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The Azerbaijan embassy Friday organised the opening ceremony of the Cultural Day celebrations in the presence of Qatar's Minister of Culture HE Sheikh Abdulrahman bin Hamad bin Jassim bin Hamad al-Thani.Azerbaijan's Minister of Culture Adil Karimli, ambassador to Qatar Mahir Aliyev and a number of other dignitaries from various walks of life were present on the occasion. The Days of Azerbaijani Culture, organised by the Ministry of Culture of Azerbaijan, concludes Saturday.Azerbaijan State Folk Musical Instruments Orchestra and Azerbaijan State Chamber Orchestra named after Gara Garayev performed. Under the leadership of Maestro Mustafa Ashurov, the ensembles performed folk songs, works of Azerbaijani and Arab composers together with soloists.All the performances were accompanied by a backdrop on a huge screen showing greenery, mountains covered with pristine trees, lakes, local horses, prosperous green suburbs, lakes and waterfalls, grasslands in spring with myriad flowers, colourful carpets, classic paintings, and concluded with a video of a peregrine falcon flying over the mountains to accompany the final national song about Azerbaijan deeply rooted culture.The concert started with the performance of "Cangi" from the opera "Koroglu" by Uzeyir Hajibeyli. Later, works by Fikret Amirov, Tofig Guliyev, Arif Malikov, Rauf Hajiyev, Emin Sabitoglu, Dadash Dadashov, Alakbar Taghiyev, Hasan Rzayev, as well as Ahab Abd al-Vahed, Farid al-Afrash and others followed.Soloists: People's Artist Azer Zeynalov, Honored Artists Nargiz Karimova, Babek Niftaliyev, Emil Afrasiyab (piano) and Chinara Mutallibova (law), as well as Peyal Azizov (balaban), Ibrahim Babayev (tar), Ali Guliyev (saz), Ilkin Dovletov, Fatima Jafarzade. , Idris Huseynov (oud), Elnur Mikayilov (kamancha) and Aytan Maharramova's performances were met with continuous applause from the audience.

The Qatar Press Center (QPC) celebrated at its headquarters recently the heroic role of journalist Wael al-Dahdouh, director of Al Jazeera’s bureau and its correspondent in Gaza. Al-Dahdouh tragically lost his entire family during his coverage of the events of the brutal Zionist aggression on the Gaza Strip.The Gaza correspondent was stationed in the conflict zone to discharge his duties, but he was personally targeted, and a serious injury forced him to be transferred to Doha to undergo urgent surgery and receive appropriate treatment.Al-Dahdouh was felicitated in Doha at a symposium titled 'Journalists in Gaza ... Dying for the Truth', organised by the QPC, in which he recalled his experience from the frontline covering the events of the ongoing aggression on the Gaza Strip. HE Saad al-Rumaihi, president of the QPC, said that targeting the family of al-Dahdouh and targeting him personally is an attack on the greatest, most beautiful and most prestigious national media platform in Arab history, the Al-Jazeera Channel, which had it not been for it, many facts would have been hidden from people’s eyes."Al-Dahdouh said: “I am happy and grateful for this opportunity that allowed me to meet with you at the QPC. You were accustomed to always watching us on television from the battlefield, but God destined that circumstances would develop and that I would arrive in Doha to receive treatment and meet you in this regard this evening.”He explained that the basic question before all Palestinian journalists in this place is that you have to decide whether you want to side with this humanitarian message? He said: The question that follows is: Will you continue, or will the decision be otherwise after you are harmed and withdrawn as a result of the psychological pressure?Al Dahdouh said: “As a human being and as a person, what I went through in the Gaza Strip during these four months was difficult, full of trials and pain, and full of questions, the answers to which were clear and you followed them, preferring not to delve further into this topic and those memories.”In his answer to a question about the policy towards journalists, especially in light of the Israeli occupation army’s targeting of journalists, al-Dahdouh said: “This new, old policy that the Israeli occupation army is pursuing towards journalists aims to intimidate people, cover up failure, and fear of the spread of information and real news.”He said: “What happened in the Gaza Strip is a very big event, and what happened on October 7 is a big and unexpected event, and therefore the aggression that occurred on the Gaza Strip was also greater than the expectations of the Palestinian and non-Palestinian media and journalists.He added: “Therefore, it seems that the Israeli occupation army does not want the eyes of the truth, namely the Palestinian journalists, to approach the course of events because it is a crime and because, in the end, if it is published on television, on platforms and elsewhere, it constitutes a great embarrassment for it in international forums and also in world public opinion, and therefore it began to target Palestinian journalists.”Al-Dahdouh confirmed that humanitarian aid is very important to the people of Gaza, regardless of its size, and is what keeps people alive because Israel closed all the crossings and none of the aid entered to the Gaza Strip through those crossings. Furthermore, Israel targeted the warehouses that contained food stocks that might help people withstand for a long time, by adopting a policy of drying up the sources, which put great pressure on the internal front.He noted that it is unfortunate that aid does not enter the northern part of the Gaza Strip, pointing out that the suffering of the people in the northern Gaza Strip is more severe than for the rest of residents of the southern Gaza Strip, although everyone is suffering in such a way that the citizen stands on the brink of starvation.He stressed that Qatar had a humanitarian role in Gaza even before the war. After previous wars in the Gaza Strip, there are Qatari projects in the Gaza Strip that have changed lives in the Gaza Strip, such as the Al-Rasheed Street and the Corniche project. Qatari hospitals and health centres are providing critical aid to suffering Gazans.

