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Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Qatar has been pulling all the stops to ensure the safety of its citizens and residents. Under its efforts to curb the spread of the disease, the country has been successfully running its National COVID-19 Vaccination Campaign since December 2020. To boost its capacity to administer COVID-19 vaccines to even more people, the country’s Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) recently established a temporary COVID-19 Vaccination Center at Qatar National Convention Center (QNCC). Yesterday, the Ministry also launched a new COVID-19 drive-through vaccination center. His Excellency the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Khalid bin Abdulaziz Al Thani inspected the new fasility in Lusail yesterday. During his visit, he was informed about the operations of the center and the way the drive-through works. The center, which is operated by Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) jointly with Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC), will provide vaccination with the second dose of vaccine to people who meet the eligibility criteria. The center comes under the facilities provided by MoPH to facilitate the vaccination process under the National COVID-19 Vaccination Program. Minister of Public Health Dr Hanan Mohamed Al Kuwari had commented earlier, “Qatar is well on its way in the rollout of its vaccination program and as per our strategy, we are now making drive-through vaccination an option for our population. Our first drive-through PCR testing centers have been very popular and continue to be successful with high visiting volumes. The opening of the Lusail COVID-19 Drive-Through Vaccination Center will further strengthen our ability to protect Qatar’s population from the threat of the virus." operations of the center and the way the drive-through works.

The Consular Affairs Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs called on all Qatari citizens traveling to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to abide by the customs declaration procedures announced on the Saudi Customs website for all travelers coming to and departing from the Kingdom, whether citizens, residents or visitors, in addition to being prepared to pay customs duties and value-added tax that may be imposed on the valuable items in their possession, in order to avoid legal accountability against them. Saudi Customs website link: https://www.customs.gov.sa/ar/declare

Qatar Foundation is being transformed into a night-time playground for two Inuit-inspired characters with a serious message to send about the importance of protecting our planet - The Anooki. The Anooki’s artistic light event in Education City comprises an 8-minute video mapping light show illuminating Penrose House (LAS Building). In addition, six-meter-high inflatable Anooki characters will be installed around various Education City buildings. The Anooki will be in place from February 16-21 with pre-registered tours available to the public via the Education City App, and a series of precautionary measures being taken to ensure those who book can experience the installation while adhering to Qatar’s COVID-19 health guidelines. The characters were brought to life by French designers David Passegand and Moetu Batlle, who initially based them on themselves and see The Anooki’s visit to Education City as a perfect fit, with sustainability – and engaging and empowering people to make it part of their lives – being at the core of QF’s mission. Explaining the journey of the two characters, Passegand said: “Their house was melted by global warming, so now they run around the world and discover different cities. “Everywhere they go, because they are joyful and full of hope, they play. Every new place is like a new playground – it’s a game, but a game inspired by the issue of global warming. It’s a fun and accessible way of telling the story about global warming and climate change issues. “We want people to have fun, but to understand that our planet is fragile. The way we built the Anooki, and the inflatables – because of the materials we used – are also fragile, and this represents the fragility of our world.” Hisham Nourin, Executive Director of Strategy, Administration and Projects, QF Community Development, said: “Throughout Qatar Foundation, we aim to encourage people to make sustainability part of their lives, by heightening understanding of what it means for our societies and our future, and recognition of how everyone can contribute to a more sustainable world. Guided tours will take place every 20 minutes between 6pm-11pm on each day of The Anooki’s stay at QF, with each timeslot being open to no more than 60 people, a maximum of 15 people allowed on each guided tour, and social distancing measures in place. All attendees must wear a face mask at all times and display a green status on their Ehteraz app, and will have their temperature taken before joining a tour. To attend, members of the community must pre-register through the newly-launched Education City App, which is available to download for free from Google Play and the Apple Store.

