Qatar National Day Events to be Broadcast Live
According to today’s Gulf Times Qatar National Day Events will be carried live on television, Al Doha TV
National Day events to be telecast live
Al Doha TV, the official National Day television station, will be offering live broadcasts of National Day activities plus cultural, entertainment and documentary series through December 18.
Free-to-air Al Doha TV is an initiative of, and funded by, the State National Day Celebrations Organising Committee (SNDCOC), made its debut on December 18 last year, on the occasion of National Day.
Al Doha TV channel can be seen on Bader4 (Arabsat), Frequency: 12111mhz
Qatar celebrates its National Day on December 18 in commemoration of the historic day in 1878 when the country’s founder Sheikh Jasim, succeeded his father, Sheikh Mohamed Bin Thani, as a ruler and led the country toward unity.
The event is considered as an opportunity for all Qatari nationals and expatriates to recognise and celebrate what it means to live in modern day Qatar.
The 2009 schedule features programmes produced by Al Doha TV in its state-of-the-art production facilities or outsourced to renowned Qatari and international production companies.
Al Doha TV is to telecast documentaries which capture aspects of traditional and modern Qatari life.
‘Mosque Tales’ tells the history of Qatari mosques and reveals fascinating stories behind them. ‘Sport’ shows how the country is investing massively to create a culture of sporting participation amongst its citizens.
‘Destination Doha’ discovers how Qatar Tourism Authority attracts record numbers of business and vacation tourists by investing in hotels, museums, parks, new town and cultural attractions.
‘Health’ visits hospitals, health centres, and research centres to interview doctors and hospital managers and get the lowdown on the most up-to-date equipment and health techniques.
‘In Vision for Education’ depicts men and women who have the responsibility of graduating Qatar’s first generation of doctors, designers, and diplomats, and how the independent schools are helping raise standards and grades.
Qatar’s long-term economic prosperity is the focus of ‘Qatar Is Booming,’ a 60-minute documentary examining recent developments and future plans in Qatar’s energy, industry, commerce and agriculture sectors.
The complete list of National Day 2009 events and activities is available on the official website, http://www.ndqatar.com
Qatar National Day 2009 sponsors are the following:
Qtel (official sponsor)
QNB (official bank)
Barwa, Commercialbank, Qatari Diar (platinum sponsors)
Qatar Petroleum, Teyseer Group, United Development Company(gold sponsors)
Doha Bank, Ezdan, Qatar Airways, The Diplomatic Club (silver sponsors).
Doha unscathed by downturn: PM
He’s the prime minister. I guess I am wrong. I thought I saw a lot of constructions at a stand still. It looked to me like the population of laborers has dropped. People are slipping away, expat management level workers, being let go, heading home. There are some empty units on our highly-sought after compound. Few people at Villagio are carrying shopping bags; most of the bags leaving City Center appear to be Carrefour groceries or Home Center: on sale. Rents are dropping.
It looks to me like something is dragging on the Qatar economy, it looks to me like there may be some empty seats on flights in and out. But I must be wrong.
You can read the entire article by clicking on the blue type below, which will take you to the article in The Peninsula.
Doha unscathed by downturn: PM
Web posted at: 12/8/2009 2:8:12
Source ::: The Peninsula
By Nasser al Harthy
DOHA: The global economic downturn has not affected any of Qatar’s projects, Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, H E Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem bin Jabor Al Thani, said here yesterday.
Addressing the opening of the fourth edition of the International Petroleum Technology Conference (IPTC), Sheikh Hamad Bin Jassem said: “We, in Qatar have overcome the consequences of the crisis with minimum damages and that the crisis has not affected any of our projects being implemented, whether in the oil sector, gas sector or development and infrastructure projects undertaken by other state sectors.”
“We are moving forward with full determination to implement all our ambitious plans which focus on sustainable development in which oil, gas and industry play a basic role and constitute one of its strong pillars,” he added.
The Prime Minister noted that the world economy passed through a difficult period of recession last year leading to a sharp drop in oil and gas consumption in world markets and energy prices in general.
Compare Kuwait and Doha Weather
People are always asking me, “which do you like better, Doha or Kuwait?”
