Qatar’s government has agreed to raise the minimum monthly salary of domestic workers from Bangladesh from QR900 to QR1,200, according to media reports.

Citing the country’s expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Ministry, the Dhaka Tribune said the development followed a meeting of senior officials on Thursday. It added that Qatar is keen to recruit more Bangladeshi expats ahead of the 2022 World Cup.

(The post Bangladeshi domestic workers in Qatar to see 33 percent salary hike is from Doha News.)

Chantelle D'mello

Ramadan 2015 Charity Iftar

Too many blue-collar expats are working on construction sites with empty stomachs – a problem that can be solved if employers replaced food allowances with actual meals, an expert on Qatar’s migrant workforce has said.

Rajai Ray Jureidini, a professor of migration, human rights and ethics at the Qatar Faculty of Islamic Studies’ (QFIS) Research Center for Islamic Legislation and Ethics, made the suggestion during a public lecture on migrant labor earlier this week.

He argued that the QR200-QR300 monthly food allowance the average low-income expat receives is barely sufficient, given Qatar’s high cost of living.

Adding to the problem is that many blue-collar workers are under pressure to send money home to support their families and pay off debts, leaving them less money to pay for food.

Chantelle D'mello

Zaiqa restaurant

Recognizing that some low-income workers are going hungry, several individuals and businesses have offered free food to those in need.

That includes Indian restaurant Zaiqa, whose proprietors spoke to Doha News last year at its former Industrial Area location. Co-owner Shadab Khan said he began offering penniless workers free food after one customer said he couldn’t afford to pay his bill:

“We gave him the meal free of charge. My brother then realized that there are probably more people who are in the same situation – people who don’t have money but are too shy to admit it, and are hungry.”

Some organizations – such as the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy, which is overseeing construction of the stadiums and training facilities for the 2022 World Cup – already cater mid-shift meals for workers on building sites.

Peter Kovessy / Doha News

Khalifa Stadium mess hall

Jureidini, who previously worked as a consultant for Qatar Foundation’s migrant workers welfare initiative, suggested such initiatives be expanded. Smaller companies that can’t afford on-site cafeterias can hire catering companies to deliver meals to labor camps, he added.

“Employers must provide food,” he told the audience at the QFIS building in Education City.

Kafala history

In a wide-ranging talk, Jureidini also touched on the origins of the kafala sponsorship system in the Gulf and its inherent problems and proposed several reforms.

The system – changes to which are scheduled to come into effect in December – is frequently criticized by human rights advocates for the control it gives sponsors over their employees. Expats need permission to open a bank account, change jobs, leave the country and a host of day-to-day activities.

Shabina S. Khatri

More than a dozen men wait to use the ATMs at City Center Mall.

However, it was initially established as a way to extend care and take responsibility for newcomers in a foreign country, Jureidini said.

“Kafala has very honorable origins,” he said. However, it’s evolved into a way for Gulf citizens to “control and manage” the large number of foreigners living in their country. In Qatar, expats outnumber nationals by approximately 9:1.

Jureidini argued that restrictions on expats changing sponsors also limits competition between nationals, forcing them to look abroad for labor rather than hiring away expats already working in Qatar.

Reforms

During his talk, Jureidini repeated several recommendations that labor rights advocates have made over the years.

The most important measure, he said, is to reform the recruitment process so that companies in Qatar, rather than workers themselves, pay fees to overseas agencies.

Jureidini also called for:

• A national minimum wage;
• Extending Qatar’s labor law to include domestic workers; and
• More prosecutions of companies that mistreat employees;

Qataris may have deep-seated concerns about being a minority in their own country, but Jureidini said legislative reforms must still be pushed through:

“Most people know the right thing to do. The rest have to be forced to through the implementation of the law.”

Thoughts?

(The post Expert: Meager food allowances leaving Qatar workers hungry is from Doha News.)

All photos by Ray Toh

Today is the last day of CHI Al Shaqab, a prestigious equestrian event in which riders compete in jumping, dressage and para-dressage.

The event has so far attracted crowds of people, particularly later on in the day, who (quietly) root for their favorite riders.

Days of competition will culminate today, with competitions including a Grand Prix special from 12:30pm until 1:50pm that yields a prize pot of €500,000, while freestyle riding will be held from 2:30pm until 5:00pm.

CHI Al Shaqab

Family fun zone

Meanwhile, for those looking for family fun, there will be a festival zone open from 5:30pm until 9:00pm that features pony and horse-and-carriage rides, video games, race car and horse riding simulators, magicians, face painters, falcon handlers, henna, Qatari handicraft artists and bouncy castles, among other things.

