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 Community College of Qatar (CCQ) has launched the second cohort of its Associate of Business Administration programme for students at the Ministry of Interior (MoI)’s penal and correctional institutions. Twenty new students begin their studies in Spring 2025–2026. The Ministry of Endowments (Awqaf) and Islamic Affairs supports the programme, which CCQ runs in collaboration with the Penal and Correctional Institutions Department at MoI.  The institutional partnership aims to give inmates access to university education and academic qualifications and to support their educational and career paths.The second cohort follows the success of the programme’s first run, which began in Fall 2023. Six students graduated in Spring 2026 after completing the requirements for the Associate of Business Administration. They were the first students from penal and correctional institutions to graduate from the programme.  The programme’s continuation also reflects the support CCQ receives from its partners. The Ministry of Endowments (Awqaf) and Islamic Affairs sponsors the programme, and the Penal and Correctional Institutions Department at MoI provides the right environment for teaching to continue. Together, these partners have helped build a learning experience that allows students inside penal and correctional institutions to continue their university studies and earn an academic qualification, through a model designed around the nature of the correctional environment.  “The launch of the second cohort is an important step in the continuity of this academic programme, which combines education with rehabilitation and gives students in penal and correctional institutions the chance to continue their university education and earn an academic qualification,” said Dr Menahi al-Qahtani, head of the Management Department at CCQ, who oversees the programme. “The first cohort showed that the right educational pathway can deliver real results in supporting their future professional and personal growth.”  He added: “CCQ continues to work with the Penal and Correctional Institutions Department at the Ministry of Interior to offer a learning experience that meets CCQ’s academic standards while taking into account the environment in which the program is delivered. We rely on a blended learning model that combines in-person teaching with interactive online learning. We also see the programme’s continuation as an extension of the partnership between both sides and an opportunity to widen access to education and academic qualifications.”  The programme grew out of a series of meetings and discussions between CCQ and the Penal and Correctional Institutions Department. The two sides explored how to make university education available to inmates in a way that suits the nature of penal and correctional institutions.  Under the current model, faculty members travel to the institution to teach part of the course in person, while the remaining classes take place through live, interactive online learning.The initiative reflects CCQ’s role in providing educational and qualification opportunities and building institutional partnerships that serve the community. 

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said on Friday that a panel of experts had determined a software glitch in some Boeing 737 Max flight computers poses no safety concern, clearing the way for approval of a larger version of the best-selling narrow-body jet.  The decision removes a late obstacle to certification of the Max 10, the largest variant of the 737 Max family, which has been delayed for years. It should also ease concerns at airlines that fly the Max 7, which uses the same software and was certified by the FAA in August.  The FAA said the determination by the Corrective Action Review Board that met in Seattle on Friday was based on the fact that “pilots retain full control of the aircraft and the indications to the flight crew are clear and unambiguous.”  The FAA said earlier this week it was delaying certification of the Max 10 until it completed an analysis of the software issue, which could prevent pilots from accessing automated flight guidance during an unusual landing scenario.  Boeing said it “will continue to follow the lead of the FAA as our engineers work on the next software update.” Boeing added it is working directly with airlines to formalise a procedure that will allow pilots “to re-enable automated vertical navigation should this situation occur.” Aviation officials now believe the Max 10 could be certified as soon as later this month.  The issue could also have affected Southwest Airlines because the same software is used on the newly certified Max 7 airplane. Other large airlines, including Alaska Airlines and United Airlines, that have ordered the Max 10 could also have been impacted by a lengthy delay.  Jefferies said in a research note the decision allows the Max 10 to be certified before the end of the year and estimated Boeing has nearly 1,500 Max 10s on order from airlines.The FAA said one software version can increase pilot workload during a go-around, when a pilot aborts a landing attempt, applies power, and climbs to make another landing attempt. 

Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary said on Tuesday that he hoped an announced delay in certification of Boeing Max 10 planes would be "a matter of days, not weeks or months"."We still expect to receive the first 15 Max 10 aircraft in the spring of 2027," he said during a conference in Warsaw.The US Federal Aviation Administration said on Monday it will hold off certifying Boeing's long-delayed 737 Max 10 until a newly disclosed software issue is resolved, the latest setback to the planemaker's efforts to bring the largest version of its best-selling jet to market.O'Leary told Reuters that despite the latest hurdle, he was happy with the delivery of 29 Boeing aircraft over the summer and he saw "signs of real progress being made on quality and on production".The Irish airline is Boeing's largest European customer.Ryanair said on Tuesday it would base three additional aircraft at Warsaw-Modlin airport, increasing its fleet there to nine aircraft as part of a $300mn investment aimed at supporting an expected doubling of passenger numbers.The airline will also add 18 flights from Warsaw's Modlin and Chopin airports during the winter season.The company also said it was considering Poland as one of the locations for a new engine shop, with a decision expected by the end of the year.O'Leary was generally optimistic about the demand for air travel, but said that jet fuel costs would push summer 2027 fares up by 15% to 20%."We're optimistic for the future, but there's lots of short-term challenges, most notably what will happen with (Donald) Trump and the Republicans in the midterm elections in November," he told Reuters in an interview."We want to see a resolution of the war in Ukraine. We want to see a resolution of the war in the Middle East. We'd like everybody to get back to peace, love and air travel." 

The Trump administration has proposed a $10bn fund to help Middle East countries rebuild energy infrastructure damaged in the Iran war and reduce reliance on the Strait of Hormuz, a report in the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) Monday said. Citing US and Middle Eastern officials and documents WSJ had seen, it said Washington would contribute $5bn and seek matching contributions from eight regional partners — Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Iraq and Jordan. The initiative, named the Partnership for Allied Trust and Construction (Pact), would be managed by the Development Finance Corporation, a US federal agency whose programmes have historically targeted developing countries rather than wealthy Gulf states. Discussions are under way and the terms could still change, US officials said, and it remains unclear whether all the named countries will sign on. The WSJ report added that some Middle East officials described the initiative as a US attempt to downplay the strategic weight of the Strait of Hormuz and project unity against Iran. They cautioned that building a fund to rebuild destroyed sites without a peace deal with Tehran would be premature, given the risk of renewed drone and missile strikes. Bilal Saab, senior managing director at TRENDS US, a consulting firm, was quoted in the report as saying the strategy carried significant risk, noting that larger Gulf producers such as Saudi Arabia and the UAE have alternative routes available, while smaller states remain more dependent on the strait. The seven-month conflict has damaged pipelines, refineries and gas export terminals across the region, with repair costs estimated in the tens of billions of dollars, the report said. Attacks have also disrupted Saudi Arabia's bypass pipeline and Red Sea shipping routes, pushing tanker rates to record levels as Gulf producers seek workarounds to keep crude moving.

People visit the World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) in Shanghai on Saturday. The China Meteorological Administration (CMA) has launched an open-source large language model-based Al meteorological service system, making it available to developers and researchers to expand its use in weather applications and foster innovation in the field, reports QNA. The announcement was made at a meteorological sub-forum of the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference and High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance in east China's Shanghai. The CMA added that the model has been trained on 50mn tokens of meteorological service data and integrated with authoritative weather datasets to support weather forecasting, risk assessment and meteorological services. The model provides personalized weather information, service recommendations and risk alerts for users in China. Its international version has also been incorporated into the United Nations' Early Warnings for All initiative, offering weather consultation and risk analysis services in Chinese and English. 

