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Unresponsive recruiters and CVs that “disappear into a black hole” are among the main challenges female job seekers say they face when attempting to enter Qatar’s workforce.

Venting their frustrations during a How Women Find Work conference today, many women said they are uncertain about how to proceed when potential employers do not respond to their inquiries.

photologue_np/Flickr

According to recruiters who attended the conference, landing a job in Qatar is often about who you know, not how many CVs you send out.

They shared several tips for female job seekers here, whose numbers have been increasing despite Qatar’s skewed male to female ratio.

According to figures from the Ministry of Development, Urban Planning and Statistics’ latest Labor Force Survey, nearly 54 percent of women over the age of 15 in Qatar are employed and nearly 60 percent of non-Qatari women here work.

That’s up from the 56 percent of expat women who worked during the second quarter of 2013.

However, the percentage of Qatari women “economically active” is somewhat lower, with 33 percent of all Qatari women over 15 in employment, the survey said.

Job hunters

Qatar’s labor force has been expanding rapidly to meet the needs of its many infrastructure projects.

Oftentimes, many women move to Qatar after their husbands find work here. But when they themselves begin looking for a job, they come up against several challenges.

Lesley Walker

Sheni Ogun

Sheni Ogun, for example, is a lawyer who has been looking for full-time legal work in Qatar for several months, without success.

She told Doha News that she feels let down by recruitment agencies who ask her to submit online applications, but have not given her any meaningful feedback on her queries.

“I am finding the work search has been slow. The agents all ask you to send your CV online, but you never hear anything back from them – it just gets sent into a black hole.

“Some agencies give you a ranking – I heard yesterday i am ranked 90 out of 494 for one job, but I have no idea what that means,” she added.

Another delegate, Amyrose Morris Barretto, is trying to break back into the workplace after taking eight years off to look after her home.

Formerly a customer services executive with Jet Airways, she is trying to change career directions by looking for a job in admin. She said:

“There are so many people applying for jobs now, I haven’t had any responses to my applications, and I have had no response at all from the recruitment companies. It has been frustrating.”

Qatar market

How Women Work

Carolin Zeitler

According to Carolin Zeitler, founder of How Women Work, the above experiences are very common, and are one of the reasons she established a conference series for women.

“I would go to networking events and there were lots of job seekers there, but many of them had been looking for work for more than six months without success,”  she said.

“They had been applying for jobs, sending off their CVs, but rarely received any replies or been asked for interview. It is depressing for them and it affects their self confidence.”

In comparison, Zeitler observed that some women, especially those who have lived in Qatar for a number of years and had a wider network of people, would get two or three interviews a week.

Their key to success was that they would actively pursue their applications, phoning to check on its status, and going in person to speak to recruiters or organizations to get themselves known.

“You might get told to apply online, but if you leave it at that, with a lot of companies here, you will not have much chance of success,” Zeitler said.

Tips

Speaking to Doha News, Zeitler gave her top tips for successful job hunting in Qatar, which include:

• Be active in your job search. Follow up applications on the phone or in person.
• Know that face-to-face contact is essential in Qatar and much more effective than online or email contact. It wouldn’t be done in Europe, but in many companies here, it’s fine to just go in to the organization and try to talk to the recruiter.
• Make sure all the relevant information on your CV is on the first page, and is really easy to see. Don’t hide it on page 5 or 6. Not many people will have the patience to read that far. The person reading it needs to find everything they are looking for within the first 30 seconds to two minutes.
• Give a little of your personality in your CV. Include a short profile of who you are at the top of the CV. Don’t rely on the cover letter for this, as they often get lost in the system.
• Send in as many accompanying documents as you can – including references and qualifications. Again, you might not do this back in your home country, but many recruiters here like to have lots of official paperwork.

Also during the conference, Melissa Mitchell, founder and CEO of International Business Enterprises, which specializes in human resources and global mobility, stressed the importance of networking.

Mitchell, who has lived in Qatar for 14 years, said:

“View every event as a potential networking event – school fairs, dinner with your husband’s colleagues. It’s all about getting yourself out there and people knowing how you are. Almost everyone applying for jobs here is well qualified. It can be difficult to stand out in this region just in paper. People need to know who you are.”

Finally, Zeitler emphasized that being a woman is not a disadvantage when it comes to looking for jobs in the Gulf. She said:

“There is an attitude among some women that they won’t have as good a chance as a man in getting a job, but this is not true.

“I have never, in seven years here, felt it was a disadvantage to be a women in Qatar. Often here people will be more willing to talk to a woman than a man, and as long as you dress professionally and are culturally sensitive, you will be fine.”

Thoughts?

(The post Women share tips on successful job hunting in Qatar is from Doha News.)

Shawn Carpenter/Flickr

Photo for illustrative purposes only.

Hasan S. moved to Qatar from Bangladesh about three weeks ago. The unmarried young man, believed to be in his early 20s, had come here to work as a construction laborer.

Within days of his arrival, Hasan befriended fellow workers from his home country, as well as several other South Asian migrants who lived in his company-provided accommodations near Mushereib, his former housemates recall.

“Everything was good,” said one man, who asked not to be named. “He was living in a room with 11 other men, all Bangladeshi. Everybody liked him. They ate together and slept together.”

But on Saturday, when his colleagues rose for work around 4am, Hasan opted to stay behind.

Peter Kovessy

Hasan's bedroom, which he shared with 11 colleagues.

No one thought to ask why. When everyone returned to the multi-level apartment block some 12 hours later, one of Hasan’s housemates found the door to the shared bathroom locked.

He waited roughly half an hour before forcing the door open and finding Hasan’s body, hanging. The young man appeared to have committed suicide.

Housemates who spoke to Doha News the day after Hasan’s death said they were at a loss about what could have prompted him to take his life. They said this is the first time such an incident has happened in their apartment block, which is home to nearly 200 men living in 14 rooms.

Still, Hasan’s case is not an isolated one.

Few details

Understanding and addressing complex issues of mental health, anguish and despair is difficult in the best of environments.

It’s even more challenging in the case of migrant workers in Qatar and elsewhere in the Gulf, where low-income laborers – who frequently work long hours, lack independent transportation and face language barriers – may have trouble finding and seeking help.

Even quantifying the number of foreigners who take their own lives is problematic.

Indians make up Qatar’s largest expat population, with some 500,000 individuals residing in this country. Sashee Kumar, the Indian embassy’s labor officer, told Doha News that the diplomatic mission tracks suicides in the community, but does not disclose figures.

“We don’t want any panic in the Indian community, saying people are coming to (Qatar) and killing themselves,” he said.

When pressed, Kumar said the number of Indians who commit suicide in Qatar is “very, very small considering the size of the population.”

Video still

Meanwhile, officials at the Nepali embassy in Doha could not be reached for comment.

However, a Nepali newspaper reported earlier this year that 12 nationals of that country killed themselves in Qatar between 2013 and 2014 (the exact time frame was not specified). There are roughly 400,000 Nepalese citizens living in Qatar.

But an official at the Bangladesh embassy said that, prior to this week, there had been no reports of suicide this year among any of the nearly 170,000 Bangladeshis living in Qatar.

When asked if it was possible that suicides were underreported or misclassified as accidents, the embassy official – who asked not to be named – said he wasn’t sure, as the diplomatic mission relies on local law enforcement and medical officials to determine and classify causes of death.

Small steps forward

While isolated incidents are reported in the media, such as a Tunisian teenager who jumped to his death at City Center Mall six years ago and an Indian man found hanging in his company’s accommodations last month, suicide is not a topic that’s openly discussed in Qatar.

Robert Macaskill/Flickr

Photo for illustrative purposes only.

