Doha  - The government of Qatar on Monday said that it would purchase the investment portfolios of seven Qatari banks.

Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem al-Thani said the government would purchase shares in the banks' investment portfolios in an attempt to support the country's banking sector.

The banks, which include Qatar's national bank, are listed on the Doha stock exchange.

The Doha stock market rallied by almost 9 per cent after the announcement, the Dubai's al-Arabiya satellite channel reported.

New Delhi, Feb. 24 : Qatar''s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Ahmed bin Abdullah al-Mahmoud on Tuesday met TKA Nair, Principal Secretary to the Indian Prime Minister to discuss bilateral collaboration in the energy and fertilizer sectors.

After his meeting with the Qatar minister, Nair said areas of mutual interest like energy, fertilizers and investment were discussed.

Nairobi/Doha - The Sudanese government and the Darfur rebel group Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) are ready to sign an agreement Tuesday on a swap of prisoners, the Sudan Tribune reported.

The agreement between Sudan and the most active of the militia groups in western Sudan would be signed in Doha, Qatar, and would form the foundations for broader peace talks bringing in other militias, the paper said.

"This agreement is a first step which could lay the foundation for a genuine peace process," JEM spokesman Ahmed Katar said.

Union Petroleum Minister, Murli Deora met Qatari deputy premier and energy minister, Abdullah Bin Hamad Al-Attiyah in New Delhi and discussed various issues of bi-lateral importance, including energy import and co-operation.

Mr. Deora set a proposal to offer 10 per cent stakes to Qatar in state run liquefied natural gas producer, Petronet LNG Ltd. Mr. Deora said, "This is a proposal that we made and in turn we will get a stake in RasGas. Qatar has been our most trusted and reliable friend and we hold this friendship in high esteem."
 

Amman - The Islamic Action Front (IAF), Jordan's largest political party, on Thursday rebuked Arab leaders who failed to accept Qatar's invitation for an emergency summit on Friday in Doha to look into steps against Israel for its prolonged offensive on the Gaza Strip.

The IAF charged in a statement that Arab leaders who were trying to block the Arab summit "were colluding with Israel and betraying the blood of hundreds of children and women" killed in the Israeli bombardment over the past 20 days.

India would get additional quantity of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Qatar in the first six months of 2009. The country is likely to get six cargoes from February this year.

The Oil minister of Qatar, Abdullah bin Hamad al-Attiyah said that his country would supply 7.5 million metric tons of gas per year instead of 5mn tons a year, it is currently offering.