Doha, 26 Jan. 2021

Qatar Airways (QR) is set to become the first airline in the Middle East to begin trialing IATA’s new ‘Digital Passport’ mobile app in March.

The first phase of the trials of the new Travel Pass initiative will be rolled out on the airline’s Doha-Istanbul route, enabling passengers to receive COVID-19 test results and verify they are eligible to undertake their journey.

Sant’Agata Bolognese, January 25, 2021

Automobili Lamborghini for the 8th year running received 'Top Employer Italy 2021' award from the Top Employers Institute, an agency that acknowledges companies that apply the highest quality standards to how they manage their human capital.

Umberto Tossini, Chief Human Capital Officer, Lamborghini said 'In a year dominated by the pandemic, this award is even more poignant. Our company reacted promptly to the challenges presented by the emergency, considering our people as the absolute priority and implementing actions dictated by an adsolute sense of responsibility towards the company and the country.

He said that investing constantly in the well being and growth of our people drives theirs ense of motivation, which plays a vital role in meeting company targets and gives us all common values and perspectives'.

Doha, 25 Jan. 2021

Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) celebrated recently the success of the Urgent Consultation Service at Itqan Clinical Simulation and Innovation Center. Present on the occasion were 30 representatives and heads of departments that contributed to the implementation of the service.

The service was launched in March 2020 following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and the suspension of face-to-face outpatient appointments, the Urgent Consultation Service offers medical consultations to patients with urgent but non-life-threatening conditions via telemedicine, with options available for video or audio consultations.

Dr. Abdulla Al Ansari, HMC’s Chief Medical Officer, presented certificates of appreciation to the honorees and thanked all staff members who contributed to the implementation of the Urgent Consultation Service. He also confirmed that the service will remain in place in the future.

The Urgent Consultation Service was launched in a record time of 7 days with support of various departments at HMC, including the departments of Health Information and Communication Technology, Engineering, Human Resources, Communications, Health Facilities Development, as well as the support of the Ministry of Public Health and the Ministry of Transport and Communications.

Dr. Khalid Al Rumaihi, Head of Urology at HMC, is managing the Urgent Consultation Service and says that the Service has achieved its goals and was very well received by the public as it received 197,000 calls between its launch and 31 December 2020, with a 95% response rate.

“The Urgent Consultation Service is staffed by around 150 physicians and is currently available for 15 different specialties, namely: urology, orthopedics, ENT, general surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, general medicine, cardiology, dermatology, pediatrics, dentistry, mental health, neurology, pain management, geriatrics, and oncology,” added Dr. Al Rumaihi.

Commenting on the process for delivering the urgent consultation service, Dr. Al Rumaihi explained that a number of physicians receive patient calls and conduct an initial assessment for the patients and answer their questions and when a specialized consultation is required, the call is put through to the specialist physician. In the event that a call is not answered, the doctors will call the patient back and then transfer the call to the specialist doctor if needed. All calls are recorded for quality control purposes and for future reference when required.

A recent customer satisfaction survey, which was conducted on 1,000 service users, showed that 88 percent of the respondents expressed their satisfaction with the service, while 90 percent of those surveyed recommended that the service remain in place in the future even after the end of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The telephone-based Urgent Consultation Service allows patients to speak to healthcare professionals to obtain appropriate diagnosis for their conditions so that necessary actions can be taken without the need to visit the hospital. The service can be accessed by calling the health sector’s hotline number (16000) and then selecting the HMC Urgent Consultation Service option (option 3).

The Urgent Consultation Service offers patients a range of healthcare services, including medical consultations, new prescriptions, prescription refills, referrals to OPD clinics, referrals to primary health care centers, referrals to the emergency department, issuing health numbers for visitors, and reviewing lab test results and clinical imaging reports when no medical appointments are available soon in the clinic.

