Qatar Daily News

Qatar’s initiatives in promoting Arab culture and tradition get praise from various Ministers of Arab countries that are here in Doha for participating in the Doha cultural event under the theme ”Arab Culture as a Homeland and Doha as a Capital”.

Dr Riyad Nassan Aha, Minister of Culture, Syria expressed his gratitude for providing a prominent role to his country in the “Doha Capital ofArab Culture 2010″.

Aha said, “I thank Qatar for selecting my country to host the first week’s celebrations. Qatar is known across the world for its initiatives in promoting Arab Culture.”
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Oman’s Ministry of Manpower has launched a three-year initiative to create job opportunities for women in the country.

Several occupations have been identified for which women will be provided vocational training to equip them with the necessary skills. These include occupations like sales, food processing, sales and marketing of automobiles and skills in furniture upholstery in the first phase; and professional designing, decorations, tailoring of ready-made garments and an extensive project related to the agricultural segment in the second phase.

The third phase to be implemented in 2012 will train women for jewellery designing, which, would significantly contribute to the service demands of the Sultanate’s market.
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Juan M Fernando, Spanish Minister for Tourism, arrived here yesterday on a four-day visit during which he will hold official talks with Dr Rajha bint Abdulameer, Minister of Tourism. The talks are expected to cover various areas of co-operation, including the development of infrastructure, investment in major tourism projects, developing promotion, exchanging expertise and organising meetings for businessmen and investors.
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The Omani government is expecting the economy to bounce back strongly in 2010, following slower growth in 2009 as a result of the global financial crisis.

The minister of national economy, Ahmed Macki, was reported on January 2 saying that he anticipated Oman’s GDP to grow by 6.1% in real terms during 2010, with inflation remaining relatively stable at 3.5%. Macki also revealed to the public that Oman’s debt as of the end of 2009 stood at RO722m ($1.88bn), with RO252m ($655m) held domestically. The 2008 debt figures are not available. However, in 2007 national debt stood at RO1.001bn ($2.6bn), indicating that the government is continuing to pay down debt.

Kuwait’s state-run Petrochemical Industries Co (PIC) plans to build an olefins complex at a cost of about $3 billion, the firm’s managing director said in an oil ministry publication.

“PIC plans to build a third olefins complex…The enterprise is still in the initial study phase and we expect to complete it by February 2010,” Managing Director of PIC Maha Mulla Hussain was quoted as saying in the January 2010 issue of the oil ministry’s quarterly bulletin.

After watching Mars at its closest approach to the Earth on Wednesday night, Nizar Salem is eagerly awaiting viewing the phenomenon when the Red Planet and the Sun will be on directly opposite sides of Earth and Mars will be visible all through the night.

Pointing at a small planet in the sky, the amateur astronomer said: “For you, it may look almost orange in colour due to reflection in the atmosphere, but as a regular observer I can confirm it as the Red Planet.”

On Wednesday night, Salem positioned his telescope on the roof of his house in Abu Dhabi towards the planet. It appeared bigger through the lens, an excited Salem said: “It is an unusual view. I used to wait hours in the desert to get a glimpse of this planet this clear.”
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A superb opening round of 67 rocketed Coxmoor star Oliver Wilson to joint top of the Qatar Masters leaderboard today.
Wilson hit birdies at the second, fourth, seventh, 10th, 12th and 13th hole to cancel out a dropped shot at the third for a five under par round.
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Seven groups are now in the fray for a contract award linked to the development of two major Independent Power Projects (IPPs) at Barka and Sohar in the Batinah region. In contention are consortiums led by International Power, ACWA Power, Mapna Group, GDF Suez, Marubeni Corporation, KEPCO/Saudi Oger Ltd, and Lanco Infratech Limited.

Their bids were opened at the Tender Board yesterday, although offer values and technical proposals were not disclosed. An eight bidder, Balkan Energy, did not figure in the shortlist, presumably having failed prequalification criteria set by Oman Power and Water Procurement Company (OPWP), which is overseeing the procurement of the two IPPs in an international competitive tender.
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The International Monetary Fund has revised downwards its economic projections for the United Arab Emirates, forecasting flat growth this year as Dubai’s moribund real estate market and debt restructuring drag on continuing growth in the oil-rich capital of Abu Dhabi.
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Fadhel Ashkanani, the Chairman of the Kuwait Union of Domestic Workers’ Office Owners has said that Indonesia should lift ban over recruiting workers from Kuwait and the country is capable to provide skilled workers for meeting its rising industrial needs.

Ashkanani urged the concerned authorities to expedite the process to resolve all issues related to workforce. He criticized the government for adding a discriminatory clause to the agreement which is against the interests of workers.
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