Chantelle D'mello

Photo for illustrative purposes only.

As part of an extensive, QR3.4 billion upgrade to the eastern section of Al Rayyan Road, Ashghal has announced that part of Jassim bin Hamad Street, where it connects with Al Rayyan Road, will be closed from tomorrow (Friday, June 19) for three months.

The southern 250m of Jassim bin Hamad Street, near Al Rayyan Village residential compound in Al Messila, will be shut in both directions.

Motorists are advised to add some extra time to their journeys as diversions will be in place for the duration of the works, which should finish just ahead of Eid al-Adha in September.

Ashghal

Diversions on Jassim bin Hamad St

During the closure, commuters who want to head west onto Al Rayyan Road from Jassim bin Hamad Street will instead have to do a u-turn on the street in front of the entrance to Al Rayyan Village, turn right onto Al Rasheed Street and then right on to Al Yamama Street.

Those driving from Sports (Olympic) Roundabout who want to get onto Jassim bin Hamad Street should turn right onto Al Yamama Street, left onto Al Rasheed Street and then right on Jassim bin Hamad Street.

The closures are to enable the start of construction of a three-level interchange at Al Messila to improve traffic flow in the busy area and alleviate congestion around Sports R/A, the public works authority said in a statement.

Once complete, the new junction will mean traffic on Al Rayyan Road will be free-flow, from east-to-west, with an underpass below it that would allow traffic coming eastbound on Al Rayyan Road to access Jassim Bin Hamad Street without having to drive to Sports R/A.

Ashghal

Rendering of new Al Messila underpass with Al Rayyan Road running above Jassim bin Hamad St.

The underpass will also allow vehicles heading southbound along Jassim Bin Hamad St. to reach Sports R/A without having to pass through the Expressway R/A, Ashghal said.

Al Rayyan Road upgrade

The works to Al Rayyan Road are being undertaken in stages as part of Ashghal’s national Expressways Program – a multi-billion riyal project to upgrade key routes across Qatar to improve traffic flow.

Phase 2 of the Al Rayyan Road scheme includes the reconstruction of 5.5km of the Eastern section of the road, from just west of Sports R/A to west of New Rayyan R/A/intersection.

The road is being upgraded to a four-lane dual carriageway with a central median, while six major intersections are being built to reduce traffic choke points on the route and cut journey times.

Service and access roads are also being built or upgraded as part of the project, with cycle lanes being constructed, improved road lighting and intelligent traffic lights installed and storm drains added. The project is due to be finished by the fall of 2017.

Ashghal

Al Rayyan Expressway project

Phase 1 of the Al Rayyan Expressway scheme takes in a 2.9km portion of road between the Bani Hajer Roundabout at Al Luqta Street in the west and the New Al Rayyan Roundabout at Furousiya Street and Huwar Street in the east started in early 2014.

That QR1 billion upgrade is expected to be completed by late 2016.

It involves creating an eight-lane expressway (four lanes in each direction) that serves the universities in Education City with associated access routes and service roads, as well as the creation of three new junctions. Two of these – Al Shafi and Al Qala interchanges – will be two-level.

Thoughts?

(The post Ashghal announces road closure in Qatar’s Al Messila for three months is from Doha News.)

Courtesy of EMRQ

Dugong in Qatar

As part of Qatar’s efforts to protect marine life, a group affiliated with the country’s Ministry of Environment (MOE) has signed an agreement with ExxonMobil to help protect the vulnerable dugong.

The “sea cows” have apparently lived in and around Qatar’s waters for centuries, but not many residents are aware of their existence, an official at the Natural Reserves Private Engineering Office told Doha News.

That group signed a memorandum of understanding with ExxonMobil Research Qatar (EMRQ) this week to share research that would help protect the country’s dugong and other marine life.

The study is an expansion of research that EMRQ is undertaking with Qatar University and Texas A&M University at Galveston.

In a fall interview with Qatar Foundation about their work, EMRQ research director Dr. Jennifer Dupont said:

“In the winter, it has been reported that the dugongs tend to congregate in northwest Qatar and then they spread out around the coast during the summer. Reports and sightings are sparse, leading to less awareness about the animals among residents of Qatar. We hope that this study will increase people’s attention to the presence of these iconic animals.”

Important habitat

It is not clear exactly how many dugongs reside within Qatar’s waters, but there are around 6,000 of the sea mammals in the Gulf.

Qatar is home to at least two out of three important regional dugong habitats, according to EMRQ.

Ruth Hartnup/ flickr

Photo for illustrative purposes only.

Research shows the vegetarian mammal has long served as a source of food and commerce in the Gulf.

However, it is now illegal for fishermen in most countries to hunt for its meat and oil, as dugongs are classified as “vulnerable” to extinction, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources.

The prohibition also applies in Qatar, where Law No. 19 for the year 2004 protects endangered species and those that are vulnerable to extinction.

Qatar is home to the largest population of dugongs following Australia, based on EMRQ’s research.

Dupont said in a statement:

“My team and I will work collaboratively with our academic research partners, along with government agencies such as the Private Engineering Office, to secure necessary resources and scientific expertise needed to ensure that these beautiful and fascinating creatures are protected and continue to live unhindered in their natural habitat.”

Courtesy of EMRQ

Dugong in Qatar

In January, EMRQ and the PEO conducted a one-day field mission to determine the specific location of the dugongs off the west coast of Qatar.

At the time, around 300 to 500 dugongs were spotted by researchers, mostly mothers and their babies.

Baby dugongs stay in close contact with their mothers until they’re 18 months old and sometimes the mother will gently carry them on her back to the surface to breathe.

Meet the dugong

Dugongs are mammals that are usually found in warm coastal waters. They can grow to be up to 3m long and weigh more than 400kg, according to EMRQ.

Jason James/ flickr

For illustartive purposes only

One factor that contributes to their vulnerable status is that they are slow to reproduce. The gestation period for a female dugong is one year and usually results in one calf that lives up to 70 years, according to the National Geographic.

Dugongs can stay underwater for up to six minutes before surfacing to breathe through its lungs, and sometimes breathes while “standing” on its tale and poking its head outside the water.

The mammals are related to manatees and follow them in appearance and behavior, but the dugong’s tail is flatter and similar to that of a whale’s. It also has flippers like paddles.

Dangers

Because the “sea cows” mainly subsist on a diet of sea grass, overfishing that results in the accidental collection of these plants poses a major threat to their existence.

Accidental catches have also threatened a more recent addition to Qatar’s marine life, the whale shark.

According to Nawaf Jabr Al-Nuaimi, the PEO’s Natural Reserves office manager, changes in their coastal environment and habitat degradation are also big concerns for the dugong.

In January, EMRQ said in a statement that they found 14 dugong carcasses washed up on Qatar’s shores. Months earlier, in a QF interview, Dupont alluded to the problem, saying:

“Similar to other areas around the world, coastal development in Qatar is increasing threats to marine mammals such as dugongs. Individuals may get caught in fishing nets or hit by boats, so you occasionally find dugong carcasses that wash up on the beach.”

Thoughts?

(The post Environment ministry, Exxon sign research deal to protect Qatar’s dugong is from Doha News.)

Al Rayyan TV/Twitter

Riot police on display at 2014 National Day parade

As Qatar races to build new hotels, stadiums and rail lines ahead of the 2022 World Cup, the country’s security force has also been reaching out to foreign law enforcement agencies to help improve its ability to manage large crowds and maintain order.

Roughly a million foreign tourists are expected to visit Qatar during the football tournament, which is considered to be the world’s second largest sporting event after the Olympics.

In recent months, Qatar’s government has signed agreements and/or worked with various police forces in Canada, France and the UK.

Ray Toh/Flickr

Police participating in 2013 QND parade

According to the Qatar embassy in Ottawa, instructors with the Canadian Police College will provide specialized training to students enrolled in the Gulf country’s new police college, under a memorandum of understanding signed last month.

The local police college officially opened last August, with 130 students – mostly Qatari – enrolled in the four-year program.

While incidents of crime in Qatar have been increasing as the population grows, officials have stated that one of the primary goals of the college is to produce highly trained officers who can organize and maintain security for major events, such as the World Cup.

Football fans here would likely welcome a better-trained police force. In recent years, many have complained that the inability of security officials to competently manage large crowds puts a damper on large sporting events.

Ray Toh

Men\’s Handball Championships opener

That includes the Men’s Handball World Championship earlier this year, as well as last year’s Emir Cup:

@dohanews terrible, messy queue, chaos outside the stadium and people jumping the fences! Stadium security were completely unprofessional.

