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The Qatar Research, Development, and Innovation Council (QRDI) has announced the results of the 16th edition of the Undergraduate Research Experience Programme (UREP) competition, hosted at the University of Doha for Science and Technology (UDST).This annual competition is aimed at inspiring undergraduate students to advance their research skills and academic careers under the guidance of faculty mentors.The participation involved in this year’s UREP was diverse, with students from five academic institutions in Qatar: Qatar University (QU), the UDST, Texas A&M University at Qatar (TAMUQ), Northwestern University in Qatar (NUQ), and Weill Cornell Medicine – Qatar (WCM-Q).The projects covered a vast majority of subjects ranging from environment and energy, social arts and humanities, biomedical and health, and information and communication technology.A panel of 14 judges evaluated the poster presentations, in addition to three judges for the oral presentations.Projects were assessed based on their significance, research outcomes, student learning experience, and presentation quality.The competition awards are divided into two categories: the poster presentation category and the oral presentation category.This year, Kareem Fanous, Yazan Kaddorah and Aimen Javed, with their mentors Dr Isra Marei, Dr Hong Ding and Prof Christopher Triggle from the WCM-Q, secured first place in the oral presentation category with their project titled *Interaction between Platelets and Endothelial Progenitor Cells: Role in Diabetes-Induced Atherogenesis.In second place, Diala Bushnaq, Raghad Aljindi, Reema al-Emadi, Sara Mohsen, Raghd al-Shamari and Malek Chabbouh, with their mentors Dr Shona Pedersen and Dr Muhammad Chowdhury from the QU, were awarded for their project on *eMindReader: A Deep Learning-Based Decoding System for Recognising Inner Speech in Complete Locked-In Syndrome Patients.Third place went to Nadine Elkholy, Haya al-Rewaily and Shouq al-Musleh with their mentors Professor Othmane Bouhali and Maya Abi Akl from the TAMUQ for their project on *Crystals Study: Positron Emission Tomography Simulations for Pediatric Applications.The competition also recognised the winners of the “Best Representative Image of an Outcome” (BRIO), which celebrates visual communication of scientific concepts and research in Qatar through art.The competition this year received 46 images and amassed more than 1,700 votes from the public and Qatar's scientific and academic communities.The top three BRIO contest winners were Dr Abbirami Sathappan, Dr Muftah El-Naas, and Dr Noor Ali al-Maslamani.

The four-day Katara Children's Festival drew to a close Saturday with massive interaction on the part of targeted children aged 4-14.The participants enjoyed wide-ranging activities that run the gamut from cultural, art and heritage events to recreational activities and contests, as well as pearl diving, traditional games, and workshops to teach traditional crafts, held on Ibn Al-Rayb Cultural Street to mark the World Children's Day that falls on November 20 each year.As part of its cultural and art activities, the festival featured workshops for teaching Arabic calligraphy on cups, stamp painting, and planetarium shows, other recreational events on the art of street, along with video presentations of face painting, puppet shows.The festival also featured religious contests and questions under the supervision of the Ministry of Endowments (Awqaf) and Islamic Affairs, along with a special event for Moroccan children as part of the Qatar-Morocco 2024 Year of Culture.

A total of 730 families in Qatar benefited from a financial aid of QR18.8mn, provided by the Zakat Affairs Department in October, a statement from the Ministry of Endowments (Awqaf) and Islamic Affairs said. The total amount stood at QR18,827,512.Mohammed Hassan al-Tamimi, head of the Zakat Disbursements Section, said the Zakat Affairs Department is keen to deliver Zakat funds paid by individuals and companies to deserving beneficiaries from registered families inside Qatar. The aid is disbursed by the Zakat Affairs Department to the beneficiaries of the registered families in accordance with the controls, Sharia banks and approved mechanisms.The aid disbursed in October was of two types. The first was periodic aid provided every month to eligible families. The value of this aid stood at QR8,226,747. The second type was lump-sum aid, disbursed one-time, as needed. This aid was with a value of QR10,600,765, the official explained.The Zakat Affairs Department allows those entitled to request assistance to apply on the Department’s website www.zakat.gov.qa. The applicant needs to fill in the required documents and upload them, as instructed.Applicants are informed about the status of the requests via text messages. Individuals and companies can also pay their obligatory Zakat through the Zakat Affairs Department's website or through collection offices and points across the country.