The Urgent Consultation Service also offers help and psychological support to those who suffer from stress and anxiety related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The service has also helped relieve the pressure on hospitals, which in turn resulted in reducing the risk of COVID-19 exposure for patients and healthcare professionals. A survey conducted to seek patients’ opinion about the service showed that when asked about their decision if the Urgent Consultation Service was not available, 58 percent of the respondent said they would go to the emergency department, while 18 percent said they would go to private clinics, 16 percent said they would go to the OPD without an appointment, and 11 percent said they would stay home and would not seek medical attention.

The Urgent Consultation Service will remain in place with periodic reviews conducted regularly to remove or add more services and specialties as needed.

The celebration event was concluded with a speech from Dr. Khalid Al Rumaihi in which he thanked all attendees and medical staff who contributed to the success of the service. The speech was followed by a recognition ceremony with all attendees being awarded certificates of appreciation.

Los Angeles (USA), 23 Jan. 2021 (CNN)

Doha, 16 Jan. 2021

As the country continues its gradual lifting of restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) has announced a return to face-to-face appointments for outpatient clinics.

As part of the gradual return to normal, HMC outpatient appointments will be conducted face-to-face with physicians in clinics.

HMC will continue to offer virtual clinics for some follow-up appointments or repeat prescriptions. Patients will be contacted by Nesma’ak about their appointment and whether their upcoming appointment is face-to-face or a virtual appointment.

HMC’s Chief Medical Officer Dr. Abdulla Al Ansari said it was the appropriate time to return to face-to-face appointments.

“Early on in the pandemic we made the decision to conduct outpatient appointments and other services virtually – this was essential to protect our patients, visitors and the wider public from the spread of COVID-19,” explained Dr. Al Ansari.

“As we start to gradually return to normal, it has been decided to resume in-person appointments where clinically appropriate. Measures will be in place to ensure social distancing and appropriate time between appointments.”

“Follow-up appointments – for example for medication refills - will continue to be conducted virtually through telephone consultations. We would like to thank our patients and the community for their support and patience during the pandemic.”

All patients attending appointments in HMC Outpatients Departments will be required to show their Ehteraz status and have their body temperature taken prior to entry. Only patients with an appointment will be admitted to HMC facilities.

If a patient is experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms on the day of your appointment including fever or chills, shortness of breath or cough, we request they do not attend and call 16060 to reschedule.

HMC continues to offer a range of virtual services via the 16000-helpline including:

• Medication delivery: Patients can also still opt to have their medication refills delivered to their homes for a small fee to save visiting an HMC pharmacy.
• Mental health helpline: A team of mental health professionals is available to support people experiencing stress and anxiety and other emotional distress.
• Urgent Consultation Service: people with urgent but non-life-threatening conditions can call the service and speak to a team of doctors who can provide health-related advice and information and assess symptoms.

Doha, 16 Jan. 2021

Ankara, 14 Jan. 2021 (Anadolu News)

South Korea has sought Qatar's assistance to secure the release of a ship and its crew detained by Iran, local media reported on Thursday.

Choi Jong-kun, South Korea’s first vice foreign minister, made the request during meetings with top Qatari officials, according to Yonhap News Agency.

Jong-kun met Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim al-Thani, Qatar’s deputy prime minister and foreign minister, and Soltan bin Saad al-Muraikhi, minister of state for foreign affairs, separately in Doha on Wednesday.

He requested “the maximum support possible from the Qatari side to resolve the matter,” the South Korean Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Jong-kun held talks with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araqchi in Tehran on Monday but the two sides failed to reach an agreement. Iran has urged Seoul to “avoid politicizing the issue,” while pressing for the release of over $7 billion worth of Iranian assets frozen in South Korea.

The South Korean-flagged oil tanker with 20 crew members, including five South Koreans, was seized by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps in the Persian Gulf on Jan. 4.

Iranian authorities claimed the vessel, which was carrying 7,200 tons of ethanol to South Korea from Saudi Arabia’s Al-Jubail port, violated environmental protocols and was polluting the sea.

