Search - covid 19

Nepal's Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal said the visit of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani to the country is a testimony to the strength and friendly relations and cooperation between the two nations.This visit will broaden relations between Doha and Kathmandu and lead them to new horizons, Dahal added, describing the visit by His Highness the Amir as "historic."In an interview with Qatar News Agency (QNA), Dahal expressed his firm belief that the visit of His Highness the Amir will elevate relations between the two countries to new heights, adding: "We are equally hopeful that several agreements will be signed during this visit. Furthermore, in-depth discussions on important areas of bilateral cooperation will also be pivotal in enhancing our cooperation in various areas."Dahal expressed confidence that the visit of His Highness the Amir will herald a new beginning for friendship and that it will set another milestone in the diplomatic relations between the two nations.The prime minister stressed the importance of enhancing cooperation between the two countries in areas including health, education, infrastructure development, and economic empowerment.He hailed the level of development Qatar is witnessing at various levels, as it represents an exemplary experience, adding, "We are impressed to see Qatar's phenomenal development."Nepal looks forward to learning from Qatar's experience in this regard, especially since it aspires to achieve better development indicators within a short period of time," he added."It is my understanding that we have many avenues in which we can collaborate and learn from each other's development efforts," Dahal said, adding, "we can forge pragmatic collaboration for developing partnership for assisting in bridging the gap in the developmental processes."He pointed out the importance of future co-operation and collaboration between the two countries in regional and multilateral forums to serve the general interest of humanity, including unifying efforts to confront climate change.Dahal said a collective voice can be raised, and efforts in regional and multilateral forums can be unified to confront climate change, adding, "It is high time to consolidate our individual efforts into collaborative ones for the benefit of humanity. I have been raising the issue of climate change at different forums, and I look forward to working closely with like-minded countries in the future."Dahal expressed appreciation for the humanitarian support provided by Qatar to Nepal, especially during the 2015 earthquake. "Qatar has always lent generous support in the humanitarian sector in Nepal. The government of Qatar has provided invaluable support and goodwill to Nepal in the aftermath of the 2015 earthquake as well as in instances of other natural disasters," he said.Dahal extended his thanks to the government of Qatar for its assistance during the Covid-19 pandemic, expressing his heartfelt gratitude for taking care of Nepali workers in Qatar during the pandemic.The prime minister hailed the role played by Qatar in resolving conflicts and promoting peace and security around the globe, emphasising his country's appreciation for Doha's efforts in resolving differences through negotiations and diplomacy.He underscored Nepal's belief that peace should prevail for humanity to prosper.Given the turbulent situation in the Gulf region, the diplomatic acumen and leadership by Qatar in thawing tensions is highly commendable, he added.Dahal expressed his country's "high regard for Qatar for playing a significant role as a mediator in the ongoing conflict in Gaza," adding "the facilitation for negotiations and securing temporary ceasefires in the past has been of great importance."I have been keenly following the situation in the Middle East. We are worried about the scenario of further escalation in hostilities and the worsening plight of the civilian population. We wish for an end of war and restoration of peace in the region as soon as possible," he added."It is indeed heartening to see Qatar's leadership pitching hope and arduously trying to bring the warring parties to table to negotiate for peace and humanity," the premier pointed outThe Gulf region has its own political, economic, and cultural significance, Dahal said adding: "It is my ardent hope that the region will come to a long-term solution while embracing the values of peaceful co-existence."

Bilateral relations between the State of Qatar and the People's Republic of Bangladesh are progressing at a firm and steady pace toward broad horizons of cooperation and fruitful partnerships.The two countries, which have established diplomatic relations since the 1970s, are linked by deep and rooted fraternal ties, nourished by common history, culture, religion, and values.Relations between the two countries have witnessed remarkable development in recent years through mutual visits at various levels, and have also witnessed fruitful cooperation in all fields, which reflects the keenness of the leadership of the two countries to develop these relations and advance them into strategic partnerships and further progress and prosperity.Within the framework of the keenness to strengthen bilateral relations, the official visit carried out by HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani to the People's Republic of Bangladesh comes as part of His Highness's Asian tour. During the visit, HH the Amir will meet with HE President of the People's Republic of Bangladesh Mohammed Shahabuddin and HE Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wazed to discuss bilateral relations between the two countries and ways to support and develop them and move them to advanced stages of fruitful strategic partnerships in a way that serves the interests and aspirations of the two countries and their friendly peoples.Diplomatic relations between the State of Qatar and the People's Republic of Bangladesh date back to the 1970s. The State of Qatar opened its embassy in Dhaka on 1/15/1980, while the Bangladesh embassy opened in Doha on 12/29/1981.Cooperation between the two countries includes a wide range of fields, including economic, artistic, commercial, investment, and the employment of the Bangladeshi workforce in Qatar, in addition to cooperation in the fields of education, tourism, culture, sports, and human resources development.To achieve greater cooperation between the two countries, HE Prime Minister of the People's Republic of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina Wazed visited Doha in May 2023 to participate in the 3rd edition of the Qatar Economic Forum, where she was received at the Amiri Diwan by HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani. During the meeting, they discussed the bilateral relations between the two countries and ways to strengthen and develop them, in addition to a number of issues of common interest.HE Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani also met with HE Sheikh Hasina Wazed on the sidelines of the 3rd Qatar Economic Forum.During the meeting, they discussed bilateral cooperation relations between the two countries and ways to support and develop them, especially in the field of energy and joint work in the technology sector. They also discussed a number of topics of common interest.In