Search - covid 19

Qatar University (QU) will host on Wednesday its second Child Nutrition Conference under the theme 'Emerging insights into Nutrition in Paediatric Metabolic Diseases in Children', in collaboration with the World Health Organisation (WHO), Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), the Ministry of Health, and researchers from Qatar and beyond.The two-day conference aims to discuss and share knowledge on the latest developments in child nutrition.Associate vice-president for Health Sciences and Medicine at the QU, Prof Feras Alali, said: "The conference embodies our institution's commitment to enhancing collaboration between health specialties, promoting interdisciplinary research and innovation in the field of child nutrition.”“This aligns with our university's strategy to enhance research and increase its impact to meet the needs of the community,” he said. “The conference also reflects the State's vision in the Third National Strategy 2024-2030 to provide a high-quality life through excellence in healthcare and achieve performance indicators such as increasing average life expectancy and reducing mortality."Prof Alali said that the conference would serve as a platform for experts, researchers, and healthcare professionals to exchange knowledge and experiences and present the latest innovations in addressing complex nutritional issues in children.Dean of the QU’s College of Health Sciences, Dr Hanan Abdulrahim, spoke about the success of the inaugural conference, stating: "The positive reception of the first edition encouraged us to continue and launch the second edition, focusing on a crucial theme: child nutrition.”“This conference will address these issues from early stages to late interventions, such as obesity surgery, aligning with the college's commitment to addressing health needs and priorities in Qatar and ensuring that scientific research is in line with topics relevant to the state and the health of citizens, starting with children's health,” she said."In collaboration with the WHO, the conference will host five distinguished researchers presenting success stories in child nutrition research,” conference chair Dr Reema Tayyem said. “Additionally, the WHO will conduct two workshops specialising in various aspects of nutrition will be conducted during the conference days, including workshops by the HMC."Head of the Nutrition Department and Scientific Committee Chair for the conference, Dr Maya Bassil, highlighted the diversity of research topics to be presented.These include evaluations of food, weight deficiencies, and excesses in children and adolescents, integration into healthcare systems, policy proposals, and evaluations.The research covers food insecurity, especially during coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic restrictions, nutritional interventions for children with autism, and diabetes management.The conference brings together participants from various countries, including Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Egypt, Jordan, Bahrain, Palestine, Lebanon, Turkiye, Libya, the US and the UK.

Gold has reaffirmed its position as a cornerstone of alternative investments, QNB said and noted its role in the economic and investment landscape has long been a subject of considerable debate.Historically, gold has served as a store of value, safe haven and internationally convertible asset for millennia, QNB said in an economic commentary.In fact, gold has even underpinned the global monetary system during the Gold Standard (1871-1914) and the Bretton Woods System (1945-1971), when major currencies had to be pegged to the yellow metal in order to be considered “convertible” or a true reserve currency.Despite its non-income-generating nature and the expenses involved in its extraction, gold continues to be held in high regard by investors, including households, sovereign states, and corporations. Its enduring appeal lies in its proven ability to act as a reliable store of wealth, safeguarding assets against periods of significant economic distress and systemic macroeconomic challenges, such as the Great Financial Crisis of 2008-09 or the Covid-19 pandemic of 2020-22, QNB noted.Importantly, after a significant slide from the pandemic highs, gold has recently benefited from a resurgence in demand. As a result, the precious commodity reached an all-time high of $2,135 per ounce in December 2023, hovering around those levels ever since.This price strength of gold is ever more surprising in a context where cash or shortdated government securities are offering high nominal yields, which increases the opportunity costs of holding gold.QNB analysis delves into three main factors that justify the recent allure of gold for global portfolios.First, gold has recently demonstrated again its enduring value as a safeguard against inflation. In the aftermath of the pandemic, monetary authorities in advanced economies faced significant challenges due to a surge in inflation.This created concerns about the rapid pace of decline in the “real value of money,” as more units of currency would be needed to buy the same baskets of goods and services.Not surprisingly, during this period of higher inflation, gold prices reached all-time highs. This, QNB noted offered a compelling affirmation of the long-held belief that gold is an effective hedge against inflationary pressures.Second, the monetary policy cycle in the US and Europe should soon become a tailwind for gold prices. While nominal yields are now much higher than they were in the recent past in most advanced economies, this dynamic is set to change significantly in short order. The US Federal Reserve and the European Central Bank are expected to cut policy rates by 150 and 100 basis points (bps) this year, respectively.This means that cash and short-dated government securities are going to be less attractive as investment options, favouring alternative investments such as gold.Third, the current global economic climate is beset with geopolitical uncertainties, such as the Russo-Ukrainian War, ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, and increasing US-China tensions in the Taiwan Strait.These factors can contribute to a heightened risk premium on traditional assets, steering investors to hedge with alternative safe havens. Gold’s appeal has been further bolstered by secular trends, including the intensifying economic rivalry between West and East, a decline in international co-operation, escalating trade disputes, increasing political polarisation, and the “weaponisation” of economic relations via sanctions.In an era marked by more geopolitical instability, gold’s status as a tangible, jurisdictionally neutral asset that can serve as collateral in various markets becomes increasingly significant. Reflecting this movement, central banks globally have been accumulating gold at a rate unparalleled since the 1960s, when the Bretton Woods System was still operating under the USD-gold peg.“All in all, gold has reaffirmed its position as a cornerstone of alternative investments. Its proven track record as an inflation hedge, coupled with tailwinds coming from monetary easing and the traditional resilience associated with geopolitical upheavals, renders it as an attractive alternative for investors seeking stability and risk mitigation,” QNB added.

