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3 days ago
The UAE opened their 2026 Fifa World Cup third round qualifying campaign with a stunning come-from-behind 3-1 win over Qatar in Doha on Thursday. Despite trailing 1-0 at half-time, the UAE scored three late goals in the second half to stun the two-time Asian champions. UAE will look to build on this win in Group A when they face Iran at Al Ain on Tuesday, with Qatar looking to bounce back in their against DPR Korea. The top two teams in the group will earn direct berths at the 2026 Fifa World Cup, while the third and fourth-placed teams will advance to a fourth round of Asian qualifiers. The UAE haven’t qualified for the World Cup since their maiden appearance at the global showpiece in 1990. On Thursday, the match got off to a scrappy start with both sides taking time to settle down at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium. The first piece of attacking play came from Qatar in the 15th minute that needed a Khalifa Al Hammadi late interception to deny Akram Afif a tap-in. Afif then served teammate Jassem Gaber a sumptuous cross from the left, only for the latter to power his header over the bar from […]
2 weeks ago
Malaysia is seeking a free trade agreement with GCC countries as it looks to boost economic relations with the bloc. Malaysia’s Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry Tengku Zarful Abdul Aziz said on Friday that his country is holding talks on a free trade agreement (FTA) with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). A bilateral free trade agreement with the UAE is being finalised, he told the Malaysian news agency (BERNAMA), expecting that the signing would be by the end of this year. Malaysia trade with GCC Abdul Aziz noted that his country aims to hammer out a FTA with the six GCC member states as one bloc to strengthen trade relations with this region. He added that Saudi Arabia, the largest economy in the region, is currently undergoing negotiations for a free trade agreement between Malaysia and the GCC countries. Malaysia currently has seven bilateral free trade agreements and nine multilateral free trade agreements with several countries, he said. The free trade agreement with the GCC countries will be the first of its kind for Malaysia with an Arab country, this reflects the rapid growth of trade relations with the Arabian Gulf States, he added.
2 weeks ago
Qatar Airways has signed a new interline partnership with Maldivian, the national carrier of the Maldives, providing passengers the option to book both Qatar Airways and Maldivian flights on qatarairways.com. Travellers planning their holidays at one of the Maldives’ beautiful islands can now incorporate both their Qatar Airways and Maldivian flights in one booking. Once Qatar Airways passengers arrive to Velana International Airport, they will be guided to the domestic terminal for their Maldivian flight. Qatar Airways announces Maldives partnership Chief Commercial Officer, Thierry Antinori, said: “We continue to expand our services to provide our passengers with innovative and inviting travel experiences. “With our latest Maldivian interline partnership, we look forward to seeing our passengers enjoy a smooth start to their holidays, as well as benefit from the plethora of new travel benefits. “We are proud to offer the option of a seamless process, allowing passengers to book one ticket that includes both their Qatar Airways flight to Male, and the connecting Maldivian flight to their beachside getaway.” Maldivian Chief Commercial Officer, Ismail Amrah Umar, said: “We are thrilled to announce our interline partnership with Qatar airways, through which our customers will experience smooth connectivity with international baggage allowance while traveling […]
2 weeks ago
Qatar is poised to double the size of its economy by 2031, as it restores government revenues to pre-2014 oil price shock levels, according to a new report by Standard Chartered. The recovery is attributed to Doha’s strategic positioning in the global energy market and its ongoing efforts toward economic diversification. Qatar, currently the world’s sixth-largest gas producer and holder of the third-largest gas reserves, has effectively leveraged rising hydrocarbon prices and a surge in global energy demand, particularly in liquefied natural gas (LNG). The expansion of LNG capacity, with a planned 85 per cent increase in output at the North Field by 2025, is expected to nearly double the country’s natural gas production by 2030 from the current 77 million tonnes per annum (mtpa). Standard Chartered’s Global Focus Economic Outlook Q2-2024highlights a “calm before the upsized gas boom”, forecasting that Qatar’s gas production could sustain its economy for the next 140 years at current rates. Although recovering from the 2014 price shock, the global oil market remains volatile due to geopolitical risks and shifts in global demand. However, robust demand, particularly during the summer, has driven Brent crude prices towards an anticipated $100 per barrel by the end of 2024. […]
3 weeks ago
The Sri Lankan government announced visa-free access to citizens from 35 countries, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and India to the island nation for six months. The Sri Lankan Cabinet decision on this will be effective from October 1, the Daily Mirror reported, quoting Adviser to the Ministry of Tourism, Harin Fernando. The policy is for six months, Fernando said. The other countries on the list include the UK, China, the US, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Australia, Denmark, Poland, Kazakhstan, Nepal, Indonesia, Russia, Thailand, Malaysia, Japan, France, Canada, the Czech Republic, Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Israel, Belarus, Iran, Sweden, South Korea, Qatar, Oman and New Zealand also figure in the list, PTI reported. Earlier, controversy surrounded increased fees for on-arrival visas in Sri Lanka, which were being handled by a foreign company. Visitors from India, China, Russia, Japan, Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia received tourist visas free of charge to the country.
