QMA to celebrate International Museum Day
|
|
The Qatar Museums Authority (QMA) will celebrate the International Museum Day on May 16.
The event is being held under the patronage of HE the Chairperson of Board of Trustees - Qatar Museums Authority (QMA) Sheikha Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani,
The day will be marked by the global arts community on May 18.
QMA will mark the event with a number of initiatives including a conference. This year’s theme is Museums (memory + creativity) = social change.
Held at the Museum of Islamic Art auditorium, the conference will feature keynote talks by four international museum representatives, including HE the Chairman of National Museums Committee Sheikh Hassan bin Mohamed bin Ali al-Thani.
“Today more than ever, museums are at the heart of cultural, social and economic issues in contemporary societies. The conference will explore the ways in which Qatar can utilise its museums, the memories they hold, and the creativity they inspire, to chart a course for the future,” QMA said in a statement posted on its website.
The International Council of Museums (ICOM) established International Museum Day in 1977 to encourage public awareness of the role of museums in the development of society. Some 35 years later, over 32,000 museums from more than 129 countries participate annually.
QNRF set to announce 5-year plan, grants today
|
Qatar National Research Fund (QNRF) will announce its five-year strategy and the results of its sixth National Priorities Research Programme (NPRP) cycle during its annual forum at the Qatar National Convention |
Under the patronage of Faisal al-Suwaidi, president of Research and Development at Qatar Foundation, the fifth QNRF Annual Forum has the theme ‘Research forward’. Within this theme, senior representatives from QNRF will share details on the organisation’s plans and future initiatives to lead a new phase of research development for Qatar over the next five years.
Al-Suwaidi, will be delivering the opening speech at the forum.
Congratulating QNRF on its success in building research culture, human capital and infrastructure for Qatar, al-Suwaidi said: “QNRF is making a vital contribution to Qatar’s research community. They have paved a sustainable path for Qatar’s research advancement and made wise investments in human capacity and research infrastructure. As QNRF embarks upon a new phase in its growth cycle, it will expand its role as the prime enabler of research by directing its funding towards the national priority needs of Qatar as specified in the Qatar National Research Strategy.”
Dr Abdul Sattar al-Taie, executive director at QNRF, noted: “We are very pleased to now have more than 75 approved research offices in Qatar. Under the NPRP, we have funded more than 29 of these organisations for research worth more than $500mn over the past five years, and with collaboration from more than 385 international research
institutions.”
According to Dr al-Taie, QNRF is embarking on a new phase of development, aimed at further expanding the country’s research culture and driving research forward to find solutions to the ‘grand challenges’ facing Qatar and the region.
Dr al-Taie and other members of QNRF’s senior management will shed light on various aspects of the funding agency’s five-year plan at the forum. Topics will include details on new funding opportunities, financial restructuring of existing pogramme plans to address the country’s grand challenges, increased stakeholder engagement and partnerships, enhancing QNRF’s research management capabilities and infrastructure and evaluating and leveraging research outcomes.
CMC member proposes natural gas for vehicles
|
The service and utility committee (SUC) of the Central Municipal Council (CMC) discussed yesterday a suggestion for using natural gas as fuel for all vehicles in Qatar. |
The suggestion was submitted by CMC member Dr Mohamed al-Mislamani. He said that natural gas is eco-friendly and so can reduce pollution and many countries around the world have adopted it as an option.
“There would be also great financial saving as a consequence for this. Using natural gas as a fuel for vehicles and equipment would save up to 50% of the current spending on fuel and reduce the consumption of state-subsidised diesel and gasoline, besides the positive environmental consequences,” he added.
Dr al-Mislamani called for talks with Qatar Fuel Company to develop the necessary infrastructure.
Besides CMC members, representatives from Qatar Petroleum, Qatar Fuel and Mowasalat attended the session.
Qatar, Hong Kong sign pact to avoid double taxation
QNA/Beijing
|
|
|
Qatar and the government of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region yesterday signed an agreement for the avoidance of double taxation between the two sides. |
The agreement was signed by Qatar’s Ambassador to China Hamad Mohamed al-Khalifa, and Hong Kong’s Secretary for Financial Services & the Treasury K C Chan Ka-keung.
Ambassador al-Khalifa said in a statement following the signing ceremony that the agreement will pave the way for Qatari businessmen to invest in Hong Kong and for establishing partnership in the fields of investments and services.
The agreement will encourage the flow of more Hong Kong-based investments into Qatar, he said.
Hong Kong is among key financial hubs in Asia, and it is important for the Qatari companies to strengthen their existence there, he added.
Total volume of Waqf estimated at QR5bn
QNA/Doha
|
|
|
The total volume of endowments in Qatar is estimated at QR5bn, HE the Minister of Endowments (Awqaf) and Islamic Affairs Dr Ghaith bin Mubarak al-Kuwari said yesterday. |
Speaking on the sidelines of the 6th Forum on the Endowment Jurisprudential Issues, the minister said that the Awqaf Ministry is planning to re-evaluate the size of endowments in Qatar.
