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The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) hosted AI and XR Sandbox Open Demo Day.HE the Minister of Communications and Information Technology Mohammed bin Ali Al Mannai attended the event, organised by the MCIT, through the TASMU Innovation Lab. The event brought together government entities, startups, and partners from across the communication and information technology sector to showcase four proof-of-concept solutions. These solutions were designed to address real-world challenges in healthcare, compliance, procurement, and smart-city mobility.The Sandbox Open Demo Day is designed to provide a safe and controlled environment for piloting, developing, and evaluating emerging technologies. The initiative aims to accelerate digital innovation while upholding the highest standards of safety and security. This approach aligns with the mission of the Ministry to enable a resilient digital transformation and contributes directly to the Digital Agenda 2030 and Qatar National Vision 2030.As part of the initiative, participants from government entities and startups were given access to Vertex, Google Cloud's AI platform, along with mentorship and support from Deloitte AI Institute experts and Google specialists.Meanwhile, the Extended Reality Sandbox provided participants with advanced augmented and virtual reality tools, a unified development portal, and intensive hands-on training from Deloitte Digital experts. This blend of theoretical and practical training enabled participants to transform their innovative concepts into viable 3D proof-of-concept solutions.The event showcased four advanced pilot proof-of-concept solutions, three AI-based solutions and one extended reality solution. The first was a secured X-ray image sharing tool developed by participants from the Ministry of Public Health in collaboration with Hamad Medical Corporation and Sinaholz; which utilises AI to hide patient-identifying data from medical images, enabling safe data sharing among authorised entities while preserving privacy.The second was an electronic policy compliance analyser, developed by a team from the Ministry of Finance that automatically reviews policy and regulatory documents, comparing them against established standards to detect potential non-compliance and streamline governance processes.The third was a smart request-for-proposal generator that automates the creation of procurement requests, enhancing consistency, accelerating workflows, and reducing processing time, the proof-of-concept is the product of a collective effort from the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, the Ministry of Culture, the General Authority of Customs, Communications Regulatory Authority, and RF{X}AI.The fourth, developed within the Extended Reality Sandbox, was an innovative parking design solution by Sinaholz aimed at reducing construction costs and risks, optimising space utilisation, and enhancing user experience through advanced digital tools for management and pre-booking.Commenting on the event, Assistant Undersecretary for Digital Industry Affairs at MCIT Reem Al Mansoori stated: "The launch of the first cohort of proof-of-concept solutions under the Artificial Intelligence and Extended Reality Sandbox Initiative marks a significant step forward in advancing Qatar's digital innovation ecosystem. Participating teams successfully transformed their ideas into practical proof-of-concept solutions, demonstrating the vast potential of emerging technologies in addressing real-world challenges. The sandboxes provide a secure environment to pilot and refine digital solutions before large-scale deployment, reducing risks and improving implementation quality. Furthermore, they serve as a platform to build bridges of collaboration between government entities, innovators, startups, and global partners.This inaugural experience has established a pioneering model for collaboration, setting the foundation for a new phase of digital innovation that enhances service delivery, drives economic diversification, and accelerates the implementation of the Digital Agenda 2030."Throughout this initiative, MCIT's TASMU Innovation Lab has worked on bringing global expertise into Qatar's digital innovation ecosystem by engaging international technology experts to collaborate with local talents. The Sandbox initiative stands out as a pioneering platform through which the Ministry is driving national digital transformation, in line with the pillars of the Digital Agenda 2030, by providing a clear and responsible pathway for piloting, scaling, and adopting emerging technologies.