Corporations are increasingly moving into the public-health domain. Companies like Amazon, Google, and Microsoft are being “pulled” by market opportunities for non-traditional actors to “disrupt” healthcare. Others are being “pushed” by the imperative – highlighted by events like the Covid-19 pandemic – to act as responsible community stakeholders, such as by helping to address health inequities.When such pull and push forces intersect, there are often important opportunities to align economic and social objectives. But if strategic corporate philanthropy is to improve public health, those charged with making decisions and allocating resources must have a deep understanding of the health system, including the institutions, organisations, and resources that comprise it, and the complex interactions among them.According to a framework established by the World Health Organisation, health systems have six pillars: service delivery; development and deployment of a health workforce; collection, analysis, and use of critical health information; provision of essential medical products, vaccines, and other health technologies; financing; and effective leadership and governance. To meet a population’s health needs, all six must work in harmony, in an elaborate process involving inputs, activities, outputs, outcomes, and impact.Consider Covid-19 vaccination programmes, which depend on inputs – including financial resources, workers, equipment, and the vaccines themselves – that are partly outputs from activities like medical-product development and service delivery, with all the logistics, infrastructure, personnel training, and supervision this entails. Together, all these factors lead to an outcome – getting a large enough share of the population vaccinated – with the impact being a reduction in mortality and morbidity from Covid-19.As the WHO also explains, an effective health system is fair and equitable, both in the distribution of health goods and services and in the way it is financed. It emphasises efficiency and cost-effectiveness as well, and responds to the legitimate non-health expectations of those seeking healthcare, such as respect and compassion. Ultimately, an effective system ensures that anyone in need of a specific health good or service can access it and derive the relevant benefits.This framework should guide corporations – and all stakeholders – as they engage in the public-health domain. So should the principle that any direct investment in the health system must serve to strengthen one or more of the framework’s six pillars. To this end, a clear, data-based strategy for measuring health-system performance is crucial.Only a comprehensive monitoring and evaluating plan – identifying not only what data need to be measured, but also how, when, and by whom – can ensure that decision-makers have the information they need to plan, organise, and implement effective public-health programmes. For example, it can help to ascertain high- and low-priority areas, as well as areas where services are being duplicated, thereby improving the allocation of scarce resources. It can also show which public-health interventions are making the biggest difference, and be used to track progress in health outcomes, potentially revealing gaps between segments of the population.Organisations seeking to engage in public health can use such data – together with a broader understanding of the health-system framework – to identify where they are best suited to make a difference, based on their competitive or comparative advantages. The better they know the terrain they are entering, the easier it will be to pinpoint unmet needs and anticipate their actions’ likely impact (including possible unintended consequences).Health actors need to engage effectively with other stakeholders, because public-health programmes often involve diverse groups with different priorities and objectives that must be harmonised to meet overarching health goals. For such engagement to work, however, trust and credibility are key. An effective impact-measurement strategy can help here, too, by supporting transparency and accountability.For example, while basic principles of privacy and confidentiality must be respected, organisations should share the results, positive or negative, of any public-health investment or intervention – including relevant datasets, where feasible – with other stakeholders. Beyond fostering confidence, letting others know what works and what doesn’t would accelerate progress on improving health outcomes. Independent evaluations of programmes would also help here.All of this requires a set of key performance indicators to be established at different levels of the framework used to measure short-, medium-, and long-term changes resulting from any given programme. There is no need to reinvent the wheel. On the contrary, KPIs should be aligned with global standards, as established in existing policy documents, so that stakeholders are all using the same language.The final critical insight for companies entering the healthcare domain is that not only are health systems highly complex, but they also operate within an environment in which they must continually interact with various political, socioeconomic, and sociocultural forces. All of these forces – not just interactions within the health system – shape public-health outcomes. The better newcomers understand these interactions, the more likely they will be to have a positive impact on public health.– Project SyndicateTom Achoki, a former Sloan fellow at MIT, is an adjunct faculty member at Baylor University and Co-Founder of the Africa Institute for Health Policy, a research and advisory agency based in Nairobi, Kenya.

Airlines rarely fly the most efficient paths between two airports, instead building flight routes to take into account airspace congestion and restrictions as they snake through separate blocks of airspace overseen by national air traffic controllers.The industry is once again being reminded that the Single European Sky (SES) project to reform Europe’s air traffic management system faces collapse if European states do not support the European Commission’s proposals to reboot the stalled initiative.The hope was, and still is, that the single European sky initiative will one-day increase the efficiency of air traffic management and air navigation services by reducing the immense fragmentation of European airspace. By its nature, this ongoing initiative is pan-European and open to neighbouring countries. But the question is...when?Under the Single European Skies initiative, European airspace management would move away from the current, dated arrangement: A fragmented airspace map determined by national borders, to the use of 'functional airspace blocks' the boundaries of which will be designed to maximise the efficiency of the airspace for air travel across Europe as a whole.The aim is clear: To use air traffic management that is more closely based on desired flight patterns leading to greater safety (by preventing congestion in the skies), efficiency (both environmentally and economically) and greater capacity.The Single European Skies initiative will reduce airlines' annual fuel costs by €5.5bn, meaning Europe could better handle large scale disruptions (such as the 2010 Icelandic volcano eruption), overcrowding in the skies (as was happening in summer 2019), as well as unprecedented collapses in air travel demand (such as the immediate impact of the Covid-19 pandemic).But the European Commission has been trying to deliver a single European sky since the early 2000s. Country inaction has meant that none of its targets have been met. New legislation, as proposed by the Commission, is the only way to force the reform and improvements that are desperately needed. IATA point to the intransigence and selfishness of key EU states and their air navigation service providers, adding that their delays threaten to collapse the latest Commission effort. Some EU member state have expressed certain objections to relinquishing their current systems, primarily relating to national security and sovereignty concerns.“The European Commission has been trying to deliver the benefits of SES since the early 2000s,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General. “But state inaction has meant that none of its targets have been met. New legislation, as proposed by the Commission, is the only way to force the reform and improvements that are desperately needed. But the intransigence and selfishness of key EU states and their air navigation service providers (ANSPs) threatens to collapse the latest Commission effort.”With Europe’s air traffic management system being so dated and fragmented, a single European sky initiative is vital for a safe, sustainable, and efficient European air transport industry. It would lead to a 10% cut in EU aviation emissions, supporting the European Green Deal. Capacity can be increased, and delays will occur less (especially in summer) giving a €245bn boost to Europe’s GDP and a million extra jobs annually from 2035.Ourania Georgoutsakou, managing director of Airlines for Europe, a lobbying group, sees it as a missed opportunity to “have a real impact on the carbon emissions of flying in Europe”. Regulators in Brussels agree. “We need member states to move on the common agreement of the SES,” Vălean says.Airbus says that pressure is also rising with new types of aircraft entering the airspace, but old, fragmented airspace plans are not enabling these jets to operate flights as efficiently as could be possible.The aviation industry is firmly behind efforts to achieve a fully integrated airspace, not only for the benefit of airlines, but also for the sake of passengers and the environment. It’s the politics of implementation that’s not aligned. Currently, travellers are enduring unnecessary delays and aircraft are producing more CO2 emissions than they would under a modern, streamlined system.A study revealed airspace modernisation could deliver European consumers an additional $36bn of welfare benefits in the year 2035, compared to a ‘do nothing’ scenario (in which no further airspace modernisation takes place).Commercial aviation continues to be responsible for about 2-3% of global carbon emissions. To date, the industry has made most progress on efficiency gains on new aircraft.Today around 85% more efficient than those entering service in the 1960s. Alternative fuels, particularly sustainable aviation fuels (SAF), have been proven to help achieve the industry climate targets. SAF derived sources such as algae, jatropha, or waste by-products have been shown to reduce the carbon footprint of aviation fuel by up to 80% over their full lifecycle. Nearly a quarter of the operating costs of airlines is spent on fuel: 23.7% in 2019, which is up from 13% in 2001. The proportion is likely to rise further as fuel prices go up. This alone is a major incentive for the whole industry to focus on fuel efficiency.Countries have committed to achieving net zero emissions by 2050, through an international approach, working with governments around the world and through the UN’s aviation agency, ICAO.IATA says the sector remains committed. “Flying net zero is a fiendishly difficult task that will happen because of systematic, small steps that we will pursue”.