Daily Archives: September 21, 2012
Qatar Loses in Basketball Semis; to Play for Bronze Saturday
Tokyo, September 21 (QNA) – The Qatari basketball team lost Friday 66-72 to its Japanese host in the semi-finals of the Fiba Asia Cup. Qatar will have to overcome the Philippines tomorrow if it is to win the bronze medal. The Philippines lost today as well to Iran 66-77. Tomorrow will also see match ups that will determine the fifth to eighth placed teams in the cup.
Head of the Qatari Delegation to the competition Mohammed Ali Hobash praised the hosts for their performance and said that the Qatari team played a big game as well but were unlucky. He praised the Qatari team for their tenacity and determination in particular.
The Qatari team was leading at different points in the game but the players were unable to hold on to their lead. (QNA)
Spirit Of Qatar’s Sheikh Hassan Qualifies
Cernobbio, Italy, September 21 (QNA) – His Excellency Sheikh Hassan bin Jabor Al-Thani and Steve Curtis lost out on pole position for the Italian Grand Prix, round three of the 2012 UIM Class One World Powerboat Championship, in the dying seconds of a thrilling qualifying session on scenic Lake Como on Friday afternoon.
The Spirit of Qatar 96 crew became embroiled in a fascinating exchange of lap times with Victory 3’s Arif Saif Al-Zafeen and Mohammed Al-Marri and had one hand on the prestigious pole position after their third lap of 2min 39.61sec, which was six-tenths of a second quicker than the Emirati duo had set minutes earlier. But the Victory duo took to the circuit again in the closing seconds and a tour of 2min 38.03sec was sufficient to claim pole back from the Qatar duo, who had set the fastest time in the morning s practice session.
Qatar team-mates Ali Al-Neama and Matteo Nicolini recorded a best lap of 2min 46.20sec in Spirit of Qatar 95 during the Edox Pole Position on Friday afternoon and will start the first of the two races on Saturday afternoon from fifth position. Team Abu Dhabi’s Rashed Al-Tayer and Majed Al-Mansoori qualified in third place.
Warm and cloudy conditions greeted the eight boats to Lake Como for the start of the Edox Pole Position on Friday afternoon. Sheikh Hassan had said beforehand that getting to the first turn buoy would be crucial in the race, following modifications to the course, and it was imperative that the Spirit of Qatar boats qualified well.
Spirit of Qatar 96 made a good start and the first two laps resulted in provisional pole with a quickest tour of 2min 40.82secec, but that was eclipsed on the half-hour mark by Victory 3’s third lap of 2min 40.21s. Team Abu Dhabi slotted into third with a lap of 2min 45.00sec and Spirit of Qatar 95 were classified in fifth after their first two laps.
But Sheikh Hassan and Steve Curtis produced a stunning third lap of 2min 39.61sec to snatch back provisional pole position from their Emirati rivals. Spirit of Qatar 95 ran a further two laps near the end of the session, but remained in fifth place with a best lap of 2min 46.20sec. But Sheikh Hassan could only watch as Victory 3 edged inside his time in the closing seconds of the session to steal pole position.
Victory 3 posted the early target lap of 2min 39.13sec in the opening 90-minute practice session, with Spirit of Qatar 96 running the Dubai boat close with a second lap of 2min 40.44sec. Fendi Racing recorded a best of 2min 46.69sec during their five laps on the water at the start of the session and Spirit of Qatar 95’s return to the series was marked by a 2min 47.14sec tour of the Lake Como course on the fourth of their opening five laps.
Sheikh Hassan and Steve Curtis took to the water again in the second half of the session and posted quicker laps of 2min 39.73sec and 2min 39.36sec to edge within just 0.23sec of the Victory 3 time. But Sheikh Hassan was not to be denied and two stunning laps of 2min 37.76sec and 2min 38.97sec near the end were sufficient to win the practice session. Al-Neama and Nicolini improved with a lap of 2m 45.72s to confirm fifth place.
The first of the two weekend races starts at 14.30hrs (15.30hrs Doha time) on Saturday afternoon, following a second practice session on the Lake Como course. A third practice on Sunday morning precedes the second of the Italian Grand Prix races from 14.30hrs on Sunday afternoon. (QNA)
HH the Deputy Emir Congratulates Presidents of Armenia, Malta on National Day
Doha, September 21 (QNA) – HH the Deputy Emir and Heir Apparent Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani has sent a cable of congratulations to President of the Republic of Armenia on the occasion of his country’s National Day.
HH the Deputy Emir Congratulates Maltese President
HH the Deputy Emir and Heir Apparent Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani has sent a cable of congratulations to the President of the Republic of Malta on the occasion of his country’s national day. (QNA)
HH the Emir Congratulates Presidents of Armenia, Malta on National Day
Doha, September 21 (QNA) – HH the Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al Thani has sent a cable of congratulations to President of the Republic of Armenia on the occasion of his country’s National Day.
