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The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MoECC) has launched the National Strategy to Combat Desertification 2025-30, as part of Qatar's efforts to protect its natural resources, enhance their sustainability, and mitigate land degradation and the impacts of drought, in line with Qatar National Vision 2030 and the Third National Development Strategy 2024-30.The strategy aims to establish a comprehensive national framework to combat desertification and achieve land degradation neutrality by improving the efficiency of natural resource management and strengthening supportive legislation and policies, thereby contributing to the protection of ecosystems and the achievement of sustainable development.In his remarks during the launch ceremony, HE the Minister of Environment and Climate Change Dr Abdullah bin Abdulaziz bin Turki al-Subaie affirmed that desertification and the depletion of natural resources pose escalating environmental challenges that require collective efforts both locally and globally.He emphasised that the launch of this national strategy reflects Qatar's commitment to protecting the environment and honouring its international obligations, particularly under the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD).HE Dr al-Subaie said that the strategy is based on advanced scientific and technical foundations and aims to enhance the State's capacity to address the effects of drought and desertification, protect vegetation cover, and ensure biodiversity sustainability, in alignment with UN Sustainable Development Goal 15: Life on Land.He added that the strategy encompasses six key outcomes: protecting ecosystems and reducing factors contributing to desertification and drought; promoting sustainable management of natural resources; strengthening vegetation cover and rehabilitating affected environments; building capacity and supporting scientific research and innovation; developing legislation, policies, and effective governance; and enhancing community participation and national and international partnerships.HE Dr al-Subaie noted that these pillars form the foundation for the programmes and projects that the ministry will implement in partnership with national and international entities, as well as local communities.He added that the ministry, as the national focal point for the UNCCD, co-ordinated efforts with relevant stakeholders in the public and private sectors and civil society institutions to prepare the strategy, which includes practical programmes and projects, most notably the rehabilitation of terrestrial environments, cultivation of native plant species, establishment of nurseries for the propagation of local species, and the updating of legislation governing the use of natural resources.HE Dr al-Subaie added that the ministry is leading the implementation of the strategy in co-operation with concerned entities through an integrated institutional and operational framework that includes regular monitoring and evaluation mechanisms, clear identification of responsibilities and authorities, and the provision of the necessary human, technical, and financial resources.The minister further noted the activation of modern technological tools for monitoring and management to ensure the effective and sustainable execution of all programs and projects.He called for greater collaboration among national sectors to ensure the effective implementation of the strategy and the achievement of its objectives in addressing desertification, protecting the environment, and ensuring sustainability for future generations.Assistant Undersecretary for Protection and Natural Reserves Affairs Dr Ibrahim Abdul Latif al-Muslimani said that the launch of the strategy comes as part of the ministry's efforts to establish an integrated national approach to address desertification and related environmental challenges.He said that the strategy represents a comprehensive framework that promotes ecosystem protection, rehabilitation of affected environments, and development and sustainability of vegetation cover, in addition to strengthening sound management of natural resources.Dr al-Muslimani stressed the importance of raising environmental awareness across all segments of society, developing training programmes and institutional capacity-building, and promoting scientific research and innovation in the field of sustainable land management.He pointed out that the preparation of the strategy came in response to the environmental challenges facing Qatar, including the scarcity of natural resources, fragile vegetation cover, and encroachment of sand dunes.Adel Mohammed al-Yafei, the head of the Wildlife Development Department’s Plant Wildlife Section, said that the National Strategy to Combat Desertification, is a milestone in the ministry's record of achievements.He said that the strategy seeks to develop early warning and environmental monitoring systems, stabilise sand dunes, mitigate the effects of climate change, and promote balanced management of water, soil, and mineral resources.The official added that the strategy includes projects to rehabilitate affected ecosystems, improve the efficiency of agricultural land use, and enhance research and innovation through the adoption of smart agriculture technologies and the use of artificial intelligence applications in natural resource management, as well as promoting applied studies related to combating desertification.Al-Yafei noted that the Wildlife Development Department continues to implement national programmes to combat desertification through integrated policies aimed at rehabilitating degraded rangelands, cultivating native plant species, expanding the establishment of national nurseries to propagate and preserve local flora, and enforcing ministerial decisions to curb overgrazing and combat invasive plant species that threaten local ecosystems.He said that the department is committed to applying clear measures to protect vegetation cover and wildlife within development projects at all stages of implementation, in a way that strengthens environmental balance and supports national efforts to combat desertification and land degradation.The launch ceremony was attended by HE the Minister of Municipality Abdullah bin Hamad bin Abdullah al-Attiyah, HE the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Abdulaziz bin Ahmed al-Mahmoud, and Public Works Authority (Ashghal) President engineer Mohammed bin Abdulaziz al-Meer, along with assistant undersecretaries, senior officials from environmental, academic, and research sectors, and representatives of national institutions and the private sector.

