Qatar

As part of its preparations to organise the graduation ceremony for the Class of 2023, Qatar University (QU) has announced in a statement that it will organise separate graduation ceremonies for its Class of 2023 female students, which will take place in the morning and evening from May 9-13 in the QU Sports and Events Complex.The graduation ceremonies will be streamed live on the QU YouTube channel. The graduates will be received on stage by the dean of their respective college as well as the ceremony organisers.The graduation ceremony of the Class of 2023 will include graduates of the following semesters: Summer 2022, Fall 2022 and Winter 2023, in addition to those who are expected to graduate by the end of Spring 2023, noting that the graduates of Summer 2023 will celebrate their graduation with the Class of 2024.Following is the schedule:* May 9, 4pm: College of Education.* May 10, 9am: College of Health Sciences, College of Pharmacy and College of Medicine.* May 10, 4pm: College of Sharia, College of Engineering and College of Law.* May 11, 9am: College of Arts and Sciences (Majors of Mass Communication, History, Sociology, Social Work and Psychology).* May 11, 4pm: College of Arts and Sciences (Graduate Studies plus Majors of Biology, Statistics, Chemistry, Sport Science, Mathematics, Arabic, English Literature, Linguistics, International Affairs, and Policy, Planning & Development).* May 13, 9am: College of Business and Economics.The university had earlier announced that the two main graduation ceremonies for the 46th batch (Batch of 2023) will be held on May 8, for male students and on May 9 for outstanding female students.This batch's number of graduates will reach 3,231 male and female students, including 2,652 female graduates and 579 male graduates, QNA added.

The representation office of Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) in Gaza attended the graduation ceremony of 73 young women and men who received remote work training under its project 'Create a Living for Women and Youths from Poor Families in Gaza'.The QRCS-funded $457,000 initiative was carried out by Computer Land Co. and Vision Plus Co., in cooperation with Palestine’s Ministry of Labor (MoL) in Gaza.Dr Akram Nassar, head of QRCS’s office in Gaza, said the interventions of QRCS to build the capacity of fresh graduates help to improve the economic conditions in Gaza, amid high unemployment and poverty rates.According to him, 73 beneficiaries gained practical experience in five specializations: e-marketing, mobile application programming, user interface/experience design, translation, and content writing. Now, they are able to work from home.Mohamed Tubail, chairman of the National Council for Remote Work and Director-General of Employment Services at MoL, praised QRCS’s role in alleviating the suffering of fresh graduates in Gaza, by securing job opportunities for them.Engineer Ashraf al-Yazouri, director of Vision Plus Co said the nine-month training resulted in 584 tasks executed by the trainees on remote work platforms, with a total revenue of over $60,000.

The Ramadan talk show ‘Wa Amenhum mein Khawf’ (secure them from fear) by the Ministry of Endowments (Awqaf) and Islamic Affairs, represented by the Department of Da’wah and Religious Guidance, started on Tuesday hosted prominent Islamic scholars, who discussed the role of civil society institutions in the manufacture of values.The show was attended by Sheikh Dr Kamal Kida, Sheikh Dr Mohamed Abdul Karim, Sheikh Dr Essam al-Bashir, Sheikh Dr Khaled bin Mohamed al-Thani and Sheikh Dr. Kamal AkoudThe three part Ramadan talk show witnesses from 10 pm to 1 pm with the participation of scholars and thinkers from the Islamic world. It’s held in cooperation with Al Hazm Mall.The sessions are broadcast live on Al Jazeera as well as through Awqaf’s social media accounts.