HH the Emir Congratulates Maltese President on National Day
HH the Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al Thani has sent a cable of congratulations to the President of the Republic of Malta on the occasion of his country’s national day. (QNA)
Prime Minister Congratulates Presidents of Armenia, Malta on National Day
Doha, September 21 (QNA) – HE the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor Al Thani has sent a cable of congratulations to President of the Republic of Armenia on the occasion of his country’s National Day.
Prime Minister Congratulates Maltese President
HE the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor Al Thani has sent a cable of congratulations to the President of Malta on the occasion of his country’s national day. (QNA)
Education Ministry wins Arab award
WAM DUBAI: The Ministry of Education won the Arab e-Government shield award as the best interactive platform of a ministry on Facebook. A competition was organised for Arab countries’ government agencies and official websites by the Arab Organization for Administrative Development and the Internet Awards Academy in the Arab World. Director of Governmental Communication at the Ministry Murad Abd Al-Baloushi was presented with the award in a ceremony in Sharm El-Sheikh city, Egypt.
Organizers, in a statement, said the ministry, based on its belief in the significance direct communication between institutions and individuals, seriously took into considerations comments by visitors to its page on the social networking site and worked on implementing them whenever regulations allowed it.
Teachers urged for more active role in education development
WAM SHARJAH: Minister of Education Humaid Mohammed Obaid Al Qattami urged for a more active role by teachers in the development of education. “We want teachers and their noble mission to be have greater influence on students and the school community, to go beyond their classical role to actively back administrations of schools and their plans and development initiatives,” the minister said in opening remarks at a seminar on “Best Practices to Improve Quality of Teachers” organized by the UNESCO’s Sharjah-based Regional Center for Educational Planning (RCEP).
RCEP aims to enhance and support the endeavors of educational systems in the region through training, consultancy, and dissemination of knowledge in the realm of educational planning, management and leadership and to execute the best international practices education.
Center of Waste Management – Abu Dhabi organizes awareness Seminar
WAM ABU DHABI: The Centre of Waste Management-Abu Dhabi said it had recently organised an awareness seminar entitled “Indiscriminate Disposal of Waste and Wastewater, a Risk that Threatens Future Generations”, in collaboration with the Higher Corporation for Specialized Economic Zones (ZonesCorp) and the Department of Municipal Affairs in the cultural centre hall in its ICAD 1 industrial zone in Abu Dhabi.
Holding the event was in line with its ongoing commitment to the protection and conservation of environment and the UAE’s natural resources, the Center said in a press release. The seminar, which is a part of the “STOP Illegal Dumping of Waste” campaign, sought to promote awareness among workers, plant operators and providers of waste management services on the negative environmental impacts of overlooking the proper procedures and policies adopted in this area.
In addition, it introduced them to the environmental damages resulting from the illegal dumping of waste and wastewater in natural habitats or beaches in particular. The seminar also discussed the impact of illegal dumping on the public health and economy, and the fact that this practice was caused by the lack of awareness of the proper methods and means for handling of waste or a neglect of the concerned regulations.
The seminar commenced with a welcoming speech by Facilities Management Manager at ZonesCorp Abdul Rahman Al Jahoushi, followed with a presentation by Director of HSE Sector at the Center of Waste Management Engineer Hani Hossni on the effects of illegal dumping of waste and wastewater in addition to an interactive discussion aimed to enhance the knowledge of audience members on the importance of this subject and the proper means for waste and wastewater management. Moreover, the seminar highlighted the laws and legislations for the management of waste and touched upon the licensing and tariff system imposed on concerned parties.
Commenting on the seminar, CEO of ZonesCorp Mohamed Hasan Al Qamzi, said: “The awareness seminar emphasises ZonesCorp’s commitment to playing a prominent role in achieving Abu Dhabi’s Vision 2030.
ZonesCorp realizes the importance of preserving the environment and protecting natural sources and the strong correlation between these resources and their effect on the maintenance of a healthy work environment and lifestyle for the community, which present and future generations should enjoy.
” Al Qamzi added: “Throughout the seminar, we wanted to emphasize the responsibility borne by all parties in the application of laws and regulations that limit the illegal dumping of waste and environmental pollution caused by failure to follow proper means of waste and wastewater disposal in Abu Dhabi.
Thus, we aim to begin promoting good practices through organising such seminars and strengthening cooperation with the concerned parties in order to raise awareness on the regulations aimed at maintaining the civilized appearance of Abu Dhabi and its environmental safety at the same time. ” The seminar falls in line with ZonesCorp’s efforts in the field of environment protection, where it organised this week another educational seminar titled “Improving Energy Efficiency ‘&’ Carbon Reduction” in collaboration with DNV Kema Energy and Sustainability.