Medical experts have said that there was no record of a Qatari committing suicide prior to 2010. Meanwhile, the country’s comprehensive National Development Strategy acknowledges social problems like domestic violence and depression, but makes no mention of suicide.

Some, however, are working to raise awareness of the issue.

Last year, the Social Rehabilitation Center (Al Aween) organized a bike ride to mark the suicide prevention day.

Meanwhile, Rumailah Hospital – part of Hamad Medical Corp. – operates a psychiatric department that provides day programs, residential care, home-based outreach and crisis intervention.

The department says it makes contact with some 1,700 patients monthly, in addition to operating a 60-bed facility.

The most frequently admitted patients are domestic workers, Amnesty International said in a report published earlier this year.

The report stated:

“Anxiety or depression caused by deception about work was the number one cause of admission to the unit … Attempted suicide was the most common reason for admission.”

Additionally, more than a dozen domestic workers visited the unit daily in 2012 to be treated for anxiety related to job stress, culture shock and anger management.

Unique stresses

Amnesty researcher James Lynch told Doha News that migrant workers often face unique stresses, such as knowing family members back home are depending on them for financial support.

The nature of Amnesty’s work results in the organization’s staff coming across cases of migrants in despair over labor-related issues, such as unpaid wages and an inability to leave Qatar and return home.

“People feel completely helpless. They may be in debt, and things may have gone really badly for them (abroad). They can’t go home and start rebuilding things. Every day, things are getting worse and they’ve lost control,” Lynch said

In one extreme case, Amnesty documented how an Indian worker – who had been unpaid for months and unable to secure an exit permit or his passport from his employer, Krantz Engineering – pointed to a specific date on a calendar, saying he would commit suicide by setting himself on fire if he could not return home in time for his wedding.

He was ultimately able to fly back to India, but his fiancee broke off their engagement because of the delay in his return.

Chantelle D'mello

Photo for illustrative purposes only.

But as Hasan’s case shows, outward signs of stress and root causes are not always visible.

Furthermore, many of the recommendations of experts – such as establishing crisis telephone hotlines, closer monitoring of patients being treated for depression and more mental health training for medical staff, imams, teachers, parents and family counsellors – fail to address some of the unique challenges migrant workers face in accessing professional assistance.

However, local health officials say they recognize the problem and want to fix it, according to Lynch.

He said the Supreme Council of Health identified mental health as one of the most important medical issues it needs to address during a meeting with Amnesty last year on migrant workers.

Lynch added that officials told him that mental health was one of their top priorities, and that more outreach efforts were planned.

Back outside Musheireb, some of Hasan’s clothes and possessions remain on his top-bunk bed.

His former colleagues asked Doha News if anything can be done to support Hasan’s family, who they assume will have to pay off the QR15,000-QR20,000 recruitment fee that they all paid to come to Qatar.

A Bangladeshi embassy official told Doha News that the diplomatic mission expediates all the necessary paperwork that would enable the repatriation of a deceased national.

However, he added that it’s generally up to the individual’s employer to arrange for the body to be transported to the individual’s home country.

Doha News was unable to reach Hasan’s employer for comment.

Thoughts?

Note: Doha News has chosen not to publish Hasan’s last name out of respect for his family.

(The post Worker’s suicide puts spotlight on Qatar migrants’ mental health issues is from Doha News.)

MCaviglia/Wikimedia

The lawyer leading an ethics investigation into FIFA’s handling of the 2018 and 2022 World Cup bids has called for major changes to be made in the way the world’s football governing body operates.

In what is perceived to be a coded attack on FIFA’s leadership, Michael Garcia said FIFA needs to have “greater transparency” and that there must be a top-down culture change at the organization.

He also criticized the body’s investigation and adjudication process, which “operates in most parts unseen and unheard,” the BBC reports.

FIFA

Over the past 18 months, the American lawyer headed a team that conducted a detailed examination of claims of bribery and corruption surrounding the bids for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, which were won by Russia and Qatar. Qatar has denied all such allegations.

Garcia has previously called for his report, which is now with FIFA Ethics judge Hans-Joachim Eckert, to be made public. However, the football body has insisted it would be kept confidential, and that only select details would be released.

That decision has reignited criticism over a perceived culture of secrecy at FIFA.

Ethics overhaul

In a keynote speech at an event organized by the American Bar Association in London, Garcia openly criticized FIFA’s process of investigation and adjudication, saying:

“That’s a kind of system which might be appropriate for an intelligence agency but not for an ethics compliance process in an international sports institution that serves the public and is the subject of intense public scrutiny.

The natural next step of the development of an effective ethics process at Fifa is greater transparency.”

He also used the opportunity to call into question FIFA President Sepp Blatter’s leadership style, and said that changes to an organization’s culture should start from the top.

“What is required is leadership that sends a message that the rules apply to everyone; leadership that wants to understand and learn from any mistakes or mis-steps the ethics committee may have identified; leadership that makes it clear to everyone – this is what we’ve set up the ethics committee to do, this is why they do it, and this is what they’ve done.

“It’s that kind of leadership that breathes the life into a code of ethics. Because true reform doesn’t come from rules or creating new committee structures. It comes from changing the culture of the organization.”

Cover-up claims

Last month, after Eckert confirmed he would not make public Garcia’s full report and instead only release highlights, the UK’s Sunday Times newspaper asserted that FIFA’s enquiry was a “cover-up” and that the organization has “locked away” the investigation.

Months before that, the newspaper ran a series of stories claiming that Qatar bribed officials to win votes, and said it had “millions of documents” to support its allegations.

Eckert, who heads the adjudicatory chamber of FIFA’s ethics committee, previously said he expected his judgment to be ready around March 2015.

DesignBolts

Amid calls for Qatar to be stripped of its hosting rights, Eckert said that only FIFA’s ruling executive committee or its congress of 209 federations had the power to make such decisions.

The claims and perceived lack of transparency have caused many to question FIFA’s credibility, and Garcia said that a failure to be open and honest with the findings could seriously damage the organization.

He used the NFL’s probe into the Ray Rice domestic abuse case as an example of how an international sporting organization should not handle sensitive investigations. He added: “Now the NFL has has to bring in outside counsel to investigate the investigation.”

Open approach

In his speech, he went on to say that the the aim of transparency is not “to embarrass certain individuals” or “harm the organization.”

“It’s one thing to tell people that a rigorous process is in place. It’s another thing to show them how that process works and what it has uncovered,” he said.

“FIFA built the system that should inspire confidence that things have changed for the better. Showing that to the public serves FIFA’s best interest.”

Thoughts?

(The post Ethics chief calls for greater transparency, culture change at FIFA is from Doha News.)

Elysia Windrum

One of Al Khor’s few gas stations has been shuttered following a weekend incident in which a gas tank apparently erupted underground.

North Field gas station and several shops inside the complex - which include a Honda service center, eateries, a pharmacy and a grocery store – remained closed today, with Al Fazaa tape cordoning off the perimeter.

Elysia Windrum

Shopkeepers who spoke to Doha News said that the explosion occurred at 6am on Saturday morning.

Because the incident happened early on a weekend morning, the site was empty and there were no injuries, they said.

Additionally, the ground did not cave in, as it did during a similar incident at a different petrol station last year. Several shop windows were shattered from the force of the blast.

The shopkeepers explained that the explosion was quickly controlled, with police and fire trucks arriving at the scene shortly after the blast.

They added that most stores would likely reopen by the end of the week.

But the gas station’s reopening date remains unknown. One of the shopkeepers onsite told Doha News:

“The reopening of the station depends on the station’s management. We are all under different management. The gas tank is yet to be restored, so it could take some time before things are in working order.”

