tag

HE Speaker of the Shura Council Hassan bin Abdullah al-Ghanim affirmed that the speech of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani at the inauguration of the first ordinary session of the second legislative term, embodies the wise leadership's vision for the future of the State. It reinforces the path of comprehensive development, consolidates institutional governance, safeguards the country's supreme interests, and reaffirms Qatar's steadfast commitment to supporting just peace in the region, particularly the Palestinian cause.HE Speaker of the Shura Council explained that His Highness the Amir's speech reflected the leadership's approach in promoting justice and national participation, and empowering Qatari citizens as both the focus and goal of development. He pointed out that the Shura Council will be guided by His Highness's directives to continue to work with a spirit of responsibility and develop legislation to meet the requirements of the next phase and serve the public interest.He further highlighted that the sublime speech addressed Qatar's firm stances on regional and international issues, stressing that the Council highly values the sincere efforts exerted by Qatar to reach a ceasefire agreement in Gaza, which would save innocent lives and establish a lasting peace that guarantees the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people and enhances security and stability in the region.HE the Speaker also expressed gratitude to the members of the Shura Council for the trust they placed in him by electing him as Speaker of the Council. He reaffirmed that this trust is held in high regard and comes with great responsibility, emphasizing that constructive co-operation among members will be a cornerstone in carrying out their national duty to the fullest, enhancing the Council's legislative and oversight role, thereby contributing to Qatar's ongoing development and progress.HE Speaker of the Shura Council concluded his statement by emphasizing that the Shura Council will remain committed to the lofty directives contained in His Highness the Amir's speech and will continue to carry out its national duties with sincerity and responsibility, further elevating Qatar's regional and international standing and supporting its prosperous development process under the leadership of the Amir. (QNA)

HE the Minister of State for International Co-operation Dr Maryam bint Ali bin Nasser al-Misnad conferred with Egyptian Minister of Social Solidarity Dr Maya Mursi, during her visit to Egypt.The meeting explored bilateral relations and ways to support and develop them, particularly in providing humanitarian aid in the Gaza Strip. It also discussed opportunities for implementing future joint projects between the two countries, besides topics of common interest.

HE the Director-General of Qatar News Agency (QNA) Ahmed bin Saeed al-Rumaihi met Monday with Minister of Information of the Syrian Arab Republic Dr Hamza al-Mustafa, who is visiting the country.During the meeting, they discussed means of media co-operation between the two countries, and mechanisms for developing them within the framework of the distinguished fraternal relations between the State of Qatar and Syrian Arab Republic.During his visit to the QNA headquarters, the Syrian Minister of Information and the accompanying delegation were briefed on the news and media services provided by the agency, its role in serving the country’s interests, and the stages of coverage, transmission, and broadcasting of news, events, developments, and various activities until they reach the recipient.This process is done in an innovative, speedy, credible, and responsible manner, where the agency uses its various mechanisms and platforms, as well as the related advanced and modern technical, engineering, and training technologies and equipment.The delegation was also briefed on a detailed explanation of QNA’s history, experiences, and accumulated professional expertise over 50 years since its establishment in May 1975, as well as its keenness to utilise the latest technologies in various areas of its work, including artificial intelligence technology, and keeping pace with global developments in these fields.During his tour around a few of the agency’s departments, sections and units, the Syrian Minister of Information and the accompanying delegation were able to witness the nature of QNA’s work and the high professional and practical efficiency of its employees.He also visited QNA’s training halls and saw its advanced interactive training environment, and how it was equipped with the latest devices and technologies, which supports national media cadres, enhances their capabilities and their effective contribution to Qatar’s efforts to develop and grow and build a more prosperous and sustainable future for its future generations, within the framework of its national vision and the third national development strategy 2024/2030.Towards the end of his visit, the Syrian Minister of Information commended Qatar’s firm stance in support of the Syrian people, stressing, in this context, that there has never been a time when Qatar abandoned the Syrian people. He also explored QNA’s experience in integrating AI across various stages of the journalistic process — from publishing systems to editing, translation, and monitoring — describing it as a model that is virtually unprecedented in the Arab world. He expressed his hope that the coming period would see, within the framework of relations between the two brotherly countries, a strengthening of media co-operation — with the aim of exchanging expertise in ways that serve their mutual interests.For his part, HE the director-general of QNA welcomed Syrian Minister of Information and the accompanying delegation, and hailed the existing relations between the two countries in the media field, expressing his aspiration to develop them to broader horizons in the future in various fields, in a way that serves the two countries, their brotherly peoples, and the nation’s issues.