It’s apples and oranges. Kuwait is big city, with big city problems and big city shopping. Kuwait is just bigger, with faster roads. Doha is growing, solving a lot of problems Kuwait has still to face, but the two are so different that they just don’t compare. I like them both, for different reasons.
One of the things that is hard to get is that while they are so close, the weather is not the same. Kuwait gets hotter in the summer and colder in the winter.
Here is the forecast for the next five days:
Kuwait 5 day forecast December 8 - 12
Doha five day forecast December 8 - 12
Week of Celebrations For Qatar’s National Day
Wouldn’t you think these celebrations would want lots and lots of observers, helping celebrate? So . . . where and when is the camel dressage? (I really, REALLY want to see that!) Which day is the parade? When are the fireworks?
Announcements like this are tantalizing, and hard information often difficult to come by.
Gala planned for National Day
Web posted at: 12/7/2009 1:27:32
Source ::: The Peninsula
BY HUDA N V
DOHA: Qatar is set to celebrate National Day, which falls on December 18, on a grand scale this time. A series of exhilarating programmes have been lined up for the week-long celebrations starting six days ahead of the landmark date.
Beginning from December 12, various competitions, symposiums, parades and other events meant for family and children would mark the celebrations. The first day would witness two traditional Qatari sporting events — the Masseela Horse Race and Pure bred Arabian Camel Race.
Highlighting the country’s penchant for Arab horse racing and camel dressage, the National Day Masseela Horse Race will take place at the Darb-a-Saai Camp in Rawda Umm Rouman (Al Rayyan).
The horse race will be organised in the traditional Qatari way, whereby pairs of riders will challenge each other in a test of courage with the winning rider advancing to the next round.
The Masseela Horse Race, featuring both Arabian horses and Qatari riders dressed in the traditional attire of the ancestors is an apt way to introduce the young generation to the traditions of their ancestors.
Arabian camels from Qatar’s leading stables will compete in two contests — camel dressage and ‘Best Behaved Camel’. In the dressage, a camel has to complete a routine within a specific time and it is to be judged on the way it has been dressed up.
The ‘Best Behaved Camel’ competition will judge a camel on its ability to overcome obstacles and distractions such as water and food. Other events include a poetry competition for Qatari men and women focusing on their recitation skills. Various Qatari tribes will also showcase the traditional sword dance — Ardha — accompanied by music composition using traditional musical instruments. A symposium will also be held on the occasion.
Al Dawha satellite Channel, which was launched during the National Day in 2008, will be on air again this time with documentaries highlighting the progress, history and culture of the nation. On day, the Corniche will witness a huge military parade and a colourful rally. The 5km stretch of will be bejewelled in light. The grand finale of the week-long celebrations would be marked by a spectacular pyrotechnic.
Qatar University will also celebrate the occasion. Over 500 students have signed up for various activities to be held on December 16. A huge parade showcasing the history of Qatar, the visions of various rulers right from the first to Qatar Vision 2030, some of the greatest events in Qatar such as the Asian Games and the Qatar’s World Cup bid 2022 will also take place.
“Rain Lashes Doha!”
After lunch and a good visit, my friends were leaving. Sauntering to the car, the very few small raindrops didn’t even touch us, but we were exhilarated by the joy of these first drops, the first we had seen after long, dry months.
“Rain lashes Doha!” one of the quipped, parodying the local press, exaggerating the tiny things while leaving out major crimes. They danced toward their cars, yes, it’s a western compound and once in a while you might find one or two of us dancing in the street, we wild women of the West.
Desalinated Water, Hair Loss and Rashes
Hair fall, allergies: Blame them all on desalinated water
Web posted at: 12/5/2009 2:13:32
Source ::: The Peninsula
By MOBIN PANDIT
DOHA: Have you ever wondered why being in this part of the world for a while some people, including those who are quite young, complain of hair loss and problems of dry skin, allergies and rashes.
Experts attribute all these malaise to the hardness of water which is desalinated. Desalinated water is good for use and even potable but the only problem is that its PPM (particles per million) multiplies when it is channeled for distribution through the pipelines.
PPM refers to Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) present in water. The more the TDS the harder is the water. Seawater which is the hardest and saline, has 10,000 PPM, for instance, while the normal treated water has PPM between 40 and 50.