‘Time bomb’

The safety of Qatar’s petrol stations has been called into question recently, due to a spate of incidents. Earlier this year, a gas tank explosion at a restaurant inside a petrol station complex near Landmark killed 11 people.

Nadim Ziade/Twitter

Scene of accident near Landmark Mall in February 2014.

And in September of last year, an underground tank at a station on C-Ring Road apparently exploded, causing the ground to cave in and damaging several vehicles.

Peter Kovessy

Al Andalus petrol station

Al Andalus Petrol Station remains closed to this day, but is now being rebuilt and is expected to open soon – an idea that residents who are having trouble finding places to fill up their tanks would welcome.

Speaking to the Qatar Tribune after the blast at C-Ring Road’s gas station, Saud bin Abdullah al Hanzab, who at the time was chairman of the Central Municipal Council (CMC), criticized the country’s petrol stations, saying:

“They are a time bomb. Anything could have happened after the tanks suddenly caved in. We wish to avoid these things and want that the new designs avoid these things and situate the stations far away from neighborhoods.”

Government responses

Some efforts to improve safety at petrol stations around Qatar have been made following February’s deadly explosion.

Nada Badawi

Several restaurants at Abu Hamour Petrol Station were closed temporarily in February as a preemptive safety measure.

For example, authorities cracked down on eateries located at gas stations who were flouting a two year-old law that mandates the use of electric stoves instead of gas ones.

The explosion, which took place at one of the station’s restaurants, was apparently caused by a pizza oven that had been left on and leaked gas.

The sale of Woqod Shafaf LPG gas cylinders at petrol stations was also temporarily halted in a bid prevent further gas station explosions.

Thoughts?

(The post Al Khor petrol station closes indefinitely after gas tank explosion is from Doha News.)

MES Indian School/Facebook

Photo for illustrative purposes only.

Saying that parents should have more choice in where to buy their children’s uniforms, the Supreme Education Council has told Qatar schools to relax their clothing sales requirements.

The new instructions came in the form of a circular to private schools and kindergartens, the Peninsula reports.

It prohibits schools from exclusively tying up with retailers or suppliers to sell uniforms, and has been met with relief by many parents who said they are looking forward to saving their money.

Lesley Walker

The cost and availability of school uniforms has been a long-standing source of frustration for many parents, as many schools across Doha require pupils to wear school-branded dresses or shirts that are only available in specific shops or are sold through the school.

Often, these branded items are considerably more expensive than generic ones that can be bought on the wider market.

According to the SEC’s new circular, schools would be allowed to set the color and design of the uniform, and can provide a logo that parents can have stitched on to shirts or dresses, but they can no longer mandate that parents buy specially produced items with pre-sewn school emblems.

They are also not allowed to prescribe particular shades of color or special quality material that is not available in the wider market, the Peninsula reports.

Additionally, the circular states that schools cannot have any financial interests related to uniforms or sell the uniforms on campus.

Ending monopoly

The new rules are apparently a bid to break up a perceived monopoly between some schools and particular school uniform stores in Qatar. It follows a similar anti-monopoly directive issued by Qatar’s Ministry of Economy and Commerce last year.

At that time, the ministry asked the SEC to stop schools from selling uniforms from on-campus shops by September 2014, saying the practice was in violation of Law No (19) of 2006 on protection of competition and prevention of monopoly.

And two years ago, the SEC responded to complaints from some parents about the cost of school uniforms by ordering all independent (state-funded) schools to allow uniforms to be made or bought from any shop.

School suppliers Zaks on the Salwa Road is the sole outlet for many school uniforms in Qatar. Several schools here also continue to sell uniforms through onsite shops, despite the recent apparent ban of this practice.

No one from Zaks was available for comment.

Park House/Facebook

And some private schools, such as Park House English School, told Doha News it had yet to receive the latest SEC directive.

The school’s director, Niall Brennan, said that until it did, uniforms would continue to be sold in the not-for-profit shop on campus, which is run by the school’s Parent Teacher Association.

He added that ensuring pupils wore proper uniform is an important part of the school’s ethos:

“Uniforms are a part of the learning process and teach discipline and conformity which are essential building blocks. As a top tier school we invest heavily in all of the building blocks, including our uniforms. These span not only what the children wear in class but also on the sports field and in our other activities, be it diving to go-karting, dancing to karate.”

Meanwhile, the Ideal Indian School confirmed to Doha News that it had received the circular, and was considering its response. The school currently requires parents to buy uniforms from textiles store Raymonds, which carries the school-approved material and logos.

Ideal Indian School/Facebook

However, the school drew criticism from its parents when it announced at the end of September that it was changing its uniform color and design and that a new beige and brown uniform would be available for purchase through the school in March next year.

The school official could not confirm how the new SEC directive would affect these plans.

Online reaction

On Twitter today, many Qatar parents welcomed the news that they would be given a wider choice on where to buy uniforms:

How do you feel about the new directive? Thoughts?

(The post Qatar parents cheered by new SEC ruling opening school uniform market is from Doha News.)

QNA

Qatar’s Emir returned from Saudi Arabia late Monday night following the latest high-level meeting between the heads of the quarreling Gulf nations.

Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani’s one-day visit to Jeddah was at least the third time leaders of the neighboring nations have met privately since Saudi Arabia, along with Bahrain and the UAE, withdrew their ambassadors from Doha in March.

The diplomatic move was widely interpreted as a show of displeasure over Qatar’s ongoing support for the Muslim Brotherhood, which Saudi Arabia and the UAE both view as a threat to their authority.

Al Thani met Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz al-Saud in July for the first time since the rift was publicly exposed. A month later, three Saudi princes came to Qatar for an official visit ahead of a meeting of GCC foreign ministers.

Concessions made

The nature of those private discussions has not been disclosed, but Qatar appeared to make several concessions in the aftermath of the summit, namely expelling seven Brotherhood members from the Gulf state.

Additionally, a former government minister told Doha News that Qatar’s Emir signed into law new cybercrime legislation in September to comply with a GCC security pact.

The government has also recently introduced new rules on local charities that send money abroad. That move has been interpreted as a response to criticism that Qatar was turning a blind eye to individuals raising money for armed groups fighting in Syria.

These efforts, however, have failed to fully satisfy Saudi Arabia, according to one account of this week’s meeting.

‘More to be done’

A new Reuters report quotes an unnamed Gulf security source as saying:

“In the meeting, (Sheikh) Tamim basically wanted to tell the King that Qatar has met all the conditions that the King asked for and this should be enough to bring a formal end to the rift … There is progress to be recognised, but more still needs to be done.”

The source told Reuters that Saudi Arabia’s leaders remained unconvinced that Qatar has cut off funding for armed groups such as al-Nusra Front. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia has also faced its share of criticism for reportedly financing or allowing its citizens to raise funds for similarly violent organizations in the region.

Ministerie van Buitenlands

In recent months, Sheikh Tamim and his foreign minister, Dr. Khalid bin Mohammed Al Attiyah, have denied that Qatar endorses “any extremist group in any way” during their public appearances.

In a television interview late last month, the Emir told CNN that he did not accept anyone funding “certain movements” in Iraq and Syria, where Qatar recently supported an aerial bombing campaign against ISIL targets.

However, he also said that Qatar does not always agree with other nations over which groups should be deemed terrorist organizations.

Thoughts?

(The post Report: Qatar’s concessions apparently fail to heal rift with Saudis is from Doha News.)

Whether you plan to spend the weekend inside or outdoors, there are plenty of things to do in Qatar over the next few days, including going cycling, watching free movies, shopping at an autumn market or dancing to raise breast cancer awareness.

