QatarTribune Qatar_Tribune QatarTribuneChannel qatar_tribune FRIDAY FEBRUARY 14, 2020 JUMADA AL-AKHIR 20, 1441 VOL.13 NO. 4869 QR 2 Fajr: 4:53 am Dhuhr: 11:48 am FINE Asr: 3:02 pm Maghrib: 5:28 pm HIGH : 22°C Isha: 6:58 pm LOW : 13°C Europe 7 Business 8 Sports 11 British nance Qatar insurance sector Stage set for FINA/CNSG minister quits in may record 5% GWP Marathon Swim World reshufe shock growth in 2020: S&P Series Doha 2020 Shura panel AMIR HONOURS SHEIKH ABDULLAH continues study Sharp increase The Amir HH Sheikh Tamim of draft law on bin Hamad al Thani awarded press, media the Hamad Bin activities in China virus Khalifa Sash to HE Sheikh Abdullah QNA bin Nasser bin DOHA Khalifa al Thani in recognition of his THE Joint Committee formed sincere efforts and by the Legal and Legislative deaths, cases valuable services Affairs Committee and the for the country Information and Cultural during a meeting Affairs Committee of the Death toll hits 1,367 ● Vietnam puts 10,000 under quarantine at the Amiri Diwan Shura Council on Wednes- on Thursday. day continued its study of a AFP in Hubei alone, with the new For his part, HE draft law for regulating the BEIJING cases and deaths by far the Sheikh Abdullah press, publications, publish- biggest one-day increases expressed his pride ing, media activities and CHINA’S official death toll since the crisis began. in this honour and the arts. The committee from the new coronavirus But the World Health Or- his gratitude and has decided to complete its spiked dramatically on Thurs- ganization moved to calm thanks to the Amir study in the next meeting. day after authorities changed fears, saying the new numbers for his support The committee’s meeting their counting methods, fuel- did “not represent a signifi- throughout his was chaired by its Rappor- ling concern the epidemic is cant change in the trajectory work. (QNA) teur HE Nasser bin Rashid far worse than being reported. of the outbreak”. bin Serayea al Kaabi. As the figures soared in “This increase that you’ve China, a troubling new front all seen in the last 24 hours opened abroad as neighbour- Chinese paramilitary police of- is largely, in part, down to ing Vietnam placed 10,000 cers wearing protectieve gears a change in how the cases Today I express my pride and extend my sincere gratitude and appreciation people under quarantine after transfer pails of disinfectant in are being reported,” Michael six COVID-19 cases were dis- Yunmeng county. (AFP) Ryan, head of WHO’s health to the Amir HH Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al Thani. May God protect him, covered in a cluster of villag- emergencies programme, told who honoured me with the granting of the Hamad Bin Khalifa Sash. Serving es — the first such lockdown hours after President Xi Jin- reporters in Geneva. the nation is invaluable, but I cherish my contribution and my service to overseas. ping claimed “positive results” Outside Hubei, there were the nation and I will always be so. And I hope that the honour one wins will Japan reported its first from efforts to contain an epi- 12 more deaths but the num- death of an infected person demic that has now officially ber of new cases fell for a inspire every ofcial and citizen to do all that he can to elevate our — the third fatality outside killed 1,367 people and infect- ninth day in a row, with 312 precious country. —HE SHEIKH ABDULLAH BIN NASSER BIN KHALIFA AL THANI mainland China after the Phil- ed nearly 60,000. extra patients. ippines and Hong Kong. In Hubei and its capital Hubei authorities said the Under criticism at home Wuhan, where tens of millions increases were because they Turkey threatens over the handling of the cri- of people are trapped as part had broadened their defini- force against sis, China’s Communist Party of an unprecedented quaran- tion for infection to include sacked two top-ranking of- tine effort, 242 new deaths people “clinically diagnosed” ‘radicals’ in ficials in Hubei province, the were reported on Thursday. via lung imaging. Syria’s Idlib (PG 4) epicentre of the outbreak. Another 14,840 people Ooredoo net prot rises The developments came were confirmed to be infected More on page 5 10% to QR1.7 bn in 2019 TRIBUNE NEWS NETWORK Attiyah attends DOHA OOREDOO Group on Thurs- day announced that its net NATO meeting profit attributable to Ooredoo shareholders increased by 10 voice to data consumption, a Indonesia, Myanmar and Ku- Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of percent to QR1.7 billion in reduction in handset sales as wait. State for Defence Affairs HE Dr Khalid 2019 as compared to last year. well as macroeconomic and “In 2019, we made good bin Mohammed al Attiyah on Thurs- According to a company