WHEN Ban Ki-moon opens
the promised international
conference on Syria in
Geneva next month, the
war-ravaged country will
experience the first sliver of hope it
has dared to feel for months.
A year has gone by since Russia and
the United States approved guidelines
for a transition to a more democratic
and pluralistic Syria and it is a tragedy
that so many lives have been wasted
without any effort to implement the
guidelines. It has required several Uturns...
ABOUT two years ago, the folks
at Google released a database
of 5.2 million books published
between 1500 and 2008. You
can type a search word into
the database and find out how frequently
different words were used at
different epochs.
The database doesn't tell you how
the words were used; it just tells you
how frequently they were used. Still,
results can reveal interesting cultural
shifts. For example, somebody typed
the word "cocaine" into the search
engine and found that the word was
surprisingly common in the Victorian
era. Then it gradually declined during
the 20th century until around 1970,
when usage skyrocketed.
I'd like to tell a story about the last
half-century, based on studies done
with this search engine. The first element
in this story is rising individualism.
A study by Jean M Twenge, W
Keith Campbell and Brittany Gentile
found that between 1960 and 2008
individualistic words and ...
THE construction of Qatar's railway
projects worth $40 billion - Doha
Metro, Passenger Rail, Freight Rail and
Light Rail Transit - will require 20,000
to 35,000 workers to complete, said
Qatar Railways Company ...
THE Emir His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al Thani on Tuesday met with dignitaries, who are currently in Qatar to participate in the Doha Forum and Enriching the Middle East's Economic Future conference. HH the Emir conferred with former secretary-general of the ...
QATAR and other Gulf states should consider moving to a more flexible exchange rate from long-entrenched pegs to the US dollar, to better manage inflation risk in the next decade, a senior Qatar ...
AL GHARAFA and El Jaish were eliminated from AFC Champions League knockout stage with heavy losses on Tuesday. Playing in Riyadh, Gharafa were beaten 3-0 by Al Shabab, and lost 5-1 on aggregate after losing the first leg 2-1 a week ago ...
LAST week, the most talkedabout moment from the Met Gala, the annual black-tie event to benefit the museum's Costume Institute, did not involve Anna Wintour, the host committee headlined by Rooney Mara and Beyonce or Madonna going pantless ...
THE Public Works Authority (Ashghal) on Tuesday announced the launch of a QR1 billion project to develop Rawdat Al Hamam/Bani Hajer area, located in the northern part of Al Rayyan Municipality, as a quality residential area of Qatar boasting all necessary facilities. The project, which is divided into two phases, is expected to be complete by the end of next year and will include construction ...
QATAR Charity (QC) recently awarded QR805,000 to a group of schools for promoting good behaviour and positive values among students. The awards were presented to the schools during the celebration of the conclusion of the ´Ana Snafi´ (I am Snafi) and ´Habbat Reeh´ (Gust of Wind) programmes of the Charity. The gala ceremony held under the auspices of the Ministry of Social Affairs in ...
DR Ishtiaq Ahmed Gondal, member board of directors of Pakistan´s Ghazali Education Trust (GET), recently arrived in Doha to brief the Pakistani community about the ongoing projects of the forum and to seek their support in increasing literacy rate in Pakistan. Speaking to community members at a reception hosted by Halqa-e-Ahbab forum at Zaoq Restaurant, Gondal said more than 48,000 ...
SAUDI economic growth will slow to 4.4 percent in 2013 from 6.8 percent last year due to an expected fall in oil production, and cuts in government spending, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said on Tuesday. "Overall GDP growth is expected at 4.4 percent... because oil output is likely to be lower than its average level in 2012 and the growth rate of government spending looks set to slow," said ...
THE QR3 billion Mall of Qatar is set to open in the third quarter of 2015, a top official of the mall has said. "Construction on the project has been underway since 2012 and is proceeding on schedule. The opening is planned for the third quarter of 2015, with an estimated 20 million customers anticipated annually, "Deputy Managing Director Shem Krey told reporters at a function, in Doha, on Tuesday ...