The ship is currently at a port in Bandar Abbas, a city on Iran’s southern coast.

Tensions between Seoul and Tehran have soared after South Korea recently froze billions of dollars in Iranian funds under US sanctions over Tehran’s nuclear program.

Around 3 trillion won ($2.7 billion) deposited by the Seoul branch of Iran’s Bank Mellat have been held by the Bank of Korea, while about $7 billion worth of Iranian oil money was frozen by the Industrial Bank of Korea and Woori Bank, according to a Yonhap report last week.

Washington, 13 Jan. 2021

US Congress approved by 232 Vs 197 votes to impeach outgoing US President Donald Trump for ‘incitement’ of mob to attack on US Capitol (Parliament). Trump will leave power as the first president in the nation’s 245-year history to be impeached twice. Ten Republican Party members of Donald Trump voted in favour of impeachment and five Republican members of Congress abstain from voting.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is expected to transmit the article to Senate on Friday 15th of January, just four days pri0r of outgoing President Trump in office. At least 67 out of the 100 senators are required to convict to remove Donald Trump from office.

Donald Trump was impeached first in December 2019 on pressuring  the president of Ukraine to investigate political rival Joe Biden but the Senate declined to convict him.

Second impeachment charges a sitting president of the country for incitement his supporters to storm on parliament building which killed five persons including a Capitol police officer.

This time could be different following an unprecedented and violent assault on Congress’ home that left five people dead – including a U.S. Capitol police officer – and a nation shaken by an attack that struck at what President-elect Biden, a former senator, calls the “citadel “of democracy.

Following Republicans voted to impeach party leader Donald Trump

Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming

Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler of Washington

• Rep. Anthony Gonzalez of Ohio
• Rep. John Katko of New York
• Rep. Adam Kinzinger of Illinois
• Rep. Peter Meijer of Michigan
• Rep. Dan Newhouse of Washington
• Rep. Tom Rice of South Carolina
• Rep. Fred Upton of Michigan
• Rep. David Valadao of California

Cheney said in a statement Tuesday that the insurrection caused injury, death and destruction.

“The president of the United States summoned this mob, assembled the mob and lit the flame of the attack,” Cheney said. “There has never been a greater betrayal by a president of the United States of his office and his oath to the Constitution reported by USA Today.

Following Republican Party members of Congress abstain from voting :

• Rep. Kay Granger of Texas
• Rep. Andy Harris of Maryland
• Rep. Greg Murphy of North Carolina
• Rep. Daniel Webster of Florida

USA Today reported that Harris, an anesthesiologist, is a statement said that he decided to take care of patients Wednesday rather than vote.

Murphy skipped the vote to take care of his wife, who just went through back surgery.

Webster said there were "family medical obligations."

A Granger spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment.

No Democrats missed Wednesday's vote.

Doha, 11 Jan. 2021 (AlJazeera News-Sultan Barakat)

On January 5, during a Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) summit in Saudi Arabia, Gulf leaders signed a 9solidarity and stability' agreement to end a three-and-a-half-year-long blockade against Qatar.

The news generated great excitement among people in Qatar, who have long been eager to reunite with their extended families living in other Gulf states and resume business relations with their neighbours. It was also applauded by the international community, which is hungry for good news amid never-ending conflicts, unprecedented social and political divisions, and a raging pandemic.

Tuesday’s agreement marks the end of a highly destructive diplomatic rift which lasted longer than many in the region expected. During this period, Qatar had to withstand not only the crippling economic pressures instigated by the blockade, but also the repeated attempts by the blockading nations to undermine its sovereignty and destabilise its monarchy.

Now, however, Doha is once again embraced by its neighbours and full relations have been restored between Qatar and the four blockading nations, namely Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain and Egypt. So, what paved the way for the amicable resolution of this dispute? And, perhaps even more importantly, what will be the long-term consequences of this painful period of separation and animosity for Qatar and the region?

