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The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT), through Qatar Digital Academy and in collaboration with Microsoft, organised two awareness sessions under the SMEs Go Digital Program at the Digital Center of Excellence. The sessions aimed to support SMEs in adopting modern digital tools that contribute to increasing productivity, simplifying operations, and supporting sustainable growth.The first session focused on showcasing Microsoft applications designed to enhance productivity, where experts delivered practical training on key skills related to collaboration, teamwork, time management, and information sharing within organisations. The session also included examples illustrating how these tools can be applied across different work environments to enhance operational efficiency.The second session addressed Microsoft Business Central, an integrated business management system that provides companies with accurate insights into financial operations, supply chain management, sales, and inventory. Practical use cases were presented to demonstrate how the system helps improve planning, accelerate decision-making, and adopt digital solutions that support business expansion and growth.The sessions are part of a series of specialised sessions organised under the SMEs Go Digital Program, which targets sectors including tourism, education, healthcare, retail and wholesale, and transport and logistics. The programme supports the objectives of the Digital Agenda 2030 by building an innovative business ecosystem and enabling enterprises to adopt advanced technologies and enhance their readiness for the digital future. 

Qatar Chamber chairman Sheikh Khalifa bin Jassim al-Thani led a delegation that participated in the 136th Union of Arab Chambers (UAC) board of directors meeting held in Cairo, Egypt.Qatar Chamber board members Mohamed bin Ahmed al-Obaidli and Rashid bin Nasser al-Kaabi also attended the meeting, which discussed several topics on joint Arab action and ways to enhance trade and economic relations among Arab countries, in addition to the items on the agenda. The participants agreed to hold the next meeting in Doha, hosted by Qatar Chamber.In a statement, Sheikh Khalifa described the meeting as a pivotal platform for enhancing joint Arab action and unifying the efforts of the Arab private sector in addressing regional and global economic challenges.He also emphasised the need to strengthen Arab economic integration and develop co-operation mechanisms, which would contribute to supporting intra-Arab trade, stimulating joint investments, and raising the competitiveness of Arab economies, especially in light of the growth of global economic blocs and the rapid changes they impose.Sheikh Khalifa highlighted that the Arab private sector is receiving considerable attention from the governments, underscoring the importance of enhancing its role in implementing economic initiatives, fostering an attractive investment environment, strengthening partnerships among Arab businesspeople, and supporting economic diversification, which in turn positively impacts growth rates and economic stability in Arab countries.He highlighted the importance of strengthening the presence of Arab companies in regional and international markets through joint co-ordination, organising trade missions, participating in international exhibitions, and benefiting from existing economic agreements.Sheikh Khalifa also emphasised the Qatar Chamber’s commitment to continuing its support for the UAC's efforts and working closely with member chambers to foster economic cooperation and enable the Arab private sector to play its anticipated role in a manner that achieves common interests and serves comprehensive development goals across the Arab region. 

The Orphan Care Center (Dreama), one of the centres under the umbrella of the Qatar Foundation for Social Work, and the Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) signed a strategic co-operation protocol.This protocol aims to provide a comprehensive package of social services that enhance the quality of life of those under the Center's care, ensuring them a dignified life and a secure future, while effectively achieving stability and integration into society.The signing ceremony was attended by CEO of the Qatar Foundation for Social Work, Rashid Mohammed al-Nuaimi, secretary-general of QRCS, Faisal Mohammed al-Emadi, executive director of Dreama, Sheikha Najla bint Ahmed al-Thani, and Assistant Secretary-General for Volunteering and Local Development at QRCS, Hussein Aman al-Ali.In this context, Executive Director of Dreama Sheikha Najla bint Ahmed al-Thani, said, "This protocol represents an important step towards achieving our shared vision of providing the best means of care and support for the targeted groups. We believe that partnering with leading institutions such as the Qatar Red Crescent will enhance our ability to meet the needs of these groups and ensure their effective integration into society."She emphasised that this co-operation embodies the vision of both parties in providing qualitative and sustainable support, noting that this protocol is not merely an agreement, but a joint commitment toward Dreama's children, aiming to provide comprehensive support that touches various aspects of their lives.In turn, Hussein Aman al-Ali highlighted the importance of this co-operation, saying, "We are pleased to take this new step together, reflecting the deep shared commitment of both the Qatar Red Crescent and Dreama to social responsibility. By signing this protocol, which extends our previous agreement with the Qatar Foundation for Social Work, we affirm that supporting this vital segment of society -orphans- is not only a humanitarian duty but also an investment in the future and a creation of better life opportunities.""Constructive partnerships create real impact, and we look forward to fruitful work that achieves our common goals and reflects the values of giving and humanity, in line with Qatar National Vision 2030," al0Ali added.All parties agreed on the necessity of activating this co-operation according to the highest professional and humanitarian standards, making it a model to be emulated in institutional community work and a cornerstone in the national development journey. They expressed their hope that its positive impact would be reflected in the lives of beneficiaries, granting them security and stability.This protocol comes within the framework of ongoing efforts to strengthen co-operation between the two parties, reflecting a firm commitment to achieving sustainable social development and supporting vulnerable groups in Qatar. 

