DOHA: Qatar plans to reduce the average number of domestic helps per household by half by 2016 since the heavy dependence on foreign domestic workers is weakening family ties and affecting the well being of children, according to the country’s five-year plan launched

Qatar plans to set limits on personal loans based on an individual’s income to address the deepening debt crisis in the country. According to the just-unveiled Qatar National Development Strategy 2011-2016, three quarters of Qatari families are in debt, with most burdened by large loans exceeding QR250,000.

Qatar almost made a dream start under their new coach Milovan Rajevac only to be denied by bad luck as they drew 1-1 with Russia in the friendly international between the two future World Cup hosts at the Al Sadd Stadium yesterday.

DOHA: Per capita household water use in Qatar is one of the highest in the world. People in Qatar use an average of 310 litres of water every day, more than double the average for West European countries.

Qatar Prime Minister and Foreign Minister H E Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem bin Jabor Al Thani urged Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi yesterday to step down to halt bloodshed and said that he might only have a few days to negotiate an exit.

National e-health system for all

W Doha will meet on thursday with Ambassador of Japan in the state of Qatar, to hand over W Doha’s cheque of QR 80,000 for the UNICEF Fund for Japan. The Japanese Ladies Group and the W hotel invite you to a fund raising event More info

A lot of flexibility has been built into the National Development Strategy (NDS) 2011-2016 for accommodating projects related to the 2022 Football World Cup being hosted by Qatar, General Secretariat for Development Planning Secretary General Dr Ibrahim Ibrahim said yesterday.

HH Sheikha Moza bint Nasser has been granted the International Medal Council’s Award. The decision was announced during the council meeting in Warsaw. Sheikha Moza was one of the six winners among 600 candidates this year. She was nominated by children suffering from cancer in the Polish capital. The decision was taken in light of the concern shown by Sheikha Moza for the welfare of children worldwide, a spokesman for the award’s committee said.