Here are our picks:

Doha joy rides

Newly formed cycling group Doha Joy Rides will hold its first meeting this Saturday, Oct. 18, from 9 to 10am at Aspire Park.

Organizers are urging residents to make the best of the improving weather and head over for an hour of cycling and fun. The event is free and open to the public, and interested participants are requested to be at the park by 8:30am. For more information, visit the group’s Facebook page here.

Free movie screenings

The Doha Film Institute will screen several Iraq-themed movies on Oct. 16 and 17 at the Museum of Islamic Art auditorium.

DFI

Some movies, like Children of War, Children of God, War Canister, Happy Birthday and Nesma’s Birds will be screened for free as part of the DFI’s “Stories from Iraq: Short Film Program,” from 4pm onwards on Oct 17.

Two other films, Son of Babylon and In The Sands of Babylon, will run at 7pm on Oct. 16 and 17, respectively.

Tickets for these movies cost QR35/person and can be bought online here or at the MIA DFI ticket outlet from noon to 8pm on Oct. 16, and from 2 to 8pm on Oct. 17.

Autumn market

Check out the latest in food, fashion, art and home decor at the Doha Mums Autumn Market this Saturday, Oct. 18, from 11am to 4pm at the Radisson Blu Hotel.

Doha Mums/Facebook

Several local vendors and some from Dubai will be selling their goods at the market. The event is open to the public, and entrance costs QR20/person.

Islimi Classes at the MIA:

Children ages five to eight years old can channel their creative side by enrolling in a free six-session series of courses that introduces budding artists to Islimi design.

During the sessions, students will sketch, learn the art of printmaking, gilding and use recycled materials and leaves to create a final mixed media floral carpet. Sessions will be held on Oct. 19 and 26, and Nov. 2, 9 and 16 from 11am to 12:30 pm at the Education Center in the Museum of Islamic Art. For more information, email nqussini@qm.org.qa.

Black Comedy

Local theater group Doha Players will perform Black Comedy this weekend at the Student Center’s Black Box Theater in Education City.

Doha Players

Doha Players Black Comedy cast

The adult British comedy has previously been nominated for five Tony awards. Performances will begin at 7:30pm and held from Oct. 16 to 19 and Oct. 22 to 25. Tickets cost QR75/person, and can be bought at The ONE in Villaggio and Landmark malls.

No food and drinks are allowed in the theater, but beverages and snacks can be purchased from the Gloria Jean’s coffee shop, Papa John’s pizza outlet and the Sidra Store outside the theater.

Bonus:

• Pink Ribbon Zumbathon: To support breast cancer awareness and fund research about the disease in Qatar, the Ritz-Carlton in conjunction with the Zumba Fitness Doha Qatar Team and the Qatar Cancer Society will hold a two-hour Zumbathon from 7 to 9pm on Sunday, Oct. 19. Donations and ticket sale proceeds from the event will go to the Qatar Cancer Society. Tickets cost from QR150 to QR1,000, and include raffle tickets, dance classes and other goodies, depending on how much is spent. Snacks will be served at the event. Those interested in attending should be at the hotel at 6:30pm to register. For more information, visit the event’s Facebook page here.

What are your weekend plans? Thoughts?

(The post Five things to do in Qatar this weekend (Oct. 16 to 18) is from Doha News.)

Lesley Walker

The cost of renting residential property in Qatar continued to climb last month, and is now rising at a higher rate than some expected, according to newly released government figures.

September’s consumer price index (CPI) shows that rent, domestic fuel and energy costs rose by 8.1 percent over the same month last year – the highest increase in recent years, and an acceleration from August’s figures, which showed inflation in this sector at 7.9 percent, year-on-year.

The rise is predominantly due to continued hikes in residential rent, and is higher than Qatar National Bank (QNB’s) forecast of around 7 percent that was expected through the end of 2014.

In its report published last month, QNB predicted that sustained population and economic growth, along with rises in land prices, would have a knock-on effect on the cost of renting property in Qatar. Annual increases could reach 8.5 percent by 2016, it added.

Qatar’s population now stands at nearly 2.19 million and is expected to keep climbing each month to reach 2.5 million by 2016, the bank said.

In a country where the vast majority of expats rent property, and where the cost of rent accounts for around a third of the average expat’s monthly expenditure, rises of this nature have a significant impact on residents’ wallets.

Overall costs

Qatar’s overall cost of living has stabilized since last month, with figures from the Ministry of Development, Planning and Statistics showing September’s year-on-year inflation at 3.6 percent, compared to 3.8 percent for August.

Omar Chatriwala

Prices for food, drinks and tobacco have remained moderate, showing increases of 0.9 percent since last year, while the cost of entertainment, recreation and culture has remained effectively static since September 2013 (0.2 percent rise).

However, the cost of furniture, textiles and home appliances are ahead of the overall cost of living, with an increase of 5.2 percent since last year.

And the coming years are predicted to be more of the same, with Qatar projected to have the highest rate of inflation for the cost of consumer goods in the GCC by the end of this year.

IMF predictions

In its latest edition of the World Economic Outlook, which was published earlier this month, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) forecast Qatar’s CPI to increase 3.4 percent by the end of 2014 – the highest in the GCC.

The IMF projected that inflation would nudge up even higher by the end of next year to 3.5 percent, matched only by Kuwait. By comparison, consumer prices in Saudi Arabia are expected to increase by 3.3 percent and 2.8 percent in the UAE in 2015.

At a property forum earlier this week, real estate expert Edward Brookes from DTZ Qatar said he expected rents to continue to increase in the coming two years, as Qatar’s population swells.

Ameer Abdul Razak/Flickr

But as more property becomes available for rent, particularly at The Pearl and Lusail, “supply will catch up with demand and rents will stabilize,” he told the Peninsula.

The official figures reflect residents’ experiences that Qatar is becoming an increasingly expensive place to live, with some people reporting rent hikes of several thousand riyals recently:

@LesleyWalker17 @dohanews yeah mine was to increase by 4k a month but talk them down to 2k, but everything is more expensive now food etc.

— Paul Whiteley (@pwhiteley41) October 15, 2014

@LesleyWalker17 @dohanews 1500qr increase at the pearl when we renewed this summer! It seems to be the new going rate for the island

— Fritzie (@fritziedarcy) October 15, 2014

@LesleyWalker17 @dohanews our flat rent was increased by 1000qar…in Mughalina

— Ash M. (@Ash_OM08) October 15, 2014

Meanwhile, a survey released last week for Expat Insider ranked Qatar one of the least attractive places for expats to live, as it came in 58th place out of 61 countries rated.

One of the key factors affecting expats’ views of the country was the cost of living.

Thoughts?

(The post Rising rental rates push Qatar’s cost of living ahead of expectations is from Doha News.)

Aspire Zone

Officials at Qatar’s Aspire Zone have said they are readying plans to nearly double the size of the local sports hub by adding new venues, recreational areas and additional aquatic facilities.

The vision for the property, located west of central Doha next to Villaggio mall, also includes restaurants, residential areas and a new 68,000-square-meter shopping center, dubbed Aspire Park Mall.

Templar’s remarks appear to confirm previously reports of plans for an additional shopping center in Aspire.

Renderings posted on the websites of engineering firm Meinhardt and architect Promontorio appear to display a retail concourse constructed beneath a grassy slope. In addition to shops and restaurants, the project includes a kids entertainment area, education facilities and a botanical gardens, according to Meinhardt.

Speaking at a conference in Paris last week, Phillip Templar, the director of venues and events at Aspire Zone’s logistics division, said, as quoted by Doha Stadium Plus:

“There’s a growing demand within Qatar for more facilities for the sports and events industry … We see at least 1,000 events a year. With the addition of the new facilities, we expect the number to touch new highs.”

