Happy 2017

Happy 2017 - add photo card

by almawad

 Thank you all my readers in 2016  - keep visiting my blog  and suggest topics you would like to read about .

Alma Wad  

Jenifer Toksvig's poem about refugees

One of our most popular videos of 2016 - Cate Blanchett and fellow actors read Jenifer Toksvig's poem for our #WithRefugees campaign. pic.twitter.com/7J3LAS193y

— UN Refugee Agency (@Refugees) December 31, 2016

Dubai New Year Celebrations - look behind the scenes

Tweet #MyDubaiNewYear to unlock behind-the-scenes footage of our fireworks crew setting up in #DowntownDubai https://t.co/iErEKkscGj

— Downtown Dubai (@MyDowntownDubai) 26 December 2016

morning fog in Doha

The winter climate brought morning fog to Doha this week, presenting passengers flying out of @HIAQatar with some spectacular sights! pic.twitter.com/Ym4a6av5rr

— Qatar Airways (@qatarairways) 30 December 2016

cats musical - coming soon to Qatar

Witness a breathtaking performance seen by millions: @CatsMusical! Tickets start at only 150 QAR! Info: https://t.co/MV3hfBqTlA! #ShopQatar pic.twitter.com/qOPfguel8a

— Shop Qatar (@ShopQatar) December 25, 2016

Top Jobs in 2016

Best of 2016: Which degree will get you hired? https://t.co/5phnh1Zd12 #education #edchat pic.twitter.com/XyKfUkHvJW

— World Economic Forum (@wef) December 26, 2016

Warning ! Fog - Bikers beware of trucks !

❗Warning
Thick fog affecting eastern #Qatar with visibility dropping below 300 meters in #Doha, AlWakrah, Messaid and Alkhor. Plz take care. pic.twitter.com/7iyvky3waH

— أرصاد قطر (@Qatar_Weather) December 26, 2016

   Bikers beware of trucks ! I just heard about the tragic death of an expat riding his bike on Christmas Day on Salwa road !

 Better not to ride in this foggy weather !

the cheapest take-away turkey in town - festive season in Doha

The perfect dish for a memorable family meal this festive season! pic.twitter.com/aJ2HAS8BHt

— IKEA Qatar (@IKEAQatar) December 20, 2016

 A whole roast of turkey for QR449  at  the IKEA  ! That is  the best turkey deal I found. Just call and order ! T : 44062555 See more turkey deal  here .

FIDE World Chess Championship - Doha 2016

Will we see another race to the title between Karjakin and Magnus!
Few days left to find out!
26-30 December.#dohachess2016 pic.twitter.com/XjImYHO1HH

— Qatar Chess (@QatarChess) December 22, 2016

Learn More about this event . 

Wow! What a game in Radjabov vs Bortnyk! 19.Ng5! leads to 21.Qxh5+!! #DohaChess2016 https://t.co/E9URBcLYOr pic.twitter.com/Jvu4pRp883

— Chess.com (@chesscom) December 27, 2016

New park for families

The 11,930 sqr mtr families-only #park and #stadium has been opened for public by #AlshamalMunicipality . #MME #environment #Qatar pic.twitter.com/wxjOLg7q4B

— Baladiya (@Baladiya1) December 21, 2016

 This new park is in the Northern area of Qatar . It has  cafeteria ,playgrounds with safe rubber surface,bike tracks ,Wi-Fi ,flowers  some trees and green areas .Its size is 11,930 sq m  .
 I wish we had something like that in our district as well !

Arab American young man has to leave the plane for speaking Arabic

Adams interview with BBC Asian Network from this morning #BoycottDelta pic.twitter.com/l2EwNrVx69

— Adam Saleh Updates (@SalehUpdates) 2016. december 21.

not the first story of this type  -  I wonder how much more stupid these Americans can be !

Almost weekly there are shootings in their country ,innocent people are dying by white , English speaking men - and they are scared not from them but from the Arab speech !

 And what if the captain was Arab too !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

__________________________
 This incident also happened  ON Delta Airline !



Delta Airline Passenger Almost Dies Because Flight Crew Didn’t Believe Black Woman on Board Was a Doctor

NASA Astronaut Scott Kelly visits Qatar

HE WRITES ON HIS FB PAGE :" Flew over much of this sand on my Year In Space and often thought about visiting it. Got my toes in Doha, Qatar tonight!"

Numbers in Qatar - more than QR243m in six hours

this sum was collected for urgent relief of the Syrians in Aleppo ,refugees from Aleppo ( more than 66 million usd )

the different charity organizations intend to spend it as soon as possible for family tents with fireplaces ,food baskets ,winter clothes

DariQatar -a film about us - living in Qatar

Catch #DariQatar at @NovoCinemas, the Pearl starting tomorrow at 6 PM and enjoy a wonderful crowd-sourced film about life in #Qatar! pic.twitter.com/b160QY3Zgi

— Doha Film Institute (@DohaFilm) 2016. december 13.

 " It is great to be the part of a city as it grows up " 

The story and smile of Hiba Nablusi

This 10-year-old refugee girl fled #Syria. Her smile will brighten your day. #foreverychild, joy → https://t.co/NRNNWrUdya pic.twitter.com/YrzQKlJfxy

— UNICEF (@UNICEF) 2016. december 17.