Have you checked out the annual event yet? Thoughts?

(The post CHI Al Shaqab 2016 attracts top riders, crowds; closes today is from Doha News.)

The best way to curb consumption of tobacco products in Qatar is to make them more expensive for consumers, according to Fatimah El-Awa, regional adviser for the Tobacco Free Initiative in the World Health Organization’s Eastern Mediterranean regional office.

According to the Gulf Times, the official said during a recent workshop in Doha that tobacco companies get 70-80 percent of the revenue from the industry, while the government only gets about 20-30 percent. “In an ideal situation, it should be the opposite so that the tobacco companies do not benefit greatly from the sale of their products.”

(The post WHO official: Gulf countries should increase taxes on tobacco products is from Doha News.)

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Juanito Pardillo

With reporting from Lesley Walker

A Filipino expat working as a contractor for Qatar Rail has died while working on Doha Metro construction, the company has confirmed.

Juanito Pardillo, who described himself as a heavy equipment mechanic and fire suppression/lube technician on his Facebook page, was killed on Feb. 28.

Qatar Rail declined to provide any details about the incident that took his life, saying in a statement that a full investigation is underway and “until this is complete it would not be appropriate to comment further.”

It added:

“Our thoughts and sympathies are with his family at this most difficult of times.

Qatar Rail and its contractors operate to the highest standard of health and safety on our sites and measures its safety performance against other major projects across the world. Any incident is one too many, but overall our safety record is a good one.”

Red Line

Pardillo appeared to be working on the Red Line South, which runs from Al Wakrah in the south to Msheireb station.

The project is led by a joint venture headed by QDVC – itself a partnership comprised of the Qatari Diar Real Estate Investment Co. and Vinci Construction – Al Darwish Engineering and GS Engineering & Contracting.

A Qatar Rail spokesperson was unable to immediately say if this was the first fatality during construction of the Doha Metro.

As of last year, some 18,500 people were employed on the project.

Avi Viljoen/Flickr

Doha Metro Green Line

Human rights experts have previously said that large multinational companies constructing high-profile projects in Qatar typically adopt stringent safety standards.

However, smaller companies working on less prominent sites have a comparatively dismal safety record.

Qatar Rail – along with Qatar Foundation and the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy, which is overseeing construction of the stadiums and training facilities for the 2022 World Cup – is generally regarded as having higher working and living standards for employees that the country’s broader construction sector.

During a December 2013 media tour of Qatar Rail’s facilities, officials showed reporters classrooms and construction site mock-ups used to teach new hires about workplace safety.

Before starting work, new laborers must receive four hours of safety training in their native language and pass a test, officials said at the time.

Thoughts?

(The post Qatar Rail contractor killed on the job; investigation launched is from Doha News.)

All photos by Peter Kovessy

Roughly 70 percent, or some 350 shops, of the US$1.4 billion Mall of Qatar will be open for business when the shopping center welcomes its first customers on Aug. 23, a spokesperson has said.

With five months to go, construction of the 501,675-square-meter mall, located on the Dukhan Highway west of Education City, is in its final stages.

The mall appears to be racing to open before its biggest competitor, Doha Festival City, which has announced a September launch. Both malls are opening later than originally planned.

During a tour of the Mall of Qatar site this week, Doha News observed that work has largely turned toward the shopping center’s finishes, such as laying down flooring, hooking up toilets in the washroom and installing doors.

Ventilation and sprinkler systems have already been installed and could be seen running along the shopping center’s ceilings.

Peter Kovessy / Doha News

Mall of Qatar construction as of March 2016

Most walls remain bare concrete bricks, and scaffolding still permeates many corridors. But by the end of April, all 500 stores are scheduled to be turned over to tenants so they can start fitting out their space with mezzanines, drywall and facades, mall marketing director Naomi Sargeant said.

Tenants are inspecting the mall almost daily, and several have already started the fit-out process, she said.

What’s there

Since it will largely be up to individual stores to decide when they want to open, it’s not clear what the first visitors will see inside the mall in August. A grand opening will be scheduled once a critical mass of stores are in business, Sargeant said.

Dozens of tenants, including a Cheesecake Factory, Pottery Barn, Hamley’s toy store and a “Signature Carrefour” built to resemble a village market have already been announced. The names of more retailers are expected to be released in the coming weeks.

Some 48 of the Mall of Qatar’s stores will be new to the country.

Mall of Qatar will also feature a 19-screen movie theater, a $25-million miniature children’s city and a 201-room five-star Curio by Hilton hotel.

