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The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), in co-operation with the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MoECC), represented by the Radiation Control Department, announced the accreditation of Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) as an international collaborative centre, the "Anchor Center," in radiation medicine.This achievement is the result of close and ongoing cooperation between the MoECC, represented by the Radiation Control Department, and HMC, as part of joint efforts to develop peaceful applications of nuclear technology in healthcare, diagnosis, and treatment, contributing to further scientific and medical progress for the benefit of Qatari society and humanity as a whole.Assistant Undersecretary for Environmental Affairs at the MoECC Yousef al-Hamar emphasised that the accreditation of HMC as an international collaborative centre with the IAEA is a major achievement that adds to Qatar's distinguished record in the areas of international cooperation and the use of nuclear technology for peaceful purposes. It also reflects the great confidence that the country's institutions enjoy among specialised international organisations.Al-Hamar pointed out that this fruitful cooperation highlights Qatar's commitment to empowering its national cadres and building human capacity in the fields of radiology and radiation control, through research, training, and professional development programmes, in line with the aspirations of Qatar National Vision 2030 towards sustainable human and health development.He indicated that this achievement represents international recognition of the competence of Qatari national cadres and the advanced infrastructure the country possesses in the field of radiation and medical applications. It also reflects Qatar's unwavering commitment to the use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes and its contribution to enhancing the health sector's capabilities in diagnosing and treating cancer according to the latest international standards.This accreditation is a significant national achievement that enhances Qatar's position in the fields of nuclear medicine and cancer treatment, as part of the "Rays of Hope" initiative launched by the IAEA to provide radiotherapy to cancer patients, particularly in developing countries. (QNA)###OPT TRIMThis achievement comes within the framework of the practical arrangements signed between the Ministry of Public Health and IAEA in November 2023, during the visit of the IAEA's deputy director general and head of the department of technical cooperation Hua Liu to Doha, which will contribute to strengthening the advanced healthcare system in the country.This event embodies Qatar's commitment to supporting international efforts to combat cancer and affirms its active role in providing specialised medical expertise and services at the regional and global levels.This also reflects the close cooperation between the MoECC, represented by the Radiation Control Department — as the national point of contact with the IAEA and relevant state institutions — in supporting the achievement of sustainable development goals and developing national capabilities in the fields of radiation medicine and peaceful nuclear technology, thus consolidating Qatar's position in supporting international initiatives aimed at employing nuclear technologies to serve humanity. (QNA)

The Protection and Social Rehabilitation Center (Aman), part of the Qatar Foundation for Social Work, wrapped up the Light Exhibition held in partnership with Dadu, Children’s Museum of Qatar.The month-long exhibition showcased Aman’s awareness workshops, engaging students from kindergartens and both public and private schools.In this context, Aman Center’s Acting Executive Director Fadel Mohammed al-Kaabi said the Light Exhibition aimed to foster public awareness and education on social protection, while strengthening child safety measures and nurturing children’s creative and innovative abilities.He emphasised that the exhibition provided an educational environment and a unique opportunity to acquire knowledge and skills using new tools such as light and shadow.Al-Kaabi further noted that more than 20 schools were invited, targeting over 300 students from primary levels in both public and private schools, in addition to students from the Shafallah Center for Persons with Disabilities, children from Dreama Center for Orphan Care, and children benefiting from Aman Center’s internal care services.He explained that the exhibition received positive feedback from educational staff, including social workers and teachers accompanying the students, particularly in how Aman’s awareness workshops were integrated with the exhibition tools. He affirmed that these tools help unleash children’s potential in discovering their identities and creative abilities.For her part, Head of the Communication and Information Office at Aman Center Hanan al-Ali stressed the centre’s commitment to activating community partnerships with various entities and sectors across the country, noting that child protection is a shared responsibility.She added that the collaboration with Dadu Museum marks the beginning of a series of awareness events aimed at children, highlighting the museum’s dedication to delivering information and education through play.