her speech before the Potential of Trade and Investment in Bangladesh Forum, held in Doha in March 2023, with the participation of the Qatar Chamber (QC), the Qatari Businessmen Association (QBA), and the Qatar Financial Centre (QFC), HE Sheikh Hasina Wazed called on Qatari businesspersons and investors to invest in Bangladesh. She indicated that Bangladesh offers tremendous incentives and facilities for investors, affirming the strong performance of the Bangladeshi economy and the significant growth of the GDP despite the repercussions of the Covid-19 pandemic on the global economy.On his part, HE QBA Chairman Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim Al-Thani said that the forum represented an opportunity to learn about the investment opportunities available in Bangladesh. He also stressed that Qatari businesspersons are keen to enhance the investment and partnership relations with companies in the countries with which the State of Qatar has extended and strong relations, indicating that the agricultural, industrial, and tourism sectors are always a priority.In March 2023, QFC took part in the Bangladesh Investment Summit titled "Trade and Investment potentials in Bangladesh", held in Doha. The summit showcased the potential investment opportunities in Bangladesh across various sectors.In his keynote speech, QFC Chief Executive Officer Yousuf Mohamed Al Jaida said: "Bangladesh and Qatar have been enjoying a healthy economic relationship for over four decades, which has significantly grown in recent years. This is evidenced in the exponential growth of the two nations' trade volume rising from QR 948 million in 2017 to more than QR 10 billion in 2022."Al Jaida added: "Beyond ICT, energy and human capital, there are numerous areas where we can expand mutually beneficial investment and partnerships, such as agriculture, technology education, tourism, culture, sports, and finance."In September 2018, QFC, one of the world's leading and fastest growing onshore business and financial centers, officially welcomed the Bangladesh Forum Qatar (BFQ) as a registered business council on the QFC platform.As a business council, the QFB will play a key role in facilitating bilateral investment between Qatar and Bangladesh. The BFQ is a non-profit business council aimed at promoting the continued growth and development of trade and investment between the two countries. The QFC endeavors to promote Qatar as an attractive business destination for companies looking to expand their operations in the Middle East region and take advantage of the opportunities available in the country.Within the context of the economic relations between the two countries, the "Made in Bangladesh" exhibition, organized by the BQF kicked off in January 2020 at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center (DECC). The three-day exhibition brought together 100 companies covering 18 major sectors in Bangladesh specializing in information technology, energy, cement, telecommunications, food and beverages, fisheries, etc.Within the framework of political coordination between the two countries, a round of political consultations was held in Doha in September 2022 between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of the two countries. During the round of political consultations, they reviewed bilateral cooperation relations, in addition to several issues of common interest. Following the round of consultations, an agreement was signed on abolishing visa requirements for holders of diplomatic, official, and special passports.Through various mutual visits between senior officials of the two countries, areas of cooperation between the two parties are being discussed in many fields, especially in the energy sector, economy, labor affairs, banks, culture, and others.The State of Qatar is the largest supplier of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Bangladesh as there are several agreements between the two parties in this regard, the most recent of which was signed in January between QatarEnergy and Excelerate Energy to supply Bangladesh with LNG for 15 years starting as of January 2026, at a rate of approximately one million tons annually. There is also an agreement between the two parties signed in June 2023 to supply LNG to the Bangladesh Oil, Gas & Mineral Corporation (Petrobangla) at a rate of up to 1.8 million tons annually and to be delivered to the ports of Bangladesh as of January 2026 for 15 years.Within the context of the interest in labor affairs, in December 2018, the State of Qatar launched two visa centers in Bangladesh, one in the capital, Dhaka, and the other in the city of Sylhet, as part of Qatar's efforts to facilitate and simplify the procedures for bringing expatriates to work in the State of Qatar.Bangladesh is located in the southeast of Asia and is bordered by India on all sides except the far southeast, where Myanmar borders it. It has an area of more than 147,000 square kilometers and its population exceeds 174,000,000 people. It is called the land of rivers because it is home to more than 57 transboundary rivers.In recent years, Bangladesh has succeeded in rising as an economic power. In 2019, HE Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina wrote an article in which she said that in addition to self-sufficiency, Bangladesh is now the fourth-largest producer of rice, the second-largest producer of jute, the fourth-largest producer of mangoes, the fifth-largest producer of vegetables, and the fourth-largest producer of inbound fisheries.Bangladesh aims to become a developed country by 2040 and has established around 100 economic zones to attract foreign investment.Bangladesh relies on the export of textiles, clothing, seafood, fish, and agricultural products such as bananas, mangoes, potatoes, tropical fruits, onions, rice, tea, jute, pineapples, etc. There are also some job opportunities available for investors in areas of export-oriented industries such as textiles, leather products, electronic components, chemicals, petrochemicals, and agricultural-based industries, in addition to the tourism sector and light industries, and in infrastructure projects such as power generation, oil and gas exploration, minerals, communications, ports, roads, and many other sectors, which can attract foreign investors. (QNA)

At least seven people were killed and another 21 wounded when a race car ploughed into spectators at a packed motorsport event hosted by Sri Lanka’s army yesterday, police said.A driver crashed into the crowd on an unprotected stretch of the track at the Fox Hill circuit, which is maintained by the Sri Lankan army.A video shared widely on social media showed track marshals waving yellow flags to warn other drivers to slow down after a car overturned on the track.The drivers are seen speeding past in clouds of orange dust until a red car slams into the crowd, and people are heard screaming.“A total of 27 people were taken to hospital and seven of them succumbed to their injuries,” spokesman Nihal Thalduwa said, adding that an eight-year-old girl was among the dead.Shortly before the crash, army chief Vikum Liyanage announced that the gates had been opened to spectators free of charge to promote motorsports, with the event being held for the first time in five years due to the Covid pandemic and the island’s economic crisis.