Malabar Gold & Diamonds, the sixth largest jewellery retailer globally with an extensive retail network of 312 outlets across 10 countries, has unveiled their ‘Golden Gift’ offers ahead of the festive season.Customers can get assured gold coins with gold and diamond jewellery purchase. Malabar Gold & Diamonds will also be showcasing an exquisite array of jewellery collections in gold, diamond and precious gems across their numerous sub brands such as Mine, Era, Precia, Viraaz, Ethnix and Divine.The limited period offer can be availed across all Malabar Gold & Diamonds outlets in the Middle East, Far East and the US from today (March 30) to April 24.For every diamond or precious gem jewellery purchase worth QR5,000, customers will get free 1gm gold coin and for diamond and precious gem jewellery purchase worth QR3,000 they will be eligible for half gm gold coin.The special array of jewellery collection that the brand has unveiled ahead of the festive season presents an array of designs in gold, diamond and precious gem jewellery. The special designs are available across the sub-brands, comprising of 22k gold, diamonds and precious gem jewellery.Elegant designs crafted in contemporary fashion have also been introduced in the 18K gold category. Customers can also avail zero deduction gold exchange on 22K (GCC) gold jewellery. Malabar Gold & Diamonds is also offering 8gm gold coins with zero making charges as part of the offers.“As Malabar Gold & Diamonds celebrates 30 years of providing an exemplary jewellery shopping experience to its customers all over the world, the Golden Gift offer that we have unveiled is yet another example of our ardent commitment towards adding joy to their celebrations”, commented Shamlal Ahamed, managing director-international operations, Malabar Gold & Diamonds.Malabar Gold & Diamonds has also introduced gold rate protection offers, wherein customers can protect themselves from fluctuating gold rates by paying a 10% advance, valid until April 24. If the gold rate goes up during this period, customers can purchase at the blocked rate and if the rate happens to go down, customers can draw mileage from the low rates. Customers can also block gold rates by paying a 50% or 100% advance, which will be valid for a period of three months and six months, respectively.

“The Arabic language is a sea,” panelist, Meg Grieve told a full room at the recent TEDinArabic Doha Summit at a Discovery Session hosted by Qatar Foundation International (QFI).The session, “Knowledge of Languages is the Doorway to Wisdom,” was a standing-room only event featuring six non-native speakers from Brazil, Germany, and the US.“After seven years of study, I’m just skimming its surface,” Grieve said. A student from the US, Grieve described how learning Arabic, first in high school and now in university and abroad, has been a life-changing experience, but “there’s always more to learn.”For the past 14 years, QFI, a member of Qatar Foundation, has been supporting educators, administrators, students, researchers, and other experts across the Arabic language ecosystem to advance the value of teaching and learning Arabic as a global language.Because of QFI’s work, students and educators like the Discovery Session panelists have access to lifechanging opportunities, networks, and support.The three student panelists learned Arabic through QFI-supported secondary-school programming in the US. “Our experiences learning Arabic have been great because of Ustaz Fadi,” both Susie Hayes and Shelby Holloway said of their Arabic teacher at Lindblom High School in Chicago, Illinois. “Because I learned Arabic,” Hayes added, “I’ve gotten to know some of the best people in my life.”All six panelists in the Discovery Session, both students and educators, learned Arabic as non-native speakers. “Even as I teach my students, I learn from them,” said panelist Paula Caffaro, an Arabic lecturer at Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Caffaro, Paula Roetscher and Caroline Sibley all began their language studies in school and now teach Arabic at the secondary schools and universities in the Brazil, Germany, and the US, respectively. All shared how the language continues to change their lives.“I don’t have words to describe how the Arabic language has changed me,” said Caffaro. "Honestly, I am a better person because I learned Arabic.”Primary and secondary level education faces a critical, global gap in Arabic language learning.QFI is the only organisation that addresses this gap by supporting Arabic educators at the primary and secondary levels, as well as of social studies, math, science, and the arts who intend to explore Arabic and the Arab world as part of their curriculum. The six non-native speakers at QFI’s Discovery Session all started learning Arabic at an early age, demonstrating the impact of introducing the language in primary and secondary schools.“On my first day of Arabic class,” panel moderator, Sibley said, “The teacher wrote, ‘The Arabic language is a sea. We’re going to swim in it.’ I’m so glad that I did.”

Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) yesterday signed a funding agreement to support the White Helmets' core operations to ensure the continuation of life-saving services in Northwest Syria.This support will enable the White Helmets to cover the essential costs for the deployment of volunteer field teams, maintenance and operation of search and rescue equipment, and provision of medical consumables to meet urgent humanitarian needs.The co-operation between QFFD and USAID ensures facilitating the White Helmets' operations, and dealing proactively with any kind of disaster or crisis, in the absence of a shortage of the necessary equipment and capabilities after their occurrence.The series of earthquakes that struck Turkiye and Syria, have resulted in thousands of injuries and deaths and devastated infrastructure in the region.As soon as the earthquake hit, The White Helmets declared a state of emergency in Northwest Syria and responded immediately following the earthquake.(QNA)