STOCKS were little changed in early trading on Tuesday with Home Depot at a record high and buoying the blue-chips while investors eyed congressional testimony from Fed chairman Ben Bernanke on Wednesday. The housing market recovery helped Home Depot report higher quarterly sales and earnings, prompting the world´s largest home improvement chain to boost its sales outlook ...
QATARI high jump prodigy Mutaz Essa Barshim came at the Qatar Sports Club Stadium, looked at his rivals, spent more than an hour and went away with the gold medal and a record – the only medal on the opening day for the hosts at the Arab Athletics Championship on Tuesday. Two years ago, he needed 2.25m to win the title at Al Ain, the United Arab Emirates. Today as expected, he started late. He sailed ...
"I AM innocent and have done no wrong. I have never indulged in any spot fixing," suspended pacer S Sreesanth, who is an accused in the IPL spot-fixing case, on Tuesday said. In a statement emailed to the media by his lawyer Rebecca John, the cricketer said "I have never indulged in any spot fixing and I have always played cricket in the spirit of the game". Sreesanth, who was on Tuesday remanded in further five-day police custody by Metropolitan Magistrate Soumya ...
CHELSEA surged to the top of the weekly Associated Press global football poll after winning the Europa League and qualifying for the Champions League for the 11th straight season. There was also a Chelsea player at the summit of the player rankings, with Fernando Torres sharing first place with Bayern Munich winger Franck Ribery after a week that saw the Spain striker belatedly regain his goalscoring form to impress the 14 voters on the panel. "Great week for ...
ANOTHER day, another domination for Taylor Swift: She was the red hot winner at the Billboard Music Awards. Swift won eight of 11 awards, including top artiste and top Billboard 200 album for Red. She told the crowd: "You are the longest and best relationship I ever had." She also had a colourful performance of her hit 22 - starting backstage and working her way to the main stage on the back of a bike with help from a dozen background dancers and a flurry of red balloons.
RISHI Kapoor admits that "films are our family business", is happy that his son Ranbir entered filmdom and praises him for taking an unconventional route to stardom without his help. Rishi said: "I am very proud that my son is trying to keep the flag of the Kapoor´s flying. I always encourage him and want him to do better work." Rishi wants Ranbir to be successful while being level headed. "I want ...
SUMMER is here and so is the need to increase our intake of fluids to beat the heat and avoid dehydration. While we tend to go for beverages, fruits, so abundant in summer, could offer a much better alternative, says Sara Yassin Dietitian / Supervisor at the Nutrition & Diet Centre. Besides plenty of nutrition, summer fruits help enhance your skin, hair and nails. Here are some of the best seasonal fruits of the summer. Eat a lot of these healthy ...
TEHRAN Iran’s electoral watchdog has barred
moderate ex-president Akbar Hashemi
Rafsanjani from standing in a June 14 presidential
election, the interior ministry said on
Tuesday. Esfandiar Rahim Mashaie, a close but
controversial aide to incumbent President
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, was also omitted from
the list. No explanation was given. Eight candidates
won approval to stand – five conservatives,
two moderate conservatives and a
reformist.
DUBAI Qatar and other Gulf states should
consider moving to a more flexible exchange
rate, to better manage inflation risk in the
next decade, Qatar Central Bank Director
(Research and Monetary Policy) Khalid al
Khater said on Tuesday. “We in the GCC
need more than an outdated four-decade old
simple policy framework,” Khater said. A
more active monetary policy may now be
needed as Qatar plans to spend $140 billion
on infrastructure, partly to prepare for hosting
the 2022 World Cup.
THE Public Works Authority (Ashghal) on Tuesday announced the launch of a QR1 billion project to develop Rawdat Al Hamam/Bani Hajer area, located in the northern part of Al Rayyan Municipality, as a quality residential area of Qatar boasting all necessary facilities. The project, which is divided into two phases, is expected to be complete by the end of next year and will include construction ...
