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QNB Group, in collaboration with the Ministry of Labor, organised the Open Recruitment Day which witnessed a large turnout of Qatari national graduates and talents seeking careers in the banking sector, supporting job nationalization plan within Qatar National Vision 2030 for sustainable economic growth. This initiative is part of QNB's ongoing programs, in cooperation with the Ministry of Labor, to implement this plan in line with the Third National Development Strategy 2024-2030 aimed at empowering citizens to increasingly participate in the labour market, providing them with unique job opportunities in the financial sector, QNB Group said in a press release. Senior Executive Vice President - Group Human Capital in QNB Group Abdullah Nasser Al Khalifa said: "The significant participation in the event clearly reflets Qatari youth's confidence in QNB as an employer of choice, on the one hand, and our commitment to engage more local talent across various roles, on the other hand. This initiative aligns with Qatar National Vision 2030 which places great emphasis on investing in our youth to support Qatar's sustainable development." "Our strong partnership with the Ministry of Labor demonstrates the success of the bank's nationalization strategy, strengthening the role of local talent in the sector and developing the next generation of leaders, while ensuring diversity and equal opportunity," he added. The event served as an active platform for participants to explore an array of career paths offered the bank and to apply for current openings. They also learned about current training opportunities, scholarships, and leadership development programs to support their career progression and prepare them for future leadership roles within the bank. This initiative underscores QNB's efforts in workforce nationalization which represents a major priority. The bank actively supports job localization, having more than 60% of its total workforce. The proportion of Qatari nationals holding leadership and senior positions increased to 76%, while women represent about 64% from the total Qatari workforce in the bank. At the branch level, the bank has achieved a 100% Qatarization rate for branch managers.

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility Wednesday for a suicide bombing that authorities said killed 15 people and wounded dozens more at a political rally in southwestern Pakistan.The claim for Tuesday's attack in Quetta, capital of restive Balochistan province, was made through the group's propaganda arm.Balochistan interior minister Hamza Shafqat gave an updated death toll of 15.Dozens were also wounded in the attack by a suicide bomber with eight kilograms (17.5 pounds) of explosives in a stadium parking lot in Quetta, where hundreds of members of the Balochistan National Party (BNP) had gathered, Shafqat said.Balochistan, a province on the border with Iran and Afghanistan, is regularly the scene of violence, often carried out by militants from the regional branch of the Islamic State, or Baloch separatists.Balochistan is Pakistan's largest and most resource-rich province, but also its poorest, with roughly 70% of the population living below the poverty line.Pakistani forces have been battling an insurgency in the province for more than a decade. In 2024 the region saw a sharp rise in violence, with 782 people killed, according to the Center for Research and Security Studies in Islamabad.While Islamic State militants consider political parties and state institutions to be heretical, they rarely attack Baloch activists.But on Tuesday evening in the Quetta stadium parking lot as BNP rally participants were dispersing, a suicide bomber detonated explosives.IS published a photo of the alleged attacker, his face hidden by a scarf.BNP leader Akhtar Mengal, who at the time of the attack was leaving the rally after delivering a speech, posted on X that he was "safe, but deeply heartbroken at the loss of our workers." The BNP campaigns on a platform calling for greater rights and economic investment in the wellbeing of members of the Baloch ethnicity.Since 2014, China has invested significantly in building a road-and-infrastructure project in Balochistan linked to its One Belt One Road initiative.Many Baloch, however, say the benefits have been reaped only by outsiders.Since January 1, according to AFP figures, more than 430 people, mostly members of the security forces, have been killed in violence carried out by armed groups fighting the state in Balochistan and neighboring Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.Elsewhere in Balochistan on Tuesday, five paramilitary personnel were killed and four wounded when a homemade bomb exploded as their convoy passed through a district near the Iranian border, a senior local official told AFP.In March, Baloch Liberation Army separatists carried out a spectacular hostage-taking of some 350 people on a train there. Authorities said at least 31 people were killed.