I love fondue . What about you ?

To make  some wonderful fondue you do not need to buy expensive fondue set . I found a video showing how a simple round bread  can  serve as raclette when you put it in an oven .



 You can  choose your own cheese -  this video shows  some Italian cheese  and  way to serve it - simple , short and explains  well without words  .






I love fondue so I have some fondue design as well

I heart fondue cheese platter
by almawad

Do you love cheese ? Lulu cheese festival

 Would you like taste and buy some Old Roumy cheese,  Akawi cheese,  soft cheese, feta cheese,  mozarella cheese, blue cheese, Kashkaval cow cheese, string cheese,  brie cheese,  Edam ball, Gouda lofes, , Dutch Calora low fat cheese,  goat cheese,  labneh,  Lancashire cheese, Salut cheese and more ?
 Then go to LuLu Hypermarket, Al Gharafa . Choose from 760 kinds of cheese until December 21.Our international community here is full of cheese lovers and it is high time we learned more about each other's favourite one .

NO NATIONAL DAY CELEBRATIONS IN QATAR THIS YEAR - SOLIDARITY WITH ALEPPO VICTIMS

Qatar cancels national day celebrations in solidarity with the people of Aleppo https://t.co/0PZBNtyxRI pic.twitter.com/bMTLerURBL

— Al Jazeera News (@AJENews) December 14, 2016

We kindly direct all independent and private schools to cancel any celebrations of Qatar National Day in schools as of tomorrow onwards.

— وزارة التعليم (@Qatar_Edu) December 14, 2016

 ______________

 that is really shocking
 national day celebrations has never been cancelled so far
  it is usually a fun day at school right before the winter break -  the girls just created their cupcakes with I  love Qatar text one after the others when they learned on the school bus that it was cancelled

 we are  not into the military demonstrations or fireworks  - but  these celebrations of smaller communities are really fine and fun  and will be missed

 however I was happy to read that  still it will be a holiday - so no work on Sunday   , December 18 (  Sunday normally is a working day in Qatar )

Soccer Ball Close-up -sweet treats

Soccer Ball Close-up Chocolate Dipped Oreo
by almawad

Soccer Ball Close-up Cake Pops
by almawad

Soccer Ball Close-up Chocolate Brownie
by almawad

Match of Champions - all tickets sold out

 All tickets sold out for the match tonight .
 December 13th at Al Gharafa  SC Stadium. No need to come if you do not have a ticket . Al Ahli  saudi vs. FC Barcelona friendly match .

live match can be watched on BARCA VIDEO

Stadium map! Heading down to the #QatarAirwaysCup this evening? Check out the stadium map so you don't get lost! pic.twitter.com/Akjqpabg2O

— Qatar Football 🇶🇦 (@QFA_EN) December 13, 2016

Dhows in Doha -wall art

Dhows in Doha port Poster
by almawad

Dhows in Doha port Canvas Print

Traditional Dhows in Doha port Acrylic Wall Art
by almawad

Mall of Qatar - why is it so special

There are so many malls around here . What makes this new mall stand out ?

- the heart of the Mall -called Oasis
it includes interactive dancing fountains and waterfalls ,a lots of green plants ,a free entertainment programme featuring a 360º revolving stage
- 30 % of the new shops/cafes /restaurants are new to Qatar
- cinemas with modern technology / luxury services

- Kidzmondo - a special entertainment park  where kids can try different "jobs"

We pride ourselves on increasing the standards of safety, education & training, thanks to our membership with IAAPA. #KidzMondoDoha #IAAPA pic.twitter.com/hjYFgRLrUi

— Kidzmondo Doha (@KidzMondoDoha) October 20, 2016

Finally ,winter is here - bellow 10 C expected in Qatar

🔵Cold weather with temperatures currently ranging between 13-18°C. Minimum temperatures expected to drop below 10°C in southern areas.#Qatar pic.twitter.com/Z9dfIfqPlO

— أرصاد قطر (@Qatar_Weather) December 10, 2016

Finally it is cold in Qatar - we can switch off the AC -s and look for the electric heaters ,blankets ,and warm clothes ! How lucky we are  -we feel -finally we are cold !
_________________

But wait a minute ! Are you sure everybody is happy with this weather in Qatar ?
I am afraid not . I just look around in our street and see some working class people walking in very thin clothes . Just collect whatever you can in your household : warm clothes ,blankets , thermoses and either give it personally to someone in the street   or just leave it near the garbage  bins ... everyday  I see people  hunting items from there .
You do not have to be super rich to  be able to help  ! Just notice people around you !
Do good -feel great !

Vintage Istanbul cityscape with moon light Metal Photo Print

Vintage Istanbul cityscape with moon light Metal Photo Print
by almawad

Vintage Istanbul city scape with moon light . .It features a mosque - the sea and some boats . The moon is half covered by the clouds . It has some exotic real Middle Eastern feel .Metal print in small size .
____________________
Courtesy of Library of Congress .The richly colored image looks like photograph but it is actually a photochrom print an ink-based photolithographs .

