Photos of long lines, empty shelves at Carrefour grocery stores in #Qatar following crisis. Qatar gets 40% of food supply by road via Saudi pic.twitter.com/rkC6IPydS1</s>Via Twitter, Trump seems to set new Qatar policy</s>MANILA, Philippines (AP) — The Philippine government temporarily suspended the deployment of Filipino workers to Qatar on Tuesday, fearing food riots and other potential problems amid the diplomatic crisis gripping the tiny Gulf nation, the labor secretary said.

Silvestre Bello said there was no plan yet to repatriate the more than 200,000 Filipino workers in Qatar.

“If anything happens and they run out of food and food riots take place, definitely our OFWs will be the first victims,” Bello said, using the acronym for overseas Filipino workers. “We need to adopt preparatory measures to meet the possible exigency.”

Filipino officials and recruitment agencies have been asked to ensure that Filipino workers in Qatar are safe and have adequate food stocks.

The Philippines is a major labor supplier, with about a tenth of more than 100 million Filipinos working abroad because of inadequate jobs and other opportunities at home.

Saudi Arabia and three other Arab powers severed diplomatic ties with Qatar on Monday and moved to isolate it, accusing it of supporting terrorist groups and backing Iran. Qatar has long denied supporting militant groups.

Saudi Arabia closed its land border with Qatar, through which the international travel hub imports most of its food, sparking a run on supermarkets.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte met in April with King Salman in Saudi Arabia, where hundreds of thousands of Filipinos work as nurses, domestic helpers, drivers, waiters and technicians. Duterte’s visit was aimed at boosting Saudi investments in the Philippines and strengthening ties with the Middle East heavyweight.

He also visited Qatar and Bahrain during the trip. The region is home to the largest group of Filipinos working overseas. More than 1 million Filipinos reside and work in Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Bahrain.

Associated Press writer Aya Batrawy in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, contributed to this report.</s>The fund purchased 7.76 million shares at 63 riyals each, raising its capital to 969.4 million riyals. The capital hike still requires the approval of the Ministry of Business and other regulatory authorities, as well as existing shareholders, the statement said.

Qatar Holding's presence as a strategic partner would strengthen the financial position of the company and help it to compete against major insurance companies at a regional and international level, the statement added.

The insurer said in August that it was in talks with Qatar Holding about it increasing its stake through the issue of new shares.

The Qatari government is already Qatar Insurance's largest shareholder, with 12 percent of the company, according to Thomson Reuters data. ($1 = 3.6411 Qatar riyals) (Reporting by David French; Editing by)</s>MANILA, June 7 (Reuters) - Filipinos who have job contracts in Qatar will be allowed to go there, the Philippine labour secretary said on Wednesday, scrapping a previously announced ban on the deployment of workers there.

Silvestre Bello said the processing of new applications would remain temporarily suspended as the government awaits "further developments" following the severing of diplomatic ties with Qatar by the Arab world's biggest powers.

Bello banned workers going to Qatar on Tuesday but he told Reuters he had been assured by Philippine labour officials in Qatar that conditions there were "normal" and that there was no reason to be concerned about safety.

More than 2 million people from the Philippines are working in the Middle East as domestic helpers, construction workers, engineers and nurses, with Qatar hosting 250,000 and Saudi Arabia hosting almost a million.

Filipinos working in the Middle East sent home $7.6 billion in remittances in 2016, making the region a major source of foreign exchange inflows, which help drive one of Asia's fastest growing economies.</s>MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines will temporarily suspend the deployment of Filipino workers to Qatar, fearing food riots and other potential problems amid the diplomatic crisis gripping the energy-rich Gulf nation.

Secretary Silvestre Bello says the ban took effect Tuesday but there is no plan yet to repatriate the more than 200,000 Filipino workers in Qatar.

Saudi Arabia and other Arab powers severed diplomatic ties Monday with Qatar and moved to isolate the nation, accusing it of supporting terrorist groups and backing Iran.

Saudi Arabia closed its land border with Qatar, through which the tiny Gulf nation and international travel hub imports most of its food, sparking a run on supermarkets.</s>The Philippines said Tuesday it would not send any more workers to Qatar until the fallout from a regional political crisis became clear.