Qatar Charity (QC) continues to implement an Iftar programme for various Asian, Arab, and African expatriate communities in Qatar. The Iftar table for the Bangladeshi community, benefited 750 fasting people, under the supervision of QC's Social Development Centre – Communities.The Iftar programme included Holy Qur'an recitation, lectures, and Islamic Nasheed (songs).The community leaders and members thanked the benefactors of Qatar for supporting such Iftar programmes and Ramadan activities, praising QC's efforts in organising events for expatriate communities, especially in Ramadan.In a lecture, Anwar ul Islam, president of the Bangladeshi community, emphasised the importance of fasting and how a Muslim should spend Ramadan, indicating this month is a season for Muslims around the world to multiply their rewards.He also highlighted the need to abide by the laws of Qatar.Jubair Ahmed Chowdhury, advisor to the president of the Bangladeshi community, thanked QC for organising the collective Iftar for his community. He hoped that QC will continue to hold it in every Ramadan as usual, because it allows the community members to get to know each other and supports interaction and solidarity between them.Mueenuddin, a Bangladeshi community member, said, “I have been attending the Iftar programme every Ramadan for five years, and I gain Islamic knowledge".Khatib al-Rahman, another Bangladeshi citizen, said: "The programme is a wonderful opportunity for the community to get together, and it teaches us to care for others and gives us a good feeling when we meet each other, especially when we are away from our home country.” He appreciated the efforts of QC in holding a collective Iftar programme for the community.The ‘Iftar for Expatriate Communities’ programme is expected to benefit 22,000 persons from various communities, including the Sri Lankan, Filipino, Indonesian, Bangladeshi, Nepali, Pakistani, Indian, Arab and African communities throughout the holy month.

Hospitality Development Company (HDC), in partnership with Akira Back, which is synonymous with cutting cuisine and exquisite taste in the restaurant industry, has announced the brand’s debut in Doha at The Pearl Island.The Akira Back brand is a diverse portfolio of restaurants and lounges around the globe that pride themselves on creating innovative culinary experiences combined with a social atmosphere and elegant ambiance.The mission statement is to revolutionise the dining experience through one-of-a-kind dishes and gracious service, a statement said.Born in South Korea and raised in Aspen, Colorado, world-renowned chef Akira Back brings a sense of adventure and boundless creativity to his culinary creations. Before embarking on his career in the kitchen, Back spent his early years as a professional snowboarder, appearing in extreme sports movies and garnering praise from the sport’s top trade publications. Back eventually retired from snowboarding and took his need for speed and desire for adventure to culinary school.Back has since brought his culinary expertise and artistry across the globe. He currently operates 25 locations under his banner in cities, such as Paris, Las Vegas, Dubai, Beverly Hills, San Diego, Toronto, Singapore, Seoul, and now Doha. He plans to open 10 more over the next two years in cities, including London, San Francisco, Riyadh, and Florence for an unmatched global footprint.TONO, a Peruvian slang for “party,” is located at 6 La Croisette, Level 2, Porto Arabia. It will offer a festive sharing food concept with a lively service crew, modern salsa music, and chilled vibes all surrounded by panoramic stunning views of Marina Bay. With a unique Peruvian architectural avant-garde design and festive Latin vibe, TONO will bring an Innovative Nikkei Cuisine destination to The Pearl Island.HDC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of United Development Company, a leading Qatari shareholding company and master developer of The Pearl and Gewan islands.

The Cultural Village Foundation — Katara announced the opening of registration for the 9th edition of the Senyar Festival's pearl diving and fishing contests. Registration will remain open until April 13, with the festival to be held from May 2-5.The Senyar Festival organising committee set out the conditions for registration including: having a wooden boat (traditional or modern dhow) equipped with navigation systems and safety facilities with a valid licence, while every team should consist of 8-12 participants.Participants must be Qatari nationals with four participants per team permitted to be from different nationalities: two participants from other Gulf Co-operation Council countries, whilst the other two being residents of Qatar.Team name registration will be on a first-come first-serve basis, and all participants must submit a medical examination certificate.Organising the Senyar Festival is part of Katara's efforts to revive and preserve the Qatari cultural maritime heritage.(QNA)