currency weakness in some of progress with the execu- day participated in the meeting of statement, the growth was our markets. tion of our ambitious digital the North Atlantic Treaty Organization driven by an increase in earn- Based on the results, the transformation strategy, (NATO) Council with Resolute sup- ings before interest, taxes, de- board of the company has rec- transforming our core user port Operational Partner Nations and preciation and amortisation ommended the distribution experience online and mak- Potential Operational Partner Nations (EBITDA) and a more favour- of a cash dividend of QR0.25 ing it easier for our custom- at the level of ministers of defence. able foreign exchange envi- per share. Additionally, the ers to find and use our ser- The meeting was held at the NATO ronment compared to 2018. board has also approved a vices. We continued to invest headquarters in Belgium’s Brussels. Ooredoo Qatar, Kuwait, sustainable and progressive in our-state-of-the-art net- The meeting was also attended by Tunisia, Iraq and Indonesia dividend policy for the com- work, as well as introducing Qatar’s Ambassador to the Kingdom performed well. Furthermore, pany, aiming for a dividend and enhancing 5G services of Belgium and Head of its missions Ooredoo Indosat’s profit ben- payout in the range of 40 per- in key markets to support to the European Union and the NATO efited from the sale of 3,100 cent to 60 percent of normal- the next generation of digital HE Abdulrahman bin Mohammed al towers. ised earnings. services,” Ooredoo Chairman Khulai, and Qatari Military Attach to The telecom firm’s report- The customer base was Sheikh Abdulla bin Moham- Belgium Air Brigadier General Rashid ed group revenue was stable 117 million, up by 2 percent med bin Saud al Thani said. Saif al Khayarain. (QNA) PAGE 16 at QR29.9 billion, in spite of as compared to 2018, mainly the industry wide shift from driven by new customers in More on page 8 Renovated Al Khor Family Park to open on Sunday TRIBUNE NEWS NETWORK One of the largest park Al Khor Family Park are: QR15 DOHA for families in Qatar, Al Khor for adults and QR10 for chil- Family Park features green dren up to the age of 10. THE Al Khor Family Park will spaces and large trees, games Train ride inside the park reopen for the public on Sun- area, an artificial lake and a will cost QR5. The train can ac- day (February 16) after under- lecture hall among others. commodate 60 passengers and going a renovation at a cost of The upgrade work in- passes through three stations QR32 million. cluded the expansion of the designated for it. These token The Ministry of Munici- zoo and introduction of more fees will contribute to the ef- pality and Environment, in species of animals, while pro- forts to improve the facilities coordination with the Public viding the highest safety and and services for visitors. Works Authority (Ashghal), security standards for visitors The Al Khor Family Park completed the renovation of for the park to be a major rec- includes a Roman theater that the park and zoo in just 100 reational destination. can accommodate 400 people days. The renovation was car- The park is expected to re- for holding parties and events. ried out between October 22, ceive 500,000 visitors annu- 2019 and January 29, 2020. ally. The entry fees for visiting Continued on page 16 02 Friday, February 14, 2020 Contact US: Qatar Tribune I EDITORIAL I Phone: 40002222 I ADMINISTRATION & MARKETING I Phone: 40002155, 40002122, Fax: 40002235 P.O. Box: 23493, Doha. QU and DI sign pact MURAIKHI RECEIVES CREDENTIALS OF UKRAINE, SIERRA LEONE ENVOYS Minister of State for Foreign Affairs HE Sultan bin Saad al to boost cooperation Muraikhi on Thursday received a copy of the credentials of HE in academic research Andriy Kuzmenko as ambas- sador of Ukraine to Qatar. QNA education institutions play in Muraikhi also received a copy DOHA serving the country and soci- of the credentials of HE Hajja ety. They added that the MoU Ishita Thomas as non-resident QATAR University (QU) and would allow exchange of in- ambassador of Sierra Leone Doha Institute for Graduate formation and experiences to to Qatar. The Minister of State Studies (DI) have signed a raise the performance level of for Foreign Affairs wished the memorandum of understand- both parties. new ambassadors success in ing (MoU) to strengthen co- Derham stressed the im- the performance of their duties operation in areas of mutual portance of this cooperation and assured them of full sup- interest. with DI, which has the finest port to upgrade bilateral rela- President of QU Dr Hassan Arab scholars in the field of hu- tions between Qatar and their Rashid al Derham and Presi- manities.