The National Archives of Qatar (NAQ) held an open meeting with various media outlets, in its building located in the Musheireb area, attended by Dr Ahmed Abdullah al-Buainain, Secretary-General of the NAQ, and Aisha Khaled al-Saad, Assistant Secretary-General.During the meeting, it was revealed that an annual forum would be held for the NAQ with the participation of ministries, government agencies, public bodies and institutions, private libraries and individuals, with the aim of strengthening joint cooperation. In addition to honoring those who played a prominent role in promoting documentary heritage, cooperation, and contributing to the documentary rooting of the national cultural identity.In this context, Dr Ahmed Abdullah al-Buainain mentioned that with the inauguration of the NAQ, the house’s exhibition and library were opened. The exhibition aims to introduce and educate the public about the history of the document, its importance, the role of the NAQ, its specializations, and the services it provides for the purposes of scientific research and to individuals, which will continue until next July of this year.Al-Bouainain added that since His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, inaugurated the NAQ in January last year, the NAQ has received support and participation from various state institutions and individuals, as the presence of the NAQ is supportive of all ministries and institutions that work to preserve the documentary heritage.The Secretary-General explained that ministries, government agencies, public bodies and institutions, and individuals are among the most prominent target groups for the NAQ, which are looking forward to cooperating with those entities to achieve the desired goals for which the NAQ was established. He also touched on private documents, which are in the possession of many members of our Gulf society, especially Qatar, as is known, as some families and tribes preserve a large part of Qatar’s historical documents. The presence of the NAQ guarantees the preservation of these documents, and we have noticed a large turnout from some citizens who took the initiative to provide the NAQ with the documents in their possession, whether by giving the original, or by loan, or giving copies of them. The NAQ provides services to owners or holders of private documents, such as restoring and sterilising documents, ensuring their integrity and preserving them.He added, “The role of the NAQ is to enable researchers and those interested in preparing historical research related to Qatar and the region by making documents available for use for the purposes of scientific research.” Memberships will also be provided to researchers to enable them to view documents, whether in the house or even those located outside the country in institutions with which we have signed memorandums of cooperation. As there are documents related to Qatar and the region present in international and regional archives such as the Ottoman and British archives, and we seek to cooperate with them to make them available for researchers, university students, and those interested in national history.Al-Bouainain noted that the digital transformation, which is considered one of the strategies the NAQ is working on during the coming period, as it will have an electronic website that will facilitate the process of searching and viewing documents.Aisha Khaled Al-Saad said in a statement to QNA: One of the strategic goals of the NAQ is to raise awareness in the field of documentary heritage in the country, as the public, individuals and private libraries are an essential element of the NAQ because of the important documents they possess, and we look forward to cooperation with them in order to preserve the historical memory of Qatar.She pointed out that the NAQ has various specialties, including collecting, preserving and classifying documents in the country, classifying their confidentiality, and mechanisms for controlling access to them, which aim to preserve the documents.Al-Saad explained that the NAQ’s specialisations are based on identifying what documents and archives are considered to be of historical value, organising the mechanism for preserving and reviewing them, protecting them from damage factors, and facilitating their use and benefit in the fields of historical research. In addition to collecting and documenting oral history. Collecting historical documents related to Qatar and the region from regional and international archives is one of the main goals of the NAQ.Regarding the stages undertaken by the NAQ to collect historical documents, she explained that the process of obtaining these documents goes through several stages, the first of which is searching for documents related to Qatar and the region in international archives and scientific centers, determining their importance and priority, and developing appropriate plans in coordination with these international and regional archives. In this regard, these stages were initiated through the visits that the NAQ recently made to a number of countries.Regarding cooperation with government agencies in the country, she explained that a working team has begun to be formed to coordinate with government agencies in the field of documents, as more than 35 entities have been contacted so far with the aim of studying and diagnosing the current situation of archives in all regions, and during the coming period we aim to reach more than 80 entities in the country.It is also worth noting that the NAQ is affiliated with the Amiri Diwan, and was reorganised pursuant to Amiri Resolution No. (29) of 2023. It aims to enrich intellectual activity, monitor the history of Qatar, organise and supervise the collection and preservation of documents and archives. In implementation of the provisions of Law No. (7) of 2023 regarding documents and archives. It also aims to enable access to information, records and documents, and facilitate their use, by setting standards and policies that regulate the process of managing public, private, historical and national documents in the country.

Al Mujadilah Center and Mosque for Women opened its doors to the community Sunday in an event that highlighted the facilities, introduced instructors, staff, and programmes.Members of the public explored Al-Mujadilah’s library, gathering spaces, café, and gardens, all of which are open for public use alongside its women’s mosque.Attendees were also able to sample Al-Mujadilah’s social, developmental, religious and research programmes through short classes and group activities. The classes explored the interconnectedness of the mind, body and soul in Islamic tradition. As part of the Islamic law session, led by executive director, Dr Sohaira Siddiqui, participants were invited to examine hadith (statements attributed to the Prophet PBUH) pertaining to women, to understand its context, its utility, and its relevance to the contemporary lives of women in today’s world.In another session, the historically significant contributions of Muslim women were explored, from their political and economic participation to their intellectual engagements and influential assertions of power. The session also examined how narratives about women in Islamic history have been put together and authored, and the various currents from Orientalism to colonialism that affect how women’s stories are told.Dr Siddiqui, stated: “Our programming was designed as the result of many focus groups that we had with Muslim women in Qatar, which helped us identify four main needs: first to build community, second a deeper religious understanding, third an overall Muslim women’s well-being and fourth to intellectually engage with contemporary issues. We designed programs for public education around these four areas, the social, the religious, the developmental and research, with the ultimate goal of addressing the multifaceted needs of Muslim women.”Kholood Nooh, programmes and impact specialist at Al-Mujadilah, said: “All our learning spaces have been designed in a way that facilitates conversation and discussion, which are key to all of our programmes, because we want to have Muslim woman engaged continuously. You can register for our programmes online at almujadilah.qa, and we hope that Muslim women take advantage of the range of programme we are offering. Registration is open and programmes will begin on February 6 until the end of April, with a total of 30 different programmes to choose from.”Al-Mujadilah will also open avenues to Islamic learning, research and the study of historical and contemporary Islam. One of its key features is a library with an extensive collection covering Islamic history, the history of women, and a collection of fiction and nonfiction books by Muslim female authors. Al-Mujadilah will have two book clubs that are always running; one in Arabic and another in English which will feature conversations with authors.Al-Mujadilah Center and Mosque for Women is founded by Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, Chairperson of Qatar Foundation, with the aim of reinforcing Islamic identity among Muslim women and creating a space for their active participation in public debate and enriching contemporary Islamic discourse.While scheduled programs begin on February 6, women can also visit the center without registering for a programme between 10am and 8pm to enjoy the public facilities. More information on the Center and Mosque, including a full list of programs and activities can be found at www.almujadilah.qa Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn: @almujadilah.qa X: @almujadilah_qa

The Doha Institute for Graduate Studies (DI), represented by the Gulf and Arabian Peninsula Studies Unit organised a symposium titled “The Gulf novel: Parallel sociology” from January 20-21. The afternoon session on January 21, titled “The other in the narrative in Gulf societies: The other and the narrator,' was moderated by Faisal al-Mudahka, Gulf Times Editor-in-Chief.He said in his introduction that: “In this session, we will talk about Gulf literature, specifically the Gulf novel, which took a romantic turn at its beginning. The novel “Shahanda” by Rashid Abdullah from the Emirates may be one of the first clear examples of this trend."The Gulf novel touched on the transition from desert and sea life to city life after the discovery of oil, which moved Gulf society from the simplicity and harshness of life to the complexity, spaciousness and improvement of the city, as well as the standard of living and education."Such as the novel “Cities of Salt” by the Saudi novelist Abdul Rahman al-Manif, which is one of the most famous Arabic novels, which depicts life with the beginning of the discovery of oil and the rapid transformations that befell the cities and villages of the Arabian Peninsula.”" In this context, we are pleased to welcome Professor Mageb al-Adwani, Professor of Criticism and Theory in the Department of Arabic Language and Literature at the College of Humanities and Social Sciences at King Saud University in Riyadh. Professor Maisa al-Khawaja, Associate Professor of Literature and Criticism in the Department of Arabic Language at King Saud University in Riyadh."Professor Maisa said that her idea “revolves around how the novel can depict societal transformations and present a vision about a society, and among the questions and problems that such seminars can raise is the idea of identity and the other. "As for me, I said that we always present in our works or writers present others. So I thought about how others view us, and from here came a group of writers who go back to African origins, such as Eritrea and others."My paper concerns those who lived in Saudi Arabia, in Jeddah specifically, and wrote about Saudi society, and therefore the idea was about how to create their own identity, and also how to formulate an image of Saudi society. Is this picture imaginary or an approximate picture of what is happening in society, and is it exclusionary? All of this is included within the work of fiction and how it is presented through the characters, through cultural discourse or patterns that exist within the work of fiction."The period that I am studying is related to the transformation in Saudi society and the entry into what is called the awakening and the dominance of the clergy, etc., and how these people responded to some laws and some regulations related to dealing with others."But the idea is that they are the ones who are writing by themselves and trying to create an identity that distinguishes them or perhaps includes them under the dominant category of society in which they live. I was exposed more to cultural patterns related to religious discourse, racist discourse, the relationship between men and women, and self-discovery and identity and how he rediscovers himself by discovering his own identity, for example, that he is Eritrean and not Saudi or half-Saudi, as he expresses it.” Professor Maisa is interested in what is said behind the speech.Professor Mageb al-Adwani presented six literary works and stressed that the novel does not relate to reality at all, especially in relation to the representation of the Western or Eastern other. In the novel “Grandma Nina and I,” he pointed to the great symbolic aspect and how good triumphs over evil, stressing that the language of this novel was characterized by simplicity and was based on simple narration. The successful debate is the one that depends on simplicity, in this novel, which shows the relations between the Russian and the Jew among its characters, and openness to Russian culture.At the conclusion of the session, the speakers agreed that the other is a linguistic event or linguistic fact, so that the issue remains relative.