President Donald Trump has launched an unprecedented attack on wind and solar power as he seeks to reshape the US energy landscape and reverse the green agenda put forward by his predecessor.Since Trump returned to office in January, his administration has taken aim at projects on federal lands and oceans, stopping work on wind farms, revoking permits, and making it more difficult for new renewable energy developments to secure approval. He’s also weakened the economics of wind and solar projects more broadly, pushing legislation through Congress that phases out key tax breaks and moving to tighten access to these incentives.The broadsides have thrown the US clean energy industry into crisis, putting billions of dollars of investment at risk and threatening thousands of jobs. It’s a sharp reversal from just three years ago, when the sector hailed the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act under then-President Joe Biden as the most significant piece of climate legislation in US history.Why does Trump dislike renewables?Trump has criticised solar and wind as being unreliable and expensive. He’s called for more power to be generated from fossil fuels, namely natural gas and coal, as well as nuclear.Renewables generation is intermittent as the sun isn’t always shining nor the wind blowing. But developers are increasingly turning to batteries to store surplus power and discharge it to the grid when needed.Trump also isn’t a fan of how renewable power installations look, describing solar projects as “big ugly patches of black plastic that come from China” and mar farmland.He’s been a vehement critic of wind turbines for years, falsely claiming they cause cancer and deriding them as bird-killing eyesores. Before his first presidential term, Trump lost a legal challenge in the UK to prevent an offshore wind project from being built within sight of a golf course he owns in Aberdeen, Scotland.“Windmills are a disgrace,” he said in July after a visit to the course. “They hurt everything they touch. They’re ugly. They’re very inefficient. It’s the most expensive form of energy there is.” Looking at the levelised cost of electricity the long-term price a power plant needs to break even offshore wind is much more expensive than a new gas-fired facility, but it’s cost-competitive with coal and cheaper than nuclear, according to BloombergNEF’s assessment published in February. Meanwhile, onshore wind, as well as solar, is cheap enough to compete with a new-build gas plant.How has Trump sought to curb wind and solar developments?The Trump administration has harnessed its oversight of millions of acres of federal land and waters, where developers need government authorisation to build. While these areas are being made easier to explore for the oil and gas industry as part of Trump’s “drill, baby, drill” agenda, the government is imposing standards that would essentially prevent new renewables installations.On Trump’s first day back in office, he froze permitting for all wind projects on federal land and oceans, and indefinitely halted the sale of new leases for offshore wind development. He also directed the Interior Department to review the “necessity of terminating or amending any existing wind energy leases” and to identify “any legal bases for such removal.” Since then, a number of wind projects have been upended. This includes the Revolution Wind development off the coast of Rhode Island. The government issued an order halting construction of the project which is already 80% complete citing national security concerns. This sent shares of developer Orsted A/S to record lows and added to the Danish company’s mounting troubles. Orsted’s Revolution Wind LLC unit filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration in early September, seeking to overturn the stop-work order so that it can finish the project.For developers hoping to get past the planning stage, Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum has ordered that all solar and wind projects on federal lands require his personal sign-off, which could mire the approval process in red tape. The department said it’s acting in accordance with Trump’s order to end “preferential treatment” for these technologies.As part of this mandate, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management rescinded Biden-era decisions that earmarked coastal waters for future wind turbines. This covers more than 3.5mn acres, including in the Gulf of Mexico, the New York Bight, and off the coast of California and Oregon.How has the Trump administration targeted renewables beyond federal land and waters?Only 4% of operational US renewables capacity is located on federal land. While the government doesn’t have direct control over clean energy developments on private property, many of those projects still need federal approvals that are being held up. In addition, the Trump administration has been trying to make the economics of wind and solar less attractive.Trump has branded efforts to combat climate change as the “Green New Scam” and vowed to do away with subsidies