ISO 9001:2008 CERTIFIED NEWSPAPER QE index dips, Nadal digs closes below deep to exact 12,000 revenge Business | 13 Sport | 19 Friday 27 June 2014 • 29 Sha’baan 1435 • Volume 19 Number 6109 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com [email protected] | [email protected] Editorial: 4455 7741 | Advertising: 4455 7837 / 4455 7780 Desert Foxes in last-16 stage Five-hour working Longer days day for govt staff during holy month DOHA: Government employ- of fasting ees will have a five-hour work schedule on weekdays (Sundays through Thursdays) during the fasting month of Ramadan which is expected to begin tomorrow. this Ramadan Qatar News Agency reported yesterday that during Ramadan (for the current Hijri year 1435), 2,500 mosques gear up for holy month working hours for civil employ- ees will be five hours, from 9am DOHA: Muslims in Qatar will but during the first three weeks of until 2pm. According to a circular fast for more than 15 hours a Ramadan, the late night prayers issued by the Council of Ministers, day during Ramadan, which (Taraweeh) are held at most working hours will apply to all coincides with the peak of sum- mosques. ministries, government depart- mer season this year and likely From the 20th of Ramadan ments, public authorities and to begin tomorrow or Sunday. onwards, according to imams, corporations. If the crescent is sighted this mosques are open most of the Algeria’s Saphir Taider, teammates Nabil Ghilas and Madjid Bougherra celebrate at the end of their Group H THE PENINSULA/QNA evening, people will need to fast time of the day and close only match against Russia at Baixada Arena in Curitiba during the 2014 FIFA World Cup yesterday. The match ended from early next morning (3.16am for a few hours after the early- in 1-1 draw. Algeria finished second in the group, behind group leaders Belgium, to qualify for the last-16 stage on June 28) until 6.30pm — 15 morning prayer. Suarez banned of the tournament. See pages 20, 21 hours and 14 minutes. As a result, electricity and Not only eating but taking water consumption goes up mas- for four months water and liquid of any kind and sively in a mosque during the holy MONTEVIDEO: The smoking are also forbidden for the month. Uruguayan Football Association devout, who is fasting. Ramadan, according to an Independent schools to have (AUF) yesterday said it would The last time Ramadan fell imam, is also the busiest month appeal against a four-month around this time of the year in for them as it entails them to lead global ban on star striker Luis this region was 32 years ago — the additional ‘Taraweeh’ prayers, Suarez for biting an Italian in 1982. Fasting hours are much aside from occasionally deliver- new curriculum in 2016-17 opponent at the World Cup. shorter during the peak winter ing religious lectures during late AUF President Wilmar Valdez months when the day is shorter. afternoon (Asr) and late evening DOHA: The Supreme Education the unveiling of the first batch of and academics at Hilton Hotel called the FIFA punishment, On the last day of Ramadan, (Isha) prayers. Council (SEC) is framing a new Independent schools. The syllabus on Wednesday. including a nine-match interna- fasting hours will shrink to 14 According to sources, the curriculum for the state-backed was framed with the support of She said a new curriculum and tional ban, “totally exaggerated”. hours and 51 minutes. In view of Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Independent schools to better the US-based Rand Corporation. education plan have become nec- “We feel the decision is totally the extreme weather, worshippers Affairs has this year not issued meet job market requirements Since the establishment of essary as authorities are seeking over the top because for us there are calling for erecting tempo- any circular to imams ahead of while preserving values and Independent schools there have to implement Qatar National was no incontrovertible proof to rary shades outside mosques to Ramadan. Sometimes the minis- traditions of the Qatari society. been criticism from various cir- Vision 2030 that has put human warrant such a tough punish- accommodate increasing number try does, as it directs them to give A senior SEC official said the cles about the curriculum, espe- development as top priority. ment,” Valdez said in Rio. of people. lectures on topical subjects mostly framework would be ready by the cially in terms of preserving and She said the initial draft “Uruguay does not seek There are an estimated 2,500 related to social problems. 