The US James Foley Foundation has awarded HE the Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dr Mohammed bin Abdulaziz bin Saleh al-Khulaifi, the 2026 American “Hostage Freedom Award”. In a statement published on its official website, the Foundation stated that “His Excellency, in his capacity as Chief Negotiator, played a decisive role in securing the release of Americans held hostage in Afghanistan, Iran, Gaza, and Venezuela.”The Foundation noted that his expertise contributes to opening channels of dialogue when all other paths are blocked, building bridges of trust, and guiding negotiation tracks in the most challenging cases.The American Foundation confirmed that HE Dr al-Khulaifi succeeded in finding means of communication and humanitarian solutions in cases where the US lacked formal relations. It added, “His Excellency’s work embodies the role played by the State of Qatar as a trusted mediator and affirms the strength of diplomacy in serving peace and preserving human dignity.”

GCC Secretary-General Jassim Mohammed Albudaiwi has welcomed the diplomatic efforts undertaken by Qatar and Turkiye to reach the ceasefire agreement between Pakistan and Afghanistan which was signed in Doha.The GCC Secretary-General noted that this agreement represents a positive step towards consolidating stability and strengthening bridges of trust between the two countries.He affirmed the GCC’s support for all initiatives aimed at establishing peace and promoting dialogue in the region and beyond, contributing to a more stable and prosperous future for peoples.Saudi Arabia and Oman also welcomed the diplomatic efforts and constructive roles played by Qatar and Turkiye.The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed the Kingdom’s welcome for signing an immediate ceasefire and establish mechanisms to consolidate lasting peace and stability between the two countries.In a statement, the ministry affirmed Saudi Arabia’s support for all regional and international efforts aimed at promoting peace and stability, and its constant commitment to ensuring security to achieve stability and prosperity for the Pakistani and Afghan peoples.Oman expressed its appreciation and gratitude for the roles of Qatar and Turkiye in reaching the agreement, expressing hope for its sustainability as well as to achieve a lasting and comprehensive peace between the two countries.Meanwhile, Kuwait welcomed the ceasefire agreement and expressed hope that this step will help end tensions and strengthen security and stability, in line with the aspirations of the peoples of both countries.In a statement issued Monday, Kuwait’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs praised the constructive efforts and tireless endeavours led by Qatar and Turkiye in hosting and sponsoring the negotiations that culminated in the agreement.The ministry stressed the importance of dialogue and adherence to diplomatic means to resolve disputes and enhance regional and international security.Official spokesman for the Jordanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Fouad Majali praised the mediation efforts made by Qatar and Turkiye to reach this agreement, stressing Jordan’s support for all efforts to establish security and stability in the border areas between the two countries.Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova said: “We welcome the agreement on a mutual ceasefire along the Afghan-Pakistani border, achieved between Kabul and Islamabad with the mediation of Qatari and Turkiye.”In a statement, she voiced Moscow’s call on Kabul and Islamabad to expand their co-operation, including in countering terrorism.In Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Guo Jiakun affirmed that his country welcomes the ceasefire agreement between Pakistan and Afghanistan.He expressed China’s support for continued dialogue and consultations between Pakistan and Afghanistan to resolve their differences, achieve a comprehensive and lasting ceasefire, and work together to maintain peace and stability in both countries and the region.

