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Two years ago the Shanghai International Circuit hosted a Covid hospital, but this weekend it will stage Formula One once more as the sport returns to China for the first time since the pandemic.Adding to the excitement of fans, they will see Shanghai native Zhou Guanyu drive at his home track in Formula One for the first time.“I’m extremely excited, in these 5,000 years of (Chinese) history there has only been one Zhou Guanyu,” said fan Wang Xiaotian.Shanghai last witnessed an F1 race in 2019, before Covid and China’s travel restrictions put a halt to almost all major international sport in the country.Tickets for the action-packed Formula One weekend - which begins with Friday morning practice, sees a sprint race on Saturday and ends with the grand prix on Sunday - sold out within minutes of going on sale in January.Ma Qinghua, the first Chinese to drive an F1 car when he took part in a 2012 practice session, said the sport’s return will have a “very good impact”, especially on younger fans who did not have the chance to see their heroes in the flesh during the pandemic.“This group of people are very much anticipating the chance to witness a race personally,” Ma, a pioneer of China’s motorsport industry, told AFP. It was almost exactly two years ago, at the height of the city’s lockdown, that the Shanghai circuit became the site of a makeshift 13,000-bed Covid hospital.That was just a few weeks after Zhou had his first Grand Prix drive in Bahrain, finishing 10th to score a point, but the pandemic delayed 24-year-old Zhou’s home F1 debut until this week. Even though he is unlikely to challenge for the podium, Zhou is desperate to put on a Shanghai show.“I can’t wait to give it my all, share the passion with our entire team trackside and at home, and start a new chapter of Chinese motorsport together with the crowd,” Zhou said yesterday. “It’s an opportunity to inspire and pave the path for future generations being interested in the sport.“My country loves racing and has been waiting for this moment for years.”His excitement is echoed by fans in the city. “As China’s first F1 driver, we are extremely proud of him,” Hu Yanqin, 29, said at a recent fan event screening the Japanese Grand Prix - complete with large banners bearing Zhou’s photo.Underlining the hype surrounding Zhou, who is in his third F1 season, fans greeted him at the airport when he arrived last week and a documentary about the racer, “The First One”, will hit Chinese cinemas this weekend to coincide with the race. China is relatively new to motor racing, with cars a rare sight even in major cities as recently as the 1980s.Shanghai staged the country’s first F1 Grand Prix in 2004 and, prior to the pandemic, the sport’s decision-makers had talked about the possibility of a second Grand Prix each year in China.Ma, who was the first Chinese driver to take part in a Formula One practice session at the 2012 Italian Grand Prix, has witnessed the growth in motorsport first hand.“It is a lot more popular now,” said Ma, adding that, when he started, “I didn’t even know where I could do a test or that there was such a thing as a racing licence”.Ma’s F1 adventure did not go any further with the now-disbanded HRT team because of contract issues, he said, but he drove in other classes such as Formula E and the World Touring Car Championship.Now 36, he runs a go-kart venue in Shanghai where aspiring speed demons zoom down a looping two-storey track tucked into the basement of a mall.During Formula One’s five-year absence, China continued to put resources into motor sport.In 2022 the island province of Hainan poured five billion yuan ($691mn) into an electric vehicle racing circuit and Formula E is returning to China next month, with Shanghai hosting for the first time.

Nearly 100 days before the 2024 Paris Games open, the Olympic flame will be lit in ancient Olympia today for a torch relay stretching from the Acropolis to French Polynesia.For the first time since events for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and 2022 Beijing Winter Games had to be toned down due to the Covid-19 pandemic, spectators will be able to attend the torch relay events.Some 600 dignitaries are expected at the ceremony today, headed by Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou and International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach.The ritual will see actresses in the role of ancient priestesses coaxing the Olympic flame into life with the help of a parabolic polished mirror in Olympia, southwestern Greece, where the Games were born in 776 BC.American mezzo soprano Joyce DiDonato is to deliver the Olympic anthem.The ceremony is conducted at the ruins of the 2,600-year-old Temple of Hera, and sets off the Olympic torch relay that marks the countdown for each Games.Cloudy skies are forecast for today, but the flame was successfully lit in a rehearsal on Monday, a backup that can be used if necessary during the official ceremony.The torch harks back to the ancient Olympics, when a sacred flame burned throughout the Games. The tradition was revived in 1936 for the Berlin Games.The first relay runner will be Greece’s 2020 Olympics rowing champion Stefanos Ntouskos.The Hellenic Olympic Committee confirmed on Monday that retired French swimmer Laure Manaudou, who won her first gold medal at the 2004 Athens Olympics, will follow Ntouskos as France’s first torchbearer in Olympia. European Commission vice-president Margaritis Schinas will follow as the third torchbearer, the HOC said.During the 11-day relay on Greek soil, some 600 torchbearers will carry the flame over a distance of 5,000 kilometres (3,100 miles) through 41 municipalities.“We had prepared this programme for the Tokyo Olympics, but the pandemic did not allow us to carry it out,” Thanassis Vassiliadis, head of the Hellenic Olympic Committee’s torch relay committee, told Kathimerini daily last week.He added that security levels at the flame-lighting ceremony will be “the highest” possible with police “discreet but present everywhere.”

