ARABIALINK Daily News – QATAR – Excerpts from International Media Reports
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Washington Latin Students Make Connection in Qatar  [Jun 8]
“When Martha Cutts, head of Washington Latin Public Charter School, asked her students if anyone was interested in Arabic language and culture classes, she thought five or six kids might raise their hands.   Instead, she heard from 175.  Of those students, 75 eighth- and ninth-graders ended up enrolling in the Arabic program, which is offered at the school through the Qatar Foundation International, an organization aimed at opening connections between the United States and Qatar and helping U.S. and Qatari students learn about each other. Over spring break, 16 Washington Latin students went to Qatar, a small country on the Persian Gulf near Saudi Arabia, to meet kids their age and see the country, along with students from a school in Boston.  It was an eye-opening experience for the U.S. and Qatari students, since most of them knew only what they’d seen on the news or in movies..”  [Complete Report]

ARABIALINK Daily News – QATAR – Excerpts from International Media Reports
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Help Educate Children in Gaza, Qatar Emir’s Wife Tells International Agencies  [Jun 7]
“Shaikha Mouza Bint Nasser Al Misnad, wife of Qatar’s emir and Unesco Special Envoy, called upon international agencies to help Palestinian children and youth in Gaza with their education.  “The right to an education is a human right. Today, schoolchildren and university students in Gaza and the West Bank are not able to fully exercise their right to an education,” Shaikha Mouza said. “As Special Envoy to Unesco for Basic and Higher Education, I call on all international agencies to focus their attention on lifting the blockade of Gaza to ensure the rights of Palestinian children and youth,” she said in a statement carried by Qatar News Agency (QNA).  Shaikha Mouza, an active international figure, said the lethal incident in which Israeli forces killed activists on a humanitarian mission in support of Palestinians should be used to lift the blockade of the Gaza Strip..”  [Complete Report]

ARABIALINK Daily News – QATAR – Excerpts from International Media Reports
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Qatar Minister Joins Protest Rally Against Israel [Jun 6]
“Qatar’s minister of culture, arts and heritage was among hundreds of citizens and residents who staged a rally to protest against Israel for its deadly raid on Gaza-bound ships carrying humanitarian aid.  Hamad Bin Abdul Aziz Al Kuwari, in an emotional speech, praised the activists on the ships, saying that the largest international organisations had not been able to do what they did.   ”Efforts to break the Israeli siege must continue,” the minister said, quoted by Qatari daily The Peninsula.  Speakers at the rally said that the murder of nine aid workers in the Israeli raid had taken place in international waters..”  [Complete Report]

Qatar Court to Hear Cases of 97 Detained Bahraini Fishermen  [Jun 6]
“A Qatari court on Monday will decide the fate of 97 Bahrain-based fishermen in Doha’s custody for allegedly entering the country’s waters illegally.  According to Bahraini human rights activists, 31 Bahrainis and 66 Asians will be tried by a court in Rayyan, in the western part of Doha, amid hopes that the Qatari authorities would allow them to go home after paying fines.  One of the detainees, Adel Al Taweel, has been held for one month now after he was shot for failing to heed warning shots by Qatar’s coastguards to leave Qatari waters.  The 37-year-old Bahraini was treated at a local hospital, but the authorities did not release him despite the arrival of a medical team and a human rights delegation from Bahrain to repatriate him.  Ahmad Khalil, the father of three fishermen held in Qatar, said that he was looking forward to being reunited with them..”  [Complete Report]

Qatar to Bear the Cost of Taking Israel to ICJ  [Jun 6]
“Putting its weight behind the decision of fellow Arab states to take Israel to the ICJ for its botched aid fleet raid that killed nine activists, Qatar has said it would meet all the expenses to be incurred on the legal proceedings.  Qatar has also said it would fund a worldwide media campaign to expose Israel, its blockade of the Gaza Strip and the aggression it has been perpetrating in the territory, a report in ‘The Peninsula Daily’ said.  According to the report, Secretary-General of the Arab League Amr Moussa said that Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem bin Jabor Al Thani, has assured the League of the country’s moral and financial support on the above issues.  At Qatar’s behest the foreign ministers of Arab League member countries met in Cairo on Wednesday and Thursday to discuss the Israeli raid and its Gaza blockade.  “We heartily appreciate Qatar’s commitment to meeting the expenses of taking Israel to court for the crime (the flotilla attack) and launching a global media campaign to expose the Israeli blockade of and aggression in Gaza,” Moussa was quoted as saying by the paper..”  [Complete Report]

