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Al Rayyan Sports Club Thursday officially announced the signing of Serbian international striker Aleksandar Mitrovic from Saudi Arabian giants Al Hilal. The high-profile move comes as part of Al Rayyan’s efforts to strengthen their squad ahead of the new football season.In a statement, Al Rayyan expressed their appreciation to Al Hilal and its board of directors, headed by His Highness Prince Nawaf bin Saad Al Saud, for their cooperation in completing the transfer. The club described the deal as a significant step in building a competitive team capable of challenging for top honours.Mitrovic, 29, is considered one of the most prominent goal scorers of his generation. Known for his physical presence, aerial ability, and clinical finishing, the Serbian forward brings with him a wealth of experience from top leagues across Europe and Asia, as well as the international stage.The striker began his professional career at Partizan Belgrade, where he won the Serbian league title. He later moved to Anderlecht in Belgium, shining as the league’s top scorer and helping the club win the Pro League title. Mitrovic then made the switch to England, playing for Newcastle United in the Premier League, before enjoying his most prolific spell at Fulham, where he became the club’s top scorer and played a key role in securing promotion to the top tier.Before joining Al Rayyan, Mitrovic spent a successful stint with Al Hilal in Saudi Arabia, where he won a domestic treble the Saudi Pro League, the King’s Cup, and the Saudi Super Cup. His individual numbers have been equally impressive across all clubs he has represented.At Al Hilal, Mitrovic scored 68 goals and provided 15 assists in 79 appearances. During his time at Fulham, he netted 97 goals in 173 matches, and he scored 44 goals in 90 games for Anderlecht. On the international stage, he is the all-time leading scorer for the Serbian national team, with 62 goals in 100 appearances.

Kamindu Mendis' hard hitting dragged Sri Lanka over the line as they beat Zimbabwe by four wickets in the first of their Twenty20 series at Harare Sports Club Wednesday.Mendis blasted an unbeaten 41 runs off 16 balls to see the visitors to victory with five balls to spare after they had struggled earlier in their innings.Zimbabwe were put into bat and, with opener Brian Bennett scoring 81, reached 175-7 off their 20 overs, to which Sri Lanka replied with 177-6. Pathum Nissanka top scored with 55 runs.The second T20 international is also at the Harare Sports Club on Saturday.BRIEF SCORESSri Lanka 177 for 6 (Nissanka 55, Kamindu 41, Ngarava 2-19) beat Zimbabwe 175 for 7 (Bennett 81, Chameera 3 for 30) by four wickets

In a pioneering move within Qatari horse racing, the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club (QREC), chaired by chairman Hamad bin Abdulrahman al-Attiyah, has decided to introduce races for purebred Arabian show horses, starting from the new season set to kick off next month.This decision reflects Qatar’s keen interest in Purebred Arabian show horses, the global championships held for this category in the country and Qatar’s prominent standing in the world of Arabian show horses in general. Accordingly, QREC will launch this new initiative with races reserved for Purebred Arabian show horses, beginning with nine races scheduled across the upcoming season.Of these, eight races will be staged at Al Rayyan Racecourse and one at Al Uqda. These races have been included in the new season’s programme, which has been announced. They will be part of various race meetings rather than standalone race days exclusively dedicated to this category. Entries will only be accepted for local bred horses from Arabian show horse strain, as confirmed by QREC’s Horse Show Section. Apprentice and Qatari rider allowances will not be claimed in any races of this series.The first of these races will feature in the ninth meeting of the season, the Al Thakira Cup Day at Al Rayyan dirt track, on 12 November, as Race 7 for maiden Purebred Arabian show mares aged four years and older over 1,000m.The second will be staged in the 15th meeting, the Ras Laffan Cup Day at Al Rayyan dirt track, as race 7 for maiden Purebred Arabian show horses aged four years and older over 1,000m.The 18th meeting, the Bu Samrah Cup Day at Al Rayyan dirt track, will include Race 7 for maiden Purebred Arabian show mares aged four years and older over 1,000m.The 24th meeting, the Zekreet Cup Day at Al Rayyan dirt track, will see the addition of a new race for maiden Purebred Arabian show horses aged four years and older over 1,000m.The fifth race of this category will take place at the 31st meeting, the Umm Al Zubar Cup Day at Al Rayyan dirt track, with a 1,000m race for four years and older Purebred Arabian show mares, which have not won more than one race.In the 33rd meeting, the Baidda Algaa Cup Day at Al Rayyan dirt track, Race 8 will be reserved for four years and older Purebred Arabian show horses, which have not won more than one race, and will be run over 1,000m.The 45th meeting, the Ras Rokn Island Cup Day at Al Uqda dirt track, will feature Race 8 for Purebred Arabian show mares aged four years and older that have not won more than one race, to be run over 1,100m.The 55th meeting, the Fuwairit Cup Day at Al Rayyan dirt track, will stage Race 7 for Purebred Arabian show horses aged four years and older that have not won more than one race, to be run over 1,100m.The final race for this category will take place in the 66th meeting, the Qatar Gold Sword & Trophy Day at Al Rayyan. While the rest of the card will be contested on turf, this race alone will be run on the dirt track. It will be Race 5, the concluding contest for Purebred Arabian show horses and mares aged four years and older over 1,200m. Horses and mares which have won a qualifying race will have first priority to run.Thereafter, preference will go to novice stallions and mares based on the number of times they have finished second, then third, then fourth. Horses that have not finished in the first four in the previous races will not be eligible to participate. Subsequently, maiden horses and mares will obtain priority to run based on their number of second, third and fourth places in this order.A horse or a mare without any placing in the first four in the previous races will not gain a run in this race.

