Day: April 7, 2023

The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) issued a decision to establish a “Football Council” that includes twenty personalities; With the aim of formulating proposals for the development of the game.

UEFA said in a statement the French Zinedine Zidane, the Portuguese Jose Mourinho, and the Italian Carlo Ancelotti, will be at the head of the personalities joining the council.

UEFA added that the council would have to propose ideas for developing laws or regulating football, which could then be turned into “draft laws”.

Croatian Zvonimir Boban, head of football at UEFA, is leading the new council. The former AC Milan player is assisted by Italian UEFA referee boss Roberto Rosetti.

Ronald Koeman is part of a new UEFA football council, Fabio Capello, Gareth Southgate, Jürgen Klinsmann, Luis Figo and Michael Laudrup are some of the other big names who will be part of the new body.

The “UEFA Football Council”, structure was approved by the UEFA Executive Committee which met in the Portuguese city of Lisbon, and the first UEFA Football Council meeting will be held in Nyon on April 24, around the Youth League final.

Source: Qatar News Agency

International reserves and foreign currency liquidity of the Qatar Central Bank jumped last March to reach QR 235.253 billion, an increase of 11.7 percent, compared to QR 210.480 billion in the same month last year.

The figures issued by the Qatar Central Bank today showed an increase in its official reserves at the end of last February, compared to what it was at the end of the same month last year, by about QR 23.869 billion, to reach QR 177.134 billion, driven by the increase in the central balances of bonds and foreign treasury bills. About QR 17.065 billion, to the level of QR 139.862 billion in March 2023.

The official reserves consist of major components, which are foreign bonds and bills, cash balances with foreign banks, gold holdings, special drawing rights deposits, and Qatar’s share in the International Monetary Fund.

In addition to the official reserves, there are other liquid assets (Foreign Currency Deposits), so the two together constitute what is known as the total foreign reserves.

In the same context, balances in foreign banks surged by about QR 12.169 billion to reach QR 27.294 billion at the end of March 2023.

On the other hand, gold stocks increased by the end of January 2023 by about QR 8.763 billion to reach QR 20.656 billion.

Meanwhile, the State of Qatar’s shares of SDR deposits at the IMF decreased by the end of March 2023 with a value of QR 137 million compared to March 2022, reaching QR 5.314 billion.

Source: Qatar News Agency

Ankara and Moscow have agreed to work to lift obstacles to Russian fertilizer and grain exports, the Turkish foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Friday.

“The grain corridor is proof that dialogue and negotiation are working. We attach importance to continuation of the agreement. This is also important in terms of reducing the world food crisis,” Mevlut Cavusoglu told a news conference with his visiting Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov in the capital Ankara.

“We agree that the barriers to Russian grain and exports should also be removed. We support efforts to remove these barriers.” Cavusoglu said it is important to ensure shipments of Russian ammonia and fertilizers as well.

He added that more than 27 million tons of grain have been carried by 866 ships via the Black Sea grain corridor deal, which Türkiye helped broker last year in a bid to avert a potential food crisis amid the Russia-Ukraine war.

Last July, Turkiye, the UN, Russia, and Ukraine signed an agreement in Istanbul to resume grain exports from three Ukrainian Black Sea ports after they were paused due to Russias war on Ukraine, which had threatened a world food crisis.

On recent Israeli attacks on Palestine, Cavusoglu called on Israel to permanently stop both attacks on the Al-Aqsa Mosque and airstrikes.

The escalation comes after Israeli forces stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex in occupied East Jerusalem and forcibly removed Palestinian worshippers for two nights in a row.

“The treatment of the Israeli police especially of Muslims who were praying here is unacceptable. It is inhuman,” Cavusoglu stressed.

“Palestine, the Al-Aqsa Mosque, and Jerusalem are our red line. We will never compromise on these issues,” Cavusoglu said.

During talks with Lavrov, Cavusoglu said they also discussed regional and international issues, including the situation in Libya.

On Libya, Cavusoglu said: “We believe that the country should be prepared for a democratic and transparent election as soon as possible.” He added that Turkiye will continue efforts to unify the country in every sense, and Ankara will also cooperate closely with Russia and other actors on this issue.

Source: Qatar News Agency

135 industrial companies participates in the activities of the 143rd round of the monthly shopping festival “Made in Syria”, which was organized by Damascus Chamber of Industry and its countryside, in cooperation with Damascus Governorate at Tishreen Sports Hall in Damascus.

Governor of Damascus, Tariq Kreishati, noted in a statement to the journalists after the opening that this festival provides an opportunity for direct sales from the producer to the consumer in low prices in addition to various offers with large discounts.

Head of Damascus Chamber of Industry and its countryside, Ghazwan al-Masri, pointed out that the festival was held during the holy month of Ramadan to meet the needs of the family at reasonable prices, as it includes a wide variety of all items and food productions.