ARABIALINK Daily News – QATAR – Excerpts from International Media Reports
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Qatar Agrees to Supply LNG  [Jun 5]
“Qatar has agreed to supply 500 million cubic feet (MMCF) of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Bangladesh.  This assurance came from the Gulf country during a meeting with a Bangladesh delegation led by Energy Secretary Mohammad Masbahuddin that returned home yesterday after a four-day visit to Qatar.  “We had a successful discussion with top officials of the Qatar’s state-owned petroleum agency. They showed a positive indication to supply about 500mmcf liquefied gas to meet our deficit,” said a member of the delegation.  Bangladesh has been experiencing nagging gas crisis that hit hard the country’s industry and other business and also power generation. The present production is now estimated at 1,900mmcf against the demand of more than 2,400mmcf. To meet the daily deficit of 500mmcf, the government moved to import LNG on suitable terms of price and transportation..”  [Complete Report]

PM Meets Prime Minister of Qatar  [Jun 5]
“Prime Minister David Cameron has met his Qatari counterpart today.  Mr Cameron and Prime Minister Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabr al Thani held talks on a range of topics including Gaza and Sudan.  A Downing Street Spokesman said:  “The Prime Minister met His Excellency Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabr al Thani, the Prime Minister of Qatar for over one hour at Chequers this morning.  “They discussed the strong bilateral relationship between the United Kingdom and Qatar and look forward to strengthening those ties. They discussed the regional situations in Gaza and Iran. They also spoke about the latest situation in Sudan and Eritrea, where the Prime Minister welcomed Qatar’s continued leadership.”..”  [Complete Report]

ARABIALINK Daily News – QATAR – Excerpts from International Media Reports
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Saudi Businessman Offers 1,000 One-Riyal coins to Doha Museum [Jun 4]
“A Saudi businessman has offered a collection of 1,000 silver Saudi one-riyal coins to the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha.  The businessman, Bassam Omar Salama, said that the collection was part of 3 million Saudi one-riyal coins minted in the United States in 1944 at the request of King Abdul Aziz Bin Abdul Rahman Al Saud.  In a letter he sent to the museum on the occasion, Salama said he had received 3,000 silver Saudi one-riyal coins and was gifting 1,000 of them to the Museum of Islamic Art in recognition of its role in preserving rare Islamic collections, Qatar News Agency reported.  Bassam said that he recovered the money from a cargo with three million silver Saudi one-riyal coins shipped to the port of Ras Tannoura, in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Region, during World War II.  However, the ship, SS John Barry, never made it to the port after it was torpedoed by a German U-boat in the Arabian Sea more than 185km off Oman in August 1944 and sank in waters so deep that no one thought she could ever be salvaged.  “The treasure remained underwater until 1994 when a team of my friends financed an operation to recover the treasure with the aid of the US government..”  [Complete Report]

Qatar 2022 Gathers Momentum  [Jun 4]
“The leader of Qatar’s 2022 World Cup bid tells World Football Insider the Gulf state’s campaign has gathered momentum.  Qatar was ranked second behind England in WFI’s World Cup Bid Power Index published last week, with Russia in third spot and USA fourth. Australia dropped out of the top four from the No.2 position they occupied in the February edition.  Commenting on the bid power index, Qatar bid CEO Hassan Al Thawadi told INSIDER: “We are involved in a race with strong competition, so this kind of positive recognition for our bid and hosting concept demonstrates how far we have come over the past year.  “We are delighted that the Qatar offer is being welcomed, understood and supported. Players and fans will benefit from our compact hosting concept, enabling them to stay in the same base throughout the entire competition.”..”  [Complete Report]