The Qatari Cultural Attaché office in London has announced the opening of registration for Qatari students in the United Kingdom to participate in its practical training programme during the summer of 2026.The programme aims to enhance students' practical experience and connect their academic knowledge with a real-world work environment.The programme offers students the opportunity to explore career paths in business administration, marketing, communications, finance, and law, and to gain insight into various aspects of academic and administrative work, while also developing their professional skills and capabilities in multiple fields.The cultural attaché said that the internship programme will be held in three phases.The first phase will run from June 22 to July 10, the second from July 13-31, and the third from August 3-21.These programmes are part of efforts to support Qatari students studying in the United Kingdom, providing them with opportunities to develop their professional skills and utilise their studies to gain practical experience that enhances their readiness for the job market. 

China has banned for 40 days civil aviation from a large airspace off Shanghai without specifying the reasons, according to a notice to aviators published by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).The aviation notice (NOTAM) announcing the access restriction was posted online on March 27 at 1150 GMT and took effect a few hours later.It will remain in place until May 6 and affects an area twice the size of Taiwan a few hundred kilometres north of the island, covering 73,000sq km in total.China has not provided any explanation for the ban as of April 8, but "there is no possible use other than military" for this type of airspace restriction, maritime security expert Benjamin Blandin told AFP."It could be to fire missiles, carry out air exercises, etc. We don't know," he added.This is "the very first time" that China has restricted access to its airspace in a way that is "so sudden, geographically extensive, prolonged over time, and so poorly documented", according to Blandin, a researcher at Taiwan's Institute for National Defense and Security Research (INDSR).Aviation and defence consultant for Aviation NXT, Xavier Tytelman, also believes that the restriction is "out of the ordinary" in terms of its size, duration and the lack of any limits on altitude, either high or low.NOTAMs are intended to inform aviators of unusual circumstances affecting certain airspaces.They are generally issued ahead of military exercises or during exceptional events such as fires or volcanic eruptions.In this particular case, it means that "the government is reserving a zone for itself," said Tytelman.Restricted access applies to civil aviation but not necessarily to military planes, helicopters or drones.The ban covers two zones over the Yellow Sea, between China and South Korea, and three others straddling the Yellow Sea and East China Sea, between China and its neighbour Japan."Normally this is announced weeks or months in advance, and there are explanations and justifications," said Blandin, adding that the reserved airspace is limited in altitude "to allow the passage of commercial aircraft".The areas closed to civil aviation are separated by an air corridor about 100 kilometres wide, allowing access to Shanghai from the Yellow Sea."Access denials"According to a Taiwan senior security official, China is taking advantage of the United States being distracted by the Middle East war to expand its active military presence and conduct harassment in the Indo-Pacific.China aims to deter the US's allies in the region and weaken the US's military influence in the Indo-Pacific, he said.For Blandin this NOTAM is part of a "continuing series of access denials" and "bolsters China's strategy of nibbling away at the land and sea borders of its neighbours" over the past 15 years.Tytelman, a former flight navigator for the French navy, expects this type of operation to be repeated in the months and years to come, in order to "lower our guard before an aggressive action." 