The State of Qatar has managed to build a world-class public healthcare system in recent years thanks to a multi-sectoral approach to health and well-being in the country. The state has invested significantly in enhancing the health and well-being of its population and achieving sustainability, guided by the wise vision of HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, and in pursuit of Qatar's National Vision 2030.As a result, Qatar became the first country where all its municipalities earned the title of "Healthy City" from the World Health Organization (WHO). Additionally, Qatar Foundation's Education City was awarded the title of "Healthy Educational City," and Qatar University was recognized as a "Healthy University."Achieving this milestone required placing health as a priority for cities by promoting health, equity, and sustainable development. This pioneering approach was translated into initiatives, strategic policies, and best practices by prioritizing "Health in All Policies" in close collaboration across various sectors of the state.The healthcare system in Qatar has become distinguished and unique, earning global trust and reaching international standards. Qatar's healthcare system revolves around the importance of comprehensive healthcare coverage for all members of society, improving the health of the Qatari community, meeting the needs of citizens, residents, and visitors alike, and elevating its services to the highest global standards to achieve Qatar's National Vision 2030.Regarding public healthcare facilities in the country, recent years have witnessed a qualitative leap with an increase in public healthcare facilities and a significant rise in competent healthcare and paramedical staff. By the end of 2023, the public sector had 19 hospitals and long-term care facilities, with the number of public health centers (including those under the Primary Health Care Corporation and those managed by the Qatar Red Crescent under an agreement with the Ministry of Public Health) reaching 35 centers distributed across the state, including 6 health and wellness centers. The total workforce in the public healthcare sector amounted to 29,960 healthcare workers.Conversely, Qatar also focused on encouraging investments in the private healthcare sector, which witnessed a qualitative leap. By the end of 2023, the private sector had 10 hospitals, 21 day surgery centers, 417 general and specialized health centers including dental centers, 319 diagnostic centers encompassing medical laboratories and diagnostic radiology centers, dental laboratories, and vision testing, along with 140 individual clinics and corporate clinics, 135 health and nursing agencies, and 1,251 primary healthcare units. The total workforce in the private healthcare sector amounted to 21,417 healthcare workers.As a result of massive investments in the healthcare sector, Qatar's average life expectancy has increased significantly, reaching 80.3 years in 2021, reflecting major improvements in the population's health indicators.Qatar also achieved several national, regional, and international accomplishments in public health, including global accreditations in public health, performance, operations, patient safety, patient engagement programs, strategic guidance for future years, healthcare development, and public-private partnership programs.HE Minister of Public Health Dr. Hanan Mohamed Al Kuwari emphasized earlier this year that Qatar is proud to be the first country in the world where all its municipalities earned the title of "Healthy City" from the World Health Organization. Additionally, Qatar University was awarded the title of "Healthy University," and the Education City by Qatar Foundation received the title of "Healthy Educational City." These projects align with the priority of "Health in All Policies" in Qatar's National Health Strategy (2018-2022), supporting the Healthy City program.Five hospitals in Qatar were ranked among the top 250 academic medical centers globally. The Primary Health Care Corporation received Canadian accreditation according to Diamond Level Accreditation Standards. Moreover, the Qatar Red Crescent achieved platinum accreditation for all four healthcare centers it operates and manages under a cooperation agreement with the Ministry of Public Health.The Ministry of Public Health has received an award from the World Health Organization for World No Tobacco Day. Additionally, Qatar is proud to have recently launched the first phase of its health insurance system targeting visitors to the country, in accordance with Law No. (22) of 2021 regulating healthcare services within Qatar. This health insurance system aims to support the development and regulation of the healthcare sector in the country, improving the health of the population and their access to essential care services through an efficient and sustainable healthcare system, and regulating healthcare spending.Among the significant achievements in Qatar's healthcare sector is in the field of emergency medical services, where Hamad Medical Corporation's ambulance service has consistently achieved response rates exceeding set targets for emergency response times for the eleventh consecutive year. The target set in the first National Health Strategy is to reach the emergency scene within 10 minutes in urban areas and 15 minutes in rural areas for up to 75% of emergency calls.Aligned with technological advancements and digital transformation, Qatar's healthcare sector has enhanced its electronic health services, making the healthcare system interconnected through electronic systems that enable medical teams to access patient records across various public healthcare facilities, in addition to providing telemedicine services and home medication delivery.The Ministry of Public Health has also launched the new edition of Qatar National Formulary (QNF) via the ministry's website, serving as a national database providing comprehensive and updated information on pharmaceuticals, registration status, regulations, and guidelines, listing over 4,000 officially registered medicines updated monthly.Furthermore, Qatar has been a pioneer in ensuring the right to health, as enshrined in the country's permanent constitution, which emphasizes the state's concern for public health, providing means of disease prevention and treatment in accordance with the law.In this context, the Minister of Public Health emphasized in a press statement on World Health Day, celebrated on April 7, "that Qatar, keen on ensuring the right to health for all residents, has worked to provide high-quality healthcare services to ensure that individuals in the community receive the care they need at the right place and time, in line with Qatar's national vision and health strategies, contributing to achieving sustainable development goals."Qatar's healthcare system's efficient response to the global health challenge, particularly the COVID-19 pandemic, has been recognized internationally. Qatar recorded one of the lowest pandemic-related mortality rates globally, and its advanced healthcare system and services have successfully supported major sporting events such as the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023, which were among the healthiest sports tournaments. Through collaboration