Karim Beguir launched the artificial intelligence start-up InstaDeep in Tunisia in 2014 with just two computers and $2,000.By 2023, it was an international operation bought by German laboratory BioNTech for $700mn.“For the first time, we saw that a start-up launched in Africa with very limited resources could become a major international player,” the French-Tunisian CEO, who co-founded the company with Tunisian self-taught IT enthusiast Zohra Slim, told AFP.It gives young Africans the “hope of being part of tomorrow’s innovation and technology,” he said.InstaDeep specialises in decision-making artificial intelligence (AI) that helps businesses develop applications to optimise cost and efficiency.It made a name for itself at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic by creating a system with BioNTech — which developed one of the earliest Covid vaccines — to identify dangerous variants “on average two months before they are reported”, according to data published in scientific journals.InstaDeep put “Tunisia and Africa on the map (in AI). It showed that this kind of story was possible”, added Beguir, 47, who is CEO of the company now based in London.“At the time, when I said we were going to do things at the level of the big boys like Meta, Google, DeepMind and others, everyone laughed in my face,” Beguir said of its initial launch.As well as researching personalised cancer vaccines with BioNTech, InstaDeep is working on projects to fully automate routing for Germany’s national rails, improve operations management at Frankfurt airport and predict cricket invasions in Africa.The company claims to be “already profitable” with sales of more than €10mn ($11mn), though the company did not want to disclose the precise figure.InstaDeep grew from 60 employees in 2018, to 350 employees across Africa, the Middle East, Europe and America.It has offices in Tunis, Lagos, Cape Town and Kigali, along with London, Dubai, Paris, Berlin, Boston and San Francisco.“Thanks to the movement that we have helped start, young Africans can hope of being part of tomorrow’s innovation and technology, and in particular AI, which is the technology of our generation,” said Beguir. He said artificial intelligence presents an opportunity for African economies to go beyond simply exporting fuels and minerals, and make inroads into higher value-added activities.“Selling raw natural resources is not enough. We really need to create things with a much greater added value,” he said.Beguir grew up in the southern Tunisian city of Tataouine before studying in France and then the United States.He went on to work in financial engineering for major US players like JPMorgan and the Bank of America, before embarking on entrepreneurship in Africa.Senegalese teacher and AI researcher Seydina Ndiaye, one of 38 experts selected by the UN to form an AI think tank, has said Africa needs to be more involved in AI development because otherwise “the greatest threat is colonisation by AI.”Experts have regularly pointed out gender and race biases in models designed by major tech companies.“If young Africans develop applications for African communities, you are much less likely to see bias towards these populations than if they were developed in Silicon Valley or Asia,” said InstaDeep’s Beguir.When can Africa expect to see other AI champions emerge?“If we manage to channel this living force into high-level innovation, I would say we will have 10 InstaDeeps in 10 years,” predicted Beguir, provided we resolve obstacles such as the freedom of movement for researchers across the continent.“As crazy as it may seem, in some cases it is easier for a young African with technology skills to come and work in France than to go to another African country,” he warned.

His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani’s three-nation Asia tour is part of Qatar’s unwavering approach to beef up strategic relations and partnerships with Asia.His Highness’ talks with the leaders of the Philippines, Nepal and Bangladesh will focus on ways to boost relations across various fields, and regional and international issues of common concern.The well-established Qatar-Asia relations have seen steady development thanks to both sides’ mutual keenness to develop and enhance them across various areas.Recently, these relations have experienced a drastic growth with both sides exchanging high-profile visits, ramping up the implementation of joint economic and investment projects and co-ordinating positions on many regional and international issues.Aware of Asia’s vital role in consolidating the regional and global economies and achieving global food security, Qatar has dived into Asia with the aim of fostering global and regional economic security. In turn, Asia’s fast-growing economies attach overriding attention to further deepening relations with Qatar.These mutually beneficial Qatar-Asia relations serve the two parties’ national interests. Bearing in mind economic diversification as a top priority of the Qatar National Vision 2030, Doha considers the ample economic opportunities for diverse investments in Asia across several sectors: agriculture, infrastructure, transportation, financial institutions and energy sectors.Meanwhile, multiple Asian countries appeal to potential multi-sector Qatari investments in a bid to push their economies, provide further job opportunities, and to rocket their foreign exports.Furthermore, Doha hosts thousands of migrant workers from many Asian countries. Recognising their contributions to the Qatari economy and the development of their home nations, Qatar has adopted leading labour rights reforms that can serve as a role model for other countries in the region.Among these reforms comes the non-discriminatory minimum wage, a legislation highly commended by the International Labour Organisation and other international agencies concerned with workers.With a keen eye for a robust co-operation with Asia, Qatar signed in August 2022 the instrument of accession to the Treaty of Amity and Co-operation in Southeast Asia (TAC) of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean).The accession, on the sidelines of the 55th Asean Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, was driven by the common will and desire to create a safe and stable region for sustainable economic development and shared prosperity and embracing unity in diversity.Qatar’s relations with the 10-state political and economic union in South Asia consolidate co-operation across multiple fields, support all efforts to enhance regional and international security and peace, and develop relations and co-operation with Asia in general, and Asean countries in particular.One of His Highness the Amir’s stops in this Asia tour will be Philippines. The Doha-Manila relations were initiated in 1981, and in May 1992, the Philippine embassy was inaugurated in Doha.Over the course of more than 43 years, both nations have shown convergent views on many international issues, and the bilateral relations are gradually progressing to the highest levels of co-operation in a way that benefits the friendly people of the two nations.The two sides inked many bilateral agreements that are ever evolving through a joint committee meeting that was recently approved to be held annually to elevate bilateral relations to broader horizons.One of the unswerving outcomes of Doha’s policy to promote relations with the Philippine government and strengthen ties between the people of the two friendly countries was the inauguration of the Qatar Visa Center (QVC) in Manila on Sept 25, 2019.Part of the Qatar Visa Center Programme supervised by the Qatari government, the