In light of announcements restricting public gatherings, QNTC announces new date for the 18th edition of the exhibition set to showcase over 450 leading international brands Qatar National Tourism Council announced a new date for the 18th edition of its leading business event Doha Jewellery and Watches Exhibition (DJWE) which will now be held from 24-29 May. This decision follows the recent announcement by the State Cabinet to reimpose restrictions in the interest of maintaining the health and safety of all residents. His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, Secretary General of QNTC and GCEO of Qatar Airways, remarked: “To ensure the safety and wellbeing of our guests and people, we have decided to postpone DJWE for three months following the announcement of new measures from the State Committee. Having grown and evolved over the year to become a global leader in the luxury goods industry and the highlight of the events calendar in Qatar, the Doha Jewellery & Watches Exhibition is a must attend event for anyone with an appreciation for the finest craftsmanship and offers visitors the opportunity to enjoy a journey of elegance, heritage and luxury. Combined with more offerings during the summer months, an exciting line up of events and presence of international celebrities, the highlight of QNTC’s calendar of events DJWE will return to dazzle its audiences in May.” DJWE is QNTC’s flagship exhibition attended by top luxury watches and jewellery brands as well as jewellery connoisseurs from Qatar and all over the world. The 2020 edition of the Doha Jewellery & Watches Exhibition features almost 130 exhibitors from 14 countries and was enjoyed by more than 32,000 visitors from 175 countries. The event showcased a range of exciting workshops including an Objectif Horlogerie session in addition to The Art of Rarity with diamonds workshops run by De Beers, local talent also took pride of place as the Young Qatari designers pavilion featured prominently. Already recognized as one of the most important and unique jewellery and watch events in the world, the 18th edition of the Doha Jewellery & Watches Exhibition will feature a stunning array of exhibitors showcasing the latest and most exclusive pieces from many international brands. QNTC and its subsidiary Qatar Business Events Corporation (QBEC), which also oversees Doha Exhibition & Convention Centre, continue to work closely with MoPH to implement health and safety measures. These are carried out along with international best practices, in the organising of events such as DJWE, prioritizing a safe experience for exhibitors and visitors. The Qatar Clean programme, a joint initiative by QNTC and the Ministry of Public Health, continues to be implemented across all hotels and restaurants. Businesses in the sector are encouraged to apply for their Qatar Clean certification as soon as possible, to ensure their continued operation, and for the safety of guests. QNTC has reiterated the requirements for event organisers, whereby approvals must be obtained from the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) prior to holding exhibitions, conferences and events, and licenses from the Council.

The park claimed a Guinness World Records title for being the largest of its kind in the world. Qatar has become home to the world’s largest ever calisthenics park, after receiving an official certification from the Guinness World Records. The park, located at the National Service Academy’s Meqdam Camp, was inaugurated by the Deputy Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani and the Minister of State for Defence Affairs Dr. Khalid bin Mohammed Al Attiyah on Tuesday. The opening of the calisthenics park coincided with Qatar’s National Sport Day on Tuesday. The record-breaking park measures 1446.72 m² (15572 ft² 67 in²) in total, according to Guinness World Records which recognised it as the largest of its kind in the world. During the ceremony, the deputy PM and minister of defence received the Guinness World Records certificate, via a video conference with the committee. The calisthenics park is now open for national calisthenics tournaments and also for the general public to use, the statement by Guinness said. This is the second record-breaking news from Qatar in just days. Earlier this month, a series of feats performed by Qatar’s skydiving team was officially certified by the Guinness World Records. The team of 25 broke the record for most parachuting sequence in canopy formation in Portugal, with the now record holders achieving a total of 5 points. The move was confirmed a World record on February 5. Ого

Doha – February 9th 2020 – A combination of the right smartwatch, smartphone and health/fitness tracking app will seamlessly help you stay fit and achieve your fitness goals. Here are cool ways on how using Huawei’s premium smartwatch, the HUAWEI WATCH GT 2 Pro Moon Phase Collection together with its latest flagship smartphone the HUAWEI Mate 40 Pro and the right health management app like HUAWEI Health can help you achieve your fitness goals. The 88° HUAWEI Horizon Display of the HUAWEI Mate 40 Pro provides a wider viewing area and a more immersive visual experience. Do not forget to pair your HUAWEI WATCH GT 2 Pro Moon Phase Collection with your HUAWEI Mate 40 Pro in order to track and monitor your health and fitness levels, which can be viewed via the HUAWEI Health app installed on both the smartwatch and smartphone. In addition, if you prefer working-out at home, you can simply tap your phone on to the HUAWEI Sound X, which will initiate streaming, and audio will be played via the loudspeaker for an intensive and immersive workout session.

