SUBSCRIPTION OPEN [email protected] / 4496 2333 SPORT | Page 1 BUSINESS | Page 1 Vissel Kobe Qatar identifi es edge Suwon on projects worth penalties to QR54bn in reach semis medium term published in QATAR since 1978 FRIDAY Vol. XXXXI No. 11759 December 11, 2020 Rabia II 26, 1442 AH GULF TIMES www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals Ministry issues Amir meets French foreign minister advisory on test for Covid-hit students The Evaluation Aff airs Department Amir approves general of the Ministry of Education and Higher Education has issued a circular to directors of public and private secondary schools that apply national standards, budget for fi scal 2021 regarding how to conduct study examinations for students infected with coronavirus (Covid-19), and O Revenues estimated at QR160.1bn and expenditure QR194.7bn students quarantined for the twelfth grade (day and adult O Generous allocations made for all vital sectors, including health, education). According to the circular, the absence of these education, defence, infrastructure, environment and transport students from the end of the first semester exam is counted (with By Santhosh V Perumal conservative revenue estimation to On the sectoral allocation, the budg- an acceptable excuse), and an Business Reporter maintain a fi scal balance and mini- et earmarked QR42.2bn for the defence extension test will be conducted for mise the impact of the fl uctuation in and security sector, which captures these students in the curriculum energy prices on the state budget,” Fi- the largest share of 22% due to various of the first semester, provided that ssuming a conservative $40 nance Minister HE Ali Sherif al-Emadi projects, contracts, commitments and the date of the supplement test is a barrel oil price, Qatar yes- said, reasoning for $40 oil price in the initiatives. January 19, 2021. These students Aterday presented a QR34.6bn budget. The public fi nance is earmarked are required to bring a certificate deficit budget for 2021 but hinted at The 2021 revenue is estimated to QR39.9bn (20.5%), which includes in- from the Ministry of Public Health tapping the domestic and global debt be down 24.1% compared with 2020 terest on loans, expenditure towards proving the date of the student’s markets to cover the expected short- budget, which was based on a $55 price, government support programmes and infection with the coronavirus fall. said the Ministry of Finance in its ex- strategic foodstuff reserves, besides (Covid-19) or the date the student The 2021 state budget, which was planatory note. pension funds for civilians and military was placed in quarantine, and yesterday approved by His Highness The share of non-oil revenue in total personnel and social security alloca- schools send this certificate to the the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al- revenue is estimated to be 24% but it is tions. Secondary Certificate Control. Thani, estimates revenue of QR160.1bn expected that some initiatives and pro- The municipality and environment and expenditure of QR194.7bn, leaving grammes will contribute to increasing sector allocation is QR25.4bn (13%) to Strong possibility of a defi cit of QR34.6bn. this share in the coming years. further develop major infrastructure no-deal split: UK PM The Amir issued Law No 22 of 2020 The allocation for major projects is projects, provide water and electricity approving the state’s general budget for at QR72.1bn, which includes those for networks, besides continuing with the His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani met yesterday at his British Prime Minister Boris the fi scal year 2021. The law is eff ective new projects along with ongoing de- maintenance, development and expan- off ice at the Amiri Diwan with Minister of Europe and Foreign Aff airs of the French Johnson said yesterday there was as of January 1, 2021 and shall be pub- velopment works in various sectors and sion of roads. Republic Jean-Yves Le Drian and his accompanying delegation. The meeting dealt “a strong possibility” Britain and lished in the offi cial gazette. those related to hosting the 2022 FIFA The education sector allocation with reviewing bilateral co-operation and the means to enhance them, in addition the EU would fail to strike a trade “This refl ects a continued policy of World Cup. stands at QR17.4bn (8.9%). To Page 4 to reviewing the most prominent regional and international issues. deal, but vowed to do whatever he could to avoid a tumultuous split in three weeks. The European Union and Britain are at loggerheads over fishing rights, economic fair play and dispute settlement, despite months of talks on a new deal to Qatar, France for resolving disputes diplomatically cover trade from Jan 1 when the United Kingdom finally exits the bloc’s orbit. QNA as the world stands before all forms of visit to Qatar, where talks will be held Doha racist and exclusionary discourse of the about bilateral relations and ways to Four fi nalists vie