Wealthy Qatar Tries to Build Niche as Conflict Mediator [Jun 4]
“Sudanese rebel leaders, far from the war in Darfur, whiled away their free time in recent months smoking fruit-flavoured waterpipes and dining at all-you-can-eat buffets in Doha luxury hotels as peace talks wore on.  Their stay is on gas-rich Qatar’s tab, part of government efforts to boost the tiny Gulf Arab state’s credentials as the mediator-of-choice in regional and international conflicts.  “Qatar is a good place for negotiation, because the climate here is good for it. They are not seeking to benefit from the negotiation, unlike Chad and other neighbouring countries,” said Hassan al Sadig, a negotiator from Darfur’s main rebel group who was staying at the Doha Movenpick.  Qatar, sitting in the shadow of top oil exporter and political rival Saudi Arabia, has endeavoured to cut a unique profile as a diplomatic arbiter and peace broker in recent years, interceding in conflicts from Lebanon to Yemen and, most recently, Darfur..”  [Complete Report]

Royal Dutch Shell Imports 2nd LNG cargo at $5.2/mmBtu  [Jun 4]
“Royal Dutch Shell has imported its second spot shipment of liquefied natural gas (LNG) this fiscal, industry sources said.  Shell yesterday received a LNG cargo from Qatar at its Hazira import facility in Gujarat, they said.  QatarGas, a natural gas company of Qatar, sold the shipment to Petronet at about $5.20 per million British thermal units. This price is before levy of 5 per cent customs duty, regasification charges, local taxes and margins.  Shell India’s spokesperson could not be contacted immediately for comments.  The company had imported a cargo at $4.93 per mmBtu in early April.  Petronet LNG, the company that operates nation’s only other operational LNG import facility at Dahej, in Gujarat, has not imported any shipment from the spot market since December.  The flooding of gas from Reliance Industries’ eastern offshore KG-D6 field, coupled with no spare capacity in GAIL India’s pipeline network that transports gas to users in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh, had cramped out spot LNG purchases..”  [Complete Report]

Firm Appeals Against The Qatari Investment At Astakos  [Jun 4]
“Engal energy appealed to Greece’s energy watchdog against the decision to grant Qatar a licence to create a 1010MW power unit.  Qatar had said it would incest some invest 3 bil. euro to create a LNG terminal and an unit that will produce electric power in the Astakos Naval Industrial Zone (NAVIPE) in the western part of Greece.  Qataris were granted a licence in 15 days, a record time.  Engal said it had also submitted a request to create a biomass unit in the area.  The firm notes that RAE, the energy watchdog, should have evaluated the two applications in a comparable way..”  [Complete Report]

ARABIALINK Daily News – QATAR – Excerpts from International Media Reports
[Links to full articles were active on the date posted here] 

Qatar Idles LNG Ships as Year-End Gas 18% More  [Jun 3]
“Qatar, the world’s biggest producer of liquefied natural gas, is idling at least eight tankers in the Gulf of Oman as prices for year-end delivery exceed those for next month by 18 percent.  The Qatar Liquefied Gas Co. vessels have a combined capacity of 1.8 million cubic meters (63.6 million cubic feet), enough to supply the U.K. for more than a month. The ships are off the United Arab Emirates, and their depth in the water signals they have full or partial cargoes, ship-tracking data from AIS Live Ltd. compiled by Bloomberg show.  Natural gas for July delivery was up 3.3 percent at $4.572 a million British thermal units at 11:38 a.m. on the New York Mercantile Exchange. December futures were at $5.39, meaning producers can earn more by selling later in the year, when cold weather spurs demand for heating fuel..”  [Complete Report]

Vodafone Wants Virgin Out of Qatar  [Jun 3]
“Vodafone Qatar is demanding that the country’s telecom regulator force Virgin Mobile out of the market or cough up damages for allegedly changing conditions of its licence.  Late last month, Vodafone Qatar said it was considering legal action against ictQATAR for allowing Virgin into the market as a third provider, calling it a breach of Vodafone Qatar’s licence agreement.   Vodafone became Qatar’s second mobile operator after obtaining their licence in 2007, breaking Qtel’s monopoly in Qatar.  Virgin however signed a partnership deal with Qtel earlier this year that allows Qtel to offer a prepaid mobile service under the Virgin brand.  In response to Vodafone’s claims, ictQATAR said it was ready to investigate and take action against any company that was offering public telecom services without a licence..”  [Complete Report]