Qatar will mark 2021 National Sport Day, encouraging the community to stay active and embrace a healthy lifestyle while adhering to health guidelines amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. A series of virtual activities have been scheduled by several organisations to involve all members of the community to mark the national celebration of sport and wellbeing. Online workouts and exercises for children, inspirational talks, yoga sessions, and inclusive sporting demonstrations will encourage people to get into the National Sport Day activities. Qatar celebrates National Sport Day on second Tuesday of every February with various activities for all age groups throughout Qatar. The Qatar Sports for All (QSFA) Federation has announced on its website that there will be a live broadcast of sports activities on the social media channels and through its app. QSFA has also announced a challenge to the public to share images of completing 10,000 steps. It has said winners will be announced through a draw. Qatar Foundation (QF)’s virtual National Sport Day offerings encourage people to make sport and physical activity a central part of their lives, and to provide opportunities for them to maintain and improve their physical and mental wellbeing. The activities include discussion on topics such as living a balanced lifestyle; women, youth, and sports development; mental wellbeing; exercise and mental health; and how to succeed in sports. Professional instructors from gyms and fitness centres across Qatar will be holding sessions that are open to everyone through a dedicated National Sport Day section on QF’s website, while a series of activities for all ages are now ready for people to register for through the newly-launched Education City App. Meanwhile, the Physiotherapy Department of the Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) marked National Sport Day by launching its “Physiotherapy Online Exercise Program”. The new website, which is hosted at www.hamad.qa, features 609 videos for patients and will continue to expand to reach 1,500 videos. The website is intended to enhance the patient experience and enable them to access exercise information in a safe and convenient manner, helping their journey to recovery. HMC has also requested the pubic to carry out all sports activities for this year’s National Sport Day such as running, swimming and cycling individually, as a precaution against the pandemic. The National Sports Day Committee also called on all members of society who practice sports to commit to taking several preventive measures, such as wearing masks, except for the time of practicing sports activity, stressing that a thermal examination must be conducted for practitioners of sports activity upon entering any area to practice and to prevent the participation of those whose temperature reaches more than 37.8 C, in addition to making sure that participants have a green colour status on EHTERAZ application. The Committee also said that contact sports such as football matches are not permitted, nor are sports in which several teams compete in a limited space. Sports that require physical contact such as ball matches are also not allowed. Public attendance in places of sports activities is also not allowed this Sport Day.

According to HSBC's Expat Explorer Survey, Qatar is the best place to live and work in the Middle East. World’s best place to live and work: 1.🇨🇭Switzerland 2.🇸🇬Singapore 3.🇳🇿NZ 4.🇩🇪Germany 5.🇪🇸Spain 6.🇶🇦Qatar 7.🇳🇱Netherlands 8.🇦🇺Australia 9.🇨🇦Canada 10.🇮🇪Ireland 13.🇫🇷France 14.🇦🇪UAE 16.🇲🇾Malaysia 19.🇸🇦Saudi Arabia 26.🇺🇸US 27.🇮🇹Italy 28.🇬🇧UK (HSBC Expat’s annual survey, 2020)— World Index (@theworldindex) February 5, 2021 Besides Singapore, it is the only other Asian country to be in the top 10 and is also placed in the sixth position globally. The HSBC Expat's Annual League Table of Best Places to Live and Work 2020 explores the attitudes, opinions and experiences of people living overseas. "Situated on the Arabian Peninsula, the small emirate of Qatar – and particularly its rapidly developing capital city of Doha – is a hive of commercial activity that is certainly making the world sit up and take notice. Once home to a pearl industry, Qatar has since managed to blossom in its arid surroundings on the back of gas and oil, emerging as a powerful global player and boasting one of the highest incomes per capita in the world. With mushrooming cities, Qatar now employs expats not only in its renowned energy sector, but also in IT, construction, business and tourism. More and more expats are incentivised to work in Qatar, saving money in the tax-free environment while enjoying an excellent standard of living.", it added. Also last month, Qatar scored 63 out of 100 points in the Corruption Perceptions Index 2020 (CPI), occupying second place in the GCC for transparency and anti-corruption.Numbeo is the world’s largest database of users, including information on cities and countries worldwide. It provides current and timely information on world living conditions, such as cost of living, housing indicators, health care, traffic, crime and pollution.