“We still need to do our best not to forget about environmental challenges,” he stressed.The author is an aviation analyst. Twitter handle: @AlexInAir

Commercial real estate markets have been in a sharp decline across the world as the spike in interest rates compounded challenges from the shift to work-from-home and changing retail behaviour.Back when money in the bank was yielding almost nothing, commercial real estate became a haven for investors in need of reliable returns. As central banks jacked up interest rates, a lot of properties suddenly looked like poor investments.The troubles were compounded by the rise of home working and online shopping, which sapped demand for big, centralised workplaces and retail spaces.The MSCI World Real Estate Index fell by 18% between the start of 2022 and the end of 2023, signalling where equity investors believed property values were headed.About $1.2tn of US commercial real estate debt was “potentially troubled” because of the slump in prices, advisory firm Newmark Group said in August.US regional lenders were particularly exposed, and stood to be hurt harder than their larger peers, because they lacked the large credit card portfolios or investment banking businesses that could insulate them.In Europe cracks began to show as the web of companies in Signa Group imploded, threatening credit losses for dozens of lenders.Some Asian banks were also feeling the pain, with Japan’s Aozora Bank warning investors it would report its first loss in 15 years because of bad loans tied to US property.The depressed prices make it harder for the industry to refinance the $2.2tn of US and European commercial property loans due to mature by the end of 2025, according to a Bloomberg report.Office buildings were the biggest casualties as post-Covid changes in working patterns and poor energy efficiency combined with rising interest rates to crush values.Rising interest rates had a bigger impact on Europe’s property prices as yields there were lower than in the US when central banks began their hiking cycle. However, valuations in the US fell further as it had a larger stock of new and empty buildings.At the end of the third quarter of 2023, more than a fifth of office space lay empty in several major US cities.The European Central Bank is concerned that banks in the region have been too slow to mark down the value of loans and the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority is to review valuations in private markets, including real estate.Also, a new batch of overseas assets acquired in a decade-long Chinese expansion spree are starting to hit the market as landlords and developers decide they want cash now to shore up domestic operations and pay off debts — even if that means taking a financial hit.There are some green shoots of hope, though.But Recovery is expected to be patchy, with investors predicted to favour Europe over the US.Capital Economics, the research consultancy, forecasts that values of commercial buildings in the UK will rise 1.1% this year after dropping 4% in 2023.Eurozone real estate prices should turn positive in 2025, Capital Economics forecasts, while the US will lag substantially with a 10% drop this year and no recovery until 2026.Completed commercial property deals globally sank to the lowest level in a decade last year, with owners unwilling to sell buildings at steep discounts, according to Bloomberg.The worldwide slump triggered by borrowing-cost hikes has already wiped more than $1tn off office property values alone, according to some estimates.But the total damage is still unknown because so few assets have been sold, leaving appraisers with little recent data to go on.

In 2017, African Union heads of state pledged to deploy 2mn community health workers (CHWs), recognising their role in advancing health for all. Seven years on, as African leaders prepare to convene in Addis Ababa, we must reflect on our progress. By 2030, Africa will face a shortage of 6mn health workers, making CHWs a key component and a fast solution to bridging the continent’s health needs. Developing resilient community health-worker programmes across Africa has never been more urgent.We have witnessed how disease outbreaks can plunge a country into darkness – and how the power of CHWs can help pull it back into the light. As Liberia’s experience shows, CHWs need adequate resources and financial support to be effective. In the early 2010s, Liberia’s efforts to offer primary healthcare in remote areas faced significant challenges. There was a shortage of health workers, and where CHWs were deployed, they were under-compensated and did not have the necessary equipment or training to deliver the essential care that was so desperately needed. As a result, different community health initiatives run in parallel by the government and other stakeholders failed to have a significant impact on patients – a common problem in many African countries.In 2016, the Liberian government launched the National Community Health Assistant Programme to address these issues and apply the lessons learned from the Ebola outbreak that began in 2014. With proper supervision, adequate salaries, and enough supplies to reach every household in their communities, CHWs were empowered to provide standardised, integrated primary healthcare services. The results speak for themselves. Liberia’s 4,000 CHWs now deliver nearly 50% of all reported malaria treatments for children under five and consistently provide access to health services, even during the Covid-19 pandemic.Programmes that take a similar approach have yielded positive results in other African countries. Since Ethiopia implemented its community-based Health Extension Programme, which has deployed 40,000 community health workers, vaccination rates have tripled and child mortality has fallen dramatically. The experience of these and other countries shows that supporting CHWs and integrating them into national health systems can save lives and create livelihoods. It should serve as a guide for expanding community health services across the continent.A resilient community health workforce is key to overcoming existing and future health challenges in Africa, which currently range from alarming maternal and infant mortality rates to a high burden of communicable diseases. Equally worrying is the escalating climate crisis, which has underscored the urgency of improving access to care and building health systems that can adapt to a changing environment. Increasing the number of CHWs, and ensuring that they have adequate resources, is one of the most cost-effective and sustainable ways to achieve these goals.Unfortunately, a daunting $4.4bn annual funding gap – compounded by fragmented financial flows – continues to slow our progress toward a healthier, safer, and more prosperous Africa. The solution is to adopt a “one plan, one budget, one report” framework, like that used by Liberia and Ethiopia. With this approach, governments outline their strategies for national community health programmes, and partners co-ordinate resources and technical expertise to reduce the bureaucratic burden.To that end, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and partners launched the first-ever continental coordination mechanism for community health in November 2023. Encouraging coordination among stakeholders will enable African countries to build effective and efficient CHW programmes to tackle the challenges of high-burden communicable diseases such as HIV, tuberculosis, malaria, and non-communicable diseases, as well as to respond better to emergencies, including epidemics and climate shocks.The Africa CDC remains firmly committed to strengthening the community health workforce, which dovetails with the New Public Health Order – the organisation’s health-security agenda – and the AU’s initiative to deploy two million additional CHWs on the continent. As part of this effort, the Africa CDC has collaborated with Africa Frontline First to mobilise the financing needed to professionalise CHWs. Last year’s Reaching the Last Mile Forum in Dubai was a success on that front: 12 partners committed to accelerating support for professional CHWs. This announcement also included $900mn from the Global Fund over the next three years, 74% of which is earmarked for Africa.The private and public actors in Africa must take coordinated action. As heads of state convene for the AU Summit, we urge them to make the development of an integrated professional community health workforce a top priority.

