Weather inshore until 6pm on Monday will be hazy at first with scattered clouds, becomes cloudy with blowing dust and chance of rain maybe thundery at places by night, the Department of Meteorology said in its daily weather report, warning of expected thundery rain associated with sudden strong wind and poor visibility by night.Offshore, the weather will be see scattered clouds, becomes cloudy with chance of scattered rain, maybe thundery by night, the report added, warning of thundery rain associated with strong wind and high sea by night.Wind inshore will be mainly northeasterly - southeasterly at a speed of 8 to 18 knot, gusting to 38 knot with thundery rain.Offshore, it will be variable at first, becomes southeasterly - northeasterly at a speed of 8 to 18 knot, gusting to 40 knot with thundery rain.Visibility inshore will be 4 to 9 km/ 2 km or less with thundery rain. Offshore, it will be 4 to 8 km/ 2 km or less with thundery rain.Sea state inshore will be 1 to 3 feet, rising to 4 feet with thundery rain. Offshore, it will be 3 to 5 feet, rising to 11 feet with thundery rain.

Through its despicable and pathetic move to close Al Jazeera’s offices, Israel has once again proved that it is a liar, does not believe in democracy, free journalism nor follow the international laws or the orders from the International Court of Justice.It is unfortunate that the world is a mute witness the state of gangsters trying to get away with their unpardonable crimes against humanity while blaming others to hide the failure of their management.As Al Jazeera Media Network stated yesterday, ironically as the world marked World Press Freedom Day, the Israeli government closed Al Jazeera’s offices, preventing the public from accessing its content, disregarding the universally recognised fundamentals of freedom of expression.Israel’s ongoing suppression of the free press, seen as an effort to conceal its actions in the Gaza Strip, stands in contravention of international and humanitarian law. Israel has killed more than 140 Palestinian journalists since the beginning of the war on Gaza.The world has not forgotten that Israeli forces used lethal force without justification when they shot and killed Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh in the occupied West Bank in May 2022, violating her “right to life”. None other than the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem and Israel “concluded on reasonable grounds that Israeli forces used lethal force without justification under international human rights law.”Abu Akleh, a Christian American citizen and acclaimed correspondent for the Doha-based media network, was shot in the head while covering an Israeli military raid on the Jenin refugee camp in the occupied West Bank. The killing of Shireen Abu Akleh in Jenin is a direct result of Israel’s militarisation of law enforcement operations in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem,” said Navi Pillay, chair of the Commission. “Shireen Abu Akleh is another victim of the excessive and disproportionate force used by Israeli security forces in these operations. This was also an attack against journalists, who were all clearly identifiable, which is a recurring pattern identified by the Commission.Al Jazeera Gaza bureau chief Wael al-Dahdouh is a living martyr with numerous members of his family killed by the Israeli military during the ongoing Israel–Hamas war. His wife, seven-year-old daughter, and 15-year-old son were killed in an Israeli airstrike on the Nuseirat refugee camp on October 28, 2023, in addition to eight of his other relatives.On December 15, 2023, while al-Dahdouh and his cameraman Samer Abu Daqqa were covering the Haifa School airstrike in Khan Younis, they were hit by an Israeli missile, injuring Dahdouh and fatally wounding Abu Daqqa. His son, journalist Hamza al-Dahdouh, was killed by an Israeli airstrike in Khan Younis on January 7 this year, and two of his nephews were killed in an airstrike the following day. Of the more than 34,000 Palestinians killed by Israel in the seven months, the majority are women and children. In its annual report published in January this year, the New York-based Human Rights Watch accused Israel of war crimes and said many governments were expressing “selective outrage” over atrocities committed in the conflict in Gaza. Undoubtedly, the Israeli government’s decision to shut down Al Jazeera in the country is a blatant violation of press freedom and an effort to hide the truth of the Gaza war. The action is a repressive and retaliatory measure against the professional role of Al Jazeera in exposing the crimes and violations in Gaza, and represents the culmination of the declared war against journalists, aimed at concealing the truth. If Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his cabinet are thinking that they can continue to fool the world by continuing their autocratic and ruthless actions, they should realise that their masks have been torn away long ago. It is high time Israel understood that there is no solution except an immediate ceasefire and negotiations. Silencing the media has never worked in human history, and it never will. The earlier Israel comprehends this, the better for them. The Gulf Times family hereby condemns in the strongest possible terms, the draconian action by Israel, in its desperate attempt to silence Al [email protected]