— Salman Al-Mühannadi (@SalMuhanadi) January 3, 2014

Other countries

In addition to Canada, Qatar has had plans in place as far back as 2013 to send students to the UK for part of their training.

However, the practice recently caused a stir in that country after the Telegraph reported that Qatar paid the Greater Manchester Police £400,000 (QR2.3 million) to train 300 of its officers in the English city.

“(The Qatar government) a reprehensible regime. (The Manchester police force) needs to look very carefully at who it is training,” British MP Graham Stringer was quoted as saying.

Qatar also gave their English hosts several gifts, at least one of which – a Hugo Boss watch – had to be auctioned off for charity to comply with the force’s ethics policies, a spokesperson told the Telegraph.

Defending the program, Manchester Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner Jim Battle said:

“This program spreads the message of what good policing is (and) shares good practice with others.”

Qatar also has a deep security relationship with France.

Chantelle d'Mello

Photo of Lekhwiya vehicle for illustrative purposes only.

The country’s Gendarmerie Nationale – the public safety branch of France’s armed forces – honored Lekhwiya commander Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani with a medal in 2012 for his role in joint exercises between the two forces.

France said it signed an agreement a decade ago for a “substantial training programme” for Qatar’s Internal Security Force and supported the country’s protective efforts for the 2006 Asian Games in Qatar.

The Gulf state has also tapped the Gendarmerie for assistance as it prepares security plans for the Doha Metro and World Cup.

Thoughts?

(The post Qatar police seek help abroad for security training ahead of World Cup is from Doha News.)

Ray Toh

Qatar skyline

Qatar has maintained its position as the most peaceful state in the Middle East and North Africa, but an its overall position in the latest international rankings has fallen for the third year in a row.

According to the Global Peace Index 2015, Qatar came in 30th place out of a total of 162 countries in terms of peace and stability.

This is a drop of eight places from Qatar’s position last year, and is 18 spots lower than its ranking in 2011 and 2012, when the country was ranked 12th.

The annual report rates countries by examining 23 different indicators across three broad themes:

• The level of safety and security within a state’s society;
• The extent of domestic and international conflict; and
• The degree of militarization employed by the country.

Qatar’s ranking has been strong due to its relatively high levels of internal peace and stability, a position that hasn’t changed much since the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP) started publishing its index eight years ago.

However, its overall ranking has dropped in part because of worsening conflicts in the Arab world, with MENA being reclassified this year as the “least peaceful (region),” according to the report.

IEP

MENA performance over 8 years, Global Peace Index 2015

South Asia previously held the title of the world’s most violent region. But the Middle East has overtaken it due to ongoing conflicts in countries including Syria and Libya, and increasing refugee issues.

Libya this year ranked as the most violent country globally and is at the bottom of the peace index.

Meanwhile, over the past year, there was a slight move toward greater world peace, with 81 states becoming more peaceful, while 78 were scored less peaceful.

However, the trend over the past eight years shows that the world has overall become slightly more violent, with 86 nations recording poorer scores and 76 countries improving their positions.

Out of the 19 MENA nations examined in the report, 13 of them became less peaceful, driven by the ongoing effects of the 2011 Arab Spring.

“A vicious cycle of violence is driving down peacefulness in the Middle East and North Africa,” the report states.

Qatar’s score

Qatar rated well on almost all of the indicators used to score countries, particularly violent crime, homicides, violent demonstrations and terrorism impact. The Gulf country was rated as least likely to suffer from these issues, scoring “1” on a scale of 1-5.

IEP

Excerpt of Qatar scores for Global Peace Index 2015

However, in the area of militarization, it scored 3.5 for security officers and police, and was given a rating of 4 for weapons imports.

Qatar’s fragile relationships with some of its Gulf neighbors over the past few years including the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain may have contributed to its lower score in this regard.

Still, though Qatar was among 10 countries highlighted in last year’s report as likely to deteriorate by 2016, this year’s rankings do not support that prediction.

Qatar was cited last year as an unusual case of an authoritarian regime with a high peace rating.

The ruling family’s focus on providing its national population with a high standard of living was given as one of the key reasons why Qatar is domestically stable.

However, it said the state’s low tolerance of dissent was another contributing factor in maintaining internal peace.

Global results

Iceland took the top spot in the index as being the world’s most peaceful country, followed by Denmark, then Austria, with New Zealand coming in fourth position and Switzerland fifth. The bottom three positions were held by Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria.

Kuwait followed Qatar as one of the region’s most peaceful nations, climbing four places to 33rd this year.

The UAE scored particularly poorly in terms of weapons imports, for which it was given a score of 5, and a heavy presence of security officers and police (4.5). Perceptions of criminality in the Emirates also scored higher than Qatar, with a score of 3.

The UK came in 39th position globally, while the USA took 94th place.

Libya is flagged as one of the countries showing the most significant deterioration in its peacefulness rating since last year’s index, dropping 13 places to rank 149th this year.

In addition to its ongoing internal strife, its poor relations with some of its neighboring countries – including Qatar – is cited as a significant factor in its drop in the index.

“Relations between the internationally recognised government in the east and Turkey, Qatar and Sudan have soured owing to their alleged material and logistical support of Islamist militias,” the report states.

You can read the full report here.

Thoughts?

(The post Qatar retains rank as region’s least violent nation in World Peace Index is from Doha News.)

Chantelle D'mello

Photo for illustrative purposes only.

As Qatar residents prepare to leave the country for their annual summer vacations – or for good – many appear to once again be leaving their pets behind, putting a strain on the country’s already overworked rescue shelters.

This year, the issue seems especially problematic due to layoffs in the energy sector, animal shelter groups have said.

Speaking to Doha News, Kelly Allen, one of the founding members of the Qatar Animal Welfare Society, said:

“We are finding an increasing number of people this year who are phoning in and are having to leave all of a sudden because of the layoffs. Most people weren’t expecting to leave, or don’t have funds set aside now to take the pets with them. It’s a really difficult situation.

All we can recommend is that they try to do everything they can to take their pet. Rehoming animals is almost impossible during the summer. No one is thinking of adopting now; people only look to to adopt in September, when they’re back from their summers. It’s not logistically possible to rehome them now.”

‘Dumping season’

This time of the year is often the most difficult for shelters in Doha, which find themselves overcrowded, understaffed and underfunded throughout the summer.

“It all happens simultaneously,” said Allen. “Kitten season occurs immediately before the summer, so our boarding facilities are full with new litters.”

2nd Chance Rescue/Facebook

Photo for illustrative purposes only.

She continued:

“Then the summer starts and we have animals being left behind. At the same time, our volunteers and helpers also leave the country. We have animals being dumped at our doorstep or tied up to our fences, and though we are full, we cannot turn them away.”

To cope with the influx, both QAWS and 2nd Chance Rescue are stepping up their efforts this year to help offset the monetary and manpower burdens that the dumping season brings.

The organizations are holding food, charity and volunteer drives via their various social media accounts in an attempt to pay for the thousands of dollars of out-of-pocket funds used to sustain their secure shelters.

Speaking to Doha News, Amy Redfern, one of the main caretakers at 2nd Chance Rescue, said:

“Donations dry up in the summer. Everyone is struggling right now. The pro-animal committee flies out of the country, so do the donations with them.

At the moment, we’re trying to raise awareness of the urgency of the situation, which a lot of people don’t know about. They assume that the government helps or that shelters are funded. This is not how it is. This is coming out of our pockets. All the other shelter groups are crying out for help.”

2nd Chance Rescue/Facebook

Dog food donation pyramid

The shelter started a food drive last week, and has so far accumulated some 240kg of pet food in donations.

While the number may seem large, the amount collected so far is only enough to feed the shelter’s large number of canine inhabitants for three to four days, organizers said.

Food costs aside, which, according to a Facebook post by 2nd Chance, amount to some QR25,000 per month, other organizations like QAWS have begun rent and volunteer drives to raise the QR51,000 required to home the shelter’s 250-plus residents.

The campaign, which started last week, has raised nearly QR25,000 in a week, according to its online crowdfunding page.

Awareness campaign

The crux of the issue, according to Allen and Redfern, stems from a lack of awareness of the responsibilities involved with owning a pet.

“If you do get an animal, you have to be responsible to them for the rest of their life,” Allen said. “A dog lives for about 18 years, a tortoise for about 80 to 90 years, and parrots for about 60 years. People buy these animals from (Souq Waqif) because they are cheap and easy to get a hold of, and they don’t do their research.

