In a crisis-hit world, India's projected 7% growth is commendable ECONOMIST Joseph Stiglitz has dismissed "excessive pessimism" about the Indian economy. In a crisis-hit world, he thinks India's projected 7 percent GDP growth should be applauded...
Chinese study suggests that the brains of teenagers who are seemingly addicted to the Internet have abnormal "white matter," the biological insulation that surrounds the wiring between neurons.
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN THE Emir His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al Thani wrapped up his one-day state visit to Brunei Darussalam on Tuesday evening...
QDOHA MORE than 250 participants, including keynote speaker UN Undersecretary General for Humanitarian Affairs Baroness Valerie Amos and over 15 first ladies, will take part in the Fifth International Shafallah Forum to...
BARWA Real Estate Company on Tuesday launched the second phase of workers' city Barwa Al Baraha. Located in the industrial area, the new city is estimated to accommodate 53,000 workers and employees...
DOHA IT was a rare day for host Qatar in the Asian Shooting Championship on Tuesday. Nasser bin Saleh al Attiyah inspired a tuft of successes for the local shooters while sealing his place in the London Olympic Games...
BROOKS BARNES AND MICHAEL CIEPLY NYT SYNDICATE MOVIEGOERS looking to the Golden Globe Awards as Oscar forecasters should consider their bets hedged. The Artist was Sunday night's big winner...
DOHA THE Qatar Green Building Council (QGBC) on Monday launched the Green Infrastructure Interest Group (GIIG), a specialised unit which aims to foster the development of green infrastructure in the country. Green infrastructure is an emerging concept highlighting the importance of natural environment in decisions over land use planning. Speaking during the event, Dr Alex Amato, chairman of QGBC's Research and Innovation Committee, said, "In line with the environment pillar of Qatar National Development Strategy 2011-2016, this interest group complements national and regional efforts to utilise our current and future green infrastructure....
DOHA HE SHEIKH Joaan bin Hamad bin Khalifa al Thani graced the third Qatar International Festival for Falcons and Hunting with his presence on the fourth day of the festival on Monday. Abdulaziz Mubarak Naser al Ali and Mohammed Hamad al Minkhis al Merri were ranked first at the challenging Hudod competition. Talking to the media on the occasion, Ali bin Khatim al Mishadi, chairman of the festival, said, "More than 300 contestants took part in the Hudud competition. About 10 people took part in the contest called 'Small Falcon'. This category was equally difficult and challenging....
DOHA IBQ on Tuesday announced its sponsorship of Oryx football club, the sports team of the French Lycée Bonaparte School in Qatar. The sponsorship is one of a series of endeavours IBQ undertakes annually to showcase its support to sports and other activities that reach out to various segments of its community, the bank said in a statement. Officials from the bank and the school attended the inauguration ceremony of the partnership. IBQ will provide the Oryx team with its official football uniforms and branding for the football court. Philip King, head of retail banking at IBQ, said: "We're very happy to be the partner of choice for ...
QATAR National Bank, Qatar's largest lender by market value, said on Tuesday it has signed an agreement to take a majority stake in Morocco-based Union Marocaine des Banques (UMB). "The acquisition is subject to the approval of regulatory authorities in both countries, which will enable QNB to become a strategic partner of UMB," the bank said in a statement. With this agreement, the ordinary and extraordinary general assembly of the UMB will be invited to approve the move to make QNB a strategic partner, the statement further said QNB Group aims to expand its presence in Africa, through its current operation in ...
QATAR Exchange (QE) on Tuesday announced the readiness of its technical and regulatory infrastructure dedicated to the small and medium enterprises (SMEs) Market. To inform the public about the target and advantages of establishing this market, the Qatar Exchange will be holding a workshop on January 25. During the workshop, details regarding the SME market will be provided to the market professionals such as banks, brokers, law firms, consultants, private equity firms and other advisors, who will play a key role in the listing process. The market is now ready in respect of technical and regulatory matters and also to...
