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HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim al-Thani met Sunday with Ambassador of the Arab Republic of Egypt to Qatar Walid Fahmy al-Faqi.The meeting discussed ways to enhance cooperation between the two countries, as well as issues of mutual interest. The ambassador conveyed Egypt's condolences over the death of three members of the Amiri Diwan in a traffic accident in Sharm el-Sheikh while performing their official duties, and wished the injured a speedy recovery.

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Doha, facilitated by the British embassy in Qatar, welcomed senior representatives from the UK’s Department for Transport, led by deputy director (International Relations) Simon Argyle, during an official visit to the showroom at The Pearl Island. The engagement served to further strengthen the longstanding relationship between the UK and Qatar, two nations united by a shared commitment to excellence, innovation, and the advancement of ultra-luxury mobility. Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Doha general manager Ayman Berjawi and his team provided the delegation an exclusive tour of the showroom, offering them a first-hand look at the marque’s latest portfolio, including the Rolls-Royce Spectre, the world’s first ultra-luxury electric super coupé. Spectre embodies the marque’s bold transition to electrification, combining effortless power, silent performance, and bespoke artistry. “We were delighted to welcome Mr Argyle and the delegation from the UK Department for Transport to Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Doha,” Berjawi said. “This visit represents more than a meeting of minds; it is a reflection of our shared dedication to innovation, sustainability, and the enduring values of British craftsmanship.” “As we continue our journey towards an all-electric future, Spectre stands as a true expression of the marque’s vision for the future of ultra-luxury mobility,” he said. Argyle expressed his appreciation for the valuable insights and perspectives provided by the Rolls-Royce Doha team, particularly around electrification and the luxury automotive market. He commended the marque’s unwavering attention to detail, unique levels of personalisation, and leadership in sustainable innovation of both the vehicles and manufacturing operations, highlighting the development of the all-electric motor car, Spectre, and the environmental efforts at the home of Rolls-Royce. These qualities continue to define Rolls-Royce as the pinnacle of luxury, Argyle said, adding that the visit reaffirmed the enduring connection between the UK and Qatar, celebrating a mutual vision for progress, craftsmanship, and the pursuit of perfection.

The United States and Egypt's top diplomats reviewed preparations for a summit in Sharm El-Sheikh that will bring the two countries' presidents together with other leaders to discuss implementing the first phase of a Gaza ceasefire deal, likely Monday.US President Donald Trump and his Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah al-Sisi are expected to lead the summit, Egypt's Foreign Ministry said in a statement Saturday.Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday discussed arrangements for the gathering, including for "international participation in the Sharm El-Sheikh summit, as well as preparations for the implementation of the first phase of the (ceasefire) deal".Alongside the US and Qatar, Egypt has played a key role in mediating talks that eventually led to the latest ceasefire deal.French President Emmanuel Macron is set to travel to Egypt on Monday to back the deal, the Elysee Palace said, while Spain's Pedro Sanchez and Italy's Giorgia Meloni are also expected to attend.Earlier Trump had said he would meet a "lot of leaders" in Egypt on Monday to discuss the future of devastated Gaza.Israel has agreed to the truce plan put forward by Trump, and on Friday pulled troops back from several areas of Gaza, setting the clock in motion for hostages held by Hamas to be released within 72 hours.The head of the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said Saturday he visited Gaza to discuss post-conflict stabilization and insisted no US troops will be deployed to the Palestinian territory.Admiral Brad Cooper wrote on X that he just returned from a trip to Gaza to discuss creation of a CENTCOM-led "civil-military coordination center" which will "support conflict stabilization."Meanwhile, Israel has begun transferring prisoners to two jails ahead of their release as part of the Gaza ceasefire deal.Under the truce deal Israel is supposed to release 250 prisoners, including some serving life sentences. In exchange, Hamas has until Monday to hand over its 48 remaining Israeli hostages -- living and dead.