ARABIALINK Daily News – QATAR – Excerpts from International Media Reports
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Qatar Calls for Probe  [Jun 2]
“Qatar has urged the UN Human Rights Council to issue a resolution condemning Israel’s attack on the Gaza-bound Freedom aid flotilla and calling for an investigation into the incident.  It called for the immediate release of all the detainees and injured activists and for their repatriation with the help of the UN and the International Red Cross. In a speech delivered by Abdullah Falah al-Dosari , Qatar’s permanent delegate at the UN Geneva headquarters, Qatar also urged Israel to allow the entry of all medical, food and construction supplies on the flotilla to the Gaza Strip and for lifting the siege on the area..”  [Complete Report]

Minor Reshuffle in Qatar Cabinet [Jun 2]
“Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani reshuffled his cabinet on Tuesday, replacing one minister and appointing another in a ministerial post that was vacant since the death of its last holder.  Official QNA news agency reported that the emir appointed Sheikh Jassim bin Abdulaziz Al Thani as Minister of Business and Commerce.  The post has remained vacant since last minister Sheikh Fahd bin Jassim Al Thani was killed in a car accident on April 30, 2009, with International Cooperation Minister Khalid bin Mohamed al- Attiyah running the portfolio since then.  The emir also appointed Dr. Ghaith bin Mubarak al-Kuwari as Minister of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs who will replace Sheikh Ahmed bin Abdullah al-Marri..”  [Complete Report]

Injaz Al-Arab Board Convenes in Qatar [Jun 2]
“Injaz Al-Arab, a non profit organization that prepares and inspires the Arab youth to succeed in a global economy, met in Qatar this week to host its bi-annual meeting for board members, where they learnt more about the operation in the country and highlighted regional achievements.  Operating in 13 countries across the Middle East and North Africa region, Injaz al-Arab – an affiliate of Junior Achievement World Wide – is a confederation of national operations collaborating with corporate volunteers and Ministries of Education to provide experiential education and training to Arab youth in work readiness, financial literacy and entrepreneurship..”  [Complete Report]

ARABIALINK Daily News – QATAR – Excerpts from International Media Reports
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Cagamas, Malaysia Airports, Qatar Islamic: Islamic Bond Alert [May 31]
“The following borrowers are expected to sell Islamic bonds, which use asset returns to pay investors to comply with the religion’s ban on interest.  Global sales of so-called sukuk increased to $20.2 billion last year from $14.1 billion in 2008, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. They climbed 10 percent to $6.1 billion so far this year.  CAGAMAS BHD.: The Malaysian national mortgage company plans to sell as much as 10 billion ringgit ($3.1 billion) of a new type of Islamic bond that would be acceptable to investors in the Middle East, said Chief Executive Officer Steven Choy. Cagamas is developing the new sukuk with Saudi’s Al-Rajhi Bank, which will subscribe to some of the notes to be issued this month, he said..”  [Complete Report]

Qatar Had Talks With Partner Over Stake in Citigroup  [May 31]
“Qatar considered acquiring a stake in Citigroup Inc. and held talks with a partner over buying shares in the U.S. company, the country’s finance minister said.  “It was only just exploring our interest, not more than that,” Finance and Economy Minister Youssef Kamal said at the World Economic Forum Global Redesign Summit in the Qatari capital, Doha, today. He declined to say whether Qatar was still interested in the stake and didn’t name the partner involved in the negotiations.  Qatar, holder of the world’s third-largest natural-gas reserves, seeks to diversify its economy from oil and gas by international investments in other areas.  The Qatar Investment Authority, the country’s sovereign wealth fund, owns stakes in financial institutions including Credit Suisse Group AG and Barclays Plc. The fund bought Harrods Ltd. department store in London this month and a stake in Volkswagen AG last year..”  [Complete Report]

Qatari Watchdog Tells Vodafone to File Complaint [My 31]
“Qatar’s telecom watchdog yesterday told Vodafone Qatar to file a complaint with it if the company had concerns about the entry of Virgin into the market.  The regulator was responding to a threat of legal action from Vodafone Qatar, which believes Virgin’s entrance into the gulf state is a violation of the conditions of its licence – bought at a cost of 7.7bn riyals (£1.5bn). Virgin has signed a partnership with Qatar Telecommunications to launch Virgin Mobile Qatar in a brand licensing deal..”  [Complete Report]

