Archive: qatar

24th June 2011
By: Brian Whitaker
Ammar Abd Rabbo" src="/sites/default/files/moza_0.jpg" style="height:235px; width:388px" /> Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, wife of the emir of Qatar, is famous for her good works. In the eyes of many, she's the model of a modern, enlightened Arab woman. Sheikha Moza is the driving force behind Qatar'… Read more
17th April 2011
By: Brian Whitaker
Interesting comments about the emir of Qatar from President Obama. The remarks were picked up by a microphone which Obama thought was switched off. Describing Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani as a "pretty influential guy", the president said: "He is a big booster, big promoter of democracy all throughout… Read more
6th March 2011
By: Brian Whitaker
A human rights activist who was arrested in Qatar last week is being held incommunicado and is "at risk of torture or other ill-treatment," according to Amnesty International. Sultan Khalifa al-Khulaifi was taken away after a two-hour search of his home and car by plainclothes officers who said… Read more
4th December 2010
By: Brian Whitaker
Following FIFA's rejection of England to host the 2018 World Cup, there has been an extraordinary outpouring of hostility in the UK directed against Qatar, which was chosen to host the 2022 World Cup. I tried to set the record straight in an article for Comment Is Free, though clearly many people… Read more
29th October 2010
By: Brian Whitaker
Qatar has out-performed both Britain and the United States in this year's Corruption Perceptions Index published by Transparency International. The tiny Gulf state is ranked 19th worldwide – one place ahead of the UK and four places ahead of the US. Elsewhere among the Arab counrties the picture is… Read more
19th November 2009
By: Brian Whitaker
Qatar's reputation as the least corrupt of the Arab states is further enhanced in the latest Corruption Perceptions Index issued by Transparency International. It has moved up to 22nd place out among the 180 countries included in the annual survey – which puts it ahead of France and only… Read more