BUSINESS | Page 1 QATAR | Page 3 QBA and QFZA sign MoU to support economic goals Al Khor Family Park opens published in QATAR since 1978

MONDAY Vol. XXXX No. 11461 February 17, 2020 Jumada II 23, 1441 AH

GULF TIMES www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals

In brief Amir meets British ambassador Kuwait cabinet Protect social reshuffl ed Kuwaiti Amir Sheikh Sabah al- Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah issued an Amiri decree yesterday to carry out a limited cabinet reshuff le. Under the decree, Barrak Ali Barrak media activists al-Shitan was appointed as Minister of Finance and Mohamed Hejji Bushehri as Minister of Electricity and Water, Head of the Center for Government Communication and Off icial Spokesman for the Kuwaiti to safeguard Government Tareq al-Mezrim said in a statement, reported by Kuwait News Agency (KUNA). Dr Khaled Mohamed Ali al-Fadhel was named as Minister of Oil and Maryam Aqil Hashem al-Aqil as Minister of Social rights: NHRC Aff airs and Minister of State for Economic Aff airs, Al Mezrim added. By Joseph Varghese tional Federation of Journalists and the Global Staff Reporter Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions. “Restrictions on individual liberties neither Man dies as storm bring stability nor establish peace. Furthermore, sweeps across UK ighlighting the need for freedom of ex- ways to achieve prosperity, development and de- pression, the National Human Rights mocracy are only possible when freedom is real- HCommittee (NHRC) chief yesterday ised in a way that would allow expression, criti- called for a global declaration to protect social cism and creativity,” HE Dr al-Marri said in his media activists. opening speech. His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani met at the Amiri Diwan off ice yesterday with HE Dr Ali bin Smaikh al-Marri was addressing “Therefore, we demand: a global declaration the outgoing UK ambassador to Qatar Ajay Sharma. The Amir granted the ambassador Al Wajbah the opening session of International Conference to protect social media activists; to take into ac- Decoration in recognition of his role in contributing to enhancing bilateral relations, wishing him success on ‘Social Media: Challenges and Ways to Pro- count civic space and protection of activists, in his future missions, and the relations between the two countries further progress and prosperity. For mote Freedoms and Protect Activists,’ at Ritz- when developing or adopting new human rights his part, the ambassador expressed thanks and appreciation to the Amir and the state’s off icials for the Carlton Doha. agreements; to bring more international atten- co-operation he received that contributed to the success of his work in the country. Page 20 Cars are swept away by floodwaters The two-day conference, held under the aus- tion to this cause and to place it as one of the after the River Wye broke its banks, pices of HE the Prime Minister and Minister of main issues in global dialogues and agendas of in Hay-on-Wye, Wales, Britain, Interior, Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz international organisations, including meetings yesterday. al-Thani, was opened in the presence of several of the Human Rights Council at the United Na- ministers, diplomats, other dignitaries and over tions and the Subcommittee on Human Rights in A man died after falling into a 500 delegates from around the world. the European Parliament and the Global Alliance MoCI, QDB launch ‘Land and river yesterday as Storm Dennis The event is organised by the NHRC in co-op- of National Human Rights Institutions to devote swept across Britain with the army eration and co-ordination with the Offi ce of the attention to the issue of ‘expanding the civic drafted in to help deal with heavy United Nations High Commissioner for Human space and protecting activists’ in its strategy and flooding and high winds. The man Rights, the European Parliament, the Interna- action programmes,” explained HE Dr al-Marri. Industrial Loan’ initiative fell into the River Tawe, in south The NHRC chairman noted that during the Wales, police