Showing posts with label Doha. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Doha. Show all posts

Monday, 24 August 2015

They are among the winners of a new global campaign to find the seven most incredible cities in the world.

The New 7 Wonders Cities was created by Swiss-born filmmaker and explorer Bernard Weber, who has been on the hunt for the best new spots across the globe for years.

More than 100 million votes flooded in back in 2007 when he asked the world which seven wonders were the greatest. The Taj Mahal and the Great Wall of China were among the winners.

Then, in 2011, he did it all again, this time searching for natural wonders. Winners included Jeju Island in South Korea and the Amazon.


Here’s the full list of winners:


Beirut, Lebanon

Although it’s been home to a lot of unrest, Beirut has great shopping and sightseeing, even being called the “Paris of the Middle East” by Lonely Planet.


Sunset at Pigeon's rock in Beirut, Lebanon. Source: Getty Images

Doha, Qatar

Discover Doha and you will find spectacular architecture and cultural sights.


Doha’s towers. Source: Getty Images

Durban, South Africa

Durban is a beach city that’s home to a range of attractions.


The beach at Durban, South Africa. Source: Getty Images

Havana, Cuba

Described as “a city trapped in time”, Havana is magical.


Beautiful Havana. Source: Getty Images

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

A vibrant city with towering high-rise buildings, Kuala Lumpur is a hit to the senses.


Cool Kuala Lumpur. Source: Getty Images

La Paz, Bolivia

Perched more than 3500 metres above sea level, this city will leave you breathless in more ways than one!



