The World Cup 2022 in Qatar is the first world football event to be staged in the Middle East, which means the excitement - and scrutiny - will be greater than ever.
Hosting the tournament will put the focus on not only the culture and population of the region, but also on cutting edge technology and innovation that has been used to build stadiums that will allow matches to take place in a climate-controlled environment.
Air-conditioned vents throughout stadiums, minimal travel between venues and excellent connectivity to neighbouring countries such as the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and European destinations are just some of the salient features that will set this World Cup apart.
The World Cup will begin on November 20 with the final scheduled to take place on December 18. In all, eight venues in Qatar will host the tournament.
The 80,000-capacity Lusail Stadium is the crown jewel of the tournament, and will also host the final.
The other venues that will host matches are Stadium 974, Al Thumama Stadium, Al Bayt Stadium, Khalifa International Stadium, Ahmed bin Ali Stadium (Al Rayyan), Education City Stadium, and the Al Janoub Stadium (Al Wakrah).
As we build up towards a unique World Cup - which is right in the middle of European football's regular seasons - we look at each of the eight venues that will play host to teams and fans from all over the world.
Lusail Stadium
The stadium is the biggest in the country with a capacity of 80,000, which is why it has been earmarked to host the final.
According to the tournament website, the shape and facade of the venue is inspired by the motifs on bowls, vessels and other art pieces found across the Arab and Islamic world.
After the tournament concludes, the Lusail Stadium is set to turned into a community space including schools, shops, sporting facilities and health clinics. Also, most of the stadium's 80,000 seats are set be removed and donated to sporting projects.
World Cup 2022 fixtures at Lusail Stadium
Tuesday, November 22: Group C, Argentina v Saudi Arabia (2pm UAE time)
Thursday, November 24: Group G, Brazil v Serbia (11pm)
Saturday, November 26: Group C, Argentina v Mexico (11pm)
Monday, November 28: Group H, Portugal v Uruguay (11pm)
Wednesday, November 30: Group C, Saudi Arabia v Mexico (11pm)
Friday, December 2: Group G, Cameroon v Brazil (11pm)
Round of 16
Tuesday, December 6: Match 56, Group H winner v Group G runner-up (11pm)
Quarter-finals
Friday, December 9: Match 57, Match 49 winner v Match 50 winner (11pm)
Semi-finals
Tuesday, December 13: Match 61, Match 57 winner v Match 58 winner (11pm)
Final
Sunday, December 18: At Lusail Stadium (7pm)
Top investing tips for UAE residents in 2021
Build an emergency fund: Make sure you have enough cash to cover six months of expenses as a buffer against unexpected problems before you begin investing, advises Steve Cronin, the founder of DeadSimpleSaving.com.
Think long-term: When you invest, you need to have a long-term mindset, so don’t worry about momentary ups and downs in the stock market.
Invest worldwide: Diversify your investments globally, ideally by way of a global stock index fund.
Is your money tied up: Avoid anything where you cannot get your money back in full within a month at any time without any penalty.
Skip past the promises: “If an investment product is offering more than 10 per cent return per year, it is either extremely risky or a scam,” Mr Cronin says.
Choose plans with low fees: Make sure that any funds you buy do not charge more than 1 per cent in fees, Mr Cronin says. “If you invest by yourself, you can easily stay below this figure.” Managed funds and commissionable investments often come with higher fees.
Be sceptical about recommendations: If someone suggests an investment to you, ask if they stand to gain, advises Mr Cronin. “If they are receiving commission, they are unlikely to recommend an investment that’s best for you.”
Get financially independent: Mr Cronin advises UAE residents to pursue financial independence. Start with a Google search and improve your knowledge via expat investing websites or Facebook groups such as SimplyFI.
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Gertrude Bell's life in focus
A feature film
At one point, two feature films were in the works, but only German director Werner Herzog’s project starring Nicole Kidman would be made. While there were high hopes he would do a worthy job of directing the biopic, when Queen of the Desert arrived in 2015 it was a disappointment. Critics panned the film, in which Herzog largely glossed over Bell’s political work in favour of her ill-fated romances.
A documentary
A project that did do justice to Bell arrived the next year: Sabine Krayenbuhl and Zeva Oelbaum’s Letters from Baghdad: The Extraordinary Life and Times of Gertrude Bell. Drawing on more than 1,000 pieces of archival footage, 1,700 documents and 1,600 letters, the filmmakers painstakingly pieced together a compelling narrative that managed to convey both the depth of Bell’s experience and her tortured love life.
Books, letters and archives
Two biographies have been written about Bell, and both are worth reading: Georgina Howell’s 2006 book Queen of the Desert and Janet Wallach’s 1996 effort Desert Queen. Bell published several books documenting her travels and there are also several volumes of her letters, although they are hard to find in print. Original documents are housed at the Gertrude Bell Archive at the University of Newcastle, which has an online catalogue.
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