Qatar's Expat, Local, and Tourist Forum

Ooredoo and Vodafone have slashed international call rates to the Philippines, in the wake of the Typhoon Haiyan that hit the central parts of the country.

For Vodafone prepaid and postpaid customers, all calls to the Philippines will cost 49 dirhams per minute until midnight on November 16. Ooredoo has cut the rates to 50 dirhams per minute when customers use the international Saver Key on Hala.

The reduced rates will be available from today until November 16. To activate the Hala International Saver Key, which costs QR1 a week, customers need to SMS ‘ISK’ to 121.

Vodafone has reduced the SMS rates to the Philippines to 10 dirhamsper message, to be available until November 16.

Ooredoo had announced a similar cut on SMS rates on Sunday.

[thepeninsulaqatar.com]

Experts at Hamad Medical Corporation has urged parents to be vigilant about signs of pneumonia, with symptoms as a cough, chest pain, fever, and difficulty breathing in their children.

As people across the globe mark the fifth annual World Pneumonia Day Dr Amjad Tuffaha, Senior Consultant, Department of Pediatrics at Hamad General Hospital, has reminded parents in Qatar that pneumonia is a preventable disease.

“Although pneumonia can affect any age group, the most vulnerable are children under five,” Dr Tuffaha said. However, if parents learn more about this infectious disease and follow preventive measures their children will be at minimum risk of being affected.

“Parents should be concerned when they notice initial symptoms like constant cough and high fever in their children, followed by difficulty in breathing and loss of appetite as the disease advances,” Dr Tuffaha said.

He advised parents to start the process of immunisation for their children immediately, as it will decrease the risk significantly.

Pneumonia is a lung infection most commonly caused by the inhalation of bacteria, viruses or other kinds of germs, which results in the inflammation of lung tissue. Each year pneumonia claims the lives of nearly 1.5 million children in the world, making it the single most deadly disease, even more than malaria, AIDS and measles combined.

Dr Tuffaha confirmed that ‘the bacteria that cause pneumonia can happen in any environment.’

“However, the disease can be limited by adopting a healthy lifestyle, which includes exercising regularly, washing hands appropriately, coughing in the correct manner and making sure children are properly vaccinated,’ he said.

[thepeninsulaqatar.com]

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The Philippines’ Social Security System (SSS) is offering support to those who were devastated by super typhoon Yolanda last Friday, says SSS President and CEO Emilio S De Quiros, Jr (pictured).

“As we normally do in times of calamities, we provide donations to the area and we also offer support to members,” De Quiros, who is in Doha for the World Social Security Forum, told The Peninsula yesterday.

Giving three months advance to pensioners, lowering the interest rates for house construction and repair, expediting process for funeral claims and early salary loan renewal are among the support SSS is extending to its members in the areas hit by the typhoon, he said.

As to the number of members expected to avail of the package, he said it could not yet be determined at the moment because electricity has not yet been restored in the affected areas like Tacloban.

“We need to replace our computers because in Tacloban, for instance most of the computers were soaked in water which reached up to the second floor, so we needed to replace those and get the branch to be operational again.”

SSS is not limited to Filipinos living in the country but also Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW). There are at least 20,000 SSS members in Qatar.

“In Doha, since we reopened (our branch) in March, we have reached 20,000 members already and that’s increasing very fast,” he said, adding the number might be higher as “there are those who ask their relatives to make payment in Manila, which we cannot track.”

In total SSS has almost 900,000 members in foreign countries around the world, most of whom are based in the Middle East like Saudi Arabia.

“We also opened our branch late last year in Dubai and eventually we will open in Bahrain. We’re trying to concentrate our efforts in Gulf states.”

He called on all Filipinos here to update and revive their membership through the Doha office to have social protection.

“Social Security System is very important. We provide pension to members, once they reach at least ten years of contribution; the more they contribute the higher the pension. We also provide sickness allowance as well as maternity allowance for female members. The way we compute it, for every one peso that a member contributes he gets about six pesos benefit.”

[thepeninsulaqatar.com]

There are about 50,000 to 60,000 Filipinos in Qatar from the typhoon-hit Visayas region of the Philippines and many may have lost their homes in the devastation.

Rough estimates put the number of Filipinos in Qatar at between 180,000 and 200,000. A third of them may be from the central Visayas region.

According to an umbrella body of Filipino community organisations here, they had heard from at least 20 to 25 compatriots until yesterday that their homes were swept away by the powerful typhoon. “We don’t so far know if someone has also lost a relative in the tragic storm that has left thousands dead and hundreds of thousands of people homeless,” said Jhin Tabuzo, Chairman of the United Filipino Organisations in Qatar, the umbrella organisation of some 120 community associations here. He said donations had begun pouring in for victims after they launched a fund-raiser in coordination with their embassy.