facility plays a key role in streamlining transparent visa and employment applications of overseas Filipino workers seeking employment in Qatar, according to a systematic manner consistent with the best international standards.Qatar now hosts tens of thousands of Filipino workers across various sectors, and there are over 200 Filipino companies operating in the Qatari market.The private sectors in the two countries are co-operating to increase the trade exchange between both sides.Besides, the two nations leveraged their available resources and expertise to further step up collaboration to boost bilateral trade and investment, and to address the negative impacts of the current global political and economic challenges.One of these resources is the Qatar-Philippines Joint Committee, which serves as a political platform to talk a wide range of topics and issues of common interest, enhance political and economic co-operation, and contribute to finding regional and international solutions to issues of migration and climate change and others.Doha and Manila have shown huge growth in their co-operation in areas of culture and tourism as well.Thanks to its picturesque nature, diversified and hospitable people, the Philippines is an important tourist destination for many Qatari tourists.Qatar Airways was the only airline that never stopped flying amid the Covid-19 pandemic closure to take stranded passengers home on scheduled and charter flights offering all needed vaccines and safety measures.His Highness the Amir will also stop in Nepal. The Qatar-Nepal relations — inaugurated on Jan 21, 1977 — have seen a steady development in recent years, with both countries working to strengthen and develop these relations in the areas of trade and investment exchange.To further bolster their historical and deep relations, both sides ramped up their mutual official visits and sealed bilateral agreements and memoranda of understanding. Qatari businessmen have been frequently invited to explore the promising investment opportunities in Nepal.A key Asian labour exporter to Qatar, Kathmandu hosted in May 2019 a Qatari Visa Center to facilitate measures to bring Nepalese workers to Doha. In December 2018, the Doha Bank opened a representative branch in Kathmandu, a move that streamlined transaction services for Nepalese labourers based in Qatar and contributed to increasing investment flows between the two countries.Like the Philippines, Nepal offers a competitive tourist destination for Qatari nationals. Containing most of the Himalayas, the world’s highest mountain range, Nepal allures those obsessed with mountain climbing, trekking, paragliding, rafting and mountain flight-seeing tours.Another important stop in His Highness the Amir’s tour will be Bangladesh. Diplomatic relations between both countries began in the 1970s, and a Qatari embassy was opened in Dhaka on Jan 15, 1980.Driven by history, culture, religion and common values, the Doha-Dhaka relations have progressed over the years.To support education in the south Asian country, the Qatar Charity opened about 10 new schools in 2023, along with boarding facilities for orphaned and underprivileged students. The facilities are expected to benefit 2,000 male and female students.Constructed across several areas in the country, each school includes classrooms and accommodation for students and teachers. Over the past five years, Qatar Charity has also built approximately 55 schools equipped with boarding sections for students, benefiting over 12,000 students. It also sponsors 4,000 orphans in Bangladesh, providing them with all educational expenses to ensure a good future for the students.Backing Bangladesh’s unwavering efforts to find sustainable solutions to the Rohingya refugee crisis, Qatar participated in many high-level meetings on Rohingya refugees and affirmed in international forums that the repercussions of the crisis would go beyond the Asean countries. To this end, Doha collaborated with many Asean countries and supported many development and relief projects being implemented in the Rohingya refugee camp in Bangladesh. It is also working with Bangladesh and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees to facilitate Rohingya refugees’ access to basic services and to support local authorities and communities hosting Rohingya refugees.

Scottish independence campaigners marched in Glasgow yesterday as they try to reignite flagging support for self-rule before a UK general election due this year that is expected to deal a blow to their cause.A series of setbacks, including a fraud scandal involving Scotland’s former first minister Nicola Sturgeon, have left the independence movement at arguably its lowest ebb in recent memory.The march comes after Sturgeon’s husband, Peter Murrell, was charged on Thursday for the embezzlement of £600,000 in donations meant for independence campaigning. Murrell, the 59-year-old former chief executive of the ruling pro-independence Scottish National Party (SNP), was charged more than a year after he was first arrested.Sturgeon, who resigned as the devolved UK administration’s first minister and SNP leader in February 2023, was arrested in June last year, but released without charge.On Friday, she described her husband’s situation as “incredibly difficult,” with current First Minister Humza Yousaf calling it a “really serious matter indeed”.Sturgeon had established herself as one of the figureheads of the independence movement alongside then Scottish first minister Alex Salmond ahead of an independence referendum in 2014. Scotland voted against independence, with 55% of electors choosing “No”, but Sturgeon, 53, put the matter back on the table in 2016 after the UK voted to leave the European Union.She argued Scotland was being forced out of bloc against its will as Scots had voted overwhelmingly to remain in Europe.Sturgeon’s self-assured leadership and excellent communication skills during the Covid-19 pandemic — in contrast to the perceived chaos under former prime minister Boris Johnson’s Westminster government — saw support for Scottish independence climb above 50% in 2021.After being refused another referendum by successive prime ministers, Sturgeon took the issue to the UK’s top court.But in November 2022, judges ruled against the Scottish government, saying that the power to grant a referendum was a “reserved” matter for the UK government. For Westminster, the Supreme Court’s ruling was the final word on another Scottish independence referendum.Sturgeon, who was accused of overplaying her hand, resigned soon after.Support for independence has since fallen to between 41 and 43%, according to three opinion polls taken in April.Current SNP leader Yousaf has vowed to continue the push for independence at the UK general election, which is expected to be held in October or November.He says the SNP will claim “a mandate for independence negotiations” with the British government if it wins at least 29 of the 57 seats up for grabs in Scotland.The party currently has 43 MPs in Scotland but is expected to lose several to a resurgent Labour Party, which is tipped to form the next government.The SNP has a seven-point lead over Labour in voting intentions, according to the polling agency Ipsos, but that is down from 12 points a year ago.“At the next election, page one, line one of our manifesto will say ‘vote SNP for Scotland to become an independent country,’” Yousaf told cheering delegates at an SNP conference in Aberdeen in October last year. Yousaf has also vowed to rejoin the EU as fast as possible, but that won’t happen anytime soon with independence not currently on the horizon.

