Latest news with #Doha
Reuters
5 hours ago
- General
- Reuters
ITTF to probe AGM disruption after presidential election
May 31 (Reuters) - The International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) said it will investigate the disruption that forced the suspension of its annual general meeting in Doha this week after the re-election of Petra Sorling as president. The disruption started when Sorling, the ITTF's first female president, was re-elected until 2029 with 104 votes to the 102 received by her Qatari opponent, Khalil Al-Mohannadi. "After the presidential election had already concluded, the AGM had to be suspended following the disruption initiated by individuals who were neither delegates from member associations, nor members of the executive board, council, committees, or invited guests," the ITTF said in a statement on Thursday. "The ITTF regrets and strongly condemns the disruption. It will conduct an investigation to determine the various responsibilities and take measures, in particular, to avoid a similar disruption from happening in the future." The Qatar Table Tennis Association (QTTA) also released a statement claiming there had been discrepancies in the online voting and calling for an independent and transparent review of the election. "We are prepared to cooperate with any independent investigation or tribunal, including before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS)," it said. The ITTF defended the legitimacy of the election process and said it was prepared to address any formal complaints in "the appropriate forum". Sorling decided to leave the meeting because she did not feel safe, as did the Swedish delegation, the Swedish Table Tennis Association (SBTF) said in a statement. The ITTF said it would reconvene the AGM before November this year to address agenda items that could not be completed in Doha.
Grazia USA
2 days ago
- Business
- Grazia USA
Regional Rundown: Art Basel Hits Doha, Miu Miu Debuts In Bahrain & More
Photo: GRAZIA The Middle East continues to cement its place as a global tastemaker, where fashion, art, and culture collide. From luxury boutique unveilings to visionary brand collaborations and milestones in the art world, the region is making major moves — and the world is watching. In this edition of GRAZIA's regional rundown, we bring you the latest in style, culture, and creativity, all showcasing the Middle East's undeniable influence on the global stage. Miu Miu Opens Its First Boutique in Bahrain Photo: Supplied Marassi Galleria Mall just got a little more fabulous. Miu Miu's first-ever boutique in Bahrain has officially opened, and the space is as chic as the clothes. Spanning over 300 square meters, the boutique is a curated journey through curved blue walls, plush rugs, and textured wood furnishings. From ready-to-wear to accessories and a VIP lounge tucked away for extra privacy, the space is a masterclass in modern femininity with an edge. Art Basel Heads to Doha in 2026 Photo: Art Basel Art Basel will debut in Doha in February 2026, marking its first fair in the Middle East; held at the M7 Creative Hub and Doha Design District, the event will spotlight galleries and talent from the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia – alongside leading international exhibitors – reinforcing Qatar's dynamic cultural scene and the region's growing influence on the global arts stage. Dima Ayad x Mandarin Oriental Photo: Supplied Your next staycation just got an haute upgrade. Mandarin Oriental Jumeira, Dubai has teamed up with regional fashion favourite Dima Ayad for Oriental Dreaming — a bespoke suite experience featuring five kaftans inspired by the historic Silk Road. From ombré ocean hues to pleated metallics and sequin-studded linen, each design is paired with a sea-facing suite that echoes its colour palette and mood. Whether you're waking up to sunrise room service or unwinding in a kaftan that matches your suite, this is a luxurious blend of fashion, heritage, and hotel glamour. Buccellati's Precious Circle: Hoop Earrings Reimagined Photo: Supplied Buccellati introduces a refined take on the timeless hoop earring, unveiling new designs across its iconic Rombi, Macri, Étoilée, and Tulle collections. Honouring the earring's ancient origins while embracing artisanal Italian craftsmanship, the Maison transforms this classic silhouette with signature motifs — from diamond-studded rhombi and engraved rigato textures to intricate modellato and ornato detailing. Available in yellow, white, and rose gold, each piece blends heritage with modern elegance, the Buccellati way. Harrods x Fashion Trust Arabia London meets the Levant in a seriously powerful way. Harrods is continuing its partnership with Fashion Trust Arabia by spotlighting four new FTA Prize winners, whose collections will land in-store and online this July. Beyond shelf space, the initiative gives designers unparalleled exposure, retail credibility, and career-defining commercial access — all within the world's most iconic luxury department store. Consider this your summer shopping, sorted. Loewe Marks a Decade of the Puzzle Bag Loewe's Puzzle bag turns 10, and the Spanish house is throwing a chic little party to celebrate. Introducing Puzzle 10 — a limited-edition drop featuring 19 re-editions and one newcomer: the Confetti bag. Think thousands of sequins, metallic shine, and all the whimsy you'd expect from Jonathan Anderson's artistic direction. Launching exclusively at Dubai Mall on 23 May, the collection will be unveiled in a vibrant pop-up complete with interactive jigsaw installations — perfect for a little luxury playtime. topics: Regional Rundown, Middle East