Several Arab countries, including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, have severed diplomatic relations with Qatar. Saudi Arabia has blocked all land, sea and air routes to Qatar, and the UAE has closed its airports and harbors to Qatari flights and shipping.

The Arab states have accused their neighbor of supporting terrorism and destabilizing the region. Qatar says the claims are "unjustified" and "baseless."

The gas-rich state relies heavily on migrant workers to keep its economy ticking over. Thousands have been hired to build stadiums and other facilities for the Qatar 2022 soccer World Cup.

In a statement, the Philippines government said it was concerned about the fate of 140,000 Filipinos workers already in Qatar, particularly given suggestions that the blockade could lead to food shortages.

"We know for a fact Qatar does not produce it own food. If anything happens and they ran out of food and food riots take place definitely our [foreign workers] will be the first victims," said Silvestre Bello, head of the Philippine Department of Labor and Employment, in a statement.

Qatar has a population of just over 2.2 million but most of the people living there are foreign nationals. There are about 650,000 Indians in Qatar, for example.

The small country has used its huge oil and gas wealth to become an economic powerhouse. It's home to one of the region's biggest airlines, Qatar Airways. It has also built up a huge global portfolio of investments.

Qatar has repeatedly faced criticism for alleged support of the Muslim Brotherhood, an Islamist group considered a terrorist organization by Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Analysts say the unprecedented diplomatic rift is also driven by the belief that Qatar is too closely aligned with Iran.

The Philippine government said the suspension applied to newly-hired and returning Filipino workers.

"Even those who are ready to go we have to temporary suspend for their own protection because we have to assess the situation first before we could allow again the deployment of our migrant workers," Bello said. "This is for their own protection."</s>State-owned utility Qatar General Water & Electricity Corp. (KAHRAMAA) has awarded Siemens the largest contract to-date in Qatar for the expansion of the country's power transmission network. As part of the deal, valued at EUR790 million, Siemens will deliver 35 turnkey super and primary substations for Phase 13 of the Qatar Power Transmission System Expansion project. This marks a significant milestone for Siemens, which has maintained involvement in every stage of the project since Phase 4. Completion is scheduled in two years' time.

Siemens will be responsible for the design, engineering, supply, installation, and commissioning of the substations for the 400-kilovolt (kV), 220-kV, 132-kV, 66-kV, and 11-kV voltage levels, including gas-insulated switchgear, transformers, and control and protection equipment. Since the upgrade program started in 2005, Siemens has installed more than 120 substations and approximately 1,500 kilometers of high-voltage cable. With this new order intake, our completed and under execution projects with KAHRAMAA total nearly EUR2.5 billion.

"We are delighted to build on a trusting relationship with KAHRAMAA, as we embark on yet another important phase to upgrade Qatar's power network. Siemens is committed to supplying reliable and innovative products to this highly ambitious project that will meet growing demand for electricity in a fast-developing country," said Ralf Christian, CEO of Siemens Energy Management Division.

As part of this contract, an existing 'super substation' – one that allows multiple voltage settings – in Doha will be upgraded with new 400kV/200kV gas-insulated switchgear and associated equipment, before connecting to the grid. Another substation will be used to meet rising demand for electricity in Al Jahhaniya and surrounding area, including temporary power feed to Rayyan Stadium, one of the venues for the upcoming world soccer championship. Substations will also feed power to steel, oil and gas and petrochemical facilities in Mesaieed industrial area, as well as Al Sadd area in Doha. Overall, the substations are required to supply power for ongoing infrastructure development projects, schools, hospitals, industries and residential complexes in and around Doha, Qatar's capital city.

In addition to Phase 13, Siemens also received a second order from KAHRAMAA to supply and install more than 2,170 medium-voltage switchgear boards. The 8DJH switchgear will be used as ring main units (RMU) in the 11 kV distribution network. RMUs protect, for example, transformers connected to the grid against overloads and short-circuits, ensuring a reliable power supply. The switchgear will be manufactured in Frankfurt, with the first units expected to go into operation by end-2017. The order is valued at roughly EUR27 million.