Qatar National Library (QNL) is celebrating the holy month of Ramadan with a lineup of cultural activities and learning opportunities during April.On April 1 and 8, QNL invites young adults to join in preparing and tasting healthy snacks as well as debunking some misconceptions about habits associated with Ramadan.Throughout the holy month, QNL invites children to enjoy “Ramadan Storytime”.Held in collaboration with Dar Ktateeb, children can listen on QNL’s Instagram account to a narration of the most beautiful stories every Monday and Wednesday.On April 4, QNL invites visitors to a lecture held by Sheikh Dr Ahmed al-Farjabi, family and educational adviser, and Sharia expert at the Minister of Endowments and Islamic Affairs, about the importance of family values and how to live and renew them during Ramadan.In addition, QNL invites young adults to attend sessions to learn about the earliest prophets of Allah and their amazing missions and voyages. The sessions will take place on April 4, 5, 11, 12, 18, and 19.On April 5, QNL will host a book discussion that presents the most important themes covered in the book ‘Beautiful Names of God: Journey to the Seventh Heaven’, by Ali bin Jaber al-Fifi. Participants will reflect on the meanings of the different names of God and their relevance to our lives.To celebrate the joy of the holy month, QNL invites families to create fun crafts that can be used at home.The first session, on April 6, will have Ramadan-themed decorations and the second session will feature crafts for Eid.

Hamad International Airport (HIA), voted the World’s Best Airport Shopping and nine-time winner of the Best Airport in the Middle East at the 2023 Skytrax World Airport Awards and Qatar Duty Free (QDF), are hosting a series of Ramadan festivities and experiences.“Hamad International Airport strives to showcase the rich culture and traditions of Qatar and the Middle East," chief operating officer engineer Badr Mohammed al-Meer, said."Our commitment to creating memorable experiences for our passengers is reflected in bringing the spirit and essence of Ramadan to passengers. As the gateway to Qatar and the region, Hamad International Airport remains dedicated to create unique and innovative experiences for all visitors.”HIA and QDF deliver a traditional ambiance with Ramadan tents near the Fendi and Ralph’s cafés adorning the Orchard. Arabic coffee and dates are served to passengers during Iftar at booths located throughout HIA.A special occasion in the Gulf region, the Garangao, falling on the 14th day of Ramadan, is celebrated by children dressing in traditional clothing, singing the Garangao song, and receiving sweets and nuts. Passengers travelling from HIA will experience this festivity near the Lamp Bear with a traditional children's performance and giveaways distributed to young ones.Orhard is embracing the holy month with decorative Ramadan lanterns, a 360 photo booth, and Arabic seating areas for passengers, who are introduced to a selection of Ramadan specials by QDF, including oud fragrances from world-renowned beauty brands and premium Arabic sweets, chocolates, and dates.In addition, multiple F&B options by QDF will provide dine-in and grab-and-go options suitable for the diverse passengers at HIA. The Harrods Tea Room has a special Ramadan menu with bespoke flavours.QDF has returned as the main sponsor of Qatar’s W Hotel Sultan’s Tent, where guests can enjoy rich Iftar and Suhoor buffet menus.

The Public Works Authority (Ashghal) announced winning the Silver Stevie Award for 'Innovative Achievement in Thought Leadership' in the 2023 Middle East and North Africa Stevie Awards for Ashghal's Strategic and Contractual Enhancements applied to the projects of the Local Areas Infrastructure Programme.The Silver Stevie Awards are among the prestigious awards in the business world, as they honour outstanding achievements in the workplace through several programmes such as 'the International Business Awards' launched 20 years ago.The Middle East and North Africa Stevie Awards programme is considered the only one in the region specialised in honouring business sector innovations that is available for organisations and individuals from 18 nations.Ashghal Roads Projects Department Manager, Eng. Saoud al-Tamimi, stressed the authority spares no effort to instill and support a culture of continuous development of work processes on site, and to disseminate best practices in line with its strategy that aims to achieve multiple key themes, which include timely delivery of projects, cost management, and improvement of the quality, health, and safety management performance.Assistant Roads Projects Department Manager, Eng. Ali Ashkanani, said Ashghal in 2018 launched a package of contractual enhancements in infrastructure projects of citizens' subdivisions and existing areas, increasing the percentage of enhanced contracts from 40% in 2018 to 95% in 2021.These improvements aim to facilitate implementation of project works and reduce their impact on the residents' daily life, while achieving fast response to their requests and suggestions, Ashkanani added, stressing Ashghal's winning of the Middle East and North Africa Stevie Award in 'Innovative Achievement in Thought Leadership' category is another confirmation of its success in creating new methods to implement best practices and achieve tangible results.It is noteworthy that this year, more than 800 nominations were submitted by organisations in the Middle East and North Africa region in various categories such as Innovation in Product and Service, Innovative Management, Innovation in Corporate Websites and other categories.The Gold, Silver and Bronze award winners were determined by the average scores given by six judging panels consisting of more than 150 professionals from around the world. (QNA)