The umbrella body, he said, was set up two months ago and this was the third donation campaign launched by it. “Our first campaign was for the war victims of Mindanao (the southern province of the Philippines hit by rebel fighting).” A lot of civilians have been displaced there.

The Peninsula

The second drive was for the victims of the earthquake in Cebu, said Tabuzo. “And now we have launched this latest campaign.” “All these drives have been launched almost one after the other,” he said in remarks to this newspaper when told that their country being prone to natural calamities they needed to frequently launch donation campaigns.

Tabuzo said donations were being accepted in kind and cash. Blankets, clothing and medicines are needed on an urgent basis, he added.

Those desirous of making donations should visit the Philippine embassy. Donations in cash can also be made there.

The umbrella organisation can also be approached to make donations. Foreigners can also make donations in cash and kind, said Tabuzo.

[thepeninsulaqatar.com]

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Introducing a new chapter into Qatar’s film culture, the inaugural Ajyal Youth Film Festival organised by the Doha Film Institute, is set to screen 65 films from 30 countries, said organisers yesterday.

The five-day festival, which begins on November 26 at the Katara, will open with Japanese film The Wind Rises.

The festival brings the best of film making from countries like Brazil, Canada, France, Mexico, Palestine, Spain and the UK.

Ajyal Youth Film Festival will also showcase a selection of in-competition films under the Doha Film Experience ‘Mohaq’, ‘Hilal’ and ‘Bader’ segments to encourage young enthusiasts to develop a genuine appreciation for film.

“The film festival is another major platform to strengthen the film talent. It’s a platform for the youth as well as for people in the industry in Qatar and across the region,” said Abdulaziz bin Khalid Al Khater, Chief Executive Officer, Doha Film Institute at a press conference yesterday.

The ‘Doha Film Experience,’ will have young jurors, from ages eight to 21 years, and be given the opportunity to watch 21 short films and eight feature films, under three categories — Mohaq, Hilal, and Bader, — followed by discussions, workshops and question and answer sessions. On the closing night of the festival, the young jurors will vote for the films and award the ones they consider most outstanding.

Fatma Al Remaihi, Festival Director, Ajyal Youth Film Festival, said: “Our young generation is the future of our country and the region. We would like to inspire them, broaden their horizons, and spark their creative interests.”

The festival will bring together local and international media experts in a quest to find solutions for quality media for children and youth with a special focus on the Mena region. This two-day interactive forum will include a series of intensive working sessions and will showcase best practice from Qatar and around the world.

Ajyal’s ‘Family Weekend’ on November 29 and 30, has been designed to bring the entire family together. The free of charge events include the Ajyal Studio, where audiences can be part of the filmmaking experience; storytelling workshops, and performances from local youth and international talents among others.

Another key family activity is ‘The Sandbox’an interactive space that will inspire and entertain young people with the latest in media and digital technologies. The Sandbox will feature a selection of interactive 3D installations, educational games, apps, new digital creative tools, and hands-on production activities from Doha and the rest of the world.

Tickets for the inaugural Ajyal Youth Film Festival will be sold at various box office counters at the Ajyal festival booth in the City Centre and at the Katara beginning from November 13.

‘Ajyal film circle card is launched this year and the card holders are entitled for a QR5 discount on each ticket for public screening and events.

Tickets could be purchased through www.ajyalfilmfestival or on the Doha Film Institute’s samrtphone app.

[thepeninsulaqatar.com]

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Madam Mariam Al Fadaaq, Producer and General Manager of L’Arc En Ciel Events said, “Helping especially those who are victims of the calamity is a corporal work of mercy, it is a humanitarian act that you give whatever you have with all your heart as you empathize.”
She emphasized that, “I never broadcast anyone whenever I help or donate but I think, Anne Curtis’ initiative of helping massive affected Filipinos from the Typhoon Yolanda by doing a garage sales inspires me to bring a good cause for her concert as well.
So I have advised the Annebisyosa team that I also like to give and I say that part of the proceeds from the ticket sales will be donated for Sagip Kapamilya (a charitable institution from the Philippines) as our aid to those who have greatly affected by this calamity and may our small contribution goes mileages rebuilding people’s lives and properties.
Anne Curtis will donate her talent fee for doing a concert in Qatar, her Annebisyosa No Other Concert.
Please find the related links:
[www.sunstar.com.ph] -cuneta-donates-p10m- yolanda-victims-313378
Related links on her interview with Kris TV.
[www.facebook.com] 2&theater
Anne Curtis says "Sa ating mga kababayANNEs po dyan sa Doha, Qatar nan’dyan po ako para sa Annebisyosa No Other Concert, please come and join us kasi yung buong talent fee ko po dun ay i- do-donate ko na po, and also the producer agreed po na some of the portions ng tickets that will be sold will be donated also to the victims of Yolanda and maybe I can ask empty can to help sa Sagip Kapamilya rin, that they can pass it around there.”
Anne Curtis says she'll donate talent fee from Doha concert to Typhoon Yolanda victims. Her heart is in the right place.
[www.spot.ph]- to-typhoon-yolanda-victims
[www.abs-cbnnews.com]