Mauritanian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Co-operation and Mauritanians Abroad, Dr Mohamed Salem Ould Marzouk, has met with Qatar's ambassador in Nouakchott Shaheen bin Ali al-Kaabi. The meeting discussed co-operation ties between the two countries.

The Sixth High-Level Strategic Dialogue between Qatar and the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT), was held at the headquarters of the UN, in New York.HE Permanent Representative of Qatar to the UN, Sheikha Alya Ahmed bin Saif al-Thani, and HE Special Envoy of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, ambassador Faisal bin Abdullah al-Hanzab, participated in the dialogue as representatives of the National Counter-Terrorism Committee of Qatar.Representing the UN at the dialogue were Under-Secretary-General of UNOCT, Vladimir Voronkov, Assistant Secretary-General and Executive Director of the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED), Natalia Gherman, and Co-ordinator of the UN Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team, Colin Smith.The dialogue discussed co-operation between Qatar and UNOCT, along with the achievements made during the previous dialogue that was held in June 2023.Addressing the dialogue, HE Sheikha Alya hailed the productive collaboration between Qatar and UNOCT, noting the importance of the dialogue in sharing perspectives on priorities and strategic initiatives, in addition to reviewing the activities UNOCT conducts with the support from Qatar.She highlighted the unwavering co-ordination between Qatar and other counter-terrorism relevant UN agencies.For his part, HE al-Hanzab affirmed that Qatar is committed to diligently continuing its ironclad partnership with UNOCT, welcoming the UNOCT's achievements through the programmes, projects and activities UNOCT is implementing with funding from Qatar, as the main donor to the UN Trust Fund for Counter-Terrorism.The UNOCT Under-Secretary-General expressed the UN's appreciation to the political and financial support Qatar is providing to UNOCT, which has contributed to implementing numerous effective capacity-building programmes, convening high-level conferences and supporting coordination at the level of UN system in counter-terrorism field.

HE the Chairperson of the National Human Rights Committee (NHRC), Maryam bint Abdullah Al Attiyah, held bilateral meetings with Commissioner for Human Rights of Azerbaijan, Sabina Aliyeva; Member of the Azerbaijani Parliament and Chairman of the Executive Board of the Social Research Center, Zahid Oruj; and President of the Azerbaijan Institute for Democracy and Human Rights, Dr. Ahmed Shahidov. The meetings took place on the sidelines of the NHRC's participation in a session of the 2024 UN Climate Change Conference (COP 29) in Baku.In her meeting with Sabina Aliyeva, HE Al Attiyah discussed enhancing co-operation between the NHRC and the Azerbaijani Commission, focusing on joint efforts, particularly awareness programs and initiatives aimed at disseminating, promoting, and protecting human rights in both Qatari and Azerbaijani societies. The discussions also included co-ordinating efforts to draft a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to formalise collaboration. The proposed MoU would cover the exchange of expertise, experiences, and best practices, with a particular focus on staff development, preparing reports, and adapting to advancements in digital systems.During her meeting with Zahid Oruj, HE Al Attiyah emphasised the critical role of social studies, particularly those related to family dynamics as the cornerstone of societal cohesion. She highlighted that strong family units result in cohesive, interconnected societies that enjoy their fundamental rights. HE Al Attiyah stressed the importance of enhancing capacities for preparing analytical studies to monitor societal development, identify challenges, and propose solutions. She expressed NHRC's readiness to collaborate with the Social Research Center in Azerbaijan by organising joint training courses for employees of both institutions in the field of analytical studies.In her discussions with Dr. Ahmed Shahidov, HE Al Attiyah underlined the need to implement the MoU signed between the NHRC and the Azerbaijan Institute for Democracy and Human Rights. This agreement focuses on exchanging expertise and building partnerships in areas such as handling and processing petitions, collaborating with governmental and non-governmental entities, and sharing best practices. HE Al Attiyah also explored the Institute's efforts in promoting a culture of human rights within Azerbaijani society.HE Al Attiyah reiterated that the NHRC, as part of its strategic plan for 2024-2030, has adopted executive activities aimed at strengthening international and regional cooperation. These initiatives align with the MoU's provisions and are designed to be implemented through well-structured, scientifically grounded programmes tailored for international and regional collaboration.

