Citizens to swear allegiance to Sheikh Tamim as Emir

Source: The Peninsula Qatar (Read full story)

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The Emir H H Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani and the Heir Apparent H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani will receive Qatari citizens at the Emiri Diwan today and tomorrow to swear allegiance to Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani as the Emir of Qatar, the Qatar News Agency reported yesterday. The Emir will address the nation today at 8am. The Emiri Diwan has also declared today a national holiday.  Meanwhile, the Emir met yesterday at Al Wajbah Palace members of the ruling family and decision-makers. The Emir and the Heir Apparent will receive Qatari citizens at the Emiri Diwan today from 9am to 11.30am and from 3.30pm to 6pm. They will also receive citizens from 8am to 11.30am tomorrow “to swear allegiance to H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani as the Emir of Qatar,” Qatar News Agency said.

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Weekend shift: A welcome change

Source: The Saudi Gazette (Read full story)

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Saudi Arabia, the biggest Arab economy, had been the only member of the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) to have a Thursday-Friday weekend after Oman shifted to a Friday-Saturday weekend last month. However, some Saudi companies, including food producer Savola had already announced they would change their own weekend to Friday and Saturday to improve their coordination with regional partners. The decision aligns Saudi Arabia’s work schedule with everybody else, John Sfakianakis, chief investment strategist at MASIC, a Riyadh-based investment company, was quoted as saying by Bloomberg. “It will make the Saudi market more aligned with regional markets,” he said.

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Qatar expels Lebanese after GCC Hezbollah decision

Source: Khaleej Times (Read full story)

At least 18 Lebanese citizens have been expelled from Qatar, a government source in Beirut said on Thursday, after the Gulf Cooperation Council pledged to act against members of Lebanon’s Hezbollah movement. “Eighteen Lebanese have been expelled from Qatar, in the wake of the GCC decision,” the source said on condition of anonymity, saying it was not clear if they were Hezbollah members. On June 10, the GCC, to which Qatar belongs, said it would implement measures affecting the “residency permits and financial and commercial transactions of Hezbollah” in response to the group’s involvement in the conflict in Syria.

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Cabinet to meet to decide on ideal date for elections – Debate rages over constitutional court ruling

Source: Kuwait Times (Read full story)

The Cabinet is expected to hold an extraordinary session today to discuss an ideal date for the parliamentary election following the constitutional court’s ruling that scrapped the National Assembly as the debate over the verdict continues among various political groups. The Cabinet may announce the election date today after approving a decree to dissolve the Assembly or postpone a final decision until the beginning of next week. Observers believe that the most likely scenario is to hold polls during the holy month of Ramadan that will start on July 9 and specifically in the last third of the month.

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GCC to continue heavy investments in infrastructure

Source: Al Arabiya (Read full story)

The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries will continue to invest heavily in infrastructure and diversify their economies, thus boosting non-oil GDP growth, Qatar National Bank (QNB) said in a report. The study also noted that the MENA region is expected to grow between 3.5 percent and 4 percent this year and 4.5 percent to 5 percent in 2014, notwithstanding significant headwinds from the global economy and domestic political uncertainty in a number of countries in the region.

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Bahrain dismantles pro-Iran group

Source: Arab News (Read full story)

Bahrain announced yesterday the arrest of leading members of the radical opposition February 14 Revolution Youth Coalition, an influential clandestine cyber-group accused of links to Iran. “After an extensive investigation, several members of the February 14 terrorist organization were identified … (and) the main actors who took part in criminal acts have been arrested,” the Interior Ministry said. The group has been the main motor behind disturbances that began in 2011. The ministry said the group’s spiritual leader is Hadi Al-Mudaressi, a leading cleric living in the Iraqi city of Karbala, and said he “provided divisive sectarian support to the organization.”

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Hezbollah supporters to be thrown out of GCC countries

Source: Arab News (Read full story)

Members of Lebanon’s Hezbollah who are residing in Gulf Cooperation Council states will pay the price for the Shiite movement’s military role in Syria against freedom fighters. A GCC statement, citing a ministerial council decision, said the measures will affect Hezbollah members’ “residency permits, and financial and commercial transactions.” The statement urged the Lebanese government to “assume its responsibilities toward the behavior of Hezbollah and its illegal and inhumane practices in Syria and the region.”

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Qatar’s emir poised to cede power to son

Source: Al Bawaba (Read full story)

Crown Prince Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad, 33, is set to be Qatar’s next emir, Al Bawaba Arabic reported. Hamad is the son of current emir Khalifa Al Thani. Previous news reports have stated that the father and current incumbent Al Thani, 61, has been suffering from health problems for some time. Meanwhile, Hamad’s cousin, Sheikh Hamad Bin Jasem, is expected to step down as prime minister. Jasem, however, will stay on with the Qatar Investment Authority, which manages wealth that recycles gas revenues. He will also continue his role with UK’s retail darling, Harrods. According to the Daily Telegraph, the United States and Iran were briefed on the succession earlier this year.

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