His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani has approved the Cabinet's decision on official holidays for Qatar.As per the decision published on the Official Gazette, the official holidays for ministries, other government agencies, public bodies and institutions will be as follows:For Eid al-Fitr, the holiday will be from the 28th day of Ramadan to the end of the 4th day of Shawwal.For Eid al-Adha, the official holidays will be from the 9th day of Dhu al-Hijjah to the end of the 13th day of Dhu al-Hijjah.The third national holiday for the country will the Qatar National Day which falls on December 18.Sports Day will be the second Tuesday of February of every year.If there is a single working day in between two official holidays, then it would also be included in the holidays the notification said. If the weekend falls between any of these celebrations, then it will also be included in the official holiday, the announcement added.

On the heels of the historic visit of US President Donald J Trump to the Gulf, a top official of retail giant LuLu Group has called on American companies to pour investments in the Gulf region, particularly Qatar, saying “the time is now.”Speaking to Gulf Times on the sidelines of the launching of ‘British Food Week’, which will run at all LuLu hypermarkets in Qatar, Dr Mohamed Althaf, Director, LuLu Group International, underlined the country’s investment potential for businesses seeking access to the Qatari market.“Now is the best time for US businesses to invest in Qatar. Despite the country’s geography, the country’s enormous potential and reach are impressive. Qatar’s investments in logistics and global trade make this an opportune moment,” Althaf pointed out, citing Qatar’s growing investments in logistics and global trade as key drivers.Althaf, who participated in the recently held ‘SelectUSA Investment Summit 2025’ in Maryland, also pointed to the strong private sector presence in both countries, saying Qatar and the US “have a very vibrant private sector with deep pockets.”He said, “Historically, businesses trust countries where governments invest. So we think there will be a lot of private sector opportunities coming up with these partnerships, both ways.”According to Althaf, private sector engagement will significantly benefit businesses in both regions: “This is going to be huge for the private sector. Wherever government investments occur, auxiliary industries and businesses thrive.”Aside from private sector participation, Althaf also highlighted Qatar’s openness to trade, citing tariffs and market access: “This region, and particularly Qatar, imposes no tariffs; Qatar is already a tariff-free country and a leader in free trade.”Amid the uncertainties facing global trade, Althaf expressed optimism and confidence in Qatar-US relations, saying, “This corridor is going to thrive. There is absolutely no doubt about it.”Looking forward, Althaf underscored the potential of a Qatar-US free trade agreement. “We already have substantial trade, but formalising a free trade agreement would reinforce what is already happening. A pan-GCC-US free trade agreement would also be beneficial,” he emphasised.Althaf further said, “Large corporations are tired of navigating bureaucratic hurdles. A free trade agreement would be a tremendous opportunity for growth. Furthermore, Qatar’s investments never come with policy conditions or restrictions. Qatar invests in sectors requiring substantial capital, making it a highly attractive investor.”Althaf also addressed Qatar’s approach to investments, noting that the country is investing in sectors that require significant capital. “Qatar is one of the best investors a country can get,” he said.

Qatar Airways Group has registered a 28% growth in its profit for the financial year 2024/2025 to more than QR7.85bn, which is the “strongest set” of financial results in its history.The profit shows an increase of more than QR1.7bn on the year before, Qatar Airways said yesterday.Announcing the financial results in Doha, the national airline said its cargo arm - Qatar Airways Cargo, which is the world’s leading cargo carrier, has delivered a remarkable financial performance, recording a 17% growth in revenue and achieving the best financial results since Covid-19.“This is attributed to its agility in adapting to shifting market conditions, a focus on investing in digitalisation, deeper data-driven analyses, and its best-in-class reliability,” Qatar Airways said.Qatar Airways Group Chairman HE Saad Sherida al-Kaabi, who is also the Minister of State for Energy Affairs, said: “These financial results show yet again Qatar Airways Group’s leadership position not just in global aviation, but in driving the global economy. The achievements across the 2024/2025 financial year continue to position the airline and Group as a global economic force.“This is not just a product of our employees’ hard work, but of thoughtful, deliberate and strategic planning, which has allowed the business to thrive in a stable and sustainable way.“Record-breaking profitability, underpinned by sound business decisions, is a hallmark of our success and I have every confidence that we’ll see it continue.”Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Officer Badr Mohammed al-Meer said: “These record-breaking results are a testament to the hard work, skill and dedication of teams across all of Qatar Airways Group. I know that none of the outstanding results we are announcing today would be possible without our people – more than 55,000 of them across the globe - and it is our focus on fostering that talent, which has been a core focus of our Qatar Airways 2.0 strategy.“We have also successfully implemented strategic partnerships throughout the industry, in order for the Group to remain agile in the face of ever-shifting world events, whether political, economic or environmental.“All of this means we continue to offer and develop exceptional service in the skies, whether it’s the award-winning Qsuite, fine dining, or super-fast complimentary Starlink internet connectivity for all passengers.”Key achievements of Qatar Airways Group over the last financial year include:- Record-breaking 28% increase in profit in 2024/2025 financial year.- Expansion of Hamad International Airport, enabling it to cater for 65mn passengers annually.- First global airline, and first in MENA region, to install Starlink super-fast WiFi on its Boeing 777 fleet.- 25% minority stake in Virgin Australia.- 25% acquisition of South African premier regional airline, Airlink.- Introduction of conversational AI into its world-first digital cabin crew, Sama.- A range of technical MoUs future-proofing and diversifying the business across the sector, as well as working to fulfil the ambitions of the Qatar National Vision 2030.Qatar Airways recently made historic aircraft and engine orders, ensuring that its already modern and technologically-advanced fleet remains at the forefront of commercial aviation, providing world-leading service to passengers across the globe.