Zaha Hadid Architects' - Mathematics Gallery

Zaha Hadid Architects' #mathematics gallery opens at London Science Museum: https://t.co/5v16HEh4B9 pic.twitter.com/P4MGfXICgI

— Dezeen (@Dezeen) December 9, 2016

Emirati student in Ohio killed by police officer

After an accident on the roads when his car flipped  - the student fled into the woods nearby . Police followed him . There was a struggle then he was shot on the head . By the officer .

  The moral of story  ? Do not flee after an accident !
                                    Do not go to the USA at all  - apparently police brutality is not just for the poor black citizens !

Or I really do not know .

All that I feel is that it is simply tragic .

  read more

UAE Student at @CWRU Saif Nasser Alameri was shot dead in the head by #Hudson police in Ohio. #PoliceBrutality Is there justice? pic.twitter.com/x1W17xGhwf

— ♢ Amirah (@amirahmjrshi) December 7, 2016

Preparing for National Day - scenes from Souq Waqif

National Day celebrations comes with a lot of practice before the event . Here you can see heritage style soldiers with their camels in the Souq Waqif . I like those rehearsals . They are better than the actual celebrations !

Thank you for Benita AndMebs for the video .

Yachts in the Pearl island , Qatar - paintings

yacht in the bay canvas print
by almawad

yachts at the bay no 2 canvas print
by almawad

Seafront with yachts at Pearl island ,Doha ,Qatar .Digital painting by Alma Wad .Fresh colors and rough brush strokes are depicting the luxurious urban lifestyle that the artist found here .For modern art lovers .

Qatar International Boat Show 4th

when : December 7 - December 10

where : Mourjan Marinas, Lusail City

what to expect ; boats , yachts   displayed  by major manufacturers and exhibitors, leading international and GCC companies,  local Qatari companies specialised in boats

MSC Fantasia on the way to Qatar

MSC Fantasia soon here in Qatar .If you are interested  what it looks like inside then see this video  .I got the impression that it is a floating luxury mall .

Winter coming soon to Qatar

من إجراءات السلامة ؛ تقليل السرعة وترك مسافة أمان كافية وعدم التجاوز أو تغيير المسار الا للضرورة ، رافقتكم السلامة #الداخلية_قطر

— وزارة الداخلية - قطر (@MOI_Qatar) December 6, 2016

Doha News is blocked

Doha News is an online news blog started in March 2009 by two American journalists, Shabina Khatri and Omar Chatriwala.[2] It is based in Qatar and provides its readers with daily reports on breaking domestic and international news stories.

 They are blocked now . Nobody understands why . Some people think they were too much critical . Some people think they were brave .

I think  they  had some great articles but they were generally quite boring .They were posting even when there was nothing interesting to post about . Three times a day .To satisfy google robots  and get indexed . They were also advertising themselves heavily .

 One thing is sure  - this ban on them is an excellent promotion . Now Al -Jazeera and BBC is writing about them ! For free !

 If I were a conspiracy theorist I would say that was a plot to make them better known  ! 
  
 In case it  was not a plot then  I really feel with the writers ! Investing eight years in writing a blog then being banned all of a sudden and not even informed about the causes ! It is simply not fair !

It has terrible effect on other writers who will be afraid  that they will be the next .  It will cause self -censored articles . A fearful atmosphere ! Bad image about the country in all !

Top Arab leaders coming to Doha - Be prepared for traffic jams

Some top Arab leaders are to come today to Doha . Be prepared for blocked traffic due to VIP convoys . Even yesterday the Corniche  road area was already blocked .
I found no official warnings about which road to avoid on the MOI twitter account / but there is a talk on social media that  The Corniche area will be blocked from 2  pm .

  I just wonder if it is true how the school buses can bring home our kids ?

____________________________

 My kids arrived one hour later than expected  . I do not understand local authorities  . They should have warned the schools  and early release  should have been mandatory .

 This way it is too much frustration . For those too who  are getting home from work  as well .A  usual 40 minute ride took my husband 3 hours to come home from work !
______________________________

 From the Gulf Times article I see that we were lucky  - at least compared to other kids who got stuck on their school buses for 4 hours ! It must have been horrible - little  children and can not use the bathroom for so long  !
It was not something unexpected natural disaster . It was easy to foresee that if main roads will be blocked around the time of returning school buses  then  the kids will not be brought home on time .

Qatar Duty Free 24th Millionaire Draw or Lucky Indians

Qatar Duty Free 24th Millionaire Draw or Lucky Indians  !
AMIT MATHUR, an Indian national was the lucky one to win one million dollar  on 13-Oct-16 .
Departing and transferring passengers have the right to buy raffle tickets for the draw in Doha . It costs 950 rials .
Checking out the winner's list I found out that most of them are Indian nationals .

https://www.qatardutyfree.com.qa/Winners.aspx?Type=Cash Lucky Indians !

the world's largest solar power plant - well done India

What you need to know about the world's largest solar power plant. pic.twitter.com/fUmKpBx8IS

— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) December 3, 2016

 2.5 million of solar modules
 built within 8 months
 cost less than 700 million dollars

cleaned by robots daily

 If India was able to do it what excuses  of the developed countries have  for not doing so ?

