Qatar
Russia hopes for progress as U.S. joins Afghan peace talks in Moscow
Russia said it hoped international talks in Moscow on Thursday would breathe new life into the Afghan peace process, after a high-level U.S. official joined the Russian-hosted talks for the first time. The talks, which also include representatives of Pakistan and China, are designed to give a boost to negotiations between the Afghan government and the Taliban in Qatar’s capital Doha, stalled lately by government accusations that the insurgents have done too little to halt violence. “We regret that so far the efforts to launch a political process in Doha have yet to yield a positive result,” Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in his opening remarks at the talks. “We hope today’s talks will facilitate the creation of conditions to achieve progress in intra-Afghan negotiations.” U.S. envoy Z...
Coronavirus: UAE restricts Nigerian passengers to Dubai airport
The United Arab Emirate, UAE, says passengers from Nigeria can no longer travel through other countries or airports to Dubai. This was made known in a notice by Dubai Airports, the operators of Dubai International Airport. The regulations restricted Nigerian passengers from transiting through other airports. The move comes as the United Kingdom on Friday suspended direct flights between the UAE and the UK as part of measures to curb the spread of the raging coronavirus disease. In a notice sent to travel partners, Dubai Airports said amongst other things, passengers from Nigeria can no longer travel through other countries or airports to Dubai. The notice was titled, ‘Dubai Travel Protocol Update–Travel From Nigeria’. It read, “Kindly be advised that effective from 01 February 2021, the fo...
National carriers announce resumption of Qatar-Saudi air travel
The national carriers of Qatar and Saudi Arabia have announced the resumption of air travel between the two countries starting next week, just days after a deal was reached to end a years-long regional diplomatic dispute. A Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) summit on Tuesday declared an end to the bitter rift in which members Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain – along with Egypt – blockaded Qatar since June 2017. The group severed diplomatic, trade and travel ties with Qatar, accusing it of supporting terrorism, an accusation Doha vehemently denied. Kuwait and the United States had been mediating for reconciliation. On the eve of the 41st GCC summit held in Saudi Arabia, the kingdom agreed to reopen its air, sea and land borders with Qatar – a major breakthrough in the Gulf crisi...
Qatar to host FIFA Club World Cup 2020 across three venues
Qatar will host the FIFA Club World Cup 2020 from February 1 to 11, 2021, after it was postponed earlier this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Six continental confederations, as well as the host nation’s league champions, will compete in the tournament, which will be held across three FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 stadiums — Ahmad Bin Ali, Khalifa International and Education City. The Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium, inaugurated just last week on December 18, will stage the opening match between Qatari champions Al Duhail and Auckland City of New Zealand on February 1, and the final will be played at Education City Stadium on February 11. Joining the two teams will be European champions and German side FC Bayern Munich, CONCACAF champions Tigres UANL from Mexico, Al Ahly SC, Egyptian side and winners ...
Laurent Blanc named new Al-Rayyan manager
Laurent Blanc returns to management 4 years later. He hadn’t managed since he left PSG, and now, he will try his luck at Al-Rayyan in Qatar. 4 years after leaving PSG, Laurent Blanc will return to management with Al-Rayyan, the Qatari club announced. The French manager, 55, signed for a year and a half, and his mission will be to improve their position in the Qatari league, as they are 6th and 12 points from top, Xavi Hernández’s Al-Sadd. Blanc was champion of the world in France 98 and of Europe in Belgium/Netherlands 2000 as a player, also managed Bordeaux for three seasons, spent 2 years at France and 3 at PSG. Curiously, his appointment as Al-Rayyan manager comes not long after he assured that he wouldn’t manage professionally anymore: “I no longer like football, I would only manage ch...
Saudi Arabia says it seeks a way to end dispute with Qatar
Commenting on the dispute on Saturday, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud said Saudi Arabia is continuing to find a way to end the blockade on Qatar, but he added it remains conditional on addressing security concerns. The post Saudi Arabia says it seeks a way to end dispute with Qatar appeared first on TODAY. You Deserve to Make Money Even When you are looking for Dates Online. So we reimagined what a dating should be. It begins with giving you back power. Get to meet Beautiful people, chat and make money in the process. Earn rewards by chatting, sharing photos, blogging and help give users back their fair share of Internet revenue.