for these activities. The tax-and-spending law he helped push through Congress known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act phases out the tax credits for wind and solar projects years before they were due to expire. On top of this, the Treasury Department has issued guidance making it harder for developments to qualify for the incentives.There could be bad news to come on the tariff front, too. Wind turbines and parts are already subject to the 50% duties Trump imposed on imported steel and aluminium products. But the Commerce Department has opened a so-called Section 232 investigation into the national security implications of importing wind energy components, which could lead to sector-specific levies.It also opened a Section 232 probe into imports of polysilicon a key raw material for solar modules which could result in additional duties on imports.How have these actions impacted the US clean energy industry?The industry had been building momentum as solar and wind power almost tripled their share of US electricity generation over the past decade, topping 15%. But it’s now in a tough spot. Billions of dollars of new factories and clean energy projects have been cancelled, delayed or scaled back since the start of the year.Clean energy advocacy group E2 estimates that $22bn worth of projects were scrapped or downsized from January to June, and more than half of the investment lost was in congressional districts represented by Republicans.Trump’s crackdown on renewables will likely hit smaller and medium-sized companies harder because they lack the financial moat needed to survive the instability. Larger solar developers have expressed more cautious optimism, saying they’ve been able to start enough projects that qualify for the expiring tax credits in order to continue their projects for the next several years.The nascent US offshore wind industry is perhaps in the most precarious position given it was just starting to take off before Trump re-entered the White House.How is this affecting energy prices?That’s a subject of huge debate and has become a hot-button political issue. Electricity prices nationally rose at more than twice the rate of overall inflation in the past year and remained at a record high in June.While the Trump administration says that adding wind and solar to the grid has been pushing up the cost of electricity, data shows that increased spending on power lines and poles has been the biggest driver of utility bill hikes.Utilities have been upgrading their grids to accommodate new sources of generation and demand, and network operators are also trying to improve resilience to extreme weather events and modernise infrastructure that was built in the 1960s and 1970s.Higher electricity costs are a reflection of tight supply as well, as aging coal- and gas-fired plants retire and power consumption rises after years of relatively tepid growth. Demand is being propelled by industrial users and the power-hungry data centres behind artificial intelligence. Slowing the deployment of renewables could exacerbate the situation.The phaseout of wind and solar incentives under Trump’s tax-and-spending law could raise average US household energy bills by $78 to $192 in 2035, and increase annual industrial energy expenditure by $7bn to $11bn, according to the Rhodium Group.Where does this leave the outlook for US renewables?The threat of the federal government pulling the plug on fully permitted and nearly complete assets could make renewables developers and project financiers more wary of making long-term investments in the US, even after Trump has left office. It could also create uncertainty for states such as Massachusetts and Rhode Island that are relying on offshore wind to meet growing power demand and decarbonise their grids.Blue states won’t be the only ones facing challenges. In red Texas the top US state for wind generation and number two for solar behind California all but 6% of new capacity added to the grid since 2020 has come from renewables or batteries, fuelling the power needs of its growing economy. That momentum is at risk of slowing as the accelerated phaseout of tax credits makes wind and solar projects more expensive.Despite the Trump administration’s roadblocks, the US clean energy buildout is expected to continue, albeit more slowly. Solar and batteries are faster to deploy than Trump’s favoured energy sources. There’s currently a multiyear manufacturing backlog for the combined-cycle turbines used in gas plants, while new nuclear capacity whether based on conventional or next-generation reactors is many years away.And onshore wind and solar are expected to be cost-competitive even without subsidies, according to BloombergNEF. In addition, blue states including California and New York are still pushing to expand their clean power fleets.But the outlook for the sector has certainly dimmed. Following the passage of Trump’s tax-and-spending law, BloombergNEF’s revised estimate for new wind, solar and energy storage additions in the US through 2035 is 26% lower than previously projected.