New Seven Wonders Of The World

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Location: Doha, Qatar

Monday, 17 August 2015

Extensive development plans are being mobilised to amp up tourism in Qatar, in preparation for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Drastic construction includes an off-shore floating hotel for £1billion, a luxurious “octopus” resort, and Lusail -- a £28.8billion city being raised up in the middle of the desert.
Qatar seeks to be the tourist spot of the future, starting with the World Cup slated for 2022. It has spared no expense in constructing up to 18 stadiums, including one to be built within the impressive Lusail, which is being referred to as “the must-visit city of the future.”
Some concern is expressed that the rapid increase in tourism may become difficult to maintain when the World Cup tournament comes to an end.
According to a Samba Financial Group report, the country’s tourism may decline, and the facilities being erected in preparation for the World Cup may prove to be a challenge.
The report says, “Although the recent growth of the tourism industry in Qatar has been robust, it will be difficult for the country to achieve the level of visitor growth which will garner enough demand to support a 400 per cent expansion in the number of hotel rooms in eight years.”
Amphibious 100 Resort
The £310million resort, designed to look like an octopus with arm walkways leading out to pod-like suites, is the ideal hotel residence for marine lovers. It has an unusual offering of underwater rooms and an interactive marine life museum in the lobby.
The jellyfish-inspired pods stretch out to over four stories, and will include an underwater observatory area and a lounge.
The lush hotel resort will be built in the middle of a sea reserve, and will comprise four huge hotels resembling superyachts.
The mainland will also feature a similar museum, as well as a restaurant with panoramic views.
Hamad Airport
Guests entering Qatar will be treated with a luxurious welcome the moment they step off the plane. Often called the world's most over-the-top airport, Doha's Hamad International Airport knows how to make a lasting first impression.
The airport showcases extravagance at its finest. The gold-plated coffee kiosks, life-size Formula One replica, and a full-service luxury hotel, are just a few of the ways in which it bedazzles.
The hotel boasts of a fitness centre and an indoor pool that overlooks arrivals and departures. Its presidential Suite that spans up to 1,400-square feet, and is available for VIP travellers wishing a little more than comfort during their three-hour layovers.
The Al Mourjan Business Class Lounge, a 33,000 square feet business class lounge, as well as a mini art gallery for the artists and the cultured, provide an additional source of amusement for the city’s guests. A number of high-end stores -- from Hermes  to Armani to Chanel -- as well as over 80 choice restaurants, are also available.
Moreover, available for airport travellers are shower rooms, “quiet rooms”, meeting rooms, a children's play room, and free WiFi.
The Silver Pearl Hotel
The Silver Pearl Hotel is a £1billion development set to be built a mile off the coast of Doha. The deluxe hotel, designed by a M. Castedo Architects based in New York, resembles two half moons on the horizon.
It will have over 1000 rooms, as well as an adjoining expo centre, in preparation for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. It will be accessible through a four-lane bridge. Private yachts and helicopters will also be able to dock and land, respectively.
The most striking feature will be a stainless steel and glass facade that reflects the ocean, and will be made to sparkle like a pearl in the night time.
The hotel interiors will have conference centres, restaurants and high-end shops, and will showcase a garden atrium that overlooks the ocean.
According to a statement, all suites will be endowed with aesthetics that present the country’s “rich cultural heritage and visual traditions.”
Stadiums
On top of the grand and elaborate structures are the stadiums themselves, which all promise to deliver the most luxurious sporting experience.
Twelve stadiums, which are estimated to cost £1.9billion to build and renovate, are set to dazzle. Nine of those will be shiny and new, and three will be remade to match the fresh and lofty designs.
When the World Cup comes to a close, Qatar has planned to take some parts of the stadiums and bestow them on developing countries, with the hopes of being rebuilt into 22 brand new stadiums.
The stadiums are climate controlled and zero-carbon emitting. This is ideal for the World Cup's usual June and July season, and given Qatar's average daytime high. It will also be the first time that air conditioning will be applied to areas as massive as these structures.
The costs to build and renovate have already been reflected in Qatar's initial bid documents for the World Cup.
Lusail
The World Cup is scheduled to be hosted at the city of Lusail, which is being erected from scratch along the desert coast. Located nine miles from Doha's centre, the 28-square mile centre is set to hold the World Cup opening ceremony, as well as the final match of the tournament.
Lusail, soon be the home of a quarter of a million residents, will have an 86,000-seat stadium -- the Lusail Iconic Stadium -- which costs £28.8billion to build. Like the other stadiums being built, this will have no carbon footprint.
A major feature will be an Entertainment City complex approximately a 241-acres wide. The Entertainment City showcases attractions like a giraffe zoo, a snow park, the Six Flags amusement park.
Lusail also will also have two marinas, as well as a gigantic mall with five interconnected pods outfitted with high-end shops, elegant restaurants, and lush cinemas.
The Lusail Towers District and Plaza is slated to be the commercial and business district of the city. Additionally, two golf courses are being built around town, for guests to enjoy between matches or during downtime.
The rich city will be accessible via a light-rail network. It will also be constructing tunnels for water taxis. The whole project will cost £28.8billion upon completion.

Qatar’s Grand Transformation for the 2022 World Cup

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Location: Doha, Qatar

Tuesday, 11 August 2015




Qatar will celebrate International Youth Day on Wednesday,12th August that recognises efforts of world's youth in enhancing global society.
The Youth Affairs Department at the Ministry of Youth and Sport will organise more than 20 events over three days under the theme 'Youth Participation'.In a statement, the ministry stressed the need for involvement and participation of young people to achieve sustainable human development by highlighting their efforts to raise awareness about the importance of youth participation and benefits to individuals and society, including sustainable development and well-being.

The ministry said there is a UN online campaign in which youth can participate with stories and ideas about their participation in community activities.They can send related comments or images expressing their thoughts and opinions, tweets about the impact of their participation in activities, or sending documents and photos showing how to engage in the promotion of youth participation.

The ministry confirmed that celebrations aim to encourage young people to participate in adopting decisions, enhance their role in human development, put forward challenges and needs of youth, promote their participation and reduce the gap between young people and officials by expanding the scope of dialogue and mutual understanding.