The festival will last until the end of Ramadan.

Source: Syrian Arab News Agency

During the Holy Month of Ramadan, United Arab Emiratis Red Crescent (ERC) enlarges its humanitarian projects in several Syrian cities within the activities of “Gallant Knight / 2” operation launched under the directives of the Emiratis leadership.

These activities expanded aiming at standing by the quake –affected people and alleviating their suffering resulted from this ordeal.

The Emiratis activities involve distributing Iftar meals (meals to fasters) in Aleppo, Hama, Homs and Lattakia in addition to Ramadan Food Baskets, and others.

“In implementation of the UAE leadership to support the brothers in Syria over the recovery stage, the humanitarian initiatives will persist.” Head of the ERC delegation to Syria, Mohammed al-Ku’aibi, said in a statement to SANA.

Al-Ku’aibi added that securing the basic needs of the quake-affected people and suppling the hospitals with medicines and medical requirements are going on , noting that preparing much items related to Eid al-Fitr is being prepared and will be distributed during the upcoming days.

Source: Syrian Arab News Agency

Syria’s Ambassador to Russia, Bashar al-Jaafari discussed with Abkhazian Foreign Minister Inal Ardzinba means to enhance cooperation and coordination between the two friendly countries at all levels.

The talks dealt with increasing coordination between the foreign ministries of the two countries and developing bilateral economic cooperation in implementation of the vision of heading east adopted by Syria.

Source: Syrian Arab News Agency

The Czech National Museum in Prague announced the organization of an exhibition of Syrian antiquities that were transferred to the Czech Republic for restoration, scheduled to be launched next week.

Director General of Antiquities and Museums, Muhammad Nazir Awad, stated in a statement to SANA reporter that the exhibition includes the Syrian artifacts that were damaged during the terrorist war on Syria, as they were sent by private plane from Damascus International Airport to Prague last year, to be transported to the Czech National Museum, and to work on their restoration in accordance with a joint agreement between the two countries that has been carrying out for years.

Awad added that the pieces were handed to Prague Museum and were transferred to the laboratories, which worked to restore them in communication with the General Directorate of Antiquities and Museums, according to international standards and methodologies, and with the best materials and techniques.

Awad pointed out to the huge assistance provided by the Czech Museum to the National Museum in Damascus, including materials, equipment and plastics, which contributed to the work of documentation and restoration, as well as training courses to fortify the Syrian expertise and skills in museum management, documentation, classification and restoration.

“It was agreed last year to transfer a number of rare Syrian antiquities, most of which date back to the Bronze Age from the period between 1500 and 2500 BC, to the Czech Republic for restoration.”, spokesperson for Czech National Museum, Elena Dospilova, said in a statement to SANA correspondent in Prague.

Dospilova noted that the exhibition will be opened on April 13 at the historical building of Czech National Museum.

Source: Syrian Arab News Agency

In response to the ongoing Israeli occupation crimes against the Palestinians, the Palestinian resistance carried out today a heroic operation in the Jordan Valley in the West Bank, killing three settlers.

Palestinian media reported that two Palestinians opened fire on a car in which three settlers were traveling in the Jordan Valley, killing them.

From the beginning of 2023, 17 Israeli settlers have been killed and more than 30 wounded by Palestinian resistance.

Source: Syrian Arab News Agency

Minister of Culture, Lubanah Mshaweh, said that Syrian-Iranian cultural relations are based on common denominators and mutual respect.

Mshaweh, during a meeting on Thursday with the Iranian ambassador in Damascus, Mehdi Sabhani who ended his mission as ambassador of his country to Syria, Mshaweh said that the development of the culture relations were fruits of clear visions and joint efforts, based on the civilizational richness of both countries.

In turn, Sabhani praised the distinguished level of the Syrian-Iranian cultural relations, stressing the intellectual, cultural and civilizational distinction of the Syrian people and hoping these relations would continue between the two countries.

Source: Syrian Arab News Agency

The Directorate of Adult Education and Cultural and Community Development at the Cultural Center in Tartous Central Prison held a health lecture to introduce communicable and infectious skin diseases, their causes, and methods of treatment and prevention.

Major Muhammad Shaheen, Director of the Cultural Center in Tartous Prison, stressed in a statement to SANA reporter the importance of the information provided to the prisoners.

Shaheen said that this lecture is part of educational activities and programs, which are held in various prisons according to the agreement between the Interior Ministry and the Ministry of Culture, to raise health and cultural awareness for the prisoners.

Maysoon Ali, the supervisor of the cultural center in Tartous prison, said that the holding like these events and activities are necessary.

Number of prisoners indicated that the information presented in the lecture was very valuable, and made them more able to distinguish and not confuse skin diseases, stressing that they consider this place a center for rehabilitation for them through the training, vocational and educational courses that they receive there on a permanent basis.

Source: Syrian Arab News Agency