Daily Archives: August 18, 2012
HH the Emir Exchanges Congratulraory Cables on the Advent of Eid Al Fitr
oha, August 18 (QNA) – HH the Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani on Saturday exchanged cables of congratulations on the advent of Eid Al Fitr with the leaders of the Arab and Islamic countries.
HH the Emir also received cables of congratulations on the blessed occasion from a number of leaders of friendly countries. (QNA)
HH the Emir Exchanges Contacts
Doha, August 18 (QNA) – HH the Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani has exchanged telephone contacts with a number Arab and Islamic countries leaders on the advent of Eid Al-Fitr (Lesser Bairam).
HH the Emir exchanged telephone contacts with Sudanese President Omar Hassan Ahmed Al-Bashir, King Mohamed VI of Morocco, Lebanese President Gen. Michel Suleiman, Yemeni President Abd Rabbo Mansour Hadi and Turkish President Abdullah Gul.
HH the Emir Exchanges Greetings on Eid Al Fitr
Doha, August 18 (QNA) – HH the Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, in telephone calls on Saturday, exchanged congratulations on the occasion of Eid Al Fitr with President Dr. Mohamed Morsi of Arab Republic of Egypt, and President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
His Highness also exchanged Eid Al Fitr congratulations in telephone calls he received from Saudi Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and from Governor of Tabuk Region Prince Fahd bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz, as well as from Prince Mutaib bin Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, Minister of State, cabinet member and chairman of the National Guard in Saudi Arabia.
HH the Heir Apparent Exchange Greetings on Eid Al Fitr
Doha, August 18 (QNA) – HH the Heir Apparent Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, in telephone calls he received on Saturday, exchanged greetings on the occasion of Eid Al Fitr with HRH the Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Kingdom of Bahrain Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, and HH the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Deputy Supreme Commander of the United Arab Emirates Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
HH the Heir Apparent Exchanges Eid Al Fitr Greetings
Doha, August 18 (QNA) – HH the Heir Apparent Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani exchanged cables of greetings on Eid Al Fitr with the leaders of Arab and islamic countries and heirs apparent.
HH the Emir Receives Cable of Congratulations from Advisory Council
Doha, August 18 (QNA) – HH the Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani has received a cable of congratulations from HE the Speaker of the Advisory Council Mohamed bin Mubarak Al-Kholaifi on the occasion of Eid Al-Fitr (Lesser Bairam).
In his cable HE Al-Kholaifi said it gives me pleasure, on my behalf and on behalf of the Advisory Council’s members, to offer Your Highness the most sincere congratulations and blessings on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr.
“We pray to the Almighty Allah that this happy occasion would recur while Your Highness is enjoying good health, happiness and success and your loyal people enjoying glory and prosperity under your wise leadership”, HE Al-Kholaifi said.
In a reply cable, HH the Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani expressed his thanks and appreciation for the congratulation of HE the Speaker of the Advisory Council Mohamed bin Mubarak Al-Kholaifi on the occasion of Eid Al Fitr, asking the Almighty Allah that it recurs at times of best health and happiness for the Advisory Council speaker and members as well, and more welfare and prosperity for our country.
HE the Prime Minister Exchanges Eid Al Fitr Congratulations
Doha, August 18 (QNA) – HE the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor Al Thani on Saturday exchanged cables of congratulations with the prime ministers of the arab and islamic countries on the advent of Eid Al Fitr. (QNA)
Qatar Stars League Announces 2012-13 Season Schedule
Doha, August 18 (QNA) – The Qatar Stars League 2012-13 season will kick off on September 15 as per the schedule released by the league’s management, a Qatar Olympic Committee bulletin said today. Al Sadd Football Club and Al Arabi will play the opening match at Jassim bin Hamad Stadium while Al Khor will take on Al Kharaitiyat ande Umm Salal will play El Jaish at Suhaim bin Hamad Stadium.