They don’t realize that animals are not easy to take care of. When we talk about a lifetime responsibility, it’s your life time and possibly your children’s.”

DAWGS/Facebook

DAWGS campaign

Throughout the year, both organizations stress the importance of pet responsibility, research and preparedness, and have been asking people to ensure that their pets either fulfill the necessary pre-departure airline requirements, or that shelters are contacted in advance to arrange boarding facilities.

Expats traveling to Europe, for example, have to ensure that their pets have a blood test for rabies carried out at least three months prior to departure.

To help address this issue, a new group, the Doha Animal Welfare Group Support (DAWGS) was set up last week as an umbrella organization that works to raise awareness of the dumping season, travel requirements and pet-related issues for rehoming animals.

Spearheaded by Kate Lennon, a British expat, the group has begun its first social media campaign under the title of “Please Don’t Leave Me,” to deter residents from dumping their pets.

“This group is a virtual pair of hands. Our first campaign asks people to think about what happens when they leave their animals behind. Pets don’t have a survival instinct. A lot of people think that they’ll be okay, but they won’t be,” Lennon said.

The group’s next campaign, which comes out next week, addresses the issue of waning foster homes given the summer months, and is hoping to encourage people who wouldn’t have otherwise considered fostering, to help out over the summer.

“From what I’ve heard is that it’s really bad this year. There’s a lot of people leaving their jobs across the Middle East, and that’s seemed to have had a (detrimental) effect on the animals,” Lennon said.

Thoughts?

(The post Qatar animal rescue groups appeal for help during pet ‘dumping’ season is from Doha News.)

Photo for illustrative purposes only.

Due to misleading sales offers, three stores in Qatar’s Landmark Mall have been fined QR6,000 each and have had their licenses to hold such promotions temporarily revoked.

Officials from Qatar’s Ministry of Economy and Commerce (MEC) withdrew the permits from the shops – one of which is believed to be the children’s clothing store Gymboree – after officers doing spot-checks earlier this week found their discounts to be bogus.

The ministry announced the penalties in Arabic on Twitter. Accompanying photos show staff at a store understood to be Gymboree removing promotion signs from the displays. The MEC did not name the shops that have been penalized.

الوزارة تفرض غرامات مالية وتلغي تراخيص التنزيلات لمحلات بمجمع اللاندمارك لعدم التزامها بالقوانين المنظّمة للتنزيلات. pic.twitter.com/O9AwPPxY0j

— الاقتصاد والتجارة (@MEC_QATAR) June 18, 2015

Translation: The Ministry imposes fines and and revokes sales licenses for Landmark Mall stores for failure to comply with laws governing sales.

The shops were penalized for breaching Article 7 of Law No. 8 of 2008 on Consumer Protection, local media reports quoted an MEC statement as stating. The law mandates that stores clearly state on labels and signs all information about the items it is selling.

‘Misleading’ promotions

In a statement, the MEC said it found that the shops had given misleading information about the discounts on some products.

“Some shops may be offering promotions and attractive rates because the quality of the product is inferior or in some cases they wanted to sell off goods which have close expiry dates. As such, offers may lead the public to buy things which sometimes they do not require, consumers are urged to show restraint and discretion while shopping,” Gulf Times quotes the MEC statement as saying.

Before running a sale, shops here must apply to the MEC’s Quantitative Licenses and Market Control Section of the Consumer Protection Department to get a license.

The section has the power to issue licenses to shops for promotions and discounts, and monitors those sales to ensure prices are actually reduced.

Lesley Walker

Gymboree at Landmark Mall

In this case, the three stores’ permits were revoked for the remainder of  their existing sale periods.

No one from Gymboree was immediately available for comment, as the store was closed during the day due to Ramadan hours.

Ministry crackdown

This is not the first time that the MEC has penalized stores for running misleading promotions.

In January, shops and stores in 10 malls across Qatar were booked for the offense. At the time, the ministry penalized stores for a total of 37 violations of varying types, in accordance with Ministerial Decision No. 5 of 1984 with respect to selling through sales, promotions and discounts.

MEC

One of the stores that lost its sales permit in an earlier MEC inspection

The shops in this case were found to be running offers without obtaining a license from the ministry; displaying differences between the actual price and the price tags; and failing to display prices clearly.

They were fined up to QR5,000 each and their promotional licenses were withdrawn for the remainder of the sale period.

According to Qatar’s consumer protection laws, customers are entitled to ask stores to show their prices before and during their promotion period, as well as the discount rate approved by the MEC.

Customers should also be given an itemized receipt, showing the original price and then the discounted one.

Consumer who believe a store is not following the regulations can report them to the MEC via their toll-free phone number (800 5000), by emailing info@mec.gov.qa or by messaging them on their @MEC_Qatar Twitter account.

Thoughts?

(The post Qatar ministry penalizes stores at Landmark Mall for running fake sales is from Doha News.)

Days after escaping a fire in her Al Hilal flat caused by a malfunctioning air conditioning unit, a single mother is sharing her story in hopes that other Qatar residents take steps to keep themselves safe.

Speaking to Doha News, the 33-year-old resident, who asked not to be named, said she and her 20-month-old daughter had only moved into the housing – a partitioned villa – nine days before the fire.

The blaze broke out after she left for work and dropped her daughter off at nursery, she explained:

“I usually put the A/C on in the mornings before I leave for work and turn it off when I come back so that it’s not running 24/7. On Tuesday morning, I turned it on at 7am as usual, but by noon, I got a call saying that there was a fire at the house. A passerby saw flames and alerted my neighbor, who quickly called the fire department.

Thank God we weren’t at home at the time. I had been asking the landlord to switch out the AC since the second day we moved in, but he said no. It was giving us a lot of trouble. It looked old, and sometimes it wouldn’t start.”

When she returned home, she found her flat swarming with police and fire personnel. A wardrobe had been burned, and there was soot everywhere.

Supplied

The flat before the fire.

But when asked by the police if she wanted to open a case, the woman said she refused out of fear.

“The landlord threatened me and said that I was in trouble because it was my fault for leaving the A/C on. So when the police asked if I want to open the case, I said no. I also had to go down to the police station to file a report if I wanted a case, and I couldn’t do that when my house was like that and I had a baby to take care of,” she said.

The woman said she has attempted to reopen the case, but faces several obstacles.

For example, the landlord has since cleared the burned AC unit from the villa, and in the absence of the evidence, police officials have allegedly encouraged her to let the event slide.

Supplied

Second A/C unit in the home.

She added that the landlord has stressed that the cost of fixing the AC and repainting the house was the tenant’s responsibility, and that if she had any other complaints or issues, she was free to vacate the premises.

“There’s another AC in the living room that’s very old. After the fire, I asked him to change it, but he refused and said that if I wanted it fixed, I would have to do it myself.

I don’t have the time or money for that. If I want to move out, I lose my deposit, month’s rent and other fees that I’ve paid, and that’s about QR12,500,” she said.

Finally, by living in partitioned housing, the woman could expose herself to legal liabilities by pursuing a police case. Though the practice is common among the expat population, partitioned villas in Doha violate local residential laws and pose numerous safety hazards.

Over the past year, the government has been attempting to crack down on these illegal homes, instituting stricter laws that increase penalties for landlords and stepping up enforcement.

Electrical fires

The resident is now appealing to the Doha community to ensure that their A/Cs are regularly serviced, especially during the summer months, and that landlords are made aware of any problems with the units.

Summer is a common time for electrical fires in Qatar, as more people rely on A/Cs to stay cool.

Soffe family

Elizabeth Soffe\’s crib

Last June, residents were horrified to hear the case of six-month-old Elizabeth Soffe, who suffered burns to 60 percent of her body following an A/C fire in her home.

According to Soffe’s family, the unit caught fire moments after the baby’s mother lay her down to rest in a cot placed beneath the A/C.

The mother said she heard the child crying and found her room engulfed in smoke, and the crib on fire.

According to friends of the family, Sinead Soffe grabbed her daughter and did her best to extinguish the flames, before running downstairs with the child and calling an ambulance.

At the time, Sinead encouraged residents to take better precautions.

“For now we would hope that each and every one of you insist your landlords check your electrics and install more smoke alarms. We had one in every bedroom, but it happened too fast – but it could save a life,” she wrote.