Tens of thousands of demonstrators hit the streets of Spain’s Canary Islands on Saturday to demand changes to the model of mass tourism they say is overwhelming the Atlantic archipelago.Rallying under the slogan The Canary Islands have a limit, demonstrators began protesting at midday (1100 GMT), with flag-waving crowds packing the streets of the main towns across all of the archipelago’s seven islands.An estimated 57,000 people joined the protests, Spanish media reports said, citing the central government’s representative in the islands.Chanting and whistling, they waved a sea of placards and banners emblazoned with slogans like “The Canary Islands are not up for sale!” or “A moratorium on tourism” while others simply said: “Respect my home.”The protests were called by some 20 social and environmental groups who say tourist overcrowding perpetuates an economic model that harms local residents and damages the environment.They want the authorities to limit the number of visitors and have proposed introducing an eco tax to protect the environment, a moratorium on tourism and to clamp down on the sale of properties to non-residents.“We are not against tourism,” one woman demonstrator named Rosario Correo told Spain’s TVE public television. “We’re asking that they change this model that allows for unlimited growth of tourism.”Last year, 16mn people visited the Canary Islands, more than seven times its population of some 2.2mn, which the collective says is unsustainable for the archipelago’s limited resources.“We’re tired of the overcrowding, of low salaries, of not having houses to live in and seeing our land bought by foreigners because they have the money to buy our grandparents’ land that we can’t afford,” 59-year-old teacher Nieves Rodrigues Rivera told AFPTV.The constant influx of visitors was exacerbating the housing crisis by pushing up rents, said 22-year-old student Antonio Samuel Diaz Garcia.“We’re seeing holiday homes invading our villages which pushes rents up and makes it increasingly difficult for young people like us to leave home,” he told AFPTV. “We’re also seeing tourism destroy the biodiversity here.”Large crowd of protesters also held parallel rallies of support in Madrid and Barcelona, public television said.Anti-tourism protests have multiplied in recent months across Spain, the world’s second-most visited country, prompting authorities to try to reconcile the interests of locals and a lucrative sector that accounts for 12.8% of Spain’s economy.The islands, which lie off the northwestern coast of Africa, are known for their volcanic landscapes and year-round sunshine attracting millions of visitors every year, with four in 10 residents working in tourism – a sector which accounts for 36% of the islands’ GDP.Before the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic brought the global travel industry to its knees in 2020, overtourism protest movements were already active in Spain, notably in Barcelona.After travel restrictions were lifted, tourism surged with Spain welcoming a record 85.1mn visitors last year.Canary Islands president Fernando Clavijo said on Friday he felt “proud” that the region was a leading Spanish tourist destination, but acknowledged that more controls were needed as the sector continues to grow.“We can’t keep looking away. Otherwise, hotels will continue to open without any control,” he told a press conference.

Greater geopolitical instability and a more extreme climate threaten to lead to more supply shocks in future, increasing the chances of global inflation spiking up.Global supply chains often get disrupted because of geopolitical instability such as conflicts or trade disputes. Similarly, extreme weather events like hurricanes, droughts, or floods disrupt agricultural production and logistics.These disruptions generally lead to shortages of goods, driving up prices due to increased demand relative to supply.Instability in key regions result in increased costs of production due to factors such as higher transportation costs, tariffs, or sanctions. Similarly, extreme weather events damage infrastructure or agricultural lands, leading to increased production costs.These increased costs are often passed on to consumers in the form of higher prices for goods and services.“Over the longer-term, we expect inflation to average around 2%, though this will include longer periods above target than was the norm post-financial crisis,” according to Oxford Economics.After a period of exceptionally low and stable inflation in the 2000s and 2010s, several factors –especially greater geopolitical instability and a more extreme climate – could lead to more supply shocks in the future. This increases the chances of inflation spiking up.“Whether inflation will be generally higher or just more volatile will depend on the economic backdrop and how central banks respond. We expect higher policy rates on average, partly because domestic demand is unlikely to be as persistently weak as in the 2010s, so a repeat of the last decade’s private sector deleveraging and fiscal austerity seems unlikely,” Oxford Economics noted.At the same time, the chances that strong demand will pose a risk of persistently high inflation seem overblown. More spending on defence, the greening of the economy, and ageing doesn’t automatically mean bigger budget deficits.But if they do rise, then policy rates would likely be higher to offset the effect.Although deglobalisation could add to inflationary pressures, analysts see this as a risk rather than an inevitability. Meanwhile, despite the recent strength of inflation, real wage rises have generally lagged productivity growth since 2019.Another factor that could add to inflation overshoots is how firms respond to demand and supply shocks. It is possible they are now more inclined to raise prices.But the post-Covid lockdown resilience of demand to price hikes may have reflected exceptional factors that won’t be repeated. Meanwhile, an AI-driven productivity boom, if it happens, would likely dampen inflation, Oxford Economics says.Despite the severe post-pandemic inflation overshoot, advanced economy central banks belatedly showed a resolute commitment to keeping longer-term inflation expectations anchored. Aggressive hikes proved that central banks were prepared to risk recession to bring inflation back to target.As a result of this and subsiding headline inflation, long-term inflation expectations have quickly fallen back.Although greater geopolitical instability and extreme climate events invariably contribute to inflationary pressures, the actual impact will depend on a range of interconnected factors, including the severity and duration of disruptions, policy responses, and broader economic conditions.That said, longer periods of above-target global inflation may lead to more policy tightening in future.