Source: www.qatarliving.com/

Qatar To Celebrate International Youth Day On Wednesday

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Monday, 10 August 2015

The Lives and Livelihoods Fund
World famous Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has entered into partnership with the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) for launching a new $2.5 billion project. The project value equals Dh9.2 billion and will be all  sharia-compliant fund having its focus taking care of extreme poverty within the Islamic world. This wonderful new partnership is the first for these partners as a way for making its further looking into future and making the prospects more sustainable.
Bill gates has been topping in “Forbes” ranking of rich people and The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has the founder of Microsoft, Bill Gates and his wife on this project’s backing. In 2010 Bill Gates decided to donate 95% of his wealth for sustainable social welfare and charity projects including this one based on the principle that every life is equally important, and with the point of view addressing global disease and punishing poverty situations.
For achieving this, Bill Gates and his wife Melinda have set up the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation back in 2000. This is perhaps world’s richest charitable set up with a sum endowment of $42.9 billion. The foundation had paid out $33.5 billion by 2014 end having made grants sum as $3.9 billion in 2104 which was $3.6 billion by end of 2013.
There is a stark contract between wealth of Muslim countries, some are extremely rich while some like Burkina Faso, Mali and Chad are extremely poor. Some however have a mix of the two communities like Indonesia and Egypt. Some are hit by serious violence threats like Somalia, Yemen and Syria.
The Foundation takes up the new venture with the IDB with a view to do it properly and diligently making the project a success and reach where wealth needs to reach using the connections and efforts of a strong local partner like IDB in the region, allowing the venture to be sustainable, enduring and to get more than the best out of it.
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has Head of Middle East Relations, Mr Hassan Al Damluji. He claims that “The Lives and Livelihoods Fund” is catalytic and sustainable in the region because of two major reasons. Firstly, because the Foundation plans to engage Gulf donors who will remain present around the place for a long time, unlike the Foundation which is a family setup and has short term plans. Other reason is because this venture will also attract further investments from people of poor countries too. The Fund floated by the Foundation will give loans to poor countries too helping for their own development.
IDB has 56 member nations out of which 31 are low-income countries and some of them are among the poorest countries in the world too. The IDB will identify and engage such countries for this the Lives and Livelihoods Fund mixing between 10 to 30% of the grant money in case the project is aligned with the Fund’s criteria maintaining good enough spread of grant receiving countries. 
Tackling unfairness
The Fund has plans to invest in four areas:
1-     Control and eradication of infectious disease eradication and control; basic health care including improved neonatal, maternal and child health.
2-     Agriculture and food safety helping the poorest grow more and feed their families together with earning a basic living providing basic infrastructure to those who do not have electricity.
3-     Small projects for water supply and sanitation.
4-     Providing digital payment set up.
Al Damluji explains that one thing links all above four areas of our interest is that all these areas are very much significant areas causing unfairness in area of project’s footprint area. Globally speaking, we need to see what really badly affects the poor throughout the world as their access to system is not the same as wealthy people.
The purpose of the project is to address poor people, as large segment as possible without considering their nationality, religion, colour or race etc, We need some global solutions to make the difference. The Foundation has identified that infectious diseases need to be addressed first. Example is cancer that affects everybody so cancer is not within our scope whereas diarrhoea and Malaria may hurt small children. Those who are wealthy can afford to have vaccines but these infectious diseases are most dangerous for the poor throughout the world.
Al Damluji further said that primary health units play important role in rural areas but poor people do not have access to large hospitals in main cities. The Fund has its focus on agriculture and specifically the small farmers. They mainly grow food and eat whole of the year not connected to grow food that can be exported like coffee for example. Regarding developing infrastructure, we want to provide electricity to the poor but without constructing powerhouses. Sources like solar energy may be considered for this purpose. In parallel sanitation is of top importance to stop infectious diseases from spreading. 
“The Lives and Livelihoods Fund” will be launched and administered from IDB to make the same sustainable. IDB has allocated $2 billion as regular capital while rest of $500 million amount as grant will be provided by donors in the next five years.  The Foundation took the initiative and was joined by ‘waqf’ by various Saudi people through Islamic Solidarity Fund for Development. Al Damluji explained that he is expecting three donors of same nature during next year to meet next promised $500 million but not to be demanded before the project takes off. The project partners have signed their understanding and now “The Lives and Livelihoods Fund” has become a legal entity. The Fund is funding in three main areas helping them to work like an institution. The areas are:
1-     First, definition of areas for financing like sectors and designing the right mix of grant.
2-     Second, holding donors’ meeting every six months to act as governance board.
3-     Third, being advisor to IDB as they have started using the money.
Al Damluji showed his seriousness about the project to show an impact on what it has been targeted making a sense as the Fund is not aiming at profit alone. The project is meant for making a difference on lives of extremely poor people by reducing maternal and infant mortality followed by improving farmers’ productivity. The project objectives also include access to power and banking facilities for the poor. As the concerned governments are interested in knowing impact of the project over their economies, the governments want to know if the project will boost their economies. For sure, all these four areas will have definite impact on economies. This effect is definite but it is indirect and will show up in the long term, these being important drivers to improve economies. 
About the Muslim world
Al Damluji shared details of “The Lives and Livelihoods Fund” that it is the largest initiative in the Middle East and it will show how the Fund has plans to work. The venture is a partnership having done several similar projects in the past having partnerships with UN organizations and various countries to address such problems in large scale. Gavi Alliance is one of the work successfully completed in the past for childhood immunization when the Alliance purchase vaccines for all 72 poor countries for ensuring onward supply at low price. The recent initiative is the first of its kind in Middle East having a bank of the shareholders that are not from Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development and not even they are donors by tradition too. In this case Middle East is the base and Fund is focused on Muslim countries specifically.
The project sponsors are clear that they may not be able to save the whole world from disease and poor living even if they are resourceful.  The funds do not match with needs of the poor globally, we can fight the problems in partnerships and that fighting together is the objective.