The centerpiece of the mall is the 5,000-square-meter “oasis” area, encircled by two levels of restaurants, stores and a food court. A ceiling covered in skylights and four 30m tree sculptures are designed to give visitors the feeling that they are outdoors.

A revolving stage surrounded by fountains and shallow water channels will feature custom designed 35-minute shows – running twice a day, four days a week – featuring singing, dancing and acrobats. Sargeant said a start date for these performances has not been confirmed.

Competition

Entertainment amenities – which, at the Mall of Qatar, will also include fashion shows, book readings and other events – are one way shopping center operators are working to differentiate themselves in what will soon become a crowded retail market in Qatar.

Doha Festival City

Aerial view of Doha Festival City construction

Roughly after a month after Mall of Qatar debuts, Doha Festival City is scheduled to open its doors on Sept. 29. A year later, the US$1.25 billion Place Vendôme is slated to open in Lusail.

These new facilities will compete against existing malls such as City Center, Gulf Mall, Landmark and Villaggio, all of which have the advantage of being close to residential areas.

However, Mall of Qatar – like City Center – will be accessible by the Doha Metro, starting in 2019.

While retail experts have said the country will face an oversupply of space and increased vacancy, Sargeant argued Qatar’s growing number of residents and tourists mean there will be plenty of business for all the country’s shopping centers:

“There is room for several large malls that will (collectively) encourage more people to visit here, and choose to live and work here,” she said.

Mall of Qatar and Doha Festival City will be competing for the title of the country’s largest mall.

Doha Festival City will have more than 240,000 square meters of gross leasable area. While Mall of Qatar previously said it would be smaller, at 195,000 square meters, it now states it will have 256,000 square meters of retail space.

Peter Kovessy

Mall of Qatar construction as of March 2016

During peak periods, some 10,000 workers can be found on the site at any given time. There have been no work-related fatalities, Sargeant said.

The opening of many new buildings in Qatar is frequently delayed by months due to delays in obtaining the proper Civil Defense permits.

Sargeant said an entire team is tasked with obtaining the necessary approvals and said Mall of Qatar will exceed the more stringent rules put in place following the 2012 Villaggio fire.

“All of our standards are higher than what is required by (Qatar) law,” she said. “Safety is paramount considering what has happened in the past.”

Thoughts?

(The post Mall of Qatar races to the finish is from Doha News.)

Neha Rashid

Ben Dailan remembering his family.

Ben Dailan, a waiter at Zaater w Zeit in Souq Waqif, knows a thing or two about growing up.

At the age of 22, Dailan was thoroughly enjoying his youthful years in the Philippines.

He had thick, long hair that fell down to his waist. He decorated his left arm with tattoos. His drinking and drug habits were at a peak. His rock band was doing well.

All in all, he was just your average, carefree, 20-something year old.

Then he met Claren. Claren was a friend of Dailan’s colleague and she and his friend were visiting Dailan’s town.

“She saw me and she (felt) something for me,” Dailan recalls on their first meeting. However, he added that he did not reciprocate those feelings.

Neha Rashid

Ben Dailan shows off his family.

Fifteen years later, Dailan has lost some of his hair and his tattoos are fading slightly. He has stopped using drugs and limited his drinking.

And he and Claren are now married with three children, with a fourth on the way.

While the couple lives in Qatar, their kids study back in the Philippines and live with their maternal grandmother.

Although everything now seems to have turned out like a typical “happily ever after” story for the couple, that certainly wasn’t the case right from the start.

Jan Smith / Flickr

Photo for illustrative purposes only.

“In Philippines, we are open. We drink and then…uh…something happened,” Dailan explained when he talks about the night after he first met Claren. We didn’t have a relationship “but something happened because she liked me,” he added.

That first night changed everything for Dailan and Claren dramatically.

Claren got pregnant and Dailan, out of fear of commitment, left her.

“I (didn’t) like to commit because I (didn’t) have a stable job, I’m (a) drinker, I’m a drug user. Even my own life, I cannot survive,” Dailan said, explaining his actions.

However, once the baby girl was born, Dailan said he could not stay away from her. “I want to see her every time but I (didn’t) want to commit,” he recalled.

Broken home

But then he thought about his own broken childhood. His parents divorced while he was still in the womb. Soon after he was born, his mother remarried, and Dailan was left with his grandparents.

To this day, Dailan does not know who his father is, and pities his six siblings (from his mother’s multiple marriages) for the situation his mother left them in.

“I don’t have father. I’m from a broken family. I know the feeling,” Dailan explained in talking about why he eventually decided to commit to Claren and his baby girl, Kyle.

Neha Rashid

Ben Dailan remembering his family.