Qatar Chamber, in co-operation with the Young Entrepreneurs Club, has organised a training workshop on international partnerships. The workshop, which saw the participation of 75 attendees, focused on international partnership management skills, the challenges facing entrepreneurs, and strategies for ensuring partnership sustainability.It provided participants with the knowledge and skills to build and manage international partnerships, covering all stages from identifying suitable partners to negotiation, contract drafting, and long-term evaluation to ensure sustainability and shared success.Abdulaziz al-Qahtani, an expert in entrepreneurship and international project management and general manager of the S CITY Platform for new ventures, highlighted the most pressing challenges entrepreneurs and startups face in forming global partnerships.Drawing on his experience with international startups through the S CITY Platform, he shared practical solutions and strategies. He noted that international partnerships are key to business growth in today’s fast-changing economy and stressed the importance for entrepreneurs to sharpen negotiation skills and manage shared resources effectively to stay competitive and enter new markets.Fatima Issa al-Kuwari, Head of Training and Development at Qatar Chamber, underlined the chamber’s commitment to developing the capabilities of young people and entrepreneurs by organising high-quality programs that strengthen their competitiveness.She noted that managing international partnerships is a key pillar of business expansion and access to new markets. Through such workshops, the chamber seeks to provide an integrated platform for training and knowledge that helps participants turn their ideas and projects into viable opportunities supported by strategic partnerships, thereby contributing to economic development and reinforcing Qatar’s position as a regional business and investment hub, according to her.

The Diplomatic Club, one of Qatar’s most prestigious destinations for hospitality and leisure, has announced the launch of its new visual identity, a statement said Saturday. "The transformation includes a newly designed logo that blends Qatari authenticity with contemporary elegance, while preserving the Club’s core values as a gathering place for elites and a provider of world-class services across dining, events, sports, and recreation. "The new identity represents more than just a design change it is a promise of a holistic experience that embraces the future while honouring the Club’s distinguished heritage. "The new logo symbolises a striking fusion of traditional Qatari elements and modern design, serving as a visual expression of the Club’s values of authenticity, luxury, refined hospitality, cultural preservation, and openness to the world." Aisha al-Marzouqi, general manager of The Diplomatic Club, stated: “The launch of our new logo and visual identity reflects our ongoing commitment to innovation and to maintaining our position as a true icon of refined hospitality in Doha. "We sought to express our rich history while also showcasing our forward-looking vision one that embraces future achievements, successes, and contributions to the development of Qatar’s hospitality sector. The new identity will be rolled out across all Club facilities, digital platforms, and special events starting September 1, with every detail serving as a testament to this significant transformation.” The new logo embodies a harmonious balance between traditional Qatari symbols and modern design elements, symbolizing the connection between past and future while reinforcing the Club’s position as an exclusive destination for business leaders, diplomats, and families alike. Through this milestone, The Diplomatic Club continues to strengthen its standing as Qatar’s premier destination for the elite where elegance meets modernity, and tradition blends seamlessly with innovation, the statement added.