BEIJING CHINA'S economy expanded at its weakest pace in 2- 1/2 years in the latest quarter, with the sagging real estate and export sectors heralding a sharper slowdown in coming months and fresh pro-growth measures from the government. Growth of 8.9 percent over a year earlier was slightly stronger than the 8.7 percent forecast by economists in a Reuters poll, but the data on Tuesday raised concerns about the immediate outlook and how much support China can offer a struggling global economy. Gross domestic output rose just 2 percent from the previous quarter, suggesting to some economists that underlying momentum is slowing more rapidly than headline data implies...
MELBOURNE NOVAK Djokovic made a dazzling start to his Australian Open defence on Tuesday but his close rival Andy Murray was slower off the blocks and home hope Samantha Stosur became the first big name to fall. World number one Djokovic powered past Italian Paolo Lorenzi 6-2, 6- 0, 6-0, in a comprehensive victory in which he even won a point with an audacious trick shot between his legs. By contrast Murray, runnerup to the Serb last year, was embarrassed by a near-identical party-piece from Ryan Harrison before subduing the American 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2. Injury-plagued Australian veteran Lleyton Hewitt ground out a ...
MADRID UNDER-FIRE Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo may not be enjoying his best period of form but he is still "working like an animal" for the team, coach Jose Mourinho said ahead of Wednesday's King's Cup showdown with Barcelona. Ronaldo has been whistled by some home supporters at Real's Bernabeu stadium since a poor performance in last month's La Liga 'Clasico' against arch rivals Barca. The former Manchester United player reacted by refusing to celebrate his goal in a 5-1 win against Granada and makes his first appearance in front of Real fans since then in Wednesday's quarter-final first leg...
WIGAN EDIN Dzeko's first-half header lifted Manchester City three points clear at the top of the Premier League as the leaders swapped flair for functionality in a gritty 1-0 win at bottom club Wigan Athletic on Monday. It was not pretty and did not produce the sackfuls of goals City have often managed this season but three points from a scrappy game at a cold and sparse DW Stadium are exactly what teams eke out on their way to championships. "This evening it was important to take three points, I think that we played well in the first half an hour and after (that) so-so," City manager Roberto Mancini told a news conference...
JON PARELES NYT SYNDICATE TH E world w a s f u s e d a t Globalfest held recently. The soldout event at Webster Hall was the ninthannual world-music showcase, timed to coincide with the Association of Performing Arts Presenters' annual convention: 12 acts from 5 continents. At Globalfest the old image of world music as ethnomusicological finds — pure local styles directly imported from out-of-the-way places — has given way to a more worldly music, played by artists who self-consciously decide what to mix. They select from their own heritage and countless other possibilities; after all, they've got Internet connections ...
JILL SERJEANT REUTERS THE Golden Globes crowned a new galaxy of television stars on Sunday, honouring a slew of shows in their first season and leaving old favourites out in the cold psychological thriller Homeland, which premiered on cable channel Showtime in October, won best TV drama series and best actress for Claire Danes in her role as a suspicious bi-polar CIA agent tracking a possible home-grown terrorist. "It feels completely unreal. The shows were so amazing this year and [given] the work done in TV these days, to have won the award is just beyond belief," Howard Gordon, co-producer of the tense post September 11 drama, told reporters backstage...
ACTRESS Angelina Jolie managed to extract a promise from Spanish director Pedro Almodovar during an event in Los Angeles for directors competing for the Golden Globes for best foreign language film that he would include her in one of his future projects. Jolie interrupted an interview she was doing at the entrance of Hollywood's Egyptian Theatre to ask Almodovar, who was arriving, for a role in one of his future films. "When are you going to give me a part? Someday?" Jolie asked the director of Hable con ella (2002). "Don't worry, you're young," a surprised Almodovar replied...
TEHRAN IRAN on Tuesday warned Saudi Arabia to reconsider its vow to make up for any shortfall in Iranian oil exports under new sanctions, saying Riyadh’s pledge to step into the market was unfriendly.
ATHENS THOUSANDS of angry Greek workers marched to parliament on Tuesday to protest against austerity, waving banners reading "EU, IMF out!" as Athens’ lenders arrived for talks in a race against the clock to avert a messy bankruptcy.
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