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Dr Majed bin Mohammed al-Ansari, Advisor to the Prime Minister and Official Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said the upcoming 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly offers a timely opportunity to reaffirm global support for the Palestinian cause and the two-state solution, especially amid efforts spearheaded by Saudi Arabia and France.During the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ weekly press briefing Tuesday, Dr al- Ansari said Qatar has consistently committed to supporting multilateral action and strengthening the role of the United Nations in various international issues, stressing the importance of ensuring Palestinian presence in all international forums.He pointed out that there has been no response from the Israeli side to the ceasefire proposal in the Gaza Strip. He added what the Strip has witnessed in recent days has seen further escalation, particularly the dangerous step of occupying the densely populated Gaza City amid a rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation, resulting in hundreds of civilian casualties, including hostages whom the Israeli government claims to be seeking to release.He noted that any alternative proposal remains contingent on a genuine will to reach an agreement, indicating that there has been intensive contact with the US and regional and international parties, but that these have not yet yielded anything new.The spokesperson emphasised that the priority is to end the humanitarian crisis, warning against linking the humanitarian situation in Gaza to the issue of prisoner and hostage exchanges, describing this as unacceptable blackmail and a violation of international law. Dr al-Ansari also indicated that Qatar, as a mediator, possesses no leverage other than pushing for an agreement and relying on international pressure and position.He noted that Israel’s move to occupy Gaza City and its threats to annex the West Bank have been met with increasing international condemnation, given that a Palestinian state is a reality established by UN resolutions, and that the international community, except Israel, unanimously recognises its legitimacy.He highlighted that the international stance has become clearer in its support for the rights of the Palestinian people and the two-state solution, considering that recent Israeli measures have weakened its position internationally, a point recently acknowledged by the US president.Dr al-Ansari also revealed the existence of contacts to develop new proposals that could contribute to reaching an agreement, stressing Qatar’s openness to all realistic solutions, noting that the only official offer on the table is the plan previously announced and approved by Hamas.In another context, the spokesperson discussed Qatar’s ongoing mediation efforts on a number of international issues, including the humanitarian role related to reuniting children affected by the war in Ukraine and Russia with their families.He affirmed Qatar’s support for all efforts aimed at ending the war, including the upcoming summit between Russia and Ukraine. Regarding the Arab Foreign Ministers’ meeting scheduled for Cairo Thursday, Dr al-Ansari said regional issues, especially the situation in Gaza, will feature prominently, emphasising the importance of these meetings in coordinating Arab positions.At the outset of the briefing, Dr al-Ansari addressed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ key activities during the week, including the work of the sixth session of the Joint Higher Committee between Qatar and Egypt, where HE Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim al-Thani met with Egyptian Prime Minister Dr Mostafa Madbouly.He also held a joint press conference with Minister of Foreign Affairs, Emigration and Egyptian Expatriates Dr Badr Abdelatty. He also met with Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Andriy Yermak and Secretary of the National Security and Defence Council of Ukraine Rustem Umerov.In a related context, HE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Sultan bin Saad al- Muraikhi led Qatar’s delegation to the 165th session of the Ministerial Council of the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) and the second Joint Ministerial Meeting of the Strategic Dialogue between the GCC countries and Japan.He met with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Japan Iwaya Takeshi, and also with HE Deputy Minister and Government Representative for Korean Nationals Overseas Protection and Consular Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea Jung Ki-hong. He noted that HE Minister of State for International Cooperation Maryam bint Ali bin Nasser al-Misnad met with HE Executive Director of the Global Fund to Fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria Peter Sands.She also held phone calls with HE Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Caretaker Government of Afghanistan Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi and with HE Minister of Rural Rehabilitation and Development in the Caretaker Government of Afghanistan and Chairman of the Coordination Committee for Assistance to Earthquake Victims Mohammad Younus Akhundzada.Dr Majed bin Mohammed al-Ansari, also noted that HE Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dr Mohammed bin Abdulaziz bin Saleh al-Khulaifi received a phone call from HE Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation of Sudan Omar Mohamed Ahmed Siddiq.He highlighted that HE the Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs participated Tuesday in the Bled Strategic Forum in Slovenia, where he delivered a speech at a high-level session and met with senior officials there.