Tributes poured in on Monday for Kenyan running sensation Kelvin Kiptum after the marathon world record-holder was killed in a car crash at the age of 24.The death of Kiptum just months before the Paris Olympics has shocked Kenya and the world of athletics, with his rival, the legendary marathon runner Eliud Kipchoge saying he was “deeply saddened”.Kiptum, a father of two, was driving from Kaptagat to Eldoret in the Rift Valley, the heartland of Kenyan distance running, around 11pm on Sunday when his car careered off the road and hit a tree. Police said Kiptum and his Rwandan coach Gervais Hakizimana were killed on the spot while a woman passenger was injured.“He lost control and veered off-road entering into a ditch on his left side. He drove in the ditch for about 60 metres before hitting a big tree,” said an official police report from Elgeyo Marakwet County where the accident occurred. Images on Kenyan media showed the mangled wreck of the vehicle, its windscreen shattered, the roof and doors buckled and almost ripped off.From herding goats just a decade ago, Kiptum had announced he would attempt in April to become the first man to run an official marathon under the mythic two-hour mark. He burst onto the marathon scene when he ran a world record 2:00:35 in Chicago in October, slicing 34 seconds off Kipchoge’s previous record. He was just 23 at the time, and competing in only his third marathon.Kiptum also won his other two efforts – his debut in Valencia in 2022 and a follow-up in London the following year – recording three of the seven fastest marathon times in history. Kipchoge, regarded as one of the greatest marathon runners of all time, described his younger rival as a “rising star”. “An athlete who had a whole life ahead of him to achieve incredible greatness,” Kipchoge said on X.Kiptum and 39-year-old Kipchoge were expected to face off for the first time at the Paris Olympics. As the tributes flowed, mourners gathered at the family home in the Rift Valley village of Chepsamo, consoling his father Samson Cheruiyot and his wife Asenath Rotich.Cheruiyot told local station that he last spoke to his only son on Saturday and that Kiptum had said “if he was to run, he could do it in one hour 59/58 minutes since his body was feeling fine”.Kenyan President William Ruto described Kiptum as “one of the world’s finest sportsmen who broke barriers to secure a marathon record”. “An extraordinary sportsman has left an extraordinary mark in the globe,” he said on X.World Athletics said Kiptum’s Valencia debut was the fastest in history and mourned the loss of “one of the most exciting new prospects to emerge in road running in recent years”. “An incredible athlete leaving an incredible legacy, we will miss him dearly,” said its president Sebastian Coe, who last week had been in Chicago to officially ratify Kiptum’s historic time.Kenyan 1,500m record-holder Faith Kipyegon left a wordless tribute on X: three crying emojis and a Kenyan flag, while two-time Olympic 800m champion David Rudisha said Kiptum’s death was a “huge loss”.“We had been looking forward to welcoming him into the Olympic community at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 and seeing what the fastest marathon runner in the world could achieve,” International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach said on X.Ten years ago, barely a teen, Kiptum herded goats and sheep and then began following Hakizimana and other runners as they trained in the legendary high-altitude Eldoret region. By 2019, Kiptum ran two half-marathons in two weeks in Europe. He began training with Hakizimana, who stayed in Kenya when the Covid-19 pandemic struck.Kiptum’s death is the latest in a saga of tragedies to hit Kenya’s athletics hopefuls. In 2011, Kenyan marathon great Samuel Wanjiru died at the same age in a mysterious accident at his home after capturing the title at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.In 2021, distance running star Agnes Tirop was found stabbed to death at the age of 25 at her house in Iten, near Eldoret. Her husband Ibrahim Rotich went on trial for her murder in November last year.

Group CEO Abdullah Mubarak al-Khalifa: "We take pride in the Group's success in establishing itself as a global banking brand and a leading financial institution in Qatar and the region throughout this prolonged journey" QNB Group, the largest financial institution in the Middle East and Africa, celebrates its 60th anniversary this year, marking its establishment in 1964 as the first and oldest financial and banking institution in Qatar. This milestone crowns a continuous journey of success during which the group transformed from a local bank into one of the largest and most profitable financial institutions in the region. With over 29,000 employees, it provides services to more than 20mn clients in key financial and business capitals around the world. On the occasion, QNB Group CEO Abdullah Mubarak al-Khalifa, stated: "Celebrating sixty years since the establishment of QNB Group is an opportunity for reflection on six decades during which the bank played a crucial role in supporting Qatar's growth and comprehensive development under the guidance and purview of the country’s astute leadership, enhancing Qatar's international standing." “We take pride in the Group's success in establishing itself as a global banking brand and a leading financial institution in Qatar and the region throughout this prolonged journey. “Our commitment and continuous efforts have resulted in a lasting legacy of social responsibility, sustainable development, and creating positive change in the communities where we operate. This aligns with our ambitious strategy aimed at supporting the transition towards a sustainable, low-carbon economy, contributing to the achievement of our sustainability goals and aligning with Qatar's National Vision 2030. “Looking ahead to the future, QNB Group anticipates entering a new chapter of success, expanding its reach and seizing promising opportunities in key markets, in line with our vision to become one of the leading banks in the Middle East, Africa, and Southeast Asia.” Beginnings Since its inception, QNB, formerly known as Qatar National Bank until its rebranding in 2004, has undergone a series of significant transformations over the past few decades. The bank's establishment dates back to the early 1960s when senior officials from the Ministry of Finance, led by His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad al-Thani, laid the foundation for the first national bank in the country. QNB Group was established by Decree No. (7) of 1964 as a Qatari joint-stock company, becoming the first privately-owned commercial bank. Its ownership is now divided between the Qatar Investment Authority and the private sector, and it is listed on the Qatar Stock Exchange. Officially commencing operations in 1965, QNB expanded its branch network across the country, aligning with an intricate mapping of the country’s population and economic growth. In its humble beginnings, financial data processing was manual before the bank introduced modern technology into its branch network. In 1989, the bank implemented the KAPITI online banking system, connecting its branch network to a mainframe computer, marking a technological revolution in banking. The bank did not stop there; it introduced the first automated trading system, incorporating computer systems into its London branch in 1984, preceding the installation of the first ATMs in Qatar. In 1989, the bank introduced Visa credit cards for the first time, and by 1994, it had issued over 50% of ‘Premier’ and ‘Classic’ cards in Qatar. Adapting to technological advancements in the 1990s, QNB implemented the latest trading technologies and established one of the most modern trading rooms in the Gulf region. In 1994, the bank opened its first branch for vehicle financing and continued to support the majority of government projects in various departments and ministries. Today, QNB stands as the largest financial institution in the Middle East and Africa, and one of the highest-rated banks globally, according to the three major credit rating agencies: Standard & Poor's (A), Fitch (A), and Moody's (A+). A partner in national development and a key player in Qatar’s modern renaissance As one of the most prominent financial institutions supporting the country, QNB continues its efforts to bolster economic development by contributing to various national projects and initiatives, driving long-term development. In alignment with these goals, the Group ensures its strategic objectives align with Qatar's national vision, taking on the responsibility of supporting efforts to build an innovative and knowledge-based economy, in line with the Qatar’s National Development Strategy, and its own