Ukraine drones hit Russia's Orenburg gas processing plantGas from Karachaganak is being processed at the Orenburg plantShell, Eni, Chevron are among Karachaganak stakeholdersA Ukrainian drone attack on Russia's Orenburg gas plant has forced neighbouring Kazakhstan to reduce production at its Karachaganak oil and gas condensate field by 25% to 30%, two industry sources told Reuters on Monday.One of the world's largest gas processing plants, Orenburg was forced to suspend its intake of gas from Kazakhstan after the attack, Kazakhstan's energy ministry said on Sunday.Ukraine confirmed it hit a gas plant in the Orenburg region, some 1,700 kilometres east of the Russian border with Ukraine, and an oil refinery in the Samara region.Kyiv has stepped up its attacks on Russian refineries and other energy facilities since August to try to disrupt fuel supplies and deprive Moscow of funding.Output at Karachaganak on Monday was down to between 25,000 metric tons (196,500 barrels per day) and 28,000 metric tons from the usual level of 35,000-35,500, according to two sources who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the situation.They said Orenburg, which is controlled by gas producer Gazprom, might resume some gas intake from Karachaganak on Monday. However, they declined to say when normal levels of supply would be restored.Oil and gas output at Karachaganak are closely linked, meaning the field is not able to produce much oil if its gas production is down.Apart from processing at Orenburg, Karachaganak gas is used for re-injection to maintain reservoir pressure as well as for power generation at local facilities.Karachaganak produced around 263,000 bpd of oil in 2024. It is exported by the Caspian Pipeline Consortium via a Russian Black Sea terminal, as well as through Russia's Druzhba pipeline to Germany.The field is operated by a consortium which includes US major Chevron (18%) and European energy firms Shell (29.25%) and Eni (29.25%).Russia's Lukoil (13.5%) and local firm KazMunayGaz (10%) also hold stakes.The consortium, Gazprom, and Kazakhstan's energy ministry did not reply to requests for comment.Kazakh authorities agreed with Karachaganak shareholders in 2024 to build a new gas processing plant at the field with annual capacity of up to 4 billion cubic metres, expected to start operations in 2028.However, the project has been suspended under the current consortium, and the government is seeking new investors, aiming to attract Kazakh companies.Industry sources has said that oil and gas condensate production at Karachaganak declined in September by 24% from August to 200,000 bpd amid maintenance at the Orenburg plant.

Australia captain Mitchell Marsh guided his side to a comfortable seven-wicket win against India in a rain-affected first one-day international in Perth Sunday.Chasing 131 for victory in a match that was reduced to 26 overs a side, Marsh scored 46 not out as the home side cruised to an easy win to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.Matt Renshaw was unbeaten on 21 alongside Marsh as Australia reached 131-3 with 29 balls remaining. Josh Philippe contributed 37, batting at number four.“Obviously the weather played its part today,” Marsh said. “But it’s nice to get a win.“The ball was swinging around for both teams out there so it was a little bit of a challenge to get through. I was proud of the way our young guys came out and got the job done.”Marsh, who was also named player of the match, won the toss and chose to field due to the inclement weather around the Western Australia city.It paid dividends as India’s innings was hampered by rain delays, which frustrated the visitors who struggled to build any momentum.A quickfire 38 off 31 balls from KL Rahul helped India to recover to 136-9, with Australia set 131 to win after the total was adjusted on the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern system.Australia’s opening bowlers Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc troubled the Indian batsmen with a good line and movement.Hazlewood had Rohit Sharma caught at second slip for eight before Starc claimed Virat Kohli without scoring, leaving the visitors 21-2. India skipper Shubman Gill was caught by wicketkeeper Philippe off Nathan Ellis for 10 before the first rain delay, with India 23-3 after 8.5 overs.“When you lose three wickets in the powerplay you are always trying to play a catch-up game,” Gill said. “But there are a lot of learnings for us from this game and a lot of positives as well.”Hazlewood grabbed his second victim when Shreyas Iyer gloved a ball to Philippe before another long delay with India at 45-4. When they eventually resumed, the game was reduced to 26 overs.Rahul smashed two huge sixes but fell on the boundary going for a third. Nitish Reddy blasted 19 runs off the last two overs but the reduced total was never enough.The two teams meet again in Adelaide on Thursday before the final match at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Saturday.BRIEF SCORES:Australia 131 for 3 (Marsh 46*) beat India 136 for 9 (Rahul 38) by seven wickets (DLS squad)