More than 1 million had suffered power cuts in UkraineTwo killed, 20 people hurt, officials sayTransport delays and blackouts disrupt life in KyivRussia intensifies attacks on Ukraine's energyEmergency crews restored power to many parts of Ukraine after an overnight Russian drone and missile attack on Friday struck energy facilities, plunging large districts of Kyiv and other areas into darkness and cutting water supplies.In the latest mass attack targeting the energy system as winter approaches, electricity was interrupted in nine regions and over a million households and businesses were temporarily without power across the country.In southeastern Ukraine, a seven-year-old was killed when his home was hit and at least 20 people were injured.In Kyiv, an apartment block in the city centre was damaged by a projectile, while on the left bank of the Dnipro that divides the capital, crowds waited at bus stops with the metro out of action. People filled water bottles at distribution points."We didn't sleep at all," said Liuba, a pensioner, as she collected water. "From 2:30 a.m. there was so much noise. By 3:30 we had no electricity, no gas, no water. Nothing."Ukraine's energy ministry said more than 800,000 customers had at one point suffered power cuts in Kyiv.By Saturday morning, the private power company DTEK said electricity had been restored to most of Kyiv residents, but local problems remained. It said power had also been restored in areas outside the capital and in Dnipropetrovsk region in the southeast.Authorities reported Russian attacks in different parts of the country throughout Friday. An official in the northern Chernihiv region said one person was killed when a car belonging to the local energy utility was hit by a drone.Ukrainians are bracing for a tough winter, as the full-scale war launched by Russia's February 2022 invasion nears its fourth anniversary. Russia has intensified attacks on the energy system in recent weeks, striking power plants and gas production facilities, and local authorities are struggling with the scale of repairs."They can't demonstrate anything real on the battlefield... so they will attack our energy sector," President Volodymyr Zelenskiy told reporters in Kyiv.Calling for more support from allies, he said that 203 main energy facilities in the country needed air-defence protection.Energy Minister Svitlana Hrynchuk met G7 ambassadors and representatives of some of Ukraine's biggest energy companies to discuss how allies could help protect the country against further attacks and repair the damage."The blow is strong, but it is definitely not fatal," Zelenskiy said.Speaking later in his nightly video address, he said Putin had deliberately launched the attack when world attention was focused on the "valuable opportunity" to move towards Middle East peace after the ceasefire agreement in Gaza."This marks a new record of Russian depravity, to intensify terrorist strikes and target civilian lives at such a moment," he said.Ukraine's air force said it had downed 405 of 465 drones and 15 of 32 missiles in this attack. Ukraine's stretched air defences are no match for regular barrages on such a scale.According to Zelenskiy, Russia waited for bad weather to attack and the inclement conditions reduced the efficiency of Ukraine's air defences by between 20% and 30%.Russia said its overnight strikes were in response to Ukraine's attacks on Russian civilian facilities.Ukraine regularly launches drone strikes against Russia's military and oil installations, although they are generally on a far smaller scale. Kyiv says it wants to force Moscow to negotiate a peace deal in good faith.For many Kyiv residents, the day started with power cuts, disruptions in the water supply and transport delays."We had no power or water when I left my house. I can't get to work because the subway is not operating and buses are overflowing," Anatoliy, a 23-year-old student, told Reuters.Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said the assault was among the heaviest concentrated strikes on energy infrastructure and reported significant damage.Her deputy, Oleksiy Kuleba, said two million customers in Kyiv temporarily faced problems with water supplies.DTEK said its thermal power plants had suffered significant damage without providing details.