The cost of the expansion has not been disclosed.

Templar was not immediately available for comment today.

Aspire evolution

When it was founded in 2003, the 250-hectare property next to what is now Villaggio Mall was called Sports City. The name was changed to the Aspire Zone in 2006, the same year Qatar hosted the Asian Games.

Along with a large public park and Villaggio, the precinct already includes two hotels, the Aspire Academy training center, a sports medicine and orthopaedic hospital as well as several athletic venues including the Hamad Aquatic Center and Khalifa International Stadium.

The latter is currently undergoing a refurbishment that includes adding more seats as well as a new roof so it can be used as a venue for the 2022 World Cup.

Ray Toh

In the run-up to the international football tournament, Qatar has been working to brand itself as a sporting hub by hosting major athletic events such as next year’s Handball World Championships and the FINA World Swimming Championships, which will take place in December at the Hamad Aquatic Center.

While many venues are geared towards professional athletes, Aspire Zone is also aimed at encouraging local residents to lead a more active lifestyle through, for example, a new bike rental service and cycling path as well as programming during Qatar National Sports Day.

What’s planned

The expansion is still at the high-level planning stage and is envisioned to take place over the next five years on the western portion of the Aspire Zone.

According to a separate story published by Inside World Football, Templar said the project would consist of flexible sports and event facilities “and could potentially include any number of developments ranging from multipurpose venues, indoor and outdoor recreational areas, areas for children, aquatic facilities, restaurants and residential areas.”

A new “Qatar Lab” is also being set up inside the Aspire Dome to train young football players ahead of the 2022 World Cup.

Ashghal

The expansion of the Aspire Zone is one of two major projects planned for the area. In a separate initiative, the Doha Zoo – located directly south of Aspire – is being completely redeveloped and is scheduled to reopen to visitors in late 2017.

Thoughts?

(The post Qatar’s Aspire Zone to add new sport venues, mall in massive expansion is from Doha News.)

Andrea Williams/Flickr

Photo for illustrative purposes only.

To mark its 50th birthday in Qatar – and celebrate the Landcruiser love here – Toyota Motor Corp. is inviting hundreds of residents with off-road vehicles to help break a world record next month.

The “1 Nation 1 Record” campaign aims to form the world’s largest off-road convoy by organizing SUVs into a line that travels at least 30km. To break the existing record, the distance between the motorists’ cars must not exceed 100 meters.

Toyota Qatar

The UAE holds the current Guinness World Record in this category, after 153 cars successfully drove 30km during an off-road convoy event last year.

Toyota Qatar said it hopes to break this record by ensuring that a minimum of 300 vehicles participate in its event. World record officials will be present at the scene to observe that no rules are broken and that the convoy passes muster.

Because the event celebrates Toyota’s legacy here, only company SUV models would be allowed to enter the competition.

The details

The convoy will begin at 1:30pm on Friday, Nov. 21 at an off-road track next to the Endurance Village before Sealine Resort.

A “family zone” will be set up on site, with bouncy castles, face painting, food stands, games and competitions for those who want to enjoy a day out.

Over the past few weeks, Toyota has been trying to drum up excitement for the event through cryptic social media messages:

More information is expected to be disclosed on Sunday, Oct. 19, when registration for participants begins, Toyota Qatar officials told Doha News.

For now, those who want to learn more can sign up online to await further information, or follow the event through Toyota Qatar’s Twitter account and the Facebook event page.

To date, Qatar holds dozens of world records, including the world’s largest soccer ball, replica of a newspaper supplement biggest and draped flag.

Do you plan to join the convoy? Thoughts?

(The post Toyota Qatar aims to set world record with largest SUV convoy is from Doha News.)

QNBN/Flickr

Qatar may further privatize efforts to develop the country’s high-speed fiber internet network by the end of this year, following a preliminary agreement between state-owned Qatar National Broadband Network (QNBN) and telecom provider Vodafone Qatar.

Shortly before Eid, Vodafone announced its intention to buy 100 percent of QNBN’s market share – a deal worth some QR210 (US$57.7) million, according to Reuters.

However, it is unclear if Vodafone would pay market value for the company, and the deal will only be finalized once the two groups decide on a final price.

QNBN

QNBN's fiber installation progress.

Over the past three years, QNBN has been working to install the infrastructure needed to blanket Qatar with high-speed internet.

But progress has been relatively slow, and so far QNBN has covered only the West Bay area, the Msheireb Downtown Doha project, Barwa City and Barwa Commercial Avenue.

Meanwhile, incumbent telecom provider Ooredoo Qatar has also been laying fiber infrastructure over the past few years, and has so far connected some 175,000 homes and businesses.

Ooredoo

Ooredoo's fiber installation progress.

According to Ooredoo’s website, the service now covers most of Doha, including Al Hilal, Al Saad, Abu Hamour, Al Waab, Al Markhiya, Al Wakrah and Al Wakair.

Ooredoo fiber is also available at the Pearl and in West Bay, as well as Al Rayyan, Al Kharitiyat and Izghawa.

In another show of progress, Ooredoo announced early this week that it had rolled out a free speed upgrade to its fiber customers. Those who pay for the 1Mbps monthly plan now get 10Mbps, and those who subscribe to the 10Mpbs monthly plan now have 25Mbps.

Future of fiber

Because Ooredoo has been laying its fiber concurrently with QNBN, negotiations were ongoing for who would preside over the network once the entire country is covered.

Last August, a QNBN spokesperson told Doha News that the company would possibly compensate Ooredoo for laying the infrastructure to avoid duplication of efforts and investments.

If QNBN presided over the network, both telecom providers – and any new entrants to the market – would then be free to “focus on what they do best – providing service, innovation, and customer care,” the spokesperson said.

But now, when asked about how privatization would affect those plans, QNBN told Doha News that being acquired by Vodafone was “a next logical step in the evolution of the fixed line telecommunications market in Qatar.”

The spokesperson added:

“It will also increase competition and facilitate the growth of the overall telecom market sector, helping to make Qatar a more attractive place to live and do business.”

Previously, QNBN also pledged that 95 percent of Qatar’s homes and 100 percent of businesses should be able to use fiber by 2015.

A spokesperson could not confirm to Doha News whether this deadline would still be met if Vodafone acquires the company.

Internet connectivity

Qatar is one of the most connected countries in the Middle East, with more than 96 percent of households here now online. That’s a six-point jump since last year, according to a recently released UN Broadband Commission report.

Mohamed Nanabhay/Flickr

According to Qatar’s National Broadband Plan, which was launched last year, residents are expected to have a choice of at least two broadband retail providers by 2016.

Other goals include:

• Giving some 95 percent of households the ability to access affordable and high-quality broadband service of at least 100 Mbps for downloads and 50 Mbps for uploads;
• Ensuring all businesses, schools, hospitals and government institutions have high-quality access to at least 1 Gbps effective symmetrical speeds; and
• Ensuring digital literacy will be expanded to all of the mainstream population, in conjunction with guarantees of users’ digital privacy, protection of personal data and freedom of opinion and expression.

Thoughts?

(The post Rollout of high-speed fiber internet in Qatar to be fully privatized is from Doha News.)

Remake Learning

Amid complaints from parents about rising tuition costs, Qatar’s Supreme Education Council (SEC) has hired international consulting company PWC to review private school requests for fee increases.

Media reports about the move have been circulating for months, but the ministry previously denied the action:

@shabinakhatri @SEC_QATAR: @shabinakhatri This is not true. We hope that media be careful when they publish news @PeninsulaQatar

— الأعلى للتعليم (@SEC_QATAR) August 14, 2014

However, in a short statement to Doha News yesterday, the council said: “We confirm that the SEC contracted PWC to review private school fees for the academic year 2014/2015.”