between the Ministry of Public Health and local and international partners, these tournaments contributed to creating a sustainable legacy of health and sports.On the international level, Qatar has provided health support to medium and low-income countries. Notable initiatives include His Highness the Amir's directive for Qatar to treat 1,500 Palestinians from Gaza in designated hospitals, as part of efforts to alleviate the suffering of Palestinian brothers amid Israeli aggression.The Ministry of Public Health has also launched several important initiatives aimed at supporting the right to health, including issuing the Patients' Rights and Responsibilities Charter, published in eight languages for ease of understanding by all residents. The charter clearly outlines patients' rights and duties and is mandatory for healthcare facilities in the country to display and implement.In terms of figures, in 2023, Hamad Medical Corporation's outpatient clinics recorded over 2.8 million visits and more than 1.3 million visits to emergency departments, with over 21.6 million laboratory tests, more than 60,000 surgeries, and over 22,000 births.Qatar also focuses on organ donation and transplantation, achieving unprecedented milestones. The number of organ donors registered in the country exceeded 530,000, with approximately 82 kidney transplants, 11 liver transplants, and 3 lung transplants performed successfully in 2023.Acknowledging Qatar's healthcare system's development and significant support for the World Health Organization, Qatar was elected as the President of the World Health Organization Executive Board for its 153rd session for one year, starting May 31, 2023.Furthermore, the World Health Organization designated three centers in Qatar for collaboration, including the Aging Medicine and Long-Term Care Management Department at Hamad Medical Corporation, the Tobacco Control Center, and the WCM-Q Collaborating Center for Disease Surveillance on HIV/AIDS, sexually transmitted diseases, and viral hepatitis.In the context of international cooperation, the Ministry of Public Health signed an operational arrangement memorandum with the International Atomic Energy Agency in the fields of radiology and food safety, aiming to establish a framework for (non-exclusive) cooperation between Qatar and the International Atomic Energy Agency in human health to contribute to enhancing healthcare quality in other countries, especially in less developed countries. Additionally, several advanced laboratories and centers in Qatar will be designated as collaborating centers with the International Atomic Energy Agency.Due to Qatar's significant efforts at both the national and international levels, Her Excellency Dr. Hanan Mohamed Al Kuwari, Minister of Public Health, was selected as the best minister in the world and awarded the Best Minister in the World Award during the recent Global Government Forum held in the United Arab Emirates, in recognition of her exceptional efforts in promoting excellence in the government sector and implementing successful, scalable, and sustainable initiatives. (QNA)

China's economy is expected to have slowed in the first three months of the year as it continues to be buffeted by a debilitating property sector crisis and flagging consumer activity.Beijing officials last month set a target of around five percent growth for the year -- a goal they admitted would "not be easy" and which analysts said was ambitious given the headwinds the country is confronting.But there are some bright spots -- figures last month showed industrial production soared even as consumption remained sluggish, reflecting the uneven recovery China has charted since emerging from growth-strangling zero-Covid policies in early 2023.And analysts said they expected China to post around 4.6 percent growth in the year's first quarter Tuesday, down from 5.2 percent in the final three months of last year.Analysts polled by Bloomberg expect it to come in at 4.8 percent.Woes in the property market remain a millstone for the economy, analysts said, as home prices continued to fall and top developers including Country Garden and Vanke sent out distress signals over their profits and challenges paying off debt."Persistent property sector weakness and subdued household consumption, resulting from negative wealth effects from the property correction and somewhat sluggish income growth" will hamper growth, Brian Coulton, Fitch Ratings' Chief Economist told AFP.Policymakers have announced a series of targeted measures as well as the issuance of billions of dollars in sovereign bonds in order to boost infrastructure spending and spur consumption.But analysts say much more needs to be done in the form of a "bazooka" stimulus."The stimulus is limited (both monetary and fiscal) so the effect will be limited," Alicia Garcia Herrero, Chief Economist for Asia Pacific at French investment bank Natixis, told AFP."We do not expect major interest rate cuts or big fiscal stimuli since the room for China to do both things is limited," she added.- 'Very bearish' -Ratings agency Fitch this month downgraded China's sovereign credit outlook to negative, warning of "increasing risks to China's public finance outlook" as the country contends with more "uncertain economic prospects".And observers say state pledges of support for the property sector are yet to sway the market or consumers."Home buyers remain very bearish," Gene Ma, head of China research at the Institute of International Finance, told AFP.Sluggish consumption is another bugbear.Last month, retail sales -- the main indicator of household consumption -- increased 5.5 percent year-on-year, down from the previous month despite covering a holiday period that typically sees a spike in spending."A lack of domestic consumer demand will remain a drag" on growth despite an improvement on the industrial production front, Heron Lim, an analyst for Moody's Analytics, told AFP.Fears that China could slip back into deflation was also a major drag.Consumer prices fell for several months from August, before rising 0.7 percent in February.But the consumer price index edged up by only 0.1 percent on-year last month, renewing deflationary fears.While deflation suggests goods were cheaper, it poses a threat to the broader economy as consumers tend to postpone purchases, hoping for further price reductions.A lack of demand can then force companies to cut production, freeze hiring or lay off workers, while potentially also having to discount existing stocks -- dampening profitability even as costs remain the same."Inflation is a fever of an economy, while deflation is a cancer," Ma said. "A prolonged deflation will hurt consumption and investment demands."Manufacturing was one bright spot in the first quarter, the analysts said, pointing to the strong official data in March."Our proprietary indicators suggest more robust manufacturing activity than construction activity," James Seddon of Goldman Sachs told AFP."Relatively positive industrial production and export news mean that growth will come in steady this quarter," Lim at Moody's told AFP.Still, he warned that more government support would be needed to prop up growth in the medium term, as there were "few policy support measures targeted at supporting domestic consumption directly".

