A Qatar Airways plane at Hamad International Airport in Doha. Christopher Pike / Bloomberg
A Qatar Airways plane at Hamad International Airport in Doha. Christopher Pike / Bloomberg
A Qatar Airways plane at Hamad International Airport in Doha. Christopher Pike / Bloomberg
A Qatar Airways plane at Hamad International Airport in Doha. Christopher Pike / Bloomberg

Australian women lose bid to sue Qatar Airways over strip search


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A group of Australian women who were searched while travelling through Doha airport have lost a legal bid against Qatar Airways.

In an incident that sparked international outrage, Qatari authorities pulled women off 10 planes at Doha airport in 2020 and forced them to undergo invasive gynaecological exams.

Qatari authorities escorted women off 10 planes at Doha airport in 2020 and made them undergo gynaecological exams.

Three Australian women caught up in the searches lodged legal action against Qatar Airways, claiming they were assaulted and falsely imprisoned throughout the process.

However, an Australian judge dismissed the case because the women were not searched on board the aircraft, citing an international convention covering airline liability, news agency AFP reported.

Federal Court Justice John Halley indicated they could instead amend the claim to seek damages against the operator of Hamad International Airport.

Australia's government later cited it as a reason to block Qatar Airways from operating more flights into the country.

Qatar’s prime minister at the time Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa had offered his “sincerest apologies for what some female travellers went through”.

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Sun jukebox

Rufus Thomas, Bear Cat (The Answer to Hound Dog) (1953)

This rip-off of Leiber/Stoller’s early rock stomper brought a lawsuit against Phillips and necessitated Presley’s premature sale to RCA.

Elvis Presley, Mystery Train (1955)

The B-side of Presley’s final single for Sun bops with a drummer-less groove.

Johnny Cash and the Tennessee Two, Folsom Prison Blues (1955)

Originally recorded for Sun, Cash’s signature tune was performed for inmates of the titular prison 13 years later.

Carl Perkins, Blue Suede Shoes (1956)

Within a month of Sun’s February release Elvis had his version out on RCA.

Roy Orbison, Ooby Dooby (1956)

An essential piece of irreverent juvenilia from Orbison.

Jerry Lee Lewis, Great Balls of Fire (1957)

Lee’s trademark anthem is one of the era’s best-remembered – and best-selling – songs.

How to donate

Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
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In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe

Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010

Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille

Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm

Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year

Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”

Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners

TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013 

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GAC GS8 Specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh149,900

The specs
 
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
The specs
  • Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
  • Power: 640hp
  • Torque: 760nm
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The Rub of Time: Bellow, Nabokov, Hitchens, Travolta, Trump and Other Pieces 1986-2016
Martin Amis,
Jonathan Cape

ONCE UPON A TIME IN GAZA

Starring: Nader Abd Alhay, Majd Eid, Ramzi Maqdisi

Directors: Tarzan and Arab Nasser

Rating: 4.5/5

The biog

Name: Mariam Ketait

Emirate: Dubai

Hobbies: I enjoy travelling, experiencing new things, painting, reading, flying, and the French language

Favourite quote: "Be the change you wish to see" - unknown

Favourite activity: Connecting with different cultures

Fund-raising tips for start-ups

Develop an innovative business concept

Have the ability to differentiate yourself from competitors

Put in place a business continuity plan after Covid-19

Prepare for the worst-case scenario (further lockdowns, long wait for a vaccine, etc.) 

Have enough cash to stay afloat for the next 12 to 18 months

Be creative and innovative to reduce expenses

Be prepared to use Covid-19 as an opportunity for your business

* Tips from Jassim Al Marzooqi and Walid Hanna

Updated: April 11, 2024, 11:01 AM