The Pakistani community in Qatar sent home about $1bn in remittances in 2023, a visiting senior official said in Doha Tuesday. Jawad Sohrab Malik, special assistant to the caretaker Prime Minister on overseas Pakistanis and Human Resources Development, is visiting Qatar from January 15-18 at the invitation of HE the Minister of Labour Dr Ali bin Smaikh al-Marri.Malik, who held a press conference yesterday evening at the Pakistani embassy, said that his meeting with HE Dr al-Marri focused on reviewing key issues of mutual interest. They reviewed aspects of co-operation between the two countries, and ways to enhance them in the areas of the labour sector, especially in the field of increasing job opportunities for the Pakistani workforce in the Qatari market.He praised the labour conditions in the Qatar and the care provided for workers in general and for the Pakistani community in particular. Malik stressed that the Pakistani government welcomes the tangible and purposeful labour reforms that Qatar has undertaken over the past decade, which makes Qatar one of the most popular destinations and a favourite one for workers in general and Pakistanis in particular.He said that he is on a mission to open avenues with Qatari employers and that he has signed two letters of intent with private companies.He pointed out that the number of the Pakistani community in Qatar is about 300,000 working mainly in the construction and hospitality sectors and other various professions, adding that Pakistan is constantly working to increase job opportunities outside the country in general and in Qatar in particular. Thus many training centres have been created for workers in Pakistan to suit global demand, especially in skills and soft skills needed in the service industry, hospitality, plus the language skills of the host country.Malik pointed out that 58,000 Pakistani workers came to Qatar between 2022-2023, and that the financial remittances from the Pakistani community in Qatar to Islamabad in 2023 amounted to about $1bn, which “we look forward to increase continuously to contribute to the development plans and comprehensive renaissance in Pakistan.”It annually receives about $27bn in remittances annually from its communities working abroad, which reached 12mn people, including 6mn in the Arab Gulf countries.Malik stressed that “the Prime Minister of Pakistan stated, that Qatar should be praised for its success in organising a huge and unprecedented event for the first time in the world, the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, noting that Pakistan was one of the largest contributors to the workforce involved in the preparations for the World Cup, which we are proud of."He stressed that Qatar implemented many reforms such as abolishing the sponsorship system, implementing the minimum wage, the WPS (wage protection system) paying wages and compensation, and responding to the reported labour problems regarding issues faced by our workers.

Since its establishment in 2004, the National Center for Cancer Care and Research (NCCCR) has undergone many improvements in its management, admission, treatment and follow-up of patients, a senior health official has said. "The centre diagnoses and treats cancer patients, we are treating them with radiotherapy, chemotherapy, targeted therapy (a type of cancer treatment that targets the changes in cancer cells that help them grow, divide, and spread), and immunology therapy. We are looking forward to a new cancer hospital where all the cancer treatments will be done under one umbrella,” Dr Mohamed Salem al-Hassan, CEO and Medical Director of the National Center for Cancer Care and Research (NCCCR), said. "We are planning to create an up-to-date bone marrow transplant unit for treating up to 40 patients a year" The NCCCR has a team of experts in all aspects of cancer care, including medical oncology, surgical oncology, radiation oncology, and palliative care. In an interview with Gulf Times, Dr al-Hassan said: “Cancer is a growing problem in Qatar, as it is in many other parts of the world. In 2022, there were an estimated 1,300 new cases of cancer diagnosed in Qatar. Out of these, approximately 800 patients required ongoing treatments such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The NCCCR has the most up-to-date treatments and therapies available. We are committed to providing our patients with the best possible care, and we are constantly working to improve our services. Our experts are constantly monitoring the latest developments in cancer treatment. We also have a strong research programme that is developing new and innovative treatments.” "We collaborate (for research and development) with a number of centres in the world like the Royal Marsden in England, Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, as well as many other centres in US and Europe" Dr al-Hassan said: “Since 2020 we improved the radio therapy department to state-of-the-art and we are proud to have one of the best departments in the world including the most recent equipment. For instance, in the radiation oncology department, we have installed ETHOS solution, a revolutionary approach that adjusts the radiation treatment plan based on changes in the tumor and surrounding tissues. This personalized approach enhances treatment efficacy while minimizing side effects, and setting a new standard in cancer care (lung cancer).” We increased the inpatient bed capacity substantially from 70 to 82 , the day care and short stay for cancer patients grew from 16 to 52 comfortable beds. We increased the number of clinics. We now approve appointments within two to three days. We treat all types of cancer patients, adults and children with radio therapy, but children who receive chemotherapy are treated at Sidra Hospital. We are planning to create an up-to-date bone marrow transplant unit for treating up to 40 patients a year. We also increased the number of research, and different types of treatment of cancer. We collaborate with a number of centres in the world, the Royal Marsden in England, Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, as well as many other centres in US and Europe. We increased the number of conferences and public awareness campaigns. "We set up a centre for chemotherapy production, it is called the Big Lab, which can produce 200 chemotherapy doses per day" We recently published a quarterly magazine “News and Views” in Arabic and English to educate the public about the treatment, and we provide patients with bulletins to raise the awareness about the disease and its treatment.” Dr al-Hassan highlighted : “We set up a centre of chemotherapy production, it is called the Big Lab; we are producing our chemotherapy, and it was opened recently , some three weeks ago. It is producing a more pure chemotherapy for the patient, quality and quantity wise. Our capacity has risen from 100 to 200 chemotherapy per day. In the radiation therapy department, in 2023 we replaced the radiation therapy device with a Truebeam system, which provides an enhancement in localized treatment equipment through Brachytherapy, and the installation of the ETHOS system for adaptive radiotherapy using artificial intelligence (AI). "To develop completely new treatment plans that suit the changing needs of patients, adaptive radiotherapy is customised using AI on a daily basis; to compensate for changes in the patient, and improve the ability to target the cancer, which leads to increased therapeutic effectiveness.” He said the new unit provides doctors with important information by tracking daily changes in the patient’s condition, suggesting improvements to be applied in the treatment process, adapting the distribution of radiation doses, and focusing on the area targeted for treatment, thus enabling doctors to provide appropriate treatment to ensure the quality of therapeutic results and reduce the chances of patients being exposed for drug poisoning. Dr al-Hassan indicated that the new system enabled doctors and specialists to conduct more targeted radiation therapy, and thus to increase the therapeutic effectiveness of certain types of cancerous tumors. He said: “The new technology used in the unit is considered a promising treatment method for patients, and adds a lot to the therapeutic capabilities. These are the achievements we have made so far.” Dr al-Hassan stressed that the “NCCCR remains devoted to research and development, with several research studies conducted by our scientists published in leading scientific journals in 2023". He said: "Our dedication is a testament to providing the best care for cancer patients in Qatar, aligning with our vision and fostering continuous progress in cancer treatment and patient recovery. This is of course in accordance with the Qatar Cancer Plan 2023–2026 which was developed in collaboration with key stakeholders in Qatar and with the support of World Health Organization experts.” Dr Mohamed Salem al-Hassan is a fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland. He was formerly managing director of Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), chairman of surgery, chairman of emergency department, chairman of medical abroad, and director of medical education.