Zawya
2 days ago
- Business
- Zawya
Google Cloud Summit Doha celebrates two-year anniversary of local region
Second annual Summit showcases AI advancements and customer success MCIT and Google Cloud collaboration highlighted at Summit, empowering Qatar's government sector with trusted AI and cloud technologies for Qatar National Vision 2030. DOHA, QATAR – Today, Google Cloud hosted its second annual Google Cloud Summit in Doha, held under the patronage of His Excellency Mohammed bin Ali bin Mohammed Al Mannai, Minister of Communications and Information Technology, bringing together over 1,500 industry leaders, developers, and IT professionals. The Summit marks two years of the Google Cloud Doha region empowering local innovation and is set to explore the latest advancements in AI, data analytics, and cloud technologies. The event featured significant discussions and announcements on strategic collaborations, including key developments with the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) aimed at advancing Qatar's digital transformation journey. The Google Cloud Summit Doha showcased the vibrant tech ecosystem in Qatar and Google Cloud's commitment to it. Attendees experienced keynotes from Google Cloud executives and Qatari leaders, gained insights into transformative AI technologies like Gemini, AI Agents, and NotebookLM, heard compelling customer success stories, and participated in deep-dive sessions on data management and cybersecurity. This ongoing partnership with Qatar is poised to play a vital role in building a resilient, secure, and digitally advanced ecosystem in the nation. Mr. Sami Al Shammari, Assistant Undersecretary for Infrastructure and Operations Affairs at MCIT, stated: "Our collaboration with Google Cloud has served as a key enabler in Qatar's journey toward a knowledge-based, innovation-driven economy. Since the launch of the Doha cloud region two years ago, this collaboration has yielded tangible outcomes that directly support the objectives of Qatar National Vision 2030, particularly in enhancing digital infrastructure, delivering scalable and secure government services, and building a future-ready digital workforce." Mr. Sami added that "by providing access to cutting-edge cloud technologies, Google Cloud is empowering entities alike to innovate, improve service delivery, and accelerate progress across key sectors. Their contributions in areas such as artificial intelligence and data analytics are also playing a pivotal role in developing local digital talent and equipping our workforce with the skills needed for tomorrow's challenges. We are eager to continue this productive partnership, further solidifying Qatar's digital future and working in tandem to realize the ambitious goals of the Digital Agenda 2030 and Qatar National Vision 2030." Ghassan Kosta, Regional General Manager, Google Cloud Qatar, Oman, Bahrain and Iraq, said: "Today's Google Cloud Summit in Doha marks a truly pivotal moment in our Qatari journey, celebrating two years of our local cloud region and our strong partnerships. We are deeply honored by the continued collaboration with the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology and their trust in Google Cloud. This success is a shared achievement, magnified by the crucial contributions of all our partners and the inspiring innovation of our customers who join us in celebrating today. Together, by providing our advanced AI, data analytics, and secure cloud infrastructure through our local Doha region, we are committed to accelerating Qatar's digital transformation, empowering its public services, and energizing its dynamic digital economy." The Summit also highlighted how a diverse range of leading Qatari organizations are leveraging Google Cloud for their transformation journeys. These include Al Jazeera Media Network (AJMN), Aspire, beIN MEDIA GROUP, Media City Qatar, Ministry of Endowment & Islamic Affairs (Awqaf), Ministry of Labour, Ooredoo Group, Ooredoo Qatar, Qatar Airways, Qatar Foundation Pre-University Education, Qatar Free Zones Authority (QFZA), Qatar Insurance Company (QIC), Snoonu, University of Doha for Science and Technology (UDST) among many others who are driving innovation across various sectors. About Google Cloud Google Cloud is the new way to the cloud, providing AI, infrastructure, developer, data, security, and collaboration tools built for today and tomorrow. Google Cloud offers a powerful, fully integrated and optimized AI stack with its own planet-scale infrastructure, custom-built chips, generative AI models and development platform, as well as AI-powered applications, to help organizations transform. Customers in more than 200 countries and territories turn to Google Cloud as their trusted technology partner. Al Jazeera Media Network: Al Jazeera Media Network is collaborating with Google Cloud to accelerate innovation, leveraging Google Cloud's advanced innovation tools, its robust cloud infrastructure, and data-driven storytelling capabilities. This collaboration empowers Al Jazeera's teams to build transformative products that enhance content delivery, audience engagement, and operational efficiency. Aspire: Aspire is investing in its employees by developing "Aspire with Google Cloud," a powerful and intuitive internal application for enhanced employee productivity. Leveraging Google Cloud's technology and designed for ease of use on its platform, this app will streamline workflows, enhance communication, and provide seamless access to essential resources. By empowering employees with this modern platform built with