The State of Qatar has managed to build a world-class public healthcare system in recent years thanks to a multi-sectoral approach to health and well-being in the country. The state has invested significantly in enhancing the health and well-being of its population and achieving sustainability, guided by the wise vision of HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, and in pursuit of Qatar's National Vision 2030.As a result, Qatar became the first country where all its municipalities earned the title of "Healthy City" from the World Health Organization (WHO). Additionally, Qatar Foundation's Education City was awarded the title of "Healthy Educational City," and Qatar University was recognized as a "Healthy University."Achieving this milestone required placing health as a priority for cities by promoting health, equity, and sustainable development. This pioneering approach was translated into initiatives, strategic policies, and best practices by prioritizing "Health in All Policies" in close collaboration across various sectors of the state.The healthcare system in Qatar has become distinguished and unique, earning global trust and reaching international standards. Qatar's healthcare system revolves around the importance of comprehensive healthcare coverage for all members of society, improving the health of the Qatari community, meeting the needs of citizens, residents, and visitors alike, and elevating its services to the highest global standards to achieve Qatar's National Vision 2030.Regarding public healthcare facilities in the country, recent years have witnessed a qualitative leap with an increase in public healthcare facilities and a significant rise in competent healthcare and paramedical staff. By the end of 2023, the public sector had 19 hospitals and long-term care facilities, with the number of public health centers (including those under the Primary Health Care Corporation and those managed by the Qatar Red Crescent under an agreement with the Ministry of Public Health) reaching 35 centers distributed across the state, including 6 health and wellness centers. The total workforce in the public healthcare sector amounted to 29,960 healthcare workers.Conversely, Qatar also focused on encouraging investments in the private healthcare sector, which witnessed a qualitative leap. By the end of 2023, the private sector had 10 hospitals, 21 day surgery centers, 417 general and specialized health centers including dental centers, 319 diagnostic centers encompassing medical laboratories and diagnostic radiology centers, dental laboratories, and vision testing, along with 140 individual clinics and corporate clinics, 135 health and nursing agencies, and 1,251 primary healthcare units. The total workforce in the private healthcare sector amounted to 21,417 healthcare workers.As a result of massive investments in the healthcare sector, Qatar's average life expectancy has increased significantly, reaching 80.3 years in 2021, reflecting major improvements in the population's health indicators.Qatar also achieved several national, regional, and international accomplishments in public health, including global accreditations in public health, performance, operations, patient safety, patient engagement programs, strategic guidance for future years, healthcare development, and public-private partnership programs.HE Minister of Public Health Dr. Hanan Mohamed Al Kuwari emphasized earlier this year that Qatar is proud to be the first country in the world where all its municipalities earned the title of "Healthy City" from the World Health Organization. Additionally, Qatar University was awarded the title of "Healthy University," and the Education City by Qatar Foundation received the title of "Healthy Educational City." These projects align with the priority of "Health in All Policies" in Qatar's National Health Strategy (2018-2022), supporting the Healthy City program.Five hospitals in Qatar were ranked among the top 250 academic medical centers globally. The Primary Health Care Corporation received Canadian accreditation according to Diamond Level Accreditation Standards. Moreover, the Qatar Red Crescent achieved platinum accreditation for all four healthcare centers it operates and manages under a cooperation agreement with the Ministry of Public Health.The Ministry of Public Health has received an award from the World Health Organization for World No Tobacco Day.Additionally, Qatar is proud to have recently launched the first phase of its health insurance system targeting visitors to the country, in accordance with Law No. (22) of 2021 regulating healthcare services within Qatar. This health insurance system aims to support the development and regulation of the healthcare sector in the country, improving the health of the population and their access to essential care services through an efficient and sustainable healthcare system, and regulating healthcare spending.Among the significant achievements in Qatar's healthcare sector is in the field of emergency medical services, where Hamad Medical Corporation's ambulance service has consistently achieved response rates exceeding set targets for emergency response times for the eleventh consecutive year. The target set in the first National Health Strategy is to reach the emergency scene within 10 minutes in urban areas and 15 minutes in rural areas for up to 75% of emergency calls.Aligned with technological advancements and digital transformation, Qatar's healthcare sector has enhanced its electronic health services, making the healthcare system interconnected through electronic systems that enable medical teams to access patient records across various public healthcare facilities, in addition to providing telemedicine services and home medication delivery.The Ministry of Public Health has also launched the new edition of Qatar National Formulary (QNF) via the ministry's website, serving as a national database providing comprehensive and updated information on pharmaceuticals, registration status, regulations, and guidelines, listing over 4,000 officially registered medicines updated monthly.Furthermore, Qatar has been a pioneer in ensuring the right to health, as enshrined in the country's permanent constitution, which emphasizes the state's concern for public health, providing means of disease prevention and treatment in accordance with the law.In this context, the Minister