number of important THE PENINSULA Having been in senior admin- issues, including the November- Continued on page 3 istrative positions in sports for December schedule of holding 40 years, out of them 17 years as FIFA 2022.” preparations for the World Cup.” Things are going in the right FIFA president, Blatter said his Blatter said his meeting It was encouraging to hear the direction in all respects with long, unbeatable experience was with the Emir had a positive Emir’s personal commitment to regard to Qatar’s preparations his strength and consequently, H H Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, Chairperson of Qatar Foundation, outcome. “During my stay in workers’ welfare and to get a sense for the 2022 World Cup, he said. his poll plank. touring the new building of Qatar Faculty of Islamic Studies (QFIS) Doha I also discussed the issue of the improvements planned for “Qatar’s doors are open and THE PENINSULA in Education City yesterday. The building was inaugurated under her of workers who are involved in all workers in Qatar, said Blatter. it welcomes visits and follow-up See also page 22 patronage with the first Friday Prayer at the Education City Mosque. See also page 2 IS bombs mosques Deadlocked Iran nuclear in Yemen; 142 dead talks break off SANA’A: Multiple suicide of Saada, a source close to the LAUSANNE: Iran and six bombings claimed by the Islamic militia said. world powers suspended nego- State group killed at least Only the assailant was killed, tiations on a nuclear agreement 142 people yesterday at Shia and tight security at the mosque and were set to meet again next mosques in Yemen’s capital. prevented the bomber from going week to break a deadlock over The killings were the first inside, the source added. sensitive atomic research and claimed by IS in Yemen. In an online statement, the lifting of sanctions, Western The blasts, which targeted sup- Sana’a branch of IS said the officials said yesterday. porters of the Houthi Shia militia attacks were “just the tip of the While the negotiations have that has seized control of the capi- iceberg”. made progress over the past year tal Sana’a. “Infidel Houthis should know and both sides appear deter- One suicide bomber struck that the soldiers of the Islamic mined to push for a deal, differ- inside Badr mosque in southern State will not rest until they eradi- ences on sticking points are still Sana’a while another targeted cate them... and cut off the arm wide enough to potentially prevent worshippers as they fled outside, of the Safavid (Iranian) plan in an agreement in the end. France witnesses said. Yemen,” the statement said. was demanding more stringent A third suicide bomber targeted The Houthis are accused of restrictions on the Iranians under Al Hashush mosque in northern receiving support from Iran. any deal than the other Western Sana’a, while a fourth struck out- Al Qaeda in the Arabian delegations, officials said. side the mosque, according to the Peninsula issued a statement say- On the sixth day of talks, Saba news agency, which is now ing it had nothing to do with the plans for the delegations changed controlled by the Houthis. bombings. repeatedly. At one point, the for- The bus that rammed into waiting passengers at the Al Ghanim bus terminal yesterday. Nashwan Al Atab, a member of “We stress that we abide by eign ministers of France, Britain the health ministry’s operations the instructions of Sheikh Ayman and Germany were expected to committee, said 142 people were Zawahiri, to avoid targeting join the talks today. killed and at least 351 wounded. mosques and markets... to protect But less than an hour later, the Another suicide bomber blew the lives of innocent Muslims,” it Iranian delegation informed their Five hurt in bus terminal crash himself up outside a mosque in said. AFP US, British, French, Germany, the northern Houthi stronghold See also page 5 Russian and Chinese counter- DOHA: At least five people area close to a cafeteria. The slowly, eyewitnesses said. The parts that they were return- were injured, some seriously, bus, sources said, was approach- barriers were moved by the force ing to Tehran due to the death when a Karwa bus rammed into ing the stand when the driver, of of the impact. of President Hassan Rowhani’s waiting commuters at the Al African nationality, lost control Soon after the mishap, Al 90-year-old mother yesterday. Ghanim main bus station last and rammed into the commuters. Fazaa and Civil Defence person- Tehran’s delegation checked out evening — the third accident in Some of the injured were sit- nel, as well as an ambulance, Arabic pledge sparks row in US school of the hotel and headed to the air- the terminus in two years. ting on concrete barriers in front came to the scene of the accident NEW YORK: It was intended to celebrate language and diversity. port. All sides agreed a resumption Two of the injured are said to of the waiting area. The barriers to take the injured to a hospital. But reading the pledge of allegiance in Arabic at a US high school late next week was likely. be African nationals while one were placed by the public trans- This was the third accident in sparked a furious backlash in upstate New York. Prior to the Iranian depar- is Indian. The two others are port company to protect wait- the bus terminus in two years. Wednesday’s incident at Pine Bush High School, 128 km northwest ture, US Secretary of State Bangladeshis working as drivers ing commuters in the wake of On August 11, 2013, 13 people of New York City, angered students, parents and residents.