Felix Auger-Aliassime defeated Andrey Rublev in straight sets at the US Open Monday as the Canadian 25th seed reached his first Grand Slam quarter-final in three years.Auger-Aliassime retrieved a break in the first set before seizing control against the 15th-ranked Rublev, triumphing 7-5, 6-3, 6-4 for just his second win over the Russian in nine attempts.Also Monday, four-time Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka of Japan crushed French Open champion Coco Gauff in straight sets. Osaka, a two-time US Open champion, Monday won 6-3, 6-2. The match was a repeat of the duo’s first meeting at the US Open in 2019, when Osaka overpowered the then 15-year-old Gauff in straight sets.Osaka is enjoying her best US Open showing since winning the tournament for the second time in 2020.The 25-year-old Auger-Aliassime backed up his win over third seed Alexander Zverev in the previous round and will play Australia’s Alex de Minaur in the last eight.Auger-Aliassime climbed as high as sixth in the world at the end of 2022 but had not made it to a major quarter-final since that year’s Australian Open. His deepest run at a Grand Slam came when he advanced to the semi-finals of the US Open four years ago.“It feels even better than the first time,” Auger-Aliassime said of returning to the last eight in New York.“I think the first time at 21 I was kind of on my way up. To have a few setbacks, injuries, struggles with confidence... to come back for a second time to the quarter-finals here, it feels much better.“It feels more deserved. I’m soaking in every moment here.”Also Monday, Australian eighth seed Alex de Minaur powered into the quarter-finals of the US Open with a straight-sets rout of Swiss qualifier Leandro Riedi.De Minaur, who also reached the US Open quarter-finals last year, cruised to victory 6-3, 6-2, 6-1 in one hour 33 minutes.De Minaur has reached five Grand Slam quarter-finals before but never managed to progress beyond the last eight.“I’m super proud of what I’m doing,” De Minaur said. “Ultimately this is where I want to be - I want to be playing for big titles, I want to be in contention.”Fritz reaches quarters as Townsend loses epicDreams died by fractions of an inch and were reborn through sheer determination on a pulsating Sunday at the US Open, with Taylor Townsend’s heartbreaking exit contrasting sharply with Taylor Fritz’s steady march onward.Townsend’s three-hour odyssey against Barbora Krejcikova provided the day’s most compelling drama, the mother from Chicago saving eight match points before finally succumbing 1-6 7-6(13) 6-3 in a thriller that left even her four-year-old son AJ offering gentle consolation. “It was literally like a point here and there that made the difference,” said Townsend, tears still fresh after the longest tiebreak of the tournament.The 29-year-old’s anguish provided a stark contrast to Fritz’s businesslike 6-4 6-3 6-3 dismissal of Czech Tomas Machac, to fly the American flag as the country’s sole male survivor from the 23 who began the tournament.The Californian will carry the nation’s hopes of ending a 22-year major drought since Andy Roddick’s 2003 triumph. “It’s been a tough week for the guys,” Fritz admitted after reaching the quarter-finals of the US Open for a third year in a row. “I wasn’t expecting that. I’m happy to be here and happy to be the last one standing. Hopefully the crowd will get behind me and will me through it.”HISTORY MAKERAt 38, Novak Djokovic made history by becoming the oldest man to reach Grand Slam quarter-finals in all four majors in a single season, dispatching Jan-Lennard Struff 6-3 6-3 6-2 despite requiring treatment on his right shoulder during the match. “I don’t know how many more I’m going to have, so obviously each one is very special,” said the Serbian, who extended his all-time record to 64 major quarter-finals and now awaits Fritz. Djokovic leads their head-to-head 10-0.Swiatek breezes pastAlexandrova Laser-focused Iga Swiatek barely broke sweat as the former US Open champion methodically dismantled Russian 13th seed Ekaterina Alexandrova 6-3 6-1 and booked her return to the quarter-finals of the Grand Slam Monday.The 24-year-old’s crushing win on Louis Armstrong Stadium meant that she became the youngest woman to reach at least the quarter-finals of all four Grand Slams in a single season since 18-year-old Maria Sharapova managed the feat in 2005.