A fund specially for the Middle East

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Thursday, 6 August 2015

Story starts with the visit of ACM Education Board to Qatar University with the objective to
evaluate and what possibly can be done for computer education in the Middle East as well as
india. Famous Hoffstra University professor spear headed the activity organizing various
meetings with ACM President and Executive Directors with few others and meeting Qatri
counterparts was a rich but unique experience.

Qatar University enrolls 70% female students which was a surprise for the visiting guests. It was told that male students usually prefer to opt to a degree that has been labeled as “Engineering” and that means higher pay rate in the market.  The Qatar University people told that computer related jobs in Qatar are not well paid as those jobs are only about customizing computer applications and not for developing new applications. These applications are usually imported and students simply use those applications while working in the Middle East. There are jobs in the market and the university faculty is enhancing computer studies curriculum. The female students are eager to face more challenges for developing computer application and facing the market requirements head on. They want international competition where they can participate and make their place in the market. All they want is to have a challenge but then comes whether they win or they lose.

Qatar houses Education City built by Qatar Foundation where there are six satellite campuses of American Universities. The place is built to develop a non-oil economy presently supported by the oil income. Purpose is to tell people that oil will not last forever and they need intellectual properties and assets to work in future. This will encourage Qatri students to learn more and innovate for their own future.

Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) in Qatar runs a Computer Science program where male/female participation is equal. They are working to develop a Geek Culture asking students to learn, build and do it yourself to make a future. This approach was altogether missing in Qatar or even the whole of Middle East. This is co-education system and students have no intention to go abroad at all. Local culture however encourages female students to have only female education campus and that is all engrained in Qatari society in general. CMU however, has plans to add more from CS and less from IT or IS and Qatar Foundation supports this idea. The foundation also supports this change to create more computer related jobs in coming days. The computer science studying ladies at Qatar University too, are eager to develop their own applications and build their future in coming days.


The other approach is all about 180 degrees, the other way round. Some Qatari intellectuals see this as a common understandable issue between cultures. That they will be able to copy western intellectual things for their benefit as once in past west had copied Islamic world intelligence based on scientific knowledge for their own benefit but they did not choose to copy or translate Quranic knowledge. This is what they call cultural privacy. Westerners, when decided to copy the Islamic wisdom they selected only the scientific research part and skipped Islamic or Quranic part. This way the Qatari intellectuals feel that co-education does not fit into Qatari society so we can skip this part and stick to what Islam teaches.

