Doha, January 30 (QNA) - Here is a summary of local news released Monday: - HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani received a written message from HH President of the sisterly United Arab Emirates (UAE) Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan that included an invitation to HH the Amir to participate in World Governments Summit 2024, due in Dubai in February.
- HE Minister of Finance Ali bin Ahmed Al Kuwari met with HE Minister for Finance and Employment of the Republic of Malta Clyde Caruana, who is visiting Doha.
- HE Minister of Transport Jassim bin Saif Al Sulaiti met on Monday with HE Minister of Civil Aviation of the Arab Republic of Egypt Mohamed Abbas.
- HE Minister of Labor Dr. Ali bin Samikh Al Marri met on Monday with HE Ambassador of the Kingdom of Cambodia to Qatar Sman Manan.
- HE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Sultan bin Saad Al Muraikhi met Monday with HE Ambassador of the United States of America to the State of Qatar Timmy Davis.
- HE Minister of State for International Cooperation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Lolwah bint Rashid Al Khater met with HE Chief of Staff of the National Security Council of the United States of America Curtis Ried, who is visiting the country.
- The Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs (Awqaf) will organize on Tuesday the First Endowment Forum under the auspices of HE Minister of Endowments and Islamic Affairs Ghanem bin Shaheen Al Ghanim.
- The Shura Council held its ordinary weekly session Monday at Tamim bin Hamad Hall at the Council's headquarters under the chairmanship of HE Speaker of the Shura Council Hassan bin Abdullah Al Ghanim.
- The Shura Council on Monday participated in a parliamentary webinar organized by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in partnership with the International Parliament Engagement Network, under the title 'Public Engagement in Parliamentary Work on Climate Change'.
- The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MoECC) held a broad range of events in Al Enna Awareness Camp in Sealine which strikingly drew a huge crowd from various age groups, especially children who interacted with the activities there. The event will ramp up on Friday.
- The State of Qatar stressed its firm stance on the necessity of continuing and intensifying the relief efforts to the Gaza Strip, warning of the catastrophic repercussions of stopping the support for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).
- The State of Qatar, represented by the Supreme Judiciary Council (SJC), is hosting the General Assembly of the Arab Investment Court (AIC) of 2024, as part of the SJC's support for the work of the AIC.
- Qatar Chamber and Arab Women Investors Union discussed ways to enhance cooperation between the Chamber and the Union to strengthen cooperation between Qatari businesswomen and their counterparts in the Arab world.
- The Qatar Chambers Education Committee discussed the most significant obstacles facing the education sector across all categories, including private schools, educational centers, kindergartens, and training centers.
- Qatar Financial Centre Authority (QFCA), the legal and tax arm of the Qatar Financial Centre (QFC), signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with MEEZA, the leading provider of managed IT services and solutions in Qatar, to foster sustained growth within countrys tech ecosystem.
- QatarEnergy and the US Excelerate Energy (Excelerate) signed a long-term LNG sale and purchase agreement (SPA) for the supply of LNG from Qatar to Bangladesh.
- Estithmar Holding group, a Qatari public shareholding company, in partnership with the General Retirement and Social Insurance Authority (GRSIA), unveiled a package of exclusive discounts of 15 percent for retirees on entering Lusail Winter Wonderland in Al Maha Island.
- Qatar's foreign merchandise trade balance, which represents the difference between total exports and imports, showed a surplus of QR 18.7 billion, a decrease of about QR 9.5 billion, or 33.7%, compared to December 2022, and an increase by nearly QR 2.0 billion, or 12.0%, compared to November 2023.
- The Civil Service and Government Development Bureau (CSGDB) and the Global IT Giant SAP announced Monday they would cooperate to launch a comprehensive transformation project in the human resources management system in the government sector in the State of Qatar.
- A new batch of licensed Qatari real estate brokers took the legal oath before the Real Estate Brokers Affairs Committee at the Ministry of Justice. It included 29 mediators between individuals and real estate brokerage companies.
- Qatar Charity (QC) launched the 7th edition of the "Future's Writers" program, which focuses on developing creative writing skills in school and university students. The event was attended by representatives of the programs partners and sponsor.
- University of Doha for Science and Technology (UDST) recently signed a five-year strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Idaho State University (ISU), a highly regarded and comprehensive educational institution in the United States.
- The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) announced that the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023 has set a new total attendance record of 1.06 million spectators, after 63,753 passionate fans packed the Al Bayt Stadium to witness defending champions Qatar emerge victorious over Palestine in the Round of 16 on Monday.
- The Qatar football national team booked their place in the quarter-final of the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023 after their victory over Palestine 2-1 in their match at Al Bayt Stadium in the round of 16.
- Two stoppage time goals secured Jordan a dramatic 3-2 win over Iraq and progression into the last-eight of the ongoing AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023, on Monday.
- The Executive Director of Central Operations at the Organizing Committee of the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023 Eng. Badr Abdulhamid Al Langawi affirmed that the organizational process of the tournament is proceeding according to the planned schedule and without any obstacles so far since the State of Qatar won the bid to host it. (QNA)