The 2022 Fifa World Cup kicked off on Sunday with hosts Qatar going down 2-0 to Ecuador in their opening Group A match.
Enner Valencia scored both Ecuador goals but he arguably should have gone into the half-time interval celebrating a hat-trick.
We take a look at the big talking points from Day One of the World Cup.
VAR already a cause for concern
Valencia has the distinction of scoring the first goals of Qatar 2022 – a 16th-minute penalty and a header just before the half-hour – but he had the ball in the back of the net even earlier but his third-minute goal was ruled out for a marginal offside.
The Fenerbahce striker headed the ball into the net from close range after Qatar goalkeeper Saad Al Sheeb made a hash of an attempted clearance in the buildup.
However, the goal was eventually ruled out by referee Daniel Orsato following a VAR review.
Although Al Sheeb initially appeared to punch the ball, Felix Torres’ ws judged to have headed the ball when teammate Michael Estrada’s foot was closer to goal than both the keeper and Qatari player Abdelkarim Hasan Fadlalla.
Though the razor-thin decision was technically correct, it left thousands in the crowd and millions watching on TV perplexed and with a sense of impending doom of what is to follow for the rest of the tournament.
Overcrowding at fan park
Chaotic scenes broke out inside and outside the fan festival at Al Bidda Park in Doha on Sunday an hour before the kick off of the opening World Cup match between hosts Qatar and Ecuador after fans flooded the precinct.
The venue has a capacity of 40,000 but at least double that number of people tried to make their way in, Reuters reported.
Many were let into a holding area between the main festival park and the perimeter entrance.
Police realised the problem and had to shepherd irate supporters back out of the venue.
The police took about 45 minutes to clear the excess fans from the area.
Tournament organisers the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy have yet to comment.
While there was chaos in the holding area, the scene inside the park seemed pleasant.
"I think Qatar will be a great host. Now that the games are starting, the vibe is building," Brazil fan Raphael de Jesus said.
"This is my third World Cup after 2014 and 2018, and so far everything has been very well organised."
Alcohol stadium ban - is it really that bad?
Organisers' decision to ban alcohol in or around stadiums in Doha hosting World Cup matches caused outrage among western media outlets – particularly in the UK – though fans on the ground seemed more understanding.
The First Minister of Wales, Mark Drakeford, told PA news agency while visiting Doha's Corniche: “I think you should make the most of what is here, the fans are here for football, not for drink.
“I am sure that there will be people here who will be very keen to make sure they have the best possible time.”
During his speech on Friday, Fifa president Gianni Infantino said brushed off concerns over the ban of alcohol in stadiums, joking “I think if for three hours a day you cannot drink a beer, you will survive."
While there is much to pick over on the rest of his speech, Infantino is right that the cancellation of beer sales within the stadium complex is not such a huge issue in itself. Drinking beer is not a human right.
The sale of alcohol is strictly controlled in Qatar where, as in much of the region, drinking alcohol is not part of the way of life.
Though some fans are bound to feel disappointed, the ban is not blanket with reports of packed bars and fan parks across Doha with patrons and attendees enjoying Sunday's opening match.
BBC and ITV opening ceremony snub draws ire
While many got to enjoy the spectacular opening ceremony of the 2022 World Cup on Sunday, UK television viewers were denied the chance following a decision by the BBC and ITV to snub the occasion.
The ceremony featured actor Morgan Freeman, Jungkook from K-Pop band BTS and hundreds of local and international performers as organisers put on a visual spectacle highlighting the country's history and culture for the world to see.
The BBC ignored the entire event in favour of a broadcast criticising the treatment of migrant workers, highlighting corruption allegations at Fifa and discussing the ban on homosexuality in Qatar.
Neither broadcaster has explained its decision, though the BBC did make the ceremony available to its online viewers.
Their decision not to air the ceremony drew fierce criticism from different sides, with the networks accused of being "disrespectful" towards hosts Qatar and showing "neo-colonialism" attitudes.
"Outrageously disrespectful to Qatar that the BBC didn't broadcast the World Cup opening ceremony, and instead put out more virtue-signalling guff about how awful it is," television host Piers Morgan tweeted. "If they're that appalled, they should bring home their vast army of employees & spare us this absurd hypocrisy."
Another user, Majid Freeman, tweeted: "The #FIFAWorldCup ceremony started with beautiful recitation of the Quran. Instead of showing the ceremony, @BBCSport or @itvfootball hypocritically sat IN QATAR virtue signalling & talking about how bad Qatar is. Why not boycott it instead of taking money to cover #Qatar2022?
The Birkin bag is made by Hermès.
It is named after actress and singer Jane Birkin
Noone from Hermès will go on record to say how much a new Birkin costs, how long one would have to wait to get one, and how many bags are actually made each year.