Google Cloud's capabilities, Aspire aims to foster a more connected, efficient, and positive work environment, ultimately enriching the overall employee experience. BeIN MEDIA GROUP: BeIN successfully launched its group-wide Customer Data Platform (CDP) hosted on Google Cloud Platform (GCP). This strategic implementation unifies customer data across beIN's diverse portfolio, creating a foundation for enhanced personalisation and future innovation. The GCP-powered CDP provides beIN with a comprehensive, 360-degree view of its subscribers, integrating data from multiple touchpoints across its sports and entertainment offerings. This enables beIN to deliver highly personalised content recommendations, targeted marketing campaigns, and improved customer experiences across all its platforms. Media City Qatar: Media City Qatar has partnered with Google Cloud at the 2025 Qatar Economic Forum, Powered by Bloomberg, with the launch of The Next, On Air — an AI-generated podcast that delivered real-time summaries and insights from the Forum in both English and Arabic. Furthermore, Media City Qatar powered today's cloud summit's Media Hub, supporting live coverage, content creation, and on-site collaboration. It was a clear reflection of what both organizations are building together in Qatar, a working model for how media and technology can move in sync. Ministry of Endowment & Islamic Affairs (Awqaf): Awqaf is pioneering advanced cybersecurity in Qatar as the nation's first organization to deploy Google SecOps, Google Cloud's cutting-edge security analytics platform, with data residing within Google's local datacenter. This move, guided by Google Cloud Security consultants, has significantly bolstered Awqaf's cybersecurity posture, enabling it to surpass Qatar Cybersecurity Framework (QCSF) requirements and confidently accelerate its broader cloud adoption strategy. Ministry of Labour (MoL): The MoL has announced the full operational readiness of its "Ouqoul" platform, an innovative AI-powered initiative developed with Google Cloud and Mannai InfoTech. Ouqoul enhances employment services for university graduates and private sector companies by offering AI-enhanced resume building, intelligent job matching, and simplified application processes, directly contributing to Qatar's labor market development and national economic growth under Qatar National Vision 2030. Ooredoo Group: Ooredoo Group today announced an expanded strategic partnership with Google Cloud. As a key component of this collaboration, the Group is expanding its adoption of Google Cloud's Apigee API Management platform to scale its API ecosystem, accelerate service delivery, and create new revenue models across its markets. This strategic move also supports Ooredoo's commitment to harnessing the power of APIs, aligning with industry frameworks such as the GSMA Open Gateway. In parallel, Ooredoo is scaling its cloud business with a dedicated marketplace for Small and Medium Businesses (SMBs), which is set to run on Google Cloud Platform (GCP). Ooredoo Qatar: Ooredoo Qatar recently announced the successful deployment and go-live of its comprehensive data lake on Google Cloud . This strategic initiative enables the company to leverage cutting-edge AI and generative AI (genAI) for enhanced customer experiences, including using genAI for marketing for personalized campaigns and NotebookLM for internal innovation. Qatar Airways: Qatar Airways and Google Cloud are partnering to redefine the future of air travel by placing data and artificial intelligence at the heart of the passenger experience. This collaboration aims to elevate the passenger journey with data & AI by creating more personalized, seamless, and efficient journeys, from tailored recommendations and streamlined airport processes to enhanced in-flight experiences and intelligent operations, ultimately elevating how passengers connect with the world through Google Cloud's advanced data analytics and AI capabilities. Qatar Foundation Pre-University Education (QF PUE): Qatar Foundation's Pre-University Education has partnered with Google Cloud to enhance learning experiences. QF PUE leverages Google Workspace for Education and the advanced functionalities of Gemini for enriched collaboration and knowledge acquisition. Furthermore, by utilizing Google Apigee for API management and Google Cloud Application Integration, QF PUE is streamlining data sharing and personalizing learning journeys, fostering a more integrated and innovative educational environment. Qatar Free Zones Authority (QFZA): Qatar Free Zones Authority has embarked on a strategic partnership with Google Cloud to enhance operational efficiency and streamline processes for businesses operating within its dynamic ecosystem. QFZ will be implementing Google Apigee to establish a secure framework for managing its APIs, simplifying business interactions with its digital services, and Google Cloud Application Integration to connect diverse applications, automate workflows, and accelerate the onboarding of new partners. This collaboration underscores QFZ's commitment to digital innovation and creating an integrated, business-friendly environment that promotes trade and investment. Qatar Insurance Company (QIC): Qatar Insurance Company (QIC) is strategically focused on growth and innovation through the development of ecosystems and strategic partnerships to bolster its digital capabilities and expand its regional footprint. This strategy emphasizes digital transformation to deliver smarter, more accessible insurance solutions, reinforce market leadership, and commit to sustainable practices. QIC is