Qatar

LUSAIL, November 22. /TASS/: The national team of Saudi Arabia defeated Argentina 2-1 in the first round group stage match at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

The Group C match between Argentina and Saudi Arabia was held on Tuesday at the Lusail Iconic Stadium in the presence of over 88,000 football fans.

DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Seventy years ago, Saad Ismail Al Jassim used to free dive 40 feet (13 meters) deep into the waters of the Persian Gulf, holding his breath to comb the seabed for oysters in the hope of finding a cluster of pearls.

Today, an 1,100-foot (335-meter) yacht that serves as a floating hotel for thousands of soccer fans is docked by the shore where divers on wooden boats once left to hunt for pearls — emblematic of the stunning transformation World Cup host nation Qatar has experienced over the past century.

DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Iran was reeling Tuesday from the humiliation of starting the World Cup with a lopsided 6-2 loss against England in a match overshadowed by protests on and off the field.

Hard-line Iranian media sought to blame the defeat on the unrest that has gripped the Islamic Republic since the Sept. 16 death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in the custody of the country’s morality police. Iranian newspapers turned to the familiar tactic of accusing foreign enemies, including the United States, Britain and Israel, of stirring up protests to throw the national team off its game.

DOHA, Qatar (AP) — America’s top diplomat on Tuesday criticized a decision by FIFA to threaten players at the World Cup with yellow cards if they wear armbands supporting inclusion and diversity.

Speaking alongside his Qatari counterpart at a news conference, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said it was “always concerning ... when we see any restrictions on freedom of expression.”

21 Nov 2022; MEMO: QatarEnergy has signed a 27-year deal to supply China's Sinopec with liquefied natural gas (LNG), the longest such LNG agreement, so far, as volatile markets drive buyers to seek long-term deals, Reuters reports.

Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February, competition for LNG has become intense, with Europe, in particular, needing vast amounts to help replace Russian pipeline gas that used to make up almost 40 per cent of the continent's imports.

22 Nov 2022; MEMO: Nearly three million World Cup tickets have been sold for this years championship in Qatar, the International Federation of Football Associations (FIFA) announced yesterday.

"2.95mn tickets had been sold up to Sunday's opening day," a FIFA spokesperson told Agence France-Presse (AFP), adding that Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United States, Mexico, Britain, the United Arab Emirates, Argentina, France, India and Brazil were the "top buying markets."

DOHA, Qatar (AP) — The fan zone set up in central Doha turned into a chaotic scene on Sunday on the opening day of the World Cup as tens of thousands of fans pushed and shoved against police lines to enter the venue.

Fans were trying to enter the enclosed area that contains a big-screen television for viewing matches, places to buy beer, and little else.

Riot police armed with batons and shields stood guard at the entrance. Some fans pleaded with officers to let them through the line.

DOHA, Qatar (AP) — FIFA’s threat of on-field punishment for players forced World Cup teams to back down Monday and abandon an anti-discrimination campaign aimed at host nation Qatar.

AL KHOR, Qatar (AP) — Qatar prepared Sunday to open the Middle East’s first FIFA World Cup before global leaders and soccer fans now pouring into this energy-rich nation after being battered by a regional boycott and international criticism.

Regardless of the outcome of Qatar versus Ecuador on the pitch, Doha already has drawn Saudi Arabia’s powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to the opening ceremony and inaugural match of the tournament.

19 Nov 2022; MEMO: President of the Republic of Liberia George Weah arrived on Friday in Doha to attend the FIFA World Cup 2022 tournament, set to start on Sunday, at the invitation of Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim Al-Thani, Qatar News Agency reported.

Weah and the accompanying delegation were welcomed upon arrival at Hamad International Airport by Minister of Sports and Youth Salah Bin Ghanim Al-Ali and Charges D'affaires of the Embassy of the Republic of Liberia to the State Ali Sylla.