Gabon star Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored four goals and was sent off in African 2026 World Cup qualifying, while minnows Benin built a two-point lead in the ‘group of death’.Aubameyang kept Gabon in contention for a first appearance at the global showpiece as his goals gave Gabon a 4-3 victory over the Gambia, and they trail Group F leaders Ivory Coast by one point. Group C leaders Benin won 1-0 in Rwanda to go two points clear of South Africa, who could only draw 0-0 with Zimbabwe.Nigeria moved within three points of Benin, who they host on Tuesday, by defeating Lesotho 2-1. Losses eliminated Rwanda and Lesotho, turning the group into a three-team contest for first place. Algeria, Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia have already won groups to claim four of the nine places reserved for Africa. There could be a 10th representative after inter-continental play-offs next March.The final matchday, from Sunday to Tuesday, will decide the other five places, with Senegal, Benin, Cape Verde, Ivory Coast and Ghana the current table toppers. Benin won thanks to an 80th-minute goal from Aiyegun Tosin to retain first place in a group that Nigeria and South Africa were expected to dominate.Mohau Nkota and Lyle Foster hit the woodwork in a disappointing performance by South Africa, who sorely missed injured striker Iqraam Rayners. Both teams finished with 10 men after Zimbabwe striker Knowledge Musona and South Africa defender Mbekezile Mbokazi were sent off in the second half having been shown two yellow cards.Captain William Troost-Ekong, from a penalty, and substitute Akor Adams scored in the second half for Nigeria before Hlompho Kalake halved the deficit. Both Zimbabwe and Lesotho were handicapped, playing in South Africa as they do not have FIFA-approved stadiums.Africa Cup of Nations holders Ivory Coast triumphed 7-0 away to the Seychelles, having won the first match between them 9-0 in Abidjan two years ago. Seven different players scored, starting with Nottingham Forest midfielder Ibrahim Sangare on seven minutes and finishing with substitute Franck Kessie in the final minute of regular time.Seychelles, who are 159 places below Ivory Coast in the world rankings, have conceded 46 goals while losing all nine qualifiers. Gabon remained one point behind the Ivory Coast in Group F with a dramatic victory over the Gambia in Nairobi.The Gabonese led twice, then trailed before Marseille striker Aubameyang scored two more goals. He was yellow-carded twice in the closing stages, leading to his dismissal on 86 minutes. Ivory Coast have 23 points and Gabon 22 ahead of the final round next week, when both teams will enjoy home advantage. The Ivorians play Kenya and the Gabonese face Burundi.Senegal maintained a two-point lead over the Democratic Republic of Congo in Group B after the contenders had contrasting away victories.Seeking a third straight appearance at the World Cup, Senegal hammered South Sudan 5-0 in Juba, where Crystal Palace striker Ismaila Sarr netted twice.Veteran two-time African Footballer of the Year Sadio Mane was also among the goals as Senegal turned a 1-0 half-time lead into a decisive victory. A solitary goal, scored by veteran striker Cedric Bakambu after seven minutes, earned DR Congo a tense 1-0 win in Togo.Senegal have 21 points and DR Congo 19 ahead of their final fixtures. The Senegalese host Mauritania while the Congolese will be at home to Sudan. Sudan drew 0-0 with Mauritania in Dar es Salaam, a result that eliminated them from the race for a World Cup place.

HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim al-Thani received a phone call Friday from UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. During the call, they discussed developments in the Gaza Strip and the occupied Palestinian territories in light of the agreement on provisions and mechanisms for implementing the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement and means to ensure its full implementation.HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs stressed that the success of the first phase of the agreement is a collective responsibility to ensure its implementation and achieve peace and stability in the region. He also affirmed that Qatar will spare no effort in fulfilling its humanitarian, historical, and diplomatic duty towards the Palestinians.For his part, the UN Secretary-General appreciated the pivotal diplomatic role played by Qatar in facilitating the negotiations and its tireless efforts that contributed to reaching the agreement.

In a significant recognition of Qatar's administrative expertise, FIFA has announced its new slate of standing and independent committees for the 2025-2029 cycle. The appointments, decided at a recent meeting in Zurich, feature a prominent Qatari presence, underscoring international confidence in the nation's capability to contribute to the global development of football.Leading the Qatari appointments is HE Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Ahmed al-Thani, the Minister of Sports and Honorary President of the Qatar Football Association (QFA). He has been selected as a FIFA Council member and the Council's delegate to the men's national teams competitions committee.Further solidifying Qatar's influence, Jassim bin Rashid al-Buenain, President of the QFA, has been appointed as the Chairman of the FIFA Club Competitions Committee. In the legal domain, Salman Ahmed al-Ansari was chosen as a member of the Appeal Committee, one of FIFA's supreme judicial bodies responsible for reviewing disciplinary and arbitration decisions.The realm of refereeing also sees continued Qatari leadership, with FIFA renewing its confidence in Hani Taleb Ballan. The Head of the Referees Committee at the QFA and AFC has been reappointed as Deputy Chairman of the FIFA Referees Committee, a position he has held since 2019.Additional appointments include Mansoor Mohammed al-Ansari, General-Secretary of the QFA, who will serve on the Development Committee. Fatima Ali al-Nuaimi, Communications and Media Executive Director at the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy, joins the FIFA Media and Communications Committee.