Numbers in Qatar - 90mn gallons of rainwater removed

 After the  big raining  at the end of  November the work was fast and continuous  - most streets of Qatar were dry  yesterday  !

90 million gallons of rainwater removed!( around 340 million liters )

 read more here ( page 27/28 )

Typical Weather in Qatar in December

⚫️معلومات مناخية عن شهر #ديسمبر .#أرصاد_قطر
️⚫️Climate information for #December#أرصاد_قطر pic.twitter.com/oQRGqMJl6t

— أرصاد قطر (@Qatar_Weather) December 1, 2016

Going out with kids in December - Qatar programs 2016

It’s the best moment of the year with the festive season around the corner!
Celebrate the #EndOfYear with lots of exciting workshops with us pic.twitter.com/875AMsjuxU

— Fnac Qatar (@FnacQatar) December 1, 2016

Lagoona Mall 's Fnac have some workshops for kids  on special days of December !

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 IKEA Qatar has Winter Wonderland programs every Friday afternoon in December  .

So many fun activities this holiday season! Hope to see you all there #Excitement More on: https://t.co/AClzL5kRT6 pic.twitter.com/a3i7CtjdOY

— IKEA Qatar (@IKEAQatar) December 1, 2016

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#LagoonaMall and #EventUtopia would like to invite you all for our third,#LagoonaMallFamilyFunDay! Join us this Friday, December 23! pic.twitter.com/Ooc0PwkGtm

— Lagoona Mall (@LagoonaMall) 2016. december 20.

__________________________________________

Winter Musical Roaming 2016

Join The Pearl-Qatar musical parades with jugglers and mascots… https://t.co/X7Dd6kBgyF

— The Pearl-Qatar (@ThePearlQatar) December 1, 2016

Lagoona Mall Fashion Week

We’re cordially inviting you to attend Lagoona Mall Fashion Week showcasing the Autumn – Winter 2016 collections. pic.twitter.com/p0VRI2Qpom

— Lagoona Mall (@LagoonaMall) November 29, 2016

 from December 4 to 11   -2016 


 Lagoona Mall Fashion Week showcasing the Autumn – Winter 2016 collections.

December 4-10 in the North Court Lobby 6:30pm – 8:00pm.

4/12 Michael Kors – Max&Co.
5/12 Karen Millen – Versace Collection
6/12 Adolfo Dominguez - bridal wear
7/12 Liu Jo – Cath Kidston
8/12 Porsche Design – Furla
9/12 riva - city malene birger
10/12 Tadashi Shoji - DKNY

the world’s longest direct commercial flight - coming soon

Auckland is our first new destination for 2017, and will be the world’s longest direct commercial flight at 14,539km! #NZTogether pic.twitter.com/z85Yu2mt0R

— Qatar Airways (@qatarairways) November 30, 2016

Arabic calligraphy course for Beginners

“Arabic calligraphy for Beginners” Workshop in #Katara Art Studios
For registration:https://t.co/19Vf2x6uCu pic.twitter.com/M2844JZ5K7

— كتارا | Katara (@kataraqatar) November 30, 2016

Ajyal Youth Film Festival 2016

 When :from November 30 to 5 December 2016
 Where : Katara
 What to expect :premiere screening of The Eagle Huntress (Mongolia, UK, US/ 2016) at Katara  /42 public screenings / 18 jury screenings / interactive panels and master-classes / red carpets, exhibitions and family activities

 Aim of the festival  :  to inspire,  to entertain and create discussions among viewers  -  supporting talents, boosting film appreciation and a film culture in Qatar

The festival that everyone have been waiting for @AjaylFilm Festival.
70 films from 33 countries all screened in 6 days. #Ajyal16 pic.twitter.com/NJsrsj3JXD

— Al Mayassa Al Thani (@almayassahamad) November 29, 2016

_______________________

انضموا معنا الخميس والجمعة والسبت من هذا الأسبوع في مهرجان أجيال السينمائي في كتارا.
حيث تمتزج متعة القراءة مع حكايات السينما #ajyal16 pic.twitter.com/ogSRKwInlt

— قطر تقرأ (@QatarReads) December 1, 2016

-----------------------

QNA | Kashta and Amer: An Arabian Legend Win Made in Qatar Awards at 4th Ajyal Youth Film Festival https://t.co/F0QycP40dz pic.twitter.com/Ww8c5d5cRV

— Qatar News Agency (@QNAEnglish) December 3, 2016

_______________________

 Meg Ryan was in Qatar - her film was about warn torn families . She was the director .

Meg Ryan took the stage to introduce her directorial debut ITHACA which we're delighted to be premiering in #Qatar at #ajyal16! pic.twitter.com/cKkdE2Nx6w

— Doha Film Institute (@DohaFilm) December 5, 2016

Doha International Book Fair 2016

 When :  from November 30 to December 10 from 9 am to 10 pm /Friday from 4pm until 11pm

 Where :Doha exhibition and convention center



 What to expect: 104,389 titles in Arabic and other foreign languages

90 publishing houses specialised in children’s books

33 participating countries

895 stands

 shopping trolleys

 free Internet services, restaurants and cafes  ATM services

       
         

KEEP CALM - READ ON T-Shirt
by almawad

________________________________________________
if you wish to find some French books then visit Fnac's stand

#Books that please every taste! Have you joined us at the #DohaInternationalBookFair at Doha Exhibition & Convention Center?!#FnacQatar pic.twitter.com/Yy0c1sxqMe

— Fnac Qatar (@FnacQatar) November 30, 2016

Girls' Power in robotics competition in Qatar

The winners of the National robotics competition  are two girls ... here is an interview with them  in Arabic!

