BUSINESS | Page 1 SPORT | Page 1 Qatar’s realty Abubaker sector fi rst Qatari seen ‘buyer- to qualify friendly’ for 2020 Olympics published in QATAR since 1978 SUNDAY Vol. XXXX No. 11174 May 5, 2019 Sha’baan 30, 1440 AH GULF TIMES www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals In brief HBKU Class of 2019 graduates ‘Summer in Qatar’ QATAR | Religion Ramadan begins in Qatar tomorrow festival promises The Crescent Sighting Committee at the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic entertainment, Aff airs announced yesterday that Ramadan will begin in Qatar tomorrow (May 6). The committee, which met yesterday evening, shopping bonanza said in a statement that since the crescent was not sighted today will be Shaaban 30 and tomorrow will O Programme to provide a be the first day of Ramadan. The wide range of indoor and Visa-free entry committee called on all Muslims to benefit from the holy month by outdoor activities for all during festival doing good deeds, highlighting ages from June 4 to Aug 1 that fasting is one of the five pillars Families, relatives and friends of Islam when good deeds are By Joey Aguilar of Qatar residents will have the compounded and bad ones forgiven. Staff Reporter opportunity to visit the country visa- The committee also congratulated free during the ‘Summer in Qatar’ His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim festival, HE Akbar al-Baker has said. bin Hamad al-Thani, His Highness atar’s biggest summer pro- “We will even attract families and the Father Amir Sheikh Hamad bin gramme is set to provide resi- friends of people living in Qatar and Khalifa al-Thani, His Highness the Qdents and visitors with a wide make for them visa-free arrival at Deputy Amir Sheikh Abdullah bin range of indoor and outdoor activi- the Hamad International Airport,” Hamad al-Thani, the government, ties for all ages from June 4 to August he said. the Qatari people, and Muslims on 16, Qatar National Tourism Council “Citizens and residents of Qatar the month of Ramadan. (QNTC) secretary-general and Qatar can bring, invite their relatives and Airways GCEO HE Akbar al-Baker has friends, any other guests hassle- LATIN AMERICA | Unrest announced. free into the country during the HE Sheikha Hind bint Hamad al-Thani, Vice Chairperson and CEO of Qatar Foundation, and Chairperson of HBKU’s Board of The two-and-a-half-month-long summer festival,” he added. Trustees, attending the graduation ceremony of HBKU’s Class of 2019 at the Qatar National Convention Centre yesterday. The Maduro tells troops to festival, dubbed as ‘Summer in Qatar’, Page 10 graduating class comprised 173 students from 43 countries. The ceremony featured a keynote address by Sheikh Hamad bin be ‘ready’ for US attack will witness “a season of summer ex- Abdulla bin Jassim al-Thani, CEO of Vodafone Qatar. Also in attendance were ministers, diplomats, industry leaders, and HBKU Venezuelan President Nicolas periences, retail off ers and entertain- and QF senior management. Page 6 Maduro urged his troops yesterday ment” from the start of Eid al-Fitr to Besides ‘edutainment’, summer and to be “ready” for potential US the end of Eid al-Adha. sports camps, and special promo- military action, as backers of “Our main objective for the sum- tions on inbound travel, hospitality opposition leader Juan Guaido mer season here in Qatar is to bring the and shopping, the festival also brings marched on barracks in a new bid public and private stakeholders togeth- together local, regional and interna- to win the armed forces’ support. er under one summer theme campaign tional artists for the live entertainment Capping a week that saw a failed that can be packaged to both citizens shows, which will be held at various lo- uprising led by the US-backed and residents of Qatar, along with at- cations across Qatar. Gaza-Israel violence Guaido, Maduro instructed the tracting international travellers to “Thanks to the collaborative ef- military “to be ready to defend the showcase what our lovely country has forts of Qatar’s ever-growing public homeland with weapons in your to off er,” HE al-Baker told a press con- and private sector partners, we present hands.” Page 17 ference yesterday. the biggest, boldest summer season He was joined by Rashed al-Qurese yet, off ering everything from cultural fl ares into second day ASIA | Diplomacy from QNTC, also a Board Member excursions to world-class entertain- Trump still confi dent in of Qatar Business Events Corpora- ment,” HE al-Baker said. “This is the Reuters Israel retaliated with an air strike militant targets belonging to both tion, and Qatar Airways senior vice fi rst time we are doing a tourism pro- Gaza/Jerusalem that killed two militants from the groups. Kim aft er test launch president for Marketing and Corporate motion during summer of this magni- armed Islamist group Hamas, which Explosions shook Gaza City, where US President Donald Trump voiced Communications Salam