Devji Aurum, the renowned jewellery design brand from Bahrain, is poised to dazzle its customers in Qatar with an exquisite display of its timeless ‘Ruhi’ jewellery collection as part of its Ruhi Week.Ruhi Week, organised in co-operation with Alfardan Boutique, kicked off at Doha Festival City and will run until March 31, and from April 1 to 5 at the Alfardan Boutique in Mall of Qatar.Ruhi is derived from the Arabic word “Ruh” meaning “soul” and throughout the period of the exhibition, Devji Aurum customers will witness the soul-stirring creations of the Ruhi collection in 21-karat gold. This stunning collection is inspired by an innate passion for artisanship and is crafted using only the highest grade of gold, diamonds, and precious gems.The Ruhi collection embodies a unique blend of innovation and heritage as it merges the past and the present, celebrating heritage and also revealing its rich essence through a renewed perspective. From exclusive limited-edition designs to statement pieces, Ruhi’s jewellery pieces will mesmerise with a distinctive flair. One can expect to see the legacy of timeless pieces through colours, tones, and textures that appeal to the tastes of the young at heart.During the show, Devji Aurum will also be showcasing its latest collection of the magnificent and limited-edition Ruhi Pearl - Pyramids collection.Crafted in its signature 21-karat gold, these delicate pieces are studded with the finest and most valued natural Bahraini pearls creating a unique pyramid design that highlights the skill and craftsmanship of its designers.Mahesh Devji, managing director of Devji Aurum, said: “We are delighted to collaborate with Alfardan Jewellery in Qatar to showcase the Ruhi collection. We believe that as a brand we have been inspiring our customers generation after generation. We are proud to innovate and keep pace with the latest trends and continue to draw inspiration from our customers' aspirations and desires.”Devji Aurum’s followers and customers have always been fascinated by the charm of this mesmerising collection, which elevates the heritage theme by celebrating it as a poetic, sensory experience through certain concepts: the sound of bells – whereby jewellery is associated with auditory pleasure; the sounds made by the ringing of dangling asharfis or gold coins enhance its beauty; the sense of touch – an exploration of the tactile beauty of jewellery, be it the beadwork, lace patterns, weave patterns or other textured details that bring out the beauty of the piece; and the overall sense of its aura, which revolves around being dazzled by the sheen and lustre of precious metal or stones that reflect the radiance of every Ruhi piece and making each one a treat for the senses.