Safety tips

In an effort to curb the number of electrical fires during the summer, the Ministry of Interior typically releases a series of home safety tips, including:

• Don’t run your A/C non-stop. Air conditioners in Qatar sometimes catch on fire because the constant swirling dust can settle over electrical components, which could cause an overload and generate excess heat, leading to fire.
• Before going to bed, turn off air conditioners in parts of your home that you are not using. Unplug video game consoles and other non-essential electrical appliances.
• Don’t overload an electrical socket by plugging in too many devices at once, or by plugging in high-voltage devices without the use of good electrical connectors.
• Do not leave exhaust fans running continuously as it raises the temperature of the wires and can contribute to a fire.
• Before going on vacation, turn off all nonessential electrical appliances, close all gas cylinders tightly and store them away from direct sunlight.
• Close gas cylinders properly. Gas fires are considered one of the most dangerous types of fires. A pizza oven whose gas had been left on overnight is said to have caused last year’s restaurant blast that killed 11 people. Make sure your canisters are tightly closed and stored away from sunlight.

Thoughts?

(The post Single mother cautions Doha residents after A/C unit fire scorches home is from Doha News.)

Peter Kovessy

For illustrative purposes only.

Qatar resident Amy Bambridge recently returned to work after giving birth to twins, who are now toddlers. She found that the lot where many of her colleagues used to park had been turned into a massive Doha Metro construction site. This means some people are being forced to park further away and walk a short distance – something many commuters are going to be expected to do once the metro starts operating in 2019.

As Bambridge recently wrote on her blog, Escape to Qatar, there are serious obstacles – physical and otherwise – that authorities must address in order to turn Doha into a more walkable city and make public transit a feasible and attractive alternative to driving.

Whether it’s from home to the nearest metro station, or from the station to the office, there will be some walking involved for those who choose to leave their vehicles at home.

The problem is that walking almost anywhere in Qatar can be incredibly difficult – if not impossible at times – and downright dangerous. Frustratingly, there appears to be little to no effort into addressing these challenges, even as construction crews are racing to complete the metro within the next four years.

What’s wrong with walking elsewhere in Qatar? I see the following hazards on my daily walk from wherever I manage to park my car to my office, no matter which route I take:

Amy Bambridge

An SUV parked on the sidewalk, blocking pedestrians.

Cars parked on the pavements

Yes, it’s illegal. And yes, the police do dish out tickets in some parts of Doha. However it’s still pretty ubiquitous. And yes, we’ve probably all done it in desperation at some point. But it’s no fun to have to walk into the road, especially on a bend, as I do when I walk this route.

Bits of rubbish left lying in the middle of the pavement

Just to keep you on your toes. Who is responsible for this stuff? Nobody, it would seem. Imagine trying to push a baby in a stroller along this street.

Amy Bambridge

Construction materials and slippery stones make walking hazardous.

You might look at the next photo and wonder why I don’t just walk around these obstacles.

Well, see those slightly darker grey/black tiles among the grey ones on the left of the pavement? They’re marble.

It turns out that if you put just one foot on them, you go flying. I found this out the hard way. Why would one install really, really slippery tiles on a public walkway?

A random sinkhole

Amy Bambridge

A deep dip in the sidewalk.

I’m not sure this photo does it justice. This one is so deep that I actually need to walk around it to avoid tripping.

The pavement is sinking!

Problem No. 1 (see above) likely contributes to the unevenness of many sidewalks and walkways. Again, it’s a pretty common sight.

Using the pavement as a construction site

One might think this is a one-off and specific to where I work. It’s not. This is Doha – there are building sites everywhere.

Amy Bambridge

Construction materials left on the sidewalk.

I don’t know who is supposed to regulate this stuff, but contractors seem to get away with spilling supplies and building material all over the surrounding pavements (and often roads too).

And the stuff they leave lying around is dangerous – I’ve ripped a long skirt on some of it, and probably could have ripped my leg open if I wasn’t being careful.

Every morning, I walk past a construction worker using an angle-grinder here, right in the middle of the pavement. He’s not wearing any personal protective equipment, and he has absolutely no regard for anyone walking past.

I am just grateful that I never need to walk anywhere with my kids. Although it would be nice to have the option.

The pavement coming to an abrupt end

This is also very common:

Amy Bambridge

A sidewalk that abruptly comes to an end.

Sometimes, it’s part of the urban design, while other times there are physical barriers in the way. How is this allowed to happen?

Dearest Doha: I love you, but you must address this! How is anyone going to use the metro when even a 100m walk is fraught with such dangers?

There needs to be a massive crackdown on construction contractors who intrude on the ability of pedestrians to use sidewalks.

The sidewalk network needs a complete overhaul almost everywhere in the city. Even when new ones have been built, they quite often end abruptly or don’t link up to anywhere useful. There are very few places to cross the roads safely.

It needs to change. We’ve got four years. Let’s make it happen.

What are your experiences as a pedestrian in Qatar? Thoughts?

(The post Opinion: Why Doha needs to learn to walk before it can run a metro is from Doha News.)

Al Rayyan TV/Twitter

Qatari pilot

Qatar has taken a number of new counterterrorism measures in recent years to secure its critical infrastructure, as well as to prevent the country from becoming a hub for foreign fighters traveling to and from Syria, a recently released US report has revealed.

As part of its strategy, the government has restructured its National Anti-Terrorism Committee.

The committee is comprised of representatives from more than 10 government ministries and official institutions, the US State Department’s 2014 Country Reports on Terrorism stated.

According to the US, terrorist activity has historically been low in Qatar, due to the country’s “restrictive” immigration policies, and the monitoring capabilities of the government’s security services.

Chantelle d'Mello

Photo of Lekhwiya vehicle for illustrative purposes only.

The report painted a picture of close cooperation between the US and Qatar, but said joint efforts are hampered by the Gulf state’s lack of resources – specifically, the limited number of highly trained police officers in a country that relies on expats to fill rank-and-file law enforcement positions.

The document did not discuss any specific threats facing Qatar or mention any specific enforcement action beyond the deportation of a Jordanian”terrorist financier” who worked for an unnamed local charity and the barring of “multiple individuals of concern” from entering the country.

Nevertheless, the US report added that the Qatar government remains concerned that the nation could be used as a base for foreign fighters in Syria, “as well as the possibility that violent extremists could seek to commit terrorist acts in or from Qatar using Qatar’s internet or financial systems.”

To combat this threat, the country is keeping a closer eye on international money transfers, the online activity of residents and who is coming into the country.

Electronic intelligence

The US said Qatar conducts “extensive” background checks on work visa applicants and captures biometric information on everyone who enters the country – likely through the retina scan at immigration counters.

Additionally, Qatar maintains its own watchlist of suspected terrorists that it uses to screen air passengers, the US State Department said.

Shehan Peruma/Flickr

Photo for illustrative purposes only.

It’s not explicitly stated if Qatar’s intelligence officers share the names of individuals on its watchlist – or the biometric information it collects at the airport – with the US or any other country. However, the US says Qatar is “generally responsive” to American requests for information.

The process of sharing information with foreign security agencies is also highlighted in Qatar’s new cybercrime legislation, which was signed into law last September.

According to the US, its provisions expanded the capabilities of law enforcement outside of Qatar by establishing formal procedures for requests for information from foreign governments.

Article3

For illustrative purposes only.

Qatar’s cybercrime law – which has been criticized for provisions on so-called “content crimes” that make it illegal to publish “false news” and content that violates the country’s “social values” or “general order” – also gives law enforcement new investigative tools, including a greater ability to monitor internet traffic and other electronic data.

Unless otherwise exempted, professional organizations such as law firms must comply with requests to turn over electronic information – even if it violates a company’s professional confidentiality policies or agreements – made under the cybercrime law, the US report states.

Other measures under the cybercrime law make it a crime to use the internet to raise money in support of terrorism, the US State Department says.

Fundraising

Qatar has previously been criticized for allowing controversial individuals and organizations to raise funds with impunity. Last year, a German government minister suggested Qatar is among ISIL’s financial supporters, a claim that was sharply denied by Qatar government officials.

However, the US says Qatar has taken steps to reduce the amount of money flowing through the emirate to armed organizations in the region that are at odds with the US and other western governments.

In addition to making it more difficult for charities to send money abroad, the US said Qatar shut down the Madad Ahl al-Sham (also spelled “Madid” in English) online fundraising campaign that was suspected of sending money to violent extremist elements in Syria.”

The Washington Post reported that the organization was cited by Jabhat al-Nusra – which had pledged loyalty to al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri – as one of the preferred conduits for donations intended for the group.

Bulent Kavakkoru/Flickr

Photo for illustrative purposes only.

Separately, the US government highlighted how Qatar’s Emiri Air Force was part of a US-led coalition that bombed ISIL targets in Syria last fall.

While it’s believed that Qatar’s planes played a supporting role and did not actually drop any ordinances, the US report said the country is keen to play a larger role in the Syrian conflict.

