The Ministry of Education and Higher Education has announced revised school hours at government institutions, taking effect from Sunday, May 3, until June 3. Under the temporary timetable, the school day will begin at 7am across all levels. Dismissal times will vary by stage: kindergartens will close at 12:00, primary schools at 12:30pm, and preparatory and secondary schools at 12:45pm on most days of the week. In a statement, the ministry said the adjustment is designed to better align the school day with seasonal weather conditions as temperatures rise across the country. It added that the change will not affect the number of teaching periods, ensuring academic requirements remain unchanged. Administrative and teaching staff will follow a slightly extended schedule, working from 7am to 1:15pm to maintain the smooth running of schools and continuity of learning. The revised timetable comes as students prepare for end-of-term examinations, which are scheduled to begin on June 4, in line with the official academic calendar for the 2025-2026 school year. Authorities said the measure forms part of broader efforts to safeguard student wellbeing while maintaining educational standards during the hotter months.

In a far reaching move, Qatar is regulating the delivery and service activities through digital platforms and applications to prevent monopolistic practices and ensure consumer protection.In this regard, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MOCI) has issued a guideline directed at delivery companies, retail outlets, and supporting service providers, keeping pace with the sector’s rapid growth.This guideline, which is grounded in the legislative framework related to competition protection, prevention of monopolistic practices, and consumer protection, will enhance efficiency and reinforce a business environment built on transparency and fair competition.It aims to establish a clear structure governing the relationship between digital platforms and applications, providers, and consumers, while precisely defining rights and obligations in a way that reduces unfair practices, strengthens trust in digital commerce, and supports the growth and sustainability of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) amid the expanding delivery sector.It affirms pricing freedom for providers, allowing restaurants to adopt one price list for delivery platforms and another for in-store use.Pricing remains the exclusive right of the provider after approval of price lists by the ministry, while platforms are prohibited from imposing or modifying prices or discounts without explicit consent, and from unifying or restricting pricing.Setting out the parametres for delivery service pricing, permitting platforms to determine the cost of delivering products to consumers, provided that such pricing is fair and maintains the public interest. It said full and transparent disclosure of all fees and commissions in contracts between delivery platforms and restaurants is required, with a clear prohibition on hidden or undisclosed charges.It further regulates cancellation and refund policies based on assigning responsibility according to fault, ensuring that consumers bear no cost before order preparation, and only the actual cost after preparation, without additional fees.In the area of paid advertising, platforms and digital applications are required to disclose when the ranking of providers, such as restaurants and stores, results from paid promotion.Disclosure of the general criteria governing provider ranking, such as geographical distance, ratings, delivery time, and execution accuracy, is also mandated, alongside a prohibition on discriminatory practices or arbitrary restrictions on visibility.The guideline addresses unreceived cash orders by introducing prior order confirmation mechanisms and defining responsibility, with liability distributed between the provider and the platform based on the reason for non-receipt, and allowing for restrictions on consumers who repeatedly cancel.It also emphasises the regulation of promotional offers and discounts, requiring that they be licensed by the MOCI, genuine and not misleading, with clear display of prices before and after the discount, and adherence to the specified duration.Obligations of providers are outlined, including adherence to announced prices, prohibition of additional charges upon delivery, disclosure of preparation time, and ensuring product quality and safety, it said.The guideline further defines the responsibilities of delivery personnel, including adherence to timelines, maintaining order safety, demonstrating proper conduct, and prohibiting the imposition of any additional charges on consumers, it added.

Qatar’s cruise tourism sector has charted a banner 2025-2026 season, with the Old Doha Port cruise terminal welcoming 49 ship calls and ferrying in more than 200,000 passengers and crew — a haul that cements the country’s rising stature as a marquee stop on the global cruise circuit. Announcing the figures on its official X account, Mwani Qatar said the season also drew three cruise ships making their maiden visit to Qatar, a telling marker of the country’s growing prominence on the world cruise map. Visitors arriving at the terminal step into a seamless and well-rounded tourism experience. Strategically anchored in the heart of Doha, the cruise facility lies just minutes from Qatar’s leading attractions, and offers modern amenities, swift entry and exit procedures, and a curated portfolio of excursions that showcase both the country’s rich cultural heritage and its contemporary flair. These gains dovetail with the wider push by Qatar Tourism to deepen partnerships with international cruise lines, underpinning sustainable growth across the sector and advancing the national drive for economic diversification. Cruise tourism also plays a pivotal role in delivering the goals of Qatar National Vision 2030 by lifting international visitor numbers and enriching the country’s tourism offering. At the heart of this success story is the transformation of Old Doha Port. Recently redeveloped into a fully integrated tourism destination, the port now boasts a state-of-the-art cruise terminal spanning more than 23,000sqm, with 750 meters of berths and a basin built to host two mega cruise ships simultaneously. In parallel, Qatar’s wider ports sector has undergone sweeping modernisation over the past decade, propelled by infrastructure upgrades and digital transformation. A standout among them is Hamad Port — one of the region’s most advanced — which harnesses automation and digital systems, including the ‘Mwani’ platform, to streamline operations and reinforce Qatar’s standing as a premier hub for maritime transport and cruise tourism.