The Ministry of Municipality Organising and Supervisory Committee of the 13th Qatar International Agricultural Exhibition 2026 has announced the launch of the photography competition 'Lens of Qatari Agriculture', in partnership with the Qatar Photography Center, in conjunction with the start of preparations for the 2026 edition of the exhibition.The competition aims to highlight the added value of the local agricultural sector as a key pillar in achieving Qatar National Vision 2030, while anticipating the future needs in the areas of food security and sustainability.It seeks to employ artistic creativity and modern technologies to shed light on the aesthetic aspects of Qatar’s agricultural landscapes.Youssef Khalid al-Khelaifi, Chairman of the Organizing and Supervisory Committee of the 13th Qatar International Agricultural Exhibition 2026, said that this competition comes within the Ministry’s efforts to connect this vital sector with the community through visual arts.He added: “We see this initiative as an effective way to showcase Qatar’s agricultural success stories and to highlight our commitment to the highest international standards in sustainable agricultural production.”Meanwhile, Jassim al-Buainain, Director of Qatar Photography Center, confirmed that the 'Lens of Qatari Agriculture' competition opens new horizons for photographers to showcase their creativity and document the stages of agricultural development in Qatar. “We are confident that this initiative will contribute to strengthening the country’s position on the global map and presenting visual content that aligns with international trends supporting the environment and sustainability,” he said.Participation applications will be accepted from October 12, until the end of the photography period on January 15, 2026, and the winners will be announced on February 11, 2026, on the sidelines of the upcoming Qatar International Agricultural Exhibition.The competition will run for three months and aims to document the beauty and diversity of Qatar’s agricultural landscape through the lenses of both professional and amateur photographers alike. The winning photos will be displayed during the Qatar International Agricultural Exhibition 2026, embodying a constructive partnership between government institutions and the cultural and artistic sectors, reflecting the harmony between the Third National Development Strategy and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Lulwa al-Marri, the first Qatari woman to complete a full Ironman, has come back from a knee injury with a blend of modern medical precision with holistic, patient-centred recovery at the Korean Medical Center (KMC).A triathlete, cyclist, mountaineer, and presenter, Lulwa is no stranger to high performance. But when a knee injury abruptly pulled her out of training, she found herself confronting a different kind of endurance; the kind it takes to heal.Rather than opt for surgery or sit on the sidelines, Lulwa turned to KMC in Lusail, where a comeback plan was devised through a science-based system that focused not just on pain relief, but also on restoring mobility and enhancing performance.Her journey began with a full-body scan on the Exbody system, an advanced Korean innovation that uses motion analysis technology to understand how muscles, joints, and body posture work together, a statement explained.“This machine doesn’t guess or estimate,” Lulwa explains. “It showed me exactly what was going wrong, even in places I couldn’t feel yet.”The Exbody report revealed muscle imbalances and poor load distribution, a chain reaction from her knee injury that even affected her spine and hips. Armed with data, the KMC team built a recovery plan tailored to Lulwa’s unique biomechanical needs.Lulwa’s treatment at KMC was a hybrid of clinical innovation and traditional Korean therapies: shockwave therapy, cryotherapy, ultrasound-guided manual therapy, dry cupping, and acupuncture.“My first cryotherapy session? Really, really cold,” she laughs. “But I came out feeling like my body had renewed vitality, and I got addicted to KMC’s cryotherapy machine, the biggest I’d seen in the country.”KMC’s approach is rooted in its belief that movement is freedom; a philosophy deeply embedded within its Mobility care unit, which encompasses orthopaedics, rehabilitation, and pain management.“For most patients, mobility is about daily function,” says Dr Louis Holtzhausen, sports and exercise medicine physician at KMC. “But for athletes like Lulwa, it’s about reclaiming performance. That means optimising, not just treating, how the body moves.”What makes KMC different, Lulwa says, is the loop between data and feeling. “We’d do another scan after a few weeks, and the progress was right there. I wasn’t just feeling better. I was seeing clear proof that I was regaining my strength.”Guiding her recovery was Dr Youngwoong Back, head of the Spine & Joint Center at KMC and an expert in musculoskeletal rehabilitation. His focus wasn’t just on the knee, but the kinetic chain.“An injury is rarely isolated,” Dr Back explains. “At KMC, we look at the body as an integrated system. We aim not only to restore range of motion, but to correct underlying patterns and prevent recurrence.”For Lulwa, this meant learning new movement strategies that would protect her joints under pressure, crucial for an athlete always preparing for her next race.Today, Lulwa is back in training, but with a new kind of awareness. Her recovery at KMC was restorative on a deeper level. “So often, women, especially female athletes, are told that our pain is just part of the game, or worse, that it’s in our heads,” she says.“We’re expected to push through, to stay quiet, to bounce back fast. But at KMC, my symptoms weren’t minimised, they were measured. My body was heard. Every imbalance was treated as real, and every treatment was backed by data.”For Lulwa, that level of validation was transformative. “This wasn’t about returning to where I was. It was about returning stronger, smarter, and with a deeper appreciation for how my body works.”Her message to other athletes, especially women navigating injury and uncertainty during their recovery, is clear: “You don’t have to suffer in silence or settle for guesswork. Pain is your body’s way of communicating, and you deserve a system that listens.”At KMC, she found that system, one that combined clinical rigour with deep human insight.