ARABIALINK Daily News – QATAR – Excerpts from International Media Reports
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Al Jazeera Anchorwomen Quit in Clothing Spat [May 30]
“Five female news presenters at the pan-Arab Al Jazeera satellite television channel have resigned over conflicts with management over dress code and other issues, a journalist there said on Sunday.  “This collective resignation is not motivated just by the growing pressure on the presenters concerning their dress code, which was evoked by the media,” said the journalist, who asked not to be identified.  “The conflicts run much deeper,” the journalist added. The news presenters who have reportedly quit are Jumana Namur, Lina Zahr Al Deen, Lona Al Shibel, Julnar Mousa and Nofar Afli.  The Al Hayat newspaper reported on Sunday that they had resigned in the past few days after petitioning management in January over repeated criticism from a top company official for allegedly not being conservative enough in their dress.  Management of the Doha-based channel told AFP it would issue a response later..”  [Complete Report]

Qatar Shares Advance on Optimism Drop Overdone  [May 30]
“Qatar stocks rose, leading Gulf Arab markets higher, on speculation this month’s decline may have been overdone as economic growth picks up and global markets rallied as concerns over Europe’s debt crisis eased.  Industries Qatar, the second-biggest petrochemicals maker in the Middle East, surged the most in more than two months. In Abu Dhabi, Emirates Telecommunications Corp., the phone company known as Etisalat, gained after its long-term corporate credit rating was raised by Standard & Poor’s. Qatar’s QE Index gained 2.1 percent, the most May 10, to 6,825.89, trimming the decline for the month to 9.6 percent. The Bloomberg GCC 200 Index, which tracks 200 equities in the region, lost 0.3 percent. Egypt’s EGX 30 Index surged 2.8 percent to 6,517.43.  “We continue to focus on international markets and oil, which were generally higher over the Thursday to Friday period,” said Ali Khan, head of cash-equity trading at Dubai- based Arqaam Capital Ltd. “Qatar was the worst performing market in the region month-to-date.”..”  [Complete Report]

ARABIALINK Daily News – QATAR – Excerpts from International Media Reports
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Al Zayanis Nomination Expected to Ease Bahrain-Qatar Tension [May 28]
“Bahrain has named Abdul Lateef Bin Rashid Al Zayani as the next secretary-general of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). The nomination announced late on Thursday is expected to put an end to a long and mostly silent dispute between Bahrain and Qatar, which had threatened to mar their relations and undermine the six-member GCC alliance. “The decision to nominate Al Zayani came in response to a letter His Majesty King Hamad Bin Eisa Al Khalifa received from King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques,” Bahrain News Agency (BNA) said. “The letter was handed over by Prince Mutib Bin Abdullah Al Saud, deputy commander for executive affairs of the Saudi National Guard. Bahrain highly values King Abdullah’s mediation and efforts to further enhance relations and strengthen mutual co-operation among GCC countries,” the news agency said. Al Zayani, a major-general who heads Bahrain’s public security, is scheduled to succeed incumbent secretary-general Abdul Rahman Al Atiyyah on April 1, 2011. His nomination will be officially confirmed at the next GCC summit in Abu Dhabi, the capital where the alliance was formed in 1981..”  [Complete Report]

Qatar Airlines Challenges SAS routes [May 28]
“Business travellers to Asia can look forward to 5-star treatment if they fly with Qatar Airways, which has just opened a direct route from Copenhagen’s Kastrup Airport to Doha. Qatar spokesman Paul Johannes said the airline was banking on pulling in customers due to the many Scandinavian-owned businesses located in Asia. The airline is hoping its luxury offerings of a separate business class terminal at its new airport in Doha with a spa and massage room, gourmet restaurants and top-notch play and care areas for children will lure non-economy class flyers to choose it over Scandinavian Airlines. Although the new luxury airport will not open until next year, Qatar Airways is making use of the city’s current airport with four weekly flights from Copenhagen..”  [Complete Report]

China, Kingpin in Africa, Turns to Mideast [May 28]
“China is negotiating with the Persian Gulf state of Qatar to sell an additional 10 million tons of liquefied natural gas a year, on top of the 5 million it already buys. This is part of Beijing’s drive to establish strategic energy links with Middle Eastern states as it has done in mineral-rich Africa over the last few years, challenging U.S. dominance of the oil-rich strategic region since World War II. Slowly, China is expanding its political and economic footprint across the region, with deals in Saudi Arabia, which now exports more oil to Asia than it does to the United States, and, among other projects, railroad contracts worth $2 billion in energy-rich Algeria. “China is … forging strong ties with regional powers and gradually challenging U.S.-Israeli dominance,” says Iranian analyst Richard Javad Heydarian..”  [Complete Report]