He added that the ministry intends to develop new products in order to increase the size and assets of endowment (Waqf) in Qatar, pointing to the major role of endowment within the local community especially in the areas of education, health, mosques and various forms of righteousness and piety.
He also noted that the Forum is an opportunity and a platform for discussions and consultation in the affairs of endowments and ways to manage them.
The Forum also falls within the framework of the efforts of the nation to strengthen the role of Waqf in the Islamic world, he noted.
Eighty private schools request for hike in fees
|
Eighty private schools have submitted applications to the Private Schools Office, requesting for permission to increase fees for the 2013-2014 academic year, local daily Arrayah has reported. Most of these are international schools. |
The applications were submitted within the time frame specified by the Supreme Education Council (SEC).
According to a source, the SEC had received applications from 100 schools and kindergartens to increase their fees last year. However, it allowed only 24 of them to hike their fees by 10%, the report said. A moderate increase in transportation charges was also approved.
The source said once the fees are fixed and registration is completed, private schools cannot increase fees on their own. Any hike has to be cleared by the SEC.
According to the source, the council does not want parents to be charged hefty amounts and, at the same time, it is keen to ensure high-quality education in private schools. He added that the fees charged by schools are linked to the quality of educational services provided.
The SEC considers pleas for fee hikes through a team that studies and examines the applications. Any decision in this regard takes into account certain criteria that determine the standard of education provided by a school.
Advisory Council holds weekly meeting
The Advisory (Shura) Council held its weekly meeting yesterday chaired by its Speaker HE Mohamed bin Mubarak al-Kholaifi.
The Council reviewed a draft law on tax on the revenues of hotels and tourist restaurants and decided to submit it to the Financial and Economic Affairs Committee for further study.
The Council reviewed the Legal and Legislative Affairs Committee’s report on a draft law amending some provisions of law No 21 of the year 2006 on the private institutions of public interest.
Legal and Legislative Affairs Committee’s report on a draft law amending some provisions of Advocacy Law No 23 of the year 2006 was also reviewed during the meeting.
Insurer appoints new team
Q-Re, which seeks to be a global multi-line reinsurer with a focus on specialty lines, has appointed a new management team.
Q-Re, a subsidiary of Qatar Insurance Co, and authorised by Qatar Financial Centre Regulatory Authority, will be headed by chief executive officer Gunther Saacke. Its members will be based in Doha, Zurich, London and Bermuda.
The other team members are Willi Schuerch (chief underwriting officer), Mark Cockroft (chief actuary), Peter Frei (head of underwriting risk), Peter Bitterlin (head of energy), Alain Chiolero (head of property catastrophe), Partick Cove (branch manager, Zurich and head of aviation and marine), Manfred Dennler (head of property risk), Johannes Goebel (head of engineering), Stefano Lorenzini (head of credit and surety), Luke Roden (underwriting manager North America and branch manager Bermuda), Karl Schneider (head of agriculture), Alan Tomlinson (head of London representative office), and Rob Lee Womack (underwriting manager North America).
“By appointing the chief underwriting officer, the chief risk officer, the chief actuary and the line of business and regional executives, we have successfully put in place the core team which will be instrumental in establishing Q-Re as a truly global reinsurance franchise based on superior technical expertise,” Saacke said.
LG launches music device
LG has launched a DJ music device, LG CM9730 mini Hi-Fi system, known as the X-BOOM, in Qatar.
The X-BOOM allows easy control and automation in mixing music using sound effects such as flanger, phaser, chorus and delay while also creating beats with backspin, crossfade, and beatbox or using scratch and voice sampling.
Music lovers could enjoy songs on a totally different level as it boasts six beat-box, five voice samples and seven smart DJ effects, Latin EQ and dual USB. The X-BOOM’s mini Hi-Fi system features one of the most powerful sound systems with 2300W RMS and 25000W PMPO that allow users to enjoy a potent sound output.
The X-BOOM also boasts brilliant red colour illumination on its LED speakers that match the beats of the music. Consumers can create their own playlist as well as eliminate the interval between songs by adding exciting beat box effect between songs.
Umrah trip charges may go up
Managers of travel agencies and Umrah travel organisers are expecting an increase of between 50% and 100% for Umrah trip charges in the months of Rajab, Shaaban and Ramadan, local Arabic daily Al Arab reported yesterday.
They attribute the rise to a decision by the Saudi authorities to allow only half a million pilgrims this season from all countries. The restriction is on account of space limitations because of the ongoing expansion of the Holy Mosque. The number of pilgrims from Qatar will also be reduced by 50%. This could result in the cost of visas going up from QR300 to QR600.
SEC move on compulsory education
The Supreme Education Council will soon issue a decision, making education compulsory for all between the ages of four and 18, local Arabic daily Al Arab reported yesterday, quoting sources.