Looking back, the decision to commit has been one that he has never regretted. “Now I have new family, I have new life,” Dailan added, wiping away tears from his eyes.

Within five years of that first night, Dailan and Claren found themselves parents to two more children after Kyle: Clardia and Levis Colt Dailan.

“Levis from the jeans and Colt from Colt .45 gun,” Dailan explained, grinning.

To his delight, the couple is now expecting a fourth child, a son.

Rimoh Jacob/Flickr

Photo for illustrative purposes only.

Despite having had three kids and being together for 15 years, Dailan and Claren only got married last June, for legal reasons.

“If you’re not married here in Qatar, but you’re together in one room, this is a problem,” Dailan explained. “That’s why we settle to get married.”

However, he jokingly added that Claren proposed to him because “I’m only one in a million.”

But Dailan was still hesitant to get married, describing his feelings being “fifty-fifty” at the time. He eventually agreed to do so because it would be “better for (the) children,” because they were considered illegitimate up to that point.

Better life

Though it’s hard to be away from his kids, Dailan said he believed that “now everyone (is) happy,” because he is able to give them what he did not have.

His purpose in Qatar now is solely “to work and to send money” back home for his children.

John Walker/Flickr

Photo for illustrative purposes only.

“All their needs, we give,” he proudly said. He added that his older daughter wants to grow up and become an air hostess.

Dailan is the first high school graduate in his family, but never attended college because he couldn’t afford it.

But he is determined to make sure his children have a better future.

“I want (them) to finish all (their schooling),” he said.

Twenty-two-year-old Dailan could never have imagined the life that his 37-year-old self now lives because who could ever have guessed the kind of happiness that comes with love at first child?

(The post For this Qatar expat, it was love at first child is from Doha News.)

All photos by Baba Tamim

Nearly two dozen racers tested their mettle this weekend at the Losail International Circuit during their last practice runs ahead of the season opener later this month.

There were a few crashes, but this didn’t deter speedsters from pushing their limits around the track over the past three days.

Spanish motorcycle road racer Jorge Lorenzo dominated the test runs, finishing half-a-second ahead of the next competitor yesterday.

The season opens with the Grand Prix of Qatar at Losail on March 17.

Thoughts?

(The post Crashes don’t stop racers at MotoGP test is from Doha News.)

QFA

Al Rayyan wins

For the first time in more than two decades, Al Rayyan has been named champions of the Qatar Stars League.

The football club secured its position with a 5-0 victory over Al Wakrah yesterday. Even with five more rounds to play, the win gave the team an “unassailable tally” of 60 points on the season, Qatar’s top professional football club said in a statement.

(The post Al Rayyan clinches Qatar Stars League title is from Doha News.)

Meento

Photo for illustrative purposes only.

Plans are reportedly underway to hire 10,000 skilled and semi-skilled Indonesian workers to work in Qatar, according to the country’s new ambassador in Doha.

The agreement to open up more positions for Indonesian professionals and craftspeople follows a visit by President Joko Widodo to Qatar in September.

The move would significantly increase the 50,000 strong Indonesian population currently living and working in Qatar, Qatar Tribune reported.

No timeline has been given for when the new arrangements might start or which roles would be included, and the Indonesian Embassy in Qatar was not available for comment.

Other decisions

The agreement follows the enforcement late last year of a ban of all Indonesians from working as domestic staff in Qatar and the wider region, which was announced in early 2015 by Widodo.

Dimitris Papazimouris/Flickr

Photo for illustrative purposes only.

The ban, which stopped new workers from traveling abroad as domestic staff, was introduced to preserve the “pride and dignity” of the country’s citizens, Widodo said.

Speaking to the Qatar Tribune this week, the new Indonesian ambassador to Qatar Muhammad Basri Sidehabi said a number of new deals between the two states are ongoing.

Some have been in negotiations for years, said Sidehabi, who was officially appointed on Feb. 14.

This reportedly includes a request by Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) from 2011 to acquire 20,000 hectares of land in Indonesia to grow rice.

Julien/Flickr

Rice plantation Indonesia for illustrative purposes only

Widodo had already requested this agreement be accelerated, the Qatar-based diplomat added.

As a state that imports more than 90 percent of its foodstuffs, improving food security is one of Qatar’s priorities and the QIA has numerous international agreements aimed at diversifying where the country sources its food from in the coming years.

Opening up the Qatari market, as well as other states in the Middle East, to the import of Indonesian coffee is another priority for his country, Sidehabi added.

More flights

Meanwhile, negotiations are ongoing to increase the number of Indonesian destinations for national flag carrier Qatar Airways.