- ILQ News -

The Youth Company, Qatar – not for profit social enterprise for youth development and empowerment – has begun the first of three pillars of this year’s Run The World Program with “RTW Talks” – a series a 4 talk-shows taking place every Saturday between the 9th and 30th of November 2013. The forums will be featuring a range of topics discussing how youth can lead healthier and happier lifestyles, where delegates will be given the opportunity to touch base with some of the region and the world’s champions in health, wellbeing, sports, and innovation.

The second RTW Talk is set to be held at Youth Hub, Qatar on the 16th of November and will feature the topic of self image in men, titled, “Man In The Mirror.” The show aims to explore how, like women and girls, young men are also faced with pressures of self image, and with progressive influence from fashion, media, and competition, can fall at the hands of performance enhancing drugs, particularly among professional athletes.

As TYC’s largest and most-anticipated youth event of the year, Run The World presents an exciting opportunity for youth between the ages of 14 to 29 years to not only participate in a range of sports, fun activities, showcase outstanding talents, and explore worldwide cultures – all of which will form the main events of the three-day RTWF in December – but also to get involved in community projects and forums such as RTW Talk and RTW Legacy. These additional programs are aimed to make this year’s edition a more community enriching and empowering experience.

“This time, RTWF 2013 is not just about encouraging youth to lead healthy and active lifestyles. It is about gaining new experiences, awareness and learning new things not only about ourselves, but also about other individuals and the community around us. In RTW Talk, the first part of this exciting edition, we want young people to listen to what experts have to say about their own life-changing experiences, and the advice they share for becoming healthier, happier, and more engaged citizens of the world,” says Abdulrahman Sajid, Director of Youth Hub and YESS.

Speakers and delegates will be invited to take part in the forums and engage in speeches, panel discussions, debates, and interactive activities that inform, motivate and connect the participants. Moreover, RTW Talks are an excellent opportunity for youth to create new networks around Doha.

- ILQ News -

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Under the directives of the Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Qatar will today send two consignments of emergency aid to the typhoon-affected areas of the Philippines.

Two planes carrying 80 tonnes of aid are scheduled to fly from Doha to The Philippines today, Qatar News Agency reported yesterday, quoting Dr Ahmed Al Meraikhi, Director, International Development, at the Foreign Ministry.

The shipments will contain first aid, food items, tents, clothes, and blankets, among other items.

Meanwhile, the Qatar Red Crescent in collaboration with Philippines Red Cross launched a campaign to raise $2m to support people hit by Typhoon Haiyan.

The emergency appeal focuses on providing food, water, shelter, non-food items and healthcare to 5,000 families (25,000 people) in affected provinces of Northern Mindanao region.

[thepeninsulaqatar.com]

Qatar has been ranked fifth for women’s rights in the Arab World and third in the GCC according to a poll by the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

The poll on 21 members of the Arab League and Syria and the ranking is based on analysis of six themes as violence against women, reproductive rights, and women in the family, women in the economy, women in society and women in politics.

Comoros has been ranked first in the poll with Oman on second place and Kuwait in third position.

Several facts have been also published by the poll for ranking fifth for Women’s Rights in the Arab World.

For women in politics, one out of 29 seats on the central Municipal council is filled by a woman and Qatar appointed a woman judge in 2010.

More than 51 percent Qatari women are in the workforce. Women get married for the first time at an average of 25.4 years of age and 550 cases of domestic abuses are reported to the Qatar Foundation for Women and Children.

The poll has been conduced based on information and data published by the World Bank, UN agencies and media reports.

[thepeninsulaqatar.com]

Obtaining an entry visa to the UK will soon be made easier for citizens of Qatar and three other GCC states in response to complaints about delays and tedious procedures.

The UK Home Office will launch an electronic visa waiver scheme early next year that is expected to make it cheaper and easier for business travellers and tourists to visit the UK from Qatar, Oman, the UAE and Kuwait.

British Ambassador to Qatar Nicholas Hopton said yesterday that the new scheme comes in response to “concerns raised with us by the Qatari Government.”