Pakistan opener Imam-ul-Haq latest hundred could not prevent Yorkshire losing to Hampshire in a rain-affected semi-final of English cricket’s One-Day Cup on Sunday.His fourth century in just eight tournament innings left Ul-Haq top of the 50-overs per side competition’s batting standings with 688 runs at a stellar average of 98.28.Yorkshire went into the game knowing Ul-Haq would be unavailable for next month’s final after he was summoned back by Pakistan ahead of a possible recall to the Test side for a series with South Africa.But the 29-year-old left-hander bowed out in style, with his 105 the centrepiece of the hosts’ 235-8 in 41 overs at Scarborough.Yorkshire, however, still lost by 18 runs on the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method for rain-affected matches.Hampshire, with England’s Liam Dawson making a superb white-ball best of 142 off just 116 balls after the south coast side collapsed to 78-4, had earlier posted a total of 304-6 in their full 50 overs.Dawson, better known as a left-arm spinner, then took 2-55 as Hampshire secured their place in a September 20 final against Worcestershire at Trent Bridge after the Rapids won at home to Somerset.Yorkshire were well-placed at 171-3 in the 31st over chasing a revised target of 254 in 41 overs following rain.But they lost two wickets in a Scott Currie over, including the run out of Ul-Haq, and tight Hampshire bowling then prevented Yorkshire from reviving their innings.

Palestinians say water shortages are due to settler attacks UN reports increase in settler vandalism of water infrastructure Israeli military acknowledges reports but no suspects identified Israeli agency COGAT blames Palestinian water theft Shortages force reliance on costly deliveriesPalestinians in the Israeli-occupied West Bank are facing severe water shortages that they say are being driven by increasing attacks on scarce water sources by extremist Jewish settlers.Across the West Bank in Palestinian communities, residents are reporting shortages that have left taps in homes dry and farms without irrigation.In Ramallah, one of the largest Palestinian cities in the West Bank and the administrative capital of the Palestinian Authority, residents facing water shortages are now relying on public taps."We only get water at home twice a week, so people are forced to come here," said Umm Ziad, as she filled empty plastic bottles with water alongside other Ramallah residents.The UN recorded 62 incidents of Jewish settlers vandalising water wells, pipelines, irrigation networks and other water-related infrastructure in the West Bank in the first six months of the year.The Israeli military acknowledged it has received multiple reports of Israeli civilians intentionally causing damage to water infrastructure but that no suspects had been identified.Among the targets have been a freshwater spring and a water distribution station in Ein Samiya, around 16km northeast of Ramallah, serving around 20 nearby Palestinian villages and some city neighbourhoods.Settlers have taken over the spring that many Palestinians have used for generations to cool off in the hot summer months.Palestinian public utility Jerusalem Water Undertaking said the Ein Samiya water distribution station had become a frequent target of settler vandalism."Settler violence has escalated dramatically," Abdullah Bairait, 60, a resident of nearby Kfar Malik, standing on a hilltop overlooking the spring."They enter the spring stations, break them, remove cameras, and cut off the water for hours," he said.The Ein Samiya spring and Kfar Malik village have been increasingly surrounded by Jewish Israeli settlements. The UN and most foreign governments consider settlements in the West Bank to be illegal under international law and an obstacle to the establishment of a future Palestinian state.According to the United Nations' humanitarian office, settlers carried out multiple attacks targeting water springs and vital water infrastructure in the Ramallah, Salfit and Nablus areas between June 1 and July 14. The Ein Samiya water spring had been repeatedly attacked, it said in a July report.Israeli security forces view any damage to infrastructure as a serious matter and were carrying out covert and overt actions to prevent further harm, the Israeli military said in response to Reuters questions for this story. It said the Palestinian Water Authority had been given access to carry out repairs.Kareem Jubran, director of field research at Israeli rights group B'Tselem, told Reuters that settlers had taken