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His Excellency the Shura Council Speaker, Hassan bin Abdullah al-Ghanim, held separate meetings in Islamabad Monday with Pakistan National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq and Chairman of the Senate of Pakistan Yusuf Raza Gilani. HE the Shura Council Speaker is visiting Pakistan at the head of the Council's delegation participating in the World Conference of Speakers of Parliament, which begins today. The meetings focused on strengthening parliamentary co-operation between the Shura Council and the National Assembly and the Senate of Pakistan, with both sides discussing ways to advance shared interests. Topics on the conference agenda were also discussed.The conference centres on the theme of "Peace, Security, and Development," underscoring the role of parliaments in supporting global efforts to build a more stable and just international order. It serves as a platform for aligning perspectives, promoting dialogue and mediation in conflict resolution, and fostering co-operation in water, energy, and food security. Climate change, sustainable development, and interfaith and intercultural harmony are also key areas of focus.

Slovenian President Dr Nataša Pirc Musar has reiterated her call to abolish the United Nations (UN) Security Council’s absolute veto power, arguing that the privilege 'corrupts absolutely' and has left the UN in a 'big struggle' to uphold its mission of global peace and security.“When you do have something absolute, it is always a problem,” she said. “You know what the saying is?, ‘Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely’. It is so true, also in politics,” Pirc Musar said in her lecture, titled “The Realities of Multipolarism vs the Need for Multilateralism”.She was speaking at Hamad Bin Khalifa University’s Minaretein Auditorium Monday, addressing global governance, artificial intelligence, and gender equity. The event forms part of her official visit to Qatar and reflected HBKU’s ongoing efforts to foster international dialogue on diplomacy and leadership.Elected in 2022 as Slovenia’s first woman head of state, Pirc Musar used the platform to make an appeal for UN reform, particularly targeting what she described as the “hybrid war” within the Security Council, where five permanent members – the United States, United Kingdom, France, Russia, and China – hold veto powers.The Slovenian president noted that while France and the United Kingdom have refrained from using the veto since 1986, other permanent members continue to use, and in some cases, abuse the power, stalling collective action in times of global crisis. “For 25 years we have been discussing UN reform. For 25 years we didn’t make any steps,” she added.Pirc Musar outlined three proposals to curb the Security Council’s unchecked authority: Restricting voting rights of countries under discussion in the Council; banning the use of vetoes in cases involving mass atrocities, crimes against humanity, or genocide; and subjecting veto decisions to review by the UN General Assembly, where a two-thirds majority could overrule or confirm them.The Slovenian president cited her September address at the UN General Assembly, where Slovenia urged the body to seek an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice on the legality and limits of the veto power in cases of humanitarian crises. “Now is the time to discuss this really very important topic,” she said, adding that “we don’t have another 25 years to waste.”Pirc Musar also touched on the interconnectedness of global issues, from wars in Ukraine, Palestine, and Sudan to the ethical implications of artificial intelligence: “Everything is interconnected,” she stressed, adding that knowledge-sharing and cultural dialogue are vital to overcoming political egoism and sustaining multilateral co-operation.“Knowledge is to be shared and not a single country on this planet has all the knowledge it needs,” she said. “If you only stick to your own country and are not willing to share, that is egoistic.”Pirc Musar also tackled the theme of gender equity, linking it to the broader struggle for fairness and inclusion in global governance.Echoing her faith in multilateralism, she described the UN as “the only multilateral body covering the whole planet,” insisting that it “should be the diamond of international politics.”

The United States will share a draft resolution on President Donald Trump's peace plan for Gaza with the 10 elected members of the United Nations Security Council, a US official said. Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas agreed a month ago to the first phase of Trump's 20-point plan for Gaza: a ceasefire in their two-year war and hostage-release deal.The United States has drafted a UN Security Council resolution that would approve a two-year mandate for a Gaza transitional governance body and an international stabilization force in the Palestinian enclave, according to the text seen by Reuters.A resolution needs at least nine votes in favour and no vetoes by Russia, China, the US, Britain or France to be adopted.It was not immediately clear if the US has yet shared a copy of the draft resolution with Russia and China. The two-page text seen by Reuters would authorize a Board of Peace transitional governance administration to establish a temporary International Stabilisation Force (ISF) in Gaza that could "use all necessary measures" - code for force - to carry out its mandate.

The Financial and Economic Affairs Committee of the Shura Council held a meeting Tuesday, chaired by Chairman of the Committee Mohammed bin Yousef al-Mana. During the meeting, the committee hosted Assistant Undersecretary for Public Treasury Affairs Abdulrahman Fouad al-Mudhahka; Assistant Undersecretary for Financial Policies Affairs Dr Abdulrahman Mohammed Jolo; and Director of the General Budget Department at the Ministry of Finance Ahmed Mohammed al-Mohannadi. The committee concluded its discussion of the draft state general budget for the fiscal year 2026 and the draft law approving the state’s general budget. Officials from the Ministry of Finance responded to the inquiries and observations raised by committee members regarding the chapters and sectors of the draft budget. The committee resolved to submit its report on the draft state general budget for the fiscal year 2026 and the draft law approving it to the Council.