2015-2016 academic year for use promoting Arabic language and would be in use in some schools privileges or exceptions. What big, medium and small mosques “We keep getting ministry cir- in some schools on an experimen- the Qatari culture. for trial for one year to get feed- Uruguay does ask is that the law in Qatar, all of which have geared culars on what kind of subjects to tal basis. The first draft will be “We are in the first phase of the back, assess contents and make be applied equally to all and FIFA up for the fasting month. focus on during Friday sermons unveiled in November and the project which will include prepar- required amendments before it is should ensure that is the case. Normally, a mosque is open on and lectures during Ramadan,” new curriculum will be officially ing the general framework. The officially implemented. And we have seen more or simi- average for 10 hours a day at dif- said a source. implemented in the 2016-2017 final draft will be made after its “SEC is keen to get feedback larly aggressive incidents than ferent times for the five prayers, Topics vary from creating academic year. revision following feedback from from all people concerned because that involving Suarez and yet (in but during Ramadan, the dura- awareness about drug abuse, The current curriculum was different segments of society,” everyone is a partner in the edu- those cases FIFA’s) disciplinary tion almost doubles. smoking and terrorism. prepared during the launch of Fauziya Al Khater, Director, cation process,” said Al Khater. commission did not act as it is A mosque normally closes after THE PENINSULA the education reform initiative Education Institute, SEC, told THE PENINSULA doing,” he said. REUTERS the late evening prayer of ‘Isha’ Continued on page 5 about 13 years ago, which also saw a meeting of education experts Continued on page 5 See also page 20 Shia volunteer fighters parade in Iraq Private investment urged to ensure Kahramaa set to meet food security Ramadan demand DOHA: The GCC businessmen’s body has called on the region’s DOHA: Utility distributor Water will be pumped 24 private sector to come together Kahramaa will keep its emer- hours to ensure stable supplies, and jointly invest in agriculture, gency teams ready for 24 hours Kahramaa said in a statement fishing and livestock breeding during Ramadan to attend to yesterday. locally as well as overseas to complaints regarding disrup- Water tanker filling stations ensure food security and help tions in electricity and water will be open seven days a week to lower the prices of food items. supplies across the country. meet customer needs. The Federation of GCC Its call centre will be open In Al Wakra, Al Khor and Al Chambers of Commerce said yes- round-the-clock during the fast- Shahaniya, water tanker filling terday the regional private sector ing month. stations will work from 6am until is looking for investment opportu- One can call Kahramaa’s emer- 4pm. nities in these sectors in Morocco, gency number 991 (call centre) In Al Shamal, Mesaieed and Uganda, Sudan, Egypt, Tanzania for help. Jemiliyah, tanker filling stations and Ethiopia. Since electricity consumption will work in one shift from 6am The federation’s Secretary- increases massively in mosques to 11am. General, Abdul Raheem Naqi, during the fasting month, In Al Sailiya and Umm Salal, said demand for food items goes Kahramaa has made arrange- they will be working from 6pm up substantially in the GCC dur- Shia volunteers, who have joined the Iraqi army to fight against Sunni militants from the Islamic State of Iraq ments for surplus power to attend until 4pm and 7pm until midnight. ing Ramadan. So the only way to and the Levant (ISIL), take part in a parade on a street in Kanaan, Diyala province, in Iraq yesterday. to sudden supply disruptions. THE PENINSULA control their prices and ensure Report on page 5 stable supplies is by investing in food production, he added. He was quoted as saying by Qatar News Agency that in the short- and medium-term the solution to rising food prices is Majority fear price rise will continue over 12 months that all GCC states come together and jointly import and unify the DOHA: People expect prices to continue of Censuses, Household Surveys, and of households. CCI rose marginally (0.4 had improved attributed it to economic pricing of food items. to rise over the next 12 months, shows a Statistical Methods between January and points) compared to 184.4 in the fourth development in Qatar that included pri- Naqi praised African countries survey by the Ministry of Development March. quarter of 2013. vate sector participation in development and said they were keen to woo Planning and Statistics. Fewer people had talked of their fear Nearly half the households (46.7 percent) projects. GCC investments in these sectors. About 85.4 percent of respondents said of mounting inflation in the coming year, said they felt their financial situation had Consequently, job opportunities increased “The leaders of these countries they expected prices to escalate, while 55.2 in a survey last December.