The Department of Islamic Research and Studies at the Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs will launch the first event of the second cultural season of the 'Knowledge Integration' seminar series on Tuesday.The first seminar will discuss the possible implications of the process of knowledge integration, within the framework of examining and reflecting on selected models from the long history of Islamic civilization and the cultural, intellectual, and scientific achievements that have continued to shape the present and build the future.The seminar will be held at the Imam Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab Mosque, immediately after Isha prayer. Held in cooperation with the Ibn Khaldon Centre for Humanities and Social Sciences at Qatar University, the seminar will feature the participation of a select group of scholars, researchers, and academics.Director of the Department of Research and Islamic Studies Sheikh Dr. Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Ghanem Al-Thani said that the seminar is a semi-annual, scientific, and intellectual cultural event held twice a year. It focuses on the causes, tools, and methods for achieving interaction and integration between various sciences, and it examines cultural issues and social problems from an Islamic perspective, he added.The Director of the Department of Research and Islamic Studies said that the seminar's primary goal is to promote a culture of cognitive integration, which tops the list of objectives the Department of Research aims to achieve through its seminars, lectures, and various publications.As for the second seminar of this season, Sheikh Dr. Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Ghanem Al-Thani explained that it will take place in February 2026 and explore possible ways to advance 'cultural interaction' as a foundation for cognitive integration. This will be achieved through two main, interconnected axes, each with its own intellectual and practical implications.

Plan highlights Tesla's reliance on Musk amid slowing EV demandAward could boost Musk's stake further if targets metTargets include company hitting market value of $8.6tn in 10 yearsTesla's board has proposed a $1tn compensation plan for CEO Elon Musk in what would be the largest corporate pay package in history, underscoring the hold Musk has over the carmaker as it attempts to transform into an AI and robotics powerhouse.The world's richest person has consistently asked for a bigger stake in the company to gain more control, even as a legal battle over his 2018 pay package — then valued at a mere $56bn — continues. The newly proposed award is roughly 18 times the size of the contested plan and is close to the company's current market valuation.The plan highlights Tesla's reliance on Musk as it faces slowing EV demand, rising competition from Chinese rivals and pressure to deliver on its AI ambitions."While bold compensation tied to performance is nothing new, the sheer scale here sets a new bar for CEO incentives and will dominate boardroom debates everywhere," said Adam Sarhan, chief executive of 50 Park Investments in New York.The regulatory filing puts Musk on a different plane than other technology executives, saying that "traditional compensation packages granted to executives at other companies were determined to not be appropriate for designing Mr. Musk’s incentive compensation."Musk transformed Tesla from a niche EV startup into the world's most valuable automaker, scaling production, expanding globally and pushing the industry toward electric mobility.Recently, however, Tesla has been losing ground to Chinese rival BYD and other automakers amid softening EV demand and intensifying competition in key markets.Supporters of Musk's outsized pay package proposals have argued that his compensation plans have aligned his incentives with long-term growth, while critics have warned of potential dilution and governance risks."This is a ridiculously large pay package. It raises lots of questions, but last year Musk moved Tesla from Delaware to Texas in order to avoid all those questions," said Brian Quinn, professor at Boston College Law School. "Given that Tesla's stock price is basically all vibes and appears to have very little to do with the automaker's actual performance, I suspect they will approve this package."The board said the new award could lift his stake significantly if all targets were met, giving him even greater control as Tesla seeks to become the world's most valuable company.The proposed plan would grant Musk up to 12% of Tesla's stock, worth about $1.03tn if the company hits its target market value of $8.6tn. The plan requires boosting Tesla's valuation nearly eightfold, or about $7.5tn, over the next decade.If fully earned, the award would materially increase Musk's voting power from his roughly 13% stake, intensifying debate over governance and succession.The board said the award would vest in tranches tied to both market capitalisation and operational milestones such as mass production of robotaxis and humanoid robots.Tesla emphasised that Musk would receive no salary or cash bonus, with all compensation linked to performance, echoing the structure of his 2018 plan.The company's shares were up about 4% in early trading.Tesla's board earlier this year approved an interim compensation package for CEO Elon Musk worth about $29bn in restricted stock, designed to keep him at the helm through at least 2030 as the company pivots to an AI-first strategy.Tesla has since reincorporated in Texas and is appealing the Delaware ruling, but the company said the new plan reflects shareholder feedback and stronger governance safeguards.The filing also disclosed that a special committee of independent directors reviewed the proposal, which will go to a shareholder vote in November.Musk's foray into party politics and his willingness to challenge President Donald Trump have heightened concerns among Tesla investors about potential distractions from the company’s core business.In July, Elon Musk announced plans to launch a third political party, the "America Party," following a public clash with Trump over a tax cut and government spending bill.Trump dismissed the idea as "ridiculous," warning that a third party would create chaos. Since then, Musk appears to have slowed the initiative, underscoring his unpredictable approach to politics.Governance experts have said these moves reinforce long-standing worries about Musk's unpredictability and the concentration of power in his hands.Tesla's board has urged shareholders to vote against a proposal calling for a political neutrality policy, which would have expanded board oversight of Musk's political activities.Tesla shares hit a record high late last year after Trump returned to the Oval Office, as investors anticipated regulatory easing that could accelerate the rollout of robotaxis. However, the stock has since retreated from those highs amid Musk's political spat with the president.