The Qatar Cricket Association (QCA) will be playing hosts to the upcoming Asian Cricket Council (ACC) Rising Stars Asia Cup, earlier the Emerging Teams tournament, to be played in Doha from November 14 to 23 at the West-End International Cricket Stadium.The T20 event will feature eight teams India A, Pakistan A, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Oman, UAE, Hong Kong, and Sri Lanka. In this new format, full member nations will field their A teams, while associate nations will field their main teams.QCA said the tournament will be open to public with ticketed entry.Meanwhile, Jitesh Sharma has been named captain of the India A squad and Naman Dhir has been appointed his deputy. The selectors have also included 14-year-old IPL sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi in the squad.Pakistan A and Oman will kick off the tournament, with the showpiece India A vs Pakistan A match slotted for November 16. The teams are divided into two groups: Group A has Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Hong Kong and Sri Lanka, while Group B has India, Oman, Pakistan and UAE.This will be the first cricketing exchange between the men's teams of India and Pakistan since the senior Asia Cup in September, though the senior women's teams faced off at the ODI World Cup earlier this month.ACC Rising Stars Tournament Schedule:Nov 14 - Oman vs Pakistan; India A vs UAENov 15 – Bangladesh vs Hong Kong; Afghanistan vs Sri LankaNov 16 - Oman vs UAE; India A vs Pakistan ANov 17 – Hong Kong vs Sri Lanka; Afghanistan vs BangladeshNov 18 – Pakistan A vs UAE; India A vs OmanNov 19 - Afghanistan vs Hong Kong; Bangladesh vs Sri LankaNov 21 - Semi-finals: A1 vs B2; B1 vs A2Nov 23 - Final.

Qatar, represented by the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, participated in the meetings of the 36th session of the Council of Arab Ministers Responsible for Environmental Affairs, hosted by the Mauritanian capital, Nouakchott. The Qatari delegation to the meetings was headed by HE the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Dr Abdullah bin Abdulaziz bin Turki al-Subaie, who affirmed in his address Qatar’s unwavering commitment to supporting joint Arab environmental efforts and strengthening regional and international co-operation to achieve the sustainable development goals (SDGs) and protect natural resources for the benefit of future generations. On the sidelines of the session, HE the minister held meetings with a number of ministers and heads of participating bodies. He discussed with them aspects of environmental co-operation, co-ordinating Arab positions in international forums, and prospects for partnership in regional and international initiatives aimed at combating desertification and addressing the challenges associated with drought, particularly in developing countries.

The Security Council extended the United Nations Support Mission in Libya's mandate for one year until October 31, 2026. Since August, the mission has been developing a 12- to 18-month roadmap to organize presidential and parliamentary elections. However, it missed the first milestone, which was scheduled for completion in October.According to the roadmap, the initial two months were dedicated to restructuring the high national elections commission in Libya, securing agreement between the House of Representatives and the State Council on electoral laws, and initiating the formation of a unified government.

The National Archives of Qatar is taking part in the International Council on Archives (ICA) Congress in Barcelona, led by Dr Ahmed bin Abdullah al-Buainain, Secretary-General of the Archives. The two-day conference gathers national archival institutions, specialists, and experts from around the world to discuss the future of document preservation and digital archiving. The delegates approved the ICA’s Strategic Plan for 2026-2029 and held meetings of regional branches, including the Arab Regional Branch (ARBICA), aimed at strengthening Arab co-operation in safeguarding collective memory. Dr al-Buainain highlighted Qatar’s commitment to advancing digital archiving and using artificial intelligence to manage information and protect national memory. He said that documents “are not merely records of the past but foundations for the future”, underscoring the role of archives in shaping identity, research, and decision-making. The conference focuses on five key themes: records management and transparency, AI in archiving, digital preservation and access, cultural heritage in crises, and capacity building for new archivists. Founded in 1948 under Unesco, the ICA unites more than 140 countries to promote international standards, collaboration, and innovation in the field of archives and document management.