al-Shawa. tude. controls Gaza. Two other Palestinians busy streets were packed with shop- confidence yesterday that Kim Jong- QNTC gathered more than 30 “Our stakeholders bring an array of aza militants fi red more than protesting near the frontier were killed pers carrying out their Ramadan prep- un would not “break his promise,” partners to launch the summer pro- exciting new products and activities to 200 rockets into Israeli towns by Israeli forces on the same day, Pal- arations. following what if confirmed would gramme, including the Ministry of ‘Summer in Qatar’, enabling us to pro- Gand villages through yesterday, estinian offi cials said. The Gaza Health Ministry said a be North Korea’s first short-range Commerce and Industry, Ministry of vide tourism off erings to suit the di- while Israel hit back with tank shelling Hamas and Islamic Jihad began 14-month old baby and her mother missile launch for more than a year. Municipality and Environment, Qatar verse community of all ages, interests, and air strikes that Palestinian offi cials firing waves of rockets into Israel were killed by one of the Israeli strikes “Anything in this very interesting Museums (QM), Qatar Airways, Katara and budgets and further develop Qatar said killed a baby, her mother and a early yesterday. The Israeli military and at least 12 other Palestinians were world is possible,” Trump tweeted, – the Cultural Village, Qatar Founda- as a year-round tourism destination,” gunman. said its tanks and aircraft responded wounded. Residents identifi ed two of after Seoul said Pyongyang had tion, Private Engineering Offi ce, Ka- he added. Cross-border hostilities which with strikes against more than 30 them as militants. launched several unidentified tara Hospitality, Al Rayyan Hospital- Qatar Airways passengers can enjoy broke out on Friday fl ared into a sec- projectiles into the sea. Page 18 ity, Marriott International hotels, nine a 25% discount on all fl ights to Doha ond day, with Gazans fl eeing Israeli participating malls, and other event from more than 160 destinations glo- strikes and air-raid sirens sending Is- partners, including QSports, Social bally starting May 15, for travel to Qatar raelis running to shelters as interceptor Studios, Alchemy and Radio ONE FM anytime between May 30 and August missiles blew up Palestinian rockets in Qatar. 16. To Page 10 the sky. The escalation of the confl ict, which comes just ahead of both the Muslim holy month of Ramadan and Israel’s Independence Day holiday, prompt- ed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to convene a high-level meeting of his security chiefs. Egyptian mediators, credited with brokering ceasefi res in previous rounds of violence, were working to prevent further escalation of hostilities. The latest round of violence began (From left) Salam al-Shawa, HE Akbar al-Baker, and Rashed al-Qurese at the press on Friday when a Palestinian sniper conference announcing the launch of Summer in Qatar at Sharq Village and Spa. fi red at Israeli troops, wounding two, yesterday. PICTURE: Jayan Orma according to the Israeli military. An explosion is pictured among buildings during an Israeli air strike on Gaza City. Project Qatar 2019 concludes on a high note By Joey Aguilar tor Clark Williams to a panel discussion hosting the FIFA World Cup 2022, and to the local, regional, and international Some of the zones included the long- Staff Reporter on ‘Smart Infrastructure – Combining towards delivering the Qatar National construction community.” running Heavy Max and Qatar Stone Physical and Digital Infrastructure’, the Vision 2030. It is an exciting time to be The conference also tackled opportu- Tech. third day also saw fi ve other talks focus- established in the Qatari market,” IFP nities for foreign and local companies in “Over 16 successful years,” organisers he 16th edition of Project Qatar ing on smart infrastructure, technology Qatar acting general manager Haidar the local market, technology and inno- noted that the exhibition continued at- has concluded at the Doha Ex- and innovation. Mshaimesh said in a press statement. vation in energy, and Qatar’s smart cit- tracting global players in the construc- Thibition and Convention Cen- Project Qatar 2019, themed “The Fu- “We also witnessed how the drive to- ies with lively discussions, interactions, tion market and provided unparalleled tre (DECC) with a series of exhibitions, ture of Construction in Qatar”, gathered wards sustainability and hosting a ma- and dialogue with high-profi le speakers. opportunities to secure deals with deci- presentations and discussions high- participants from across the construc- jor sports event is pushing innovation The hosting of the FIFA World Cup sion makers in the Qatar market. lighting future innovations and smart tion sector - project managers, archi- across the wider construction industry 2022 also created a positive impact on “Project Qatar 2019 exceeded our technology.