After the angst and the acrimony, Doha woke on Sunday to the opening day of a Fifa World Cup on home soil.
Less than 24 hours earlier, the president of football's world governing body, Gianni Infantino, gave a truly extraordinary address, where he rounded on critics, both of his organisation and the host nation.
Later that day, Doha felt, finally, like it served as stage to the world’s most high-profile single-sports event. It has been a slow burn, less boisterous than Brazil in 2014 on that final stretch of preparation, less riotous that Russia – even if the most recent host took a while to warm up, too.
Not long after 7pm on Saturday, a full day out from The Big Kick-Off between home hope Qatar and South America’s Ecuador at Al Bayt Stadium, fireworks and drones lit up the sky above the just-opened Fifa Fan Festival. “Welcome to Qatar” read the message.
Organisers crave that the football, comprising 64 matches across 29 days, will provide welcome respite from the controversy and the critics, the Middle East’s first World Cup and the most compact in competition history sure to offer plentiful highlights and hot debate on the pitch, even if Infantino’s insistence that it will be the “best in history” – wasn’t that uttered four years ago, also? – jarred somewhat.
For there have been issues, serious and sustained, from the award of the event to Qatar 12 years ago all the way through the Fifa president’s offensive on Saturday.
Qatar has had more than a decade and spent, reportedly, $200 billion in preparation. In 2018, Russia was estimated to have parted with $11bn to put on the whole jamboree. For that, the small, energy-rich Gulf state really should be ready.
A day out, it appeared to be getting there. As mentioned, the Fifa Fan Festival was at last awash with people, and by 8pm the endless line of volunteers and security guards on the trek through the landscaped Al Bidda Park declared through megaphones that it could not take anybody more. Full – its official capacity sits at 40,000 – thousands of fans were ushered towards other activation sites along the Corniche.
Most exciting young players to watch at 2022 World Cup
This World Cup certainly strikes a more family-friendly tone than Brazil or Russia. Perhaps that’s to do with the scarcity of alcohol. Maybe it’s that, until now, the majority of those making the most of the Fifa circus in town are those that reside in that town all year round.
Hefty groups of visiting fans are seemingly yet to flood Doha, although you are never far from an Argentina replica shirt, hugely popular, apparently, among the city’s many expatriates from the Middle East and Asia. Brazil, still some way back, sit second.
There are a few street hawkers, some flogging giant Portugal flags, some curly wigs in the host country’s maroon and white, some airhorns and some those omnipresent Argentina jerseys.
It would not surprise if they were all sourced at Souq Waqif. The traditional market, not far from the Corniche and the plush Downtown Doha where certain roads have been closed to cope with the arrival of an extra 1.2 million visitors over the next month, was alive with noise and national pride on Saturday night.
Brazil the last team to arrive in Qatar
Tunisians sang songs, chanted names and waved giant flags; Moroccans took residence outside the huge television studios that back onto the souq and witnessed the reverie through giant, hopefully soundproof, floor-to-ceiling windows. Saudi Arabians posed for pictures in their kanduras with those bedecked in Qatar’s colours. Remember, this represents the first World Cup held in the Arab world.
Elsewhere, a smattering of Argentines happily gave strangers a go on banging their blue and white drum; a similarly sized collection of Brazilians with plastic World Cup trophies and yellow and green face paint filed through the souq’s narrow alleyways, drawing smiles and iPhones from shop workers. Just out of view, a young Mexican had a ride on a camel in the temporary sand pit.
Still, it will be intriguing to see if Doha is dominated by the World Cup like hosts before them. Yes, hoardings and signage scream “Fifa World Cup”, “Qatar 2022”, and “Now Is All” – the official tournament slogan. Gleaming skyscrapers in the city centre and West Bay area display in neon the national flags of participating countries, or their facades are covered by colossal images of Manuel Neuer, Gareth Bale, Luis Suarez, Luka Modric, Lionel Messi and others.
It remains to be seen if the smallest country to stage a World Cup can cope with the influx – an estimated 60,000 fans from Mexico are anticipated, 40,000 from Argentina, not to mention many more from neighbouring Saudi.
During the weekend, the impressive metro’s carriages – the underground transport system’s construction was expedited because of the World Cup – were congested. From Tuesday, beginning with Argentina against Saudi at the 80,000-capacity Lusail Stadium, there will be four matches a day through until December 2.
