HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, in a telephone conversation with Italian President Sergio Mattarella, has expressed his condolences and those of the Qatari people on the victims of the devastating earthquake that hit the central parts the country on Wednesday. The Emir voiced Qatar’s support for Italy. HE the Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani, meanwhile, held a phone call with Italian Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni, during which he expressed his condolences on the victims of the earthquake. The provisional death toll from the earthquake yesterday rose to 281.