control over most natural springs in the West Bank in recent years and prevented Palestinians from accessing them.SETTLER VIOLENCEPalestinians have long faced a campaign of intimidation, harassment and physical violence by extremist settlers, who represent a minority of Jewish settlers living in the West Bank. Most live in settlements for financial or ideological reasons and do not advocate for violence against Palestinians.Palestinians say the frequency of settler violence in the West Bank has increased since the October 2023 Hamas storming of Israel.They say they fear the rise in settler violence is part of a campaign to drive them from the land. The UN has registered 925 such incidents in the first seven months of this year, a 16% year-on-year increase.Since the Hamas fighter attacks which sparked the war in Gaza, several Israeli politicians have advocated for Israel to annex the West Bank, which it has occupied since 1967.Reuters reported on Sunday that Israeli officials said the government is now considering annexing the territory after France and other Western nations said they would recognise a Palestinian state this month. The Palestinian Authority wants a future Palestinian state to encompass West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip.Palestinians in the West Bank have long struggled to access water. The Western-backed Palestinian Authority exercises limited civic rule in parts of the territory and relies on Israeli approvals to develop and expand water infrastructure. Palestinian officials and rights groups say that's rarely given.B'Tselem said in an April 2023 report that Palestinians were facing a chronic water crisis, while settlers have an abundance of water."The water shortage in the West Bank is the intentional outcome of Israel's deliberately discriminatory policy, which views water as another means for controlling the Palestinians," B'Tselem wrote in the report.COSTLY DELIVERIESAcross the West Bank, water tanks are common in Palestinian homes, storing rainwater or water delivered by trucks due to an already unreliable piped water network that has been exacerbated by the settler attacks.Cogat, the Israeli military agency that oversees policy in the West Bank and Gaza, said in response to Reuters questions the Palestinian Authority was responsible for supplying water to Palestinians in the West Bank. Israel transferred 90mn cubic metres of water to the Palestinian Authority each year, it said, blaming any shortages on water theft by Palestinians.Along with travelling long distances to collect water, Palestinians have become reliant on costly water deliveries to manage the chronic water crisis that they fear will only grow."If the settlers continue their attacks, we will have conflict on water," said Wafeeq Saleem, who was collecting water from a public tap outside Ramallah."Water is the most important thing for us."

Spinner Nasum Ahmed returned figures of 3-21 to help Bangladesh thrash the Netherlands by nine wickets in the second T20 international Monday as the hosts clinched the three-match series.Bangladesh bundled out the tourists for a paltry 103 and romped home to their target in 13.1 overs to take a 2-0 lead in the series in Sylhet.Bangladesh, who won a third successive T20 series, have kept their momentum ahead of the T20 Asia Cup starting September 9 in the United Arab Emirates.Left-handed opener Tanzid Hasan made 54 and put on an unbeaten 64-run stand with skipper Litton Das, who scored 18.But it was Bangladesh's bowlers who set up victory as Nasum, who came into the team as one of two changes, struck twice on successive balls in the third over.Dutch skipper Scott Edwards played out the hat-trick ball from Nasum but later fell for nine off left-arm quick Mustafizur Rahman.Opener Vikramjit Singh made 24 off 17 ball before he fell to pace bowler Taskin Ahmed and was one of just three batsmen to manage double figures.The wickets kept tumbling as the Netherlands survived just 17.3 overs after being invited to bat first.Number nine Aryan Dutt made 30 as he took the team past 100 before he was the last wicket to fall.Bangladesh started their chase briskly with Parvez Hossain Emon's 23 off 21, and after his departure Tanzid and Litton steered the team home.The final match of the series is on Wednesday at the same venue.BRIEF SCORESBangladesh 104 for 1 (Tanzid 54*, Emon 23) beat Netherlands 103 (Dutt 30, Vikramjit 24, Nasum 3-21, Mustafizur 2-18, Taskin 2-22) by nine wickets