PWC did not respond to requests for a comment.

MES Indian School/Facebook

Most expat children in Qatar attend private schools and tuition costs in the sector vary significantly, from around QR10,000 a year at secondary level to nearly QR70,000 annually, depending on the school.

Many parents complain about fee uplifts every year. Combined with a chronic shortage of school places, some residents say they are being held to ransom by schools, and have little choice but to pay up.

But as the cost of living continues to rise, schools contend that they are grappling with ongoing financial pressure, particularly for staff salaries and housing, and have no option but to increase their fees.

For example, MES Indian School principal A.P Sadidharan told Doha News in May that the school had applied to raise its fees for the first time in four years.

“Prices are going up for everything, even petrol. We have no other way except to increase the fees,” he said.

New protocol

All private schools in Qatar are required to apply to the SEC for approval before they can raise their fees. Following complaints last year after many applications were rejected, the council introduced a new protocol for fee appraisals.

In May, it announced a new five-point plan and ratings system for all private schools that it said would create a “scientific and transparent system” for setting school fees.

According to the director of the SEC’s Private Schools Office, Hamad Mohammed Al Ghali, school applications would now be judged according to the following criteria:

• The current level of tuition fees and surcharges, previous fees and the number of times a school was granted permission to increase fees in recent years;
• Parents and pupils’ assessments of their teachers;
• The financial situation of the school;
• How well schools have filled out the SEC fee increase application form; and
• The school’s accreditation status.

Schools are also being grouped into bands of those with similar facilities and services in order to more fairly compare their fees with their peers.

This new system is being led by PWC, an SEC source told Qatar Tribune, adding that “the agency, not the SEC” had worked out the accepted percentage of fee increases for schools for this academic year based on the school’s academic achievements and on the services it provides.

Al Ghali said earlier this year that the council only accepted some 30 percent of school requests for fee hike, as the rest failed to show compelling evidence that they are incurring losses or upgrading their facilities. Most fee increases were limited to 4 percent.

Schools are able to lodge an appeal to the SEC’s initial decision, but have to give new evidence to support their appeal. It is not known how many have successfully achieved this.

Teachers’ salaries

One of the biggest expenses faced by schools is the cost of teachers’ salaries. While some teachers are well-paid, others, particularly in Indian schools, say they receive salaries of only QR2,500 a month.

Birla Public School principal A.K Shrivastava said he had tried to give his teachers a small salary increase of QR300 this year, but with caps on fee increases, was struggling to balance his books.

Staff salaries would be one of the issues examined by the SEC, according to the Qatar Tribune’s source, who said there were plans to increase some teacher’s salaries by up to 20 percent, and these raises would be connected to the approved school fee increases.

Thoughts?

(The post Qatar’s education council brings in PWC to assess private school fees is from Doha News.)

Rebecca Hathaway/Flickr

In a new campaign, Qatar animal volunteer groups have begun picking up, neutering and then releasing street cats as part of a worldwide initiative to reduce the number of stray animals.

Some 70 cats here are expected to be neutered over the next month to mark National TNR (Trap, Neuter, Release) Day.

Four local veterinary centers — Royal Veterinary Center, Vet Life Clinic, Qatar Veterinary Center and Dr. Faris Al-Timimi Vet Clinic — have volunteered to help support the livelihood of Doha’s street cats during the month-long event, each agreeing to TNR five cats from their own pockets.

The remaining 50 cats will be taken care of by volunteer group Qatar Feral and Stray Cat Group (QFSCG), who are the main organizers for the event.

Through QFSCG, a local organization that aims to support, manage and reduce the local stray cat population, this is the first time Qatar has observed TNR day.

Ann Young, a volunteer at QFSCG, said the need for communal action is higher than ever. She told Doha News:

“We have jumped onboard with the event this year because although government vets and volunteers have been trying to address the problem of the stray animal overpopulation for years, we have realized as a welfare group that the situation needs to be addressed and acted upon a lot more. It is becoming out of control, but there’s very little funding for TNR here.

This initiative is terribly important, and through this event hopefully we can raise awareness as well as improve the lives of the animals.”

A communal issue

Branding the situation as “a community issue as well as a welfare one,” Young explained that a society’s stray population grows when people don’t spay or neuter their pets, adding to the “terrific burden.”

2nd Chance Animal Rescue

Local animal owners also contribute to the problem by abandoning their pets for various reasons, mainly when they leave Qatar.

Volunteer groups have previously expressed their daily struggles to Doha News, explaining that a rise in the number of stray animals is leaving them with little space and money.

Still, local groups said that on National TNR Day next year, they plan to extend their services to dogs in Doha as well.

Young added:

“Our ultimate aim is to somehow finance a mobile unit so that we can go around the various areas of Qatar and reach difficult to get to areas. Through our mobile van we could TNR both dogs and cats much more easily. Dogs are a lot harder to transport than cats mainly due to their size, so a van would be ideal.”

As always, the welfare groups are relying solely on donations. In order to successfully spay and neuter 50 cats, QFSCG has created an online portal as a way to receive public donations.

Additionally, all four participating veterinary centers said that from now until Oct. 23, residents who want to spay their dogs or cats can do so at a 10 percent discount.

Thoughts?

(The post Dozens of stray cats in Qatar to be neutered as part of National TNR Day is from Doha News.)

Karoly Czifra/Flickr

In a push to promote a culture of reading in Qatar, Katara Cultural Village has announced plans to create a loaning library of used books that is open on the weekends.

The library will open on Thursday, Oct. 23 and run every Thursday, Friday and Saturday until April 2015 at Katara’s Promenade.

Speaking to Doha News, Khalid Al Sayid, a media expert at Katara and the Editor-in-Chief of the Peninsula, explained the motivations behind the initiative:

“This is the first time that we’re doing something like this in Katara. The main idea is to promote reading. We have books in different languages, and people can just come and take what they like.”

To check out the books, residents will have to provide their name and mobile numbers at a registration desk next to the used books kiosks.

Omar Chatriwala

For now, people will be restricted to checking out two books a week. The initiative is entirely free of charge, and there is no overall restriction on how many books one person can check out over the duration of the gallery.

Like many countries in the Middle East, Qatar does not boast a reading culture. According to a report by the Childhood Cultural Center, more than 30 percent of Qatari children say they don’t have time to read, while 26 percent complain about not having access to books of their interest.

And though Qatar has among the highest literacy rates in the region, educators have said a scarcity of libraries make inculcating a reading culture difficult.

Donating books

Currently, Katara’s used book library consists of some 300 titles, donated by individuals, ministries, and organizations within Katara itself.

The books are in English and Arabic, and cover topics like politics, business, engineering, the arts and management. Novels are also available, though the primary focus is on educational books.

“We have some children’s books, and we’re sure that over the course of the initiative, people will donate much more, and in different languages,” Al Sayid said.

Those interested in donating can call 66644031, or drop off books in person at Building 18 (ground floor).

Other initiatives

The news of the gallery comes as other local entities aim to revive reading in Doha.

Penny Yi Wang

Last year, a family in Al Wakrah began Umayr’s Little Free Library.

The project, spearheaded by a four-year-old boy, is part of a “take a book, leave a book” movement of some 5,000 mini-libraries in 36 countries, including Ghana, the US and Pakistan, which were created to spread literacy and an appreciation for books.

And recently, a French-Qatari couple opened the Qatar Book Club – a nationwide initiative to foster reading and conversation among locals and expats alike.

Membership to the club costs QR150 and includes access to various sessions and workshops. Non-members can also participate, and pay QR30 for each session, and between QR50 to 70 for each workshop.