Qatar Charity (QC) has launched an emergency relief project for Sri Lankan provinces hit by Cyclone Ditwah.Funded by Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD) and supported by the Qatari embassy in Colombo, the project comes after severe flooding and landslides left widespread destruction across the provinces.The event was attended by the charge d' affaires, Ali Salem al-Nuaimi, and Director of Qatar Charity's office in Sri Lanka Mahmoud Abu Khalifa, alongside several government and community representatives.The project aims to meet the urgent needs of affected families. Qatar Charity's field teams have begun distributing 1,800 food baskets, containing dry and canned food items, flour and rice, to families who lost homes and belongings in the floods that swept through most provinces, forcing thousands to seek refuge in schools, mosques, and higher ground.In co-ordination with the Disaster Management Centre, Qatar Charity is also providing essential equipment and tools for search and rescue operations, strengthening local authorities' capacity to respond to the cyclone's aftermath and future emergencies.According to the data from the Disaster Management Centre (released on Dec 6), the disaster claimed 607 lives, left 204 people missing, and affected more than 586,464 families (about 2,082,195 individuals). It completely destroyed 4,164 homes and partially damaged 67,505 homes, particularly in the Central and Eastern Provinces.Mahmoud Abu Khalifa emphasised that this urgent response reflects Qatar Charity's humanitarian mission to support vulnerable families regardless of race, colour, or religion. He noted that the intervention underscores Qatar and QFFD's commitment to global solidarity.Disaster and Emergency Relief Researcher at QFFD, Aisha Saad al-Jassim stated: "Our support for this project reaffirms QFFD's commitment to standing with communities affected by natural disasters worldwide. We believe that humanitarian solidarity is a moral duty, and delivering urgent aid helps alleviate suffering and restore hope."This initiative builds on Qatar Charity's longstanding role as a key humanitarian partner in Sri Lanka. 

Qatar Foundation's (QF) BilAraby initiative participated in the 'Al Sharq Youth 9th International Conference 2025', marking a further step in expanding its regional engagement and reinforcing its role as a platform for Arabic language knowledge, creativity, and innovation.BilAraby’s participation builds on its ongoing partnership with the Al Sharq Forum and reflects its role as a cultural and intellectual bridge connecting people and ideas within an authentic cultural framework.The conference recently took place in Istanbul under the theme ‘Tashkil Al Sharq: From Vision to Action’. BilAraby’s participation represented its second regional milestone, following its involvement in the Misk Global Forum in Saudi Arabia last month.Dr Said Ismail, professor of genomics at Hamad Bin Khalifa University ( HBKU) and BilAraby spokesperson, said: “Our presence at the conference sought to expand the impact of BilAraby and to introduce the initiative to creative Arab youth, whose engagement was strongly evident throughout the event.“The sessions we delivered served as an invitation for young people to contemplate locally driven solutions to the challenges confronting our societies, positioning our presence as a further step toward empowering youth through their language and creative capacities.”BilAraby’s involvement in the conference was structured around two main sessions designed to enrich intellectual dialogue. The first session, titled ‘The Future of the East in Its Roots’, was moderated by Hisham Nourin, executive director, Strategic Initiatives and Programmes at QF, and featured Dr Ismail and Mohamad Ali Bahri, Arabic language coordinator at HBKU.The second session brought together the BilAraby team, speakers, and strategic partners in a roundtable under the theme ‘The East Between Globalisation and Cultural Particularity’, which centred on a pivotal question: can the East redefine itself while preserving its identity? The session witnessed active participation and drew a large audience of youth from across the Arab world. 