The Cabinet on Wednesday reviewed the adoption of the mutual evaluation report of the anti-money laundering, combating the financing of terrorism and financing of proliferation system in Qatar during the general meeting of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), which was held in Paris from Feb. 20 to 24, 2023; and its outcome which confirms that Qatar has a very strong legal and regulatory framework in this field.The Cabinet affirmed Qatar's commitment to combating money laundering and terrorism financing, improving and strengthening the control system, updating related plans, and enhancing participation and contribution to international efforts to combat financial crimes.The Cabinet directed the government agencies concerned, the National Counter-Terrorism Committee, and the National Anti-Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing Committee, to work on implementing the recommendations contained in the report, in order to achieve more positive results.HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim al-Thani chaired the Cabinet's regular meeting held through video conferencing.A statement issued by HE the Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs said at the outset of the meeting, the Cabinet renewed Qatar's strong condemnation and denunciation of extremists in some European countries continuing their criminal and provocative practices that contradict the most basic rules of ethics, customs and civilised behaviour, pointing to burning a copy of the Holy Quran by an extremist group in the Danish capital, Copenhagen.The Cabinet underlined that committing these reprehensible and irresponsible acts in this blessed month would inflame feelings of hatred, stir up strife and encourage extremism, which threatens the values of peaceful coexistence.The Cabinet reiterated calls upon the international community to take measures to ensure respect for religions and criminalise violations of their sanctity, stop the wave of fanaticism, extremism and unjustified hatred against Islam and Muslims in some countries, and work to spread a culture of brotherhood, tolerance and peaceful coexistence among countries and peoples.The Cabinet took note of the Shura Council's approval of a draft law on documents and archives.The draft law aims to regulate the handling, classification, preservation and protection of public, historical, national and other documents.The Cabinet approved draft decisions of the Minister of Interior regarding:A- Formation of committees to examine appeals and grievances for the Central Municipal Council elections.B- Formation of election committees for the Central Municipal Council elections.C - Formation of voter registration committees for the Central Municipal Council elections.The aforementioned draft decisions come in preparation for the imminent elections of the 7th session of the Central Municipal Council 2023.The Cabinet approved: a- A draft agreement for cooperation in the legal field between the government of Qatar and the government of the Dominican Republic. b- A draft memorandum of understanding in the field of education and training of diplomats between the Diplomatic Institute of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Qatar and the Azerbaijan University for Diplomatic Studies affiliated to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan.Also, the Cabinet reviewed the study prepared by the National Cyber Security Agency on the appropriateness of setting a unified budget for government agencies to implement cyber security requirements, and took the appropriate decision thereon.

The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change organised a series of awareness workshops and lectures in several state schools, to educate students about the importance of sustainable development and preserving the environment and its impact on human health, and to introduce them to the basics of recycling and ways to benefit from household waste.In this context, the ministry presented a workshop on ways to improve air quality at home for students of Al Shaqab Primary Independent School for Girls. The workshop addressed many axes, most notably of which were causes of indoor air pollution, and proposed environmental solutions to improve its quality through experiments carried out by NASA for the health of the home environment.The ministry also participated in the scientific research exhibition at Al Khansaa Primary Independant School for Girls, where it introduced students to the best methods of waste recycling and practical use, and the impact of plastic on public health.The ministry presented a lecture at Kamal Naji Elementary School for Boys, which included introducing the most important steps in the work of school projects, defining the concept of creativity and its obstacles, and the characteristics of the creative personality, in addition to another lecture in Umm Maabad Preparatory School for Girls, to introduce students to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and Qatar's steps towards achieving these goals, through large sustainable projects.The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change also organised a lecture on health at home for students of Qatar Technical Secondary School for Girls. The lecture included providing many information on indoor health, and the impact of some materials used on public health, such as pesticides, fresheners, dyes, wallpaper, plastic and wooden floors, and detergents.

The College of Health and Life Sciences (CHLS) at Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) is launching a new PhD programme in Biopsychology and Neuroscience (BNS) from Fall 2023.BNS will provide students with key skills and knowledge to tackle complex problems related to mental health and behaviour, a statement said yesterday.Training covering the biological foundations of cognition, development and aging of the nervous system, and more, will equip students with a deep understanding of neural mechanisms, as well as the study of brain disorders.“This multidisciplinary graduate programme emphasises the application of innovative technologies and artificial intelligence to tackle brain development, functions and disorders,” said Dr Georges Nemer, interim dean, CHLS.“We will complement this with rigourous training in critical thinking, experimental design, and statistical analysis. Upon completion, candidates will be fluent in complex topics that define the field of neuroscience and equipped to study brain disorders, behaviour, and relationships to mental health.”Applications to the CHLS’ Fall 2023 PhD in Biopsychology and Neuroscience programme are now open. Prospective applicants should have a strong academic record in biological, biomedical, or medical sciences from a recognised university. Applicants who hold a Master’s degree in neuroscience and can demonstrate prior research experience are preferred. The deadline for applications is May 15.“We’re not only looking forward to the launch of our newest PhD programme, but also welcoming successful applicants to the CHLS and wider HBKU network,” added Dr Nemer.

