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His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani on Sunday issued Law No. 22 of 2025 concerning persons with disabilities.The law is effective and set to be published in the official gazette.HE Minister of Social Development and Family, Buthaina bint Ali al-Jabr al-Nuaimi, affirmed that issuance of the new Persons with Disabilities Law marks a pivotal milestone in Qatar's journey to protect and promote human rights.She emphasised that the law goes beyond care provision, embedding the principles of empowerment and full participation of persons with disabilities in all aspects of life, recognising them as active partners in development and future-building.The legislation reflects Qatar's steadfast commitment to upholding justice and equality for all members of society, emphasising that everyone shares responsibility in shaping a better tomorrow.According to a statement from the Ministry of Social Development and Family, the law emphasises protection of civil and political rights of persons with disabilities, including freedom of movement, opinion, and expression, the right to form a family, and participation in elections, associations, and institutions.The law also stipulates that a person's freedom may only be restricted within the limits required by their condition, while prohibiting all forms of violence or exploitation.It includes deterrent measures to protect these rights, prescribing penalties of up to six months' imprisonment and fines of up to QR 100,000 for violations, with fines in certain cases reaching QR 500,000, particularly in instances of neglect, exploitation, or abuse.The law also holds officials in administrative bodies accountable for any negligence or failure to implement its provisions. It requires relevant authorities to establish a unified national database for persons with disabilities and issue identification cards to facilitate access to benefits and services, which embodies Qatar's vision to promote social justice, uphold inclusion and empowerment, and ensure a dignified life for all.

Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jasim Mohamed Albudaiwi said that the recent Israeli attack on the State of Qatar constitutes a blatant violation of international law, the United Nations Charter, and Qatar's sovereignty and territorial integrity. He added that Israel targeted residential facilities housing members of the negotiating delegation from the Hamas Political Bureau during ongoing talks and mediation efforts hosted by Doha to reach an agreement on Gaza. Albudaiwi made these remarks during his speech at the joint strategic partnership meeting between the GCC and the United States, held on the sidelines of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. The meeting was co-chaired by Kuwait's Foreign Minister Abdullah Ali Al Yahya, and current GCC chair, and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. He highlighted that the Israeli attack endangered civilian lives in a residential area filled with schools, diplomatic missions, and kindergartens. He reaffirmed the GCC's full solidarity with Qatar, stressing that the security of the GCC states is indivisible and that any attack on one member is considered an attack on all. Regarding the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, the Secretary-General said that the ongoing Israeli aggression, the crime of genocide being committed by Israeli forces, and the deliberate blockade that has caused famine pose serious threats to regional and international peace and security. He emphasized the urgent need for a comprehensive ceasefire, the release of hostages and detainees, the unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid, and a just, comprehensive settlement leading to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state along the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, in line with the Arab Peace Initiative and relevant UN resolutions. On Syria, Albudaiwi underscored the importance of respecting Syrian sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity and rejecting foreign interference in its internal affairs. He reaffirmed that Syria's security and stability are essential to regional stability, condemned repeated Israeli attacks on Syrian territory, and stressed adherence to the 1974 Disengagement Agreement. Turning to Lebanon, he reiterated the GCC's steadfast support for Lebanon's sovereignty, security, and stability and highlighted the need for political and economic reforms to meet the aspirations of the Lebanese people for stability, prosperity, and development. He also emphasized the importance of safeguarding maritime security and waterways in the region, countering activities that threaten regional and global stability, including attacks on commercial vessels, threats to shipping routes, and targeting of oil installations in GCC states. During the joint ministerial meeting, Albudaiwi affirmed that the GCC-US partnership is a strategic necessity to ensure security, stability, and prosperity for all. He noted that the meeting reflects a strong commitment to strengthening this longstanding partnership, which has evolved over decades of close cooperation. He added that this partnership has been reinforced through five joint summits, most recently the Riyadh Summit in 2025, which witnessed the signing of trade and investment agreements exceeding $2 trillion. On the economic front, Albudaiwi reported that bilateral trade between the GCC and the United States surpassed $120 billion in 2024, supported by significant Gulf investments in the US economy. He also pointed to the depth of educational and cultural ties, noting that tens of thousands of Gulf students currently study at US universities and that hundreds of thousands have graduated from American institutions over the past six decades. He expressed hope that Gulf students will continue to study in the United States without facing any consular or procedural obstacles.