الطالبتان الفائزتان في مسابقة الروبوت الوطني

سبيكة حسن البوعينين
وميثاء غانم المالكي#برنامج_الصباح_رباح#قناة_الريان pic.twitter.com/gy9OR3ELkY

— قناة الريان الفضائية (@AlrayyanTV) November 28, 2016

Winners of the painting competition Dhow festival Qatar 2016

كلمة الفنانة/ إيمان عبدالله الهيدوس، الفائزة بالمركز الأول في مسابقة الفن التشكيلي ضمن #مهرجان_كتارا_للمحامل_التقليديه السادس 2016#كتارا pic.twitter.com/IxYDQD1EIl

— كتارا | Katara (@kataraqatar) November 27, 2016

Artist -Iman  Abdullah Alhidos won the first prize at the Dhow festival's painting competition .
 Congratulations to her ! 

Artist-Mahesh Kumar was the second and artist -Fahad A-l maadeed the third one . Congrats to everyone !

Marrakech TogetherTent at HIA

Passing through @HIAQatar today? Then stop by the #MarrakechTogether tent and sample some Morrocan hospitality, courtesy of @QatarDutyFree pic.twitter.com/3tty0MItMK

— Qatar Airways (@qatarairways) November 27, 2016

Just another rainy day in Qatar

collecting videos ,photos from social media -all about the rain in Qatar

motorist rescued  when his car submerged in a pass for camels

لاتسوي أسد تدخل السيل

#رساله_توجهها_للمدخن#امطار_قطر #الحب ❤️#مدراء_التعليم_يتجاهلون_الارصاد pic.twitter.com/BGTd5CxyBB

— أبودخ (@AbuDakh) November 28, 2016

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 Souq Waqif is also flooded

Look what happened to Souq wakif in Qatar. it's literally like a swimming pool #امطار_قطر pic.twitter.com/mnnsDCyYmb

— هيباتيا♪ (@hypattiaa_) November 27, 2016

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#بالفيديو
جولة في شوارع #قطر ورصد أثر الأمطار في طول البلاد وعرضها#أمطار_الخير#الوطن #الدوحة pic.twitter.com/eol4bWaO6i

— الوطن (@al_watanQatar) November 26, 2016

_________________this video comes with nice Indian pop song  - I wish I knew  the singer and the title of the song ______________________________


landmark mall is leaking

____________________________

this video repeats  one part of the video above  - but also it show what the desert looks like after the storm , the city ,the hailing in some parts of the country


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 this is  really sad  -even the hospital's building is not safe enough when it is raining

An example of poor emergency planning in medical facilities, and not lack of resources. #QatarRain #flooding #pinksocks #hcldr pic.twitter.com/6IP2ftkWDQ

— Maram Museitif (@MaramMPH) November 27, 2016

small tornadoes in Al-khor - Qatar

At least two gustnadoes were sighted in Al Khor, Qatar on Wednesday. Video: Priyajith_gowda pic.twitter.com/cnbB6oI1zT

— Weather-Nation (@WeatherNation) November 24, 2016

Qatar Ladies Open

LET young guns show the field how it's done on day 3! @aditigolf and @KoerstzMadsen share the lead going into the final day, on 12 under pic.twitter.com/CEznaSmSox

— Qatar Ladies Open (@QatarLadiesOpen) November 25, 2016

World Map - 40 years of obesity epidemic

An obesity epidemic: 40 years of expanding waistlines, captured in one map https://t.co/BbawooAt1D pic.twitter.com/yyHLwIO2mh

— World Economic Forum (@wef) November 26, 2016

Rainy Day in Qatar

ما أجمل الشتاء! صباحكم اليوم شتوي من #قطر🌧#أمطار_الخير والبركة pic.twitter.com/VAvrlM0pHz

— Dana Shell Smith (@AmbDana)

@Qatar_Weather الوكرة pic.twitter.com/1Qsr4i7lJs

— bo nasser (@bo_ssiiff) November 25, 2016

92946432">November 25, 2016

فيديو :: أمطار راس لفان حالياً

Video:: Ras Lafan Rain Now#أمطار_قطر pic.twitter.com/hHLpoMiHf8

— أرصاد قطر (@Qatar_Weather) November 25, 2016

ما أجمل الشتاء! صباحكم اليوم شتوي من #قطر🌧#أمطار_الخير والبركة pic.twitter.com/VAvrlM0pHz