British Prime Minister David Cameron announced the new scheme at the Lord Mayor of London’s annual dinner on Monday, which is expected to launch in Qatar, Oman, and UAE in early 2014. It will be extended to Kuwaiti passport holders later next year.

The new electronic visa waiver (EVW) will be free of charge and is a quick and simple alternative to a visa application.

Applicants will need to submit an EVW online at least 48 hours before they are due to travel and it will do away with the need to provide biometric information, attend an appointment at a visa application centre or hand in passports prior to travel, said the statement.

The EVW will be available for visits of up to six months, however those coming to the UK to work or study will still need to apply for visas in the normal way.

Hopton said: “I am delighted that this new scheme will make it so much easier for Qataris to visit the United Kingdom. We look forward to welcoming even more visitors from Qatar to the country so many regard as their second home. This change will improve the service the UK offers to Qataris and responds to concerns raised with us by the Qatari Government.”

Visa applications from Qatar, the UAE and Oman are growing every year, according to figures released by the British embassy yesterday. A record 530,000 visitors from the GCC states came to Britain in 2012 (up six per cent on 2011) and 20,490 visas were issued to Qataris during the year.

Further details on the scheme will be announced in due course, until then current visa rules will apply and visitors can check the UKBA website for the latest information on the UK’s visa service, said the statement.

[thepeninsulaqatar.com]

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The Philippine embassy has advised residents and expatriate communities to give their donations to the right channels and not to certain individuals or groups.

“I would like to warn the general public that they should be very careful in giving out donations because there are people who would take advantage of the situation and benefit from it,” ambassador Crescente Relacion told reporters at the chancery yesterday.

The ambassador was reacting on reports received from community members that some people were collecting money from overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).

He stressed that the embassy only authorised a number of the 120 accredited organisations, particularly the United Filipino Organisations in Qatar (UFOQ), to receive donations, whether in cash or in kind.

An embassy circular has posted the bank accounts of various government agencies and charity organisations where people can directly deposit their cash donations. These include the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Centre and the Philippine Red Cross.

Besides Filipino expatriates, Relacion disclosed that there was an overwhelming response from various Qatar institutions, embassies in Doha, and other expatriate communities who want to do their share.

He said the Qatar Sports League would be collecting QR10 as entrance fee from every visitor who will watch their two matches this week at the Al Arabi Sports Club. Funds collected will be donated to the typhoon victims.

Some supermarkets and businesses have also expressed intention to help by donating rice, canned goods and other food items.

“Our Asean neighbours will also help but they normally give their donations directly to Manila,” said Relacion who announced that a book of condolences would be opened at the chancery.

He also reiterated that the DSWD and other agencies would not accept used clothes because of “some health issues”.

“This has been so for quite sometime. We are still receiving but we cannot just ward off people who are donating used clothes,” he
said.

It is learnt that Filipino artiste Anne Curtis, who is scheduled to stage a show at the Qatar National Convention Centre on Friday, will donate her talent fee to the typhoon victims.

Meanwhile, some OFWs in Qatar have been told by their friends in Cebu, a nearby province of Tacloban City, through social media that their families are safe. However, many other expatriates are still unsure if their respective families have survived the ordeal or not as communication links remain cut off.

[www.gulf-times.com]

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The Public Works Authority ‘Ashghal’ announced the opening of Lodaihy (Oryx) intersection tonight (Wednesday November 13th) after converting the roundabout to a signal-controlled intersection. The completion of this task, and the opening of the intersection to traffic came as a result of the efforts exerted, and the works that continued around the clock to finish this task, to the fullest, in a record time.
It is also worth mentioning that on November 10th, Ashghal has opened Lejbailat intersection. These achievements will be complemented with the opening of Onaiza intersection in two days (Friday November 15th). With this opening, the conversion of the roundabouts to intersections at Corniche Street and its surroundings will be completed as planned.
It is also noteworthy that the efforts exerted by Ashghal’s team and contracted companies, as well as other government entities, especially the Traffic Police and Lekhwiya who worked relentlessly to ensure the traffic flow in these lively areas, were an important factor that made the opening of all intersections leading to the Corniche Street easier.
The new intersections have a number of extra corridors, with wheelchair access, for pedestrians. They are also equipped with light signals for pedestrians to ensure their safety. Moreover, new lanes were constructed at all new intersections to ease the U-turns and left-turns while avoiding traffic congestions.
Last but not least, ‘Ashghal’ thanks all road users who have been tolerant with the roads closures in order to accomplish all the works on time.

- ILQ News -

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DOHA, Qatar — Qatar has been dreaming big for years.

The gas-rich Persian Gulf state, which is slightly smaller than Connecticut, wanted to host world-class sporting events; to build a network of top-tier universities and museums; and to push, tweak and manipulate regional politics to reshape the Arab world to its liking.