Qatar is drafting new legislations, including an updated public–private partnership law, a foreign investment law and a bankruptcy law, to strengthen the legal framework and also help the private sector, which otherwise has been saving QR100mn annually through various industrial incentives.This was disclosed by Mohammed bin Hassan al-Malki, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, at the first Public–Private Sector Dialogue Forum, which sought to tackle key challenges, develop practical solutions and initiatives, and strengthen cooperation between both sectors in support of Qatar’s economic development.Highlighting that business procedures have also been streamlined; he said investors now automatically receive a tax number upon issuance of a commercial registration, alongside approvals for labour recruitment.As much as 95% of services are available online via the single-window platform, and a new multilingual portal has been launched to serve both local and international investors, he said, adding foreign investors can now participate in more than 1,400 business activities.Further reforms include the removal of requirements to match commercial activities for imports and the adoption of a unified Gulf Cooperation Council or GCC customs tariff, reducing costs, broadening sourcing options, and eliminating shipment rejections due to licensing."Industrial incentives — such as reduced leasing rates for industrial, logistics, and commercial land —are saving the private sector more than QR100mn annually," according to him.In addition, environmental permit processes have been simplified for 90% of industrial activities, lowering costs, enhancing project feasibility, and supporting entrepreneurship in value-added sectors, he said, emphasising that the private sector is a key partner in Qatar’s development journey.The forum featured a panel discussion with al-Malki; Saeed bin Abdullah al-Suwaidi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Justice; and Sheikha Najwa bint Abdulrahman al-Thani, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Labour.Stressing the ministry’s commitment to implementing a series of initiatives aimed at simplifying business establishment and operations while creating a more attractive investment climate; al-Malki said these initiatives include comprehensive company incorporation upon issuance of the commercial registration, which now automatically generates the company card and tax number, provides approvals for labour recruitment, and offers a commercial name reservation service.These measures have helped reduce establishment times, minimise the number of government entities to be approached, ensure compliance with trade name requirements in advance, and allow companies to track their incorporation applications, he said.Saleh Majid al-Khulaifi, Assistant Undersecretary for Industry and Business Development, delivered a presentation outlining the ministry’s main initiatives to strengthen partnership with the private sector. These include the creation of sectoral committees covering industry, trade, logistics, health, and technology, tasked with monitoring sector-specific challenges and proposing practical solutions.

Doctors Michele Ghielmini, Brenno Balestra, Alessandra Guaita and Marco Franzi sit outside the Swiss Parliament building (Bundeshaus) at the start of their hunger strike over Gaza, calling on their government to apply targeted sanctions on Israel over its alleged violations of international law and to recognise a Palestinian state, in Bern, Switzerland.

HE the Minister of Justice and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Ibrahim bin Ali Al Mohannadi has lauded the Arab League Council of Ministers' unanimous approval of the State of Qatar's proposal to establish the Permanent Arab Committee for International Humanitarian Law.This move represents an Arab milestone and a significant advancement in boosting cooperation to promote the values of humanitarian law and compliance with the tenets of international humanitarian law in the Arab region amid the challenges besetting the region, HE Al Mohannadi underlined.He lavished praise on the efforts made by the National Committee for International Humanitarian Law, chaired by HE the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Justice and Chairman of the National Committee for International Humanitarian Law Saeed bin Abdullah Al Suwaidi, along with its success in the productive coordination with national committees in the sisterly Arab nations to develop a draft proposal for establishing the committee in a manner that meets the aspirations of the Arab states.Having praised the support given by the General Secretariat of the Arab League and the Legal Affairs Sector to adopt this draft proposal, HE Al Mohannadi stated that Qatar's proposal in this respect underscores its enduring commitment to essentially respect the tenets of international humanitarian law, promote the provisions of this law on the Arab stage, as well as the efforts aimed at enforcing it at multiple national levels, in accordance with the provisions of the four Geneva Conventions of 1949 and the two Additional Protocols of 1977, and the regional action plans of the relevant Arab national committees.For his part, HE Al Suwaidi hailed the approval of Qatar's proposal, emphasizing that the national committee took the initiative with this proposal, stemming from the State of Qatar's belief and its unwavering commitment to international humanitarian law embodied by the nation's leading initiatives to craft national legislations and establish a national committee related to international humanitarian law.He extended his gratitude to national committees in the Arab countries and the Arab League's Legal Affairs Sector for their support, applauding their efforts to approve this proposal.This approval honestly ushers in a new era in the march of joint Arab action, as the committee operates under the supervision of the Arab League's council at the ministerial level to coordinate this action among the national committees in the area of international humanitarian law as the competent apparatus in connection with the topics of international humanitarian law at the Arab League, Al Suwaidi underlined.He pointed out that the committee ought to contribute to beefing up collaboration among the Arab national committees, spreading the culture of international humanitarian law, capitalizing on diverse experiences, and setting technical support plans and programs, as well as holding professional training sessions, seminars, and workshops in collaboration with the relevant regional committees and organisations.

Aid flotillas like the one preparing to leave for Gaza would not be necessary if governments upheld international law, rights activist Greta Thunberg said Saturday."It should not have to be up to us," said the 22-year-old Swedish campaigner, who will join the flotilla when it sets off from Barcelona today."A mission like this should not have to exist," she added."It is the responsibility of countries, of our governments and elected officials to act to try to uphold international law, to prevent war crimes, to prevent genocide," she said."That is their legal duty to do. And they are failing to do so. And thereby betraying Palestinians but also all of humanity."The latest aid expedition towards Gaza is organised by a group called the Global Sumud Flotilla, which describes itself as an "independent" organisation. Sumud is the Arab word for perseverance."Our aim is to get to Gaza, to deliver the humanitarian aid, announce the opening of a humanitarian corridor and then bring more aid, and then thus also ending, breaking Israel's illegal and inhumane siege on Gaza," said Thunberg.Two attempts by activists to deliver aid by ship to Gaza, in June and July, were blocked by Israel.Troops boarded their vessels and detained the activists, bringing them ashore in Israel before expelling them. Thunberg was among the 12 activists on board the June flotilla and was deported.The organisers of this latest flotilla have not said exactly when they are setting off, nor how many boats will leave from Barcelona.The UN on August 22 declared a famine in Gaza, blaming Israel's "systematic obstruction" of aid, sparking furious denials from the Israeli authorities.