Horwitz Bishop Rapid Chess Tournament was held on October 3rd at the Integrated Indian Community Centre (ICBF), Al Thumama, attracting nearly 150 young chess players across two categories: Under-15 and Under-10. A total of 20 prizes were awarded, recognising both overall champions and top performers in specific age groups.In the U-15 section, played over 6 rounds, Kishore Arunagiri was crowned champion, while Prince Lieven secured the first runner-up position. In the Under-10 category, conducted over 7 rounds, Edwin Idiculla Sanju took the championship title, with Daya Vasanthakumar finishing as the first runner-up.The tournament also honoured standout young talents with special category prizes for: Best Boy & Best Girl in U-12, U-11, U-9, U-8 and U-7 categories.Games were played with a 20-minute time control plus a 5-minute sudden death, creating a fast-paced and competitive environment. The event was organized under the leadership of Tournament Director Jaise Joseph, with Chief Arbiter Rayan Joseph Jaise and Deputy Chief Arbiter Ismath Nahan MP ensuring fair and smooth conduct throughout the day. The prize distribution was conducted by Srikanth L Kanakakumar and Aswani Ashok, Physical Education teachers from Birla Public School, Qatar.

Qatar won three awards at the GCC e-Government Award 2025, held in the State of Kuwait Wednesday, in recognition of its distinguished government initiatives in digital transformation and smart service development. These awards reflect the country’s continuous progress in implementing pioneering digital projects.The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) was recognised with the Outstanding Project Award in the Best Government Competencies Building Initiative Award category for its initiative ‘Qatar Digital Academy’. The award recognises the ministry’s efforts in raising awareness of emerging technologies and empowering all segments of society to actively participate in Qatar’s national digital transformation initiatives.This achievement marks a milestone in the MCIT’s ongoing efforts to implement projects and programmes that promote digital culture and advance digital inclusion across Qatar, in alignment with the objectives of the Digital Agenda 2030 which aims to build an integrated digital society where individuals and institutions participate equally.The Ministry of Social Development and Family received the Outstanding Project Award in the Best Digital Inclusion Initiative Award category for its project “Sokoon” application to digitise Sign Language. Meanwhile, the National Planning Council earned the first place in the Open Data Initiative category for its project “Qatar Open Data Platform.”This achievement reaffirms Qatar’s leading position in digital government, driven by continuous investment in digital infrastructure, national talent, and regional collaboration in innovation and the digital economy. HE the Minister of Information and Communications Technology Mohammed bin Ali al-Mannai emphasised that Qatar’s winning of three awards at the Digital Government Award 2025 reflects the success of the national strategy for digital transformation and underscores the country’s pioneering role in advancing the GCC digital integration process.