Turkiye’s economic growth remained resilient in the second quarter despite an emergency interest-rate hike by the central bank in March.Gross domestic product expanded 1.6% on a quarterly basis, up from a revised 0.7% in the preceding three-month period when adjusted for seasonality and working days, Turkiye’s statistics office said on Monday. The median estimate in a Bloomberg survey of economists projected an expansion of 0.6%.The economy grew 4.8% annually, compared with the median estimate of 4.1% in the survey and a revised 2.3% in the preceding quarter. The acceleration was largely down to the higher number of working days Turkiye had this year compared to 2024, QNB Turkiye economists led by Erkin Isik said in a research note ahead of the data release.The surprise boost came after the Turkish central bank raised interest rates in an unscheduled meeting in March to mitigate the market fallout following the jailing of a prominent opposition politician, reversing a cycle of rate cuts it had just begun. Even so, domestic demand climbed at the fastest pace in more than a year, leading the surge in annual growth. The central bank resumed its cuts in July, lowering the main policy rate to 43% from 46%.Spending by households, which is the main driver of Turkiye’s economy, rose 5.1%, the highest rate since the first quarter of 2024, Turkstat said.“On the surface, Turkiye’s especially strong growth data for the second quarter could be seen as reason to derail the central bank’s easing path. But activity is likely to post slower gains ahead and we maintain our call for rate cuts at all remaining meetings this year amid falling inflation,” says Selva Bahar Baziki, economist, Bloomberg Economics.“Today’s figures provide worrying evidence that domestic demand is too strong, which may prevent the current account deficit from narrowing further and inflation from falling as quickly as policymakers want,” Capital Economics’ chief emerging markets economist William Jackson said in a note. Though August inflation figures, which will be released on Wednesday, will give a better sense of that, Monday’s GDP report suggests the central bank “will not lower interest rates as quickly as we currently expect,” he said. Jackson currently sees the main policy rate reduced to 37% at the end of the year.Gross fixed capital formation, a measure of investments by businesses, soared by nearly 9% in the second quarter from a year earlier, while exports of goods and services increased by 1.7% from a year earlier, and up from 0.1% the prior quarter.The lira was little changed after the data release, trading 0.1% higher at 41.1182 per the US dollar at 10.57am in Istanbul.Monday’s release marks the first time Turkstat published revised growth data, which the agency said was carried out for better compliance with international peers.

The Strikin Viking, a progressive three-year-old gelding, gained the biggest success of his career with victory in the Gr.3 155th Casino Baden-Baden Goldene Peitsche, Germany’s historic sprint contest, run over 1200m at Baden-Baden. The race, open to 3-year-olds and upwards, drew a strong international field of ten sprinters. Trained by Hamad al-Jehani, ridden by Faleh Bughenaim and carrying the silks of Wathnan Racing, the gelding came into the race on the back of a solid third in the Listed Queensferry Stakes at Chester. Building on that effort, he stepped up again to secure his first Group success. Quickly into stride, The Strikin Viking broke well and was soon among the leaders, disputing the pace in the opening stages with the favourite Arabie on the stands’ side. The pair pressed on while War Bride tracked close behind and Zerostress raced handily against the rail. Travelling smoothly in front, The Strikin Viking held a narrow advantage as Arabie began to come under pressure approaching the final two furlongs. Sent for home by Faleh Bughenaim, he opened up a clear length advantage while Arabie weakened inside the final furlong. War Bride found room and gave chase, closing strongly while Zerostress also picked up late. But The Strikin Viking was always in control, showing both grit and speed to hold off War Bride by three-quarters of a length at the line. Zerostress finished well to take third. Bred by Tally-Ho Stud, The Strikin Viking is out of Asmeen, an unraced mare. He is a half-brother to Chorlton Lane, a winner over 1400m at two and Gr.3-placed over 1600m at three. Asmeen is out of Askeria and is a half-sister to Ashraf, a dual winner over 1600m and 1900m and fourth in Listed company over 2000m at three, as well as to Askerana, a winner over 2000m at three.