TDS refers to different types of minerals present in water such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, nitrate and sodium, to name a few. Experts say over-presence of these minerals in potable water is not desirable as it can lead to problems like kidney stones.
Their over-presence in the water used for other purposes can lead to other problems like skin allergies, rashes and hair fall, say experts.
While the normal treated water for drinking and other uses in countries outside of the GCC region has 40 to 50 PPM, which is described ideal for drinking and other uses, the PPM of desalinated water in this part of the world is usually between 100 and 150.
Questions are often raised about the PPM of some local bottled water brands and experts swear they are also not up to
the mark.
Affluent families here use imported potable water and half-a-litre of a bottle can cost up to a whopping QR25, if sources in the water industry are to be believed.
According to them, there is a general misconception that bottled water is better than tap water. “The tap water which we get in Doha is, in fact, better,” said a source, adding that their PPM is almost the same.
The tap water is clean and pure and its PPM is much lower when produced, but it increases when channeled into the pipelines for distribution.
“In fact, in the GCC the cleanest desalinated water we get is in Qatar,” said the source.
There is another misconception that the tap water here can be boiled and made potable. Water, say experts, is boiled to kill bacteria, germs and virus, and not to reduce PPM.
“There are hardly any microbiological impurities in the desalinated water in Qatar, so boiling tap water doesn’t help. The pipelines here are cleaner as compared to other countries and it is where water gets its impurities from,” said Sunil Goykar, from the water treatment division of Qatar Oilfield Supply Centre, in remarks to The Peninsula.
He claimed that devices are, however, available locally to treat the tap water here and reduce its PPM for drinking as well as for other uses.
St. Nicholas Eve
I’m putting out a little bit of Christmas, and came across these lovely, Palestinian embroidered towels. I’ve had them for around thirty years, and I still love them:
I’m also thinking – we in the west never hear about Palestinian Christians, of which there are / or used to be (?) many. I know there are groups in Jerusalem, working towards the use of Jerusalem as an inter-faith city, and I know they work closely with Palestinian Christians, but are the numbers of Palestinian Christians as large as they used to be?
Advent is a little like Ramadan, or it is supposed to be. The four weeks leading to Christmas are a time for thoughtful meditation, repentance of wrongful things we have done, and contemplating the birth of that special baby, the Gift of God, in Bethlehem. I love Advent; I love the whole peaceful focus and world-holding-its-breath-waiting-for-this-birth aspect.
A mosaic portrait of St. Nicholas:
Round 2, Why You Should Always Carry Your Camera in Doha
“HOLY COW!” I shouted at AdventureMan, as I am already digging for my camera. He hates it when I do that, he things maybe I have spotted some danger or something and it gets his adrenaline going. I couldn’t help it. I was shocked, and I said “There’s a CHEETAH in that car!”
We love cheetah. Anyone who has ever seen a cheetah in the wild knows the awesome measure of God’s creativity and wonder. The cheetah is a speed machine, a glorious hunter, born to run. The cheetah is a glorious creation.
AdventureMan didn’t believe me, not for two or three full seconds and then – he saw it, too:
The man with the very young cheetah on a leash under very loose control was having a ball. The cheetah looked very happy to be out in the car with him, even on a leash.
It is a shame, and it should be a crime.
A cheetah, even when snatched away from his mother early in life, is not a toy, not an accessory. A cheetah can eat your innocent babies. A cheetah can bite you or scratch you badly, and think it is just playing. Taking a cheetah out of the wild is probably not a really good thing for the cheetah. How long with this man find him novel and fun and pay attention to him? And then what?
This is what a cheetah is meant to do, and this is how a cheetah is meant to live:
My friends, if you love wildlife, no matter how rich you are, leave the wildlife in the wild. Please.
Qatar Population on Monday is 1,580,050
This gave me a grin – as of a certain date, Qatar has a number, not an approximate number, a fairly fixed number – for its population.
You know what? I believe it. I have seen the way the computers here operate; they seem to have some inter-operability, and quick ways of accessing information back and forth between departments. I can believe they are tallying people leaving, people coming, people being born, people dying, as fast as the data can be entered.
I wouldn’t have believed it six years ago. I believe they have this capability now. They must have made a significant investment in this infrastructure, and it’s continuous upgrade.