For becoming a computer scientist a Qatari woman does not need to sacrifice Islamic values but needs to remain within the four walls of Islam where the religion wants to keep her. If there is a pressure from the West to adopt western values, then Qatari society will not accept nor respect this demand. Typical Qatari intellectuals do not permit nor recognize this type of moderation and enlightenment from Western Culture.

Qatar Foundation and all infrastructures are there to educate people not to impose western culture on locals. That is why ACM Education Board has managed this visit where they can focus on education and professional training to making Qatari people fit for future providing support for future changes as they occur.

Computer Education in Qatar – The Problems

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Location: Doha, Qatar
The Qatar Development Fund is donating $10 million to the Wajd programme in Palestine to support 2,108 children and youths who lost their parents in the Israeli assault on Gaza in the summer of 2014.


The Wajd programme will be launched in Ramallah and Gaza today in partnership with the Palestinian Welfare Association, the Bank of Palestine and the Haj Hashim A’atah Al-Shawa Fund.

Mr. Khalifa Bin Jassim Al-Kuwari, General Director of the Qatar Development Fund, said:
“The Wajd programme seeks to empower the children and young people of Gaza so they can live in dignity, achieve their ambitions and become active members of their community.
The programme, which coincides with the one-year anniversary of the Israeli assault on Gaza, will provide support for 2,108 orphans and their families until the age of 22.
These efforts are part of Qatar’s continued commitment to supporting economic and social development in Arab and developing countries.”
Dr. Tafeeda Jarbawi, Director General of the Palestinian Welfare Association, said:
“We want to extend our thanks to the Qatar Development Fund as our partners and main supporters for standing by the Palestinian people in their just cause. We would also like to thank our strategic partners at the Bank of Palestine and the Haj Hashim A’atah Al-Shawa Fund for their contributions to the work of the Palestinian Welfare Association.”
Mr. Rushdi Ghalayini, Deputy General Manager of the Bank of Palestine, said:
“Our contribution to the Wajd programme stems from our humanitarian vision to provide support for the education, healthcare and training of the orphans in Gaza. It is a continuation of the humanitarian support we provided during the Israeli assault on Gaza.”
The $10 million donation will consist of instalments of $2.5 million from 2015-2018. It will provide financial support for 2,108 orphans and their families until the age of 22. The donation will go toward supporting the recipients’ education needs, including tuition, school supplies, teaching materials, uniforms, transport, after school programmes and training courses. Healthcare will also be a cornerstone of the Wajd programme, and the orphans will have access to medical check-ups, medical treatment, rehabilitation for the disabled, and psychological and support services.

To prepare young people for entering the job market, the Wajd programme will provide professional development courses and vocational training. In addition, the recipients will be able to participate in revenue-generating pilot projects to gain work experience.

Finally, the Wajd programme will aim to build the technical capabilities of the organisations working with the orphans on-the-ground, as well as enhance collaboration among the various partners to ensure a holistic approach to the delivery of quality services.

Qatar donates $10 million to support 2108 orphans in Gaza

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Monday, 3 August 2015


More families in Qatar are becoming rich or super-rich due to well-placed investments, and the overall value of their private wealth is continuing to grow, according to a new international report.
The total number of households in the country with private wealth of $1 million or more rose by 3.7 percent during 2014 and is projected to further increase by 4.1 percent by 2019, the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) said in its latest annual report, which charts the financial health of people in 62 countries.
Overall, Qatar was found to be have the world’s third-highest density of millionaires, with 116 per 1,000 households in the country valued at $1 million or more in BCG’s report Global Wealth 2015: Winning the growth game.


Switzerland has the highest percentage of millionaires globally, at 135 per 1,000 households, while Bahrain came in second at 123 per 1,000 households.
In 2013, Qatar took the top spot internationally in terms of millionaire density, with 175 of every 1,000 households estimated to be millionaires.
The drop in rankings can at least be partly explained by Qatar’s massive and ongoing population explosion, with hundreds of thousands of expats moving here each year. Between June 2014 and June 2015, the population reached 2.37 million – a growth of more than 200,000 people (or 9 percent) on the previous year.
As most of the influx is comprised of lower-income workers, the percentage of millionaire households may appear smaller relative to the larger population.