collaborating with Google Cloud to utilize its scalable and secure cloud infrastructure for these digital transformation initiatives. This partnership enables the rapid deployment and management of insurtech solutions leveraging Google Cloud's robust AI and machine learning tools, facilitates advanced data analytics for informed decision-making in its regional and global expansion, and provides secure, compliant platforms to manage sensitive customer data, thereby strengthening its market leadership and supporting sustainable growth through efficient resource management and reduced environmental impact. Snoonu: Snoonu, a leading Qatari technology and e-commerce company, has announced significant advancements in its digital transformation journey, achieved in collaboration with Google Cloud. Key milestones include the successful establishment of advanced data analytics capabilities and the seamless migration of its core enterprise systems to Google Cloud's scalable and secure infrastructure. Furthermore, Snoonu is leveraging Gemini's AI-powered features to enhance team collaboration, productivity, and innovation. By harnessing Google Cloud's AI capabilities for in-depth data analysis, Snoonu is now deriving actionable insights to elevate customer experiences and solidify data-driven decision-making. University of Doha for Science and Technology (UDST): UDST is advancing its AI-powered research and digital transformation capabilities through a strategic collaboration with Google Cloud. A key part of this initiative is UDST's adoption of NotebookLM, Google Cloud's AI-powered research tool that enhances knowledge discovery and academic productivity by allowing students and faculty to interact with their own uploaded documents. Additionally, the launch of the Google Cloud AI Research Lab (GLAB) at UDST provides researchers with direct access to cutting-edge AI and cloud technologies, further positioning UDST at the forefront of AI-driven academic innovation in Qatar.
Zawya
2 days ago
- Business
- Zawya
AlRayan Bank announces successful issuance of $500mln 5-year Senior unsecured RegS sukuk
Doha, Qatar: AlRayan Bank rated A2 by Moody's with a stable outlook has successfully issued its $500m 5-year Senior Unsecured RegS Sukuk at a final Price of 5-year US Treasuries + 80 bps (Expected Profit rate of 4.875% at an Issue price of 99.82). The successful completion of this transaction underscores the robustness of the Qatari economy and AlRayan Bank's strong credit fundamentals. This issuance reaffirms AlRayan Bank's standing as a leading financial institution in the region and marks a significant milestone in its journey to diversify its funding sources and continue to strengthen its presence in the international markets. In many ways this was a landmark transaction, including a strong return to the Capital markets after a 5-year hiatus. AlRayan Bank's first transaction since the successful completion of the merger in December 2021 and the establishment of the bank's new corporate identity 'AlRayan Bank' First Qatari bank to issue a USD benchmark Sukuk RegS offering out of the QFC Entity (MAR Finance LLC, established in Qatar Financial Centre 'QFC') Largest price tightening from IPTs in recent deals with a sizeable 40bps reduction in spread. Tightest re-offer spread over US Treasuries ever achieved by any Qatari bank at US 5Y Treasury+80bps A final orderbook of $1.5bn (covered more than 3 times) that peaked at over $1.9bn. Both investors and geographic diversification were achieved. H E Sheikh Mohamed bin Hamad Bin Qassim Al Thani, Chairman of AlRayan Bank, commented 'We are delighted with the outstanding success of this issuance." "The significant demand for our sukuk reflects the financial strength and credit worthiness of AlRayan Bank, which is backed by its asset quality, strong liquidity & robust capitalization. We extend our sincere gratitude to all those who contributed to the success of this transaction Omar Al-Emadi, Acting Group Chief Executive Officer of AlRayan Bank, commented 'AlRayan Bank is pleased with its successful return to the international capital markets and with the remarkable response of this sukuk issuance not only from Qatar institutions but also from a diverse group of regional and international investors." "This underscores the global confidence in Qatar's economic resilience and AlRayan Bank's solid financial standing within the international financial markets. We extend our deepest gratitude to the Joint Global Coordinators & JLMs, whose expertise and unwavering commitment & support played a pivotal role in the success of this transaction.' Mizuho & HSBC acted as Joint Global Coordinators while Al Rayan Investment, Dubai Islamic Bank, Dukhan Bank, The Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector, Mashreq bank, MUFG, Qatar International Islamic Bank, QNB Capital, SMBC, Standard Chartered Bank and Warba Bank acted as the Joint Lead Managers and Book runners. © Dar Al Sharq Press, Printing and Distribution. All Rights Reserved. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
Bloomberg
2 days ago
- Business
- Bloomberg
Rixos Hotels Bets on Gulf Boom With $3 Billion Qatar Project
The Turkish owner of the Rixos Hotels is expanding beyond Europe and Central Asia to bet big on the Gulf with a $3 billion investment in Qatar's capital. The firm will build hotels, an amusement park as well as some residential and retail properties on beach-front land north of Doha, Chairman Fettah Tamince said in an interview. They will be part of Qatar's mammoth Simaisma tourism development and the investments will be made over the next three to four years.