The Doha International Centre for Interfaith Dialogue (DICID) organised kast night a rally with the theme 'Together against the war in Gaza' at the amphitheatre in Katara – the Cultural Village.DICID chairman Prof Ibrahim Saleh al-Naimi led the event. Speakers at the rally included Elizabeth Marascalchi, Riva Group chief executive and “Andare Oltre” humanitarian foundation co-founder, Fr. Charbel Mhanna, Christian Churches – Patriarchal Envoy of the Maronites in Qatar Organising Committee chairman, Sheikh Abdullah Mohamed al-Naama, Imam Muhammad AbdulWahhab Mosque (Ministry of Endowments (Awqaf) and Islamic Affairs) preacher, Archbishop Makarios Mavrogiannakis, Archbishop of the Greek Orthodox Church – Christian Churches Steering Committee, Sheikh Ahmed al-Buainain, director of the Family Reconciliation Office – Family Court, Fr. Beda Robles, Head of Anglican Church – Christian Churches Steering Committee, Sheikh Abdul Salam Bassiouni, Abdullah bin Zaid al Mahmoud Islamic Cultural Centre, and Maysa Wael Abu Hilal, member of the General Secretariat of the Popular Conference for Palestinians Abroad.The Katara amphitheatre was thronged by hundreds of Qatar citizens and residents of all faiths, who participated in the rally in solidarity with the Palestinian people, and against the war on the Gaza Strip.Representatives of many Qatar institutions, Arab and foreign embassies accredited in Doha, and a large number of imams and clerics, both Muslims and Christians, were present at the rally called for by the DICID.The call for the rally came from the DICID in an effort to take a clear religious and humanitarian stance against the war on Gaza, an expression of clear condemnation of what the Israeli occupation forces is committing, the shameful humanitarian crimes, bombing of hospitals, demolishing of homes, intimidating and killing of children, and the bold committing of war crimes and genocide, as well as the massacres of unarmed civilians.All the speakers called for an immediate ceasefire, and the two-state solution with East Jerusalem as the Palestinian capital.The participants raised Palestinian flags and banners supporting the Palestinians, Al-Aqsa Mosque, and the resistance in Palestine, and demanded an end to the war, holding the Israeli occupation forces accountable for the crimes being committing against the Palestinian people, and to stop the targeting and bombing of civilians in the Gaza Strip.They also raised many placards.Some read “You don’t have to be a Muslim to support Gaza – All you need is to be a human being”.Others read “No to the forced displacement of the population of Gaza” and “The Palestinian Kofia is the symbol of resistance”.A small boy held up a sign that read “Where are the international human rights organisations?”Those present wore both the Palestinian flag and Kofia.DICID chairman Dr al-Naimi said in the concluding statement that what is happening is “a brutal war against the Palestinian people in Gaza, lacking the lowest meanings of religious and human values”.“We must have a clear stance against this war and against the practices of the Israeli aggression,” he stated. “Against its brutal war machine that targets civilians, children and defenceless women, and its boldness to bomb homes and target hospitals, mosques and churches that shelter innocent people.”“These despicable practices have reached the point of not allowing the delivery of life-saving humanitarian aid, and attempting the forced displacement of the population of Gaza, and committing all kinds of war crimes and genocide,” Dr al-Naimi said.