Specifically, it stated that Qatar has volunteered to host a facility where “moderate Syrian opposition forces” can be trained and receive equipment.

There are signs the US may have already taken Qatar up on its offer. Last year, a US documentary reported that dozens of fighters opposed to Syrian President Bashar Al Assad were receiving American military training in Qatar, near the Saudi Arabian border.

Thoughts?

(The post Report: Qatar boosting anti-terrorism efforts amid new threats is from Doha News.)

Osarieme Eweka/Flickr

Photo for illustrative purposes only.

Qatar residents on the roads should proceed with care this morning as high winds kick up sand and dust and result in low levels of visibility, the Ministry of Interior has warned.

In a series of tweets, the MOI said windspeeds could reach up to 35 knots (65km/hour) today, resulting in decreased vision on the roads.

ادارة الارصاد الجوية : تحذير من رياح قوية(شمالية غربية16 – 26 عقدة تصل الى 35 عقدة أحيانا)على جميع المناطق مع رؤية أفقية متدنية نتيجة الغبار

— وزارة الداخلية – قطر (@MOI_Qatar) June 21, 2015

According to Steff Gaulter, senior meteorologist for Al Jazeera English, strong winds are expected to stay with Qatar all week.

The wind has brought us today’s dust storm, she said, but is also going to keep humidity at bay over the next several days.

She added that dusty/windy conditions will persist in a similar fashion tomorrow.

Here’s the full forecast for today, according to the Qatar Meteorology Department:

Weather forecast for Sunday 21/06/2015 pic.twitter.com/sFde0WnKyM

— أرصاد قطر (@Qatar_Weather) June 20, 2015

What are you seeing outside? Thoughts?

(The post Motorists cautioned as dust storm sweeps across Qatar is from Doha News.)

QM

Restored palace of Sheikh Abdullah bin Jassim Al-Thani

After three years of work, a landmark palace that is the centerpiece of Qatar’s under-construction National Museum has been successfully restored, officials have announced.

Home to the former ruler of Qatar, Sheikh Abdullah bin Jassim Al Thani, the structure is located in the heart of the museum, which is tentatively expected to open next year.

Al Thani is widely regarded as the father of modern Qatar and lived in the palace from when it was built in the early 20th century until it became the country’s former National Museum in 1975.

Experts from Berlin-based firm Ziegert, Roswag, Seiler Architekten Ingenieure oversaw the restoration of the old palace.

In a statement, Qatar Museums said that natural materials and techniques that would have been employed at the time of the building’s initial construction were employed to maintain its authenticity.

QM

Restored palace of Sheikh Abdullah bin Jassim Al-Thani

As part of the project, a team of local artisans was trained over the course of the restoration and worked closely with the project team, learning how to treat wood, restore ornaments and painted ceilings and methods for restoring historic plaster surfaces.

QM

Old palace of Sheikh Abdullah bin Jassim Al Thani

Described by QM as a “monument to an historic way of life in Qatar,” the palace has been restored and refurbished numerous times since it was built.

“When completed, the futuristic, iconic, world-class design of the National Museum will perfectly complement the Palace,” Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad Al Thani, chairperson of QM, added in a statement.

Many of the Doha’s older buildings, particularly in the Msheireb and former downtown area, have already been razed or are ear-marked for demolition as the old town is being remodeled.

However, some iconic structures around town have been saved from the bulldozers. For example, QM oversaw the redevelopment of the old Civil Defense building in Wadi Al Sail into the Fire Station – an artists’ hub and gallery that opened earlier this year.

And earlier this month, the authority announced plans to repurpose the old flour mills by the Museum of Islamic Art to create a massive museum and gallery space that will be known as the Art Mill.

Museum under construction

The palace will sit as the center of the new National Musuem of Qatar, which has been designed by French architect Jean Nouvel to resemble the crystal structure of a desert rose.

The plans were first unveiled in March 2010, and Qatar Museums told Doha News that an opening date of 2016 is still forecast.

QMA

Rendering of National Museum

However, a QM representative previously said that once the structure is built, it would take another six months for cement “off-gassing” – the release of emissions trapped inside the facility – to occur.

And installation of artwork is expected to take an additional year after that.

When finally complete, the museum aims to represent the past, present and future of Qatar, and include several donated pieces of artwork and jewelry.

The 40,000 square meter museum will have 8,000 square meters of permanent exhibition space and a further 2,000 square meters for temporary, rotating exhibitions. Other facilities will include:

• A 220-seat auditorium;
• Two retail outlets, two restaurants and a café;
• A dedicated food forum, preserving culinary traditions;
• A research center and laboratories; and
• A park filled with indigenous plants.

Qatar’s public works authority Ashghal previously said it has already undertaken works in the surrounding area in preparation for the museum’s opening, including redeveloping and widening the roads in the vicinity to improve access and reduce congestion.

Thoughts?

(The post Sheikh Abdullah’s palace at heart of National Museum of Qatar restored is from Doha News.)

All photos by Chantelle D’mello

More than 3,000 low-income expats gathered at one of the largest charity iftar tents in Qatar last night to mark the third day of Ramadan.

The air-conditioned tent, located behind the Mövenpick hotel, is sponsored by the Qatar Red Crescent (QRC), and is one of many such venues set up around the country by charities this month to provide free meals to the growing blue-collar worker population.

Eid Charity

Photo for illustrative purposes only.

This year, QRC said it has increased its reach by setting up three additional tents in the Industrial Area, Al Wakra and Al Khor. At capacity, the tents feed some 6,000 people daily, more than double last year’s 2,800 people a day.

Such initiatives are not uncommon around Doha, as charities and individual donors often step up acts of kindness during the holy month of Ramadan.

Qatar Charity, Eid Charity, Reach Out to Asia (ROTA) and the Sheikh Thani Bin Abdullah Foundation for Humanitarian Services (RAF) are some of the other organizations involved in humanitarian projects over the course of Ramadan.

Speaking to Doha News, a QRC volunteer spoke about the spirit of the fasting month and the rationale behind the tents:

“It’s a way for us to observe the month in solidarity. Most men here don’t have their families or their wives here to prepare meals for them on a daily basis. We do this to take care of them, and to let them know that they’re not alone. It’s a communal experience, and one that’s open to everyone – male or female, Muslim or non-Muslim, Arab or non-Arab.”

Chantelle D'mello

Ramadan 2015 Charity Iftar

Several Mowasalat drivers attending last night’s dinner echoed the sentiment, saying:

“This is a very good initiative because we are all together. It’s hard to be away from family during Ramadan and Eid, and with our busy schedules, we find little time to head back home to cook or spend money to eat Iftar outside. We are grateful for this because it saves us money, and because it allows us to meet and talk to other people from our countries and from other parts of the world.”

Growing demand

Since last May, Qatar’s population has grown by some 200,000 people, according to government figures.

Many of the new residents are thought to be construction workers hired to work on major projects ahead of the 2022 World Cup, and word about the free meals tends to spread fast, tent organizers have said.

Chantelle D'mello

For illustrative purposes only.

Speaking to Doha News, Nayef Bin Faisal Al Mohannadi, QRC’s director of administrative affairs and human resources, explained:

“It increases every year. When we first started this project nine years ago, we had just one tent, but every year we’ve been growing to keep up with the demand. We’ve set aside QR 2,175,000 this year for food projects inside Qatar including the tents, and other food distribution initiatives that we have ongoing at the hospitals, the Grand Mosque and the Industrial Area.”

While QRC said it has had no trouble accommodating growing demand, a source at Qatar Charity told the Peninsula that some attendees had to be turned away this year due to limited seating capacities.

The meals

This year, Ramadan meals are alternating between large trays of chicken and rice and meat and rice shared between four to six people. Each attendee is also provided with a packet of dates, water, juice and laban.

Chantelle D'mello

Ramadan 2015 Charity Iftar

QRC said that each day, dozens of volunteers arrive from 3pm onwards to set up the tents, organize guests on prayer mats around the meal trays and ensure that the meal stations are cleaned after iftar.

Imams and lecturers deliver talks on health and religion before the call to prayer, and lead trivia competitions, handing out QRC merchandise.

If the tent is especially crowded, men sit up to six a tray, and more mats and trays of food are added.

“We don’t turn anyone away. We’re equipped to handle extra numbers, and, since we’ve been doing this for so many years, we can estimate how many people come. On Friday, for example, we have less guests, as most people are off and make food for themselves at their accommodations,” Mohannadi said.