University of Doha for Science and Technology ( UDST) has announced the launch of three new academic programmes for Fall 2026, namely, Master of Science in Midwifery, Executive Master of Health Administration, and Diploma in Animal Health and Veterinary Science.The new programmes have been developed in alignment with national priorities and international standards with a focus on hands-on learning, applied research, and professional training. Admissions for all three programmes will open this January for the 2026–2027 academic year through the University’s website: udst.edu.qa.Executive Master of Health Administration (EMHA) offered at the College of Business is designed to strengthen Qatar’s health-system leadership capacity.EMHA prepares emerging and mid-career professionals to drive operational excellence across the healthcare sector. Purpose-built for immediate impact, the programme develops leaders capable of improving quality, optimising financial performance, and advancing digital transformation to deliver measurable results for patients, providers, and payers.Applied and industry-focused, the EMHA is built around real-world projects in collaboration with health-sector partners and is fully aligned with national priorities to enhance high-quality, sustainable healthcare services. Graduates will be equipped to lead change, manage complex organisations, and elevate performance across the sector and beyond.Master of Science in Midwifery (MSc Midwifery) at the College of Health Sciences is designed as Qatar’s first graduate programme in midwifery. It provides an advanced pathway for registered nurses seeking to transition into professional midwifery practice. The programme is competency-based and practice-focused, integrating robust clinical training and high-fidelity simulation to build expertise in maternal, neonatal, and family-centred care.Developed in collaboration with key health-sector partners and aligned with international standards, it directly responds to Qatar’s growing need for highly skilled midwives. Graduates will be prepared to lead innovation, enhance quality of care, and advance women’s health across the national healthcare system.Diploma in Animal Health and Veterinary Science offered at the College of Health Sciences aims to strengthen national capacity in animal health. This applied two-year diploma provides comprehensive training in animal care, disease prevention, diagnostics, and husbandry. This programme was developed in response to national priorities identified by the Ministry of Municipality and graduates will be equipped with the practical and technical skills needed to support veterinary services and public-health protection, contributing directly to Qatar’s One-Health agenda and advancing the country’s long-term animal-health objectives.Dr Salem Al-Naemi, president of UDST, said: “Expanding our academic portfolio with these programmes reflects UDST’s role in anticipating future skills needs and translating national priorities into high-impact educational pathways. By focusing on developing leaders and building skills, we are investing in areas that have strategic significance for the country and lead towards its sustainable development.”UDST now offers close to 80 programmes that are under five different colleges which include: Engineering and Technology, Business, Computing and Information Technology, Health Sciences and General Education.

The Department of Islamic Research and Studies at the Ministry of Endowments (Awqaf) and Islamic Affairs, in collaboration with the Mosques Administration, has opened a new branch of the adjudicated Sheikh Ali bin Abdullah Al-Thani Waqf Award, dedicated to imams, preachers, and muezzins.Director of the Department of Research and Islamic Studies, Sheikh Dr Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Ghanem al-Thani, highlighted that the award constitutes a vital addition to the department's portfolio of cultural initiatives, demonstrating Awqaf's unstinting commitment to growing the intellectual capacities and research potential of imams, preachers, and muezzins.The award intends to support the department's pathway toward advancing the formation of the Imam-Educator, a faith leader with specialised competence in family life, social engagement, and educational development, while encouraging imams, preachers, and muezzins to engage seriously in Islamic scholarship and applied, community-based research, Sheikh Dr Ahmed pointed out.He further indicated that this engagement is intended to bring their intellectual capacities and thought leadership to the fore, enabling them to propose practical, faith-informed solutions to community challenges in a manner that meaningfully serves society.The initiative further aims to leverage outstanding research outputs in the development of Friday khutbah (sermon), educational lessons, and mosque-based awareness programmes, thereby reinforcing the mosque's role as a hub for community education, moral guidance, and social resilience, he said.Sheikh Dr Ahmed added that the award selected for its inaugural theme "values-based stability in the Muslim community” and the role of imams and preachers in safeguarding identity, ethics, and culture, in view of their critical importance, to be addressed through five principal themes.He elucidated that the first theme addresses the theoretical framework of the proposed topic, introducing its core concepts, foremost among them the notion of values-based stability, its standing within Islamic Sharia, and its foundational sources in the Holy Qur'an and the Prophetic Sunnah.This theme, he says, further examines the concepts of identity, ethics, and culture through the epistemological lens of revelation-based knowledge, clarifying their interrelationship and their collective role in fostering values-based stability within the Muslim community.He noted that the second theme explores the historical standing of the mosque, spotlighting its educational and social function as a community hub, and articulating its role in reinforcing values-based stability, safeguarding Islamic identity, and deepening ethical foundations.The third theme reviews the role of the imam in advancing values-based stability, outlining their standing and educational and da‘wah-oriented responsibilities, as well as the contribution of the minbar and structured lessons to guiding individuals and building community awareness in accordance with Islamic values, Sheikh Dr Ahmed explained.He further indicated that the fourth theme drills down on mechanisms of values reinforcement, addressing the practical tools available to imams, including lessons, educational programs, youth and family activities, and study circles, in addition to avenues for collaboration between mosques and community, educational, and media institutions.As for the fifth theme of the award, Sheikh Dr Ahmed noted that it will address contemporary intellectual, media, and social challenges that pose concrete threats to identity, values, and culture, while exploring viable responses and remedial approaches.This fifth theme is intended to outline the broad contours of a practical strategy aimed at strengthening identity, values, and culture, and at effectuating the role of imams in propagating these principles throughout society, he added.For his part, Director of the Mosque Affairs Department, Dr Sulaiman Jumaan al-Qahtani, pointed out that the award is a serious attempt to benefit from these scientific and research capabilities of imams.As such, the ministry announced a set of eligibility requirements and guiding criteria governing the award.These requirements are divided into two categories: those pertaining to the applicant, and those relating to the research paper itself.The ministry underscored that the applicant must be an imam, khatib, or muezzin serving at Awqaf and must commit to addressing all announced themes, while retaining the option to introduce additional themes deemed relevant to the research. Applicants are also required to structure the themes across chapters, sections, and subsections in a manner consistent with their approved research plan.Furthermore, the applicant's name must appear only on the title page, and the submission must be accompanied by a curriculum vitae and a copy of a valid identification document.In addition, Awqaf noted that joint submissions are permitted, provided all contributing authors are imams, khatibs, or muezzins employed by the ministry, clarifying that a previous award recipient is not eligible to participate again until two years have elapsed since winning the award.With regard to the research, Awqaf emphasised that the preparation of a submission specifically for the award is a prerequisite, in addition to the importance of fulfilling the fundamental standards of scholarly research, including introductions, documentation, indexing, and recommendations. Submissions must be presented in Arabic, accompanied by an abstract in both Arabic and English.The ministry also announced that the award may be withheld if the research does not meet the required standard of excellence, and its value may be revoked if it is found that the submission violates any of the stipulated conditions.The award's total value is QR100,000, distributed among the top three recipients, with the first-place winner receiving QR50,000, the second-place winner QR30,000, and the third-place winner QR20,000. 