Doha will host the Executive Office Meeting of the Arab Weightlifting Federation (AWF) on Sunday, followed by its electoral meeting, on the margins of the Qatar Weightlifting Federation's (QWF) concomitant hosting of three international, Arab, and Asian championships until Dec. 27, 2025. The three tournaments include the 10th Qatar International Cup 2025, the Arab Championships for youth, juniors, and seniors, and the West Asia Championships for the same age categories. This combined sporting event reflects the advanced standing Qatar occupies on the global map of championship organization. The Executive Office meeting will discuss a host of critical matters on the agenda, foremost among them the review of reports from coaching and organizational committees, monitoring the progress of developmental programs implemented during the past period, evaluating the Arab championships recently organized by AWF, and identifying key positives and challenges encountered in implementing coaching and administrative plans. The meeting will also address the AWF's strategy for the upcoming period, particularly regarding the expansion of Arab participation in weightlifting championships, supporting national federations in coaching and organizational matters, promoting talent discovery and refinement programs, and exploring avenues of collaboration with the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF). This is in addition to related sports bodies, contributing to raising the coaching level of Arab weightlifters and strengthening their capacity to compete in continental and international events. Following the conclusion of the Executive Office meeting, the AWF, chaired by HE Mohamed bin Yousef Al Mannai, will hold its electoral meeting to elect a new Board of Directors to lead the Federation during the forthcoming phase, in accordance with the Statutes and approved regulations. The meeting will be attended by representatives of member Arab federations in a democratic atmosphere reflecting the Federation's commitment to transparency and sound governance. The electoral meeting is expected to witness positive competition among candidates, amid broad aspirations to continue the development and elevation of weightlifting, and to enhance its status on the Arab and global sports stage, particularly in light of the successes achieved by Arab weightlifters in recent continental and global championships. The election of a new Board of Directors marks a significant milestone in the Federation's institutional journey, reflecting its continuous pursuit to develop the weightlifting system across the Arab region.

The 10th Qatar International Weightlifting Cup 2025, Arab Weightlifting Championship and West Asia Weightlifting Championship started here on Saturday. The three simultaneous competitions are being held under the supervision of Qatar Weightlifting Federation (QWF). These events will run until December 27.This multi-tiered sporting event underscores Qatar’s prominent position on the global sports map and reaffirms its technical and organizational capabilities in staging major international competitions.The technical meeting for the three championships was chaired by Mohammed bin Yousef Al-Mannai, First Vice President of Qatar Olympic Committee, Vice President of the International Weightlifting Federation, and President of the Qatari, Arab, Asian, and Afro-Asian Weightlifting Federations.The meeting was attended by Mohammed Hassan Jaloud al-Shammari, President of the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF); Mohammed Al-Harbi, President of the Saudi Weightlifting Federation; Jassim Ibrahim Al-Mansouri, Secretary-General of the Qatar Weightlifting Federation; Dr. Abdullah al-Jarmal, Vice President of the Asian Weightlifting Federation; along with representatives of participating delegations and members of the organizing and refereeing committees.

Qatar is ready to host the World Rapid & Blitz Championships 2025 from Dec 26 to 30, this was announced by Mohammed Ahmed Al-Mudahka, President of Qatar Chess Association (QCA) and chairman of the organizing committee of the tournament on Saturday.Mr Al-Mudahka was joined by Hamad Mohammed Al-Tamimi, Executive Director of QCA and the Tournament Director at a press conference at the Rosewood Hotel in Lusail."The FIDE World Rapid & Blitz Championships 2025 are taking place in Doha, Qatar from 25 to 30 December, bringing together the world’s elite chess talent for a thrilling end-of-year showdown," Al-Mudahka said on Saturday."The tournament will be held at the Sports and Events Complex, Qatar University," he added. "This edition features both Open and Women’s events in Rapid and Blitz formats, with a total prize fund of over €1,000,000. We are feeling proud that Doha returns as host after nine years, underscoring Qatar’s growing stature in the chess world," Al-Mudahka said.“Doha is now the only city to host the World Rapid & Blitz Championship twice, a milestone for chess and for sports in Qatar. It reflects our deep passion for the game and our commitment to delivering excellence. We are proud to welcome the world’s greatest players back to Doha, where ambition, tradition, and the future of our sport meet,” Al-Mudahka said.World Champion Gukesh D and Magnus Carlsen will join over 360 players who have confirmed their participation in the FIDE World Rapid & Blitz Chess Championship in Doha, it was announced earlier by FIDE.The event, which will take place from December 25 to 30, brings together a field featuring multiple world champions, most of the sport’s highest-rated competitors, and rising stars.A total of 233 players registered for the Blitz Open and 230 for the Rapid. After missing out on the crown in the Rapid and sharing gold in the Blitz in the previous edition in New York, Magnus Carlsen returns to the FIDE World Rapid & Blitz. He will try to unseat the 2024 World Rapid champion, Volodar Murzin, who has had strong tournament performances throughout the year.World Champion Gukesh D would also feature at the event. His participation is expected to draw a lot of interest from chess fans. In particular, his superb result in Zagreb earlier this year indicates he will be one of the favorites in Rapid.Many seasoned elite players such as 2024 World Blitz co-champion Ian Nepomniachtchi, Fabiano Caruana, Anish Giri, Wesley So, and  Levon Aronian have also confirmed their participation.Challenging them will be a new generation of contenders seeking to disrupt established hierarchies: Vincent Keymer, Arjun Erigaisi, Nodirbek Abdusattorov, Praggnanandhaa R, Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus, and Ediz Gürel to name just a few.FIDE Women’s Rapid and Blitz will also see the best in the world taking part. Headlined by Women’s World Champion Ju Wenjun, the competition will see 130 players, including heavyweights Zhu Jiner, Lei Tingjie, Aleksandra Goryachkina, Humpy Koneru and more. Anna Muzychuk, who won both the Women’s Rapid and Blitz in Doha in 2016, will also be there, together with her sister, Mariya.