Sustainability Strategy. QNB began assuming this role as far back as 1966 when it greatly contributed to financing the construction of Doha International Airport. Today, it continues to play a leading role in financing massive infrastructure projects, including Hamad International Airport. The bank has also financed several industrial facilities and expansion projects, such as the North Gas Field project and gas projects in Ras Laffan for liquefied natural gas extraction, supporting Qatar's position as the world's largest exporter of natural gas. Additionally, the bank has financed the construction of iconic towers, including the Shard Tower in London and the development of towers housing the Qatar Financial Centre headquarters. It has also supported global educational institutions like Qatar Education City, along with major healthcare, residential, and commercial projects. QNB also played a significant role in Qatar's successful hosting of the 2006 Asian Games and the 2019 World Athletics Championships, and it was actively involved as an Official Supporter of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 in the Middle East and Africa, being the Official Qatari bank for the tournament. Global expansion in key markets The bank's journey of expansion began in 1976 with the opening of its first international branch in London, followed by the Paris branch two years later. In 2005, the Group embarked on an ambitious international expansion plan. In 2013, the Group successfully acquired a controlling stake of 95.00% in QNB Alahli, the second-largest bank in the Arab Republic of Egypt. It further expanded regionally by acquiring stakes in several financial institutions, including 20% in Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (Ecobank), one of the largest banks in Africa; 38.6% in Housing Bank for Trade and Finance in Jordan; 40% in Commercial Bank International based in the United Arab Emirates; 99.99% in QNB Tunisia; 54% in Mansour Bank in Iraq; and 20% in Jazeera Finance in Doha. QNB owns 51% of QNB Syria and 92% of QNB Indonesia. Recognising the strategic importance of the Saudi market, QNB opened its second branch in Jeddah following the opening of the Riyadh branch in 2017. In line with its vision to become a leading bank in the Middle East, Africa, and Southeast Asia and to strengthen its presence in highly competitive markets, the Group initiated its operations in China, one of the world’s second biggest and historically fastest growing economies, in 2013. The representative office in China provides advisory services in investment and trade for Middle Eastern institutions interested in conducting business or investing in China. Additionally, it coordinates with Chinese companies seeking to expand operations in the Middle East. The Group has been operating in Vietnam since 2015 and began its operations in India in 2017. Record financial results and strong ratings Thanks to its strong financial position and remarkable financial results, QNB consistently holds top positions in global rankings of leading financial institutions. Over the years, QNB, with its wise management, balanced strategy, strong financial performance, and quality assets, has fortified its position as the largest financial institution in the region. It has garnered a broad market share and a growing customer base both locally and regionally. QNB also boasts the widest network of international branches, representative offices, and subsidiaries. The rankings, which are consistently and continuously granted to QNB by major global institutions, affirm the financial strength of the Group, the quality of its services and products in the markets, and its domestic and international investments.  World's Strongest Bank QNB topped Bloomberg Markets' list of the world's strongest banks in 2012, being the only representative from the Middle East and North Africa on the list.  Among the 50 Safest Banks in the World Global Finance included QNB in the list of the safest 50 banks in emerging markets for 2023, affirming the success of its sustainable business strategy.  First in the Middle East Among the Top 1000 Global Banks In 2021, QNB ranked first in The Banker's list of the top 1000 banks in the world for the Middle East and Africa, securing the 79th position globally.  First Financial Institution to Exceed QR1tn in Assets In 2020, QNB achieved a historic milestone by becoming the first financial institution to surpass QR1tn in total assets in the Middle East and Africa, with a 9% increase, equivalent to $282bn.  First in the Top 30 Banks in the Middle East QNB topped Forbes' list of the strongest 30 banks in the Middle East for 2022 for the second consecutive year, leading the banking sector in the Middle East with total assets of 300.3 billion dollars.  Top Banking Brand in the Middle East and Africa QNB retained its position as the highest-valued banking brand in the Middle East and Africa for consecutive years, according to the Annual Report on the World’s Top 500 Banking Brands by Brand Finance, a subsidiary of The Banker magazine, further solidifying its position as a regional banking sector leader and grounding its aspirations to become one of the world’s best performing banks. This accolade also serves as recognition for QNB’s strong financial position, the quality of its global assets, its tremendous banking capabilities and its strong regional and international footprint in the banking sector. It also serves as a reminder that the QNB brand is a national icon with a very rich heritage, and that it faithfully strived to keep its name synonymous with leadership and excellence, which is what ultimately allowed it to become a globally acclaimed trademark. Icon reflecting the group’s achievements As part of its role as a strategic banking partner for Expo 2023 Doha Qatar, the Group launched the ‘QNB Icon’, distinguished by its contemporary design and use of eco-friendly technologies. The icon embodies the Group's journey since its establishment in 1964 as a national bank, expanding into a global banking brand with a network extending across Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Middle East. Standing at four metres in height with a diameter of 3.5 metres, the icon comprises four golden columns topped by a golden solar-powered circular piece displaying key information about QNB's significant achievements in five languages: Arabic, English, French, Chinese, and Turkish. Digital transformation journey QNB has charted a roadmap for digital transformation by investing in the infrastructural development of its digital channels and leveraging artificial intelligence across its operational processes. QNB has been a pioneer in leading digital transformation in Qatar and the region since 2012, introducing "contactless" payment services. Since then, the bank has consistently worked on developing a unique set of distinguished services and innovative financial payment solutions. In this context, the bank has launched advanced banking products to better meet customer needs, incorporating enhanced security and privacy features. These include contactless payment cards, wearable devices, and smart bracelets equipped with NFC technology, among others. The introduction of QNB's online and mobile banking services has been a significant milestone in the bank's digital transformation journey, serving as a platform that supports its market leadership in Qatar. Subsequently, the bank has expanded its digital services, including innovative offerings such as WhatsApp banking. QNB continues to enhance the digital customer experience through its online banking channels, with continuous improvements to its services and products. The bank notably became the first in Qatar to enhance the experience of direct money transfers to the Philippines using the Ripple platform and QNB Finansbank in Turkiye. In the realm of digital banking services for corporations, the bank has developed its digital trade portal, providing innovative services tailored to the needs of this segment of the market. With the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on face-to-face transactions, digital products and services gained increased significance. The bank responded by introducing new digital products and services to meet the specific needs of its customers during this period. In recognition of its leadership in digital banking services, the Group has received several prestigious international awards, including the ‘Best Digital Solutions Bank in Qatar’ for 2023 from Euromoney and the ‘Best Bank in Qatar’ as part of the Euromoney Excellence Awards 2023. Leadership in sustainability and support for responsible business practices Sustainable and responsible business practices have always had a direct and purposeful impact on the communities where the QNB Group