QatarEnergy’s existing facilities have already captured and successfully stored around 7.5mn tonnes of CO2 since 2019, according to HE the Minister of State for Energy Affairs, Saad bin Sherida al-Kaabi.“All our LNG expansion projects will deploy carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies, aiming to capture over 11MTPY of CO2 by 2035,” noted HE al-Kaabi, also the President and CEO, QatarEnergy.“LNG remains at the core of our strategy, with ongoing projects to increase our LNG production from the current 77mn tonnes per year (MTPY) to 160 MTPY. This reinforces our position as a reliable provider of affordable lower-carbon energy,” HE al-Kaabi said in a message in the latest edition of QatarEnergy Sustainability Report.The minister noted, “Our investments span the entire LNG value chain, including a historic shipbuilding programme encompassing 128 ultra-modern, environmentally advanced ships. The fleet will enhance QatarEnergy’s capacity to meet the growing global LNG demand while reinforcing its dedication to operational excellence and sustainability.“Sustainability is central to our business strategy. We take a holistic approach that seeks to integrate environmental management, safety, social responsibility, and governance excellence across our local and global operations.”In 2024, QatarEnergy continued to advance clean energy and emission reduction projects. In November, QatarEnergy celebrated the ground breaking of the first world-scale blue ammonia project, which will produce 1.2mn tons of lower-carbon ammonia annually.Furthermore, he said, QatarEnergy aims to more than double Qatar’s urea production to over 12 MTPY, positioning the country as a leading global exporter and contributing to global food security.QatarEnergy is prioritising solar energy aiming to reach 4,000 megawatts (MW) of solar power capacity by 2030.In 2024, QatarEnergy announced the Dukhan solar power project with 2,000MW of capacity and joined a 1,250MW solar project in Iraq.In 2025, the Ras Laffan and Mesaieed solar power plants will add a combined 875MW to Qatar’s solar power generation capacity, joining Al-Kharsaah’s 800MW.As part of its ongoing commitment to reduce its environmental impact, QatarEnergy is setting new sector-specific targets to reduce GHG emissions intensity of our downstream assets – petrochemicals, metals, and fertiliser facilities – by 10 to 15% by 2035.These targets build on QatarEnergy’s sustainability strategy and complement its previously announced upstream and LNG facilities intensity targets.QatarEnergy emphasises collaboration for progress through the Tawteen program, aiming to strengthen the local supply chain and foster sustainability-driven innovation and economic development.Since its creation in 2018, this unique programme has generated more than 100 investment opportunities.In 2024 alone, 29 opportunities were awarded, including four related to sustainability.Safety remains a foundational top priority for QatarEnergy, the minister emphasised. In 2024, QatarEnergy maintained zero fatalities for the third consecutive year and continued to focus on empowering its workforce.Creating lasting value through corporate social responsibility programmes, QatarEnergy continues to address social and environmental challenges, reducing its environmental footprint, and fostering inclusive growth.“These achievements were made possible by the dedication of our employees, the trust of our stakeholders, and the support of our partners, for which we are grateful. I look forward to working together to build a more sustainable future for all.“I would like to express our deepest gratitude to His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, the Amir of the State of Qatar, for his vision, guidance, and unlimited support,” the minister noted.

His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani sent a cable of congratulations to the President of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago Christine Carla Kangaloo on the anniversary of her country's Independence Day. His Highness the Deputy Amir Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad Al-Thani also sent a similar cable of congratulations to President Kangaloo on the anniversary of Trinidad and Tobago's Independence Day and HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani sent a cable of congratulations to the Prime Minister of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago Kamla Persad-Bissessar on the Independence Day anniversary.

His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani sent a cable of congratulations to the President of the Kyrgyz Republic Sadyr Japarov, on the anniversary of his country's Independence Day. His Highness the Deputy Amir Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad Al-Thani also sent a similar cable of congratulations to Kyrgyz Republic President Sadyr Japarov, on the country's Independence Day and HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani sent a cable of congratulations to Kyrgyzstan Prime Minister Adylbek Aleshovich Kasymaliev, on Independence Day.

We are thrilled to announce the signing of our first-ever franchise agreement, a historic milestone in Junior’s journey from a homegrown Qatari brand to a leading regional player in the fast-food industry.This landmark partnership is with Venicia International Restaurants Management, led by the renowned entrepreneur and visionary leader, Mr. Abdullah Tareq Al Hasan, one of the most influential figures in the F&B and investment sectors in the region. With his proven expertise, business acumen, and forward-thinking strategy, we are confident this collaboration will lay the foundation for a highly successful expansion into the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.The signing ceremony took place at our Doha headquarters, led by our CEO Mr. Abdulla Al Ansari, marking not just the signing of an agreement but the beginning of an ambitious chapter. Together, we aim to take the Junior’s – The New Love experience beyond borders and share our passion for exceptional food and outstanding service with customers across the region.This milestone is the start of an exciting expansion journey, and under the leadership of Mr. Abdulla Al Ansari and in partnership with Mr. Abdullah Tareq Al Hasan, we are setting the stage for new partnerships, broader market reach, and memorable dining experiences across the Middle East.Stay tuned as we continue to expand and bring The New Love experience closer to you!