Qatar Islamic Bank (QIB) has successfully hosted a blood donation drive at its headquarters, in collaboration with Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC).The initiative, which saw the participation of QIB employees, highlighted the bank’s ongoing commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and its dedication to supporting healthcare services in Qatar.Held as part of QIB’s CSR programme, the drive received a high response from employees across various departments, reflecting the bank’s values of community support and solidarity. The donations will contribute to replenishing the HMC Blood Bank reserves, ensuring that vital blood supplies remain available to patients in need across the country.QIB organises a series of campaigns to highlight the significance of blood donation. These initiatives emphasize the critical need for blood while acknowledging the pivotal role donors play in sustaining the blood bank reserves at HMC.Mashaal Abdulaziz al-Derham, assistant general manager, head of Corporate Communications & Quality Assurance at QIB, said: “We appreciate our colleagues’ dedication to supporting this initiative and for coming together for a cause that makes a difference in people’s lives.“QIB’s employees’ commitment to donating blood represents the values we hold as an organisation. We would like to thank the HMC team for their expertise and collaboration in facilitating this initiative. Together, we continue to promote health and community well-being across Qatar.”QIB is dedicated to CSR initiatives focused on fostering positive transformations within both the organization and the local society. The bank’s efforts are aligned with and supportive of the four primary pillars outlined in Qatar National Vision 2030.For more information about QIB’s CSR initiatives, visit www.qib.com.qa.

Israeli military strikes across the Gaza Strip have killed at least 120 Palestinians over the last 48 hours and hit a hospital on the northern edge of the enclave, wounding medical staff and damaging equipment, Palestinian medics said on Saturday.Among the dead were seven members of one family whose house was hit overnight in the Zeitoun suburb of Gaza City, the health officials said. The rest were killed in separate Israeli strikes in central and southern Gaza.At the same time, Israeli forces deepened their incursion and bombardment of the northern edge of the enclave, their main offensive since early last month.Israel's military says it aims to prevent Hamas fighters from waging attacks and regrouping in the area. Local residents say they fear the aim is to permanently depopulate a strip of territory as a buffer zone.At Kamal Adwan Hospital, one of three medical facilities on the northern edge of Gaza that is barely operational, director Hussam Abu Safiya said the ongoing Israeli bombardment appeared aimed at forcing hospital staff to evacuate - something they have refused to do since the incursion began."Yesterday (Friday), from the afternoon until midnight, the bombardment directly targeted the entrance to the emergency and reception area several times," he said in a statement, adding that 12 staff members including doctors and nurses were injured.The strike also caused significant damage that disrupted the electrical generator, oxygen supply network and water supply, he added.Asked to comment on Abu Safiya's statement, the Israeli military said that following an initial review it was "not aware of a strike in the area of the Kamal Adwan Hospital", adding that it does everything possible to avoid harming civilians.Israel's 13-month campaign in Gaza has killed more than 44,000 people and displaced nearly all the enclave's population at least once, according to Gaza officials.A spokesperson for the armed wing of Hamas, Abu Ubaida, said later on Saturday that a female Israeli hostage in the group's custody had been killed in northern Gaza in an area under attack by Israel's forces."The life of another female prisoner who used to be with her remains in imminent danger," he added, accusing the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of being responsible and of undermining efforts to end the war.A group representing hostages' families did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