Al Arabi handed Al Duhail a crushing 4-0 defeat in the fifth round match of the QSL Cup 2025-26 season at the Grand Hamad Stadium Sunday.The victory, Al Arabi’s third of the tournament, Sunday kept them in third place in the standings with 10 points – behind on goal difference with leaders Al Kharaitiyat and second-placed Umm Salal.Al Rayyan, also with 10 points, are in fourth spot.Al Duhail with a second loss and 4 points have slipped to 15th place.Al Arabi were on the attack against Al Duhail from the word go with Isaac Lihadji scoring in the 2nd minute of the match. Jordan Veretout scored the team’s second goal in the 40th minute.In the second half Aladin Hasan (67th minute) and Pablo Sarabia (72nd minute) added more to the tally.Umm Salal thrash Al Sadd 5-0 Earlier, Umm Salal blanked Al Sadd 5-0 at the Al Shamal Stadium.It was Umm Salal’s third win of the tournament while Al Sadd, who suffered their third defeat, remain on 1 point and in 19th place in the 20-team tournament.Umm Salal led 1-0 at half time only to come back steamrolling in the second session to score four more goals.Antonio Mance (38th minute), Cristo Gonzalez (48th minute), Jean Quaisi (70 & 82 minutes) and Ahmed Sayed (90+1 minute) got the goals for Umm Salal.Qatar SC beat Al Ahli 6-1Qatar SC yesterday beat Al Ahli 6-1 at Al Khor Stadium.The game was clearly beyond Al Ahli’s reach by the blast of the whistle for the closing of the first half, with Qatar SC leading 4-0, benefiting from two own goals from Al Ahli’s Khaled Hassan (second and 39th minutes), while Raoul Sanda (14th minute) and Saeed Brahmi (44th minute) added one each.The Brigadiers got their consolation goal in the 49th minute via a penalty kick through Talal Ali, but Joao Pedro (75th minute) and Yan Matheus (88th minute) added two more for Qatar SC to ensure the emphatic victory, which secured them their first 3 points (their only points so far) of the competition, while Al Ahli remained on 1 point.

Several member states of the Executive Board of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) have commended Qatar's role in promoting peace in the region, in co-ordination with Egypt, Turkiye and the US.The praise came during the closing session of Unesco's 222nd Executive Board meeting, where representatives from countries including Turkiye, the United Kingdom, South Africa and Oman highlighted Qatar's role in promoting peace during discussions on agenda items related to the Gaza Strip.In a statement delivered during the session, Qatar's Permanent Representative to Unesco, HE Dr Nasser bin Hamad al-Hanzab, emphasised that education is a shared responsibility of the international community and a critical pillar for stability and peace in Gaza, underscoring the role of Unesco in this regard.In a related development, the Committee on Conventions and Recommendations, chaired by HE Dr al-Hanzab, held two public sessions to review items related to the implementation of Unesco's legal and regulatory instruments. The committee addressed mechanisms for enforcing and monitoring these conventions and recommendations among member states, with HE Dr al-Hanzab presenting a report to the Executive Board.The committee also worked to ensure the monitoring of all Unesco-related agreements and recommendations was fully implemented.Furthermore, the committee discussed several human rights issues within Unesco's mandate and examined ways to strengthen international human rights protections, in accordance with the Executive Board's resolutions and Unesco's legal instruments on human rights.

Abdulla al-Qubaisi and Mashel al-Naimi securedvictories in Round 3 of the 2025 Qatar Super Stock (QSTK) 600 Championship atLusail International Circuit.In Race 1, al-Qubaisi powered his Yamaha R6 tovictory in the 8-lap, 43.4km contest with a time of 16:33.447. Al-Naimifinished just 0.730 seconds behind, while Russia’s Dmitry Sedin secured thirdplace, 27.714 seconds adrift. Sedin also topped the QSTK Trophy category on his Kawasaki ZX-6.Despite finishing second, Al-Naimi set the fastest lap of therace in 2:03.112, reaching a top speed of 158.5 km/h. Race 2 saw al-Naimistriking back, winning the 10-lap race in 20:47.699. Al-Qubaisi followed 5.234seconds behind, with India’s Geoffrey Emmanuel completing the podium, 21.085seconds back.Sedin topped the QSTK Trophy in Race 2, with Hungary’s MartonBelleli finishing second and Russia’s Yuri Nekrasov taking third. Earlier,France’s Nolann Macary was unstoppable in Round 3 of the Qatar Super Sports(QSSP) 300, winning both races in style. In Race 1, Macary rode his Kawasaki300 to victory in 18:38.025, ahead of Egypt’s Mahmoud Elbanna in second andMalaysia’s Zaidatul Zairin in third.Macary repeated his success in Race 2,again beating Elbanna, while Andrea Giacchero of Italy claimed third place. Round4 of the championship, organized by the Qatar Motor & Motorcycle Federationand Lusail International Circuit, will take place on January 30-31, 2026.