operates, contributing to building more inclusive and empowering societies. As part of its commitment to promoting sustainable development for the national economy and supporting Qatar's national action plan for climate change, QNB has established its sustainability framework, consisting of three pillars: sustainable finance, sustainable operations, and beyond-banking commitments. To achieve these goals, QNB has developed Group-wide common global standards. The bank has integrated environmental, social, and governance (ESG) standards into the core of its products, services, and business aspects, supporting national and global sustainable development goals and efforts to transition to an environmentally friendly economy. QNB's ongoing sustainability framework represents a significant step towards enhancing the Group's ESG strategy. The bank has also developed its sustainable finance framework. Continuing its sustainability journey, the bank works on reinforcing its leadership as a provider of innovative and responsible financial services. This includes green financing solutions to support environmentally friendly projects, green mortgages, green car loans, and others, offering customers exclusive benefits, lower interest rates, and flexible repayment periods. In 2020, QNB became the first financial institution in Qatar to issue $600mn in green bonds on the London Stock Exchange. These were not only the first green bonds issued in Qatar but also the largest green bond to have ever been issued by a financial institution in the Middle East and North Africa. These bonds are listed on the LSE under the sustainable bonds category, and the proceeds are earmarked for financing and/or refinancing eligible green projects. The QNB Group is committed to contributing to national environmental and sustainability events. It recently provided its strategic banking partnership for Expo 2023 Doha Qatar, the first international horticultural exhibition in Qatar and the Middle East and North Africa region, themed "Green Desert, Better Environment”, reinforcing sustainable practices and addressing relevant global challenges. The Group is also dedicated to its annual sponsorship of the Qatar Sustainability Week organised by the Qatar Green Building Council, a founding member of Qatar Foundation. This commitment reflects the Group's dedication to the environment and its contribution to raising awareness among its employees and customers about the importance of sustainability. In 2019, the bank joined the list of signatories to the United Nations Global Compact initiative to implement global sustainability principles and the UN Principles for Responsible Investment. It also issues annual reports on progress to enhance best practices in the areas of human rights, labour, and the environment. The QNB Group places special importance on diversity and inclusion principles, reflected in its diverse workforce comprising various nationalities working in some 31 countries. It maintains a high percentage of female participation and a strong presence in top leadership positions throughout the Group's management. The bank's policies aimed at ensuring diversity and supporting initiatives and events in sports, culture, and social areas designed for employees contribute to creating an ideal working environment, ensuring the well-being of all Group employees alike. Proactive plans to confront crises The QNB Group played a pivotal role in alleviating the economic and financial shock caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. It implemented measures aimed at supporting borrowers, such as loan payment deferrals, debt restructuring, and lending to key sectors. These actions helped enhance the resilience of the banking system in Qatar. During this period, QNB initiated loan deferrals and extended the repayment of financial credits for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) free of charge for three months. Despite the widespread negative impact on the global economy due to lockdown measures, reduced global trade, and a decline in diverse activities, QNB's determination to manage the crisis was evident. The bank operated under exceptional conditions and achieved positive financial results. QNB stands out as one of the few banks globally that successfully developed an effective strategy for managing long-term crises and fluctuations. This aligns with the policies of the Qatar Central Bank and the national development strategy aimed at diversifying the economy and transforming Qatar into a regional centre for knowledge, high-value industrial, and service activities, fostering the growth of non-hydrocarbon sectors. These efforts received international recognition, with the Group receiving numerous awards, including ‘Best Bank in Qatar’ for 2020 from Euromoney, ‘Strongest Bank in the Arab World 2021’, and ‘Best Leading Trade Company in Qatar’ for 2020 from GTR Magazine. These accolades acknowledge the outstanding business model of the Group and the success of its proactive strategy in addressing the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic. The Group's continuous efforts in developing innovative and secure digital banking solutions online and on mobile platforms contribute to enhancing the safety of its customers as a top priority. Attracting national talent QNB has solidified its position as a preferred employer, successfully attracting top talents in Qatar and across its international network. Working at QNB is considered a step toward establishing a successful career path, ensuring upward mobility within the organisational hierarchy. The bank employs best practices in candidate selection, emphasising a culture of performance excellence and investing in continuous training and development for its employees. This commitment is facilitated through various programmes and educational courses offered by the bank's Development and Training Centre and the ‘Ithraa’ digital training platform. Educational opportunities include programmes for technical skill development, business management, credit and risk assessment courses, as well as conferences and external activities. The ‘Financial Cadres’ national programme, launched by the Qatar Academy for Financial and Business Studies in partnership with the Qatar Central Bank, offers an annual opportunity for QNB's Qatari graduates to complete a training programme and earn internationally accredited certificates, qualifying them for leadership positions in the financial services sector, aligning with Qatar's National Vision 2030. Qatari employees also benefit from specialised training programmes tailored to their specific job needs. These include supervisory development, leadership development, personal effectiveness programmes, and orientation programmes for new hires. Annually, the Group organises an open day for national recruitment, reaffirming its commitment to developing the national workforce and contributing to building a sustainable knowledge-based economy. QNB is a partner in national efforts to attract promising Qatari talents across various positions, aligning with the national strategy for developing the Qatari workforce, implementing workforce nationalisation plans, and ultimately supporting Qatar's National Vision 2030. The bank provides its employees with a range of scholarship programmes available at top universities within the country. Additionally, it offers an educational grant programme for Qatari students, along with the ‘QNB Ambassadors’ programme that aims to send Qatari employees to its international branches to gain international experience in banking. The bank embraces a system aimed at promoting a culture of teamwork, integrity, and innovation. It reflects its belief in the principle of equal opportunities for all employees and the exchange of best practices. Global presence of the QNB Brand in the FIFA World Cup 2022 Throughout the tournament, the QNB brand, recognised as the most valuable banking brand in the Middle East and Africa, made a prominent presence among the world's largest global brands during this massive global sporting event, solidifying its position as a global banking icon. The bank's brand shares many commonalities with the tournament, embodying a lot of passion and determination to deliver the best banking experience for its customers, thus enhancing its status as an icon. QNB provided visitors to Qatar with an advanced digital banking experience, offering a wide range of services designed with the highest levels of security to be part of this exceptional experience. During the tournament, QNB organised a series of entertainment and sports activities at the eight stadiums that hosted the World Cup matches. These events targeted football fans from around the world, creating a fantastic atmosphere with a large audience in attendance.