Northwestern University in Qatar (NU-Q) has appointed Refqa Abu-Remaileh, Sarah Kaskas, Lila Hassan, and Shakeeb Asrar to its expanding faculty, further strengthening the university’s profile in journalism, film, literature, and investigative reporting.With diverse experiences spanning academic research and professional practice, the new faculty bring fresh perspectives that will enrich teaching, research, creative scholarship, and student learning across programmes, a statement said.“I am proud to welcome another stellar faculty cohort to Northwestern Qatar,” said Marwan M Kraidy, dean and CEO. “Their appointments bolster our great faculty, strengthening our academic programmes and enriching the intellectual life of our community, while also advancing knowledge production about the world in ways that reflect our core values of excellence, community, collaboration, and sustainability.”Abu-Remaileh, who joins as associate professor in residence in the Liberal Arts Programme, is a leading scholar of modern Arabic literature and Palestinian cultural production. Author of the award-winning Country of Words: A Transnational Atlas for Palestinian Literature and former principal investigator of the European Research Council–funded PalREAD project, her courses and research will focus on Arab literature and culture in regional and transnational contexts, opening new entry points into the digital humanities and cross-cultural approaches to literature and film.Kaskas, assistant professor in residence in the Communication Programme, is an award-winning filmmaker, Emmy-nominated producer, and educator. Her films, which have screened at international festivals including Tribeca and the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam, explore resilience and the lived experiences of marginalised communities in Lebanon. With a focus on socially engaged cinema, she brings distinctive expertise in film as both a creative medium and a critical tool for examining inequities and advancing cultural dialogue.Hassan joins the Journalism and Strategic Communication Programme as assistant professor in residence. Hassan is an investigative journalist whose reporting has appeared in The Washington Post, The Guardian, FRONTLINE, and ProPublica. Recognised with top industry honours, including a Pulitzer Prize, a George Polk Award, and a Peabody, she adds world-class investigative reporting expertise to the growing journalism faculty.Asrar, a NU-Q alum, also joins the Journalism and Strategic Communication Programme as an assistant professor in residence. With professional experience at Al Jazeera English, Jigsaw Productions in New York, and award-winning documentary projects, he is the latest addition to the community of faculty who combine academic training with frontline media experience.“These appointments reflect the richness of Northwestern Qatar’s academic community and our commitment to advancing excellence across disciplines,” said Zachary Wright, professor and associate dean for faculty affairs. “The expertise Professors Abu-Remaileh, Hassan, Kaskas, and Asrar bring will enhance classroom learning and open new avenues for scholarship and collaboration that extend beyond our campus.”With these additions, NU-Q further consolidates its position as home to one of the highest concentrations of scholars dedicated to the study of Arab media and culture. As the university expands its faculty body, it continues to enrich its intellectual life while contributing to global conversations on media, storytelling, and cultural expression, the statement added.

The annual Healing Hands essay competition of Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar (WCM-Q) has recognised four Qatari high school students for their outstanding 800-word essays on the social consequences of obesity.The winners were Almayasa Waleed Alkhal (Qatar Academy High School), Shamma Mubarak al-Nuaimi (Gulf English School), Fatima Mohammed A M al-Rashid (American School of Doha), and Amna Khalid al-Hajri (Swiss International School in Qatar).The programme is designed to inspire young nationals to pursue careers in medicine and biomedical science. Many previous winners of the Healing Hands contest have gone on to join WCM-Q as students.Each of the four winners received the WCM-Q Doctors of the Future Scholarship, which offers an opportunity to spend a week gaining hands-on research experience in one of the college’s state-of-the-art core laboratories. Two of the winners completed their placements at the Proteomics Lab under the supervision of Prof. Dr Frank Schmidt, professor of biochemistry and director of the proteomics core at WCM-Q.An awards ceremony was recently held at WCM-Q, where each of the four winners was presented with a certificate and a prize. A further eight students received honourable mention certificates in recognition of the high quality of their essays, and 13 students received participation certificates.The essays of the four winners and those who received honourable mentions were noted for the originality of their ideas, their command of written English, the soundness of their supporting arguments, and the coherent structure of their essays. The judges also acknowledged the high level of the participants’ essays, noting the generally high standard of all of the entries this year.Noha Saleh, director of premedical administration, student outreach and educational development, said: “We are confident that this experience will inspire these students to consider a future in medicine."Dr Rachid Bendriss, professor of English as a second language, assistant professor of education in medicine, and associate dean for foundation, student outreach and educational development programmes, said: “We were extremely impressed by this year’s essays, which included such a sophisticated level of innovative and thought-provoking arguments and ideas."