United Development Company (UDC) organised a comprehensive ‘Seabed Cleaning Campaign’ at Porto Arabia on The Pearl Island, in collaboration with private and public institutions like Qatar Red Crescent, Friends of the Environment Centre, Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, and Ministry of Interior.The event was aimed at promoting environmental awareness and sustainability. The seabed cleanup gathered 163 professional divers who collectively removed about 1,500kg of plastic and metal debris from an area spanning 150,000sq m.UDC Public Services executive director Abdullatif Ali al-Yafei told Gulf Times that the event is part of UDC’s five-year strategy for sustainability and environmental preservation. As part of our five-year plan.“This year, we have the largest number of participants of divers and community members in The Pearl Island. We should also acknowledge that students from the United International School in The Pearl Island are participating, along with their parents and teachers, all of whom are engaged in this activity,” he said.In collaboration with private and public institutions like Qatar Red Crescent, Friend of the Environment Centre, Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, and Ministry of Interior, UDC orchestrated the cleaning event, aligning with its commitment to promoting environmental awareness and sustainability. The campaign unfolded as part of UDC’s broader strategy, reflecting its dedication to national and global sustainability principles.The seabed cleanup, a key component of UDC’s wider sustainability strategy, gathered 163 professional divers who collectively removed and showcased 1,500kg of plastic and metal debris from an area spanning 150,000sq m. This not only highlighted the tangible outcomes of collective environmental stewardship but also served as a stark reminder of the importance of keeping the country’s waters free from pollution.At the same time, more than 1,000 residents and visitors engaged in environmentally friendly activities, such as planting, paper recycling, and energy conservation, further emphasising UDC's commitment to environmental preservation and marine protection.All collected waste, including metal, wood, and plastic, underwent proper recycling and reuse processes to prevent landfill deposition. The successful event garnered support from other organisations, including the Ministry of Sports and Youth, Qatar Civil Defense, and Kidzania Doha.The Seabed Cleaning Campaign followed a week-long series of sustainability activities at The Pearl Island, coinciding with Qatar Sustainability Week where The Pearl Island unveiled its new ‘Collec'Thor Sea Cleaners’. UDC's proactive engagement in marine preservation therefore underscores its commitment to maintaining a thriving marine ecosystem and supporting a healthier environment.By championing awareness and engagement in sustainable initiatives, UDC remains steadfast in its contributions to Qatar's overarching sustainability objectives and the preservation of marine and terrestrial ecosystems.The Seabed Cleanup initiative is directly linked to the UN Sustainable Development Goal 14: Life Below Water, emphasising the crucial need for conserving and sustainably utilizing our oceans, seas, and marine resources.By fostering awareness and actively participating in sustainable practices, UDC continues to contribute to Qatar's broader sustainability goals and the well-being of its marine and terrestrial ecosystems.On the role of sustainability practices in helping promote tourism and attracting investors to Qatar, al-Yafei said: “We have already implemented several initiatives to improve our existing building management systems and have introduced smart solutions for The Pearl Island and Gewan Island.“These enhancements aim to boost the effectiveness, efficiency, and sustainability of utility usage, including electricity, water, and cooling systems, which are essential. The smart solutions are part of UDC’s projects to enhance these systems on The Pearl Island, contributing to our sustainability goals.”Since January 2024, al-Yafei emphasised that UDC has engaged in numerous activities leading up to its latest seabed cleanup, which, by far, is UDC’s largest activity for 2024.“UDC has not only achieved its goals but also exceeded them. We adopted and implemented many initiatives focused on environmental sustainability at The Pearl Island.“This progress gives us optimism for next year, and we already have exciting plans in place for 2025: Our focus will continue to be on sustainability and the environment, which are crucial for maintaining and preserving the marine ecosystem around The Pearl Island.