ARABIALINK Daily News – QATAR – Excerpts from International Media Reports
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Prisoner Release Eases Relations  [May 27]
“Observers hope that the Qatari decision to release Saudi prisoners will herald a new chapter in their ties.  Hours after they were released from a Qatari prison where they had been confined for more than 14 years, the former Saudi prisoners sat with King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz in his palace in the Red Sea city of Jeddah.  The ex-detainees, from the Ghufran clan of Al Murrah tribe, wanted to express their deep gratitude to King Abdullah for securing their release, Saudi News Agency said.  “They were received by King Abdullah on the same day when they were allowed to go home following a request for their release from the King to his brother the Emir of Qatar,” the agency said.  In their address to King Abdullah, the ex-detainees paid rich tribute to his “generous and benevolent act that put back smiles on the faces of dozens of Saudi families after 14 years of sadness over the imprisonment of their relatives for more than 14 years.”  Earlier, Saudi Arabia’s king thanked Qatar’s Emir Shaikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani for responding positively to his request to release Saudi citizens who had been held by Doha since 1996 for their alleged role in a failed coup..”  [Complete Report]

Vodafone Takes On Legal Fight Over Virgin in Qatar  [May 27]
“The world’s biggest mobile telecoms company by revenue, Vodafone, has taken ‘legal action’ against Qatar’s telecommunications regulators because of a licence granted to Virgin Mobile Qatar.  Vodafone own 23% of the shares of its Qatar company, with another 23% of shares owned by the Qatar Foundation.  The remaining 54% are publicly traded shares.  The company are arguing that regulators have given Virgin Mobile (who are owned in entirety by Qatar Telecom) the right to commence mobile services this month without issuing the proper licence to do so and this has had a detrimental affect on their shareholders, the bulk of which are ‘individual Qataris’ who total some 82,000 people.   The operator states that its original contract, agreed with the Supreme Council of Information and Communication Technology, had terms which did not allow for another ‘mobile service provider’ to enter the market until a ‘proposed sector review’ had taken place..”  [Complete Report]

Saudi Arabia to Mediate in Bahrain-Qatar Row  [May 27]
“Saudi Arabia has offered to mediate in a row between fellow Gulf states Qatar and Bahrain which has led to arrests of Bahrain-based fishermen by Qatar, a Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) official said on Thursday.  Analysts say tension has been high since Bahrain nominated Mohammad al-Mutawa, a former Bahraini information minister said to be disliked by Doha, as the next secretary general of the GCC, a six-member regional bloc.  Saudi King Abdullah has offered to mediate in the nomination dispute, an official at the GCC Secretariat told Reuters, declining to be named. “This is important because it paves the way for Saudi mediation in the issue of the Bahraini sailors held by the Qataris,” he said.  The two countries have long had strained ties despite settling a territorial dispute in 2001. Tensions escalated after Bahrain said Qatar’s coast guard shot and wounded on May 8 a Bahraini fisherman who had entered Qatari waters..”  [Complete Report]

ARABIALINK Daily News – QATAR – Excerpts from International Media Reports
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Doha to Host Turkish Film Festival [May 25]
“A Turkish film festival will be held next week in Qatar in a new indication of the growing interest of the Arab world in drama from its non-Arabic speaking Muslim neighbour.  The films to be screened at the First Doha Turkish Film Festival on June 6-9 will feature actors and actresses popular in the Arab world, organisers said.  Film directors, programmers and producers will also attend the festival and the public will have the opportunity to meet them.  The festival, held with the support of the Turkish government, includes 15 films that include My Father and My Son, The White Angel, Waiting for Heaven, Three Monkeys and Vision Tele.  Panel discussions by experts and commentators will be held on the sideline, Qatari daily Gulf Times reported on Monday.  Turkish drama has since 2008 become popular in the Arab world, due mainly to the use of colloquial Arabic instead of the classical Arabic voice-overs used for Spanish-language soap operas. The names of all the characters were also changed into Arabic..” [Complete Report]

