In response to patients’ demands and to provide more convenient service timings, the Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC) has extended the working hours of 11 laboratories in different healthcare centres throughout the country.

If the laboratories earlier provided their services to patients from 7am to 9am, hitherto they will remain open until 11am on weekdays. The labs will function on weekends only
for emergencies.

The PHCC’s aim is to serve a larger number of patients as the extension allows more time to process different medical tests according to patients’ needs.

The time extension is taking place in healthcare centres at Umm Ghwailina, Airport, Abu Baker Al Sidiq, Omar Bin Al Khatab, West Bay, Madinat Khalifa, Mesaimeer, Al Rayyan,
Al Wakrah, Al Gharrafa and Al Muntazah.

 

Bank employee gets eight years in prison

The Criminal Court has sentenced a bank employee to jail for eight years and ordered termination of his employment for fraudulently taking QR209,000 from the account of a client and forgery of an official document, local Arabic daily Arrayah has reported.

The verdict also ordered the return of the amount and payment of a fine
of QR50,000 by the accused in addition to his deportation upon execution of the punishments, the report states.

The accused, a Palestinian, unlawfully took the money after receiving a blank, signed cheque from the client. The latter had asked the employee to withdraw the amount, which he had got as a
loan from the bank, and deliver it to him, according to the report.

However, the employee told the client that the cheque had been damaged but then submitted it for encashment and took the money. He also forged a bank statement, which contained incorrect information about the amount available in the client’s account, the report further states.

After going through the evidence, the court decided to punish the accused under Article 85 of the Criminal Law, through imprisonment, payment of the amount and imposition of a fine, the report adds.

 

Qatar condoles Turkey mine explosion victims

QNA/Doha

 

HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani held a telephone conversation with Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Prime Minister of Turkey, during which he expressed his condolences and sympathy for the victims of the coal mine explosion in Manisa Province in Western Turkey.

Separately, HH the Emir and HE the Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani sent cables to the President of Turkey Abdullah Gul and the Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan condoling the victims of the coal mine explosion.

 

Human rights panel  honours school pupils

QNA/Doha

 

The National Human Rights Committee (NHRC) organised a ceremony honouring the schools and students participating in the programme held under slogan “It Is My Right As A Kid.” 

Speaking at the ceremony, Mariam bint Abdullah al-Attiyah, Secretary-General of the NHRC, said childhood related issues receive priority of development planning in Qatar under the leadership of HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani.

She added that education comes at the forefront of these issues due to its crucial role in the development process.

Mariam stressed the importance of the programme which aims at making children aware of their rights, duties and obligations and defending their rights.

Mariam al-Attiyah honoured the schools and children participating in the programme.

 

Advisory Council panel meets

The Advisory Council’s Public Services and Utilities Committee held a meeting of its 42nd regular session at its White Palace premises yesterday under its rapporteur Saqer Fahad al-Meraikhi.

The council discussed the proposal submitted by the Council’s member Nasser Rashid Sraiya al-Kaabi on building heights and decided to invite HE the Minister of Municipality and Urban Planning Sheikh Abdulrahman bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz al-Thani to attend its next meeting.

 

Commercial registration dept evening working hours extended

HE Sheikh Ahmed bin Jassim bin Mohamed al-Thani, Minister of Economy and Commerce, yesterday issued a decision to extend the evening working hours of the Department of Commercial Registration at the Ministry’s branch from 5pm to 8pm starting May 18 until the end of the registration period. 

The decision comes in response to the high demand by the citizens for registration of companies and institutions participating in the Al Furjan Markets draw.

 

Qatar attends meeting of Arab agricultural forum

Qatar participated in the 33rd session of the general assembly of the Arab Organisation for Agricultural Development (AOAD) held in Kuwait on May 12.

HE the Minister of Environment Ahmed bin Amer al-Humaidi led Qatar’s delegation to the two-day meeting which was also attended by the ministers concerned with the agricultural development in the Arab world.

The participants adopted a number of key recommendations which would contribute to achieving the Arab agricultural development strategy.

The ministers also approved in their closing session the action plan of the AOAD for the years 2015/16.   

The ministers also agreed on the formation of the Financial Supervision Authority for the Organisation for the years 2015-2016. The authority would comprise Qatar, Jordan, Sudan, Egypt and Mauritania. The ministers also agreed on the formation of the Executive Council of the AOAD for the 33rd session of the General Assembly for 2014 to 2016 from Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Oman, Palestine, and Lebanon.

The Arab Organisation for Agricultural Development  was established in 1970.

 

BQFP acquires world rights to award winning Kuwaiti novel

Bloomsbury Qatar Foundation Publishing (BQFP) will publish the English edition of The Bamboo Stalk by Kuwaiti author Saud Alsanousi, which won the 2013 International Prize for Arab Fiction.

Thalia Suzuma, head of English Publishing for BQFP, who recently joined the Doha-based publisher from HarperCollins UK, won the world English-language rights to the novel from the Susijn Agency. The Bamboo Stalk takes a close look at the phenomenon of foreign workers in Arab countries and deals with the problems of identity, race and religion through the life of a young man of dual heritage returning home to Kuwait.

“The Bamboo Stalk is a wonderful novel – an effortless, page-turning read; emotionally compelling and powerful. The themes of displacement and mixed roots are universal and handled with an extraordinary lightness of touch. BQFP is delighted to be publishing this book for an English-reading audience around the world, and we are so pleased to have award-winning translator Jonathan Wright on board,” said Suzuma. The Bamboo Stalk will be published by BQFP in 2015.