Mwani Qatar reported handling over 1.11 million containers in the first nine months of 2025, marking a year-on-year growth of approximately 2 percent compared to the same period last year. This strong performance highlights the company's pivotal role in supporting the national economy. Mwani Qatar shared on X today that it received 2,276 vessels during the first nine months of 2025. This included the handling of over 1.34 million tons of general and bulk cargo, 91,266 vehicles and equipment units, 403,868 heads of livestock, and 488,069 tons of building materials.

His Excellency President of the National Cyber Security Agency Eng. Abdulrahman bin Ali Al Farahid Al Malki met separately with the Governor of the National Cybersecurity Authority of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Eng. Majid bin Mohammed Al Mazyed, and the Secretary General of the Arab Cybersecurity Ministers Council Dr. Ibrahim bin Saleh Al Furaih. The meetings were held today in Riyadh on the sidelines of the State of Qatar's participation in the second ordinary session of the Arab Cybersecurity Ministers Council. The meetings focused on strengthening mutual cooperation in the cybersecurity field.

His Excellency Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani sent on Wednesday a cable of congratulations to the Premier of the State Council of the People's Republic of China, Li Qiang on the occasion of his country's National Day.

His Highness the Deputy Amir Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad Al-Thani sent on Wednesday a cable of congratulations to the President of the People's Republic of China Xi Jinping on the occasion of his country's National Day.

His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani sent on Wednesday a cable of congratulations to the President of the People's Republic of China Xi Jinping on the occasion of his country's National Day.

His Excellency Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani sent on Tuesday a cable of congratulations to the President of the Republic of Botswana Duma Gideon Boko, on the occasion of his country's National Day.

His Highness the Deputy Amir Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad Al-Thani sent on Tuesday a cable of congratulations to the President of the Republic of Botswana Duma Gideon Boko, on the occasion of his country's National Day.

His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani sent on Tuesday a cable of congratulations to the President of the Republic of Botswana, Duma Gideon Boko, on the occasion of his country's National Day.

The Qatar Motor & Motorcycle Federation (QMMF) is set to host a series of National Team Shoot Outs at Lusail International Circuit in October and November 2025, designed to select the most promising Qatari drivers across GT, Formula 4 and Karting. These initiatives mark an important step in QMMF’s commitment to building a structured pathway for homegrown drivers to progress into international competition.The Qatar Motorsport Academy (QMA), recognised as a center of excellence for developing Qatari drivers, will play a key role in this effort by equipping talent with the resources, expertise and exposure needed to advance toward professional racing careers.The first event, the GT Drivers Shoot Out, will take place from October 4–6, 2025, with the aim of selecting a maximum of three drivers to join the QMMF GT program. The competition will be staged on Lusail International Circuit’s Grand Prix layout, using the QMMF 991 Cup car. Renowned Qatari driver Abdulla Al Khelaifi will serve as reference driver and coach for the drivers being assessed.Invited Drivers – GT Shoot OutParticipation is by invitation only, with drivers selected based on their racing records and achievements. The following seven Qatari drivers are confirmed: Faesal Al Yafey (Yaris Cup Winner), Khalid Al Maraghi (Yaris Cup Winner), Ahmad Al Emadi (Front Runner, Spa 12 Hours & Gulf 12 Hours), Taha Hassiba (F4 Middle East 2025), Ali Emadadhi (2nd Overall, QTCC Championship 2024), Ahmed Alasiri (3rd Overall, QTCC Championship 2024) and Jassim Al Thani (GT Drivers Gulf 12 Hours and Dubai 24 Hours).Participants will be evaluated across multiple dimensions, ensuring a holistic approach to talent identification. Factors include motorsport experience and achievements, lap times and consistency over runs, progression and ability to improve during the event, behaviour and attitude on and off the track, attentiveness, application, professionalism as well as overall fitness and mental readiness. Any crash during the evaluation will result in automatic elimination.Following the GT event, QMMF will also host the Karting Shoot Out at Lusail International Circuit in December 2025. As for the Formula 4 Shoot Out, it will be organized from November 3rd to November 5th in Spain. These events will follow the same invitation-based approach and evaluation criteria, ensuring that only the most qualified drivers are considered for national team selection.Abdulrahman bin Abdullatif Al Mannai, President of QMMF and Lusail International Circuit, said: "Through Shoot Outs we are taking steady steps towards developing the next generation of Qatari drivers. By focusing on the GT, Formula 4, and Karting categories, we are drawing a clear pathway that enables our drivers to reach international competitions, supported by the resources and expertise they need to succeed. These programs reflect our vision to establish a framework of competence and to build a sporting ecosystem capable of competing regionally and internationally, under the umbrella of the Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation."Together, these programs underline QMMF’s long-term strategy to nurture Qatari talent and expand the nation’s footprint on the global motorsport stage.