At the moment, that last priority isn’t going so well.

If 2011 was the tiny state’s year for victory laps — its flag flying high alongside the Libyan rebels, as the revolution there raged with Qatari support; its satellite channel Al Jazeera praised among Egyptian protesters in Tahrir Square; and everybody wanting a bag full of Qatari cash — 2013 has been a year for losses.

Qatar is taking a beating as the Arab Spring revolts, which ushered in Islamist governments in Egypt and Tunisia and empowered upstarts across the region, yield to a reassertion of power by the region’s old heavyweights.

A military coup toppled Qatar’s allies in Egypt, the Muslim Brotherhood, and the new military rulers have found funding and allies in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates — Qatar’s regional competitors.

Saudi Arabia also has publicly taken the lead on gulf support to Syrian rebels — a cause that Qatar was the first to champion — after the tiny state irked Western and Arab allies by sending aid to hard-line Islamists, analysts say.

In Tunisia, the liberal opposition has sought to vilify the elected Islamist government as Qatari lackeys. In Libya, Qatar is accused of backing Islamist militias at the expense of national unity.

Even the 2022 Soccer World Cup — for Qatar, the ultimate in international validation — has come under scrutiny in recent weeks after Britain’s Guardian newspaper exposed scandalous working conditions for Qatar’s migrant labor force.

The entire region feels “a sense of anger” toward Qatar, said Badr Abdellaty, a spokesman for Egypt’s Foreign Ministry. “And if the Qataris care about their image, it’s important [for them] to revisit this issue and to address it seriously.”

But if the rise in anti-Qatar sentiment has prompted any soul-searching in the upper echelons of the Qatari royal family — or even amongst its citizenry — it is well-hidden here amid the high-rises of Doha.

Qatar’s government is deeply opaque. At the Qatar News Agency, where visiting journalists are required to submit details of their coverage plans and any official interview requests, the media relations staff members said securing an interview with a top official — or any official — would be nearly impossible.

Rumors abound on the periphery of this secretive government that Sheik Hamad Bin Khalifa al-Thani’s abdication as emir in June, and the removal of longtime prime minister Hamad Bin Jasim al-Thani, signified a quiet acknowledgment of defeat.

Some analysts say the new emir, Tamim Bin Hamad al-Thani, represents a Qatar that is more inwardly focused and less likely to assert itself internationally.

Others — particularly Qataris — say: Don’t be fooled. Qatar may have toned down aspects of its foreign policy, but it’s still evolving and learning how to handle its money and its diplomacy in a region full of heavy hitters.

Read more [www.washingtonpost.com]

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Doha will soon have a new zoo with additional features and attractions, the Public Works Authority (Ashghal) announced yesterday.

The new zoo will cover 75 hectares, seven times the size of the current facility which has been closed for development work almost a year and a half ago.

It will be divided into several regions representing the natural and climatic features of three continents, an Ashghal official said.

There will be an “Africa Safari”, characterised by forests and savannas; an “Asia Woodland”; and a “South America rainforest”. Visitors to the three zones will experience the original feel of the places, the official said.

More than 12,500 trees will be planted. Some of them will be brought from different geographical areas. The old zoo had about 1,000 trees.

Ashghal yesterday launched the final concept master plan for the new zoo’s development and appointed KEO International Consultants as the project’s design and construction supervision consultant in co-operation with HHCP+PJA with a QR230mn contract.

Ashghal president Nasser bin Ali al-Mawlawi signed the contract along with KEO International Consultants CEO Donna Sultan.

“The new Doha Zoo will be a prominent tourist attraction and an important entertainment destination that attracts visitors locally and internationally,” al-Mawlawi said.

The newly-designed zoo, he said, “will be an entertainment outlet for the country’s residents and tourists who will appreciate the diversity of the regions within the zoo and the green landscapes in the park that surrounds it”.

Ashghal has started working on the new zoo in July 2012 when designers were asked to come up with the primary architectural concept and general master plan for the project.

“After going through careful procedures”, Ashghal said its steering committee chose an “appropriate concept” and in December 2012 it appointed international consultant HHCP+PJA to develop a concept master plan.

Ashghal also appointed leading international specialists and studied international practices in zoology.

At the end, HHCP+PJA was able to deliver the new zoo’s concept master plan, whose implementation is expected to begin in 2014 with inauguration scheduled for the end of 2017.

Upon completion, al-Mawlawi said, it would be “one of the biggest and most beautiful zoos in the region”.

He added that the zoo would “contribute towards the enrichment of knowledge and awareness of environmental issues and preservation of our ecosystem”.