To combat any food wastage, some charities have been moving away from serving meals in large trays. Qatar Charity, for example, provides each attendee a styrofoam-covered meal pack, in the hopes that leftover food will be take home and stored.

Sheikh Eid Charity Association Facebook

Distribution of food

Other organizations not participating in the charity iftar tent projects also lend a helping hand to minimize leftover food.

The Sheikh Eid Charity Association offers a pickup service to collect leftover food from homes, hotels, restaurants and other venues where quantities of food sufficient for 10 or more people are remaining.

Meals are then distributed via mini-vans to workers living in Sinaeya, Abu Hamour and Shahaniya.

Thoughts?

(The post Qatar charities expand free Ramadan iftar program to meet rising demand is from Doha News.)

Juanedc/Flickr

Photo for illustrative purposes only.

Qatar’s used car market has been “flooded” with options in recent weeks as several of the country’s largest employers downsize, forcing many departing expats to sell their vehicles during one of the busiest times of year for such sales, an industry expert has said.

Julian White, a sales executive at used vehicle showroom Oasis Cars, said he’s receiving 10 to 15 offers a day from residents looking to sell him their vehicles, roughly double the number of calls he was receiving at this time a year ago.

“There’s been a change in the market … (as) quite a lot of people are leaving (Qatar),” White told Doha News.

Craig Sunter/Flickr

Photo for illustrative purposes only.

Expats who choose to leave Qatar for good often time their departures to coincide with the end of the school year. As they sell off their possessions, the number of used car listings typically increases in May and June.

But the market has seen even greater growth in recent weeks after employers in the energy sector downsized their staffs in the wake of last year’s collapse in oil prices.

This has made it increasingly difficult for some to sell their used cars. In addition to a new wealth of choice, White said there’s also a consumer confidence issue, as some residents are reluctant to purchase a new vehicle while feeling insecure about their jobs.

Having sold five vehicles on Saturday alone, White added that there are still car buyers in the market, but that many are taking longer to make a purchase as they have more options to choose from.

Istvan/Flickr

Photo for illustrative purposes only.

Despite Qatar becoming a buyer’s market for used cars, prices have so far failed to fall, White said.

He speculated that some car sellers may have taken out loans to buy their vehicles and need to fetch a certain price in order to settle their debts.

Others, he said, may not fully appreciate how much a vehicle can depreciate or have a sense for how many vehicles are currently being sold in the used car market.

However, he suggested that a drop is imminent.

“Prices are going to have to come down,” White said. “The market is flooded with used cars right now.”

Few inquiries

One resident who does have a firm grasp of the current state of the market is British expat Nat High, who is preparing to leave Qatar and move to the UAE.

Roughly two weeks ago, he said he posted ads for his family’s two vehicles – a 2011 Kia Mohave 4×4 and a 2012 Volkswagen Golf – on three popular online classified sites.

To date, he said he has yet to receive “even the vaguest of inquiries” and is investigating the possibility of shipping the vehicles to the UAE instead of selling them.

Nan Palmero/Flickr

Photo for illustrative purposes only.

“I would have honestly thought that with plenty of lead time there would have at least been a phone call … (But all) the (used vehicle) websites are flooded,” said High, who wrote about his preparations to leave Qatar on his blog, Bright lights, little city.

He told Doha News that he discussed his asking price with several friends who have either recently bought or sold vehicles in Qatar, and they said his listings were reasonable.

High added that when he paid for a listing on Qatar Sale, the photographer who took pictures of his vehicle told him that he has never been so busy with his job, due to the high number of residents selling their cars.

Caitlin Regan/Flickr

Photo for illustrative purposes only.

Qatar Sale declined to discuss the used vehicle market when contacted by Doha News.

However, the head of another popular online marketplace in Qatar said he’s not convinced that layoffs in the energy sector have led to a glut of used cars for sale.

Qatar Living managing director Bilal Randeree told Doha News that there are currently approximately 700 cars and 450 4x4s listed for sale on the site.

“That’s higher than last year, but not exceptionally so,” he said, noting that Qatar’s population and levels of internet access have been increasing.

At the same time, QL has been working to capture a larger share of the used car market and attracting more listings.

“The pool (of people selling their vehicles online) has been growing,” Randeree said.

What’s been your experience buying or selling a used car in Qatar? Thoughts?

(The post Qatar becomes a buyer’s market for used cars amid energy sector layoffs is from Doha News.)

Doha Stadium Plus Qatar/Flickr

Photo for illustrative purposes only.

Condemning what it described as a “hateful campaign” against Qatar’s right to host the World Cup in 2022, the Arab League has joined other regional bodies in backing the Gulf country’s bid, amid ongoing controversy at FIFA.

In a statement issued by the general assembly yesterday, the organization of 22 Arab states became the latest group to offer its “full support” to Qatar.

Wikimedia Commons

Flag of Arab League in Amman, Jordan

In addition to fielding criticism of its human rights record, the country has been fending off allegations of corruption related to the tournament bid.

Last month, authorities in the US and Switzerland said that Qatar and Russia are both being investigated as part of an extensive probe into the legality of their bidding for the World Cups in 2018 and 2022.

Taking issue with the accusations, the Cairo-based Arab League said, as quoted by AFP:

“The Arab League endorses the resolution issued by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) condemning the hateful campaign that attempts to question Qatar’s right to host the 2022 World Cup.”

Last week, the OIC, an organization of Muslim nations, said it stood behind Qatar and criticized “Western media tendentious campaigns” against the Gulf state, Reuters reported.

“The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) stresses its support to the State of Qatar and to all that would ensure its success in hosting the World Cup, as well as to its efforts towards optimal preparations for the event.

It applauds the level of progress reached in the preparations and welcomes Qatar’s continued preparations to host the 2022 World Cup,” the statement said.

Representing 57 countries with a total population of 1.5 billion people, the OIC is the world’s second-largest intergovernmental organization after the UN.

The organization added that it supported Qatar’s position as the first Arab country to host such a global sporting tournament, QNA said.

Media scrutiny

Qatar has been the focus of a number of articles in international media in recent years that have called into question its bidding process for the World Cup.

Last month, it came under the spotlight again after US prosecutors indicted 14 senior administrators and business figures, including FIFA officials, over alleged bribery and corruption in the sport. Swiss officials said they were also opening investigations.

Qatar has maintained it fought a clean campaign and has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.

Ministerie van Buitenlands

Qatar foreign minister Dr. Khalid Al Attiyah

Earlier this month, the state’s Foreign Minister Dr. Khalid bin Mohammed Al Attiyah and the former Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim Al Thani both asserted in separate media interviews that they believed Qatar was at the center of a “racist” campaign.

In addition to allegations of corruption, Qatar has also been criticized by international human rights groups about the treatment of construction workers here and scrutinized for its sponsorship/kafala system.

In a bid to counter critics, GCC Information Ministers issued a directive earlier this month calling on all journalists in the region to show their “full solidarity” to Qatar by publishing stories that support the country’s right to host the international football tournament.

While this was criticized by advocates of media freedom as an attempt to control the tone of coverage by governments, others supported the stand as a necessary move to balance the international news narrative and bolster the country’s reputation.

Thoughts?

(The post Arab region rallies around Qatar and its right to host 2022 World Cup is from Doha News.)

MOI/Facebook

Photo for illustrative purposes only.

Addressing common complaints during Ramadan, Qatar officials have warned motorists against speeding on the roads at iftar time and advised them not to overeat after breaking their fasts.

Noting an uptick in serious accidents during Ramadan compared to the rest of the year, the Ministry of Interior highlighted the dangers of rushing around at sunset in a post on Facebook, saying:

“Although the concerned authorities are taking possible measures to ensure safety of road users, excessive speed and negligent driving especially at the time when all are rushing back to their homes, lead to traffic violations that may sometime end in fatal crashes.”

To decrease stress at sunset, motorists should leave early and allow for plenty of time to get to their destinations, the MOI added.

Those who find themselves running late should pull over, break their fasts “and then proceed calmly to join your family members for iftar.”

Overeating

Separately, an emergency room doctor at Hamad Medical Corp. (HMC) has reminded those who are fasting to not overeat at night, saying the ER has being seeing an increase in patients with gastrointestinal problems.

Felicia Åkerman/Flickr

Photo for illustrative purposes only.

In a statement, Dr. Saad Abdul Fattah al-Nuaimi, senior consultant of Emergency Medicine, said:

“If people don’t maintain moderate food intake and overindulge, this contradicts the purpose of the fast. It can also lead to weight gain and obesity with its complications, such as diabetes mellitus and heart disease.