A gang has been arrested by Turkish police for kidnapping a Qatari businessman and demanding $400,000, as reported by Gulf News. According to a Turkish newspaper, the Qatari businessman and his friend were kidnapped on February 1 from the Iskenderun district in Hatay province, Turkey. The Turkish gang demanded a $400,000 ransom from the family of the Qatari businessman and had already received half the amount. The gang also threatened to send the Qatari to Syria if the ransom wasn't paid by end of February, according to Haber Turk news site. The police were able to rescue the two victims, who were transported to the city of Adana, and arrest 5 out of the 9 gang members. The report added that the police are continuing with efforts to arrest the remainder of the gang members. It was not revealed what happened to the ransom money the gang got.

From online workouts and exercises for children to inspirational talks and inclusive sporting demonstrations, Qatar Foundation (QF) is helping people get into the National Sport Day spirit – without leaving their homes. An array of virtual activities hosted by the organisation will be available for all members of the community to enjoy on the day when Qatar stages a national celebration of sport and wellbeing, opening up opportunities to stay active and embrace a healthy lifestyle while still adhering to health guidelines amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. QF is also teaming up with Qatar Museums (QM) and the US Embassy in Doha to focus on inclusive, ability-friendly, virtual sessions in celebration of the Qatar-USA 2021 Year of Culture. Professional instructors from gyms and fitness centres across Qatar will be holding sessions that are open to everyone through a dedicated National Sport Day section on QF’s website, while a series of activities for all ages are now ready for people to register for through the newly-launched Education City App. QF’s virtual National Sport Day offering reflects its commitment to encouraging, empowering and enabling people to make sport and physical activity a central part of their lives, and to providing opportunities for them to maintain and improve their physical and mental wellbeing. With public safety remaining paramount as Qatar continues to combat the pandemic, this year’s activities are being taken online, while still providing something for everyone to enjoy – for free. The programme of activities on QF’s website, which run from 8am to 2pm, will be introduced by TV personality Khalid Al Jumaily, host of QF’s innovation TV show Stars of Science. Eight classes throughout the day, each lasting 30-45 minutes, will focus on stretching, strength and conditioning, workout sessions, Muay Thai and yoga, as well as a gymnastics class and fitness bootcamp for children. In between the classes, talks will be held by sportspeople such as Qatari athlete Mariam Farid and Olympic swimmer Nada Arakji, as well as experts from QF’s Sidra Medicine, Aspetar, and the Behavioural Healthcare Center, covering topics including living a balanced lifestyle; women, youth and sports development; mental wellbeing; exercise and mental health; and how to succeed in sport. All of these sessions and talks can be accessed without registration at www.qf.org.qa/nsd Meanwhile, QF’s Community Engagement team has organised a series of activities for which registration is now open via the Education City App, which can be downloaded for free from Google Play and the Apple Store. These include a virtual full body workout session with trainers from top US gym Dogpound, open to those aged 12-50 years; a Dogpound-led fun fitness activity called Puppypound for children aged 4-12 years; and online activities with Best Buddies, an organisation dedicated to ensuring inclusivity for people with developmental challenges, which are accessible to those aged five years and above with mobility and hearing impairments and learning challenges. These activities have been organised in partnership with the US Embassy in Qatar, as part of the Qatar-USA 2021 Year of Culture programme led by QM. People can also use the Education City App to register for fully-inclusive sessions focused on football, cricket, swimming, handcycling, wheelchair fencing and archery, provided by QF’s Ability Friendly Programme in collaboration with the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy’s Generation Amazing programme, Accessible Qatar and Clement Academy. And there is also the chance to participate in an online e-sports tournament and Ki-Gong classes, as well as to discover more about QF’s Akhlaquna initiative and how it is contributing to nurturing a society driven by strong moral values and behaviors. More information about QF’s pre-registration National Sport Day activities is also available at www.qf.org.qa/nsd