of Public Health emphasized in a press statement on World Health Day, celebrated on April 7, "that Qatar, keen on ensuring the right to health for all residents, has worked to provide high-quality healthcare services to ensure that individuals in the community receive the care they need at the right place and time, in line with Qatar's national vision and health strategies, contributing to achieving sustainable development goals."Qatar's healthcare system's efficient response to the global health challenge, particularly the COVID-19 pandemic, has been recognized internationally. Qatar recorded one of the lowest pandemic-related mortality rates globally, and its advanced healthcare system and services have successfully supported major sporting events such as the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023, which were among the healthiest sports tournaments. Through collaboration between the Ministry of Public Health and local and international partners, these tournaments contributed to creating a sustainable legacy of health and sports.On the international level, Qatar has provided health support to medium and low-income countries. Notable initiatives include His Highness the Amir's directive for Qatar to treat 1,500 Palestinians from Gaza in designated hospitals, as part of efforts to alleviate the suffering of Palestinian brothers amid Israeli aggression.The Ministry of Public Health has also launched several important initiatives aimed at supporting the right to health, including issuing the Patients' Rights and Responsibilities Charter, published in eight languages for ease of understanding by all residents. The charter clearly outlines patients' rights and duties and is mandatory for healthcare facilities in the country to display and implement.In terms of figures, in 2023, Hamad Medical Corporation's outpatient clinics recorded over 2.8 million visits and more than 1.3 million visits to emergency departments, with over 21.6 million laboratory tests, more than 60,000 surgeries, and over 22,000 births.Qatar also focuses on organ donation and transplantation, achieving unprecedented milestones. The number of organ donors registered in the country exceeded 530,000, with approximately 82 kidney transplants, 11 liver transplants, and 3 lung transplants performed successfully in 2023.Acknowledging Qatar's healthcare system's development and significant support for the World Health Organization, Qatar was elected as the President of the World Health Organization Executive Board for its 153rd session for one year, starting May 31, 2023.Furthermore, the World Health Organization designated three centers in Qatar for collaboration, including the Aging Medicine and Long-Term Care Management Department at Hamad Medical Corporation, the Tobacco Control Center, and the WCM-Q Collaborating Center for Disease Surveillance on HIV/AIDS, sexually transmitted diseases, and viral hepatitis.In the context of international cooperation, the Ministry of Public Health signed an operational arrangement memorandum with the International Atomic Energy Agency in the fields of radiology and food safety, aiming to establish a framework for (non-exclusive) cooperation between Qatar and the International Atomic Energy Agency in human health to contribute to enhancing healthcare quality in other countries, especially in less developed countries. Additionally, several advanced laboratories and centers in Qatar will be designated as collaborating centers with the International Atomic Energy Agency.Due to Qatar's significant efforts at both the national and international levels, Her Excellency Dr. Hanan Mohamed Al Kuwari, Minister of Public Health, was selected as the best minister in the world and awarded the Best Minister in the World Award during the recent Global Government Forum held in the United Arab Emirates, in recognition of her exceptional efforts in promoting excellence in the government sector and implementing successful, scalable, and sustainable initiatives.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un affirmed his position to develop long-standing ties with China, state media KCNA said yesterday, citing Kim in his meeting with Chinese top legislator Zhao Leji.Zhao, finishing a goodwill tour that began on Thursday, is the highest-ranking Chinese official to visit the North since 2018, when Li Zhanshu attended the 70th anniversary of the North’s founding.China is the chief ally and economic lifeline for North Korea, which has been hard-hit by United Nations sanctions over its nuclear weapons programme. Kim expected the two countries to “steadily carry forward and develop this durable traditions of friendship” so the two countries would see “responsible progress and successful fruition of the Year of DPRK-China Friendship”, KCNA said.DPRK refers to the North’s official name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.The talks were held in a “kind, sincere and comradely atmosphere,” according to KCNA, which also said Zhao and his delegation left Pyongyang on Saturday.Kim also extended thanks to Chinese President Xi Jinping for sending a high-ranking delegation and a large scale art troupe, KCNA said.Pyongyang has been seeking to expand diplomatic exchanges with Beijing after lifting Covid-19 restrictions.Kim expected the two countries to “steadily carry forward and develop this durable traditions of friendship”

The gap between productivity growth in the US and Europe paints a stark and, for Europeans, depressing picture. In the two decades since 2004, US productivity growth, as measured by the value of output per hour worked, has been more than double that of the eurozone. Whereas eurozone productivity has flat-lined and even fallen slightly since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, US non-farm output per hour has risen by more than 6% over the same period – more than adequate performance by America’s own historical standards.Something seems to be going seriously right in the US and seriously wrong in Europe. Some accounts point to the strong fiscal stimulus applied in the US since the outbreak of the pandemic. For Europeans this explanation is reassuring, because it suggests that the differential is transitory. After all, the US can’t run massive budget deficits and live beyond its means indefinitely.But while strong spending stimulus can trigger rapid output and employment growth, it is not clear why