While the airline currently flies to three locations in the country – the capital Jakarta, Bali Denpasar and Surabaya – it had initially asked for seven destinations, Sidehabi reportedly said.

The diplomat said he was discussing with Widodo about expanding this list to five destinations, with the addition of Medan in North Sumatra and Makassar on the island of Sulawesi.

Thoughts?

(The post Report: Qatar agrees to hire 10,000 skilled Indonesians is from Doha News.)

Passengers traveling through Hamad International Airport (HIA) can get real-time flight updates, information about baggage reclaim and directions to their boarding gates through a new app, the airport said.

The iBeacon app, currently only available in iOS but set to launch on Android in the coming months, is activated by scanning a boarding card and has the option of including a location detector. It can also send notifications of promotions as passengers walk past stores, HIA said in a statement. iPad and iPhone users can download the app here.

(The post New app helps travelers navigate through Qatar’s Hamad Airport is from Doha News.)

TeachAIDS/Flickr

Amitabh Bachchan

World-renowned Indian celebrity Amitabh Bachchan will visit Qatar later this month as part of the launch of a jewelry chain here.

Bachchan, known as the “godfather of Indian cinema,” is a brand ambassador of Kalyan Jewellers, a Kerala-based chain.

The company is inaugurating seven stores across the country on March 25, including in Al Gharafa, Al Rayyan, Asian Village, Abu Hamour, Barwa Village and Al Khor.

Advertisement running in local newspapers

Speaking to Doha News, a representative of the jeweler said that the schedule for Bachchan’s visit is still being worked out, and should be released at the end of this week.

The 73-year-old actor will be in Dubai the week prior to his Doha appearance for the 2016 Times of India Film Awards.

Those are being held on March 18 and will also feature performances from Shah Rukh Khan, Kareena Kapoor Khan and others.

Thoughts?

(The post Amitabh Bachchan to visit Qatar on March 25 is from Doha News.)

Damon McDonald/Flickr

Photo for illustrative purposes only.

Despite Qatar’s “resilient” economy and large financial reserves, analysts are taking a closer look at the country’s ability to take on more debt to fund its massive preparations for the 2022 World Cup.

On Friday, Moody’s Investors Service said it was placing Qatar’s government bonds under review for a downgrade, saying the country’s economic strength has declined.

The country is currently rated Aa2, one of the top scores.

If Qatar were to be deemed less creditworthy, it would raise the government’s cost of borrowing money at a time when it’s trying to rein in expenses.

However, another ratings agency, Standard & Poor’s, maintained Qatar’s positive outlook last month.

Photo for illustrative purposes only.

Qatar is not the only Gulf government in the region to come under critical scrutiny by Moody’s.

Saudi Arabia – which was already rated one rank below Qatar – is also facing a possible downgrade as is Kuwait and the UAE, both of which share Qatar’s high rating.

Meanwhile, Oman’s government debt was knocked down two notches last month. Bahrain has fared even worse and was lowered to junk status.

Moody’s said it has not recorded any of the Gulf states defaulting on any loans in more than three decades.

‘Structural shock’

According to Moody’s, oil and gas sales accounted for more than 80 percent of Qatar’s revenues between 2010-14.

Maersk

Al Shaheen oil field

The collapse in oil prices over the last year and a half has caused Qatar to go from running sizeable surpluses to projecting a QR46.5 billion deficit this year.

“The structural shock to the oil market is affecting Qatar’s government balance sheet, and its economy, and therefore also its credit profile,” Moody’s said in a statement.

However, the country has massive financial savings in its sovereign wealth fund, the Qatar Investment Authority. While its lack of transparency means the fund’s exact size is not known, Moody’s estimated that it is worth US$329 billion.

Yukiko Matsuoka/Flickr

Qatar has used its oil and gas wealth to invest in British retailer Harrods, among other assets.

That’s theoretically enough to pay for several years of deficit spending, although Qatar has previously said it plans to borrow money to cover its deficits and leave its savings untouched.

However, Moody’s noted that the government may need to tap the fund to prop up the country’s banks or refinance the debt of Qatar’s state-owned businesses.

Moody’s added that the government decided to reduce petrol subsidies in January and has signaled its intention to cut spending and find new ways of raising revenues.

But with no clear timeline announced, the agency said its rating review is necessary to assess the credibility and sustainability of Qatar’s plans.

Moody’s said it expects to complete its review within two months.

Thoughts?

(The post Moody’s considers lowering Qatar’s financial rating is from Doha News.)

Qatar’s Emir is traveling to Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan this week for official visits with senior leaders of those nations, QNA reports.