Max Verstappen continued his dominant start to the season in emphatic style on Saturday by romping to sprint victory then claiming pole position for the Chinese Grand Prix - an “incredible” 100th for his Red Bull team.It was an ominous display from Verstappen, who looks on course to win a fourth grand prix out of five today as he marches towards a fourth consecutive world title. The Red Bull driver was 0.322 seconds clear of Sergio Perez as Red Bull locked up the front row, with Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso third on Formula One’s return to China after five years away.Verstappen clocked a fastest lap of 1min 33.660sec to record the team milestone and his first pole at the Shanghai International Circuit.“Before I jumped in the car (Red Bull chief Christian) Horner told me if you get pole today it could be number 100 for the team, so I was like, ‘OK, that’s nice, I’ll give it a good go’,” Verstappen said.“Of course that’s an incredible achievement for the whole team.”Verstappen won the 19-lap sprint in the morning by a huge 13 seconds from Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes as the Dutchman laid down a marker for Sunday’s 56-lap race. “The car worked even better in qualifying,” said Verstappen. “That final lap felt pretty decent and very happy to drive here in the dry, it was a lot of fun.“If the car is even half as good tomorrow as it was in the sprint we will be all right.”Lando Norris will start on the second row in his McLaren alongside Alonso for the first Grand Prix to be held in China since 2019 because of Covid-19 pandemic restrictions. Oscar Piastri was fifth fastest in the second McLaren ahead of the Ferrari pair of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, with George Russell’s Mercedes eighth.Perez was relieved to be on the front row. “Very intense, I nearly got knocked out in Q1,” said the Mexican. “In the final run the track was getting quite a bit better and I managed to put a good lap together.”Leclerc said he hoped Ferrari could be stronger on Sunday.“We compromised our qualifying by prioritising the race tomorrow and struggled slightly more than we expected,” said Leclerc.“Our race pace is strong and it will be a long one, with tyre degradation playing a big role here.”Earlier, Verstappen blasted from fourth on the sprint grid to an easy victory that increased his championship lead over Perez to 25 points.But Hamilton’s joy at coming second turned to despair in Q1 when the Englishman locked up, relegating him to 18th. It was the first time since the 2022 Saudi Grand Prix that the seven-time world champion had been knocked out so early. “I made massive changes into qualifying,” said Hamilton who won the last Chinese Grand Prix in 2019.“It is what it is. We can still have some fun even if we are starting from P18.” Sainz is the only driver apart from Verstappen to win a grand prix in 2024 and he survived a huge scare in Q2.The Spaniard ran wide at the final bend and span across the start-finish straight to lose his nose cone in the barriers.It brought out the red flags but Sainz was able to limp back to the pits and make it to the top 10 shootout. “I had a big moment there, touching the gravel,” Sainz said. “From then on, a tough quali. I just don’t think we have been very quick this weekend. It’s a difficult track for us.”THE GRID1st row: Max Verstappen (NED/Red Bull), Sergio Perez (MEX/Red Bull)2nd row: Fernando Alonso (ESP/Aston Martin), Lando Norris (GBR/McLaren)3rd row: Oscar Piastri (AUS/McLaren),Charles Leclerc (MON/Ferrari)4th row: Carlos Sainz (ESP/Ferrari), George Russell (GBR/Mercedes)5th row: Nico Hulkenberg (GER/Haas), Valtteri Bottas (FIN/Sauber)6th row: Lance Stroll (CAN/Aston Martin), Daniel Ricciardo (AUS/RB)7th row: Esteban Ocon (FRA/Alpine). Alexander Albon (THA/Williams)8th row: Pierre Gasly (FRA/Alpine), Zhou Guanyu (CHN/Sauber)9th row: Kevin Magnussen (DEN/Haas), Lewis Hamilton (GBR/Mercedes)10th row: Yuki Tsunoda (JPN/RB), Logan Sargeant (USA/Williams)

His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani's three-nation Asia tour is part of the State of Qatar's unwavering approach to beef up strategic relations and partnerships with Asia.His Highness' talks with the leaders of the Philippines, Nepal and Bangladesh will focus on ways to boost relations across various fields, and regional and international issues of common concern.The well-established Qatar-Asia relations have seen steady development thanks to both sides' mutual keenness to develop and enhance them across various areas.Recently, these relations have experienced a drastic growth with both sides exchanging high-profile visits, ramping up the implementation of joint economic and investment projects and coordinating positions on many regional and international issues.Aware of Asia's vital role in consolidating the regional and global economies and achieving global food security, the State of Qatar has dived into Asia with the aim of fostering global and regional economic security. In turn, Asia's fast- growing economies attach overriding attention to further deepening relations with the State of Qatar.These mutually beneficial Qatar-Asia relations serve the two parties' national interests. Bearing in mind economic diversification as a top priority of the Qatar National Vision 2030, Doha considers the ample economic opportunities for diverse investments in Asia across several sectors: agriculture, infrastructure, transportation, financial institutions, and energy sectors.Meanwhile, multiple Asian countries appeal to potential multi-sector Qatari investments in a bid to push their economies, provide further job opportunities, and rocket up their foreign exports.Furthermore, Doha hosts thousands of migrant workers from many Asian countries. Recognizing their contributions to the Qatari economy and the development of their home nations, the State ofQatar has adopted leading labor rights reforms that can serve as a role model for other countries in the region.Among these reforms comes the non-discriminatory minimum wage, a legislation highly commended by the International Labor Organization and other international agencies concerned with workers.With a keen eye for a robust cooperation with Asia, the State of Qatar signed in August 2022 the instrument of accession to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC) of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).The accession, on the sidelines of the 55th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, was driven by the common will and desire to create a safe and stable region for sustainable economic development and shared prosperity and embracing unity in