it should produce faster productivity growth. On the contrary, given strong employment growth and tight labour markets, one might expect US companies to be forced to take on less productive workers, with negative implications for output per hour. More likely, tight labour markets in the US may mean that firms, unable to find an adequate supply of workers at any price, are impelled to substitute capital for labour – to invest in labour-saving technology.Americans visiting a bank branch will encounter plenty of ATMs but sometimes not a single human teller. They are compelled to order meals, even at white-tablecloth restaurants, using a QR code. Patrons of Parisian bistros horrified by this thought may argue that a Franco-American cultural difference is at work. But it is hard to deny that tight labour markets also play a role.Recall, however, that US productivity growth had accelerated relative to Europe’s already in the decade leading up to the pandemic, when labour markets were not so tight. Both the US and Europe turned to fiscal consolidation following the 2008 global financial crisis. Europe might have been slightly more determined on austerity, but there was not enough difference in demand conditions to explain their different productivity outcomes.Moreover, while American firms have been quicker to capitalise on digital technologies, the timing is wrong here, too: US outperformance in computer producing and using sectors was most pronounced in the decade preceding the global financial crisis, not in the period since.As for the latest round of new digital technologies, firms are only just now beginning to explore how large language models and generative artificial intelligence can be used to boost productivity. In other words, AI and related developments can’t explain America’s unusually strong productivity performance in the last four years. In fact, history suggests that capitalising on radical new technologies requires firms to reorganise how they do business, a trial-and-error process that takes time. The inevitability of errors means that productivity is likely to fall before rising, a phenomenon economists call the “productivity J-curve.”And it is not as if European managers are unaware of the labour-saving and productivity-enhancing potential of digital technologies. It could be that Europe’s strong trade unions, fearing job destruction, resist their adoption, although Germany, with a tradition of strong unions, has some of the most robot-intensive factories in the world.Alternatively, restrictive European Union rules may be impeding adoption. The EU’s data-privacy regulations, and now its proposed AI rulebook, if adhered to strictly, may slow the development of AI applications.Finally, it could simply be that Europe has had bad luck, specifically in the form of Russian President Vladimir Putin and his energy-price shock. The US, being self-sufficient in energy, has not been vulnerable to energy-supply disruptions to the same degree. European firms, in contrast, have been forced to suspend their most energy-intensive operations or else to engage in costly restructuring, which is not good for productivity.Mario Draghi, Europe’s senior economic statesman, will present the EU with a set of proposals later this year for boosting productivity. No doubt, he will recommend completing Europe’s capital-markets union so that firms can more easily finance investments in new technologies.Draghi is likely to recommend removing barriers to competition – which would intensify the pressure on firms to innovate in order to survive – and for greater energy efficiency and self-sufficiency to free Europe from more Putin-like disruptions.Europe should move now to implement these ideas. It also desperately needs to come up with new ones. – Project Syndicate

The Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC) continues its impressive online services while reaching the patients.A total of 28,447 patients utilised PHCC virtual services in March, according to a report by the local Arabic daily Arrayah.Sources with the PHCC said that the service continues to provide access to healthcare and refill medications without the need to visit health centres.Patients can access urgent medical consultations with a physician via telephone or video conference by calling 16000 and selecting the second option, or by calling the alternative number 107.If the physician then determines that a patient needs a physical examination, the patient is referred to the PHCC’s walk-in service at the nearest health centre or Hamad Medical Corporation, as appropriate.The patients can also book an appointment through the PHCC's Nar'aakom app.The virtual consultations are provided in specialities including emergency medical care, family medicine, dentistry, ophthalmology, dermatology, physiotherapy, cardiology, home healthcare and mental health services.Urgent care services, according to the sources, are available for patients registered in the PHCCs at Leabaib, Qatar University, Al-Thumama, Al-Wajba, Airport, West Bay, Omar Bin Al-Khattab, Al-Wakra, Mesaimeer and Madinat Khalifa, where they can benefit from them upon request 24 hours a day.“During the virtual consultation via video or phone, patients receive a level of care equal to what they receive during a personal appointment in health centres,” the sources said. “The doctors follow up with them to inquire about their condition to determine the most appropriate treatment and answer any questions.”“If the patient's condition requires any physical examination or additional treatment, the doctor will make appropriate referrals,” the sources added.The PHCC launched virtual consultations during the coronavirus (Covid-19) lockdown.The latest community call centre technology is used by the corporation to serve the patients.Meanwhile, 233 people have benefited from the PHCC’s home delivery service of medicines.The service continued during the Eid al-Fitr holiday, and the call centre 16,000 continued to provide urgent telephone consultations around the clock.The PHCC, the sources said, provided diagnostic and therapeutic services to 359,742 patients in 31 health centres across the country throughout March.The health and wellness services wing received 233 people at health coach clinics while 173 beneficiaries visited the healthy lifestyle clinic, and 598 people used the swimming pools.A total of 2,106 people used the gym.