— Dana Shell Smith (@AmbDana) November 25, 2016

Stay away from the sea , high points - sudden thunderstorm expected to hit Qatar

❗️❗️نظراً للتقلبات الجوية المتوقعة خلال هذه الفترة، نرفق لكم نصائح وإرشادات عامة أثناء الأمطار الرعدية، دمتم في حفظ الله ورعايته. #قطر pic.twitter.com/yOL6lTeGBh

— أرصاد قطر (@Qatar_Weather) November 24, 2016

Qatari women in Paris victim of a motorway hold-up

Two Qatari women robbed of 5 million Euros in #Paris https://t.co/FjotRJWONt

— Al-Masdar News (@TheArabSource) November 22, 2016

High-profile robberies are becoming increasingly common in Paris. Among those robbed were an American reality TV celebrity, Kim Kardashian, a Bollywood actress, Mallika Sherawat, the CEO of a French furniture firm, and a Korean art collector. And now, two Qatari ladies in their 60s are traveling in their Bentley, accompanied by their own chauffeur.

The crooks used tear gas to coerce the ladies and the driver out of the vehicle. Private jets normally land at Le Bourget Airport, thus they were targeted on the highway near the airport there. It seems to have been a well-planned heist.

What is the moral of this story? When in Paris, it's best not to flaunt your wealth. Just make sure you leave your Bentley and diamonds at home .

Oman sets world record for candle-lit national flag

#Oman sets world record for candle-lit national flag. https://t.co/PFb8HtIPrf #OmanPride #GuinessWorldRecord @mohpr_oman pic.twitter.com/MUsOBDIhd0

— Times of Oman (@timesofoman) November 22, 2016

 2,016 people were holding candles to form the National Flag at the Qurum amphitheatre
in the capital Muscat yesterday .

Park Bazaar is cancelled on Saturday 26 Nov

Park Bazaar is cancelled on Saturday 26 Nov due to bad weather forecasted and it will recommence on the following Saturday, 3 Dec pic.twitter.com/CDfxuyyNYL

— MuseumofIslamicArt (@MIAQatar) November 22, 2016

Did you know that there are two types of camels

Did you know that there are two types of camels? Do you know which ones we see the most of here in Qatar? pic.twitter.com/XAsrlSXgfc

— Qatar e-Nature (@Qatar_eNature) November 22, 2016

Tiger attacks little girl in Saudi Arabia

It happened when tiger was used to advertise a show.As you can see in this video the tiger was kept on a dog leash in open space .As it was a cute kitty !
It happened on Saturday ,in Sakaka in the northwestern part of the kingdom.
Luckily , the little girl was saved and survived .

Similar thing happened in Qatar some years ago when a leopard cub attacked a five-year-old and the little child got seriously injured .

Blood needed - give blood until 9 pm today

Our Blood Bank is in need of O+ and O- blood donations. Pls call 44391081 or visit the Center next to Hamad General Hospital until 9pm today pic.twitter.com/scTUTJL3KE

— Hamad Medical Corp. (@HMC_Qatar) November 21, 2016 ,

Open Studio Night - Doha Fire Station

Don't miss out on the Open Studio Night
Date: 24th November
Time: 5:00pm – 9:00pm
Location: Fire Station pic.twitter.com/VLXvzPh6ur

— Doha Fire Station (@DohaFireStation) November 21, 2016

Lulu Gharrafa - Italian Festival Nov 16-21

Location : Lulu Hypermarket Al Gharrafa, Qatar
When :  Nov 16-21
What to expect : --Italian recipe contests, cooking
lessons and demonstrations
by leading Italian chefs, insights
into various cooking styles and
ingredients of Italian cuisine
- special counters and kiosks promoting
 Italian products like electronics , perfumes ,  fashion items

Aqua Park Qatar closing for the 2016 season

Five day dhow festival starts on Tuesday

230 participants

5 day festival

sixth edition of Katara’s

Traditional Dhow festival

100 dhows will compete

field trips for schools
boat rides from the Pearl to Katara from 3pm to 9pm
stalls with traditional handicrafts
traditional cafe
performances
fine art and photography competitions

The opening of Katara's 6th Traditional Dhow #Festival at 3:30 pm at #Katara's Beach tomorrow.https://t.co/ftFG0nWe57 pic.twitter.com/hCFEBpYXNW

— كتارا | Katara (@kataraqatar) November 14, 2016

new transit visas in Qatar

Explore Qatar for up to 96 hours between destinations with our new transit visas. Find out more at https://t.co/yR455DAzXh #DohaTogether pic.twitter.com/keymK2qySn

— Qatar Airways (@qatarairways) November 11, 2016

Art Of Islamic Geometry

“Art Of Islamic Geometry” Workshop starts today in #Katara Art Studios, Building 19 pic.twitter.com/tEmdUazIHF

— كتارا | Katara (@kataraqatar) November 10, 2016

 Workshop for adults = 16 years and above  . It is a very exciting topic .Great for interior designers , architects ,  or simple art lovers .

Good Morning Doha - flask from Monoprix

Good Morning #Doha Savour the flavors of #Arabic tradition with stylish Alfi flasks. #qatar pic.twitter.com/9irawMAeN3

— Monoprix Qatar (@MonoprixQatar) November 9, 2016

 I do not usually share ads about products  but I could not resist this one  - this morning still life is so attractive !

