The British Council and its partners have invited Gulf-based designers to participate in the Unlimited Doha Design Prize 2016. The contest offers an opportunity to come together with UK counterparts for a week-long design residency in Doha.
The Unlimited Doha Design Prize is open to architects, urban designers, engineers, 3D designers, technologists and researchers.
Twenty participants – 10 each from the Gulf and the UK – will take part in the live design residency between March 18 and 26.
They will work in teams to research and explore the theme of “The Open City” and develop new ideas and innovative design solutions that will improve the experience of movement and accessibility within the 21st-century city.
Under the patronage of HE Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, chairperson of Qatar Museums, and in partnership with the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy, the design residency will give shortlisted participants the opportunity to work in Doha.
At the end of the residency, a winning team will be awarded the Unlimited Doha Design Prize and a grant of £15,000 to be used to further develop the project proposal as a team.  
For more information, one can visit http://tinyurl.com/Unlimited-Doha-Design-Prize

Food fest to feature celebrity chefs
Celebrating culinary culture under the theme “A Different Side of Food,” the Qatar International Food Festival (QIFF) will be staged for seven days (March 22 to 28) this year at the Museum of Islamic Art Park and in satellite venues including Katara – the Cultural Village and The Pearl-Qatar.
The annual festival, organised by Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA) and Qatar Airways (QA), will see the return of signature events such as ‘Dinner in the Sky’ and ‘Cooking Theatre,’ featuring celebrity chefs from Doha and around the world.
Chinese food lovers will also have plenty to look forward to with a showcase of Chinese cuisine as part of the Qatar-China 2016 Year of Culture celebrations.
“The event is an important part of our strategy to grow and diversify the country’s tourism offering in partnership with the private sector,” QTA Chief Marketing and Promotion Officer Rashed al-Qurese said in a press statement.
“QIFF showcases our country-wide five-star culinary and hospitality offerings, giving visitors a taste of the country’s most authentic experiences,” he added.
QA senior vice president Marketing and Corporate Communications Salam al-Shawa said QIFF, on its seventh year, has proven to be one of the most popular city-based events in the world.
“We are pleased to join with QTA to create an experience for the residents of Doha. In addition, we are very proud of our role in bringing the world to Doha to taste the country’s finest culinary and cultural offerings,” she added.
Following its success last year with around 170,000 visitors, the QIFF is expected to attract a large number of people this year with new offerings designed for the whole family.

Audit Department team reviews Seha bills
A team from the Audit Department is reviewing the bills and invoices paid within the National Health Insurance Company (Seha), which was stopped on December 31 last year, local Arabic daily Arrayah has reported. The team started its work last week at the Ministry of Public Health. They are reviewing and auditing all the amount spent through Seha, estimated to be QR8bn.
According to the daily, some reports suggest that the suppliers of Seha had manipulated the cost of treatment and medications to deliberately increase the amount of bills through unnecessary tests and oversupply of drugs without any real need.
Besides, the Advisory Council has demanded that a special committee should evaluate and assess the system to find a better alternative. The decision of the cabinet to stop the work of Seha came as a result of mounting complaints about inflated amounts charged for the medical services offered to Qataris by private providers, Arrayah added.

Strong winds forecast
Strong winds are expected in some parts of the country after midday today, the Qatar Met department has said.
Offshore areas, too, are likely to see strong winds and high seas by this evening, according to the weather report.
The forecast for inshore areas says it will be hazy to misty at first, followed by moderate temperatures during the day with slight to blowing dust in some places. It will be cold by night.
The wind speed in these areas may go up to 20 knots after midday.
Offshore areas, meanwhile, will see some clouds today, with the wind speed expected to reach 28 knots by the evening. The sea level may rise to 7-9ft.
The minimum and maximum temperatures in the country today are expected to be 12C and 26C, respectively, with the forecast for Doha being 17C and 26C.

Ministry recalls Mercedes Benz GLC and CLA 2015 models
The Ministry of Economy and Commerce, in collaboration with Nasser Bin Khaled (NBK) Automobiles, has announced the recall of Mercedes Benz GLC and CLA 2015 models to replace the exhaust camshaft.
The Ministry said the recall campaign comes within the framework of its ongoing efforts to protect consumers and ensure that car dealers follow up on vehicles’ defects and repair them.
The Ministry will co-ordinate with the dealer to follow up on the maintenance and repair works and communicate with customers to ensure that the necessary repairs are carried out.
The Ministry has urged all customers to report any violations to its Consumer Protection and Anti-Commercial Fraud Department through the following channels: Hotline: 16001, e-mail: info@mec.gov.qa, Twitter: @MEC_Qatar, Instagram: MEC_Qatar, MEC mobile app for Android and IOS: MEC_Qatar