On Sunday, though, there’s only one show in town. The buzz has been building, bunting frames the streets. Qataris are genuinely excited for the occasion. Twelve years in the making, they stage their first World Cup match.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
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The candidates
Dr Ayham Ammora, scientist and business executive
Ali Azeem, business leader
Tony Booth, professor of education
Lord Browne, former BP chief executive
Dr Mohamed El-Erian, economist
Professor Wyn Evans, astrophysicist
Dr Mark Mann, scientist
Gina MIller, anti-Brexit campaigner
Lord Smith, former Cabinet minister
Sandi Toksvig, broadcaster
Gran Gala del Calcio 2019 winners
Best Player: Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus)
Best Coach: Gian Piero Gasperini (Atalanta)
Best Referee: Gianluca Rocchi
Best Goal: Fabio Quagliarella (Sampdoria vs Napoli)
Best Team: Atalanta
Best XI: Samir Handanovic (Inter); Aleksandar Kolarov (Roma), Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus), Kalidou Koulibaly (Napoli), Joao Cancelo (Juventus*); Miralem Pjanic (Juventus), Josip Ilicic (Atalanta), Nicolo Barella (Cagliari*); Fabio Quagliarella (Sampdoria), Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus), Duvan Zapata (Atalanta)
Serie B Best Young Player: Sandro Tonali (Brescia)
Best Women’s Goal: Thaisa (Milan vs Juventus)
Best Women’s Player: Manuela Giugliano (Milan)
Best Women’s XI: Laura Giuliani (Milan); Alia Guagni (Fiorentina), Sara Gama (Juventus), Cecilia Salvai (Juventus), Elisa Bartoli (Roma); Aurora Galli (Juventus), Manuela Giugliano (Roma), Valentina Cernoia (Juventus); Valentina Giacinti (Milan), Ilaria Mauro (Fiorentina), Barbara Bonansea (Juventus)
DIVINE%20INTERVENTOIN
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David Haye record
Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4
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%3Cul%3E%0A%3Cli%3ENever%20click%20on%20links%20provided%20via%20app%20or%20SMS%2C%20even%20if%20they%20seem%20to%20come%20from%20authorised%20senders%20at%20first%20glance%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EAlways%20double-check%20the%20authenticity%20of%20websites%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EEnable%20Two-Factor%20Authentication%20(2FA)%20for%20all%20your%20working%20and%20personal%20services%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EOnly%20use%20official%20links%20published%20by%20the%20respective%20entity%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EDouble-check%20the%20web%20addresses%20to%20reduce%20exposure%20to%20fake%20sites%20created%20with%20domain%20names%20containing%20spelling%20errors%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3C%2Ful%3E%0A
Bridgerton%20season%20three%20-%20part%20one
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Race card:
6.30pm: Maiden; Dh165,000; 2,000m
7.05pm: Handicap; Dh165,000; 2,200m
7.40pm: Conditions; Dh240,000; 1,600m
8.15pm: Handicap; Dh190,000; 2,000m
8.50pm: The Garhoud Sprint Listed; Dh265,000; 1,200m
9.25pm: Handicap; Dh170,000; 1,600m
10pm: Handicap; Dh190,000; 1,400m
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
Why your domicile status is important
Your UK residence status is assessed using the statutory residence test. While your residence status – ie where you live - is assessed every year, your domicile status is assessed over your lifetime.
Your domicile of origin generally comes from your parents and if your parents were not married, then it is decided by your father. Your domicile is generally the country your father considered his permanent home when you were born.
UK residents who have their permanent home ("domicile") outside the UK may not have to pay UK tax on foreign income. For example, they do not pay tax on foreign income or gains if they are less than £2,000 in the tax year and do not transfer that gain to a UK bank account.
A UK-domiciled person, however, is liable for UK tax on their worldwide income and gains when they are resident in the UK.
$1,000 award for 1,000 days on madrasa portal
Daily cash awards of $1,000 dollars will sweeten the Madrasa e-learning project by tempting more pupils to an education portal to deepen their understanding of math and sciences.
School children are required to watch an educational video each day and answer a question related to it. They then enter into a raffle draw for the $1,000 prize.
“We are targeting everyone who wants to learn. This will be $1,000 for 1,000 days so there will be a winner every day for 1,000 days,” said Sara Al Nuaimi, project manager of the Madrasa e-learning platform that was launched on Tuesday by the Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, to reach Arab pupils from kindergarten to grade 12 with educational videos.
“The objective of the Madrasa is to become the number one reference for all Arab students in the world. The 5,000 videos we have online is just the beginning, we have big ambitions. Today in the Arab world there are 50 million students. We want to reach everyone who is willing to learn.”
Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
- In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
- Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
- Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
MATCH INFO
Manchester City 6 Huddersfield Town 1
Man City: Agüero (25', 35', 75'), Jesus (31'), Silva (48'), Kongolo (84' og)
Huddersfield: Stankovic (43')
La Mer lowdown
La Mer beach is open from 10am until midnight, daily, and is located in Jumeirah 1, well after Kite Beach. Some restaurants, like Cupagahwa, are open from 8am for breakfast; most others start at noon. At the time of writing, we noticed that signs for Vicolo, an Italian eatery, and Kaftan, a Turkish restaurant, indicated that these two restaurants will be open soon, most likely this month. Parking is available, as well as a Dh100 all-day valet option or a Dh50 valet service if you’re just stopping by for a few hours.
The%20specs
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
No Shame
Lily Allen
(Parlophone)
Warlight,
Michael Ondaatje, Knopf
UNpaid bills:
Countries with largest unpaid bill for UN budget in 2019
USA – $1.055 billion
Brazil – $143 million
Argentina – $52 million
Mexico – $36 million
Iran – $27 million
Israel – $18 million
Venezuela – $17 million
Korea – $10 million
Countries with largest unpaid bill for UN peacekeeping operations in 2019
USA – $2.38 billion
Brazil – $287 million
Spain – $110 million
France – $103 million
Ukraine – $100 million
Skoda Superb Specs
Engine: 2-litre TSI petrol
Power: 190hp
Torque: 320Nm
Price: From Dh147,000
Available: Now
Price, base / as tested From Dh173,775 (base model)
Engine 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo, AWD
Power 249hp at 5,500rpm
Torque 365Nm at 1,300-4,500rpm
Gearbox Nine-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined 7.9L/100km
Visit Abu Dhabi culinary team's top Emirati restaurants in Abu Dhabi
Yadoo’s House Restaurant & Cafe
For the karak and Yoodo's house platter with includes eggs, balaleet, khamir and chebab bread.
Golden Dallah
For the cappuccino, luqaimat and aseeda.
Al Mrzab Restaurant
For the shrimp murabian and Kuwaiti options including Kuwaiti machboos with kebab and spicy sauce.
Al Derwaza
For the fish hubul, regag bread, biryani and special seafood soup.
The specs
Engine: Two permanent-magnet synchronous AC motors
Transmission: two-speed
Power: 671hp
Torque: 849Nm
Range: 456km
Price: from Dh437,900
On sale: now