Ministry of Sports and Youth concluded its 2025 summer activities with wide participation exceeding 43,000 participants, through more than 750 sports and youth events organized across various regions of the country.The Ministry confirmed in a statement that the success of these activities was due to the combined efforts of partners from various governmental and private sectors, notably the Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Education and Higher Education, Ministry of Public Health, Ministry of Municipality, Ministry of Social Development and Family, Qatar Sports for All Federation, National Cyber Security Agency, Education City, Qatar Museums, alongside numerous sports clubs, media channels, and other entities.The ministry emphasized the continuation of its community and youth programs throughout the year to reinforce the role of sports in society, supporting Qatar National Vision 2030 in building a conscious and active generation. In this context, the Ministry of Sports and Youth, in co-operation with the Ministry of Interior, launched several summer programmes and activities to raise awareness and develop skills among youth. The most prominent of these was the awareness programme 'Aware Generation' which benefited 1,163 young men and women across 28 centers and youth organizations under the supervision of five trainers. Additionally, the Hina Salma Farm saw the participation of 4,686 young men and women from youth and girls’ centers, with an average daily participation of 158 attendees per center.In the field of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), the Qatar Scientific Club and the Qatar Society of Engineers organised the summer program STEM 2025 with the participation of more than 141 students. Meanwhile, the summer data camp, organized in co-operation with the National Planning Council, Qatar Scientific Club, and Microsoft, hosted over 100 students competing in 20 teams to develop skills in analysis and artificial intelligence. Furthermore, 1,800 young men and women participated in events organized by the Programs and Activities Department at the Public Works Authority (Ashghal).The programmes varied between sports, recreational, and awareness activities, including events held at Lusail Sports Arena, Education City Stadium, Al Furjan playgrounds, and races in various public parks. Other specialised programs included 365 Days of Activity, Self-Defence Program, Steps Challenge, as well as dedicated events for youth and girls at youth centers.

Katara Cultural Village has opened the “Progress and Procession Museum” exhibition to feature artworks and paintings and calligraphy.The exhibition by Qatari artist Khawla Mohamed Abdulaziz al-Mannai was opened by Katara general manager Prof Dr Khalid bin Ibrahim al-Sulaiti in the presence of representatives of diplomatic missions, artists and art enthusiasts.To run until September 13 at Hall 2 of Building 18 at Katara, the exhibition features nearly 80 diverse artworks combining textiles, realistic, abstract and impressionistic painting along with Arabic calligraphy.It documents al-Mannai's career from her debut in 1990 to 2025 while reflecting the stages of artistic life she has gone through from study and learning to creativity and participation in local and international exhibitions.The exhibition highlights the richness of her artistic experience and the diversity of her styles and techniques.Through her paintings, she presents multiple artistic schools that reveal the interweaving of memories and personal experiences.It also addresses cultural themes with a local flavour such as horses, women, the lighthouse and the sewing machine, opening windows onto the past.The exhibition draws inspiration from other elements influenced by her exposure to diverse global cultures while highlighting the importance of art in building bridges of communication between civilisations.The works on display reflect al-Mannai’s precision and patience as well as the depth of her philosophy, which combines creativity and skill.Thus, the exhibition provides an opportunity for visitors to gain a closer insight into the artist’s creative journey and discover her artistic vision.Al-Mannai studied art in Qatar, learning textile science at Helwan University in Egypt before developing her artistic style while studying abstract art at the University of the Arts in Britain.She believes that artistic style is born of the moment and the idea, and therefore expresses her art in a variety of ways.She has participated in numerous exhibitions both inside and outside Qatar representing the country at international art forums.Among her most notable works is the painting *A Woman from the Past, which was exhibited in Morocco, Britain and France in collaboration with the former ministry of information and the Amiri Diwan.Throughout her career, she received several painting awards from Qatar and the Gulf states and was honoured in Kuwait in 2019 for her research on *Sadu weaving.Al-Mannai was also honoured by the ruler of Sharjah in recognition of her efforts in collecting folk tales.A number of her works has been acquired by prestigious museums and institutions, while two of her textile paintings are on display in a Swiss museum.These works were created with love and dedication, especially those that depict the names of God and verses from the Holy Qur'an.