Qatar made their path to the 2026 World Cup more difficult after being held to a drab 0-0 draw by Oman in the opening match of the fourth round of Asia’s World Cup qualifiers Wednesday at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium.It was a below-par performance from both teams, as neither Qatar nor Oman showed the urgency expected in such a crucial fixture. The result leaves Qatar and Oman tied on a point each in Group A. To stay in contention for automatic qualification, Qatar will need to defeat the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday and rely on the outcome of Saturday’s encounter between Oman and the Emiratis.Only the group winners will earn automatic qualification for next year’s World Cup, to be co-hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States. The runners-up will advance to a playoff against the second-placed team from Group B, which is being contested in Saudi Arabia, where Iraq and Indonesia are the other sides.Akram Afif squandered Qatar’s best chance early in the second half, while substitute Mohammed Muntari failed to get enough power on his shot as a resolute Oman held firm to secure a point.Qatar coach Julen Lopetegui had spoken beforehand about the pressure his side is facing in trying to qualify for the World Cup on merit for the first time. The 2022 World Cup hosts have historically struggled in the qualifiers, and that inconsistency resurfaced last night in a disjointed display.Lopetegui, who kept his squad selection under wraps on the eve of the match, handed debuts to 20-year-old Al Gharafa defender Ayoub Aloui and 25-year-old Al Rayyan goalkeeper Mahmoud Abunada. He also left strikers Almoez Ali and Muntari on the bench, opting instead to start with Ahmed al-Ganehi and Edmilson Junior in support of mercurial star Afif.The Spaniard later said his playing XI decisions were influenced by injuries in the squad. “The starting lineup was ideal given the injuries, and all the players gave their best to achieve the desired result,” Lopetegui said after the match.Qatar dominated possession in the first half, with Sultan al-Brake and Edmilson causing early problems for Oman. But it was Carlos Queiroz’s side — seeking their first-ever World Cup appearance — who had the best opportunity when a wayward backpass from al-Brake almost caught out Abunada, forcing the debutant goalkeeper to concede a throw-in under pressure from Issam al-Sabhi.Boualem Khoukhi, who captained Qatar on the night, had the first look at goal in the 13th minute, but the defender’s shot flew wide of the target. Al-Sabhi continued to be Oman’s biggest threat, skipping past his marker with a neat turn in the 27th minute before seeing his powerful left-footed effort comfortably saved by Abunada.Qatar almost capitalised six minutes later when Mohammed al-Mannai slipped a clever ball through to Afif, who tried to catch Oman napping, but goalkeeper Ibrahim al-Rushaidi was alert to the danger and made a solid intervention.Nasser al-Rawahi came close for Oman, glancing a header just over the bar from a corner, while Qatar’s best effort before the break came from Afif, whose shot was easily dealt with by the Omani defence.Afif should have put the hosts ahead soon after the interval when the visitors gifted him possession inside their own half, but the Asian Player of the Year uncharacteristically side-footed wide of the post.Oman nearly punished Qatar in the 69th minute when Abunada rushed off his line to clear a cross, leaving his goal momentarily exposed, but Abdullah Fawaz’s long-range attempt failed to find the target. Almoez was introduced in the 57th minute for al-Ganehi, while Muntari also had a chance in the added time, but both could not inspire Qatar to victory as the teams settled for a share of the spoils.After the match, Lopetegui remained defiant, insisting his team had done enough to win. “We performed well throughout the match against a stubborn team that defended well and closed down spaces. Despite that, we created several opportunities but couldn’t convert them into goals,” the former Spain and Real Madrid coach said.“We will continue to pursue our dream of qualifying for the World Cup. Today’s draw against Oman hasn’t negatively impacted the team or added pressure ahead of the UAE match,” he added.Oman coach Carlos Queiroz — who previously had a brief stint with Qatar — was satisfied to take home a point. “We performed well and managed to stop Qatar’s attacks, which we expected given they were playing at home,” the Portuguese veteran said.“We knew the match would be tough, so we played with high spirit. Despite our solid defence, we also created chances but couldn’t score. A draw is the best result for both teams today. A loss would have hurt our chances of World Cup qualification. We don’t have much time before facing the UAE, but we’ll prepare well to keep our World Cup dream alive,” he added.