Qatar University (QU) organised an event for the International Association for the Exchange of Students for Technical Experience (IAESTE) 2023, to present programme details for students.The event was organised by QU's College of Engineering (QU-CENG) and sponsored by Dolphin Energy Limited.IAESTE is concerned with the exchange of students for technical work experience abroad, as students gain through this organisation appropriate technical training.The event at QU aims to encourage students to join the program and help them find prominent training opportunities.In his speech, QU-CENG Dean Dr Khaled Kamal Naji said, "we are honoured at QU-CENG to be Qatar representatives of the International Association for the Exchange of Students for Technical Experience (IAESTE)," adding "we will facilitate the enrollment procedures for various training opportunities in the participating country, to develop solutions to the challenges facing the organisation's work plans, and to enhance exchange between member states."Dr Naji pointed out that Qatar joined IAESTE in 2011 to prepare qualified graduates who are able to contribute effectively to areas they join and make a difference, noting that QU-CENG seeks to cultivate the talents of its students with international experiences through this exchange."We seek to meet the challenges of student exchange in the countries of the region, and to enhance student exchange between these countries," Dr Naji added.IAESTE includes committees representing more than 80 countries, and the organisation seeks to connect students with employers in foreign countries, provide university students with technical expertise, and culturally enrich students and their host societies. The organisation serves nearly 4,000 students, 3,000 employers and 1,000 academic institutions annually through professional training programmes focusing on professional life abroad and social and cultural reception programmes, international networks and other professional activities and brands in more than 80 countries around the world.

Weather inshore until 6 pm on Wednesday will be moderate temperature, slightly dusty to blowing dust at places during daytime, the Department of Meteorology said in its daily weather report.Offshore will be moderate, the report added, warning of expected strong wind and high sea.Wind inshore will be northwesterly at a speed of 08 to 18 KT gusting to 28 KT at places during daytime.Offshore, it will be northwesterly at a speed of 18 to 25 KT gusting to 30 KT at north at times.Visibility will be 4 to 9/4 kilometres or less at places.Sea state inshore will be 1 to 3 feet surging to 5 feet at times. Offshore it will be 5 to 8 feet surging to 10 feet at times.

The Public Works Authority (Ashghal) has announced a four-hour temporary night-time closure at Al Gassar Interchange on Lusail Road to traffic coming from Lusail towards Al Khafji Street (west), from 2am to 6am on Wednesday and again on Thursday, due to some maintenance works. Lusail Road users heading for Al Khaji Street (west) can take the right access onto the local roads before Al Gassar Interchange or stay on the Katara Underpass at Al Gassar Interchange to reach Al Khafji Street (east), and then make a U-turn onto the Al Gassar Interchange Flyover to reach their destinations, Ashghal has explained

Lebanon has confirmed its participation in Expo 2023 Doha following the recent visit of Lebanon’s Minister of Agriculture, Abbas Hajj Hassan, to Qatar.Lebanon’s participation promises to bring both knowledge and entertainment. As the country with the highest proportion of arable land in the Arab world, Lebanon has already developed a number of innovative agricultural practices, including robotic and digital applications, an aqua-cultural farming system and advancedpost-harvest infrastructure, a press statement notes.Agricultural practices, 'mouneh' - the traditional Lebanese custom of food collection and preservation, and a wide array of creative performances will all be features in the Lebanese pavilion at the Expo.“Lebanon – like other countries in the region – is suffering because of the drought crisis, which has been exacerbated by scarcity of groundwater and climate change effects,” said the Lebanese minister of agriculture. “We are confident that Expo 2023 Doha will increase awareness of practical, long-lasting solutions to these global issues.”He also emphasised the long-standing brotherly ties between Qatar and Lebanon.“Lebanon and Qatar are important partners, and we are happy to host the Lebanese pavilion at Expo 2023 Doha,” added ambassador Bader al-Dafa, Expo 2023 Doha Commissioner-General. “We believe that Lebanon’s participation will spark further regional collaboration in agriculture and horticulture as Arab countries are facing similar challenges and are actively looking for efficient and innovative solutions to tackle them together."Spanning a six-month period, from October 2 this year until March 28, 2024, Expo 2023 Doha will take place in the heart of Doha at Al Bidda Park, welcoming citizens and residents of Qatar, international visitors and high-level participants.Over 55 countries and organisations have already confirmed their participation in Expo 2023 Doha.