Qatar

18 October 2022; MEMO: Ticket sales for the soccer World Cup are approaching the three million mark ahead of the tournament kicking off in Qatar on 20 November, FIFA President, Gianni Infantino, and event organisers said on Monday, Reuters reports.

The top 10 purchasing countries of the 2.89 million tickets sold are Qatar, the United States, Saudi Arabia, England, Mexico, the United Arab Emirates, Argentina, France, Brazil and Germany, FIFA's World Cup Chief Operating Officer, Colin Smith, told a news conference in Doha.

DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Nearly 2.9 million tickets have been sold for the World Cup in Qatar, FIFA and organizers said Monday, leaving about 7% of seats still available.

People living in the United States, Saudi Arabia and England topped the list of international ticket buyers, while Mexico was the biggest market outside Qatar for corporate hospitality sales.

More tickets will become available before the tournament starts on Nov. 20, FIFA’s tournament director Colin Smith said at a news conference in Doha held with Qatari organizers.

14 October 2022; MEMO: Airbus and Qatar Airways clashed, once again, in court on Friday, as a dispute over damage to A350 jetliners descended into a tug-of-war over confidential documents, while the sums at stake in their unprecedented falling-out topped $1.5 billion, Reuters reports.

Qatar Airways is suing Airbus over damage to the painted surface and anti-lightning system on A350 jets, saying safety could be at risk from a design defect.

14 October 2022; MEMO: Qatar is interested in joining French firm, TotalEnergies, and Italy's Eni in exploring for oil in two areas in Lebanese waters, the Lebanese Energy Minister said on Friday, Anadolu News Agency reports.

Qatar wants to join the consortium to explore for oil in blocks 4 and 9 in the Eastern Mediterranean, Walid Fayad said after a meeting with Prime Minister, Najib Mikati.

11 October 2022; MEMO: Flight bookings to Qatar are booming for the soccer World Cup being held in November and December, with particularly strong demand from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), as fans work round a shortage of accommodation in Doha, a study showed on Tuesday, Reuters reports.

Flight bookings to Qatar from the UAE and nine other countries have risen ten-fold compared with before the pandemic, travel analysis group, ForwardKeys, said.

10 October 2022; MEMO: The Qatar Emiri Air Force yesterday received the No 12 Squadron Typhoon which will help support air security at the FIFA World Cup next month, the Qatar News Agency (QNA) reported.

The state-run agency added that the No 12 Squadron was established on 24 July 2018 with the aim of enhancing cooperation between the Emiri Air Force and the British Royal Air Force.

9 October 2022; MEMO: Qatar's population has surged by 13.2% over the last year, official data showed, as the tiny Gulf Arab state recruits thousands of overseas workers ahead of hosting the soccer World Cup next month to cope with an unprecedented influx of fans, Reuters reports.

The wealthy gas producer's population stood at 2.94 million after some 370,000 additional people moved to Qatar over the last year, based on data collected in September and released by Qatar's statistics authority last week.