diversity.Qatar's relations with the 10-state political and economic union in South Asia consolidate cooperation across multiple fields, support all efforts to enhance regional and international security and peace, and develop relations and cooperation with Asia in general, and ASEAN countries in particular.One of HH the Amir's stops in this Asia tour will be the Republic of the Philippines. The Doha-Manila relations were initiated in 1981, and in May 1992, the Philippine embassy was inaugurated in Doha.Over the course of more than 43 years, both nations have shown convergent views on many international issues, and the bilateral relations are gradually progressing to the highest levels of cooperation in a way that benefits the two friendly peoples.The two sides inked many bilateral agreements that are ever evolving through a joint committee meeting that was recently approved to be held annually to elevate bilateral relations to broader horizons.One of the unswerving outcomes of Doha's policy to promote relations with the Philippine government and strengthen ties between the peoples of the two friendly countries was the inauguration of the Qatar Visa Center (QVC) in Manila on Sep. 25, 2019.Part of the Qatar Visa Center Program supervised by the Qatari government, the facility plays a key role in streamlining transparent visa and employment applications of overseas Filipino workers seeking employment in Qatar, according to a systematic manner consistent with the best international standards.Qatar now hosts tens of thousands of Filipino workers across various sectors, and there are over 200 Filipino companies operating in the Qatari market.The private sectors in the two countries are cooperating to increase the trade exchange between both sides.Besides, the two nations leveraged their available resources and expertise to further step up collaboration to boost bilateral trade and investment, and to address the negative impacts of the current global political and economic challenges.One of these resources is the Qatar-Philippines Joint Committee, which serves as a political platform to talk a wide range of topics and issues of common interest, enhance political and economic cooperation, and contribute to finding regional and international solutions to issues of migration and climate change and others.Doha and Manila have shown huge growth in their cooperation in areas of culture and tourism as well.Thanks to its picturesque nature, diversified and hospitable people, the Philippines is an important tourist destination for many Qatari tourists.Qatar Airways was the only airline that never stopped flying amid the Covid-19 pandemic closure to take stranded passengers home on scheduled and charter flights offering all needed vaccines and safety measures.HH the Amir will also stop in Nepal. The Qatar-Nepal relations - inaugurated on Jan. 21, 1977 - have seen a steady development in recent years, with both countries working to strengthen and develop these relations in the areas of trade and investment exchange.To further bolster their historical and deep relations, both sides ramped up their mutual official visits and sealed bilateral agreements and memoranda of understanding. Qatari businessmen have been frequently invited to explore the promising investment opportunities in Nepal.A key Asian labor exporter to Qatar, Kathmandu hosted in May 2019 a Qatari Visa Center to facilitate measures to bring Nepalese workers to Doha. In December 2018, the Doha Bank opened a representative branch in Kathmandu, a move that streamlined transaction services for Nepalese laborers based in Qatar and contributed to increasing investment flows between the two countries.Like the Philippines, Nepal offers a competitive tourist destination for Qatari nationals. Containing most of the Himalayas, the world's highest mountain range, Nepal allures those obsessed with mountain climbing, trekking, paragliding, rafting, and mountain flight-seeing tours.Another important stop in HH the Amir's tour will be the People's Republic of Bangladesh. Diplomatic relations between both countries began in the 1970s, and a Qatari embassy was opened in Dhaka on Jan 15, 1980.Driven by history, culture, religion and common values, the Doha-Dhaka relations have progressed over the years.To support education in the south Asia country, the Qatar Charity opened about 10 new schools in 2023, along with boarding facilities for orphaned and underprivileged students. The facilities are expected to benefit 2,000 male and female students.Constructed across several areas in the country, each school includes classrooms and accommodation for students and teachers.Over the past five years, Qatar Charity has also built approximately 55 schools equipped with boarding sections for students, benefiting over 12,000 students. It also sponsors 4,000 orphans in Bangladesh, providing them with all educational expenses to ensure a good future for the students.Backing Bangladesh's unwavering efforts to find sustainable solutions to the Rohingya refugee crisis, the State of Qatar participated in many high-level meetings on Rohingya refugees and affirmed in international forums that the repercussions of the crisis would go beyond the ASEAN countries.To this end, Doha collaborated with many ASEAN countries and supported many development and relief projects being implemented in the Rohingya refugee camp in Bangladesh.It is also working with Bangladesh and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to facilitate Rohingya refugees' access to basic services and to support local authorities and communities hosting Rohingya refugees. (QNA)

Qatar National Bank (QNB) expected global financial conditions to remain tight in the medium term and a below-trend economic growth.In its weekly commentary, QNB said, "Since the beginning of the COVID-pandemic, the global economy experienced a series of extraordinary shocks that propelled inflation rates to levels that had not been seen in decades. By mid-2022, inflation reached 9.1 percent in the U.S., and a double-digit record of 10.7 percent in the Euro-Area. These levels were far from the 2 percent targets of monetary policy. Initially, central banks were hesitant to respond to spiralling prices, given the exceptional circumstances set by a worldwide pandemic, and the risk of a deeper economic collapse. However, it became apparent that high inflation was not a short-lived phenomenon, and policy makers reacted strongly to bring inflation rates down to their targets."In the U.S., the Federal Reserve Board (FRB or "Fed") increased its policy rates by 525 bps to 5.5 percent. The European Central Bank (ECB) embarked on a record tightening