Qatar Railways Company (Qatar Rail) announced that the total number of passengers who used the Doha Metro and Lusail Tram networks during the FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2025 and the FIFA Intercontinental Cup Qatar 2025, from Dec. 1 to 18, 2025 reached 4,924,919 passengers, with 4,712,758 passengers travelling by Metro and 212,161 passengers using the Tram, with a daily average of 273,606 passengers across the Metro and Tram networks.The metro and tram played a key role in facilitating the movement of fans and visitors to and from the stadiums of both tournaments, as well as various event zones and key destinations across the country. This was achieved through delivering world-class transportation services and ensuring a safe, reliable, and seamless travel experience throughout the period.The Arab Cup Qatar 2025 was hosted across six stadiums: Lusail Stadium, Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium, Al Bayt Stadium, Education City Stadium, Khalifa International Stadium, and Stadium 974. Five of these stadiums were located within a short walking distance of metro stations, while fans were able to access Al Bayt Stadium via dedicated shuttle bus services from Lusail QNB Metro Station.Meanwhile, the three final matches of the FIFA Intercontinental Cup Qatar 2025, the Americas Derby, the Challenge Cup, and the Intercontinental Cup Final, were all held at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium, which is directly connected to Al Riffa Mall of Qatar Station, on Dec. 10, 13, and 17, respectively.In terms of operational performance, a total of 48,422 train-trips were completed across the Doha Metro and Lusail Tram networks during the period from 1 to 18 December, comprising 41,843 metro trips and 6,579 tram trips.During the tournament, 34% of spectators used the metro to attend matches, while metro usage increased to 50% for the 5 stadiums directly connected to metro stations.On Dec. 18, which coincided with Qatar National Day celebrations, the Arab Cup Final and third-place playoff match, the highest daily ridership of the tournament was recorded, reaching 357,287 passengers, with 347,987 travelling by metro and 9,300 by tram.DECC, Lusail QNB and Msheireb stations were the busiest across the entire metro network. Within the Lusail Tram network, Legtaifiya Station was the busiest.Qatar Rail played a prominent role in supporting the successful hosting of the Arab Cup and the Intercontinental Cup, through the effective operation of its networks, which delivered a successful model for transporting fans and visitors throughout the tournament period. This was achieved through the dedicated efforts of its teams, advance planning, high operational readiness, as well as close coordination with all relevant stakeholders, with the aim of delivering a world-class travel experience.Throughout the Arab Cup period, Qatar Rail continued its efforts to strengthen the role and expertise of engineers and young national cadres across various sectors of the company, reinforcing their contribution to delivering a successful transport operations model through several operational locations. (QNA).   