David Warner slammed 70 off 36 balls in his 100th Twenty20 international and Adam Zampa grabbed three wickets as Australia beat the West Indies by 11 runs in the opening clash of their three-match series on Friday.The hosts crunched 213-7 after being sent in to bat on a windy and cold Hobart evening.The visitors put up a valiant fight but they could only manage 202-8, with Zampa taking 3-26.Warner, who became only the third man after New Zealand’s Ross Taylor and India’s Virat Kohli to play 100 internationals in each format, hit 12 fours and a six in his explosive knock to anchor the Australia innings.“Pleasing to get the win on the board. I feel refreshed and a lot of energy,” said Warner.“I said I want to play the Twenty20 World Cup and finish there and I’m excited and it’s a good journey we’ve got going through the next six months.”The West Indies hammered 16 off the opening over from Jason Behrendorff in a perfect start to the chase and put on 72 without loss in the six-over powerplay, just five shy of what Australia managed. But when Johnson Charles fell for 42 to Zampa and Brandon King for 53 to Marcus Stoinis after an 89-run stand, the wheels began coming off.Stoinis accounted for Shai Hope (16) and Glenn Maxwell removed Rovman Powell (14).It left the West Indies needing 72 from the final five overs, but when Zampa snared two more wickets in four balls it blunted the charge and the win proved out of reach.“We struggled to get partnerships, but it was a good game of cricket,” said West Indies skipper Powell. “We just have to back ourselves a little bit more.”Warner smacked five boundaries from his first 10 balls, including four in Jason Holder’s opening over. The 37-year-old brought up his 25th T20 half-century off just 22 balls to send a clear message to selectors that he plans to be in contention for the World Cup later this year.He was eventually out to a slower Alzarri Joseph delivery, gloving to Nicolas Pooran behind the stumps. With Travis Head and Steve Smith rested, Josh Inglis opened with Warner and was equally aggressive in thumping 39 off 25 balls until removed by Holder, offering Powell a simple catch at mid-off.Mitchell Marsh was dealing with Covid in the lead-up but showed few ill effects in hitting a giant six off Andre Russell to help Australia reach 110-1 at the halfway mark before being caught behind off Joseph for 16.The run rate eased when Warner departed before Tim David took up the mantle with an explosive unbeaten 37 off 17 balls.Brief scores: Australia 213-7 in 20 overs (D. Warner 70, J. Inglis 39, T. David 37 not out; A. Russell 3-42, A. Joseph 2-46) bt WI 202-8 in 20 overs (B. King 53, J. Charles 42, J. Holder 34 not out; A. Zampa 3-26, M. Stoinis 2-20) by 11 runs.

The 25th anniversary of the euro’s introduction, which has passed largely under the radar, offers an opportune moment to assess the current state of the greatest monetary experiment in modern history.The euro’s launch in January 1999 polarised economists. In the face of much scepticism – the late American economist Martin Feldstein even argued that the single currency could trigger a war in Europe – the euro’s architects envisioned a future characterised by macroeconomic stability, anchored by an independent central bank and a fiscal framework geared toward stability. Structural reforms, which the European Union’s member states were expected to implement, were meant to enhance the monetary union’s capacity to adjust to shocks.None of those scenarios materialised. Over the past quarter-century, the euro has shown extraordinary resilience, navigating through several critical challenges and defying early predictions of its collapse. But while the single currency has delivered on some of its promises – most notably, maintaining price stability for most of its existence – it has failed to boost Europe’s potential growth or facilitate the continent’s full economic and political integration.This mixed record can be attributed largely to the fact that Europe’s economic union was incomplete from the outset. Despite the significant progress that has been made since its inception, the eurozone’s fiscal and economic frameworks remain woefully underdeveloped compared to its monetary infrastructure.To understand the consequences of the eurozone’s unfinished architecture, it is useful to divide the past 25 years into four distinct periods. The first phase, from 1999 to 2008, could be labelled the “2% decade”: economic growth, inflation, and budget deficits (as a share of GDP) all hovered around this rate. This phase was characterized by the excessive optimism of the “Great Moderation.”But the internal imbalances that emerged during this period would haunt the eurozone for years to come. The convergence of interest rates, evidenced by minimal spreads, resulted in overly sanguine portrayals of member states’ public finances. Simultaneously, loose fiscal and monetary conditions reduced European governments’ incentives to undertake structural reforms and bolster their banking systems.Nominal convergence also masked more profound structural disparities, as capital flowed from the eurozone’s richest members to their poorer counterparts, where it was frequently channelled into less productive sectors, such as real estate and non-tradable services, often through instruments like short-term bank loans. Consequently, while the eurozone’s current accounts appeared balanced, significant imbalances emerged.The fallout from the 2008 global financial crisis, particularly the discovery that Greece had lied about its budget deficits and debt, eroded trust among member states. The prevailing narrative shifted to one of moral hazard, emphasising the need for each country to get its own house in order.By the time eurozone governments finally co-ordinated a response – establishing the European Stability Mechanism (ESM), launching the banking union project, introducing the European Central Bank’s Outright Monetary Transactions program, and expanding the ECB’s balance sheet – the euro appeared to be on the brink of collapse.The key turning point was the pledge by then-ECB President Mario Draghi to do “whatever it takes” to preserve the euro in July 2012. But with monetary policy increasingly viewed as the “only game in town,” the eurozone’s economic and financial structures remained fragmented.The Covid-19 crisis changed that. The exogenous nature of the pandemic shock, together with the lack of impending elections, enabled EU leaders – led by French President Emmanuel Macron, then-German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen – to present a unified front, unencumbered by the pressure to avoid moral hazard. The EU suspended the Stability and Growth Pact, which had previously capped member states’ budget deficits at 3% of GDP, and rolled out the Support to mitigate Unemployment Risks in an Emergency and the NextGenerationEU recovery programs, financing both through common borrowing. Meanwhile, the ECB introduced its €1.85tn ($2tn) Pandemic Emergency Purchase Program.Although this demonstration of collective leadership reassured markets, fuelling an economic rebound, the optimism proved