The zoo would show interconnectivity between different regions of the world and Qatar’s rich bio-diversified environment.

It would take into account the requirements of people with special needs as well as safety and security procedures, al-Mawlawi told reporters, noting that Qatari companies would participate in later stages of the project.

Asked about the reason for building the new zoo in the location of the old facility, the Ashghal CEO said it was stuck in people’s minds and a lot of people had been used to it since they were young. He added that it was also taken into consideration that the zoo was near to Aspire Park and a bridge would connect the two facilities.

HHCP managing director Gregory Dungan said that his company had developed the zoo “to provide visitors (with) a one-of-a-kind experience that sets a new global standard for zoological parks”.

This new vision, he added, “establishes the zoo as a must-see destination for visitors from around the globe”….

Following the signing ceremony, Sultan said: “There are very few greenfield zoos being planned in the world, and to be involved as a key player in this new zoo in Qatar is a consultant’s dream come true. It will be more than just a zoo. It will be a trend setter in the world for what makes a great zoo.

“We are really looking forward to working with Ashghal and the talented design team and countless specialists that have been pooled together in realising the new Doha zoo.”

“The Zoo will be interweaved with a public park with no fences that obstruct the vision; and therefore, will not affect the landscape of the surrounding streets, but will add an aesthetical dimension and green spaces to them”, a press release issued by Ashghal said.

“Each region of the Doha zoo can be discovered through multiple safari trips that will take the visitors on memorable journeys across the zoo and its vast green landscapes to watch the wildlife species of each of the three continents. The safari trips will vary between car trips, trekking on foot through safe passages, trips by boats and Children’s Safari that commensurate with their age and maintain their safety.”

A training centre for animal care, a “Discovery Centre” and 3D and 4D interactive theatres will from part of the new zoo.

All animals of the current zoo will be moved to shelters in Rawdat Al Faras farm where they will be taken care of by specialised experts until the completion of the new project.

[www.gulf-times.com]

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Many overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Qatar, who are from the typhoon-ravaged Tacloban City, are planning to relocate their families to nearby cities to start a new life.

Dhinez, who was happy to hear that her loved ones were safe, told Gulf Times that she wanted to bring them to Cebu, one of the biggest and urbanised cities in Visayas.

She saw Cebu as one of the “safest places to live in the region”: some of her relatives have been residents there for years.

Although Cebu had been struck by a recent earthquake, the city has direct flights to Manila and other major destinations in the Philippines.

“I think it would be easier for me and my family to recover there. We will relocate as soon as possible,” said Dhinez, who has three siblings including a pregnant sister.

She knows there will be a lot of adjustments: the dialect (Waray) they speak is different from Cebuanos but majority of people in the whole Visayas can speak English fluently.

“We really don’t have a choice but to relocate for a while. It is really traumatic,” she stressed. “Our original plan was to go to Manila but Cebu is near to Tacloban City.”

However, she lamented that they had yet to receive any information concerning the family and relatives of her husband. They are set to take a leave from their work and fly back to Tacloban in the coming days.

Like Dhinez, some other OFWs told Gulf Times that they also had the same plan. They prefer Cebu to Manila and other places in the region since the city offers many job opportunities.

Hayden (not his real name) said his friends had advised him to do the same.

“I think it is the only option left, I know it’s difficult for all of us but what important is we have been given the chance to start all over again,” he added.

Tacloban maybe a paradise for him, but the Qatar-based sales person somehow realised he had to assure the safety of his family. After one more year, he is planning to resign and join them in the Philippines.

It is learnt that some OFWs in Qatar have asked their relatives to secure a passport for their children.

“I think we have to bring my daughter here: we have three Filipino schools in Doha where she can continue her studies,” said a couple.

Maria Lisa Arcabal, an OFW who lives in Cebu, described her hometown as a busy but peaceful city. She said the people were very friendly and hospitable.

“I think those who will relocate here will find it a good place, I can assure that,” she said.

[www.gulf-times.com]

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A large number of Britons and Canadians are among those who are approaching the Philippine embassy here with donations in kind and cash to help those devastated by last Friday’s typhoon in the archipelago country.

Embassy sources told his newspaper yesterday that aside from Filipinos themselves and Britons and Canadians, those coming over with donations include people from several other nationalities.

“We have South Africans, Taiwanese, Moroccans, Malaysians, Brazilians and Americans as well coming to us with donations,” an embassy source said.

“We have had some donors from Kazakhstan as well,” said the source. Medicines and food items like rice, sugar, edible oil, bottled water and toiletries are among the donations being made in kind.

Donations in cash are also pouring in but the embassy source said he had no idea about the volume since the donors were going directly to the finance section.