A Latin term that used to be little-known outside the world of customs brokers has become the stuff of headlines this year. That’s thanks to a decision by US President Donald Trump to end the tariff-free treatment of “de minimis” merchandise that had been in place for almost 90 years.The phrase — which loosely translates as “too small to matter” — refers to small packages shipped directly to consumers from abroad, millions of which arrive in the US every day. Qualifying as de minimis came with a huge perk: no customs declarations and no duties.This worked to the advantage of Chinese dis-count marketplaces such as Shein Group Ltd and Temu, which have tapped Americans’ appetite for buying cheap clothing, toys, electronics, and more, online. But the tariff exemption came to an end for packages from mainland China and Hong Kong on May 2, and ceased for the rest of the world on August 29.US consumers now face the prospect of higher prices and a longer wait for their orders. Ahead of the de minimis changes taking effect in August, many postal operators paused US-bound parcel shipments, citing a lack of clarity over how the tariffs will be collected.What was the US de minimis exemption?For a package to qualify, it had to have a re-tail value of no more than $800, which was high compared with other countries. The threshold in Canada is C$150 ($109) for parcels from the US and Mexico to be exempt from customs duties and C$20 ($15) for those from elsewhere, while in the European Union it’s €150 ($175). China, for its part, generally waives duties on packages worth up to about $7.The exemption in the US dated back to 1938, when Congress tweaked tariff rules to drop duties on low-cost items to avoid unnecessary expense for little reward, or, as one former Treasury official put it, “spending a dollar to collect 50 cents.” The exemption started at $1, where it stayed for decades before rising to $5 in 1990, $200 in 1993 and then jumping to $800 in 2016 during the Barack Obama presidency.What do the new rules mean for US consumers?The end of the de minimis exemption doesn’t mean Americans can’t order small packages from abroad. What’s changed is that the goods will be channelled through customs and incur levies.Sellers could absorb the additional costs or they could pass them on to consumers — either indirectly through a higher retail price, or directly by making buyers pay the duty.Shein and Temu raised prices on a wide range of products — from dresses to kitchenware — ahead of the tariffs kicking in on May 2. The average price of 98 products listed on Shein tracked by Bloomberg News increased by more than 20% by early May from two weeks prior.Elsewhere, South Korean beauty retailer Olive Young — which has been capitalising on the social media-fuelled popularity of Korean skincare products among American consumers — said it would add a 15% duty to all US orders at the checkout from August 27.The end of the de minimis carve-out could dis-proportionately impact lower-income households in America. Almost 75% of direct shipments imported by the poorest zip codes were de minimis, compared to 52% for the richest zip codes, according to analysis from the National Bureau of Economic Research using data from 2021.Could the end of the de minimis exemption cause supply chain disruption?Mail carriers in more than two dozen countries, including Australia, Singapore and Norway, temporarily suspended shipments to the US ahead of the August 29 de minimis cutoff date, as they grappled with how the new system will be implemented.The restrictions imposed by Deutsche Post and DHL Parcel Germany — part of DHL Group, one of the world’s largest couriers — reflected uncertainty over “how and by whom customs duties will be collected in the future, what addition-al data will be required, and how the data transmission to the US Customs and Border Protection will be carried out,” according to a company statement.Postal services have never had to handle this amount of paperwork before. The packages that enter the US now have to have a customs declaration that details the contents of the parcel, the value, and the country of origin of the goods — not just where they’re shipped from, but where they were made.Beyond the near-term disruption from potential backlogs, many e-commerce deliveries are likely to become slower because the added costs will make air cargo — already an expensive way to move freight — a potentially unprofitable mode of transportation for low-cost goods.Rather than fly on a plane and take a couple of days to arrive, a package might instead take a three-week journey on a container ship from China to the US West Coast.Which companies will be most affected by the de minimis carve-out disappearing?Low-cost online retailers such as Temu, Shein and Alibaba Group Holding Ltd’s AliExpress used the de minimis exemption for years to expand in the US — a trend that was supercharged by the Covid-era boom in e-commerce.Cross-border online retail has been a lifesaver for many Chinese manufacturers