However, according to detailed Qatar figures within BCG’s report, the number of millionaires and multi-millionaires households here is growing, while those who are already millionaires are getting richer.
Overall, private wealth in Qatar grew by 6.5 percent last year, mostly driven by more wealth being invested in equities (shares in private companies) – up 10.9 percent between 2013 and 2014.

And the report predicts that private wealth in Qatar will continue to increase, with a rise of 9.6 percent estimated by 2019.
While the total number of households becoming millionaires increased in Qatar last year, it was the super-wealthy who did particularly well.
The private wealth held by Ultra-High Net Worth households (those with $100 million or more) increased by 10 percent due to “dynamic equity markets and a growing economy”, Markus Massi, a partner and managing director at BCG Middle East said.
During 2014, 8.6 per 100,000 households in Qatar were classified as “ultra-high net worth,” and the wealth held by those is set to soar by 22.5 percent in the coming four years, Massi added.
This put Qatar fifth globally in terms of density of the ultra-rich (per 100,000 household):
  1. Hong Kong – 15.3/100,000
  2. Singapore – 14.3/100,000
  3. Austria – 12/100,000
  4. Switzerland – 9/100,000
  5. Qatar – 8.6/100,000
Meanwhile, the upper high net worth sector (households with wealth of $20 million-$100 million) grew 9.3 percent last year, and is predicted to continue to increase in the coming years.
This is due to more families earning enough to qualify to enter this wealth classification, while those already in it are expected to see their fortune increase as the average wealth per household is forecast to rise.
The lower high net worth bracket ($1 million-$20 million) also increased by 7.2 percent last year, and is forecast to grow by 11.6 percent over the coming five years.
Overall, private wealth in the Middle East and America rose by more than 9 percent last year to nearly $6 trillion, and is expected to increase to $9 trillion in 2019.

Globally, private wealth reached $164 trillion – up 12 percent last year. North America was the world’s richest region, with $51 trillion of private wealth. However Asia-Pacific (excluding Japan) is expected to overtake North America in 2016, when the region’s wealth is forecast to rise to $56 trillion.

Number of millionaires in Qatar rise

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Wednesday, 22 July 2015
After a long time but at the right time facebook happens to fine tune its icon about “Friends”. Every visitor and facebook family member looks at this icon on top right corner of main page. There used to be a couple where a man was in front and a lady was on the back side and that did not pinch the facebook family, they were comfortable but facebook’s Caitlin Winner, Design Manager was for a change and brought the woman to the front and took the man behind her. It was not more than fine tuning or may be a step clicking towards woman empowerment. 
Caitlin Winner however brought the woman in front, did minor improvement in looks of her hair and also worked on the “little chip” seen in the shoulder. She did it not by a plan but did it because of a thought that crossed her mind for improvement. For some reason in back of her mind the chip kept pinching her and she did make improvement. The lady used to look like the helmet of Darth Vader that George Lucas had once created. Winner worked on few options like adding a pony tail, wearing curly hair but ultimately she opted somewhat hair in bob shape.   
Later when this much was done, Winner turned to man for a more pleasing look. She did a little bit of change to his hair and added bit of slope to his shoulders. This way a new man appeared with the new lady. Winner also addressed other icons like a single man for adding friend. Again why women should be on back, she added a single female silhouette for adding friend too.
In updating the man, she was also able to notice that there many groups on Facebook where a single, action figured male could represent himself. Now that she noticed there were men only in the figures presented at the icons, she also drew a female silhouette for icons. This is perhaps the thinking from facebook COO’s bestselling book on woman empowerment. Winner changed size and order of female silhouette too. Ultimately answering to Mother Nature she reduced size of female silhouette, making it smaller than man’s but kept her in front of man.. In past two men and a woman were in the ‘groups’ icon while woman was in the back but now she placed the lady in front.

There was a difference of opinion between designers, company rule and Winner but new icons were implemented giving things a new look. Winner did not stop at the silhouettes alone. She turned to facebook logo too. The text was slimmed down little bit in a new and fresh type face.

