The lightweight main event for the UFC's debut in Qatar got a little heat added to it at the ceremonial weigh-ins in Doha.

Miramax and the Film Committee at Media City Qatar announced on Friday that they are partnering to co-develop premium film titles for audiences across the Middle East and international markets. The new accord was among a raft of partnerships announced by the Film Committee at its first ever Industry Days meeting,

The inaugural Doha Film Festival kicked off Thursday with the official Middle East premiere of Tunisian director Kaouther Ben Hania's moving drama "The Voice of Hind Rajab" standing as testimony to Qatar's role as a crucial driver for independent Arab cinema just as the country aims to raise its profile in the global film industry

Created in 2022 and falling under the remit of Media City Qatar, the body charged with growing the Gulf state as a media and creative industries hub, the fledgeling film committee is headed by Hassan Al Thawadi, the Qatari lawyer who oversaw the organization of the Qatar World Cup.

The Emir of Qatar arrived in the Democratic Republic of Congo on Friday for a state visit, just days after the DRC and the Rwanda-backed M23 militia signed a peace plan in Doha. DRC President Felix Tshisekedi welcomed Sheikh Tamim upon arrival, along with Foreign Minister Therese Kayikwamba Wagner.

Miramax has announced a partnership with Qatar’s nascent film entity The Film Committee at Media City Qatar to co-develop film and TV titles for the global market that are meant to raise the profile of Qatar’s entertainment industry.

The Doha Film Festival joins an increasingly busy MENA fall festival season, which kicked off this year with Egypt’s El Gouna (Oct 16-24) and Cairo (Nov 12-21) and continues with Morocco’s Marrakech (Nov 28-Dec 6), Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea (Dec 4-13) and Tunisia’s Carthage (Dec 13-20) film festivals.

Fresh off an 18-hour flight, Cortes-Acosta went from the runway to the scales almost immediately, successfully weighing in at 265 pounds for his second fight in three weeks. The No. 6-ranked heavyweight contender reportedly touched down in Qatar at 6:30 AM local time, with the official weigh-ins kicking off at 9 AM.

Auckland to Doha remains ranked as the third longest commercial route in the world, proudly serviced by Qatar Airways. Its daily services typically take 16 hours and 45 minutes from Auckland to Doha,

Waldo Cortes-Acosta will replace Serghei Spivac on three days’ notice and face Shamil Gaziev at Saturday’s UFC Qatar in Doha. A person with knowledge of the promotion’s plans confirmed the switch to MMA Fighting following a report from ESPN Deportes. Gaziev also confirmed the news on social media.