Qatar Sustainability Week (QSW) 2025, the country’s largest community-focused initiative, will return for the 10th time, led by Earthna Center for a Sustainable Future, a member of Qatar Foundation (QF), in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change.Scheduled to take place from Nov 1-8, QSW 2025 aims to encourage Qatar’s community, government, NGOs, and private sector entities to take part in various sustainability-focused activities, events, and projects.Executive Director of Earthna, Dr Gonzalo Castro de la Mata expressed the significance of QSW 2025, stating: “Over the past decade, Qatar Sustainability Week has grown from an awareness campaign into a nationwide movement driving measurable change. The movement has engaged more than 750,000 people across schools, businesses, cultural institutions, and civil society, strengthening QSW’s role as a keystone of the nation’s sustainability journey. We sincerely thank our long-term partners for their support, in particular the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change.”For his part, Assistant Undersecretary for Climate Change Affairs, Engineer Ahmed Mohammed al-Sada, reaffirmed the ministry’s strong support for the initiative, which aligns with its strategic mission to foster collaboration between institutions and communities while raising public environmental awareness.These efforts, he said, are vital for protecting Qatar’s environment and achieving long-term sustainability.Al-Sada underscored the ministry’s commitment to promoting national initiatives that support Qatar’s journey towards environmental sustainability.QSW 2025 will bring together several strategic partners this year including the Ministry of Sports and Youth, Qatar General Electricity & Water Corporation (Kahramaa)’s Tarsheed programme, Qatar Museums, Qatar University, Mathaf, and the Abdullah Bin Hamad Al-Attiyah International Foundation for Energy and Sustainable Development along with others. (QNA)

The Qatar Press Center (QPC) condemns in the strongest terms the assassination of photojournalist Yahya Barzaq (pictured), who brought smiles to many families with his professional documentation of newborns in Gaza.The assassination occurred as a result of an Israeli air strike on the city of Deir Al-Balah, central Gaza Strip.The QPC affirms that the Israeli occupation continues its systematic policy of targeting journalists’ locations, homes, and tents, annihilating them in Gaza to prevent them from conveying the truth to the world and to silence their voices forever.This brings the number of journalists martyred in the Gaza Strip to 253 since Oct 7, 2023, in addition to the wounding and arresting of hundreds, and the targeting and destruction of media institutions and headquarters.The QPC reiterates its call on the international community, UN, human rights, and media organisations to condemn the targeting of journalists in Gaza and to take urgent action to hold the Israeli occupation accountable before international courts for war crimes against journalists and media professionals, as they are the first line of defence for the truth and the voice of the field.Impunity has encouraged the Israeli occupation forces to continue their campaign of assassinations, arrests, and intimidation of journalists, in full view of the world.Palestinian photographer Yahya Barzaq’s page, which celebrates newborn babies, has been transformed into a book of condolences and mourning for the passing of a photographer who witnessed the details of the genocide and documented, through his lens, the tragedy of Gaza amidst the rubble, as it endures the horrors of siege, bombardment, and starvation.

The US National Hurricane Center announced that Tropical Depression Nine has strengthened into Tropical Storm Imelda off Florida. The center said that Imelda is now about 595.46 km southeast of Cape Canaveral, Florida, packing maximum sustained winds of 65 km per hour. It is expected to become a hurricane by this evening or tomorrow. A tropical storm is expected to hit the central and northwestern Bahamas in the coming hours. Waves caused by Tropical Storm Imelda and Hurricane Humberto will affect parts of the Bahamas in the coming days, and will then extend to most of the eastern US coast.

The Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC) announced the opening of an urgent care clinic for adults and children at Al Wajba Health Center, starting Sunday, as part of its ongoing expansion plans for urgent care services to meet community needs.PHCC explained that with the inauguration of the new center, the total number of urgent care centers rises to 13, all providing services around the clock.These centers include adult urgent care clinics in Al Ruwais, Umm Salal, Maither, Al Meshaf, Al Sadd, Gharafa Al Rayyan, Al Sheehaniya, Abu Bakr Al Siddiq, Rawdat Al Khail, Al Kaaban, Al Karaana, Leabaib, and Al Wajba. Pediatric urgent care services are offered at seven centers: Al Ruwais, Umm Salal, Maither, Al Meshaf, Al Sadd, Leabaib, and Al Wajba. These centers provide assessment, diagnosis, and treatment for non-emergency, non-life-threatening cases.The corporation emphasised that all adult and pediatric urgent care clinics are available to patients in need of urgent care, regardless of the health center in which they are registered. PHCC affirmed that it will continue its efforts to expand and develop urgent care services throughout the year to meet community needs and enhance the quality of care provided.