Allawi in Qatar to Discuss Iraq Situation [May 25]
“Head of Al Iraqiya List Iyad Allawi affirmed that Iraq is going through a critical stage noting that his visit to Qatar is aimed to put Arab leaders in the loop of the situation in Iraq.  Efforts to form the new government are ongoing, Allawi said expecting final results after 10 days. That’s when talks will turn into negotiations over the new government, he added.  Turkish Sabah Newspaper revealed meanwhile that Allawi has visited Turkey for the second time in less than a month as he visited Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Foreign Minister Ahmad Davudoglu.  Following his visit to Turkey, Allawi said he will meet Prime Minister Nuri Al Maliki and ask him to keep Iran out of interference in Iraq.  Iranian interference does not serve the application aimed to form the government, he added..”  [Complete Report]

Bahrain Wants Qatar to Free 107 Fishermen  [May 25]
“Bahrain on Sunday called for the repatriation of 107 Bahraini professional and amateur fishermen held by Qatar. “The ministers of interior and municipalities and agriculture have been tasked by the government to monitor the conditions of the Bahraini fishermen held in Qatar and to coordinate with their counterparts in Doha to ensure their safe return home,” a government spokesman said following the weekly session.  A Bahraini delegation should be formed and sent to Qatar to work with the competent authorities on the issue, the government said.  Both ministries should also ensure that similar incidents should not be repeated.  Ten days ago, Adel Al Taweel, a Bahraini fisherman was shot by Qatari coastguards for allegedly entering Qatari waters illegally. The wounded sailor was subsequently taken to hospital amid promises that he would be allowed to go home in a few days.  However, the authorities later said that they would put him on trial for illegally entering the country..”

http://www.zawya.com/story.cfm/sidGN_24052010_250514

Leading Qatari Firms Featured at New York Mena Conference  [May 25]
“Vodafone Qatar, QNB and Qatar Telecom featured at the third Mena (Middle East and North Africa) investment conference that began yesterday in New York.  “Across the Mena region, around $800bn of investments are currently planned in energy, water, healthcare, transportation, housing, banking and education,” said Beltone Financial, the organiser of the Mena conference. Altogether, these diverse investments would raise the quality of the region’s infrastructure to new levels and offer significant opportunities for the private sector. The Mena region’s power generation capacity will have to double, requiring an investment of around $140bn, it said, adding planned spending on water in the region totalled $46bn..”  [Complete Report]

ARABIALINK Daily News – QATAR – Excerpts from International Media Reports
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Settlement Found Under Qatar Sand by Lampeter Academic  [May 24]
“A Welsh academic has revealed how he discovered a Middle East settlement buried under sand for about 125 years. Dr Andrew Petersen first became aware of a possible settlement after finding masonry and pottery at Ras Al-Sharig in Qatar.  He thought something might be there after reading sources naming a town called Rubayqa.  “But we certainly weren’t prepared for the scale of the find,” said the expert from the University of Wales, Lampeter.  The haul includes the remains of a fort, a mosque, several industrial and domestic buildings, and 100 kilos of pottery and artefacts..”  [Complete Report]

Qatar May Export Just 6 Million mt/year of LNG to US: Attiyah  [May 24]
“Qatar may end up exporting just 6 million mt/year of LNG to the US after diverting as much as 20 million mt/year to other countries, Qatari oil minister Abdullah al-Attiyah said in an interview published Monday, without giving a firm timeline on when those figures would be reached.     Attiyah said that Qatar “may divert 12-20 million mt/year” away from the  US market. “This means our gas exports to the US would remain in the range of 6 million mt/year,” he said in the interview, published by the Middle East Economic Survey.  To date, Qatari LNG exports to the US have been well below those levels, reaching just 60,000 mt in 2008 and 260,000 mt in 2009. But last year the country commissioned several new LNG production trains, with more to follow this year, and much of that output had been sold under contracts to US buyers..”  [Complete Report]