The Gulf countries and the entire Middle East region are going through extraordinary times since the outbreak of open war between Iran and Israel in last June, noted several experts at a panel discussion.Organised by the Middle East Council on Global Affairs earlier this week, the discussion ‘ Rethinking Gulf Security Following the Iran- Israel War' brought four experts on the topic who delved deep into current developments and their implications. They felt that the outbreak of an open war between Iran and Israel in June has considerably intensified challenges to Gulf security.Sanam Vakil, director, Middle East and North Africa Programme, Chatham House said that the countries in the region are going through a period very much defined by geopolitical competition. She noted that there are a lot of questions about consistency in these countries' relationship with the United States and the reliability of US as a security partner.“Conflicts have doubled across the world, and we are, of course, seeing that in the region, but we don't have to look too far from the Middle East itself to see the devastating impact of a conflict. And multilateralism and the investment of the international community is not just stabilising conflicts. Settling conflicts is also proving to be ineffective. We see this very visibly in Gaza,” said Vakil.The panelists also noted that the region is confronting complicated questions including charting the future of Iran’s nuclear programme and Israel’s increasing incursions on Gaza, the West Bank, and the wider region.Hasan Alhasan, senior fellow for Middle East Policy, International Institute for Strategic Studies noted that Israel represents and presents an objective threat to the security of the Arab countries.“There are multiple reasons why that is the case. Most certainly, Israel started a war that I would be fairly confident in saying that probably most or at least perhaps all of the Gulf States did not want to be at war. I think Israel actually presents more of a direct threat because of the fact that it seems to have embraced the view of the region as an open battleground. This has direct security destabilising spillover effects for the Arab and the Gulf States,” explained Alhasan.The panel also noted that diplomatic efforts to revive a nuclear deal with Iran have been significantly undermined by the “12-day war.”According to Yasmine Farouk, director, Gulf and Arabian Peninsula Project, International Crisis Group, the picture is much more complex and difficult to manage. “It is very clear that there is a gap in how the US sees the conflicts and this conflict in this region and how the Gulf countries see them. The Gulf countries see the conflicts of the region as interconnected,” she pointed out.Shahram Akbarzadeh, nonresident senior fellow, Middle East Council said that there is a deep distrust, especially among the leadership of the international system, and how the United States manages to utilise the system to its full advantage. The session was moderated by Adel Abdel Ghafar, senior fellow, Foreign Policy Programme director, Middle East Council.