QATAR Charity (QC) recently awarded QR805,000 to a group of schools for promoting good behaviour and positive values among students. The awards were presented to the schools during the celebration of the conclusion of the ´Ana Snafi´ (I am Snafi) and ´Habbat Reeh´ (Gust of Wind) programmes of the Charity. The gala ceremony held under the auspices of the Ministry of Social Affairs in ... 
DR Ishtiaq Ahmed Gondal, member board of directors of Pakistan´s Ghazali Education Trust (GET), recently arrived in Doha to brief the Pakistani community about the ongoing projects of the forum and to seek their support in increasing literacy rate in Pakistan. Speaking to community members at a reception hosted by Halqa-e-Ahbab forum at Zaoq Restaurant, Gondal said more than 48,000 ...
SAUDI economic growth will slow to 4.4 percent in 2013 from 6.8 percent last year due to an expected fall in oil production, and cuts in government spending, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said on Tuesday. "Overall GDP growth is expected at 4.4 percent... because oil output is likely to be lower than its average level in 2012 and the growth rate of government spending looks set to slow," said ...
THE QR3 billion Mall of Qatar is set to open in the third quarter of 2015, a top official of the mall has said. "Construction on the project has been underway since 2012 and is proceeding on schedule. The opening is planned for the third quarter of 2015, with an estimated 20 million customers anticipated annually, "Deputy Managing Director Shem Krey told reporters at a function, in Doha, on Tuesday ... 
STOCKS were little changed in early trading on Tuesday with Home Depot at a record high and buoying the blue-chips while investors eyed congressional testimony from Fed chairman Ben Bernanke on Wednesday. The housing market recovery helped Home Depot report higher quarterly sales and earnings, prompting the world´s largest home improvement chain to boost its sales outlook ...
QATARI high jump prodigy Mutaz Essa Barshim came at the Qatar Sports Club Stadium, looked at his rivals, spent more than an hour and went away with the gold medal and a record – the only medal on the opening day for the hosts at the Arab Athletics Championship on Tuesday. Two years ago, he needed 2.25m to win the title at Al Ain, the United Arab Emirates. Today as expected, he started late. He sailed ... 
"I AM innocent and have done no wrong. I have never indulged in any spot fixing," suspended pacer S Sreesanth, who is an accused in the IPL spot-fixing case, on Tuesday said. In a statement emailed to the media by his lawyer Rebecca John, the cricketer said "I have never indulged in any spot fixing and I have always played cricket in the spirit of the game". Sreesanth, who was on Tuesday remanded in further five-day police custody by Metropolitan Magistrate Soumya ... 
CHELSEA surged to the top of the weekly Associated Press global football poll after winning the Europa League and qualifying for the Champions League for the 11th straight season. There was also a Chelsea player at the summit of the player rankings, with Fernando Torres sharing first place with Bayern Munich winger Franck Ribery after a week that saw the Spain striker belatedly regain his goalscoring form to impress the 14 voters on the panel. "Great week for ...
ANOTHER day, another domination for Taylor Swift: She was the red hot winner at the Billboard Music Awards. Swift won eight of 11 awards, including top artiste and top Billboard 200 album for Red. She told the crowd: "You are the longest and best relationship I ever had." She also had a colourful performance of her hit 22 - starting backstage and working her way to the main stage on the back of a bike with help from a dozen background dancers and a flurry of red balloons.
RISHI Kapoor admits that "films are our family business", is happy that his son Ranbir entered filmdom and praises him for taking an unconventional route to stardom without his help. Rishi said: "I am very proud that my son is trying to keep the flag of the Kapoor´s flying. I always encourage him and want him to do better work." Rishi wants Ranbir to be successful while being level headed. "I want ... 
SUMMER is here and so is the need to increase our intake of fluids to beat the heat and avoid dehydration. While we tend to go for beverages, fruits, so abundant in summer, could offer a much better alternative, says Sara Yassin Dietitian / Supervisor at the Nutrition & Diet Centre. Besides plenty of nutrition, summer fruits help enhance your skin, hair and nails. Here are some of the best seasonal fruits of the summer. Eat a lot of these healthy ... 