The Gaza ceasefire violations are very disappointing and frustrating, HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim al-Thani told the Council on Foreign Relations in New York Wednesday."We were trying to contain it and we mobilised right away after this and in full coordination with the US. We have seen that the US also is committed to the deal."We have been very clear with Hamas and Hamas's response was also very clear to us that they are willing to give up their governance. The open question from their perspective is that this is an obligation on all the factions not on Hamas only."HE Sheikh Mohammed said he expected the ceasefire to hold in Gaza despite a "violation" as Israel carried out strikes in response to Palestinian fire."Fortunately I think the main parties -- both of them -- are acknowledging that the ceasefire should hold and they should stick to the agreement".Gaza's civil defense agency said the Israeli strikes killed more than 100 people, including at least 35 children.HE the prime minister called the Israeli strike on Doha that killed five Hamas members and a Qatari security person not only "a shock but a game-changer for all the region.""I think that the attack itself has shown the US that there are all the red lines being crossed in the region," he said.(Al Jazeera)

Qatar will host the 20th edition of the FIFA U-17 World Cup Qatar 2025 for the first time, from Nov. 3–27, with the participation of 48 teams, also for the first time in the tournament's history. The FIFA Council has decided to grant the State of Qatar the right to host the next five editions of the FIFA U-17 World Cup, which will be held annually from 2025 to 2029.With this, Qatar becomes the 20th country in history to host the U-17 World Cup, a tournament that began in 1985, four decades ago, when China organized the first edition featuring 16 teams.The tournament was first held by FIFA under the name FIFA U-16 World Championship, before being renamed the U-17 World Championship in 1991, and later, in 2007, taking its current name, the FIFA U-17 World Cup.Throughout its history, the tournament has witnessed significant development in both the number of participating teams and the scale of competition. It began in 1985 with 16 teams divided into four groups, before expanding to 24 teams starting with the 2007 edition held in South Korea.Nigeria won the first edition, defeating West Germany 2-0 in the final. Canada hosted the second edition in 1987, where the Soviet Union claimed the title by beating Nigeria on penalties (4-2) after a 1-1 draw in regular and extra time.The third edition was hosted by Scotland, and it saw the Saudi Arabian national team become the first Arab team to win the title, defeating the hosts on penalties (5-4) after a 2-2 draw in regular and extra time.The tournament continued with the fourth edition held in Italy in 1991, where Ghana won the title by defeating Spain 1-0 in the final. Japan hosted the fifth edition in 1993, with Nigeria winning the title for the second time, this time overcoming Ghana 2-1 in the final.The tournament moved to Ecuador in 1995, where Ghana won the title for the second time in its history, defeating Brazil 3-2 in the final. Then, in 1997, Egypt became the first Arab country to host the finals, with Brazil claiming the title by defeating Ghana 2-1 in the final match.The competition then headed to New Zealand in 1999, where Brazil successfully defended its title, overcoming Australia in the final via penalty shootout (8-7) after a goalless draw in regular and extra time.In 2001, Trinidad and Tobago hosted the ninth edition of the FIFA U-17 World Cup, with France winning its first title by defeating Nigeria 3-0 in the final.Finland hosted the tenth edition in 2003, where Brazil claimed its third title, defeating Spain 1-0 in the final.The eleventh edition was held in Peru in 2005, and Mexico claimed its first-ever title after a commanding 3-0 victory over Brazil in the final.In 2007, the 12th edition of the FIFA U-17 World Cup was held in South Korea, where Nigeria claimed its third title, defeating Spain in the final via penalty shootout (3-0) after a goalless draw in regular and extra time.The 13th edition took place in Nigeria in 2009, where Switzerland won the title for the first time in its debut appearance by defeating the host nation 1-0 in the final.Mexico hosted the 14th edition, and the home team won the title for the second time, defeating Uruguay 2-0 in the final.In 2013, the United Arab Emirates became the second Arab country to host the tournament, staging the 15th edition, in which Nigeria won its fourth title, defeating Mexico 3-0 in the final.Nigeria further strengthened its record, raising its total titles to five, after winning the 16th edition in Chile in 2015, defeating Mali 2-0 in the final.India hosted the 17th edition in 2017, which saw England crowned champions for the first time after a 5-2 victory over Spain in the final.In 2019, Brazil won the 18th edition on home soil, defeating Mexico 2-0 in the final to claim its fourth title.The 19th edition of the FIFA U-17 World Cup was held in Indonesia in 2023, where Germany captured its first-ever title, defeating France in the final via penalty shootout (4-2) after a 2-2 draw in regular and extra time.