HE the Minister of Communications and Information Technology Mohammed bin Ali bin Mohamed al-Mannai attended the “AI and XR Sandbox Demo Open Day”, organised by the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT), through the Tasmu Innovation Lab.The event brought together government entities, startups, and partners from across the communication and information technology sector to showcase four proof-of-concept solutions, designed to address real-world challenges in healthcare, compliance, procurement, and smart-city mobility.The Sandbox Open Demo Day provided a safe and controlled environment for piloting, developing, and evaluating emerging technologies.The initiative aims to accelerate digital innovation while upholding the highest standards of safety and security.This approach aligns with the mission of the ministry to enable a resilient digital transformation and contributes directly to the Digital Agenda 2030 and Qatar National Vision 2030.As part of the initiative, participants from government entities and startups were given access to Vertex, Google Cloud’s artificial intelligence (AI) platform, along with mentorship and support from Deloitte AI Institute experts and Google specialists.The Extended Reality Sandbox provided participants with advanced augmented and virtual reality tools, a unified development portal, and intensive hands-on training from Deloitte Digital experts.This blend of theoretical and practical training enabled participants to transform their innovative concepts into viable 3D proof-of-concept solutions.The event showcased four advanced pilot proof-of-concept solutions, three AI-based solutions and one extended reality solution.The first was a secured X-ray image sharing tool, developed by participants from the Ministry of Public Health in collaboration with Hamad Medical Corporation and Sinaholz, which utilises AI to hide patient-identifying data from medical images, enabling safe data sharing among authorised entities while preserving privacy.The second was an electronic policy compliance analyser, developed by a team from the Ministry of Finance that automatically reviews policy and regulatory documents, comparing them against established standards to detect potential non-compliance and streamline governance processes.The third was a smart request-for-proposal generator that automates the creation of procurement requests, enhancing consistency, accelerating workflows, and reducing processing time, the proof-of-concept is the product of a collective effort from the MCIT, the Ministry of Culture, the General Authority of Customs, Communications Regulatory Authority, and RF{X}AI.The fourth, developed within the Extended Reality Sandbox, was an innovative parking design solution by Sinaholz aimed at reducing construction costs and risks, optimising space utilisation, and enhancing user experience through advanced digital tools for management and pre-booking.Commenting on the event, Reem al-Mansoori, the assistant undersecretary for Digital Industry Affairs at the MCIT, stated: “The launch of the first cohort of proof-of-concept solutions under the Artificial Intelligence and Extended Reality Sandbox Initiative marks a significant step forward in advancing Qatar’s digital innovation ecosystem.”"Participating teams successfully transformed their ideas into practical proof-of-concept solutions, demonstrating the vast potential of emerging technologies in addressing real-world challenges,” she said. “The sandboxes provide a secure environment to pilot and refine digital solutions before large-scale deployment, reducing risks and improving implementation quality.”"Furthermore, they serve as a platform to build bridges of collaboration between government entities, innovators, startups, and global partners,” al-Mansoori added. “This inaugural experience has established a pioneering model for collaboration, setting the foundation for a new phase of digital innovation that enhances service delivery, drives economic diversification, and accelerates the implementation of the Digital Agenda 2030.”Throughout this initiative, the MCIT’s Tasmu Innovation Lab has worked on bringing global expertise into Qatar’s digital innovation ecosystem by engaging international technology experts to collaborate with local talents.The Sandbox initiative stands out as a pioneering platform through which the ministry is driving national digital transformation, in line with the pillars of the Digital Agenda 2030, by providing a clear and responsible pathway for piloting, scaling, and adopting emerging technologies, a statement added.

Minister of Interior of Syria, Eng Anas Khattab, visited the National Command Center (NCC) as part of his official visit to Doha. He and his accompanying delegation were received by HE Assistant Undersecretary for Technical and Specialized Affairs at the Ministry of Interior, Staff Major General Abdullah bin Mohammed al-Suwaidi.During the visit, the delegation was briefed on the latest technologies and systems in use at the centre.The visit comes within the framework of exchanging expertise and strengthening bilateral co-operation between the two Ministries of Interior, in a way that contributes to advancing joint security efforts.