An armed group that controls part of western Sudan appealed Tuesday for foreign help in recovering bodies and rescuing residents from torrential rain, after it said at least 1,000 people were killed when a landslide buried a mountain village.Only one person survived the destruction of the village of Tarseen in the mountainous Jebel Marra area of the Darfur region, said the Sudan Liberation Movement/Army.SLM/A, which has long controlled and governed an autonomous portion of Jebel Marra, appealed to the United Nations and international aid agencies to help collect the bodies of victims, including men, women and children."Tarseen, famed for its citrus production, has now been completely levelled to the ground," the group said in a statement. Continuing rains have made travel in the region difficult and could impede any rescue or aid efforts."Nearby villagers are overwhelmed with fear that a similar fate might befall them if the ... torrential rainfall persists, which underscores the urgent need for a comprehensive evacuation plan and provision of emergency shelter," the group's leader, Abdelwahid Mohamed Nur, said in a separate appeal.A statement by the UN's resident co-ordinator put the death toll at between 300 and 1,000, citing local reports.Arjimand Hussain, regional response manager for the development group Plan International, said the last 45km of the route to Tarseen were impassable to motor vehicles and could only be negotiated on foot or by donkey.Nine bodies were recovered by volunteers, said Abdelhafiz Ali from the Jebel Marra Emergency Room, who noted that the village had hosted hundreds of people displaced by fighting.The SLM/A has remained neutral in the battle between the main enemies in Sudan's civil war, the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. The two foes are fighting over control of Al-Fashir, capital of North Darfur state, which is under siege from the RSF and has suffered famine.Residents of Al-Fashir and nearby areas have sought shelter in Jebel Marra, though food, shelter, and medical supplies are insufficient and hundreds of thousands have been exposed to the rains. Tawila, where most have arrived, is in the throes of a cholera outbreak, as are other parts of Darfur.The two-year civil war has left more than half of Sudan's population facing crisis levels of hunger and driven millions from their homes, leaving them especially exposed to the country's damaging annual floods.Sudan's army-controlled government expressed its condolences and willingness to assist.The prime minister of a newly-installed RSF-controlled rival government, Mohamed Hassan al-Taishi, said he would be co-ordinating with the SLM/A on the delivery of aid supplies to the area.Pope Leo sent his condolences and said he was praying for those affected, according to a Vatican statement.

Qatari swimmer Adam Morsi, won the gold medal in the 50-meter breaststroke event for the 13-14 age group, at the 4th edition of the Arab Aquatics Age Group Championships, currently being held in Morocco and running until September 1.Morsi completed the race in 31.23 seconds, setting a new Arab record.Swimmer Mohamed Mahmoud also won the gold medal in the men's 50-meter breaststroke with a time of 28.53 seconds, raising Qatar's tally to three gold medals at the championship.Meanwhile, swimmer Hamza Shaalan claimed the silver medal in the 50-meter breaststroke for the 17-18 age group, finishing in 29.13 seconds.The Qatari relay team also secured a silver medal in the 4x200-meter freestyle relay, clocking a time of 7:55.80 minutes.The championship brings together athletes from 19 Arab countries. It includes competitions in swimming, water polo, and open-water swimming.

Meituan’s shares dropped the most since April after warning of losses this quarter from a price-based battle with Alibaba Group Holding Ltd and JD.com Inc, wiping out a combined $27bn in market value from the three Internet commerce leaders.China’s food delivery leader issued its dire prediction after reporting “irrational competition” eradicated most of its profit in the June quarter. That spooked investors already nervous about deepening losses in the online arena, prompting a series of downgrades on Meituan. Shares in Alibaba and JD both slid about 5%, while Meituan was down 13% at one point. The Hang Seng Tech Index led losses in Asia on Thursday, slumping as much as 2.3%.The plunge in profitability illustrates how Meituan is facing its greatest challenge in years from twin rivals that — till recently — had largely ceded the domestic meal sector. That changed in 2025 when JD.com, pursuing growth during a consumption downturn, and Alibaba’s Ele.me began offering generous subsidies to cash-strapped diners.The Beijing-based company now expects “significant losses” for its core local commerce business including food delivery in the current quarter, Chief Financial Officer Chen Shaohui told analysts on a post-earnings call on Wednesday.“We expect there will be continued fierce competition in the near term,” Chen said. “That will bring negative impact on our financial results.”The three-way battle in the food arena eroded profitability across the sector and forced Meituan to defend its core business on multiple fronts. This month, JD.com reported a halving in net income for the quarter. Alibaba has posted muted growth and is set to report earnings on Friday.In past months, the trio has invested billions of dollars in incentives and in hiring delivery riders. This strategy backfired with investors, who sold off shares in Meituan and JD.com, erasing roughly $100bn of their combined market value at one point.Following a warning from industry regulators, the three corporations in August pledged to cease their “disorderly competition” and avoid a self-destructive price war.Faced with margin pressure at home, Meituan is looking overseas. Its own aggressive pricing strategy forced Deliveroo Plc to retreat from Hong Kong after a decade of operating in the city.