It is gold ! Female shooters of Qatar at Asian Shooting Championship

Congratulations to #TeamQatar’s female shooters for winning team gold in the #AsianShootingChampionships! #YallaQatar@qatarshooting pic.twitter.com/F70pBj0O60

— Qatar Olympic Team (@qatar_olympic) November 9, 2016

Red tabby in the park of Dahl Al hamam

Red tabby cat is relaxing in the Dahl- al Hamam park , Doha . It is pretending that he is not interested but in fact our breakfast's smell brought him so close to us . Weather is pleasant in the mornings - parks are full of picnicking families at week ends .

diversion of the Al Waab Street due to Doha Metro conctructions

#QatarRail
announces the diversion of the Al Waab Street from 11/11/2016 to 05/04/2017 for work related to #DohaMetro pic.twitter.com/U0Eah1J7pg

— Qatar Rail (@qrc_official) November 8, 2016

Discover Education City

Meet HBKU at Discover Education City where you can learn about the programs offered. https://t.co/sJplta6gUS pic.twitter.com/GDJ250SCHP

— جامعة حمد بن خليفة (@HBKU) November 1, 2016

Doha Mums Yard Sale

When :
Saturday at 9:00–12:00
 Where :
Doha Rugby Club
Doha, Qatar


The Yard Sale will be held at the Doha Rugby Club on Saturday 12th November from 9am to noon. The entry fee is QR5 per adult. Spaces are sold, but you are welcome to come as a shopper .

Wakrah Family beach clean up on 11th Nov!

Al Wakrah Family beach clean up on 11th Nov! BE a part of it :) #tw #QatarSustainabilityWeek #QGBC #FrenchEmbass… https://t.co/tsplEOEmPp

— ILoveQatar - Live (@ILQLive) November 4, 2016

strong northwesterly winds expected From Monday in Qatar

• Fresh to strong northwesterly winds expected to affect the country from Monday evening until Wednesday. #Qatar pic.twitter.com/kfmxc9LYa7

— أرصاد قطر (@Qatar_Weather) November 5, 2016

Air quality world map

92% of us are breathing unsafe air. This map shows just how bad the problem is https://t.co/CNePxMKZil pic.twitter.com/fH9OACJhSq

— World Economic Forum (@wef) November 5, 2016

 Where do you live ? What do you breathe ?

Which is the greenest, happiest country in the world? https://t.co/ZvuQzadjnu pic.twitter.com/frCt1SzCDF

— World Economic Forum (@wef) November 5, 2016

Hamad International Airport -Passenger Trains

Hamad International Airport Further Enhances Passenger Experience with the Start of Dual Passenger Trains in its Airport Terminal@HIAQatar pic.twitter.com/NaJAXItDQS

— Qatar Airways (@qatarairways) November 3, 2016

Dubai airport was closed due to a drone

Airspace around DXB was closed from 1925hrs to 2049hrs on Saturday due to unauthorised drone activity resulting in flight diversions.

— Dubai Airports (@DubaiAirports) October 29, 2016

Why these drones are allowed at all  for private persons ? Aren't there enough dangers in the aviation without  them ?  Three incidents in a period of five months ! Can not  the owners be detected ?

 

 Sharjah airport was closed as well . Very sad !

Dubai & Sharjah airport closed due to drone activity near both airports. Many diversions till this moment @airlivenet pic.twitter.com/LZ6XlxTAZd

— Middle East Aviation (@News_Flight) October 29, 2016

2,690 vacancies by the end of this year at the Health sector of Qatar

New facilities are opening soon and new employees are needed .
Hamad Medical Corporation is planning to hire nearly 2700 workers  - expats and Qataris as well ...

you can submit your CV here https://www.hamad.qa/EN/Join-Us/HR/Apply-Online/Pages/default.aspx

New Cruise Ship is on the way to Doha

The luxurious Azamara Journey will be the 2nd ship of this cruise season to dock at Doha's port on October 31, with 700+ tourists on board. pic.twitter.com/Jbx5gWzJtW

— Qatar Tourism (@QTACorporate) October 27, 2016

doctor fish treatment in Banana island

 Finally , in Qatar one can  soak his feet into a water tank full of doctor fish . They will eat the dead cells of the skin  and as a result it will be fresh and soft like baby skin . The doctor fish  pedicure is available in Banana island
 at the The Anantara Spa .

This treatment has Middle Eastern origin . The  fish itself is native to Middle Eastern streams ,ponds .It lives in the wild  in Turkey, Syria, Iraq, Iran, and Oman .

 For those suffering from psoriasis it can be a great relief .

Spa at Banana

Island Resort Doha offer a ‘doctor fish’

inclusive treatment https://t.co/cha

pAYDIar pic.twitter.com/

TgpPQoVA7V

— BQ Magazine

(@bqmagazine) October 10,

2016

Park in the Middle East - Qatar

Park in the Middle East Metal Photo Print
by almawad

I used to visit this park a lot with my little kids . Then my kids grew and the park was closed down some years ago . It is going to be the part of  a bigger park project . It is surrounded with a fence now  and what I could see from it when I passed by car - a lots of sand  and  hills of soil . Nothing remained from the park of our little kids childhood . Only our  memories and this photo .
Parks in the Middle East has spiritual symbols , the number four  and eight in the geometric shapes , the water surfaces ,ponds and  canals all reflect  the Quranic description of heaven .