The group will host its first book discussion event on Nov. 26 from 6:30 to 8:30pm. The venue has yet to be determined. The featured book, Dohmestics, is by locally-based American author Mohanalakshmi Rajakumar.

The story focuses on the lives of six domestic workers living in a Middle Eastern housing compound.

Thoughts?

(The post Katara to open used book library for residents is from Doha News.)

The first Airbus A350-900 for launch customer Qatar Airways has successfully completed its maiden flight, the plane maker has announced.

Qatar’s national carrier will be the first airline in the world to receive and fly the new aircraft, and has expected to receive the first of extra-wide bodied planes before the end of this year.

Narrowing that timeline down, CEO Akbar Al Baker told reporters earlier this week that the airline would take delivery of the first plane between Dec. 8 and 10.

Chantelle D'mello

The maiden flight of the jumbo aircraft, which is expected to compete with the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, comes shortly after Qatar Airways’ first A380 performed its inaugural flight to London.

Delivery of that aircraft was delayed for months over problems with the cabin interiors.

Referencing those difficulties, the CEO of Airbus reportedly called the national carrier a “demanding” customer. Speaking to reporters last week, Fabrice Bregier said, as quoted by Reuters:

“We know it will be difficult to have it accepted because they are very demanding on quality, but it’s a good start. We believe at least one aircraft will be delivered this year, but the customer has the final say.”

A350 order

The A350 gained European safety approval last month, and Airbus said it is now working to get cabin furnishings ready for Qatar Airways’ first plane.

Brian Candy/Twitter

In total, the airline has ordered 80 of the A350 aircraft – 43 of the -900 model and a further 37 of the larger -1000 type.

The latter model is not due to enter service until 2017.

The airline has not confirmed the specific routes the A350s will fly, but said they will deployed across its network.

Al Baker previously told reporters that after the first A350 delivery, the airline expects to receive nine aircraft by next year, followed by one a month in 2016 and two each month in 2017.

Each A350-900 is estimated to cost around $277.7 million.

Thoughts?

(The post PHOTOS: Qatar Airways’ first A350 completes maiden flight is from Doha News.)

Penny Yi Wang / Flickr

With reporting from Riham Sheble

Long-awaited changes to Qatar’s sponsorship (kafala) system and labor laws may come into effect before year-end, after the country’s business leaders appear to have approved the proposals.

Qatar’s Chamber of Commerce, which represents the private sector business community, has said it would back the proposed changes to the kafala system, as long as the law protects the interests of both the workers and the business owners.

Vice Chairman of the Chamber, Mohamed bin Ahmed Tawar Al Kuwari, is quoted in Arabic daily newspaper Al Arab as saying that he expects the reforms to the restrictive and controversial system to be introduced by the end of this year.

Al Kuwari told Al Arab that the proposed changes had been discussed with chamber members and a number of government agencies, and that the chamber had given its recommendations, although he did not detail what these are.

The official did not respond to a request for comment from Doha News yesterday.

He also told the newspaper that, while the current system works for Qatar’s business leaders, he understands why the government wants to introduce the changes to protect workers’ rights.

He said the business community will welcome with “goodwill” and be comfortable with the reforms if they equally protects both sides.

The chamber’s nod of approval to the reforms clears one of the last remaining hurdles to the new law being implemented and for many, is likely a welcome reversal of earlier concerns voiced by business leaders, some of whom previously said they felt the changes went a step too far.

The final step remains for the law to be approved by Qatar’s Advisory (Shura) Council and the Emir.

Reform details

The government announced proposed changes to the labor law in May of this year. The legislation is supposed to make it easier for expats to switch jobs and leave the country.

Richard Messenger/Flickr

Photo for illustrative purposes only.

As part of the reforms, companies will also be required to pay their employees through direct bank transfers, making it easier for expats and the government to scrutinize and document any late or non-existing payments.

However, many residents and international organizations criticized the fact that changes would fail to eliminate the exit visa system, and preserve no-objection certificate requirements for expats to change employers.

Despite pledges made before Eid Al Fitr by Labor Minister Dr. Abdullah Saleh Al Khulaifi that the changes would be brought in “as quickly as possible,” there has been concern that the consultation process was moving slowly.

In August, the Ministry of Interior’s director of research and follow-up, Brig. Nasser Mohammed al Sayed, warned that the reforms may not be finalized until next year.

Winning over the business community has been crucial to getting the reforms passed and the latest announcement seems to signal that discussions with the chamber moved more quickly than had been expected.

Pressure for change

Qatar has been under increasing international pressure to introduce labor law changes, as it ramps up its workforce to complete the various infrastructure projects ahead of hosting the World Cup in 2022.

QNA

The Gulf state has been heavily criticized by numerous organizations around the world for the working and living conditions of its blue-collar workers, and several reports have shed light on human rights abuses faced by its workforce.

Last month, the nation’s Emir spoke publicly for the first time on the issue, admitting in a press conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel that Qatar had faced  “errors and problems,” but that authorities were “working seriously on improving the situation.”

Many saw this public declaration as a signal that changes could soon be in place.

Thoughts?

(The post Qatar’s business community gives nod to kafala changes is from Doha News.)

Chantelle D'mello

When 26-year-old newlyweds Fatma Al Jassim and Jassim AlMass went on their honeymoon to Japan last year, they didn’t just pack suitcases full of clothes and shoes.

The Qatari couple also took along some of their most precious possessions – anime dolls.

The duo, which this week opened Qatar’s first manga store, are the new face of a growing local subculture of anime aficionados, fueled in large part by dubbed Japanese cartoons that used to air on local television networks.

“For me, this is a piece of art,” said Al Jassim, referring to her collection of anime figures. “We grew up watching anime in Arabic. Japan has always been part of our childhood. There’s just something magical in these creations and in that world.”

The store, Hobby Chan, carries figurines, merchandise and custom-made dolls. It is located in Bin Omran at the Town Center (Gate 2), adjacent to Rawnaq.

Speaking to Doha News, Al Mass said the shop is the result of around a year of planning and hard work.

“We were motivated to open the store after we visited Japan for our honeymoon (last October). From concept to branding to creating the actual store, the process took around seven months. We were very fortunate to meet Danny Choo when we were at Comic Con in Dubai last year, and he put us in touch with vendors and wholesalers for our merchandise.”

Danny Choo, the son of famed shoe mogul Jimmy Choo, is a celebrity in the world of anime and manga figurine collectors. His company, Culture Japan, has given the duo exclusive rights to its dolls for the entire region.

“We are the only store in the Middle East that carries his products. We are just waiting for a shipment of the figures and dolls, and it will go on sale soon after,” he added.

Drawing a crowd

So far, the store, which opened on Oct. 16, appears to be enjoying a warm reception. Its Instagram account already has over 1,000 followers.

Chantelle D'mello

Yesterday evening, more than 30 people could be observed shopping inside, most Qatari nationals. Some had even lined up outside before opening hours, while others had visited the store twice in the two days since it had been open.

For Al Jassim, this merely proved what she had long known – that Japanese culture has permeated the everyday lives of young Qataris.

“We knew we had a strong base here, but we didn’t expect the crowd we had yesterday. We couldn’t leave the counter! It was very intense,” she said.

Asma Al Binali, a 21-year-old student at Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar, was one of the many Qataris who visited the store yesterday.

Speaking to Doha News, she said:

“This is a dream come true. For the first time, I can buy products here instead of doing so online. We’ve loved this since we were kids, and it’s great to finally have a shop that caters to us.”

Al Binali is part of the AnimeQtr group, which she said is one of the largest local anime groups with over 1,100 followers on Instagram and 400 followers on Facebook.