Qatar and the United Arab Emirates have signed a landmark agreement to strengthen co-operation in labour affairs and human resource development, marking a significant step in enhancing coordination and partnership between the two Gulf nations.The agreement was signed by Qatar’s Minister of Labour, Dr Ali bin Samikh al-Marri, and UAE Minister of Human Resources and Emiratisation, Dr Abdulrahman Abdulmannan al-Awar.The signing forms part of Qatar’s strategic co-operation with governments and international organisations in the labour sector. It aims to enhance collaboration, facilitate the exchange of expertise, and promote best international practices in workforce development.Under the agreement, both parties will implement joint initiatives covering labour legislation and the regulation of employment relations, including recruitment policies, working conditions, occupational safety and health, and dispute resolution. The co-operation also encompasses systems for registering and employing job seekers, as well as programmes for training, upskilling, and requalifying the national workforce.The agreement will facilitate field visits to study best practices and exchange expertise in human resource development. It will also support joint labour-sector initiatives and enable the sharing of labour market data, publications, and the latest legislative developments.

The Investment and Trade Court has signed a cooperation agreement with the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), aimed at strengthening partnership and exchanging expertise in the field of intellectual property rights protection.The agreement was signed by President of the Investment and Trade Court Judge Khalid bin Ali al-Obaidli and Director of the WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center Ignacio De Castro Llamas, in the presence of Director of the Intellectual Property Rights Protection Department at Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI) Abdulbasit al-Ajji, along with a number of judges and court officials.The agreement focuses on supporting the development of an advanced judicial environment capable of keeping pace with best international practices, thereby enhancing the court’s role in protecting intellectual property rights and improving the investment climate in the State of Qatar.Al-Obaidli stated that the agreement reflects the Investment and Trade Court’s commitment to engaging with leading international institutions and benefiting from their expertise, which strengthens Qatar’s position as a developed centre for intellectual property protection and the resolution of commercial and investment disputes.Following the signing, the WIPO delegation toured the court’s facilities, where they were briefed on its various departments and the mechanisms it employs to adjudicate commercial and investment cases.They praised the advanced capabilities and infrastructure they observed, which reflect the court’s status as a pioneering judicial institution both locally and internationally.

Hundreds killed in Sweida bloodshed in JulySuspects filmed several killingsSome later confessed, committee saysDruze deaths spark calls for justiceSyria has interrogated and detained members of its defence and interior ministries suspected of committing abuses against civilians in the predominantly Druze province of Sweida in July, the committee investigating the violence has said.Hundreds of people were killed in Sweida in violence that began between tribes and Druze factions but which worsened after Syrian troops were dispatched to the area. Bereaved relatives accused government forces of committing execution-style killings on camera.Syria appointed a committee to investigate the violence on July 31. Its spokesperson Ammar Izzedin told Syrian and regional media outlets on Tuesday night that members of both the interior and defence ministries had been questioned and referred to the judiciary over their suspected involvement in abuses.Izzedin declined to say how many personnel were detained, but said they were Syrian nationals who carried out the atrocities in an individual capacity.He told regional broadcaster Al-Hadath the committee had confronted the suspects with "the video footage in which they were seen" committing abuses without specifying what they were.Izzedin said the footage was "enough" as evidence since the fighters had filmed themselves, but that several had also confessed to committing the abuses after being shown the videos."They were detained by the interior and defence ministries to be transferred to the judiciary when the investigations are concluded to be publicly tried for the crimes they committed against Syrians," Izzedin said.He told local outlet Syria TV that the committee was keen to act swiftly to arrest the suspects even as it continued its investigative work. He did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for additional comment.Amnesty International urged Syrian authorities on Tuesday to hold members of government forces accountable for extrajudicial executions of Druze men and women on July 15 and 16 in Sweida.In March, Syria's military was accused of mass killings of members of the Alawite minority, to which much of ousted Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's ruling elite belonged.A Syrian government fact-finding committee said in July that 1,426 people had died in March in attacks on security forces and subsequent mass killings of Alawites, but concluded that commanders had not given orders for the revenge attacks.It said 298 suspects were linked to violations against Alawites and 265 involved in the initial attack on security forces, and said they had been referred to the judiciary.