Sunny weather in Qatar

Sunny weather in general across the country with mild temperatures currently ranging between 28 to 31°C. #Qatar pic.twitter.com/VluTGGgdS9

— أرصاد قطر (@Qatar_Weather) October 24, 2016

Grandfather of the Emir of Qatar dies at age 84 - 3 days mourning in Qatar

Former Qatari leader Emir Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad Al Thani, grandfather of current emir, has died. More soon. https://t.co/qAHAVUtcvO pic.twitter.com/3ofMZEuHGn

— Al Jazeera News (@AJENews) October 23, 2016

What do we know about him ?

He ruled Qatar from 1972 until 1995.

He was the grandfather of the current leader of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.
He was the father of the Emir from 1995 to 2013 ,Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Hamad bin Abdullah bin Jassim bin Mohammed Al Thani .

Learn more about his life .


 Three days morning -  we do not know if schools  and workplaces will open or not . So far nothing indicates that they will be closed .

New place for chocolate lovers in Doha - Japanese ROYCE

Get something tasty and luxurious, ROYCE' Japanese Chocolate now open at Ezdan Mall, Ground Floor.#Ezdanmall #Doha #Ezdan_is_the_place pic.twitter.com/yoYvs0bg72

— Ezdan Mall (@EzdanMall) October 19, 2016

 Good news for the sweet tooth in Doha . There are a  lots of places selling chocolates and treats around here  but the Japanese ones are rather rare  .
Once I tried a mochi in Landmark mall . I liked it .
Royce company was founded in 1983 . The company's center is located in Sapporo nowadays . It sells the following products : Dacquoise
Financier
Lurumaro Chocola
Madeleines
Nama Chocolate
Nutty Bar Chocolate
Petite Truffe
Royce' Chocolate Bars
Royce' Pure Chocolate
Potato Chip Chocolate
 and of course the ones sold in the UAE and now in Qatar are all liquor-free .

Doha Metro project next phase started -October 2016

The next phase of the #DohaMetro Project construction foresees mechanical & electrical works for the stations. pic.twitter.com/YALDh6ymYh

— Qatar Rail (@qrc_official) October 6, 2016

A TBM machine works at a speed of 60mm/min. We completed #DohaMetro tunnelling on the 25th of september 2016! pic.twitter.com/zrTRNw3bBE

— Qatar Rail (@qrc_official) October 27, 2016

Expat Indian man dies right after a felicitation speech in Doha Hotel

It must have been a shocking and traumatizing experience  . It happened in an unnamed hotel of Doha  that the prestigious Dolphin Energy company's employee participated in  a farewell party . The 42 year old Indian man held a speech for those  fellow expats who were about to leave  Qatar for good . After the speech he died .

 What a tragedy !
Especially , that there were a lots of advertisement recently about the symptoms of  coming heart attack .For people would be aware !

 It reminds me that less than a half year ago my child  lost his much beloved teacher . She was just 39 and nobody suspected  that she had any problem with her health until the last two days of her life .It is still painful  for me and for my little son as well .

 Here in Qatar the male residents tend to get heart attacks  before the age of 55 . It is not well understood why . Too many fast food restaurants , over-eating in buffet dinners or some kind of air pollution ?The population of the  country is mixed  and a study should be needed where expats' life expectancy is compared to their relevant home country's conditions .

 My sincere sympathy  to the  Indian family  who lost their loved one .

  source - page 3

Hope for countries with desert - farms with seawater and solar energy

The latest The Plant Encyclopedia Daily! https://t.co/a4s9tTdY59 Thanks to @vytyrizewog @sleddudes #gardening #garden

— ThePlantEncyclopedia (@PlantEncyclpdia) October 15, 2016

 

How it works ? simple explanation

23 000 mirrors turn solar energy into fuel

this fuel is used to pump and desalinate seawater

then plants in the farm are irrigated later by that water


coconut husks are used instead of soil

seawater sterilizes the air so no pesticides are needed

_____________________________

this is not a dream but a working project !


Sundrop farms is the name of this futuristic facility and it is producing around 17,000 tons of tomatoes per year for Australian consumption
.

Qatar and the other Gulf countries could use the system to gain self-sufficiency in a food production .

Samsung Galaxy Note 7 Devices banned from Qatar Airways flights

Travel Advisory for passengers with Samsung Galaxy Note 7 Devices. Read more at https://t.co/PVfW0x7kvH pic.twitter.com/Dkc8jY0Qwk

— Qatar Airways (@qatarairways) October 15, 2016

 and you can read here a very interesting article  on why these devices are highly flammable  and thus dangerous for flying with  

Boeing and Qatar Airways - 100 new planes

   Shopping list of Qatar Airways

   30  pieces  of   787-9 Dreamliners 
   
   10 pieces of   777-300ERs




 worth  $11.7 billion
________________

 Must be bought in the coming years

60 pieces  737 MAX 8s,


  around $6.9 billion 
__________________

 source