From today’s Peninsula
Doha: The population of Qatar till Monday is 1,580,050, according to statistics released by Qatar Statistics Authority (QSA) yesterday. These data represent the number of individuals of all ages (Qataris and non-Qataris) within the state on Monday, excluding Qataris and residents who were outside the borders of the State at the time of the statement monitoring. The total number of males according to these data, is 1, 225,487 compared to 354,563 females.
These figures indicate a decline in population within the state with 86,803 people compared to last October, which recorded the highest rise in population during the year. It is noteworthy that QSA started presenting data on its website showing total population at the end of each month since October last year.
British Mom Continues Qatar Court Battle for Abducted Son
Ayb! Ayb! (Shame! Shame!) Tricking a young woman by having her sign papers purporting to be inheritance papers but signing over custody of her son to his grandmother. Now he sits, idle, bored, confused and lonely, in his grandmother’s house, yearning to be with his mother, friends and classmates, and leading a normal life. She sounds like a reasonable young woman; coming to visit the “sick” grandmother, agreeable that he should visit with his father’s family. Why did they need to high-handedly take it to this level? What were they thinking?
He wants to come with me, says mom in custody battle
from today’s Gulf Times
A British mother, who has been fighting a custody battle for her son with her late husband’s Qatari family, was on Monday briefly reunited with the boy for the second time, Bahrain’s Gulf Daily News yesterday said.
Rebecca Jones claims her son Adam has been “kidnapped” by the Qatari relatives. She saw him for the first time last Thursday, after the Cassation Court in Doha agreed to let her visit him.
“It was a bit better tonight, still very upsetting. I brought Adam some presents and he seemed happy with that,” Bahrain resident Jones told the GDN.
“He keeps telling me he wants to come home with me so it’s really terrible. It’s difficult to leave him, he was very tearful tonight when I left but I get to see him twice a week now. I will be back to see him in two days. I think that has made it easier for both of us.
“I told Adam I’d bring some movies next time and we can just pretend we are back in Bahrain, just the two of us.
“He spoke to his friends tonight. He hasn’t spoken to them since he left Bahrain. Some of them were upset. He also spoke to his grandmother and Barrie (stepfather) and Alex (younger sister),” Jones said.
“I’m desperate to see my son. I wouldn’t care if it was even for one hour at this stage. He said he’s very bored and has got nothing to do during the day, he just plays the Playstation from morning to night. He said he can’t sleep at all,” GDN quoted her as saying.
“He knows I love him and he knows I’m not going to leave him until we can go back to Bahrain together and get back to our lives.
“I’m going to keep going until I can go to a judge and get my son back. I’m waiting for the day when they have to let him go.”
Jones claims Adam was abducted on October 3 after she was “duped into travelling with him to visit his sick Qatari grandmother.”
Meanwhile, Bahrain Human Rights Watch Society secretary-general Faisal Fulad, who has been central to the campaign to bring Adam home, is in London to meet British
non-governmental organisations.
“I have been making contacts with Amnesty International, Save the Children and the children’s rights committee in British Parliament. I hope to meet them for discussions tomorrow,” he told the GDN.
“I am also trying to get a hold of people in BBC, Sky News and some big British newspapers because we need to generate more awareness, more media coverage and more support for Adam’s campaign.”
A Facebook group demanding Adam be reunited with his family in Bahrain, meanwhile, has attracted more than 7,000 members in almost four weeks.
Those who set up the group has organised a sponsored swim at St Christopher’s Senior School in Isa Town, and raised about BD1,000 for the campaign.
Divorced from Rebecca Jones for a number of years, Adam’s Qatari father, Jamal al-Madhaiki, died in 2005. Adam had remained in Bahrain with his mother, stepfather and younger sister until he and his mother travelled to Qatar.
Jones claims that in Qatar, her late ex-husband’s family requested her to sign some documents relating to what they said was Adam’s inheritance.
According to Jones, the papers in Arabic turned out to be custody documents in the name of Adam’s grandmother.
Since the alleged “abduction”, Jones has remained in Qatar to win back Adam’s custody, which was granted to his 77-year-old grandmother by a Qatari court almost three weeks ago.
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