Qatar’s measured handling of the crisis led to its resolution

One of the main factors that allowed for the amicable resolution of this crisis was the rational and measured diplomatic strategy Qatar pursued against the blockading states in the last three-and-a-half years.

From day one, acknowledging the fact that the crisis can only be resolved with the approval of the Saudi leadership, Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani refrained from criticising King Salman or his son, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Similarly, he called on all his representatives and the Qatari people at large not to trade back the low rhetoric generating from some corners within the blockading countries. Thanks to this pragmatic approach, when the right conditions for ending the blockade emerged, Riyadh did not see any shame in swiftly re-establishing full diplomatic relations with Doha.

Qatar also continued to supply gas to the UAE through the Dolphin Gas Project throughout the crisis, clearly demonstrating that it is not willing to make any moves that would irreparably harm its relations with its neighbours.

Rather than getting into a tit-for-tat battle with its neighbours, Qatar chose to seek justice in international courts. This level-headed strategy paid off, with Qatar securing legal victories against blockading nations in international courts on issues ranging from human rights and airspace violations to intellectual property rights.

Qatar also assumed a rational and moderate stance on the international arena, investing in multilateral cooperation with a wide range of partners. Despite the Trump administration initially supporting the blockade, for example, Doha continued to cooperate with the United States on key issues, including supporting the US withdrawal from Afghanistan by mediating the Afghan peace process.

This not only allowed Qatar to remain in close contact with the Trump administration throughout the crisis, but also ensured that it will remain an important partner to the US under the incoming Biden administration.

Qatar’s reasoned response to the crisis, and commitment to international law and cooperation, led several countries that initially backed the blockade, such as Jordan and Senegal, to change course and restore relations with the Gulf emirate.

Qatar’s capacity for critical self-examination and eagerness to correct its mistakes also contributed to the amicable resolution of the crisis.

Since the beginning of the blockade, Qatar has been working to determine, and address, the factors that led to it being perceived as a negative force in the international arena by some of its closest allies.

Most significantly, it realised how negatively its support for the masses who took to the streets during the Arab Spring has been perceived by the other Gulf monarchies. As it realised that its actions have led to it being seen as a small state unduly undermining its strategic partners, it took some necessary steps to correct this perception.

While remaining firm on issues of sovereignty, the authorities in Doha also made some necessary alterations to its other policies that were being questioned by the blockading states.

To address the allegation that it is “funding international terrorism”, for example, Qatar brought all aid organisations privately established by Qatari families under the Regulatory Authority for Charitable Activities and gave this body greater institutional powers.

Qatar also withdrew permission to raise funds from any charitable organisation that failed to conform with standards of accountability.

Meanwhile, Qatar did not give in to the blockading nations’ demand for the closure of Al Jazeera Media Network. Rather than shuttering a media organisation that has become globally recognised and respected for its high-quality reporting, it focussed on promoting the diversification of the Qatari media sector. It supported the growth of existing channels, such as Al Araby TV, and other emerging channels with different editorial viewpoints to Al Jazeera.

This approach appears to have proved acceptable to all involved parties, as Qatar’s Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani recently told Al Jazeera that the issue of shutting down the network was not raised during the talks with the blockading quartet.

Qatar’s reliance on international law and measured diplomacy was undoubtedly the primary factor that led to the resolution of this crisis. By refusing to engage in a tit-for-tat battle with the blockading nations and demonstrating its willingness for cooperation in the international arena, Qatar forced Saudi Arabia and its allies’ hand to end the blockade.

However, the timing of the long-awaited “solidarity and stability” agreement was also likely tied to the developments in the US. The Saudis knew that they had much to gain from resolving the issue before the end of President Donald Trump’s term.

Unlike Trump, incoming President Joe Biden issued strong criticism of many features of Saudi Arabia’s foreign policy during his election campaign, demanding accountability for the atrocities committed during the Yemen war and the assassination of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Biden was also expected to force the involved parties to resolve the Gulf crisis once he assumed power, so Riyadh likely sped up the reconciliation process to adopt an appeasing stance in the eyes of the incoming president.