Facebook Friends Icon

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Location: Doha, Qatar

Thursday, 16 July 2015



                   
Ramadan is a significant month for Muslims and non-Muslims alike. Everyone from all walks of life notice a change in Qatar’s daily activities, but not everyone may understand its importance to the Muslim culture.
Three Doha women share their insights on what Ramadan means to their families and social circles.
Ramadan is beyond the act of fasting. The five pillars of Islam include the importance of the purification of the soul, turn to God, and practice sacrifice. It is abstaining not just from food but from negativity in actions, words, and thoughts. It is also about relationships with the family and the community.
A Qatari named Reem says that Ramadan is a spiritual journey. It also allows her to bond with her family and spend more meaningful time with them.
According to her, “It’s such a family affair and a moment of bonding for families as you’re in the kitchen together and at the dining table together. It’s exhausting, but very special and my favourite time of the year.”
Hend Zainal is a working mother and wife, and the holy month is a great opportunity to refocus and see things from a different perspective. Ramadan gives her the chance for a spiritual recharge. Normally, her life is so hectic and busy that she appreciates the chance to reset her priorities and reflect on her everyday life. She also gets to catch up with relatives whom she barely sees outside Ramadan.
Fasting
Fasting is a Ramadan tradition that exempts young children, pregnant women, the elderly and the ill. But Hend says that at seven years old, she had her first experience of fasting in a friendly competition with her brother. “I wasn’t obliged to but I remember going through recess and my friends started to eat a burger in front of me and it was such torture. Needless to say I broke my fast that day.”
According to Amaney Neihoum, a Libyan expat residing in Qatar for several years with family, Ramadan in the U.K., Egypt, Libya, and Qatar is each a different experience. It was easier in the U.K. because the sunset was 4:30pm.
Breaking Fast
Fasting all day long gives food a significant role and brings people together. Families try to make a conscious effort in eating healthily and not overeating during Ramadan.Generally, after breaking the fast, families tend to eat together thus giving rise to a variety of best ramadan buffets in doha by the local hotels and restaurants.
A variety of salads and side dishes is served, which is important because “if you’ve been fasting all day, these side dishes are lighter and more manageable,” says Amaney.
Water is crucial, and drinking enough each night before fasting is important. It is advised to drink three to five litres of water to hydrate the body before fasting.
Charity
It is a Ramadan custom to share food among their neighbours or to people in need. It is a way of making up for the days when they are not able to fast.
Exchanging of food can be a way of bringing families together. “There are many expat families and Qatari families who are struggling; and the good thing about Qatar is we all know each other so we keep everyone in mind and help,“ according to Reem. “This happens in so many Qatari households, where you can come and be fed without anything being expected in return.”
Aside from food, Muslims also give a part of their earnings to charities or to people who are in need. Hend says, “The whole idea is to put yourself in the shoes of someone less fortunate.”


Garangao
Garangao is like “a Muslim Halloween party” which celebrates children who have been able to memorize 15 chapters of the Qur’an. Others also say it is honors the Prophet Mohammed’s grandson, Hassan. This children’s festival is celebrated mostly in the Gulf, where children are dressed up in traditional Qatari clothes. Traditional songs are sung and kids carry a pouch to collect sweet treats around the neighborhood.


Ramadan for Non-Muslims
Hotel Iftars are available for non-Muslims who are interested in the celebration of Ramadan. Buffet deals in doha are designed for expats, and Qataris prefer home meals with the family. Reem declares that fasting “is exhausting and all I want to do is go home and break fast, whilst if you’re out of the house you have to make more effort and have to be alert.”
Hind also assents. “What you would see in a hotel Ramadan tent is very different to what you would see in a Qatari home. It’s more family orientated at home and more geared towards refraining from overdoing, “ she says. “In hotels they are obliged to put more and more of everything and there’s typically entertainment.”

Qatar Ramadan Family Traditions

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Location: Doha, Qatar

Tuesday, 14 July 2015





The Ministry of Economy and Commerce has taken strict action against alleged six mobile shops
for selling used mobile sets as brand-new. The shops are located at Barwa Commercial City and
Al-Gharafa.

