Emir issues law
on health and
education fund
HH the Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani yesterday issued law No 6 of 2013 on the health and education fund.
Iraqi defence
minister arrives
Iraq’s Defence Minister Sadun al-Dulaymi arrived in Doha yesterday on an official visit to Qatar.
National Day
greetings sent
HH the Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, HH the Heir Apparent Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani and HE the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor al-Thani have sent cables of congratulations to the President of the Republic of Yemen Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi on his country’s National Day.
Envoy opens
Qatar’s mission
Qatar’s Ambassador to Peru Gamal Nasser al-Badr has officially opened the country’s permanent mission in Lima. At a ceremony to mark the occasion, the ambassador hoisted Qatar’s flag at the embassy building.
The inauguration of the Qatari embassy is regarded as another step forward in developing relations between the two countries.
Al-Attiyah meets
Japanese envoy
HE Administrative Control and Transparency Authority Chairman Abdullah bin Hamad al-Attiyah met Japan’s Ambassador to Qatar Kenjiro Monji yesterday. Talks during the meeting dealt with key issues of mutual interest.
Cabinet discusses draft law
on health and education fund
QNA/Doha
HE the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor al-Thani presided over the weekly Cabinet meeting at the Emiri Diwan yesterday.
Following the meeting, HE the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Ahmed bin Abdullah al-Mahmoud stated the following:
The Cabinet took the necessary measures for issuing the following draft laws after taking note of the recommendations of the Advisory Council :
A- A draft law for establishing the health and education fund.
B- A draft law on a unified law (system) for combating dumping and the compensatory and preventive arrangements for the Gulf Co-operation Council member-states.
Such a law would enable the GCC member-states to take the necessary measures against dumping and thus increasing imports.
C- A draft law amending some provisions of the Decree law No 21 of 2006 concerning the private institutions of public benefit.
The Cabinet then approved the draft law organising the trading and the use of chemical precursors used in the production of narcotic drugs and hazardous psychotropic substances.
The draft law aims to firmly control the substances which may be misused in the manufacturing of narcotics and psychotropic substances and protect the society.
The meeting also approved the draft decision of the minister of interior setting the electoral constituencies of the Central Municipal Council (CMC) and defining the areas of each constituency and the number of members to be elected in each constituency.
A draft decision by the Minister of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs amending some provisions of decision No 24 of 2001 establishing sections at the administrative units of the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic affairs and defining their functions was also approved.
According to this amendment Qatar Islamic Cultural Centre is to be renamed Sheikh Abdullah bin Zaid Al Mahmoud Cultural Islamic Centre.
The Cabinet reviewed the following issues and took the appropriate decisions:
1- A letter by HE the Minister of Business and Trade on:
A- A draft law amending some provisions of decree-law No. 29 of 1966 organising Qatar’s sea ports.
B - A ministerial draft decision regulating the sale of unclaimed goods in public auction.
2- A letter by HE the Minister of Public Health and Secretary General of the Public Council of Health on the annual report of the Public Council of Health for 2012.
The reports aims to shed light on the plans and projects of the health sector during 2013/1014.
Flight in medical
emergency
landing at Kochi
A Qatar Airways flight from Melbourne had to make a medical emergency landing at Cochin International Airport at Nedumbassery in Kerala on Tuesday after an Irish passenger had complained of chest pain.
Reports from India said the passenger, Reymond Francis, later died on the way to the hospital.
The aircraft (QR31) was flying to Doha from Melbourne when the incident occurred. The flight later landed in Doha yesterday morning.
Expat forum to
issue ID cards
Expatriate forum Mannai Malayali Samajam (MMS) will give identity cards issued by the department of non-resident Keralites Affairs (Norka) tomorrow (Friday) for its members and families at a meeting to be held at Skills Development Centre.
The ID cards were issued by the Norka after verifying all records concerning the members, said the forum in a statement.
Indian Community Benevolent Forum president Kareem Abdulla, Sanskriti general secretary P N Baburajan, Payyanoor Souhrida Vedi secretary Sreejeev Nambiar and former Norka director K K Sankaran will attend.
The meeting is scheduled for 6pm.
Ministry lifts ban on sale
of Kellogg’s cornflakes
QNA/Doha
The Ministry of Business and Trade yesterday announced that it has allowed the return of Kellogg’s cornflakes to markets after dispensing with the damaged samples which did not conform with standards and were unfit for human consumption.
The ministry said in a press release issued here yesterday that last month it had withdrawn a number of cornflakes samples of various dates and sent them to the central laboratories of the Supreme Council of Health (SCH) for analysis following complaints about taste.
As a result of the analysis of the samples conducted early last month, the ministry found that some samples were rancid, and accordingly withdrew these products.
Other analyses revealed that a number of other samples contained high degree of peroxide substance, a clear-cut evidence that these products were rancid.
Consequently, the Supreme Council of Health had urged supermarkets in Qatar to remove Kellogg’s Cornflakes from store shelves, saying it is unfit for human consumption.
A product goes rancid when its fats, oils or other lipids chemically decompose, sometimes resulting in undesirable odours and flavours.
The ministry has warned the sole agent of the commercial brand and the traders in general to strictly commit to the standard specifications and the health and safety conditions as well as follow proper storage criteria to maintain the health and safety of consumers.
Painting contest at FEC
Celebrating World Environment Day (WED) in Qatar, International Academy for Intercultural Development (IAID) and Friends of the Environment Centre are set to organise a painting competition at FEC on May 24-25.
The painting contest, which is being held for the seventh consecutive year, is open to all age groups. The theme for this year’s competition is “I love Planet Earth”.
More than 3,000 entries are expected for the painting contest, surpassing the 2,300 received last year.
“Through this contest, we strive to foster a great deal of enthusiasm in environmental education among today’s youth, who are the stewards of tomorrow’s economy,” said Dr Saif Ali al-Hajari, chairman of FEC, under whose patronage the event will be held.
Those wishing to participate in the contest can do so by filling up the registration form at www.iloveqatar.net/wed2013.
A panel from Virginia Commonwealth University in Qatar will judge the paintings. The winners will be invited to the closing ceremony on June 7.
“The response we receive every year for this painting contest shows that children care.”
ictQATAR invites comments on draft radio spectrum fees policy
The Supreme Council for Information and Communication Technology (ictQATAR) yesterday announced a public consultation on a draft radio spectrum fees policy and fees schedule. ictQATAR invites informed comments from interested parties. The closing date for submission of comments is June 23.
“As demand for radio spectrum has grown, it has become increasingly important to ensure that all of the available radio spectrum is used in the most efficient and effective manner,” said Saleh al-Kuwari, deputy assistant secretary-general (Regulatory Authority), ictQATAR.
“Radio spectrum fees have become an important tool used by spectrum management organisations to encourage efficient spectrum use and discourage licensees from acquiring or retaining more spectrum than they actually need.”
To view the public consultation and submit comments, please visit www.ictqatar.qa
Forum to hold blood donation
Karnataka Sangha Qatar (KSQ) will hold a blood donation camp on Saturday at the blood bank of the Hamad General Hospital. It is scheduled to start at 3pm. Forum chief Deepak Shetty has requested members to participate in the blood donation camp. Inquiries could be had on 66262477.