Qatar Travel Mart (QTM) 2024, set to take place from Monday to Wednesday, at the Doha Exhibition & Convention Centre (DECC), has announced a preview of its programme and the chairpersons during the event.QTM 2024 promises to be a cornerstone for the global travel and tourism industry, offering unparalleled insights, networking opportunities, and a showcase of Qatar's burgeoning status as a leading travel destination.The chairpersons who will shape the event’s conference schedule include Dr Marcel Bastiaansen from Breda University of Applied Sciences, who will chair Day 1. He brings his expertise in experiential tourism and emotional impact research. Professor Joanne Schroeder from Vancouver Island University, the first female chair of the World Leisure Organization Board, will lead Day 2, focusing on sustainable leisure and community engagement. Professor Sandro Carnicelli from the University of the West of Scotland, editor-in-chief of the World Leisure Journal, will chair Day 3, addressing the growing intersection of health, wellness, and sports in tourism.The three-day conference will explore pivotal themes shaping the future of travel. ‘Day 1: Meaningful Experiences,’ will delve into the transformative power of experiential tourism, focusing on cultural heritage preservation and year-round visitor strategies. Key sessions will address the growing demand for immersive travel experiences, culinary tourism's role in destination appeal, and innovative approaches to overcoming seasonality.‘Day 2: Future of Travel’ will spotlight innovations driving the industry forward, with discussions on digital and smart tourism, sustainable practices, and the critical role of education in meeting evolving industry demands. A special focus will be placed on addressing climate change's impact on cultural heritage sites.‘Day 3: Sports, Health & Well-being’ will explore the intersection of sports, health, and wellness tourism. Sessions will cover major sporting events as tourism drivers, Doha’s unique cultural sports tourism offerings, and the booming trend of medical and wellness travel.“QTM 2024 is set to be a landmark event, showcasing Qatar's vision for the future of travel and tourism. We're thrilled to bring together world-class experts and industry leaders to explore innovative solutions and strategies that will shape the future of our industry.“Registration for QTM 2024 is now open and free of charge. Industry professionals and enthusiasts are encouraged to secure their spots early for this not-to-be-missed event,” said Rawad Sleem, co-founder and general manager of NeXTfairs.For more information and registration details, the link https://www.qtmqatar.com may be visited or the event may be followed via X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn or YouTube.

The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) on Saturday announced that the State of Qatar has officially joined the Global Coalition for Digital Safety.This announcement was made during the coalition's 11th meeting. HE the Minister of Communications and Information Technology Mohammed bin Ali Al Mannai participated in the meeting via video conference on Thursday, alongside several member states and international organisations that focus on digital safety. It is stated that the move reflects Qatar's commitment to supporting global efforts to enhance digital security and protect digital societyIn his opening remarks, HE the Minister emphasised the importance of international cooperation in addressing the growing challenges of the digital realm, pointing that Qatar's membership underscores its dedication to shaping inclusive global policies to bolster safety.HE Al Mannai further highlighted Qatar's ongoing efforts, led by the Ministry, to adopt cutting-edge technologies and develop national laws and policies to mitigate risks. He noted that joining the coalition would enhance international partnerships and facilitate the exchange of expertise in digital safety, aligning with the coalition's objectives to establish a safe and sustainable digital environment for all.The Global Coalition for Digital Safety, an initiative of the World Economic Forum, aims to strengthen international collaboration in digital safety. Its objectives include combating harmful content, curbing the spread of misinformation, and protecting users' rights online.The coalition brings together governments, major corporations, and NGOs to create policies and frameworks for a safe and inclusive digital environment.The World Economic Forum provides the regulatory framework and support, enabling the coalition to leverage international platforms to achieve its goals.

Doha Metro & Lusail Tram announced Saturday that, the Metrolink services will be extended to Religious Complex from Sunday.M141 bus will operate from Free Zone station to cover areas near the Religious Complex, Doha Metro said in a post on social media.