DOHA, Sep 11: Qatar’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI) has temporarily suspended the operations of the food delivery platform Talabat for one week.

In a statement shared on X, the ministry cited “repeated violations and multiple substantiated complaints” against the company as the reason for the closure. Talabat’s services went offline early Wednesday, with users unable to access the platform via its app.

The ministry said the violations involved displaying and advertising products with misleading or false information. Under Articles 7 and 11 of Law No. 8 of 2008 on Consumer Protection, suppliers are prohibited from deceptively presenting goods or services. Article 7 forbids any supplier from offering false or misleading descriptions, while Article 11 obliges them to provide refunds or correctly deliver services when guarantees are not met.

According to reports shared on Reddit, some consumers had submitted screenshots of allegedly misleading offers, prompting direct follow-ups from the ministry. “These practices constitute an infringement of consumer rights and breach applicable laws and regulations in Qatar,” the ministry emphasized in its announcement.

Responding to the suspension, Talabat Holding plc confirmed the one-week administrative closure, effective immediately. Khaled Al Fakesh, the company’s Chief Finance Officer, stated that Talabat is working closely with authorities to address their concerns and resolve the matter swiftly. An internal review is also underway to evaluate the situation and any potential financial impact.

“Talabat is taking steps to minimise disruption for its customers, partners, and delivery riders and will provide updates as the situation develops,” the statement added. Reports Doha News

Founded in Kuwait in 2004, Talabat is a leading food delivery platform across the region and the market leader in Qatar.

A currency trader passes by a screen showing the Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI), (top center left), and the foreign exchange rate between US dollar and South Korean won, (top center), at the foreign exchange dealing room of the Hana Bank headquarters in Seoul, South Korea on Sept 11. (AP)

MANILA, Philippines, Sept 11, (AP): Asian shares were mostly higher Thursday, buoyed by gains of tech-related stocks after Wall Street inched to more records following a surprisingly encouraging report on inflation and a stunning forecast for growth from Oracle because of the artificial intelligence boom. In Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 added 0.8% to 44,171.03, with tech investment company SoftBank Group’s shares jumping nearly 10% in a second straight day of gains.

Data released Thursday showed Japan’s producer prices rose 2.7% year-on-year in August from a 2.5% rise the previous month, in line with market expectations. The higher cost of food, transport equipment and machinery contributed to the rise in prices. In Chinese markets, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index slid 0.3% to 26,124.85 while the Shanghai Composite index rose 1.1% to 3,855.10.

South Korea’s Kospi inched up 0.4% to 3,326.15, while Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 was down 0.4% to 8,794.30. India’s BSE Sensex added less than 0.1% while Taiwan’s Taiex rose 0.4%, trimming earlier gains. “Asia’s Thursday tape was the kind of market that looks lively from a distance but flat when you press your nose against the glass.

After Wall Street’s record sprint, traders in Tokyo and Seoul tried to carry the baton. Still, Hong Kong and Sydney promptly fumbled it, leaving the MSCI Asia-Pacific index pacing on the spot after five straight daily advances,” Stephen Innes of SPI Asset Management said in a market commentary. On Wall Street, the S&P 500 rose 0.3% on Wednesday and set an all-time high for a second straight day.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 220 points, or 0.5%, and the Nasdaq composite edged up by less than 0.1% after both set records the day before. Stocks have hit records in large part because Wall Street is expecting the economy to pull off a delicate balancing act: slowing enough to convince the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates, but not so much that it causes a recession, all while inflation remains under control.

Many things must go right for that to happen, and an encouraging signal came from a report Wednesday saying inflation at the US wholesale level unexpectedly slowed in August. A potentially more important report is coming Thursday, which will show how bad inflation has been for US households. Traders were already convinced the Fed will deliver its first cut to interest rates of the year at its next meeting, but they need inflation data until then to be mild enough not to derail those expectations.   

Kuwait’s PAI suspends industrial, service, and commercial plot licenses.

KUWAIT CITY, Sept 11: The Public Authority for Industry has issued a circular instructing the suspension of all concession procedures in the areas under its supervision. The directive, addressed to key officials across various sectors, includes a halt on industrial licenses, service, craft, and commercial plot contracts, as well as transfer procedures for all types of licenses and contracts.

The circular, which took effect on September 10, 2025, directs the Director General and Deputy Director General of the Administrative and Financial Affairs Sector, the Deputy Director General of the Industrial Development and Licensing Sector, the Deputy Director General of the Industrial Specifications and Services Sector, the Deputy Director General of the Industrial Exports Development Sector, and the Deputy Director General of the Industrial Cities Sector to take immediate action to suspend these procedures.

The suspension is in effect until further notice, with no specific time-frame provided for when operations will resume.