cycle, increasing its main refinancing rate by 450 basis points to 4.5 percent. Additionally, the central banks began to revert the large purchases of assets that had been implemented during the Covid-pandemic to inject liquidity into the financial system."These monetary policies led to a tightening of financial markets in advanced economies. A useful measure is the Financial Conditions Index (FCI) for advanced economies, which provides a useful indicator by combining information of short- and long-term interest rates, as well as credit spreads and equity prices. The FCI indicated that markets were at their tightest in October 2023. However, as inflation rates consolidated their downward trends and positive inflation prints reassured analysts, markets began to assimilate the end of the monetary tightening cycles and financial conditions improved. In our view, although financial conditions will continue to improve this year on the back of policy rate cuts by the Fed and the ECB, they will remain in restrictive territory over the next several quarters. We discuss the two main factors that support our analysis."The bank pointed out, "First, although we expect major central banks to start cutting policy rates in 2024, they will be cautious in the pace of rate cuts. The latest readings of headline inflation have come down from their peaks of 9.1 percent and 10.7 percent respectively, in the U.S. and the Euro-Area, to 3.5 percent and 2.4 percent. Furthermore, inflation rates are expected to continue to converge towards the 2 percent targets amid weaker economic growth. In our view, this will allow the Fed to cut its policy rate by 50 bps to 5.0 percent, and the ECB by 100 bps to 3.5 percent by the end of the year. However, this pace of interest rate cuts implies that relatively high interest rates will remain in place over the next several quarters."Second, the ECB and the Fed will continue to drain liquidity in the banking systems by reverting the balance sheet expansions that were put in place during the Covid-pandemic. To mitigate the consequences of the pandemic, central banks in advanced economies purchased large amounts of financial assets from the markets. This strategy, which is termed "quantitative easing" (QE), was implemented to inject liquidity in the financial system, as well as to contribute to lower long-dated interest rates."In order to normalise the unprecedented size of its balance sheet that resulted from QE, the Fed began its reduction in June 2022, and has to date decreased its size by USD 1.3 trillion from the peak of USD 8.9 trillion. Similarly, the assets of the Eurosystem (the ECB plus the national central banks of the Euro-Area) have fallen by EUR 2 trillion from their peak of EUR 8.8 trillion. This process of normalisation will continue through 2024, reducing the excess liquidity in the financial system."High interest rates and lower liquidity levels in the financial system restrain the availability of credit for the private sector. The latest bank lending surveys in the U.S. and the Euro-Zone show that commercial banks continue to tighten their lending standards. Furthermore, private sector credit volumes are contracting in the two largest advanced economies."QNB concluded, "All in all, we expect that decreasing liquidity from the normalisation of central bank balance sheets and restrictive interest rates will maintain tight financial conditions over the next several quarters. This will limit the availability of credit for firms and households, and contribute to below-trend economic growth." (QNA)

Christian Coleman admitted on Friday to being more focused on safely negotiating the notoriously tough US trials than the actual Paris Olympics, where he hopes he will bid for a sprint double. Coleman, who beat teammate Noah Lyles to 60 metres gold in the World Indoor Championships in Glasgow in February, had to sit out the Covid-delayed Tokyo Games after missing a drugs test. He donned a US vest at the 2016 Rio Olympics, where he ran the heats for the Justin Gatlin-led 4x100m relay squad that was eventually disqualified in the final won by Usain Bolt’s Jamaica. “I can’t even think past June right now, just focused on being our absolute best when we need to be at the trials,” Coleman said ahead of the opening Diamond League meeting of the season in the Chinese city of Xiamen. “If you’re not at your best there then the season’s all for nought, really. “That’s what makes it so special to be on the American team - the fact it’s so hard to make it.” Coleman, along with teammate Fred Kerley - the 2022 world champion and Olympic silver medallist - holds the joint sixth fastest time over 100m ever run (9.76sec) and acknowledged that the United States would have a very strong 4x100m relay squad in Paris. “Hopefully I can start the year off on a good note,” said Coleman, who was world outdoor 100m champion in 2019 before his doping suspension. “Everyone’s goal is first to make the team but whoever makes that team is obviously well capable of getting on that relay pool and doing something special. “The world record is definitely within our reach.” Coleman admitted that competing in an Olympic year felt “a little different because you know the magnitude of it”. “I feel like it would be unrealistic not to acknowledge the fact that it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that not many people have the opportunity to even experience, being in your prime and actually having a realistic chance of making it to the Olympics.” Coleman added: “As far as the process is concerned, we do this every year, so it’s really no different. You just try not to pay too much attention to outside factors and outside pressures. “The main thing is focus on what’s right in front of you, one day at a time. That’s the same process every year, it’s just a bigger opportunity.” Today’s meeting in Xiamen, the first of back-to-back Diamond League meets in China, with a second in Shanghai on April 27, will also see women’s world 100m champion Sha’Carri Richardson in action in the 200m. Coleman dubbed Richardson, who also won 200m bronze at the Budapest worlds, “special”. “She’s somebody who’s at the forefront of women’s empowerment in sport, she’s taken it to a whole different level. “She’s a beast, a special talent, she’s somebody who’s going to continue to propel the sport forward and take it to new heights. “I’m a fan,” he said. “She’s someone I take inspiration from.” Also in action in Xiamen, the first of 15 meets on the elite one-day track and field circuit, are 12 Olympic gold medallists, notably Swedish pole vault star Mondo Duplantis and Qatar’s three-time world high jump champion Mutaz Essa Barshim.