The Ministry has released a statement, claiming that the inspection of shops has been
intensified in collaboration with Ministry of Municipality and Urban Planning. Currently, a joint
team of inspectors from both ministries are conducting thorough raids all over the commercial
outlets across the country. The raids have gained good ground by identifying 8 violations that
are not complying with the price list issued by government. However, some butcheries were
caught violating for selling meat at higher prices by changing country names.



The ministry continues to make surprise raids on different locations in order put hold on ever
increasing violations across the country.  If you are looking to report any violation, you can
contact ministry on toll free number 16001 or @MEC_Qatar twitter account.

Shops Selling Used Phone at the Price of New

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Wednesday, 8 July 2015



As a travel professional I frequently fly across the world. On a long flight recently I was thinking about the way aviation has changed in India over the past few years. 25 years ago there were only a handful of international airlines flying into India. Our airports were rather shoddy and there were few flight options. Today a large number of foreign carriers fly into India and the country now has some of the best airports in the world. (Mumbai and New Delhi). What especially amazed me was the manner and speed in which some of the Middle Eastern airlines have grown in India.

The Middle Eastern states developed a long-term vision in the 1990s - to develop their then tiny airports into massive aviation hubs. Dubai created Emirates Airlines, Qatar created Qatar Airways and Abu Dhabi founded Etihad Airways (a bit later, in 2004). The vision was crystal clear - Asian markets are on the rise and as more and more people travel around the world, we can capture a large chunk of the market. Today, airlines such as Emirates are widely respected and wildly successful. With the exception of one year, Emirates has posted fantastic numbers throughout its 20+ year history. Likewise we have Qatar Airways, one of the world's only 5 star airlines, which recently built a swanky airport in Doha (I've transited there and its wonderful). Etihad, the national airline of the UAE may be the smallest of these three in fleet size but it is not to be underestimated. It enjoys a very clear product positioning in the market and is growing steadily.

What's common to these 3 successful airlines is the importance they place on the Indian market. India has been one of the fastest growing aviation markets in the world. With a burgeoning middle-class population that is slowly but surely beginning to travel abroad, it offers enormous potential to airlines. Today India is Emirates’ single largest market with 185 weekly flights. Qatar Airways has almost 100 weekly flights.

The 3 Middle-eastern giants have positioned themselves very well in India. They started doing what no other airline did - brought in brand new aircraft, serviced some of the smaller cities, offered excellent on-board service and had generous baggage allowances. Put together, these 3 airlines operate from 12 different cities in India to more than 150 destinations across the world. As a travel professional that manages events across the globe, it makes great sense for me to use one of these 3 airlines. I can get people from anywhere in India to Europe, North America and Africa via a connection in the Middle East. I always have multiple flight options, delicious Indian meals and the opportunity to shop in some of the world's fanciest airports. Etihad now also offers US-bound passengers the opportunity to clear US Immigration in Abu Dhabi and arrive in the US as a domestic passenger. Undoubtedly, that is a great benefit if flying to the US. With more and more Indians being able to afford international travel, the market for airlines is growing steadily. Indian airlines have definitely felt the onslaught of these airlines. Air India no longer treats Mumbai as an international hub and has terminated a few routes as well. Jet Airways on the other hand didn't perform well in the past few years; now Etihad has gone ahead and acquired a stake in Jet Airways.

Almost 90% of the passengers on a recent Delhi-Dubai flight had onward connections from Dubai. All those I spoke to found several advantages flying with Emirates. They found multiple flight options very convenient and the service came in for special praise. This just goes to show that a well-defined strategy is helping these carriers build a very strong customer base in India. The fact that Emirates and Qatar Airways are flying some of their brand new aircraft to India (the Airbus A380 and Boeing 787 respectively) clearly demonstrates India's importance in their long-term business vision.

The Middle East hasn't become India's aviation hub by accident; it is a carefully planned and brilliantly executed strategy on the part of these 3 airlines, and to a lesser extent some of the other gulf airlines. With the way the Indian market is growing, things will only get more interesting.


Author: Saket S. Pandit

(Experienced travel professional)

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