Qatar Airways made a holographic display of Sama, the airline’s second-generation AI-powered digital human cabin crew on the opening day of the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2024.“This innovative display, along with a cutting-edge stand featuring multi-sensory-rich experiences showcased the airline’s technological prowess, captivating crowds at the biggest travel and tourism event in the Middle East,” the national airline said in a release.Powered by advanced conversational AI, Sama engaged with ATM’s attendees, effortlessly demonstrating her knowledge on Qatar Airways’ diverse operations.The digital human cabin crew, designed to enable personalised travel experiences, will continue to evolve over time to improve responses through passenger interactions in the airline's immersive platform, QVerse.In addition to the introduction of Sama, the airline unveiled its innovative experience stand, offering enthusiastic crowds advanced immersive experiences.From virtual reality (VR) tours to the revolutionary multi-sensory pod, Qatar Airways’ latest technological advancements continue to enthral visitors at ATM 2024, offering them a unique way to explore the interiors of the airline’s state-of-the-art the fleet, as well as the exceptional luxury and comfort of the award-winning Qsuite.Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Officer, Badr Mohammed al-Meer said: “Qatar Airways is thrilled to return this year to ATM Dubai with Sama 2.0, who not only represents the cutting-edge of digital innovation in human interaction but also enhances the travel experience for all our passengers. As a multiple award-winning airline, this aligns perfectly with our commitment to exceeding expectations, offering both experts and travellers unparalleled, innovative interactions that resonate with them.”Earlier this year, Qatar Airways announced several route launches and resumptions, as well as a significant increase in flight frequencies to meet the growing travel demand and enhance the airline’s global network comprising of more than 170 destinations.Qatar Airways will start operating flights and resume services to the following destinations this summer: Democratic Republic of Congo: Inaugural flight to Kinshasa on June 1 (triangle with Luanda), Uzbekistan: inaugural flight to Tashkent on June 2, Portugal: Lisbon resumption on June 6, Italy: resumption of flights to Venice on June 12, Germany: Inaugural flight to Hamburg on July 1.Additionally, the national carrier will operate to the following destinations throughout the summer season, Adana, Antalya, Bodrum, Marrakech, Mykonos, Sarajevo and Trabzon.Destinations served by Qatar Airways will receive the following year on year flight frequency this summer: Almaty - increased from seven weekly flights to 14, Baku - increased from seven weekly flights to 12, Bangkok - increased from 35 weekly flights to 38, Casablanca - increased from four weekly flights to seven, Copenhagen – increased from four weekly flights to seven, Dusseldorf - increased from seven weekly flights to 11, Hanoi - increased from 12 weekly flights to 21, · Barcelona – increased from 14 weekly flights to 21, Boston – increased from seven weekly flights to 10, Brussels – increased from seven weekly flights to 12, Kuala Lumpur – increased from seven weekly flights to 14, Malaga - increased from three weekly flights to seven in peak season (has also been extended to year-round), Manchester – increased from 18 weekly flights to 21, Miami – increased from seven weekly flights to 10, New York (JFK) - increased from 14 weekly flights to 21, Nice – increased from four weekly flights to seven (to increase in May ahead of the F1 Monaco Grand Prix and Cannes Film Festival), Oslo – increased from seven weekly flights to 14, Paris – increased from 21 weekly flights to 28, Rome – increased from 18 weekly flights to 21, Seoul – increased from seven weekly flights to eight, Tunis – increased from seven weekly flights to 10 and Warsaw – increased from 10 weekly flights to 1