The Qatar Press Center (QPC) hosted on Thursday 'The war in Gaza: international contexts and journalistic biases” seminar addressed by the American journalist writer Chris Hedges, and moderated by Al Jazeera journalist Badr al-Din Tawfiq.The moderator thanked the QPC president Saad Mohamed al-Rumaihi and the director general Sadiq al-Amari for organising the seminar, after introducing Hedges, who formerly served as the Times Middle East Bureau Chief. His books include War Is a Force That Gives Us Meaning (2002), American Fascists: The Christian Right and the War on America (2007); Death of the Liberal Class (2010); and Days of Destruction, Days of Revolt (2012).In Hedges’ view October 7 was reported in an incomprehensible way to the West and “was worthy only for eradication, hence the use of offensive language such as animals, new Nazis and regarded Palestinians as evil and the Israelis don’t distinguish between children, women all must be eradicated. Hedges said “the US democratic party is a war party and they are using the language of war. Starting with Clinton the party is no longer the same, it shifted to the republican right. That’s why we see that the US and Europe – while we are all appalled and choked here – stand insensible to this horrific death of 160 children a day, 39 journalists killed, and who were really targeted.”Hedges praised the great role played by Qatar in reducing the escalation and bringing aid into the Gaza Strip, explaining that Qatar is making great efforts to implement a number of humanitarian interventions to alleviate the suffering of the people of Gaza. Pointing also to the major role played by Al Jazeera in revealing the truth and confronting suspicious journalistic campaigns that attempt to hide the reality of the tragic situation within Gaza.He expressed his admiration for the network's journalists and correspondents who carry out their work with all courage, despite the systematic killing policy practised by the occupation authorities towards journalists and their families.Hedges added that there are major restrictions imposed on the Western press, as Western journalists who cover the events face threats to try to prevent them from broadcasting the truth about the genocide that is taking place. He expressed his regret at the Israeli narrative's control over public opinion in the US, which now rejects any news coming from the Palestinian side.He added: "CNN describes Hamas as Palestine's number one enemy, and this is part of the media ignorance that makes this mass massacre take a turning point."Hedges stressed that the events of September 11 were the beginning of the campaign launched by the US to demonise the Islamic world, increasing the tone of racism in the language of dialogue directed to the Arab and Islamic worlds, which was something that the Israeli occupation exploited as a pretext for the war on Palestine, and to silence all human rights organisations that were defending the Palestinian cause. With the beginning of American interventions in the Middle East and the wars it launched in Afghanistan and Iraq, the world was divided between good and evil. So that good is what the American point of view represents, and evil is every point of view that contradicts it. At that time, there was no logical context for global events, and the media arms were directed to demonize Islamic movements such as Hezbollah and Hamas.Hedges explained that since that time, the American and Western public has been negatively motivated to eradicate these Islamic movements. This is clearly evident in Israeli occupation Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s description of the Palestinians as absolute evil, to justify the genocide he is currently carrying out against the Palestinian people with the support of the US, which not only provided $13bn to support the war on Gaza, but also prevented a vote for a cease fire at the United Nations.Hedges pointed out that the ethnic cleansing that is taking place in Gaza now is a project that the Israeli occupation has worked to implement for decades. What we see now is not just a reaction to the events of October 7, but rather a dream that the occupation has always wanted to achieve for a long time. As the Nakba did not end in the year 1948, when thousands of Palestinians were killed, and in 1967, when Israel occupied the West Bank and carried out a massive ethnic cleansing operation. Now it has decided to eradicate the people of Gaza and does not care about any international criticism. What is most worrying is that America has lost control of events and no longer has a plan to stop this mass massacre.The former New York Times bureau chief in the Middle East believes that there is a Zionist lobby that strongly controls the American political system, as there is an elite of wealthy Zionists who support candidates in the US House of Representatives, finance their election campaigns, and use their influence to exclude any voice that supports the Palestinian cause. Pointing out that this bad political system has in turn spread to the press, where journalists are being harassed and the professional career of any media person who tries to talk about the truth about the practices of the Israeli occupation is ended. He added: I spent 10 days in the refugee camp in Khan Yunis, and when I decided to reveal the truth about the bad situation of Israeli practices, the newspaper (New York Times) responded by depriving me of any coverage related to the Palestinian issue.At the end of the seminar Chris read out to the audience “A letter to the children of Gaza” of which Gulf Times publishes some excerpts: “Dear child it’s past mid-night I am flying a hundred of miles an hour in the darkness, thousands of feet above the Atlantic Ocean, I am travelling to Egypt, I would go to the boarders of Gaza in Rafah, I go because of you. You have never been in a plane, you have never left Gaza, and you know only the densely packed streets and alleys, the concrete cobbles... Planes for you are terrifying, fire jets, attack helicopters, drones, they circle above you, they drop missiles and bombs, deafening explosions, the ground shakes, buildings fall, the dead, the screams, the muffled calls for help from beneath the rubble do not stop night and day, trapped under a pile of a smashed concrete your play mates, your school mates, your neighbours bombed in seconds... I am a reporter, it is my job to see this, you are a child you should never see this. The stench of death and the broken concrete, you hold your breath, you cover your mouth with cloth, you walk faster, and your neighbourhood has become a graveyard...You are afraid, explosion after explosion, you cry, you cling to your mother or father, you cover your ears, you see the white light of a missile, and wait for the blast. Why do they kill children? What did you do? Why can’t anyone protect you? Will you be wounded? Will you lose a leg or an arm? Will you be blind or in a wheelchair? Why were you born? Was it for something good or was it for this? Will you grow up? Will you be happy? What will it be like without your friends? Who will die next, your mother? Your father, your brothers and sisters? Someone you love will be injured soon. Someone you love will die soon.When your father or mother hunts for water or foods you wait with a terrible fury in your stomach, will they come back? Will you see them again? Will your tiny home be next? Will the bombs find you? Are these your last moments on earth? You drink salty dirty water that makes you sick, your stomach hurts, the bakeries are destroyed, there is no bread, you eat one meal a day, a cucumber. Soon this will seem like a feast. You do not play with your soccer ball, made of rugs, you do not fly your kite made from old newspapers...I have been bombed by jets in Gaza, I have been bombed in other wars, wars that happened before you were born. I am too was very scared. I still have dreams about it.When I see the pictures of Gaza, these wars return to me in the force of thunder. In the lightening, I think of you.” Hedges choked to stifle his tears.

The Journalism Program at the Doha Institute of Graduate Studies (DI) organised a seminar on "The War on Gaza: Media Coverage and the Conflict of Narratives" recently. A group of researchers from the Doha Institute and Qatar University participated in the seminar which was moderated by Dr. Basim Al-Tuwaisi, Head of the Journalism Program at the DI.Faculty members, DI students and other participants discussed media coverage of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, the narratives provided by the Israeli media, the Palestinian and Arab media, and the global media. Speakers gave a preliminary reading of the media narratives’ conflict, the media frameworks used to frame the conflict in the current war, the role of social networks in providing an alternative narrative, and the continued attempts to besiege Palestinian narratives on digital platforms.At the beginning of the seminar, Dr. Basim explained that the media coverage of the current Israeli war on Gaza has gone through stages that began with the Western media's attempt to kidnap the world public opinion by chanting the Israeli version and adopting the narrative formulated by Israel's security and political establishment, which simply means manufacturing and directing world public opinion in one direction that is in line with Israeli narrative, and by dehumanizing the Palestinians and framing the Israeli war with self-defense.Dr. Al-Tuwaisi recalled that historical experiences demonstrate that the dehumanisation of one end of the conflict leads to the legitimisation of genocide as occurred in Ronda and the Balkans, in which case the media becomes a partner in war crimes.Dr. Nooreldin Meladi, Media Professor at Qatar University, presented the content of a recent book by a British publishing house on Western Media Coverage of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, which he supervised editing with the participation of a group of Arab and Western researchers.The book dealt with various approaches in covering the Israeli War on Gaza in 2021 and covering the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood case. Meladi explained that the book's basic findings showed that there were important differences in the presentation of the Palestinian narrative to the international media versus the Israeli narrative, saying: "The Western media clearly supported the Israeli narrative and they embraced it, striking at the ethics and standards of journalism."Rania Al-Malki, a professor of practice at the DI, presented her research contribution to the same book, comparing Al Jazeera's English coverage with the Israeli Channel (i24news) of Sheikh Jarrah events. The researcher referred to the sources relied on by both channels and explained that the results of the study stated that "Al Jazeera English Channe, compared to i24 news, used a wider and more diverse network of sources including Israeli sources to cover the event. While i24 News used only Israeli sources. Even in rare cases when Arab or Palestinian sources were used, it only came to feed its own narrative that fully reflected Israel's view. "Dr. Mohammed Hamas Al-Masri, Professor of Media Studies, stressed that most media research indicates that Western media rely more on Israeli sources than Palestinian ones. This excessive reliance on Israeli sources is a major problem, as it shows that the US media is more loyal to Israel than the Israeli media itself. He also addressed models of popular talk shows and analyzed the nature of their sources such as the British broadcaster "Piers Morgan."The seminar, which was held at the Institute's headquarters, was followed by discussions and interventions involving a number of the DI professors and students.