Demand for electricity in Qatar has been steadily rising over the past decade, thanks to its growing population and a government strategy that seeks to develop various sectors of the economy and reduce reliance on hydrocarbons. As a local company that has been operating in the Qatari market for more than four decades, Siemens has almost 500 employees in the country and contributes to transmitting and distributing more than 60 percent of the power generated there. Its partnership with KAHRAMAA dates back to 2005 when the utility was founded. Siemens is currently executing an order valued at EUR470 million to deliver 18 turnkey substations for KAHRAMAA's Phase 12, part of its plans to expand its power transmission network. KAHRAMAA has closely aligned its strategy with the Qatar National Vision 2030. Phase 13 of the Qatar Power Transmission System Expansion project is due for completion by 2020, helping the country prepare for hosting major sports events in 2022.</s>Kuwait is trying to mediate a Gulf crisis between Qatar and its Arab neighbors, which have severed ties with the energy-rich travel hub and moved to isolate it from the outside world, Qatar's foreign minister said Tuesday. The biggest diplomatic crisis in the Persian Gulf since the 1991 U.S.-led war against Iraq pits several nations against Qatar, which is home to some 10,000 American troops and a major U.S. military base.

Start the conversation, or Read more at WOGY-AM Pittston.</s>The Philippines said Tuesday it would not send any more workers to Qatar until the fallout from a regional political crisis became clear.

Several Arab countries, including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, have severed diplomatic relations with Qatar. Saudi Arabia has blocked all land, sea and air routes to Qatar, and the UAE has closed its airports and harbors to Qatari flights and shipping.

The Arab states have accused their neighbor of supporting terrorism and destabilizing the region. Qatar says the claims are "unjustified" and "baseless."

Qatar has a population of just over 2.2 million but most of the people living there are foreign nationals.

The gas-rich state relies heavily on migrant workers to keep its economy ticking over. They include engineers, doctors and bankers, as well as construction workers hired to build stadiums for the Qatar 2022 soccer World Cup.

In a statement, the Philippine government said it was concerned about the fate of 140,000 Filipinos workers already in Qatar, particularly given suggestions that the blockade could lead to food shortages.

"We know for a fact Qatar does not produce its own food. If anything happens and they ran out of food and food riots take place definitely our [foreign workers] will be the first victims," said Silvestre Bello, head of the Philippine Department of Labor and Employment, in a statement.

The suspension applies to newly-hired and returning Filipino workers.

"Even those who are ready to go we have to temporary suspend for their own protection because we have to assess the situation first before we could allow again the deployment of our migrant workers," Bello said. "This is for their own protection."

There are also 650,000 Indian nationals in Qatar, making up the biggest expat community. The Indian government so far appears relaxed about their fate.

"There is no challenge that arises for us out of this situation," India's foreign minister Sushma Swaraj said on Monday.

"When it comes to us, we are only concerned that no Indians get caught in the middle of this because they have put in travel restrictions. If any Indian is stopped, we will bring them back here."

Nepali citizens make up another big chunk of the population in Qatar, with over 400,000 living in the Gulf nation.

Ganesh Gurung, a labor and migration expert in Kathmandu, said some Nepali truck drivers have already lost their jobs because of the closure of the Saudi-Qatar border. Many more would lose their jobs if the crisis drags on, he added.

"This would directly impact the Nepali economy as it depends heavily on foreign remittances." said Gurung.

Egyptians in Qatar were confused when news broke Monday that Cairo was breaking off diplomatic ties with Doha. Egypt did not follow Saudi Arabia and the UAE in recalling its citizens back.

"We are prepared to welcome citizens home if such a decision is made," said Nabila Makram, Minister of Immigration and Egyptian Expatriate Affairs, in an interview with an Egyptian TV channel.

"We are now in a transition phase, and the embassy will become a caretaker and continue with consular services," Makram added. She estimates there are more than 70,000 Egyptians living in Qatar.

The small country has used its huge oil and gas wealth to become an economic powerhouse. It's home to one of the region's biggest airlines, Qatar Airways. It has also built up a huge global portfolio of investments.

Qatar has repeatedly faced criticism for alleged support of the Muslim Brotherhood, an Islamist group considered a terrorist organization by Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Analysts say the unprecedented diplomatic rift is also driven by the belief that Qatar is too closely aligned with Iran.

Qatar's foreign minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, told CNN on Tuesday that Saudi Arabia's claims were contradictory and "full of false information."
The Philippines temporarily suspends sending workers to Qatar.