The Shura Council on Monday strongly condemned the Israeli Knesset's approval of two draft bills seeking to impose illegal sovereignty over the occupied West Bank and a settlement east of Jerusalem, describing the move as a dangerous escalation that threatens international legitimacy and peace efforts.This came during the Council's second session of the first ordinary meeting of the second legislative term — marking the 54th annual session.The sitting, held at the Tamim bin Hamad Hall under the chairmanship of HE Speaker Hassan bin Abdullah al-Ghanim, urged the Inter-Parliamentary Union and global parliaments to adopt a unified stance against Israel's violations. It also called for action to halt settlement expansion and reaffirmed support for the Palestinian people's right to establish an independent state on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.HE Secretary-General Nayef bin Mohammed al-Mahmoud presented the agenda, and the minutes of the previous session were approved.The Council also formed six key committees in accordance with Article (94) of Qatar's Constitution and Articles (52) and (72) of the internal regulations:Legal and Legislative Affairs CommitteeChaired by HE Khalid bin Ghanem al-Ali, the committee includes HE Dr. Sultan bin Hassan al-Dosari, HE Abdullah bin Ali al-Sulaiti, HE Khalid bin Ahmed al-Obaidan, HE Ahmad bin Ebrahim al-Malki, HE Issa bin Arar al-Rumaihi, HE Ahmed bin Sultan al-Aseeri, HE Abdulla bin Jaber al-Lebdah, and HE Salem bin Rashid al- Marri.Internal and External Affairs CommitteeHeaded by HE Yousef bin Ali al-Khater, members include HE Yousef bin Ahmad al- Medhadi, HE Mubarak bin Saeed al-Khayarin, HE Badi Bin Ali al-Badi, HE Nasser bin Salmine Alsuwaidi, HE Ali bin Shabib al-Attiya, HE Abdulla bin Ali al-Sulaiti, HE Saoud bin Jassim al-Buainain, HE Mohamed bin Mansour al- Shahwani, HE Dr. Mohammed bin Batti al-Abdulla, HE Taleb bin Mohammed al-Nabet, HE Abdulla bin Jaber al-Lebdah, and HE Dr. Muna bint Abdulrahman al-Maslamani.Economic and the Financial Affairs CommitteeChaired by HE Mohamed bin Yousef Almana, the committee includes HE Mohammed bin Mahdi al-Ahbabi, HE Saad bin Ahmed al- Mesned, HE Ahmad bin Hitmi al-Hitmi, HE Nasser bin Mohammed al-Nuaimi, HE Abdullah bin Nasser al-Subaie, HE Essa bin Ahmad al- Nassr, HE Hamad bin Abdulla al-Mulla, HE Umair bin Abdullah al-Nuaimi, and HE Mohammed bin Omar al-Mannai.Health, General Services, and the Environment Committee Led by HE Abdullah bin Nasser bin Turki al- Subaie, members include HE Dr. Ahmed bin Hamad al-Mohannadi, HE Ali bin Saeed Al Howl al-Marri, HE Nasser bin Mohsin Bukshaisha, HE Dr. Hassan bin Eisa al-Fadhala, HE Mohammed bin Saoud al-Mesallam, HE Dr. Muna bint Abdulrahman al-Maslamani, HE Nasser bin Mohammed al-Nuaimi, HE Dr. Mohammed bin Batti al-Abdulla, HE Nasser bin Mutref al-Humaidii, HE Ali bin Ahmed al-Kaabi, and HE Mohammed bin Omar al-Mannai.Education, Culture, Sports, and Information Committee Chaired by HE Khalid bin Ahmed al-Obaidan, members include HE Khalid bin Ghanem al-Ali, HE Abdulrahman bin Youssef al-Khulaifi, HE Saad bin Ahmed al-Mahmoud, HE Dr. Hassan bin Eisa al-Fadhala, HE Saad bin Ahmed al- Misnad, HE Mohammed bin Muftah al-Muftah, HE Ameena bint Yousuf al-Jaidah, HE Yousuf bin Ahmed al-Sada, HE Mubarak bin Mohammed Al Matar al-Kuwari, HE Issa bin Ahmed al-Nassr, and HE Hamad bin Abdullah al-Mulla.Social Affairs, Labour, and Housing CommitteeHeaded by HE Dr. Sultan bin Hassan al-Dosari, the committee includes HE Mohammed bin Mubarak al-Mansoori, HE Ahmed bin Hamad al-Mohannadi, HE Ali bin Saeed Al Howl al-Marri, HE Dr. Khalifa bin Jassim al-Kuwari, HE Nasser bin Mohsin Bukshaisha, HE Ahmed bin Ebrahim al-Malki, HE Saoud bin Jassim al-Buainain, HE Khalid bin Abas al-Emadi, HE Ameena bint Yousuf al-Jaidah, HE Yousuf bin Ahmed al-Sada, HE Nasser bin Metrif al- Hemeidi, HE Nasser bin Hassan al-Kubaisi, HE Ali bin Ahmed al-Kaabi, and HE Umair bin Abdullah al-Nuaimi.The session marked a key step in launching the Council's legislative agenda for the new term, setting the foundation for its work on national policy, governance, and development priorities.

HE the Minister of Endowments (Awqaf) and Islamic Affairs Ghanem bin Shaheen al-Ghanem met Sunday with the visiting Syrian Minister of Endowments Mohammad Abu al-Khair Shukri and his accompanying delegation from the Supreme Fatwa Council.The two sides discussed co-operation relations in the fields of endowments and Islamic affairs, and ways to enhance and develop them. They also exchanged views on topics of common interest.