The speakers of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) parliaments held their 17th periodic meeting in Doha Tuesday under the chairmanship of HE Hassan bin Abdullah al-Ghanim, speaker of the Shura Council.In the final statement, the speakers of the (GCC) parliaments denounced the killing, demolition, forced displacement and stifling and unjust siege carried out by the occupying entity to annihilate the Palestinian brothers in Gaza and in the rest of the occupied territories, stressing their solidarity with the Palestinian people and their support for their just cause and the restoration of their legitimate rights..text-box { float:right; width:450px; padding:10px; border:1pt solid black; margin-top: 10px; margin-right: 15px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 20px;}@media only screen and (max-width: 767px) {.text-box {width: 65%;}}Shura speaker denouncesheinous Israeli massacresHE Speaker of the Shura Council Hassan bin Abdullah al- Ghanim expressed his strong anger and denunciation of the heinous massacres and genocide against 'our Palestinian brothers in the Gaza Strip and in the occupied Palestinian territories", describing them as ethnic cleansing and barbaric crimes committed by the Israeli occupation forces amid shameful silence and in full view of the international community. This came during the speech he delivered during his chairmanship of the 17th meeting of Speakers of the Shura, Representatives, National and Ummah Councils in the GCC countries, which was hosted by Doha Tuesday.These included the establishment of their independent state, in accordance with international legitimacy resolutions, the Arab Peace Initiative, the principle of the two-state solution, the right of return for refugees, the release of prisoners, and fair compensation for prisoners and refugees.The statement also stressed the need to strengthen co-ordination mechanisms and unify the positions of the GCC countries towards the issues raised in international parliamentary forums, in order to achieve the goals and interests of the GCC countries.The heads of the Gulf legislative councils agreed to choose the topic “Cultural Diversity and the Challenges of Change: The Role of the Gulf Legislative Councils in Preserving the Gulf Identity” to be the common Gulf topic for the year 2024, which will be discussed within the framework of the councils’ work. They also appreciated the results of the recommendations of the seminar “The Role of the Gulf Legislative Councils in consolidating inter-investment and supporting national economies,” which was organized by the Shura Council in the Sultanate of Oman within the framework of the Gulf theme for the past year.The final statement also included the speakers' affirmation of their keenness to support the process of co-operation and co-ordination among member states, in an effort to achieve the desired goals and objectives in supporting joint Gulf action, and stressing the priority of common Gulf issues related to the concerns of Gulf citizens.The speakers also took a number of decisions, the most important of which was reviewing the procedures and steps taken regarding strengthening relations and exchanging visits with the European Parliament and the Latin American and Caribbean Group.The assembly congratulated the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on the success of the summit of the GCC and Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), which was hosted by Riyadh. They also congratulated the Sultanate of Oman and the United Arab Emirates on the success of the Shura Council elections and the Federal National Council elections.The final statement also stressed support of the Gulf legislative councils for the United Arab Emirates’ declaration that the year 2023 will be the year of sustainability, under the slogan (Today for Tomorrow), in line with its hosting of the COP 28 summit during November 30 to December 12.The statement also congratulated the Kingdom of Morocco on winning the bid to host the 2030 World Cup, wishing it and the Moroccan people success in organizing this global tournament.The heads and representatives of the GCC parliaments extended their highest expressions of thanks and gratitude to His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, for the great hospitality, generosity, attention and good stay in Qatar. This had a clear impact on the success of the meeting in achieving its goals and producing fruitful results that will contribute to strengthening and developing joint Gulf action, they said.They also expressed their thanks and appreciation to the government and people of Qatar and the efforts of the Shura Council for hosting this meeting.

A regional workshop on 'Molecular Techniques for Date Palm Propagation, Crop Management on the Farm, and Post-Harvest Treatments' began Sunday in Doha.The five-day event is organised by the International Centre for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (Icarda) in partnership with the “Developing Sustainable Date Palm Production Systems” project in the GCC countries, and in co-operation with Qatar’s Ministry of Municipality.A group of researchers and specialists in palm trees and dates are participating.Agricultural Research Department director Hamad Saket al-Shammari confirmed that the project is in its final stages.Qatar is keen on two main aspects of the project: irrigation and its patterns for date trees, drying houses and their development.The workshop focuses on the installation, operation and control of mobile date drying rooms powered by solar energy. The programme includes modern production techniques and post-harvest treatments.The Icarda project and partners in the Gulf countries developed various technologies and systems along the date palm production chain in the areas of increasing water use efficiency, mechanising liquid pollination, integrated pest management, and producing high-quality dates.They also tested, transferred, and trained on many vital technologies and applications for monitoring palm pests.Post-harvest treatments are necessary to enhance the quality and increase the marketing efficiency of dates.Drying and preservation conditions affect the quality of the fruits in terms of chemical composition, fruit hardness and colour, and prolonging the life of the fruits, which affects marketing.Among the technologies developed within the framework of the programme were solar-powered mobile drying rooms capable of controlling humidity and accelerating the drying period.In 2021, the six GCC countries produced 2.44mn tonnes of dates from an area of 239,000 hectares, representing more than 18% of the global date production.The sector still faces many challenges in the areas of production, quality and sustainable development.