There is always a risk that hosting a major tournament offers only a short-lived economic boost to the home nation. Countries spend years preparing for a tournament that lasts a few weeks, and in a few cases some of the infrastructure does not have a long-term purpose beyond the games.The FIFA World Cup held in Qatar in November and December 2022 has not experienced this problem. The considerable investment in infrastructure in the years leading up to the tournament extended beyond the building of stadiums and transport and accommodation for the matches themselves. The result is a modern infrastructure suitable for supporting economic growth across a range of hi-tech and services industries.Evidence of lasting benefits has been confirmed independently, by a report issued in February by the International Monetary Fund. Total infrastructure investment over the decade was in the range of $200-$300bn; of this, around $6.5bn was spent on the stadiums – a relatively low proportion. Investment grew at around 6% per year in the period 2011-2022, reaching 9% before the Covid-19 pandemic.The report praises the Qatari authorities for its handling of the pandemic, noting that the 2022 World Cup was the first major international tournament with large numbers of spectators to be held post-pandemic (there were limited numbers of spectators at the Olympics in Tokyo in 2021). It was the first World Cup to be held in the Arab world, and the second in Asia after Japan and South Korea which hosted the tournament in 2002.The report measures the economic impact of the games, with reference to the benchmark of South Korea, which co-hosted the World Cup in 2002. In Qatar the economic impact was gauged at around 1% of GDP, compared with 0.2% for South Korea. Given that Qatar is a smaller country than South Korea, this is only to be expected. Moreover, South Korea was co-hosting the 2002 tournament with Japan, so did not host all of the games.There were some indications of over-supply and/or high room rates during the Qatar tournament, as hotel occupancy levels were 59%. An interesting indicator cited by the IMF is the inclusion of night-time luminosity data, sometimes recorded to supplement official GDP statistics. This confirms a pattern of significant additional economic activity during the games.What is most encouraging is the evidence that the investment is helping long-term economic diversification. The paper cites academic research showing that increases in infrastructure investment in the Gulf region tends to lead to commensurate growth in non-hydrocarbon economic activity. While this is an academic point, the paper also records that actual non-hydrocarbon growth in Qatar has been steadily positive throughout the past decade.One example is tourism – which is an area of economic development prioritised by the Qatar state. The IMF records that there were around 200,000 monthly visitors to Qatar in November-December 2019, rising to 1mn for the tournament in late 2022. It has since dropped, but only slightly, to 700,000 in early 2024, an impressive figure to achieve more than a year after the World Cup. The Qatar News Agency reported that Qatar received 4mn visits in 2023.This indicates that the profile of the country in general, and as a tourism destination, has received a sustained boost worldwide.Investment in sporting facilities has extended far beyond stadiums for the World Cup, the IMF report noted. It has included the Aspire Academy as an example. In total, 18 of the players at Qatar’s squad in the tournament were graduates from the academy. Qatar reached 50th in the FIFA rankings by the time of the tournament, compared with 113th at the point of Qatar being awarded the games in 2010.In addition, Qatar has hosted other major tournaments, including the Asian Football Games, the World Aquatics Championships and the Formula 1 race.There are also culinary, business and cultural events in 2024, including an exhibition of art on loan from the Metropolitan Museum in New York. The Qatar International Food Festival and the Web Summit – the world’s largest technology conference, held for the first time in the Middle East – were both held in February.This was always part of a broader plan to use the World Cup as a part of an economic diversification programme, more than just an event in its own right.The author is a Qatari banker, with many years of experience in the banking sector in senior positions.

Former world number one Naomi Osaka said on Saturday that she “would love to play” at this year’s Paris Olympics if she is granted a spot by tennis chiefs. The four-time Grand Slam champion may need to go through an appeals process to claim a place after failing to make a mandatory two appearances for Japan in the Billie Jean King Cup during the current Olympic cycle.Osaka lit the cauldron at the opening ceremony of the Covid-delayed Tokyo Games in 2021, where she went on to make the third round. She has since become a mother, returning to tennis late last year after a 15-month maternity break. She told reporters in Tokyo after helping Japan qualify for the BJK Cup finals that she will play in Paris “if they let me”.“Growing up watching the Olympics on TV, I felt that it was a celebration of sport,” she said.“I thought it brought everyone together and just to be able to be an athlete there and interact with other athletes is one of the funniest things that I’ve ever done.”The 26-year-old said she “would hope that I get to play” at the Games. “And if I do play, I have high ambitions of myself and I hope that I can do really well and get a medal,” she said.Osaka’s world ranking has risen from 831 to 193 since she began her comeback, although she has not gone beyond the quarter-finals in six tournaments.She said she intends to play “a full clay court season and probably a full grass court season” over the coming months. “I would hope that I do really well on one of the clay court tournaments and also grass,” she said.“Honestly, I feel like I’ve improved every match so I think that is possible for me.”Osaka made only one appearance for Japan as they beat Kazakhstan 3-1 to qualify for the BJK Cup finals for the first time. She beat Yulia Putintseva 6-2, 7-6 (7/5), hitting 15 aces.