Qatar Signs $576m Infrastructure Contracts  [May 24]
“Qatar’s Public Works Authority (Ashghal) has signed contracts worth QR2.1bn ($576m) as the Gulf state continues to invest in its infrastructure.  The deals were inked with various companies for a total of five projects including the Doha and Rayyan Sewerage lines phase 1 (Mesaimeer), phase 2 (Ain Khalid), Doha South Sewerage Treatment Works expansion phase 2, Al-Ruwais Port expansion works and renovation of Qatar Radio and Television Corporation Complex. The biggest project to be awarded was the QR781.7m expansion work on the Al Ruwais Port on the northern tip of the peninsula, Gulf Times reported on Monday..”  [Complete Report]

Tourist Arrivals in Qatar Set to Touch 1.8mn by 2014  [May 24]
“Tourist arrivals in Qatar is expected to reach 1.8mn by 2014 with business visits projected to grow at an average 11.9% over 2009-14, according to Euromonitor.  While the global economic crisis saw international tourist nights decline from 1.2mn to 0.95mn from 2007 to 2009; the total number of tourist arrivals to Qatar increased from 0.96mn to 1.1mn over the same period, it said.  “Particularly promising is the growing number of tourists coming from outside the Middle East. Qatar has become a more popular destination for Europeans, who accounted for 16.3% of arrivals in 2004 but represented 33.1% of visitors by 2009,” it said.  Euromonitor also said many large Qatari companies and financing vehicles were looking to invest in the tourism sector, which however, is not a major contributor to the economy as Qatar’s tourist receipts of $0.7bn in 2009 trailed Bahrain and the UAE ($1.1bn and $7.2bn respectively).  However, tourism expenditure is growing and Qatar has attracted tourists in the meeting, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) market, hosting more than 80 events in 2009..”  [Complete Report]

ARABIALINK Daily News – QATAR – Excerpts from International Media Reports
[Links to full articles were active on the date posted here]

Qatar Charity Completes Construction of Kosovo’s Second Largest Mosque [May 23]
“Qatar Charity has completed the construction of Kosovo’s second largest mosque at a cost of QR 1.4 million ($385,000).  “The mosque consists of three floors and includes special classes for teaching the Holy Quran and Arabic language,” Mahmoud Abbas, Qatar Charity’s representative in Kosovo said.  “The mosque, built on an area of 800 square meters, can accommodate 9,000 worshippers,” he said.  Charity work also focused on orphan sponsorship, income-generating projects and seasonal projects in partnership with the Kosovo’s Social Association Maqboula (Acceptable), Mahmoud said.  A comprehensive sponsorship of 900 orphans includes covering their health, education, sports and recreational activities.  Under a plan to empower economically the orphans, the charity, in cooperation with Maqboula, assisted 50 families with income-generating projects such as milky cows, groceries and car workshops..”  [Complete Report]

Qatar Stocks Tumble to 2-Month Low on $70 Oil  [May 23]
“Qatari shares tumbled to the lowest level in two months, leading a decline in Gulf Arab markets, as oil prices closed near a low for the year and European stocks fell last week on concern economic growth may slow.  Industries Qatar, the second-biggest petrochemicals maker in the Middle East, dropped to the lowest since August and National Bank of Kuwait also declined. Gulf Finance House EC, a Bahrain-based investment bank, retreated to the lowest in at least six years. Qatar’s gauge lost 1.5 percent to 6,974.96, the lowest since March 15. The Bloomberg GCC 200 Index, which tracks 200 equities in the region, fell 1 percent at 14:48 in Dubai. Kuwait’s Combined Group Contracting Co. advanced.  Crude oil has tumbled 19 percent this month and closed at $70.04 a barrel on May 21..”  [Complete Report]

Qatar’s New Aluminium Smelter Eyes Peak Output on Back of Stable Prices  [May 23]
” With global aluminium prices expected to hold at the $2,000 (Dh7,346) a tonne-plus level through the year, Qatar’s newly commissioned giant smelter is aiming to make a perfect pitch.  It was last month that the $5.7 billion Qatalum plant was formally commissioned with an annual installed capacity of 585,000 metric tonnes of premium quality aluminium ingots.  Since then, shipments have already been made to clients in Europe, Southern Asia and the Far East, as well as to Saudi Arabia.  In fact, Qatalum which expects to touch peak production before the year is out sees a significant buildup in its prospects among a regional clientele over the medium term.  “Certainly, the growth of regional markets especially in the construction industry is fuelling and increasing the appetite for aluminium,” said Jan-Arve Haughan, Qatalum chief executive officer..”  [Complete Report]