Penny wise Nigeria stick with struggling coach Gernot Rohr
Nigeria will resist the temptation to sack under-fire coach Gernot Rohr despite a worrying winless run, national team chiefs insisted Friday. The post Penny wise Nigeria stick with struggling coach Gernot Rohr appeared first on TODAY. You Deserve to Make Money Even When you are looking for Dates Online. So we reimagined what a dating should be. It begins with giving you back power. Get to meet Beautiful people, chat and make money in the process. Earn rewards by chatting, sharing photos, blogging and help give users back their fair share of Internet revenue.
Lionel Messi’s father already in talks with PSG to negotiate in January – report
According to a report published by ESPN, Lionel Messi’s father and agent Jorge Messi is already in talks with PSG over a negotiation that can take place in January. Messi wanted to leave the club in the summer, but a move to Manchester City fell through after extensive legal proceedings regarding his contract and if he could leave the club for free. Now former President Josep Bartomeu blocked the transfer himself, saying that he could leave for no less than his €700 million – the release clause mentioned in the contract. The Argentine came out after that to speak about the saga, explaining his unhappiness, and how the only reason he did not leave was because he did not want to drag the club he loved into a legal battle. However, he can leave Barça in June, next year on a free transfer, and...
French president says he ‘understands’ Muslims shock over Prophet Muhammad cartoons
French President Emmanuel Macron said he can understand why Muslims were shocked by caricatures depicting the prophet Muhammad. But in an interview with Al Jazeera broadcast on Saturday, he said he could never accept the issue being used to justify violence. “I understand and respect that we can be shocked by these caricatures,” Macron said. “I will never accept that we can justify physical violence for these caricatures and I will always defend in my country the freedom to say, to write, to think, to draw.” Tensions flared with some Muslim majority countries who have held anti-Macron protests and called for a boycott of French products after he publically promised France would not “renounce the caricatures”. Macron made the comments following the October 16 murder of French school teacher...
European Union backs Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala for WTO role
The European Union has endorsed former Nigerian finance minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as the next director-general of the World Trade Organisation, Bloomberg reported. The business news outlet cited anonymous officials familiar with the matter that all the 27 EU member countries agreed on Monday in Brussels to support Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala. Bloomberg also reported that the United States has decided to back Yoo Myung-hee, South Korea’s trade minister, for the role. The position has been fiercely contested amongst candidates of different countries since Roberto Azevedo resigned in August. Last month, Okonjo-Iweala and Myung-hee were selected as the last two candidates in the contest. The EU’s endorsement is seen as a significant boost for Okonjo-Iweala’s candidacy, with the final winner expected...
CONCACAF postpones start of World Cup qualifying until 2021 due to pandemic
CONCACAF has confirmed that the body’s member nations will have to wait until 2021 in order to begin qualifying for the 2022 Qatar World Cup. The federatin announced in August that the competition’s first group stage would commence with four rounds of fixtures to be played in the October and November international windows. Six qualifiers would then advance to the second round, from which a further five teams are planned to advance to the final stage alongside top-seeded CONCACAF nations Mexico, United States, Costa Rica, Honduras and Jamaica to determined the region’s 3.5 spots for Qatar. Now, though, the tournament faces further rescheduling as it was deemed that the planned 2020 fixtures will not take place due to the lingering danger of the coronavirus pandemic. “CONCACAF has held recen...
FIFA confirms 2022 World Cup match schedule
The Federation of International Football Associations (FIFA) has confirmed the match schedule for the 2022 FiFA World Cup in Qatar. A statement on the world football governing body’s website said that the host, Qatar would kick off the 2022 tournament at Al Bayt Stadium. ”Al Bayt Stadium, a 60,000-capacity arena that takes its name and shape from the traditional tents used by nomadic peoples in the Gulf region, will be the stage for hosts Qatar to kick off the tournament on Monday, Nov. 21, 2022 at 13:00 local time (11:00 CET). ”The local kick-off times for group matches have been set for 13:00, 16:00, 19:00 and 22:00, with the simultaneous kick-offs for the last round of group games and knockout-stage timings being 18:00 and 22:00. ”Khalifa International Stadium will be the setting for th...