On September 16, three more matches will be played. Al Rayyan will take on Qatar Sports Club, Al Sailiyah will play title holders Lekhwiya while Al Gharafa will host Al Wakra which will complete the first round of Qatar Stars League.
The Qatar football season began with the Sheikh Jassim Cup, in which Emir Cup holders Al Rayyan emerged victories after edging Al Sadd 1-0 in the final. (QNA)
Qatar Holding Purchases 20% Stake in BAA
Doha, August 18 (QNA) – Qatar Holding LLC announced Saturday an agreement with Spanish Ferrovial and other investors to buy 20% indirect shareholding of BAA Ltd. (BAA), which operates Heathrow airport among others. The Qatari fund released a statement today revealing that it now owned a 20% stake in BAA after it bought shares from Ferrovial and FGP Topco. The deal was only pending the European Union’s Competition Authorities approval.
Also in its statement, Qatar Holding said that it still viewed the UK as an attractive investment destination. They expressed their belief that there were “long-term fundamental strength in the British economy.” The fund expressed its hope that it can work positively with other shareholding companies in order to enhance BAA’s reputation even further.
Qatar Holding also said in the statement that they considered the deal a fantastic opportunity to enhance the fund’s reputation, particularly in the infra-structure sector.
Barclays Bank was Qatar Holding’s financial advisor in the deal. Qatar Holding is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the state’s Qatar Investment Authority.
BAA runs other airports Stansted Airport, Glasgow and Aberdeen Airports in Scotland as well as Southampton Airport as well. (QNA)
Over 50,000 impoverished Palestinians benefit from KZHF Iftar programme in West Bank
Jerusalem: As the sun dipped below the Mediterranean horizon, thousands of Palestinian families packed into the iftar tents run by the Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan Charity Foundation throughout the month of Ramadan in the Palestinian lands.
People from refugee camps, rehabilitation and women empowerment centres as well as other neighbourhoods walked towards the iftar halls in the courtyards of Al Aqsa Mosque and Dome of Rock where hot meals were served to end the fast in Ramadan.
The mass iftar programme organised by the Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Charity Foundation also covered 20 refugee camps in the West Bank where food packets were distributed.
Over 50,000 impoverished Palestinians have benefitted from this programme, and the local community expressed their gratitude to the UAE people and the leadership for this continued charity.
Canada can teach Europe a debt lesson – UAE newspaper
Abu Dhabi: A UAE newspaper wondered how Merkel and Europe must envy Canada’s fiscal prudence.
In an editorial written on the backdrop of German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Canadian tour, Gulf News said: In Europe, Merkel leaves a continent struggling for the past three years to effectively control its finances, roll back governments’ spending and strengthen the euro.
While she has long been the voice of sound fiscal planning and the headmistress who tries to maintain financial discipline in the unruly class of 17 Eurozone members, she must surely envy the position of Canada at present.
“The difference between Canada and Europe is one of day and night, light and darkness, sound finances, not reckless borrowing, budgetary controls, not sovereign bailouts”, said the paper.
While Canada has been sideswiped by the global financial crisis of the past three years, it has emerged relatively unscathed compared to other members of the G20 economic club. Why? Because of sound financial decisions it made over the past two decades, it noted.
In 1994, then prime minister Jean Chretien slashed government spending, eliminated thousands of public sector jobs and laid the groundwork for lowering the federal government’s national deficit. Through boom times, Ottawa resisted the urge, mostly, to restore those cuts, and paid down its national debt in successive years, added the paper.
At the same time, Ottawa maintained a tight regulatory control on its banks sector, refusing to liberalise the sector, declining mergers unless they were in the interests of the nation as a whole. Canada also tightly regulated it mortgage market, ensuring home purchases were based on real money, not paperless assets.
Its companies increased productivity, embraced innovation, looked to emerging markets for new opportunities; the paper explained.
How Merkel and Europe must envy Canada’s fiscal prudence, wondered the paper.