The GCC Statistical Center revealed in a report on Monday that the total assets of commercial banks in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries increased by 10 percent in 2024, reaching approximately USD 3.5 trillion, compared to 2023.The report mentioned that the total deposits in these banks amounted to about USD 2.1 trillion in 2024, showing a 9.6 percent increase compared to 2023.The report also highlighted the rise in total loans provided by the banks, reaching nearly USD 2.1 trillion in 2024, an increase of 9.9 percent over 2023, with the private sector accounting for about 80.7 percent of the total loans.The statistics from the GCC Statistical Center showed a decline in the non-performing loan ratios across the GCC countries during the period from 2020 to 2024, with a noticeable variation in the loan-to-deposit ratios, ranging between 66 percent and 125 percent.Regarding capital adequacy, the GCC countries maintained high levels, surpassing the minimum threshold set by the Basel III Committee of 8 percent, with ratios ranging between 17.8 percent and 32 percent in 2024.On the financial performance front, commercial banks in the GCC countries witnessed significant growth in their net profits over the past four years, surpassing pre-COVID-19 levels.

As part of its commitment to fulfilling its social responsibility role and continuing to engage with all sections of the society and school students, Qatar Stars League supported Individual Sports Skills Championship held at Shafallah Center for Persons with Disabilities, an organisation under the umbrella of Qatar Foundation for Social Work. In the event that took place on Wednesday, representatives from QSL and Shafallah Center were present along with a number of club stars.The event included a variety of recreational activities and attendees took commemorative photos. Gifts were distributed to children enrolled at the center and participants from a number of schools.

Qatar News Agency (QNA) launched on Sunday a specialized training course on photojournalism as part of the training programs organized by the QNA Training Center, which aim to develop and enhance the professional capabilities of media personnel in various fields of journalistic work. The three-day course will be delivered by media expert Sadah Suleiman Al-Kanani, with the participation of a number of agency staff, as well as employees from various media institutions and government agencies. The course aims to introduce participants to the basics of photojournalism and provide them with advanced skills in capturing newsworthy and visual images. It also aims to enable them to understand the subtle differences between emotional images and news images, and how to employ visually impactful images to serve a journalistic story. The course also covers several key topics, most notably the basics of photography for journalists, the concept of photojournalism and its role in covering events, the art of visual narrative in photojournalism, the difference between emotional and news photos, how to transform emotional photos into effective news tools, and the use of artificial intelligence in analyzing, editing, and documenting photos for journalistic purposes. This course comes as part of QNA's commitment to enhancing the professional competence of its media professionals and equipping them with modern tools that meet the demands of the contemporary media landscape, particularly with the development of artificial intelligence technologies and the expanding role of images in conveying information and shaping public opinion. The course also falls under the QNA Training Halls plan, which was established to provide an advanced platform for training media professionals in an interactive educational environment supported by the latest technical equipment.

Nomas Center continues to offer training courses dedicated to teaching the art of sea fishing, one of the most important traditional professions linked to Qatar’s history and rich maritime heritage.This is part of its programmes aimed at instilling authentic values in the hearts of young people and introducing them to the heritage of their forefathers.The course aims to introduce young participants to the basics of marine fishing, starting with knowledge of traditional fishing tools and how to use them, moving on to the art of sailing and safety at sea, and finally to sound environmental practices that ensure the sustainability of marine resources.Trainees also learn the art of casting nets, how to select fishing spots, and how to deal with ocean currents and weather changes.The course pays special attention to practical aspects, with trainees spending time at sea under the supervision of experienced instructors, providing a realistic experience resembling that of fishermen of the past. Theoretical activities are combined with folk stories and narratives that reflect the suffering, patience, and co-operation of ancient fishermen in facing the challenges of the sea.This course is organised in line with Nomas Center’s mission to promote authentic Qatari identity, connect new generations to their national heritage, and instil in them life skills and values such as patience and teamwork.The course witnessed a growing turnout from participants, who emphasised the importance of these programmes in deepening children’s connection to their roots.