The Qatar Press Centre (QPC) hosted Sunday a seminar on 'The double standard in the international community during war on Gaza' by British journalist David Hearst and moderated by Al Jazeera journalist Osman Ayet Farah.The moderator thanked the QPC president Saad Mohamed al-Rumaihi and director-general Sadiq al-Amari for organising the seminar, after introducing British “Middle East Eye” website editor-in-chief Hearst.The seminar aimed to shed light on the Palestinian issue, in light of the spread of fake news and media misinformation, the killing of journalists and civilians, and crimes committed by the occupation forces in Gaza.At the beginning of the seminar, Hearst emphasised that double standards were what contributed to shaping the international community’s interaction with Gaza.He stressed the need to work on correcting this situation, as fairness in international responses to conflicts is necessary to achieve true justice and peace.Pointing out the need to separate the Western public opinion from that of the leaders, the journalist stated that "there is a Zionist lobby that has complete control over Western liberal society, and there are many members of the US Congress who fear losing Zionist funding or support if they present a different point of view”.Hearst said: “During my work at the 'Guardian' newspaper, I provided honest and unbiased coverage of the second intifada, and no accusations were made against me of double standards.”“When I asked an Israeli diplomat about Israel’s biggest enemy, he did not tell me Hamas or Hezbollah, but rather his answer was: the BBC and the Guardian,” he continued. “However, I see a major change in their editorial policy, and that they have become more biased and sympathetic to Israel.”“There is no freedom of the press in the West, as the Western media has become part of the conflict, a partner in it,” Hearst added.Hearst on Hamas: ‘Hamas is rooted in Palestinian society and cannot be eliminated. It is not a terrorist organisation for many people in the world, and there are many victims on the Palestinian side as a result of this conflict.’Hearst explained that “the Israelis do not have a clear strategy out of this war, and they are neither prepared nor trained for ground warfare, so they focus on air attacks and the massive destruction of buildings.”He stressed that “Israel is not ready for a ground invasion – many indicators confirm this – and most military operations take the form of air operations and do not include a ground invasion.”The journalist added that “the pressures on Israel will increase in the coming days to stop the war, and there will be a special focus on (Israeli Prime Minister) Benjamin Netanyahu, expecting that the United Nations and the Arab countries will play a decisive role in stimulating the negotiations and the ceasefire processes.”Hearst on destruction of Gaza: ‘Gaza has been subjected to massive levels of destruction similar to the impact of an earthquake, and the current situation is considered one of the worst times. We hope that international efforts will find a solution to this crisis. The destruction and loss of lives make the situation more complicated and require immediate international intervention.’“I have never seen in my life or in my professional history such ferocious and violent destruction, and the deliberate bombing of hospitals and civilian facilities,” Hearst said. “The Israelis are using misleading propaganda to justify this, and cutting off communications is unacceptable, as Gaza cannot be isolated from the world. They need to communicate with hospitals and doctors."He considered “deliberately cutting off communications as a dangerous escalation in the current crisis” and stressed the need for access to medical services and continued communication with the outside world.Hearst pointed out that “there is only one hospital, Al-Shifa Hospital, that deals with serious medical injuries” and with the important role it plays in providing healthcare in these difficult circumstances, we hope that “this hospital will continue to provide the necessary medical care to the injured”.Hearst on Palestinian prisoners: ‘The issue of Palestinian prisoners is sensitive and important, and it is good to hear that there is a desire to liberate all Palestinian prisoners. Qatari mediation may be an opportunity to look for a solution to this difficult issue, as liberating prisoners is a goal that must be pursued to achieve peace and stability.’Hearst said: “We heard from (Hamas spokesman) Abu Ubaida that he wants to liberate all Palestinians. I think it is a difficult matter regarding the number of prisoners who need to be liberated, but there are priorities on both sides and this will be agreed upon.”In statements to the press, QPC president al-Rumaihi said: "The QPC is keen to host thinkers, writers, politicians and intellectuals in Qatar and the Arab world with the aim of shedding light on the ideas they hold.”“Today's symposium differs from other seminars previously organised by the QPC, as it concerns a media figure who has weight in the Arab and international world,” he said. “It also comes at a pivotal moment in the history of our nation, represented by what Gaza is being exposed to from a barbaric Zionist aggressor.”“We appreciate the presence of David Hearst (giving) a European point of view defending our rights, as well as conveying his voice to the Arab world, and showing that there are points of view that support the Arab position,” al-Rumaihi added.He stressed the necessity of having Western media entities that provide coverage on Arab issues and promote them in the West, stressing that the Zionist lobby’s control over the Western press has contributed greatly to promoting lies and fake news about the truth of what is happening in Gaza.At the conclusion of the symposium, al-Rumaihi and al-Amari presented Hearst with a QPC shield.

The Qatar Press Centre (QPC) organised Tuesday evening, a stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people against the brutal Israeli attack on the people of Gaza. The stand also included the QPC’s support for journalists and civilians in Gaza. A large number of members of the Arab and Palestinian communities residing in Doha participated.The QPC witnessed some artistic performances that included a number of songs and chants in support of the Palestinian cause, presented by the children of the“Earth Building Initiative” initiative, coordinated by Munira Abdel Rahman al-Nuaimi, the trailblazer of this initiative.The participants organised a solidarity stand in front of the QPC, raising Palestinian flags and chanting slogans in support of the people of Gaza against the Israeli aggression. They chanted many slogans in support of the media professionals working in Gaza, many of whom fell as martyrs in order to convey the truth about the massacres that are taking place, where children, women, civilians and elderly people of the Gaza Strip are exposed to them.In his speech on this occasion, Saad bin Mohammed al-Rumaihi, chairman of the Board of Directors of the QPC, praised “the struggle of the Palestinian people against the brutal occupation of the Palestinian territories, extending his greetings and appreciation to the people of Gaza for their heroism that they present every day in front of the Zionist occupation forces, and for standing united to preserve the territories of their land, which has belonged to the Palestinians for thousands of years.”Al-Rumaihi pointed out that "the Palestinian people are a struggling people who love their Arab nation, and the Arab nation must exchange love for these people, and all Arab peoples must stand by this great people who sacrifice the lives of their children every day for the sake of their Arab nation and preserve its honor against this horrendous aggression.” He pointed out that according to the latest statistics, the number of martyrs provided by Gaza to date reached 5,300, including 1,119 women and more than 2,000 children, in addition to 15,200 refugees.Al-Rumaihi explained that the stand at the QPC comes in support of media professionals working in the Gaza Strip, who play an important role in supporting the Palestinian cause, as many of them were martyred and wounded in order to inform the world of the entity’s brutal aggression against this defenseless people.The chairman also noted that the QPC will organsze many activities, including workshops and seminars, to support the Palestinian people, starting on October 29, when the British journalist, David Hirst, is to talk about the Arab struggle in the face of the brutal aggression on the Palestinian territories.Munira Abdel Rahman al-Nuaimi, trailblazer of the “Earth Building Initiative”, told Gulf Times that she attended the solidarity stand with a group of more than 40 pupils whom came to express their rejection of the human rights violations taking place in Gaza, and the continued bombing of innocent children, women, civilians and the elderly, and to instill the spirit of patriotism in them.Al-Nuaimi noted that the pupils also appreciated the spirit of patriotism enjoyed by the solidarity stand held by the QPC, especially since they all affirmed that the Palestinian issue is the issue of every Arab, and indeed every human being who sides with the truth in the entire world.Lebanese lawyer and social activist, Hoda al-Nabulsi, told Gulf Times that the stand in solidarity, organised by the QPC, came to express what is felt in the hearts of the Qatari people and the Arab peoples who support the Palestinian people to preserve their homeland and territory, the cradle of all heavenly religions, as well as in defense of Al-Aqsa Mosque, the first of the two Qiblatain, the third of the Two Holy Mosques, and the place of pilgrimage of the Holy Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace.Al-Nabulsi praised the position of Qatar in support and solidarity of the Palestinian issue, noting that this position is not new to Qatar, which considers the Palestinian issue to be the main Arab cause, and history bears witness to the extent of the solid position that Qatar adopts towards supporting the people of Gaza and the desperate defense of Al-Aqsa Mosque against any harmful attempts.She referred to the speech of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, before the Shura Council, in which he stressed that “it is not permissible to remain silent about the unprecedented barbaric bombing to which civilians are exposed in the Gaza Strip”, noting that Qatar is the compass for the Arab constants that are still preserved in the being of every Arab.Yemeni social activist and journalist Raed Abed told Gulf Times that “this stand in solidarity is the least that journalists and those who oppose brutality can do for the sake of our people in Gaza. He praised the role played by the QPC in this regard, as it is constantly keen to keep up with important events and express the positions of our Arab societies. Also to prove during this event, that the Palestinian issue will remain present at all times, and our Arab voice will be highlighted to the world, to emphasize that what is happening in Gaza is a collective punishment war, an ethnic cleansing and a genocide. He added: “I visited many Palestinian cities, but I was not able to visit Gaza due to the security barriers, and during these visits I witnessed that the occupation army has been only trained to kill children and innocents, arrest athletes, and destroy sports clubs. What is practiced does not belong to the work of regular armies, but is nothing more than bullying carried out only by gangs. Therefore, it will remain far from direct confrontation and ground war, because they realize that they will suffer defeat at the earliest confrontation, although they possess complex technology, they are confronting men who have been true to what they have promised God.” Abed concluded.