He said people could make donations only until November 22. According to him, apart from fellow Filipinos, people from other nationalities were coming over to register as volunteers to pack the donated items for shipping. The packaging will be done on Friday

Aside from individuals, people representing schools and companies, including Qatari businesses, were also coming over with donations.

The embassy has, meanwhile, issued a circular urging those who are enquiring about the whereabouts of their missing relatives in the affected areas.

They can contact operations center on email opcen@ndrmc.gov.ph NDRRMC is National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Centre.

The operations centre’s telefax numbers are: 00632-9120441, and 9125947. The Philippine Red Cross can also be contacted at 00632-9175328500.

Google Person Finder can also be accessed for help at website (http://google.org/personfinder/2013-yolanda) and CNN Report website (http://ireport.cnn.com/topics/1059028?hpt=hp_t2), the embassy circular said.

It added that those desirous of making donations can also contact the United Filipino Organizations in Qatar, Outreach and Welfare Officer, Lyndon Magsino, at cell number 55698990.

Meanwhile, Filipinos based here who hail from the affected areas, mostly from Tacloban city and the adjoining areas, were able to contact some of their near and dear ones after a frustrating gap of four days.

The tragedy of death and destruction caused by the typhoon is now dawning on people, many of whom say they still have large numbers of relatives missing, while some are dead.

“Yesterday, my wife was able to speak with some of her relatives as also to a woman caretaker of our house in Jaro (near Tacloban),” said Edgar Bolo who is based in Doha with family for a number of years.

“She is in a shock as some 70 people have died in our small town alone,” Bolo told this newspaper. Jaro, according to him, is at 40-minute drive from Tacloban where the devastation has been the most.

Bolo originally hails from Cebu and spent his childhood in Tacloban, but in 2008 built a house in Jaro, where his wife comes from, spending over two million pesos (QR175,000).

The house is partially damaged, he said. “I need to spend around QR30,000 on repair.”

When the typhoon hit on Friday evening, walls of water waves up to five metres high from the river swept most houses in Jaro, he said.

People were evacuated mostly from near the coastal areas in Tacloban but those living inland and nearby towns like Jaro thought they were safe. “They had no idea tsunami-like waves would devour them.”

Bolo said his relatives told him and his wife on the phone that the wind barreled at speeds exceeding 200 km an hour. “That was unexpected, and was like powerful missiles hitting fragile structures.”

Bolo said as a child living with his banker grandfather in Tacloban in the late 1960s, he had seen many typhoons. “But not of this kind. No…this was the most intense and devastating in the area’s known history.”

[thepeninsulaqatar.com]

The Qatar General Electricity and Water Corporation (Kahramaa) has issued warnings to more than 2,260 customers until September this year for violating the country’s conservation law.

The customers were warned through text messages, Kahramaa said yesterday. The violations included keeping the external lights at buildings on between 7am and 4pm and using running hose for washing cars.

Vehicle owners have to get their vehicles washed at commercial car wash centres instead of washing them at home, which is punishable under the law, Kahramaa said yesterday.

The average outdoor hose uses 20 litres per minute of water while a car wash centre uses less water. Washing a car at home usually requires more than 100 litres of water while a commercial car wash averages about 70 litres.

The law strictly warns against using drinking water for washing vehicles and gardening.

Article 4 of the law also empowers Kahramaa to impose a fine of not less than QR1,000 and not exceeding QR10,000 on erring consumers. The fine would be doubled if the violation is repeated within three years of the first penalty.

As part of implementing the law (No. 26/2008) Kahramaa has already issued new guidelines for installation of electrical equipment and water distribution gadgets in new buildings.

As per the guidelines, builders will have to install specific energy saving gadgets in new buildings. Kahramaa will inspect such buildings before giving water and electricity connections.

Kahramaa in coordination with the Ministry of Environment is implementing energy efficiency labeling programs for various gadgets. Certain specifications have been fixed for these gadgets and the products which do not meet the standard are not being allowed in Qatar’s market.

[thepeninsulaqatar.com]

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Many parts of the country, including Doha are expected to receive rains today, with the country going through unstable weather conditions, according to the Meteorology Department.

The sudden change in weather is caused by a trough of low pressure over the Gulf region associated with a cold mass in the upper air, the department said yesterday. The unstable weather is expected to prevail until the end of next week.

Rains are expected in the western parts of the country since early morning and in Doha and its outskirts later in the day, a forecaster at the department told this daily last evening. More rains are expected tomorrow and next week, probably with brief intervals.

“These are seasonal rains expected during this period of the year,” said the forecaster. The wind is expected to be northeasterly to southeasterly, light to moderate in speed, but could gain force resulting in thunderstorms and high seas.