All eyes in Perth are on Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma as the two India stalwarts prepare for the opening one-day international against Australia Sunday, marking the first national team outing for the pair since winning the Champions Trophy in March.India’s new ODI skipper, Shubman Gill, told journalists Saturday that he had had numerous conversations with his predecessors who had retired from the shortest and longest forms of the game, about how to take the team forward.“Definitely very exciting – big shoes for me to fill carrying over the legacy (Virat and Rohit) left for us,” the 26-year-old said.“These are the kind of players when I was a kid, I used to idolise them. The kind of game that they used to play, the kind of hunger that they had is something that inspired me. It’s a big honour to lead such legends of the game and learn from them.”Gill has already captained at T20I and Test level, but the upcoming three-match series will be the first time he has led in ODIs, where he averages nearly 60 with the bat.“I think in front of a difficult situation, I wouldn’t shy away from getting any suggestions or advice from them,” he said.“How they converse and what kind of communication or messaging they had with the players is something that helped me get the best out of myself. That’s the kind of captain I would want to be, where all my players feel very secure in the job they have to do.”Australia captain Mitch Marsh acknowledged that India’s two returning batsmen are partly responsible for an expected bumper crowd at the 60,000-seat Perth Stadium, which is nearing a sell-out despite a forecast of rain.“A lot of people are going to come and watch them. If it is their last time on Australian soil, I hope they enjoy it,” the 33-year-old said, before cheekily adding that he would prefer “not too much good cricket from them”.The Perth local, who struck two hundreds and averaged 70 across white-ball formats against South Africa and New Zealand in recent months, dead-batted any suggestion that continued goodform might prompt a Test recall ahead of the Ashes series this summer.“I’ve got tickets for day one and two, I haven’t asked the wife yet, but that’s about as much thought as I’ve given it.”

Al Shahania secured a thrilling 3-2 win over Al Khor in their Round 5 clash of the QSL Cup at the Abdullah Bin Khalifa Stadium on Saturday. Ali al-Muhannadi scored the winner for Shahania in the 77th minute after both sides were locked 2-2 at half time. Shahania had opening the scoring in the 19th minute through Jawad El Jemili while Pelle van Amersfoort put the side 2-0 ahead scoring off a penalty kick in the 27th minute. Al Khor hit back through Abdulrahman al-Harazi in the 42nd minute, and a minute later Sofiane Hanni got the equaliser. But al-Muhannadi struck to help Al Shahania gain the three valuable points. The second win of the tournament took Al Shahania’s tally to 7 points while Al Khor also remain at 7 points. Al Shamal thrash MarkhiyaAl Shamal thumped Al Markhiya 5-0 at the Hamad Bin Khalifa Stadium. Shamal got their opening goal in the eighth minute through Naim Sliti. They doubled their lead in the 23rd minute as Younes El Hannach scored. Alex Collado added a third in the 45th minute. An own goal from Markhiya’s Ahmad Ismal (75th minute) added to Shamal’s scoreline. Mohamad Omar hit one home in added time (90+1 minute) to make it 5-0 for the winners. This was Al Shamal’s first win of the tournament and took their tally to 5 points while Al Markhiya remain on 4 points. Mesaimeer, Lusail draw Mesaimeer and Lusail played out a 1-1 draw at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium. Mesaimeer’s Abdulkader Zoukh scored in the 12th minute, capitalising on some defensive errors by Lusail. The goal was the only difference between the sides for quite a while until Tamim al-Jabri secured the equaliser for Lusail in the 72nd minute to push them to four points in the standings, while Mesaimeer advanced to five points. Al Rayyan, Al Waab share points Al Rayyan and Al Waab played out a 2-2 draw at the Thani Bin Jassim Stadium. Al Waab took an early lead through Abdulrahman Sheikh Khan, who struck in the fifth minute to give his side a 1-0 advantage at halftime. Al Rayyan turned the game around early in the second half, with Brazilian forward Wesley Da Silva scoring twice in quick succession — in the 54th and 58th minutes — to put the Lions ahead. However, Al Waab snatched a dramatic equaliser deep into stoppage time when Mohammed Abu Shanab capitalised on a goalkeeping error to make it 2-2. With the result, Al Rayyan moved to 10 points, while Al Waab reached 6 points in the group standings.