Passengers also fined for taxi driver offences - Doha Notebook 24

A house in a residential area in Doha with national flags of some of the teams in the World Cup.

Photo credit: Charles Nyende | Nation Media Group

Passengers also fined for taxi driver offences

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This must be one of the most unfair traffic laws in Qatar. All taxis including Uber and Careem, must operate with a valid license issued by the state and that must be prominently displayed on the vehicle. This is to stop people from operating taxis without declaring they are public service vehicles.

If, say, an Uber driver is caught operating a vehicle that does not have a taxi license, an instant and hefty fine of QR3,000 (Sh101,270) is imposed. It does not end there. The poor passenger in the offending vehicle also incurs a similar fine of QR3,000 (Sh101,270). Ignorance here clearly is no defence.

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Taking pictures in public requires a film permit

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The Host Country Media Accreditation is a very important document for a Fifa accredited journalist here. It grants journalists the privilege to take pictures in Qatar and provides access to the Fifa Fan Festival and all other Fan Zones.

Host Country Media Accreditation is automatically linked to the nation-wide Film Permit that allows journalists to film at various public locations across the country. You risk arrest if you film without this document.

However, even when filming in public, one gets, at least yours truly, an eerie feeling that Big Brother is watching. Authorities here have assured journalists that they can film unencumbered but should not invade people’s privacy.

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Doha named Arab Tourism Capital for 2023

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How apt that Qatar, currently hosting the World Cup, has received another honour. The country’s capital city Doha has been named as the Arab Tourism Capital for 2023. The city was so named on Monday by the Arab Ministerial Council for Tourism in its 25th session at the Arab League General Secretariat headquarters. Salem Mubarak, Qatar’s Permanent Representative to the Arab League told local media the naming proved the prestige of Doha as a destination for international travellers.

Qatar is expected to receive more than 1 million visitors by the time the first World Cup in the Arab world ends on Sunday when the final match is held at Lusail City situated in a brand new city by the same name.