[thepeninsulaqatar.com]

Girnaas, a local Qatari company specialised in Game and Application developments announced today that they are working hard towards launching their first game, “Giddam”. Girnaas was founded in 2013 by three local Qatari’s: Munera Al-Dosari, Faraj Abdualla and Fatima Al-Kuwari. What brought them all together is a common passion to gaming and everything technological, or in other words… they are all geeks!
Their passion for games was actually what inspired the idea of establishing Girnaas and their goal is to make Qatar a leader in this filed by actually producing and publishing games and not only consuming them. The company was established at the beginning of 2013 under the ictQatar incubation centre. Providing full support to this technology start-up business.

Girnaas is an Arabic word that means the highest peak of a mountain or a building, and because our vision is to be at the top of the gaming industry in Qatar, the region and the world, we have chosen a name that reflects this desire and aspiration of our company.

The lack of local games that reflect the uniqueness of this region was another driver to produce games that reflect the actual region. We want to be able to find and play games that are relevant to us. We also want to use gaming as a platform to export our rich heritage and stories to the whole worlds, starting by the younger generation here in Qatar and the region.

“Giddam is our first game, we have built it based on several months of focus groups with local and expats from different age groups and backgrounds. We actually asked them about their expectations of a game. Children, teenagers, youth and adults of both genders and many nationalities participated in designing the characters and defining the weapons. In addition, a key point is that the actual team that worked on the game are actually representative of the actual consumers market and hence it was very easy to make it happen. As we say, we all spoke the same language.” Said Munera Al-Dosari, the Co-founder of the company.

“Giddam” is a racing game that is built on 4 main characters, Strawbery, Rashid, Big Mama and Ali. In their race, players will use local and non-traditional game weapons such as the famous Karak tea, the A’qal which is the traditional man headwear and many other weapons that either give them power or help them trap their opponents. The game offers a unique networking opportunity as well, so players can actually socialize and play with friends or make new friends.

“The past few months have been fun, interesting, and full of learning’s. It is not easy, but it is indeed rewarding. There is no feeling that is close to the joy we feel at every stage of progress we make as a team. We get to know and work with many talented people from Qatar, Jordan, Iraq, India … and from all over the world and that is what is unique about us. We are a small but dedicated team that is growing steadily but rapidly.” she continued.

ictQatar incubation centre has been instrumental to our success. We can never say how much we owe them and we can never thank them enough. The incubation centre offers us funding, as well as professional services such as financial and legal advice and networking opportunity with international partners.

We have already launched our first app, Q-News which is a free news app that collects all news in one app for easy access. It is available on the App Store and on Google Play.

Currently are focusing all our efforts on launching Giddam, one other game that we will announce soon and two apps before the end of the year. So you can say that we are quite busy!

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Further International Recognition for Doha’s Leading Luxury Travel Destination

The St. Regis Doha has once again been honored with one of the world’s most prestigious awards, being named Country Winner, “Luxury Hotel” for 2013 in a glittering ceremony held in Phuket, Thailand.
Held earlier this month, this year’s World Luxury Hotel Awards welcomed 300 guests to recognize those hotels and spas that have excelled in their fields, surpassing all others in delivering extraordinary service. Regarded as the Oscars of the global hotel industry, the World Luxury Hotel Awards is regarded as the highest accolade a property can receive.
The World Luxury Hotel and Spa Awards celebrate world-class service excellence in exceptional hotels and spas, representing the pinnacle of achievement for hoteliers worldwide. It is therefore fitting that the 2013 World Luxury Hotel Awards for “Luxury Hotel Qatar” was awarded to The St. Regis Doha, a property recognized for its timeless elegance, luxury and renowned service standards. Winners are judged on service, excellence and quality management.
Tareq Derbas, General Manager, The St. Regis Doha, said: “We are honored to win the “Luxury Hotel Qatar” award at the World Luxury Hotel Awards, and to be considered a leader in Doha’s rapidly-growing luxury hotel segment. This award recognizes the legacy of the St. Regis brand and the dedication of our team to meet the high standards of our guests.”
The award follows the hotel’s success at the regional World Travel Awards earlier this year, when it was named “Qatar’s Leading Resort 2013” and “Qatar's Leading Hotel Suite: Presidential Suite 2013” at the World Travel Awards. The hotel upholds its reputation of excellence, having won 14 awards since opening in 2012.
With its unique business and recreation facilities, and award winning restaurants The St. Regis Doha sets a benchmark for hotels in Qatar.as it continues to grow as an international tourist and business destination, and this award “Luxury Hotel Qatar” affirms Doha’s standing as one of the world’s top travel destinations.

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