The long-term impact of the blockade

The blockade undoubtedly harmed Qatar’s economy. It was forced to inject $ 43 bn from its sovereign funds into banks in order to stabilise its currency during the financial crisis triggered in the first few months of the blockade.

The blockade’s negative impact on Qatar’s economy, which was already under pressure due to the immense development project it embarked on in preparation for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, was exacerbated by other global crises that have hit the region during this period, such as the COVID-19 recession and the oil crisis it triggered in 2020. Leading Qatari companies also suffered due to these crises, with Qatar Airways alone admitting to a $5bn loss.

Despite these considerable losses, however, Qatar also managed to use the blockade as an opportunity to develop greater self-sufficiency, which was long overdue given the intrinsic vulnerabilities of its resource-based economy. During the blockade, the country has made strides towards becoming more resilient in many areas from food security to international policy.

The blockade has also reinforced social cohesion and resilience in Qatar. In response to the blockade, Qataris rallied around the Emir and repeatedly demonstrated their support for the ruling monarchy.

Meanwhile, the authorities used the blockade as an opportunity to resolve societal problems that have long been attracting criticism from both Qataris and the international community. They partnered with the International Labour Organization to reform the Kafala system and pursue alternative methods of regulating foreign residency in the country. Discussions are even being held on introducing an elected shura to the government system.

Future cooperation within the GCC

After the three-and-a-half-year-long blockade, the relations between the Gulf states are unlikely to go back to how they were before.

As it stands, the GCC is a loose organisation with no legal bindings, meaning the council’s expectations from its members are largely implicit. This loose structure, and its related uncertainties, such as the lack of clarity on the sort of relationship member states can have with Iran without upsetting the GCC, was one of the reasons that led to the blockade on Qatar. Oman and Kuwait, who also have a pragmatic approach towards Iran, have also been negatively affected by this.

Going forward, to avoid crises similar to the blockade from emerging, the GCC will need to be more explicit in terms of the reciprocal obligations of its member states. Perhaps more importantly, all member states will need to refrain from unduly interfering in the affairs of other Gulf countries.

All this will require a greater degree of organisation and coordination within the GCC.

Many analysts have interpreted the reconciliation in the Gulf as a threat to Iran. In reality, the reconciliation between Qatar and the rest of the GCC reduces the possibility of a direct confrontation between Iran and the Gulf states. In recent years, the UAE cultivated a strong relationship with Israel and started to pursue an increasingly aggressive policy towards Iran.

Qatar’s involvement is likely to reduce the UAE’s influence over the GCC, and lead to the council assuming a more moderate stance towards Iran.

As the UAE is still less than enthusiastic to reach a compromise with Qatar on numerous foreign policy issues, including Iran, Saudi Arabia will need to take the lead in bringing GCC states together. It will need to convince all member states, including the UAE, to accept the majority view that direct confrontation with Iran is not to the benefit of the GCC.

The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeera’s editorial stance.

Istanbul, 08 January 2021 (Anadolu News)

The UAE will open its land, air and sea borders with Qatar as of Saturday, an official said on Friday.

In a statement cited by the UAE state-run WAM news agency, Khalid Abdullah Belhoul, undersecretary of the Foreign Ministry, said his country will end all measures taken against Qatar in accordance with the Al-Ula agreement. Belhoul said the UAE will resolve all other issues with Qatar through bilateral talks.

On Tuesday, the city of Al-Ula in northwestern Saudi Arabia, hosted the 41st Gulf Summit, which saw the announcement of the end of a Gulf crisis that continued since 2017 between Qatar and Saudi Arabia, the Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt.

Over the period of the crisis, Kuwait mediated between the parties which recently achieved a breakthrough by opening borders between Saudi Arabia and Qatar.