Venezuela on Monday rejected a US terrorist designation of an alleged drug cartel as a "ridiculous lie" amid a major American military buildup in Caribbean waters."Venezuela categorically, firmly, and absolutely rejects the new and ridiculous lie from the Secretary of the Department of State, Marco Rubio, who designates the alleged Cartel of the Suns as a terrorist organisation... to justify an illegitimate and illegal intervention against Venezuela," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.Washington's listing of the "Cartel de los Soles" (Cartel of the Suns) as a foreign terrorist organiSation officially took effect on Monday, opening the door to new forms of US pressure on leftist President Nicolas Maduro.US President Donald Trump's administration alleges that the shadowy group is run by Maduro. No evidence has been made public to support the accusation of Maduro's involvement in the group.The designation is part of a US campaign against drugs and illegal immigration from Latin America.The US has deployed the world's largest aircraft carrier and other military forces in Caribbean waters as part of the Trump administration's anti-drugs campaign, but officials in Caracas suspect that the United States is mounting an operation to topple Maduro, Venezuela's leftist leader.US forces have killed at least 83 people in air strikes on boats accused of ferrying drugs in international waters since September, according to an AFP tally of publicly released figures. But no evidence has been made public that drugs were in the boats.However, with a major military presence now deployed in the Caribbean, including an aircraft carrier, the FTO designation will give legal cover for more pressure on the Venezuelan authorities.The Cartel of the Suns is responsible for "terrorist violence throughout our hemisphere," Rubio said on November 16.The Trump administration has been vague about how far it is willing to go in Venezuela, but the huge military build-up and regular killings of people in small boats have rattled nerves -- and prompted concerns in Washington that the US military may be breaking the law.On Saturday, six airlines announced they were canceling flights to Venezuela due to safety concerns.The US Federal Aviation Administration on Friday urged civilian aircraft in Venezuelan airspace to "exercise caution" due to the "worsening security situation and heightened military activity in or around Venezuela."