A government decision to charge patients for services provided by hospitals under the Primary Health Care Corporation and Hamad Medical Corporation will be implemented in phases beginning with visitors, the Ministry of Public Health said in a statement Wednesday.In accordance with the decisions No. (28) and (29) of 2023 of HE the Minister of Public Health, the fees will be applicable in the current phase for visitors to the country and they will not apply to residents until they are covered by the compulsory health insurance system, according to the stages of its implementation.Healthcare services will continue to be provided free of charge to citizens and other exempt groups in government health facilities, in accordance with applicable laws and decisions, the statement said.The current measures are within the framework of the keenness of the MoPH and public health sector institutions to improve health care services and reduce pressure on government health facilities, it was explained.The fees and charges for medical treatment and services at the PHCC and HMC were determined according to the cost of the services, the statement said. The health insurance system for visitors to Qatar has been implemented since last February, to cover emergencies and accidents.With other available packages, visitors can obtain additional insurance coverage. A visitor who has an international insurance policy can also benefit from the insurance coverage provided in Qatar, provided it meets the acceptance criteria set by the MoPH, the most prominent aspect of which is that it covers the visitor’s entire stay in the country.

A motor show of Porsche models and collectibles titled “Flatsixaddict Exhibition” was inaugurated Tuesday at Katara – Cultural Village in collaboration with Elites Super Cars Association, and will run through October 18.Katara general manager Prof Dr Khalid bin Ibrahim al-Sulaiti hailed the exhibition that features over 50 model Porsche cars from the private collection of Sheikh Jassim bin Abdulrahmane al-Thani.He voiced hopes that the exhibition would achieve its technical and aesthetic objectives and develop the taste and experiences of the collectors and motor sports professionals and car enthusiasts.Prof Dr al-Sulaiti also stressed Katara's support for the promising sports cars collectors of all categories and age groups.“The cars and models on display form just 20% of the complete Porsche collection of cars, engines, memorabilia and models that are part of my hobby,” Sheikh Jassim said.“The ‘Flatsixaddict Exhibition' brings together car, models, parts, engines, tools different Porsche cars and catalogue editions, accessories and all that is related to this brand,” he said. “We organised this exhibition on the occasion of the hosting of several events related to the motor sports season in Qatar, such as the Geneva International Motor Show and F1 Qatar Grand Prix.”“I thank Katara for hosting this exhibition, Prof Dr al-Sulaiti, and the Porsche Middle East and Africa representatives and officials who attended the inauguration for their co-operation,” Sheikh Jassim added.Porsche Middle East and Africa chief executive Dr Manfred Braunl said: “I just arrived this morning from Dubai, (for the) Geneva Motor Show, which I am very much looking forward to.”“This was a surprise visit tonight to come here to see this amazing collection of Porsche models,” he said. “I am completely overwhelmed to see how a Porsche enthusiast can bring so many models together, all sizes, all the Porsche generations, especially on the Porsche 911, the way they are put together with much attention to detail.”“I am thrilled, and I say that we should bring this collection to the icons of Porsche in Dubai, we have a big festival going on November 25-26, 2023,” Braunl added.Mohamed bin Rashid al-Kubaisi, founder of Elite Super Cars and the organiser of the exhibition, said: “In the whole history of Qatar there has never been an exhibition of old Porsche cars, car models, new cars, engines, tools, and all that is related to this brand.”“The exhibition is very promising, and it is going to achieve its objectives in attracting motor sports professionals and enthusiasts for the coming two weeks,” he said. “I thank Sheikh Jassim bin Abdulrahmane al-Thani for giving us the opportunity to organise this event.”

The Ministry of Culture, through the Music Affairs Centre (MAC) held a press conference on Sunday to launched the Nagam 2023 contest, in the presence of Maryam Yassin al-Hammadi, director of the Department of Culture and Arts.The contest aims to discover talent in the field of performing arts in music and singing, in order to achieve the objectives of the Ministry of Culture, especially the Department of Culture and Arts, to support the cultural and artistic movement in the country with the aim of sustaining it and giving the opportunity to talented people to discover their capacities and determine their paths."We thank all Participants, supporters and creators who participate in this competition. We appreciate the efforts of the Music Affairs Centre which provides more spaces for cultural expression by engaging communities to achieve cultural rights for all.”Khaled al-Salem, director of the MAC, said: “This is the third edition of the Nagam contest, a singing competition aimed to attract citizens and residents of Qatar, of all ages. The current edition will be full of talents worthy of respect and publicity.”Artist Ali Abdel Sattar, a member of the jury for the Arab category, said he is happy with this participation, hoping that he and the members of the jury will contribute to present singing talents worthy of the singing scene in Qatar.Artist Ghanem Shaheen said: “I am very honoured to be part of the jury, which was born big and brought out to the singing arena distinguished talents who were able to make a way for themselves through this competition.”Shaheen gave important advice to the talents participating in the competition that is to work hard on continuous development, saying: “We must continue to learn, perform, and work hard. We do not stop at this competition and winning it or participating in it only, but rather you, as young talents, you must see this competition as a starting point.”Artist Nasser Muhamed said that he was happy to participate in the Nagam contest in its third edition, wishing everyone success, stressing at the same time that his participation as an actor is not strange since acting and singing fall under the banner of art in general.”Dana Alfardan, a member of the foreign category jury, said: “It’s an honour to participate in this panel alongside two people who have been instrumental in the foundation of the organisation of the last two editions. I hope that together we also can continue to contribute to the music infrastructure of this country and to bring energy and inspiration to the incredible talent out there.”Dr Nasser Suhaim said: “I am happy with the experience, and this is not the first time I cooperate as a jury member with the Music Affairs Centre. I previously participated in the Awtar (strings) Instrumentation Competition, in cooperation with Qatar University. I will also invite the winners of the foreign category to participate in the Beautiful Time Classics, foreign version, as we previously did with the winners of the Nagham competition, in its first and second versions, when they participated in the Arabic version of the Beautiful Time Classics concert.”Giovanni Pasini said: “We found wonderful voices worthy for the competition, and I am personally pleased to meet them in the next stages.” Pasini concluded.The competition will be held in two versions, the first is the singing category for Arabic speakers, and the other is for non-Arabic speakers, where there will be two different judging committees for each of the two categories.

The Music Affairs Centre of the Ministry of Culture announced Thursday that the foreign music jury has finished sorting the participants for the 3rd edition of the 'Nagam 2023' competition, held under the slogan "Rhythm of Success".The foreign music jury members are composer and song-writer Dana Alfardan, artist and composer Dr Nasser Suhaim, and maestro Giovanni Basile. The foreign section has received more than 500 videos in diverse languages from Africa, East Asia, and Europe, including English, Hindi, Filipino, French, Italian and Turkish.