to be short-lived. A global inflationary surge, fuelled by robust macroeconomic stimulus and pandemic-related supply-chain disruptions, was exacerbated by the energy-price shock that followed Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Although European policymakers worked together to reduce the EU’s dependence on Russian gas, they failed to mount a collective response akin to the NextGenerationEU initiative. Confronted with rising deficits and debt, not to mention the most aggressive monetary-tightening cycle since the 1980s, EU countries have once again put eurozone reforms on hold.Two important lessons follow from the euro’s first 25 years. First, the monetary union’s incomplete institutional framework has proven to be both costly and dangerous. Finalising the banking union, especially the creation of a common resolution fund with the backstop of the ESM and deposit insurance, is essential to ensure stability and bolster the international role of the euro.Thus, Italy’s recent failure to ratify the ESM treaty is a serious setback. Pushing forward the capital market union is essential if Europe is to meet the financial challenges posed by the digital and green transitions. To achieve all of this, EU leaders must strike a balance between risk sharing and risk reduction.Second, completing the euro is crucial for safeguarding and developing the EU’s greatest achievement: the single market. European countries’ current pursuit of national industrial policies, funded through state aid, undermines the core values of the single-market project. To address this challenge, the EU must formulate a cohesive European industrial policy. This should include an increase in cross-border investments, focusing on European public goods such as human-capital development, the availability of critical materials, and the green and digital transitions.After the fall of the Berlin Wall, German Chancellor Helmut Kohl, French President François Mitterrand, and European Commission President Jacques Delors turned the dream of a single currency into a reality.During the Covid-19 crisis, Macron, Merkel, and von der Leyen managed to overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles and achieve a historic breakthrough. Now, a quarter-century after its introduction, the euro requires visionary leaders to shepherd European sovereignty to its next phase. — Project Syndicate(This article draws on the CEPR Policy Insights February 1, 2024, paper 'The First 25 Years of the Euro', written under the auspices of the European University Institute’s Economic and Monetary Union Laboratory).Marco Buti is Tommaso Padoa Schioppa Chair at the European University Institute’s Robert Schuman Center.Giancarlo Corsetti is Pierre Werner Chair at the Robert Schuman Center and Professor of Economics at the European University Institute.

A precious Vincent van Gogh painting stolen and then handed to a Dutch art sleuth in an IKEA bag was displayed yesterday for the first time since its headline-grabbing return.The 1884 “Parsonage Garden at Nuenen in Spring”, worth up to €6mn ($6.8mn), was unveiled to media at a Rotterdam museum, with damage from the theft still visible.A deep white scratch can be seen at the bottom of the canvas.“I would call this a severe one because it goes through all the layers, the varnish, the paint layers, and then into the ground layer, which is white,” said the painting’s restorer Marjan de Visser.“Underneath is the original canvas, which is also a little bit damaged,” de Visser told AFP, adding the damage probably came from the painting bumping into something hard.De Visser said she was conducting a thorough investigation into the painting, examining the materials used, previous restorations, how it was mounted.“Without knowing, you can’t do anything, you can’t make a proposal for its conservation,” she said.She has already removed dirt from the painting and started taking off some of the varnish, preparatory steps for the restoration proper.Yesterday’s showing was just for media, but the public will be able to view the painting from March 29 in Groningen Museum, in the north of The Netherlands.The painting was stolen in a daring midnight heist during the March 2020 Covid-19 lockdown from the Singer Laren Museum near Amsterdam, when it was on loan from Groningen.Video footage released by police showed a thief smashing through a glass door in the middle of the night, before running out with the painting tucked under his right arm.The painting’s whereabouts was unknown for three and a half years before sensationally resurfacing in the possession of an art sleuth dubbed the “Indiana Jones of the Art World.”A man, whose identity was not revealed for his own safety, handed back the painting to Arthur Brand in a blue IKEA bag, covered with bubble-wrap and stuffed in a pillow casing.The painting comes from relatively early on in Van Gogh’s career, before the prolific artist embarked on his trademark post-impressionist paintings such as “Sunflowers” and his vivid self-portraits.“This is how the young Van Gogh painted, before he went to art academy in Antwerp,” said De Visser.

An independent analysis of research output on diabetes-related nerve damage identified Qatar as the world’s second-most productive country, relative to population size. The study, published in the journal Frontiers in Endocrinology, showed that scientists in Qatar produced 18.1 articles on diabetic neuropathy per million inhabitants (51 articles; 2.83mn inhabitants), just behind Denmark in first place, which produced 20.27 articles per million people (117 articles; 5.77mn inhabitants). Dr Rayaz Malik, professor of medicine and assistant dean for clinical investigations at WCM-Q was involved in most of the published studies that led to Qatar’s elevated ranking. Dr Malik, who was last year listed as the number one medical researcher in Qatar by Research.com, an independent research portal that compiles a global list of high-achieving scientists each year, said: “It is extremely gratifying to see hard independent evidence that Qatar’s investment in biomedical research, especially diabetes, is having a global impact. Diabetic neuropathy can lead to severe pain, foot ulceration and amputation in people with diabetes so it is great to see Qatar making a massive contribution to research in this area.” The study, titled ‘The landscape of global research on diabetic neuropathy,’ was published by researchers from the University of Exeter in the UK and Goethe University in Frankfurt, Germany. The study also revealed the strong international collaboration established by Dr Malik between Qatar and the United Kingdom, one of the world’s leading countries in diabetes research. Dr Malik, from WCM-Q, is a practising consultant physician in endocrinology and diabetes at Hamad Medical Corporation and has pioneered the use of Corneal Confocal Microscopy, a rapid, non-invasive ophthalmic imaging technique to diagnose and predict progression of multiple neurodegenerative diseases in patients with diabetic neuropathy, long-Covid, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, dementia, schizophrenia and autism, among others.