The Amiri Diwan has announced an official holiday on the occasion of Qatar's National Sports Day (NSD) this year. According to the announcement, Tuesday, February 9, 2021, will be a public holiday. The occasion is marked annually in Qatar on the second Tuesday of February providing citizens and residents an opportunity to engage in sports and get active while emphasizing the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. This year's NSD activities will be scaled down in comparison to the previous editions, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Recently, the NSD Committee amended the conditions and guidelines related to sports activities and events for NSD 2021. All sports activities this year will be individual only such as running, swimming, and cycling, the Committee had announced. Any sports that may require physical contact, including ball matches, are not allowed. Sports that involve the participation of many teams in a limited space are not allowed. Additionally, public attendance in places of sports activities is not allowed. All sports activities must take place in outdoor places, while indoor sports are prohibited. Schools and clubs are also not allowed to hold any sporting events this NSD. The Committee urged everyone who participates in sports to adhere to the preventive measures, including wearing masks, except for the time of practicing sports activity.sports activities and events for NSD 2

Surprise your friends or your loved ones with an unforgettable day this Valentines Day. Looking for a special place to spend this Valentine’s Day? From romantic dinner packages to parks and picnics, Doha News put together five places for you to celebrate this February 14. You’re welcome. Nothing says special like a night away from all the noise. With its lush variety of hotels and suites, Doha can offer you the best options depending on your preference— from fancy 5-star hotels to oriental Airbnbs for a cozy night. Prices range from QAR399 to QAR2000 a night, depending on how much you want to spoil yourself. Extra tip: ask the receptionist to decorate your room with red roses for an extra romantic touch. 2- SPA packages for two Pamper yourself and your loved one with a relaxing spa day and enjoy a variety of treatments that will definitely make you forget your troubles. Several hotels around Doha offer 60+ minutes Spa treatments for couples, so don’t forget to reserve early before they’re fully booked. 3- Sentimental picnic plans If you want to ditch all the fancy plans and aim for a more carefree plan, then a picnic is definitely the perfect choice for you. And with the weather finally getting a little cooler in Qatar, you can never go wrong. First, find a location, depending on your preference. From beaches and deserts [Simaisma beach, Sealine and Al Wakra Municipality Family Beach], parks [Fifth of June, Lusail Corniche, and Aspire Park] to even picnic-style cafes [Love cafe]—Doha has perfect spots for you. Find a location with a gorgeous sunset view for the best plan. And don’t forget to pack your favourite food and snacks! 4- Fancy dinner plan Old is gold. Treat your loved ones to a dinner date at your favourite cuisine. Qatar is famous for its abundance of restaurants that can definitely make your night special, from Nobu, Toro Toro, to Boho Social and B-Lounge: enjoy a tasty meal in a chic venue that would please even the pickiest of diners. 5- Museum date Enjoy art and culture? Then a museum date might just be the perfect place to make your Valentine’s Day extra special for you and your partner. Qatar has several stunning museums that will be both immersive and experiential. If you are up for the challenge, you can also visit several museums throughout the day, and end with a chill cup of coffee at cafes located at the site – most of which have a stunning view to wow you and your partner. 1-Unwinding with a staycation