The Federal Aviation Administration resumed traffic at Reagan Washington National Airport on Tuesday after briefly halting operations because of a bomb threat against a United Airlines plane.The FAA said operations were resuming after earlier issuing a ground stop due to a reported security issue. Passengers were removed from the plane, and the aircraft was moved away from the terminal while authorities investigated.A person briefed on the matter said a bomb threat had been made against the plane and in an abundance of caution the plane was being checked.United referred questions to the FBI. The FBI did not immediately respond to a request for comment.Reagan Airport is just five miles from the White House and U.S. Capitol and the FAA imposes special security restrictions around the airspace.FlightRadar24, a flight tracking site, said the issue was prompted by an unconfirmed threat against a United flight that had arrived from Houston.More than 190 flights have already been delayed at Reagan Airport, according to FlightAware.

A number of Palestinian factions, during a meeting in the Egyptian capital, Cairo, have affirmed their support for and continued implementation of the ceasefire agreement measures in the Gaza Strip.These measures include the withdrawal of the occupation forces from the Strip, the complete lifting of the blockade imposed on it, the opening of all crossings, including the Rafah crossing, the entry of all humanitarian and health supplies, and the initiation of a comprehensive reconstruction process that will restore normal life to the Strip and end the suffering of its residents.The factions explained in a statement Friday that their meeting in Cairo came at the invitation of Egypt, complementing the efforts of mediators in Qatar, Egypt, and Turkiye to stop the war on Gaza and address its repercussions.The statement noted that the meeting aimed to discuss developments in the Palestinian issue and the second phase of US President Donald Trump's plan to stop the war on the Gaza Strip, as part of the preparations for holding a comprehensive national dialogue to protect the Palestinian national project.According to the statement, the attendees expressed their appreciation for Arab, Islamic, and international efforts, including those of President Trump, to halt the war on Gaza.They emphasised that the current phase requires a unified national stance and a political vision based on unity of voice and destiny, and the rejection of all forms of annexation and displacement in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, and Jerusalem.They also condemned the Israeli parliament's (the Knesset) approval of the preliminary reading of the "Applying Israeli Sovereignty to the West Bank" law, considering it a dangerous aggression against Palestinian identity and existence.They also praised the US president's decision to halt this move and his promise not to repeat it. They emphasised that Palestinian national unity is the decisive response to these policies and the need to take all necessary steps to achieve this.The statement indicated that the attendees agreed to hand over the administration of the Gaza Strip to an interim Palestinian committee composed of independent "technocrats" from the Gaza Strip.This committee will be responsible for managing daily life and basic services in co-operation with Arab partners and international institutions, based on transparency and national accountability.They also agreed to establish an international committee to oversee the funding and implementation of the Gaza Strip's reconstruction, while emphasising the unity of the Palestinian political system and independent national decision-making.They also agreed to take all necessary measures to maintain security and stability in the Gaza Strip, stressing the importance of issuing a UN resolution regarding the interim UN force to monitor the ceasefire.They called for an end to all forms of torture and violations against Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons, and stressed the need to hold the occupation to relevant international laws and conventions. They emphasised that the issue of prisoners will remain a top priority until their freedom is achieved.The Palestinian factions affirmed their continued joint efforts to unify visions and positions to confront the challenges facing the Palestinian cause, including calling for an urgent meeting of all Palestinian forces and factions to agree on a national strategy and revitalise the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) to include all components of the Palestinian people and its vital forces.The participants pledged to "make this meeting a true turning point toward national unity in defense of the Palestinian people and their right to life, dignity, and freedom, and to safeguard the trust of the Palestinian cause and the rights of future generations, as well as their right to self-determination and the establishment of an independent state with Jerusalem as its capital, while ensuring the right of return for Palestinian refugees."