Turkmenistan’s President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow and Sheikh Tamim will likely talk about energy, as well as construction and transport. Meanwhile, the Emir and Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev are expected to discuss oil and gas, agriculture and education.

(The post Qatar Emir to make official visits to Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan is from Doha News.)

Sanjiban Ghosh/Flickr

Photo for illustrative purposes only.

British officials have conducted an inquiry into the suicide of a UK expat in Qatar who is thought to have fallen into despair over unpaid debts.

The news comes amid other reports of expats here who have ended their own lives due to financial strain.

In England and Wales, inquest are normally held by coroners if a person dies an unnatural or violent death overseas and the body is returned.

In this case, the inquiry heard the 45-year-old killed himself in Qatar last year after not being able to get an exit permit due to his debts.

Shawn Carpenter/Flickr

Photo for illustrative purposes only.

The individual, who Doha News is choosing not to name out of respect for his family, was working in the project management division of Amlak.

Amlak is the commercial arm of Qatar Foundation that manages its real estate, hospitality businesses and other assets such as the Qatar National Convention Center.

The man died on Feb. 8, 2015, records published by the Gloucestershire coroner show.

Last week, the Gloucestershire Echo reported that the man had lost his job several months earlier, but had secured a new position with an engineering firm in Saudi Arabia.

However, he was apparently unable to secure an exit permit due to his debts, even though his family had offered to help him pay down his loans.

“They don’t really know the extent of his money situation. They don’t know how much he owed and to whom or whether he had anyone chasing him over unpaid debts,” coroner’s officer Andrew Wasley was quoted as saying.

The inquest also heard that the British expat was having relationship trouble with his girlfriend, who lived in Spain, and that the Qatar government did not provide additional information about the death despite three requests from the British Foreign Office.

The coroner’s office left its verdict “open.” According to the Gloucestershire Echo, the coroner said he still had unanswered questions and was unable to conclusively conclude what happened, even though the evidence available suggests it was a suicide.

Neither Amlak or the British embassy would comment on the specifics of the case, citing privacy concerns.

Debts

Like many Gulf countries, Qatar’s legal system can come down hard on residents who are unable to pay their loans.

Tommaso / Flickr

Photo for illustrative purposes only.

Leaving Qatar for good, as it appears the British expat was attempting to do, requires one to clear their debts and close all bank accounts. Non-payment of a debt is a criminal offense that could result in a prison sentence.

While some expats flee the country without paying off their loans, others have reportedly been detained after Interpol issues an international arrest warrant on Qatar’s behalf.

The Guardian reported that a British man was arrested in Jordan in 2013 after Qatar accused him of not paying off a car loan he took out while living here:

“I was put in a cell for two days. Luckily there was no extradition agreement between Jordan and Qatar so they said I could not be removed. Eventually I was released,” he told the newspaper.

“The bank had fined me without me knowing about it. I had had to leave Qatar to go back and see my son, who was unwell. I had thought I had paid off my debts. Now I’m worried about travelling anywhere. It’s a big headache to see your name (on the Interpol site).”

More expats have been thrust into difficult financial situations as the downturn in oil prices causes some large companies across the Gulf to lay off staff.

This has led to an uptick in the number of so-called “skips” in Dubai, according to Bloomberg. However, it quoted one analyst who said the statistics said just as much about the state of bankruptcy laws in the Gulf as the region’s economic slowdown.

Resources

The British inquiry comes amid other reports of expats who have ended their lives in part due to financial pressures.

Mental Health Foundation / Facebook

Photo for illustrative purposes only.

Up to 10 Indian expats in Qatar are reported to have killed themselves in the first two months of 2016. Community leaders said they believe that some of them had lost their jobs and were unable to pay off their debts.

Arvind Patil, the president of the Indian Community Benevolent Forum in Qatar, told Doha News that his organization reaches out to people in distress.

It also tries to help those who have lost their job obtain a no-objection certificate that would allow them to find alternative employment and pay off their debts.

It’s not known what prompted the British man to apparently take his own life. While Qatar has said it’s working to improve its mental health services, care can still be difficult to access for residents who are unfamiliar with navigating the healthcare system.

The British embassy has encouraged citizens who find themselves in distress to seek medical advice from local health professionals.

A spokesperson told Doha News added that the diplomatic mission is in contact with local health and social service providers and that British nationals can call the embassy at 4496-2000 for guidance on organizations that may be able to help.

Thoughts?

(The post UK probes suicide of expat trapped in Qatar over debt is from Doha News.)

British Embassy/Facebook

UK and Qatar flags

A humorous, whistle-stop tour through all of William Shakespeare’s plays in just 97 minutes and a Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra concert inspired by works of the bard are among the highlights of this year’s Great British Festival.