The Qatar-Kuwait Trade Mission held in Kuwait has concluded with the value of potential deals exceeding QR281mn, reflecting the Kuwaiti market’s interest in Qatari products and their competitiveness across industrial and consumer sectors.This was announced by Qatar Exports, powered by Qatar Development Bank (QDB), citing the participation of 35 Qatari companies representing a wide range of industrial and commercial sectors.The mission attracted strong interest from Kuwaiti companies and served as a strategic platform to strengthen trade ties between the two countries and explore new co-operation opportunities in an active market with growing demand for Qatari products and services.The business-to-business (B2B) meetings between Qatari companies and Kuwaiti importers, distributors, and wholesalers delivered promising initial outcomes. More than 360 B2B meetings were held, and over 400 visitors attended across the two-day event.Qatari participation reflected strong sector diversity, including building and construction materials, spare parts and vehicle services, paints and construction chemicals, electrical cables, chemical products, food, plastics and packaging, as well as oil and gas and paper products. The diversity enabled Kuwaiti companies to explore a broad selection of high-quality, competitive Qatari products.The mission comes amid steady growth in economic relations between Qatar and Kuwait. In 2024, bilateral trade reached approximately QR11.16bn, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 23% since 2019. Qatari exports to Kuwait also recorded significant growth, reaching QR8.2bn in 2024. This continued growth highlights strong opportunities to further expand cooperation in the future.Qatar Exports continues its efforts to help Qatari companies expand into regional markets. The mission marks another milestone in a series of successful trade missions aimed at opening priority markets for Qatar-based companies and supporting Qatari exporters through trade missions focused on networking and partnership building.The results achieved in Kuwait this year reaffirm Qatar Exports’ vital role in diversifying Qatar’s export base and strengthening the presence of national companies in GCC markets, in line with the Third National Development Strategy and Qatar National Vision 2030. 

Qatar Railways Company (Qatar Rail) announced that the total number of passengers who used the Doha Metro and Lusail Tram networks during the FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2025 and the FIFA Intercontinental Cup Qatar 2025, from December 1 to 18, 2025 reached 4,924,919 passengers, with 4,712,758 passengers travelling by Metro and 212,161 passengers using the Tram, with a daily average of 273,606 passengers across the Metro and Tram networks.The metro and tram played a key role in facilitating the movement of fans and visitors to and from the stadiums of both tournaments, as well as various event zones and key destinations across the country. This was achieved through delivering world-class transportation services and ensuring a safe, reliable, and seamless travel experience throughout the period.The Arab Cup Qatar 2025 was hosted across six stadiums: Lusail Stadium, Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium, Al Bayt Stadium, Education City Stadium, Khalifa International Stadium, and Stadium 974. Five of these stadiums were located within a short walking distance of metro stations, while fans were able to access Al Bayt Stadium via dedicated shuttle bus services from Lusail QNB Metro Station.Meanwhile, the three final matches of the FIFA Intercontinental Cup Qatar 2025, the Americas Derby, the Challenge Cup, and the Intercontinental Cup Final, were all held at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium, which is directly connected to Al Riffa Mall of Qatar Station, on Dec. 10, 13, and 17, respectively.In terms of operational performance, a total of 48,422 train-trips were completed across the Doha Metro and Lusail Tram networks during the period from 1 to 18 December, comprising 41,843 metro trips and 6,579 tram trips.During the tournament, 34% of spectators used the metro to attend matches, while metro usage increased to 50% for the 5 stadiums directly connected to metro stations.On December 18, which coincided with Qatar National Day celebrations, the Arab Cup Final and third-place playoff match, the highest daily ridership of the tournament was recorded, reaching 357,287 passengers, with 347,987 travelling by metro and 9,300 by tram.DECC, Lusail QNB and Msheireb stations were the busiest across the entire metro network. Within the Lusail Tram network, Legtaifiya Station was the busiest.Qatar Rail played a prominent role in supporting the successful hosting of the Arab Cup and the Intercontinental Cup, through the effective operation of its networks, which delivered a successful model for transporting fans and visitors throughout the tournament period. This was achieved through the dedicated efforts of its teams, advance planning, high operational readiness, as well as close coordination with all relevant stakeholders, with the aim of delivering a world-class travel experience.Throughout the Arab Cup period, Qatar Rail continued its efforts to strengthen the role and expertise of engineers and young national cadres across various sectors of the company, reinforcing their contribution to delivering a successful transport operations model through several operational locations.  

Ooredoo Qatar has delivered uninterrupted, high-capacity connectivity across a series of major international sporting championships and conferences hosted in the country throughout this year.The network delivered high-capacity connectivity across events that collectively welcomed more than 1.5mn spectators and delegates, handling over 300 terabytes of mobile data traffic and 6mn voice calls, while maintaining a 99.99% call setup success rate.Peak moments generated extreme surges in data and voice traffic, with 5G services accounting for more than 60% of total traffic and VoLTE usage exceeding 95%, delivering superior voice clarity and reliability.Ooredoo Qatar CEO Sheikh Ali bin Jabor bin Mohammad al-Thani said, “As Qatar continues to attract major international gatherings and position itself as a global destination, our role extends beyond providing connectivity.“We are building the intelligent, resilient digital infrastructure that enables the nation's long-term objectives. Every successful event reinforces Qatar’s global reputation and demonstrates what's possible when technology, planning, and execution align.”