running on wafer-thin profit margins as spending by domestic shoppers plunged during the pandemic and never really recovered.Shein pioneered the model of targeting cost-conscious Americans with $2 blouses and $10 shirts during the pandemic, and Temu jumped in around 2022 with its “Shop Like a Billionaire” catchphrase. TikTok Shop, the shopping platform of the popular video app, is a more recent entrant.The end of the de minimis exemption appears to have had a dampening effect on US demand. Shein’s weekly sales dropped by as much as 23% year-on-year in late June before staging a recovery, according to Bloomberg Second Measure, which analyses credit and debit card transactions in the US. Temu saw a deeper decline — its weekly sales slumped by more than a third year-on-year in June and had yet to rebound to the prior year’s levels by mid-August.It’s not just the bottom line of the Chinese marketplaces that will be impacted by the de minimis changes. The exposure to tariffs will also hit “dropshippers,” who use e-commerce platforms to fulfil orders and send goods directly to customers, as well as small US businesses that have been importing products in batches under the $800 threshold to avoid tariffs. Small international businesses selling into the US will be affected too, including those using marketplaces such as eBay Inc and Etsy Inc.There are fears that the end of the de minimis exemption in the US could spur a flood of cheap goods, particularly those from China, to be sent to other countries instead. Amid concerns about domestic producers being undercut, markets including the UK are reviewing their own duty-free treatment of low-value imports.How have Trump’s de minimis changes evolved?Within days of taking office, the Trump administration suspended the de minimis rule for mainland China and Hong Kong. However, it soon delayed the change while the US Postal Service wrestled with how to implement the policy.The suspension was effectively reimposed on May 2, hitting buyers of packages worth up to $800 arriving from mainland China and Hong Kong with either a levy equivalent to 120% of their value or a flat fee of $100.When the US and China later announced an agreement to lower triple-digit tariffs on each other’s imports, Trump signed an executive order cutting the de minimis duty to 54%, while maintaining the flat fee.Then, on July 30, Trump said the de minimis ex-emption would end for items sent from anywhere in the world, although gifts valued at less than $100 will remain duty-free. According to a White House fact sheet, starting August 29, a posted package will be taxed in one of two ways:* The importer can pay a percentage levy on the parcel’s value. This is equivalent to the pre-vailing tariff rate the US has assigned to goods from the country of origin as part of Trump’s broader trade war.* Or, for the first six months of the new policy, the importer can pay a flat duty ranging from $80 to $200 per item, depending on the applicable country-specific tariff rate.What effect has the US de minimis exemption had?With the threshold as high as it was in the US, around 4mn small packages claiming de minimis exemptions crossed into the US every day in 2024, according to US Customs and Border Protection. These parcels often went unchecked be-fore being transferred to a truck for delivery directly to the consumer’s doorstep.This helped Americans access lots of cheap merchandise sold by e-commerce retailers in China. It also strained global supply chains, raised air cargo costs and swamped border enforcement efforts.The packages are thought to be one of the ways illegal drugs such as fentanyl have been smug-gled into the US and how other goods have entered the country in violation of rules against imports from regions known for human-rights abuses.The administration of President Joe Biden was well on its way to cracking down on de minimis abuses before he lost his re-election bid in November 2024, so Trump’s decision to eliminate the exemption wasn’t a complete surprise.How much trade did the de minimis rule affect?The de minimis exemption affected quite a bit of trade in both volume and value, with both rising exponentially. Such packages used to be confined to t-shirts and small electronics, but they’ve expanded to include bigger-ticket items such as electric bikes retailing for $799.According to a White House fact sheet, the number of individual shipments to the US claiming de minimis exemptions surged to nearly 1.4bn in 2024, up from 134mn a decade earlier. While China officially reported about $23bn worth of small parcel exports to the US last year, Nomura Holdings Inc estimates as much as $46bn of US-bound packages came from the country. (There’s a discrepancy because with so many parcels, it’s hard to count all of them in official statistics.) That’s still just a small fraction of the value of total US goods imports, which last year surpassed $3.2tn. Consequently, the suspension of the de minimis ex-emption isn’t expected to have a major effect on the US economy.