More than a dozen events will take place during the two-week long annual celebration of all things British, which began yesterday and runs until March 19.

Launching the festival at Katara Opera House this week, British Ambassador to Qatar Ajay Sharma said:

“While people may say that everyone in Qatar knows about the UK already, actually there is a real opportunity to share more about what the UK can offer. This isn’t about introducing people to the UK – it is about deepening the knowledge and understanding that people here in Qatar have about Britain.

“Supported through activities and events like these, we can encourage further cooperation in other areas too,” he added.

Shakespeare with a twist

The main events to take place during the festival focus on the English playwright Shakespeare, as part of a wider global campaign by the British government to make his works more accessible.

To mark the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death, the Reduced Shakespeare Company will put on two performances of their award-winning show The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) [revised] at Katara Drama Theater on March 11.

RSC

Reduced Shakespeare Company

Described as an “irreverent, fast-paced romp” through all 37 of Shakespeare’s plays in 97 minutes, the three-man group has performed this show across the world, and it has since spawned nearly a dozen similar productions by the same team.

The show ran for nine years in London’s West End, before heading to off-Broadway, the White House and events in Australia, Israel, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Japan, Malta, Singapore and Bermuda, in addition to other venues in the US, UK and Europe.

Tickets cost from QR150 to QR250 for two performances on March 11 – at 1pm then again at 7pm. They can be bought online through Q-Tickets.

Culture and cuisine

Meanwhile, the film of the popular Shakespeare play Much Ado About Nothing, starring British actors Kenneth Branagh and Emma Thompson, will be screened for free at Katara’s Drama Theater on March 15.

There will also be afternoon teas, British-themed brunches and roast dinners at hotels throughout Doha during the fortnight.

Additionally, experts from Qatar Museums and UCL Qatar will give a free talk at the Museum of Islamic Art Cafe about the origins of Qatar and its historic towns on March 17.

Sporting events and British-style spring fetes will also be part of the lineup.

QPO/Facebook

For illustrative purposes only

The festival will close on March 19 with a performance by QPO of a selection of music inspired by Shakespeare’s plays, including Tchaikovsky’s Romeo and Juliet.

The concert, at Qatar National Convention Center (QNCC) near Education City, is already sold out, according to the orchestra’s website.

The festival follows the Qatar-UK Year of Culture in 2013, which involved collaborations between the two countries in art, commerce, culture, education and science.

Since then, smaller annual festivals have taken place each year, not only for the approximately 25,000 Brits living in Qatar but also for the wider community.

You can see a full schedule of this year’s festival events here.

For Qataris interested in studying in the UK, informational events will be held on March 13 and 14.

ictQATAR/Flickr

Photo for illustrative purposes only.

There were 2,200 Qataris undertaking higher education courses in the UK last year and around 800 studying language courses, a representative from the British Council said. The UK is keen to expand this.

While the ambassador did not say if the UK would introduce a VIP visa system for Qataris visiting Britain, similar to what was launched in the UAE earlier this year, the existing electronic visa waiver system is being improved, he said.

The system has been previously criticized by some nationals as being confusing to navigate.

“We are always trying to improve our visa service, whether it’s for VIPs or ordinary Qataris,” Sharma said adding that further details on upgrades to the service may be announced in the coming weeks.

Thoughts?

(The post Comedy Shakespeare to headline Britfest 2016 in Qatar is from Doha News.)

Internal Security forces (Lekhwiya) will perform rowing descent exercises at a height of 10m at the Lekhwiya Camp (presumably in Duhail) this morning, the General Command of the Armed Forces has announced.

The exercises will be held from 7:15am to 9:15am. “The General Command has called on that region’s goers to be careful and cautious for their own safety,” QNA reports.

(The post Lekhwiya forces conducting training exercises this morning is from Doha News.)

Omar Chatriwala / Doha News

Looking like rain

Qatar’s Ministry of Interior has urged people on major roads to drive carefully as thunderstorms move over the country.

According to the Qatar Meteorology Department (MET), scattered rain and storms are forecast for the beginning of the week.

There’s also a chance of more rain on Tuesday night that would continue into Wednesday, the MET said in a statement.

This morning, forecasters said on Instagram that the storm is moving toward the capital, adding that the rain is varying in intensity and people should “be careful.”