Part of the benefits of fasting is to help us develop a healthier lifestyle, in addition to reinforce community relationships and enhance compassion and charity.”

To avoid abdominal cramping and other pain, he recommended keeping the iftar meal light and drinking lots of fluids. Al-Nuaimi also advised against skipping suhoor, saying it could result in dehydration and fatigue.

Finally, he added that it’s best to avoid consuming salty and fatty foods, caffeinated beverages and refined carbohydrates and sugar (such as white bread, white rice, sweets and pastries) that can cause blood sugar surges and lead to weight gain.

Thoughts?

(The post Qatar residents cautioned against speeding, overeating during Ramadan is from Doha News.)

Chantelle D'mello

Central Market on Salwa Road.

Construction work on three central markets around Qatar has gotten underway, with the projects expected to be completed by next year, the Ministry of Economy and Commerce has said in a statement.

The markets are located in Al Sayliyah, Umm Salal and Al Wakrah. According to the MEC, their opening will help meet the needs of the growing population in these areas and reduce the overcrowding and pressure on the current Central Market on Salwa Road.

Ministry of Economy and Commerce

Construction has begun on three new central markets.

Each market will be constructed over an area of 20,000 square meters. In addition to selling fruits, vegetables, meat and fish, each market will have a mosque, a flower shop, banks, ATMs, administrative offices and housing for workers.

Umm Salal and Al Wakrah are also home to the increasingly popular farmer’s markets that run from November to May.

Unlike those markets however, the new ones are expected to remain open throughout the year.

Construction

Contracting work for the three markets began on March 1, and construction is being overseen by the autonomous government company Manateq.

The contractors are Al Montaser Trading and Contracting Co., which is working on Al Sayliyah Central Market; Marco Trading and Contracting Co., which is working on the Umm Salal market; and Builders Construction and Real Estate Co., which is responsible for constructing Al Wakrah Central Market.

Chantelle D'mello

Central Market on Salwa Road.

In May, Al Sharq quoted many residents complaining about the state of the current central market on Salwa Road that many people depend on to buy groceries at affordable prices. Some branded it as filthy, lacked order and had outdated service facilities.

Manateq, which is also spending billions of riyals developing and operating special economic zones in Qatar, said in March that the new markets would be built on “modern specifications,” according to Al Raya.

The Central Municipal Council (CMC) first floated the idea of building the new central markets in 2012, but the proposal languished until last November, when the prime minister issued a directive to begin its implementation.

He also urged officials to abide by schedules and timelines and immediately inform him of any obstacles.

Thoughts?

(The post Three central markets to open in Qatar by the second half of 2016 is from Doha News.)

scion_cho/Flickr

Photo for illustrative purposes only.

While many Qatar residents enjoy reduced working hours during Ramadan, one segment of the population often sees its load increase exponentially – domestic workers.

In the Gulf, this is often one of the busiest times of the year for migrants working as cooks, cleaners and nannies.

For some, it can also be an emotionally stressful period because they are isolated from their families, a local migrant rights group has said.

Migrant-Rights.org

A new campaign by Migrant-Rights.org to promote fair employment conditions for migrant domestic workers in the region includes posters created by VCU-Qatar students.

To raise awareness, Migrant-Rights.org is launching a campaign encouraging residents in Qatar and across the region to give domestic workers adequate time off during this month.

“Very often, I don’t think employers of domestic workers intend to treat them badly, but get caught up in their own schedules, are very busy and aren’t aware,” Vani Saraswathi, an advisor with Migrant-Rights.org, told Doha News.

She said she hopes that the new campaign will inspire more families to grant their house helpers adequate leisure time, include them in social activities and allow them to speak with family members in their home countries.

Other organizations are also working to draw attention to the issue.

In a recent op-ed published in the Huffington Post, Human Rights Watch researcher Rothna Begum described the daily schedule of some housekeepers in the Gulf:

“Many domestic workers in the Middle East are expected to help host large iftar meals to break fasts. They work during the night when families can eat, and during the day to clean and take care of children … One 42-year-old Filipina domestic worker in the United Arab Emirates told me, ‘During Ramadan I would go to sleep at 3am and would wake up (to work) at 5:30 am.’”

Begum added that Gulf-based embassies of labor-sending countries often report high numbers of women fleeing their employers especially during the Ramadan season.

Not enough rest

Locally, a spokesperson for the Philippines embassy in Qatar told Doha News that the diplomatic mission has not seen a spike in complaints from its citizens working in the Gulf state during Ramadan.

Tommaso / Flickr

Photo for illustrative purposes only.

However, the head of Qatar’s Search and Follow-up Department at the Ministry of Interior has previously said that his officers deal with more domestic workers during this time of year.

“Yes, many maids tend to run away from their employers during Ramadan because of heavy workload. They don’t get enough rest,” Brig. Nasser Al Sayed said in 2012.

Even outside of the fasting month, domestic workers in Qatar are estimated to work more hours a week than those in any other job in the country.

Maids, nannies, cooks, cleaners and other house helpers are not covered under Qatar’s labor law, which leaves them particularly vulnerable to abuse at the hands of their employers, Amnesty International said in a 2014 report.

It also means they have limited legal recourse in such cases.

Chantelle D'mello

Bruises on the victim.

Earlier this year, a badly beaten Indonesian women was held in Qatar’s Search and Follow-up detention center – which is typically used to hold expats awaiting deportation – after being released from hospital. She was eventually able to return home.

Saraswathi said it is rare that such cases are publicized in Qatar, arguing that there is generally less media coverage of domestic worker issues here than in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain or Kuwait.

As part of her organization’s Ramadan campaign, Saraswathi and her colleagues are speaking to newspaper columnists across the GCC and encouraging them to write about the subject. The hope is that such coverage would prompt more employers to think more carefully about how they treat their employees.

Saraswathi also argued that more nuance is needed on the subject, saying that discussions are often highly polarized and either revolve around employers being classified as horribly abusive or as housekeepers being seen as untrustworthy.

Unmet expectations

Outside of the Ramadan project, her organization is undertaking a wider campaign that involves speaking with employers in informal, off-the-record group conversations.

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One of their early conclusions is that there is a need to change recruitment practices to reduce the “huge gap” in expectations on the part of both employers and domestic workers.

For example, some recruitment centers promise families employees with specific skills, such as first aid, cooking and the ability to speak English fluently.

In practice, however, the women “are not being trained for what the employer is asking for,” Saraswathi says.

On the other side, the women who sign up to work in the Gulf are often promised shorter work hours, higher pay, more personal mobility and even a completely different job than what actually awaits them, she added.

“(Some women) come to Gulf thinking that she’s just going to clean a house. Then she arrives and is expected to take care of children, cook, etc. Some of them just don’t have the skills, or are not interested,” Saraswathi said.

Conflict can arise when both employers and their employees are let down, she added.

“There is a real need to change the recruitment practices and orientation in the countries of origin.”

Thoughts?

(The post Qatar families urged to grant domestic workers respite during Ramadan is from Doha News.)

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Much-awaited reforms to Qatar’s controversial kafala sponsorship system appear to have hit another roadblock, after the country’s Advisory (Shura) Council expressed further reservations about proposed changes.

The council – which typically approves legislative changes before the Emir signs off on them – convened yesterday and reviewed the law for the second time this month.

It again agreed to send the changes back to a committee for further study, state news agency QNA reported yesterday evening.

The legislation was initially aimed at making it easier for expats to change jobs and leave the country.

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But rather than loosening employment restrictions on foreign workers in Qatar, it appears that some of the proposed changes would actually give employers more control over expats.

For example, workers could be punished if they “deliberately create problems” for their employers by not qualifying for a no objection certificate for double the length of their contract, Al Raya reported.

Emphasizing the authority of local sponsors, the draft law states, according to the Gulf Times:

“In all cases the rights of the employer who recruited the worker and the provisions of the work contract between the employer and the worker should not be undermined.”

According to Al Sharq, members expressed serious concerns about several provisions in the draft law during yesterday’s meeting before voting down the reforms.

‘No rush’

The newspaper quoted the council chairman, Mohammed bin Mubarak Al Khulaifi, as saying there was no rush to usher in changes, as it would take a year to implement the law after it was published in the official gazette.

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He added that more information was needed on the residents’ demands and rights, as well as the terms of the new work contracts.

Though the chairman said there is no hurry to implement changes, others disagree.

With Qatar’s construction boom set to peak in the coming years, human rights advocates say the country needs to move quickly to protect its rapidly growing blue-collar workforce from exploitation at the hands of their employers.