The escalating impact of the climate crisis on global food security and agriculture is multifaceted.Climate change leads to more frequent and intense weather events such as droughts, floods, hurricanes, and heatwaves. These events devastate crops, disrupt supply chains, and damage infrastructure essential for agriculture.Rising temperatures, altered rainfall patterns, and shifting climate zones affect the suitability of land for agriculture. Some areas may become too dry or too wet for traditional crops, leading to decreased yields or crop failures.The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations has stressed the urgent need for transformative measures in agrifood systems to combat the escalating impact of the climate crisis on food security and agriculture.This call to action comes in response to the alarming findings of the latest UN State of the Global Climate Report, led by the World Meteorological Organisation, which highlights the continuous breaking of climate change indicator records, such as surface temperatures and greenhouse gas levels, in 2023.The report also underscores how extreme weather events, including heatwaves, floods, droughts, wildfires, and intensifying tropical cyclones, are increasingly disrupting food security and agriculture, with significant socioeconomic repercussions.The report, which includes contributions from FAO’s Climate Risks team, highlights the escalating concerns regarding food security, population displacement, and vulnerabilities exacerbated by extreme weather events.It points to a stark increase in acute food insecurity, with the number of affected people more than doubling since before Covid-19.The publication identifies various underlying factors contributing to food insecurity, including prolonged conflicts, economic downturns, high food prices, and climate-related impacts, with regional examples illustrating these challenges.In southern Africa, severe flooding triggered by Cyclone Freddy caused extensive damage to agricultural land, hindering economic recovery.Similarly, prolonged flooding in South Sudan has exacerbated food insecurity and strained access to basic necessities for millions.In Indonesia, drought led to significant crop failures and reduced rice production, highlighting the global economic losses attributed to climate-related disasters, particularly drought.The UN report underscores the vulnerability of the agricultural sector to climate-related risks, with drought posing a significant threat and causing a substantial portion of global damage and loss. These findings underscore the urgent need for comprehensive, co-ordinated efforts to address climate change impacts, mitigate risks, and build resilience within vulnerable communities worldwide.The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association has indicated that there is a 62% chance of La Niña occurring by June–August 2024.The recharge-discharge oscillator theory, wherein heat accumulated during El Niño is dispersed to return the ocean to normal conditions, potentially leading to the onset of La Niña, explains this development.La Niña has the potential for a global impact on climate patterns, including the Atlantic hurricane season and North American winter. Regions such as the southern US, Horn of Africa, and southeast South America face the possibility of consecutive years of poor crop yields due to multiple La Niñas that could lead to multiyear droughts and depletion of water reservoirs used for agriculture.Collaboration at local, national, and international levels is essential to mitigate the impacts of climate change on global food security and agriculture.

The International Monetary Fund's executive board on Friday selected Bulgarian economist Kristalina Georgieva to serve as managing director for a second five-year term, starting on Oct. 1 this year, the global lender said."The Board commended Ms. Georgieva's strong and agile leadership during her term, navigating a series of major global shocks," it said in a statement. Georgieva had been the only candidate for the job.European Union finance ministers last month endorsed Georgieva for a second term at the helm of the lender of last resort, virtually assuring her approval. Traditionally, European countries recommend the managing director of the IMF and the United States recommends the head of the World Bank.Georgieva said she was grateful to the board and honored to be selected for a second term, and said she looked forward to continuing to working with the IMF's "exceptional" staff."In recent years, the IMF has helped our member countries to navigate successive shocks, including the pandemic, war and conflicts, and a cost-of-living crisis," she said. "We also stepped up our work on climate change, fragility and conflict, and the digital transition, in line with their increased significance for macroeconomic and financial stability, growth and employment."Georgieva is the second woman to head the IMF and the first person from an emerging market economy. She is the IMF's 12th managing director since its founding in 1944.A self-described "eternal optimist", Georgieva has led the lender through huge shocks to the global economy, from the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic just months after she took office to Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February, 2022.She drew criticism inside and outside the IMF early on for her push to include climate change as a factor in surveillance reports on member countries' economies and her focus on emerging market and developing economies.She has been instrumental in securing large loans for Ukraine, overseen a revamp of Argentina's massive loan program and worked steadily to help China embrace sovereign debt restructurings.She also survived a personal challenge in 2021 when the IMF's executive board expressed its full confidence in her after reviewing allegations that she pressured staff to alter data to favour China while working at the World Bank.