The group, whose members range from 16 to 25 years old, holds events and screenings to promote manga to the larger public.

Coincidentally, the group was founded in 2012 by two Qatari men who had attended an anime-themed event that Al Jassim organized at her alma mater, Virginia Commonwealth University in Qatar.

Challenges

The couple has spent around QR200,000 of their personal funds to create the store, in hopes of introducing the hobby to the region, and to make marginalized geek culture mainstream.

Some of the major hurdles included wading through the paperwork needed to start a business in Qatar, and keeping in mind social norms, AlMass said, continuing:

“The whole thing was a challenge, to be honest, because we are doing something new. We were worried how society would respond. The mentality is that toys are just for kids, and not for adults, and we’re trying to break that. The legwork took around six months, while creating the store and getting everything in took barely a month.”

Chantelle D'mello

His wife added that it has also been tough to coax fans to come out of “hiding.”

“Most Qataris who are into this, don’t say it out loud. The fans are there, but the are quiet. They need a place where they can meet others like them. They need a place they can call home, and we hope to provide that for them,” Al Jassim said.

Merchandise

The duo, both graphic designers, created the store’s design and layout themselves.

“We wanted to bring an authentic Japanese feel here. We don’t just want to sell the products, but the experience too. Everything is compact because toy stores in Japan are compact,” said AlMass.

Currently, the store stocks merchandise from Japanese cartoons and games popular in the region, including One Piece, Naruto, Fairy Tail, Gintama, Attack on Titan and Sailor Moon.

In conjunction with Choo’s company, they also plan to sell bespoke and custom-made dolls and figures.

Figures sell from anywhere from QR300 to more than QR700, with smaller items like towels, papers and keychains retailing for around QR100.

Chantelle D'mello

The store also boasts a “pre-loved” section, where Al Jassim and AlMass sell some of their own collections, mostly rare figures that aren’t manufactured today.

Several other dolls from the couple’s collection, which consists of more than 1,000 pieces, are also on display.

“We have a room in the house for them,” said Al Jassim, adding, “On my wedding day, I ordered a custom wedding dress for one of my dolls and ensured that she wore it too.”

The store opens from 9 to 11am and 4 to 9pm on Saturday through Thursday, and from 4 to 9pm on Fridays.

For more details, visit the store’s website and Twitter page, or visit the couple’s Flickr account to view more photos of their personal collection.

Thoughts?

(The post Qatari couple open nation’s first anime & manga toy store is from Doha News.)

At least thousands of Qatar National Bank (QNB) customers in Qatar found themselves suddenly unable to use their credit or debit cards at stores, restaurants and ATMS for several hours yesterday evening.

This morning, a QNB spokesperson told Doha News that the sudden outage was due to a “network issue,” causing a complete shutdown of all QNB banking services.

The spokesperson confirmed that the network is now up and running again, with the issue being resolved before midnight last night.

QNB was ranked the world’s strongest bank by Bloomberg in 2012, and has hundreds of thousands of customers in Qatar.

Customer response

QNB has not made any official announcement about the outage, leaving many customers frustrated with the inconveniences caused during their weekend.

On Twitter, many customers expressed their complaints:

QNB is down nationwide. I wasnot able to pay at the restaurant. It was embrassing. They didnt even notify. Bravo @QNBGroup @dohanews

— TC Gürcü Erdal (@chveneburo) October 17, 2014

@QNBGroup I've already done that.the only think he said was he is sorry.i am out off cash for weekend. How will QNB help on this? @dohanews

— TC Gürcü Erdal (@chveneburo) October 17, 2014

@henniehigh @escapetoqatar @QNBGroup @dohanews oh nice, should give me a hard start to the week at work

Meanwhile,  non-QNB residents also faced payment difficulties yesterday, finding themselves unable to withdraw money from various ATMs located around the country:

@E_Windrum @dohanews most of the atms in wakrah didn't have cash in them yesterday

@nat_high some people even abandoned their stuff at checkout and left, after being unable to withdraw cash from ATMs. I'm one of them

— Touit™ (@_Touit_) October 17, 2014

This is not the first time local residents have found themselves facing a sudden network outage. Regional HSBC customers have also been affected in the past, unable to use their cards for payments or at ATMs for several hours during the weekend.

Were you affected by any bank troubles yesterday?

Thoughts?

(The post Hours-long QNB bank card outage due to ‘network issues’ is from Doha News.)

Photos courtesy of Habitat/Almana Maples

One of the best-known European names in contemporary interior design plans to open its first store in Qatar early next year as part of a strategy to expand throughout the Gulf.

The new Habitat store, which will be on the Airport Road, lost momentum after a warehouse fire earlier this year gutted its stock. But it is now set to open its doors around February 2015, its CEO has confirmed to Doha News.

The 1,800sq meter Doha showroom and shop will be one of the largest in the Habitat network, which currently operates in 16 countries.

In addition to furniture and furnishings, Habitat Qatar will also offer interior design advice and provide an assembly service and free delivery. By June next year, the company hopes to have its online shopping service operating in Qatar.

Habitat/Almana Maples

The new shop will launch nearly two years after IKEA finally opened its doors to an eager Qatar public and will offer additional choice for those looking for more affordable, pared-back furnishings.

The opening of the Qatar store coincides with the 50th anniversary of the brand, which was launched by Sir Terrence Conran in 1964 with the aim of providing affordable, contemporary design.

Due to financial trouble, all but three of the UK stores were put into administration in 2011. The international business was sold to the French Cafom group, which is now on the verge of a new wave of expansion in the Gulf with plans to open nine new stores in the coming five years.

Great opportunity

Speaking to Doha News, Habitat’s CEO Vincent Destailleur said the group chose Qatar as the inaugural store in the region following a successful tie-up with the established Almana Group.

Habitat first announced its plans to launch in Qatar in March last year, and had hoped to have its Doha store open by this summer.

However, a fire that ripped through a Coca Cola soft drinks warehouse in Doha’s industrial area in mid-August also destroyed neighboring storage sites – one of which was holding Habitat’s stock for its new shop.

“Everything was ruined. We had no option but to postpone the store’s opening, but we have been rebuilding stock and I am desperately waiting for the new store to open in the first quarter of 2015 – around February,” Destailleur said.

A small range of Habitat lines have been available through Almana Maples, by Midmac roundabout since then, as a temporary measure until the new store is ready.

Expansion plans

Destailleur said the company is also in talks to launch a second Qatar store in the under-construction Mall of Qatar on the Dukhan Road, which is scheduled to open towards the end of 2015.

Discussing plans for the chain’s expansion through the Gulf region, Destailleur said:

“When we bought the company (Habitat) it was in bad shape. Our strategy was to build with opportunity.

We met Al Mana, who wanted to diversify into home accessories, and we had been looking at this region for some time, so it was the perfect opportunity.”

Destailleur said he was aware of problems some retailers face getting steady stock supplies into Qatar and had been making plans to head off the challenge.

“We have tripled the quantities of products we estimate we will need initially and these have already been shipped to Qatar, so we are confident we will be able to meet customers’ needs,” he added.

Will you be going to the new store? Thoughts?

(The post Habitat to open first Qatar furniture store in February 2015 is from Doha News.)

To help cheer residents up at the beginning of the work week, Doha News is rolling out a new feature. Each Sunday morning, we’ll be running a themed photo gallery of pictures taken by all of you.

There are so many beautiful shots in our Flickr Pool, we wanted to share them with everyone. If you’d like your photos to be featured, please submit them to our pool, tweet at us, or send to them us on Facebook.

They should be taken in Qatar, recently if possible.

Thoughts?

(The post PHOTOS: Qatar, from the sea to the sky is from Doha News.)