8 UAE companies helping families reduce their carbon footprint
Greenheart Organic Farms
This Dubai company was one of the country’s first organic farms, set up in 2012, and it now delivers a wide array of fruits and vegetables grown regionally or in the UAE, as well as other grocery items, to both Dubai and Abu Dhabi doorsteps.
www.greenheartuae.com
Modibodi
Founded in Australia, Modibodi is now in the UAE with waste-free, reusable underwear that eliminates the litter created by a woman’s monthly cycle, which adds up to approximately 136kgs of sanitary waste over a lifetime.
www.modibodi.ae
The Good Karma Co
From brushes made of plant fibres to eco-friendly storage solutions, this company has planet-friendly alternatives to almost everything we need, including tin foil and toothbrushes.
www.instagram.com/thegoodkarmaco
Re:told
One Dubai boutique, Re:told, is taking second-hand garments and selling them on at a fraction of the price, helping to cut back on the hundreds of thousands of tonnes of clothes thrown into landfills each year.
www.shopretold.com
Lush
Lush provides products such as shampoo and conditioner as package-free bars with reusable tins to store.
www.mena.lush.com
Bubble Bro
Offering filtered, still and sparkling water on tap, Bubble Bro is attempting to ensure we don’t produce plastic or glass waste. Founded in 2017 by Adel Abu-Aysha, the company is on track to exceeding its target of saving one million bottles by the end of the year.
www.bubble-bro.com
Coethical
This company offers refillable, eco-friendly home cleaning and hygiene products that are all biodegradable, free of chemicals and certifiably not tested on animals.
www.instagram.com/coethical
Eggs & Soldiers
This bricks-and-mortar shop and e-store, founded by a Dubai mum-of-four, is the place to go for all manner of family products – from reusable cloth diapers to organic skincare and sustainable toys.
www.eggsnsoldiers.com
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
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Haircare resolutions 2021
From Beirut and Amman to London and now Dubai, hairstylist George Massoud has seen the same mistakes made by customers all over the world. In the chair or at-home hair care, here are the resolutions he wishes his customers would make for the year ahead.
1. 'I will seek consultation from professionals'
You may know what you want, but are you sure it’s going to suit you? Haircare professionals can tell you what will work best with your skin tone, hair texture and lifestyle.
2. 'I will tell my hairdresser when I’m not happy'
Massoud says it’s better to offer constructive criticism to work on in the future. Your hairdresser will learn, and you may discover how to communicate exactly what you want more effectively the next time.
3. ‘I will treat my hair better out of the chair’
Damage control is a big part of most hairstylists’ work right now, but it can be avoided. Steer clear of over-colouring at home, try and pursue one hair brand at a time and never, ever use a straightener on still drying hair, pleads Massoud.
More coverage from the Future Forum
Score
Third Test, Day 1
New Zealand 229-7 (90 ov)
Pakistan
New Zealand won the toss and elected to bat
EPL's youngest
- Ethan Nwaneri (Arsenal)
15 years, 181 days old
- Max Dowman (Arsenal)
15 years, 235 days old
- Jeremy Monga (Leicester)
15 years, 271 days old
- Harvey Elliott (Fulham)
16 years, 30 days old
- Matthew Briggs (Fulham)
16 years, 68 days old
Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
What can you do?
Document everything immediately; including dates, times, locations and witnesses
Seek professional advice from a legal expert
You can report an incident to HR or an immediate supervisor
You can use the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation’s dedicated hotline
In criminal cases, you can contact the police for additional support
The Uefa Awards winners
Uefa Men's Player of the Year: Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)
Uefa Women's Player of the Year: Lucy Bronze (Lyon)
Best players of the 2018/19 Uefa Champions League
Goalkeeper: Alisson (Liverpool)
Defender: Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)
Midfielder: Frenkie de Jong (Ajax)
Forward: Lionel Messi (Barcelona)
Uefa President's Award: Eric Cantona
The specs: 2018 Mercedes-Benz E 300 Cabriolet
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Power: 245hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 370Nm @ 1,300rpm
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 7.0L / 100km
Juliet, Naked
Dir: Jesse Peretz
Starring: Chris O'Dowd, Rose Byrne, Ethan Hawke
Two stars
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
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Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
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Price: From Dh590,000
Miguel Cotto world titles:
WBO Light Welterweight champion - 2004-06
WBA Welterweight champion – 2006-08
WBO Welterweight champion – Feb 2009-Nov 2009
WBA Light Middleweight champion – 2010-12
WBC Middleweight champion – 2014-15
WBO Light Middleweight champion – Aug 2017-Dec 2017
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Why are asylum seekers being housed in hotels?
The number of asylum applications in the UK has reached a new record high, driven by those illegally entering the country in small boats crossing the English Channel.
A total of 111,084 people applied for asylum in the UK in the year to June 2025, the highest number for any 12-month period since current records began in 2001.
Asylum seekers and their families can be housed in temporary accommodation while their claim is assessed.
The Home Office provides the accommodation, meaning asylum seekers cannot choose where they live.
When there is not enough housing, the Home Office can move people to hotels or large sites like former military bases.
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