for other. develop them. He said that at the re- He expressed concern about the state gional level, the Qatari and French sides Time’s Person of Year atar and France yesterday called of polarisation around the world and dealt with the main crises of mutual Time Magazine is ready to select its for addressing disputes using said that one of the troubling issues is the interest and the Libyan crisis, and af- Person of the Year for 2020 from Qdiplomatic means as they un- boundaries between freedom of expres- fi rmed their commitment to strength- nominees that include healthcare derlined the strength and durability sion and hate speech and incitement. en co-operation and co-ordination and workers battling the Covid-19 of bilateral relations and their historic He added in Qatar: “We will continue make concerted eff orts to support the pandemic, the racial justice partnership. to search for common spaces to build political transition process there, led by movement, and two US presidential At a news conference, HE the Deputy upon, and for peaceful means to resolve the United Nations, leading to the elec- election winners. Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign confl icts through diplomacy, build- tions next year. This year’s four finalists include Joe Aff airs Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrah- ing bridges of dialogue and spreading The visiting minister added that the Biden, who is due to be inaugurated man al-Thani, and French Minister for HE the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Aff airs Sheikh Mohamed bin the values of peace and mutual respect regional situation in general, and the as the 46th US president on Europe and Foreign Aff airs Jean-Yves Le Abdulrahman al-Thani, and French Minister for Europe and Foreign Aff airs Jean-Yves among countries, peoples and all civi- eff orts exerted to reach a permanent January 20, after winning a “historic Drian stressed the need to resolve dis- Le Drian at the news conference. lisations”. and fi nal solution to the existing crisis and unprecedented election,” Time putes through diplomacy and combat He appreciated Le Drian’s current between some countries of the GCC, said. President Donald Trump is also everything that threatens peace and sta- of violent extremism and terrorism, and violent extremism issues shows that this visit to Qatar, stressing its importance were touched upon, and stressed that in the running. Battling the deadly bility in the region and the world, reject- ways to combat the phenomenon that phenomenon is not related to any religion in developing relations between the France really wishes to reach an agree- pandemic are frontline healthcare ing extremism, combating terrorism, and threatens humanity. or race, stressing that Islamic religion two countries, and expressed his aspi- ment for a permanent reconciliation. workers and infectious disease standing up to all forms of racist and ex- He affi rmed Qatar’s belief in the need and the Prophet of Islam (PBUH) are not ration to develop them to broader ho- He said during his current visit to expert Dr Anthony Fauci. Together clusionary discourse in the world. to address the root causes of terrorism symbols of extremism. rizons. Doha, he will meet with the Minister they are the third finalist under Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrahman and extremism, which he attributed to In this context, he said: “We affi rm The French minister described his of Transport and Communications, consideration. The fourth 2020 title al-Thani said the Qatari and French sides social and economic causes, fuelled by that the tolerant Islamic religion and discussions in Doha as frank, friend- the Secretary-General of the Qatar contender is the global movement exchanged views during their meeting other extremist ideologies. the Prophet of Islam (PBUH), are not ly and close, and said the Qatari and Tourism Council and the CEO of Qatar for racial justice, sparked by the yesterday on common issues in the re- He also called for systematically look- symbols of extremism, but rather they French sides discussed a number of Airways Group to thank them for their killing of George Floyd, a Black gion, especially developments in resolv- ing at this phenomenon and statistics, have established an important human regional files, stressing that these support during the Coronavirus (Cov- man who died after a white police ing the Gulf crisis, developments in Leb- away from stereotypical and superfi cial civilisation that has made many con- meetings would allow the two friend- id-19) pandemic, which allowed the off icer knelt on his neck for nearly anon, Libya and several other countries impressions and polarised media, and tributions to humanity, and therefore, ly countries to co-ordinate in various repatriation of French citizens to their nine minutes in May in Minneapolis, in the region as well as the importance of what it tries to portray in this regard, the discourse that nurtures Islamo- fields.