Qatar is set to begin drills involving thousands of police and personnel from 13 countries who will jointly handle security at the Fifa World Cup 2022.
The host nation, which faces a shortage of personnel, will draft in gendarmes from France and riot police from Turkey, among others.
This weekend, exercises lasting five days will begin.
Qatar is expected to welcome 1.2 million fans, in a country with a population of less than 3 million.
So far, the following countries have confirmed their participation in the security effort for the November 20 to December 18 tournament: Germany, Finland, France, Jordan, Kuwait, Pakistan, Palestine, Poland, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Turkey, the US and the UK.
Who is sending what?
Last week, Qatar's Ministry of Defence announced the Gulf country and the US signed an agreement on countering the threat of unmanned aircraft systems.
In a joint statement, the Qatari ministry and the US Department if Homeland Security agreed to share “lessons learnt and best practices … to help secure [the] World Cup”.
The UK's Ministry of Defence said the RAF and the Royal Navy would help with maritime security support, advanced search training, operational planning and command and control support, and further specialist advice.
The RAF will support counterterrorism efforts through air security operations alongside the Qatar Emiri Air Force.
France said it was sending 191 gendarmes along with de-miners and sniffer dogs to help maintain security.
Nato said also it would provide security support to Qatar, including “training against threats posed by chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear materials”.
In December, Turkey announced plans to send 3,000 members of its riot police to Qatar. Turkish legislators have agreed to deploy 250 troops and a small warship for six months under Operation World Cup Shield.
It will also be sending chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear defence experts.
Last month, Pakistan's cabinet approved a draft agreement for the government to offer troops for the tournament.
The Pakistan contingent, comprising army officers, junior commissioned officers and jawans, have already left for Qatar.
Qatar and Italy also signed a deal last month on defence cooperation in preparation for the World Cup.
In July, The National reported that ex-Jordanian soldiers were being offered roles at the tournament.
Spain backed out last week, saying it would not send a planned 115 riot police officers to Qatar, with no reason given.
Extra help on the way
Morocco has also backed sending police reinforcements to Qatar, with local media reporting that several thousand officers could be deployed.
Last month, Reuters reported that Qatar has called up hundreds of civilians, including diplomats summoned back from overseas, to operate security checkpoints at World Cup stadiums, according to a source and documents seen by the news agency.
The conscripts are reportedly training to manage stadium security queues.
CCTV from all eight stadiums will be monitored at a command centre.
Last week, Qatar revealed the security force uniforms. Traffic officers will wear yellow, explosive experts have black trousers and green shirts and field stewards teal jackets. Other uniforms are mostly black, tailored for men and women.
The bio
Favourite book: Peter Rabbit. I used to read it to my three children and still read it myself. If I am feeling down it brings back good memories.
Best thing about your job: Getting to help people. My mum always told me never to pass up an opportunity to do a good deed.
Best part of life in the UAE: The weather. The constant sunshine is amazing and there is always something to do, you have so many options when it comes to how to spend your day.
Favourite holiday destination: Malaysia. I went there for my honeymoon and ended up volunteering to teach local children for a few hours each day. It is such a special place and I plan to retire there one day.
Maestro
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Company profile
Name: Back to Games and Boardgame Space
Started: Back to Games (2015); Boardgame Space (Mark Azzam became co-founder in 2017)
Founder: Back to Games (Mr Azzam); Boardgame Space (Mr Azzam and Feras Al Bastaki)
Based: Dubai and Abu Dhabi
Industry: Back to Games (retail); Boardgame Space (wholesale and distribution)
Funding: Back to Games: self-funded by Mr Azzam with Dh1.3 million; Mr Azzam invested Dh250,000 in Boardgame Space
Growth: Back to Games: from 300 products in 2015 to 7,000 in 2019; Boardgame Space: from 34 games in 2017 to 3,500 in 2019
The%20specs
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MATCH INFO
Manchester United v Brighton, Sunday, 6pm UAE
RESULTS
Cagliari 5-2 Fiorentina
Udinese 0-0 SPAL
Sampdoria 0-0 Atalanta
Lazio 4-2 Lecce
Parma 2-0 Roma
Juventus 1-0 AC Milan
THE SPECS
Range Rover Sport Autobiography Dynamic
Engine: 5.0-litre supercharged V8
Transmission: six-speed manual
Power: 518bhp
Torque: 625Nm
Speed: 0-100kmh 5.3 seconds
Price: Dh633,435
On sale: now
ARSENAL IN 1977
Feb 05 Arsenal 0-0 Sunderland
Feb 12 Manchester City 1-0 Arsenal
Feb 15 Middlesbrough 3-0 Arsenal
Feb 19 Arsenal 2-3 West Ham
Feb 26 Middlesbrough 4-1 Arsenal (FA Cup)
Mar 01 Everton 2-1 Arsenal
Mar 05 Arsenal 1-4 ipswich
March 08 Arsenal 1-2 West Brom
Mar 12 QPR 2-1 Arsenal
Mar 23 Stoke 1-1 Arsenal
Apr 02 Arsenal 3-0 Leicester
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Recipe: Spirulina Coconut Brothie
Ingredients
1 tbsp Spirulina powder
1 banana
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk (full fat preferable)
1 tbsp fresh turmeric or turmeric powder
½ cup fresh spinach leaves
½ cup vegan broth
2 crushed ice cubes (optional)
Method
Blend all the ingredients together on high in a high-speed blender until smooth and creamy.
Smart words at Make Smart Cool
Make Smart Cool is not your usual festival. Dubbed “edutainment” by organisers Najahi Events, Make Smart Cool aims to inspire its youthful target audience through a mix of interactive presentation by social media influencers and a concert finale featuring Example with DJ Wire. Here are some of the speakers sharing their inspiration and experiences on the night.
Prince Ea
With his social media videos accumulating more half a billion views, the American motivational speaker is hot on the college circuit in the US, with talks that focus on the many ways to generate passion and motivation when it comes to learning.
Khalid Al Ameri
The Emirati columnist and presenter is much loved by local youth, with writings and presentations about education, entrepreneurship and family balance. His lectures on career and personal development are sought after by the education and business sector.
Ben Ouattara
Born to an Ivorian father and German mother, the Dubai-based fitness instructor and motivational speaker is all about conquering fears and insecurities. His talk focuses on the need to gain emotional and physical fitness when facing life’s challenges. As well managing his film production company, Ouattara is one of the official ambassadors of Dubai Expo2020.
BABYLON
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THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Power: 110 horsepower
Torque: 147Nm
Price: From Dh59,700
On sale: now
Company%20profile
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Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
- Look beyond school fees
- Keep an open mind
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
MATCH INFO
West Ham United 2 (Antonio 73', Ogbonna 90 5')
Tottenham Hotspur 3 (Son 36', Moura 42', Kane 49')
Company%20Profile
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The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
Brief scores:
Southampton 2
Armstrong 13', Soares 20'
Manchester United 2
Lukaku 33', Herrera 39'
Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.