“Time has almost run out for Qatar to deliver a World Cup that is not built on exploitation of workers,” Amnesty International said in a November 2014 report.

Changing jobs

Yesterday’s Advisory Council meeting also provided insights into the substance of the changes to Law No. 4 of 2009 Regarding Regulation of the Expatriates Entry, Departure, Residence and Sponsorship.

While several specific proposals were put forward by the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs in May 2014, officials cautioned at the time that they may be tweaked during consultations with various organizations.

The draft law consists of 50 articles sectioned into 10 chapters, Al Raya reports. Specific provisions include:

• Expats would be allowed to change jobs in Qatar after completing a fixed-term contract or, in the case of open contracts, after five years. The Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs would have to sign off on the changing of jobs;
• For those who leave the country after their work visa has been canceled, the provision of having to wait two years before returning for another job would remain in place. With some exceptions, those who want to come back to Qatar would continue to require the permission of their former employer.
• Those who break the law, including the country’s labor legislation, would be banned for four years; and
• Workers who deliberately create problems for their employer and fail to comply with their contracts – forcing a company to terminate their employment – would be penalized by not being allowed to change jobs for double the period specified in their contract, or 10 years for an open contract.

The draft law also appears to propose reforms to the exit permit system, which currently requires most expats to obtain their sponsor’s permission before leaving the country.

Under the proposed legislation, expats would need to request an exit permit from the “designated authority” at least three days before they are due to leave the country.

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However, foreign workers would have to inform their sponsor of their travel plans further in advance. It’s not clear what powers an expat’s sponsor would have to block a foreigner from leaving the country.

Last year, officials said the “designated authority” would be the Ministry of Interior, through an automated process.

Sponsors would have to argue why the individual should not be allowed to leave the country, such as criminal or financial wrongdoing. Any objections would then be reviewed by a special committee.

The Shura Council’s foreign affairs committee also made several recommendations of its own, Al Sharq reported. These include:

• Prohibiting an expat from changing jobs more than twice;
• Underlining the right of employers to return workers hired under fixed-term contracts to their home countries once a project is completed; and
• Employers must educate new foreign workers about Qatari laws and customs.

Thoughts?

(The post Qatar Council sends proposed kafala changes back for more revisions is from Doha News.)

Gratitude for gas station attendants campaign

In the spirit of the season, a grassroots group of women in Qatar has launched a new gift-bag campaign this Ramadan to say thank you to fuel station attendants.

Under the title “Gratitude for gas station attendants,” the 15 women and their families have been delivering bags with essentials such as toiletries, t-shirts, sunglasses and sunblock to men working the petrol pumps in the midday heat at stations across the country.

Inside the bags are cards conveying thanks to the workers in English and Hindi, saying:

“Dear brother, please accept our humble gift in appreciation for all the hard work you do for us and our country. Best regards from your Qatari family.”

The initiative, which was first reported in Marhaba, was spearheaded by Shefa Ali, a Bahraini-Briton and long-term Qatar resident, who said she was inspired to action after she met a particularly friendly petrol station attendant one evening on her way home from work.

Inspiration

Ali, the head of healthcare marketing at Sidra Medical and Research Center, told Doha News that she had pulled up to a petrol station after a busy day just before Ramadan, and had been feeling frustrated with the heavy traffic.

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Then one of the attendants “greeted me with such a great smile on his face, while he was standing there in the heat and humidity,” she recounted. The experience made her want to give back to the man and his colleagues, she said.

Ali is one of a group of more than a dozen women who got together prior to Ramadan to encourage and inspire one another through the holy month.

In addition to Ali, the group members include Mariam Al Khal, Fatima Al Emadi, Noor Al Naemi, Amal Al Kuwari, Aisha Al Thani, Wadha Al Marri and Fatima Al Ghanim.

“As part of our group, we had decided to do as much for charity during Ramadan as we could. After I met the gas station worker, I thought we needed to say thank you to these men.

Many people here feel the spirit of charity at Ramadan, and give money to a good cause. But we didn’t want to just give money – we wanted to give our time and thought to people,” Ali said.

The women mapped out all the petrol stations in Qatar and, in smaller groups, have bought bags and filled them with daily items including toothpaste, soap and hats.

This month, they have been delivering the bags to the attendants, so far handing out 60 bags over the week. They expect to hand over another 50 or more this week to all the workers there, regardless of their faith.

With a target of covering every fuel station in the country, the women have also enlisted the help of male relatives to visit stations further out of Doha.

“Those we have given the bags to have been surprised, but very grateful to get them. I went back to the attendant who first inspired me to do this, and explained to him how his smile had given me the idea for the initiative. Although he didn’t speak a lot of English, he looked pleased,” Ali said.

Get involved

Ali is also encouraging other residents to take up the initiative, and involve their children and wider families to make their own packages and deliver them.

Those who would like a custom-made card to go with the bag can contact Ali directly at shefa_ali@live.com to arrange for one.

“We just want to honor these hard-working men. We want to say that their work isn’t going unnoticed. We appreciated them standing there every day in the heat and humidity to help us and we don’t take them for granted.

It’s a wonderful privilege to have them work here and we want to thank them,” Ali added.

Among the items which are suggested to be included in the bag are:

• Caps and t-shirts;
• Toothbrush and toothpaste;
• Soap and shampoo;
• Combs;
• Sunglasses and sunscreen;
• Disposable razors; and
• Deodorant

With awareness of the scheme spreading on social media, some residents have highlighted that a bigger boost to the fuel station workers would be for people to follow basic safety rules when having their vehicles filled up, such as switching off their engine and not using their mobile phone.

While there are signs up in petrol stations warning against these practices, a lack of enforcement means that they are still commonplace, which could be potentially dangerous for the attendants.

Charity drives

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Box Appeal

The group’s efforts echo a similar initiative to the annual Box Appeal, a charity drive usually held in September to collect toiletries and other essential items in boxes, which are then distributed to laborers.

While popular with many residents, the scheme has attracted controversy as some describe the handouts as undignified, and argue that employers should be responsible for either providing their staff with these essential hygiene items, or should pay workers enough money to enable them to buy them for themselves.

Ramadan in Qatar is traditionally a time when many residents undertake charitable endeavors to help those less fortunate, although the activities of some take place year-round.

Chantelle D'mello

Fridge initiative

Last summer, a Qatari family began stocking an outdoor fridge near the Chamber of Commerce at Muntazah signal off of C-Ring Road with water, juice, laban and bread for workers to help themselves.

Another volunteer-led campaign #WhatIWillDo aimed to support low income workers by encouraging residents to buy and distribute bottles of cold water to laborers around town.

Organized by the group See My Culture and local community news website JustHere, a video was made and released to promote the campaign to “spread some kindness,” one of its co-founders  Khalid Al Hammadi said at the time.

Thoughts?

(The post Qatar residents encouraged to thank fuel station attendants is from Doha News.)

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More than 800 companies in Qatar have been banned from applying for government contracts or requesting warehouse units as punishment for breaching the state’s labor law, a government official has reportedly said.

In the first six months of the year, 807 firms have been temporarily blacklisted by the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs (MOLSA), which also means that they are not permitted to hire any new staff while the penalty is in place, The Peninsula reports.

The ministry’s director of work relations Mohamed Al Meer reportedly told Al Sharq that the penalties are short-term and can be lifted once companies are seen to have conformed to the law.

No specific reasons as to how the Law No. 14 of 2004 was breached were given, but Al Meer said the violations included human rights-related issues as well as procedural ones, like not having a registered office for the company.

If a similar rate of companies are sanctioned during the remainder of this year, then the total number of blacklisted firms for 2015 would be significantly lower than in previous years.

Past crackdowns

In January 2013 for example, the Ministry of Interior (MOI) announced that it had blacklisted 2,400 companies and a further 1,200 individuals for failing to meet the standards of the state’s labor law during 2012.

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Those firms had failed to provide or renew their employees’ residency permits, employed “runaway” workers, and/or refused to pay to send their workers home after their employment was finished, prompting some expats to stay and work in Qatar without the proper paperwork, the MOI said at the time.

It is not clear if the decrease in sanctions this year are due to more companies adhering to the law, or if enforcement has been stricter than in previous years.

Early last year, the MOI announced it was taking a tougher line on employers who hire undocumented staff.

The punishments include “blacklisting” offenders by not allowing them to recruit new employees for two years, while companies and individuals who allow their sponsored employers to work for others could be blacklisted for one year.

Thoughts?

(The post Qatar authorities ‘blacklist’ 800 companies over labor law violations is from Doha News.)