The US National Hurricane Center announced that Tropical Depression Nine has strengthened into Tropical Storm Imelda off Florida. The center said that Imelda is now about 595.46 km southeast of Cape Canaveral, Florida, packing maximum sustained winds of 65 km per hour. It is expected to become a hurricane by this evening or tomorrow. A tropical storm is expected to hit the central and northwestern Bahamas in the coming hours. Waves caused by Tropical Storm Imelda and Hurricane Humberto will affect parts of the Bahamas in the coming days, and will then extend to most of the eastern US coast.

Qatar University (QU) hosted the 5th National Three Minute Thesis (3MT) Competition, which brought together graduate students from 10 universities in the country to present their research through concise and engaging presentations lasting no more than three minutes.A total of 19 finalists competed before an audience of more than 250 participants, including faculty members, students, researchers, and representatives from academia and industry, at the event sponsored by ConocoPhillips Qatar. **media[361724]**The first place was awarded to Ikram Mustapha Zoukh, PhD in Health Sciences at QU Health.Noof Abdulla al-Hajri, MSc in Accounting and Finance at the University of Doha for Science and Technology’s College of Business, secured second place, while Najamus Sahar Riyaz, Master of Environmental Engineering at the QU’s College of Engineering, earned third place.The People’s Choice Award went to Lieutenant Mohammed Abdullah al-Marri, Master of Arts in Defence Diplomacy at Joaan bin Jassim Academy for Defence Studies.The judging panel comprised Dr Khalid al-Ali, consultant to the Office of the Minister of Education and Higher Education; Eman al-Shamari, senior scientist at the ConocoPhillips Global Centre for Water Sustainability; engineer Faisal Mohammad al-Ansari, executive director of Qatar Calendar House; Dr Aisha Jassim al-Kuwari, chief executive of Roza Publishing; and Dr Lotfi Belkhir, dean of Academic Affairs at Barzan University College.The 3MT Competition, originally developed by Australia’s University of Queensland, challenges graduate students to convey the importance of their research to a non-specialist audience within three minutes.Since its launch in Qatar, the competition has grown into a national platform that promotes academic excellence, strengthens research communication skills, and fosters collaboration among higher education institutions.Prof Aiman Erbad, the vice-president for Research and Graduate Studies at the QU, said in his opening remarks that the competition underscores the university’s dedication to providing a stimulating environment for higher education by developing policies, programmes, and laboratories; offering grants and training; and ensuring all requirements for excellence in research and learning – preparing individuals who will contribute to sustainable development projects and the Qatar National Vision 2030.In his remarks, ConocoPhillips Qatar human resources manager Eric Thomas said: “By supporting and nurturing these students, we are investing in future leaders, doctors, scientists, and professionals who will address challenges at both the local and global levels.”“We are proud to continue sponsoring this competition, which provides students with a platform to showcase their abilities and contribute to building a knowledge-based future for Qatar,” he said.