‏🔴 أمطار متفاوتة الغزارة مصحوبة بخلايا رعدية على مناطق وسط البلاد تتحرك إلى الشرق وتقترب من الدوحة. يرجى توخي الحذر. 🔴Rains of variable intensity with thunder cells over central areas moving eastward & approaching Doha. Plz be careful

A photo posted by أرصاد قطر (@qatarweather) on Mar 6, 2016 at 9:47pm PST

Speaking to Doha News, Abdulla Al Mannai, head of forecast and analysis at the MET, said intermittent rain across Qatar should stick around until Thursday.

For their part, many residents appear to be pretty happy about the precipitation:

What are you seeing out there? Thoughts?

(The post MOI warns motorists to drive safely as thunderstorms head to Doha is from Doha News.)

The Qatar government has said it’s preparing new rules for Ooredoo and Vodafone aimed at reducing the number of complaints about spam and unwanted premium services from mobile phone customers.

The Communications Regulatory Authority said yesterday that it plans to consult Qatar’s two major telecom service providers Ooredoo and Vodafone on the new code of conduct. The government said consumers must consent to receive a service before they are charged, but provided no specific details about the new planned measures.

(The post Qatar regulator takes aim at mobile spam, unwanted services is from Doha News.)

Woqod/Facebook

Photo of Sidra store for illustrative purposes only.

Sales at Woqod’s convenience stores fell last year after the state-owned fuel company stopped selling cigarettes to customers, the firm has said in an explanation of its 2015 finances this week.

Though Woqod overall posted a QR1.25 billion profit (an 11 percent increase) last year, revenues at Sidra stores declined 4.8 percent to QR152.6 million, the company said in its annual report, which was released yesterday.

The drop was a rare bit of bad financial news for the firm, which also sells jet fuel and shipping oil.

In its report, Woqod said the sale of tobacco products is now banned at its facilities. Several stations told Doha News this morning that cigarettes were removed from their shelves approximately a year ago.

Smoking on the rise

The ban came as smoking rates in Qatar appear to be rising. According to the most recent figures published by the World Health Organization, some 12 percent of residents 15 years and older smoked in 2013, up from 10 percent the previous year.

Shabina S. Khatri

Photo for illustrative purposes only.

Regulators around the world have experimented with restrictions on retail sales of tobacco, including banning displays such as the so-called “power-wall” of cigarettes behind the cash register, as a way of cutting smoking rates.

The strategy appears to work, according to research published late last month by the British Medical Journal.

Authorities in Qatar have mulled raising penalties on shops caught selling tobacco to minors and giving malls the power to ticket those found smoking on their premises, among other measures, but those efforts appear to have stalled.

Meanwhile, many residents complain that bans on smoking in public places are poorly enforced.

Maintenance facilities

Woqod – which suddenly increased fuel prices in January – expanded on most other fronts last year, including its petrol station network.

According to officials, its locations are expected to get bigger in the coming years and offer more services, including vehicle maintenance.

MEC/Twitter

Photo for illustrative purposes only

The Peninsula reported that Woqod plans to enter into joint ventures with several vehicle manufacturers – starting with Mercedes, Nissan and Toyota – to build onsite garages.

“We are going to develop standalone full car maintenance service facilities at Woqod petrol stations wherever space is available,” Woqod CEO Ibrahim Jaham Al Kuwari told the newspaper.

Sales at Woqod’s existing repair workshops jumped 20 percent last year to QR65.2 million, according to the company’s annual report.

Petrol stations

Woqod said it opening eight new petrol stations last year. That’s four fewer than the company has originally planned to open in 2015.

Peter Kovessy / Doha News

New Woqod petrol station

A further 18 stations are under construction. These include several in and around Doha, such as new locations in Al Muntazah, Musheireb, Al Rayyan and Old Ghanem.

More petrol stations are needed to supply petrol to the growing number of vehicles on Qatar’s roads, where lineups of cars and trucks are often seen in central parts of Doha.

The problem has been exacerbated by the closure of several private facilities, such as the Markhiya Petrol Station near Burger King signal and the petrol station near Villaggio Mall.

Peter Kovessy

Shuttered gas station

Additionally, there are no signs of activity at the petrol station just north of Landmark Mall, which was closed in 2014 following a fatal explosion at a nearby restaurant, or the old Al Andalus Petrol Station on C-Ring Road, which has remained shuttered ever since an apparent underground explosion in September 2013.

A senior Woqod official told Doha News last November that there are no plans to close Qatar’s remaining private petrol facilities.

However, the company’s annual report suggests otherwise. It says a new station in Al Khor was needed, in part, “to urge some privately-owned petrol stations to stop their trade, either for maintenance or change the nature of their business altogether to other more profitable ventures.”

Thoughts?

(The post Tobacco ban hurts Woqod’s retail revenues in Qatar is from Doha News.)