3 weeks ago
Continuing Doha Film Institute’s remarkable track record of showcasing Arab talent to an international audience at the world’s leading film festivals, a captivating slate of 12 films from the region supported by the Institute have been selected for the 81st Venice International Film Festival, taking place from August 28 to September 7, 2024. With the mission to transform the way people see the world through film, the 2024 edition of the high-profile festival will feature some of the most celebrated names in world cinema, offering diverse perspectives in storytelling. The selected films will screen in key programming sections of the festival, including Orrizonti and Orrizonti Shorts, along with the sidebar events of Critics Week, Giornate degli Autori, Final Cut and the Venice Gap-Financing Market. The selection includes films from Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine, Tunisia, and Yemen, highlighting the diversity of the Doha Film Institute’s support for independent voices in cinema. Fatma Hassan Alremaihi, Chief Executive Officer of the Doha Film Institute, said: “We are proud to continue a successful festival season with a strong showcase of films by Arab talent at Venice. These films offer fresh perspectives on life that reflect human hopes, aspirations and challenges, presenting important voices […]
3 weeks ago
Beginning this autumn, Qatar Airways will increase the flight frequencies on four of its busiest routes. Due to increased traveler demand for the winter season, the carrier is boosting services to Miami, London, Tokyo, and The Maldives. A oneworld connection Three of the destinations announced today are significant thanks to their status as hubs for carriers in the oneworld alliance. From its hub at Doha Hamad International Airport (DOH), Qatar Airways is adding an eighth daily flight to London Heathrow (LHR). One of the most notoriously slot-constrained airports, the space came from a recent deal with Romanian Flag carrier TAROM, which gave up its daily rotation to Bucharest from the British capital. The new flights to Heathrow begin on October 27th and supplement two daily services operated by Qatar’s joint business partner, British Airways. Thus, there will be a total of 10 daily flights between London Heathrow Airport and Doha. Qatar Airways is scheduled to use its Boeing 777-300ER on this route, with the departure times as follows: Across the UK in November, the carrier has up to two daily flights from Doha to London Gatwick (LGW), a daily connection to Birmingham (MHX), double-daily flights to Edinburgh (EDI), and triple-daily flights to Manchester (MAN). Qatar Airways Chief Commercial […]
3 weeks ago
beIN Sports has announced coverage plans for the English Football League until 2028. beIN MEDIA GROUP has renewed its exclusive rights to broadcast more than 300 matches from the English Football League (EFL) for a further four years in 27 countries across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), France, Australia, and New Zealand. The multi-year media rights extension kicked off alongside the 2024-25 season this past weekend and will run until the end of 2027-28. English Football League on beIN Sports Each year beIN SPORTS will have the exclusive rights to broadcast: beIN has been the exclusive rights holder of the EFL for more than 14 years. Mohammad Al Subaie, CEO of beIN MENA, said: “In addition to being the oldest football league in the world, the EFL is also one of the most competitive football ecosystems globally. beIN is proud to see its relationship with the EFL extended until the end of the 2027-28 season, by which time we will have been together for more than 18 years. “We look forward to four more years of drama and tension, talent and determination, and delighted to continue to provide our subscribers access to the finest moments and greatest matches from every […]
3 weeks ago
The Washington Post (WaPo) reported on Saturday that Qatar was secretly mediating a partial Russian-Ukrainian ceasefire before Kiev’s sneak attack against Kursk, which would have seen both sides agree not to target each other’s energy infrastructure. The Kremlin hadn’t commented by the time of that article’s publication nor this present one so it’s unclear how truthful it is. In any case, it’s worthwhile taking a look at what WaPo’s sources said, which might help discern whether or not this is believable. The first tidbit is that “Some involved in the negotiations hoped they could lead to a more comprehensive agreement to end the war, according to the officials”. This was followed by the claim that “Russia ‘didn’t call off the talks (after Kursk), they said give us time,’ the diplomat said.” The Ukrainian “presidential office” then alleged that talks in Doha were indeed scheduled but were postponed until 22 August “due to the situation in the Middle East” and will now “take place in a video conference format”. WaPo went on to cite “senior officials in Kyiv” who “had mixed expectations about whether the negotiations could succeed, with some putting the odds at 20 percent and others anticipating even worse prospects” even before Kursk. They still explored the reportedly Qatari-mediated partial […]
3 weeks ago
Qatar Airways is adding caviar to menus on flights to destinations around the world. The 11-time Skytrax World’s Best Business Class award winner is enhancing in-flight meals with the introduction of caviar service on its menu offering. The offering will be available to passengers in Business Class to 13 routes around the world, starting immediately. Qatar Airways adds caviar to menus The luxurious service will be offered to passengers flying to: The airline’s award-winning Business Class service features extensive food and beverage options, as well as on-demand dining where passengers can dine at their preferred meal time. The new caviar service can be enjoyed as a standalone option or part of the onboard meal courses. Qatar Airways Senior Vice President Product Development and Design, Xia Cai, said: “As the world’s only 11-time winner of the Skytrax ‘World’s Best Business Class’ award, Qatar Airways takes pride in providing the best premium business class travel experience. “The introduction of caviar service, commonly available only in first class cabins, further elevates Qatar Airways’ award-winning business class experience. “We are committed to continuously enhance our onboard services to elevate the industry’s standards and delight our passengers.”
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