Tourism Qatar to suspend visit visas during World Cup 2022 By Pramod Kumar September 22, 2022, 4:56 AM QNA The Interior Ministry said entry is allowed only for Hayya cardholders, enabling them to stay in the country until January 23, 2023 Qatar will suspend entry of all visitors from November 1, 2022, allowing only Hayya cardholders during the World Cup, the state-owned Qatar News agency reported, citing a Ministry of Interior official. Visit visas will resume from December 23, 2022, said the ministry’s director of public relations Abdullah Khalifa Al Muftah. The FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 is set to kick off on November 20. The ministry said entry is allowed only for Hayya cardholders, enabling them to stay in the country until January 23, 2023. Those overstaying will be subject to legal procedures. The categories exempted from the suspension of entry to Qatar between November 1 and December 23, 2022, include Qatari citizens, residents and GCC citizens holding a Qatari ID card, holders of personal recruitment visas and work entry permits, and humanitarian cases through the airport.
Economy Bahrain debt hits $48bn but analyst downplays spending fears Bahrain’s public debt has risen to almost BHD18 billion ($48 billion), according to its ministry of finance, but a banking expert has downplayed concerns over its spending. Bahrain, the smallest country in the GCC bloc of six with a population of almost 1.5 million people, has dwindling reserves of oil and gas. It is partially […] 45 mins ago
Construction Eagle Hills signs contract for Budapest redevelopment Abu Dhabi-based developer Eagle Hills has signed a real estate purchase agreement with Hungary to start work on transforming a rundown area of Budapest. The project, spanning an area of 100 hectares, will have a development cost of more than €12 billion ($12.3 billion), the developer said in a statement. The project is supported by the […] 58 mins ago
Finance Kuwait ministries free to increase public service charges Kuwait issued a decree on Sunday that will allow ministries to set charges for public services for the first time in 30 years. The decree, which abolishes a 1995 law, gives ministries authority to decide on fees and costs for public services, which will then be approved by the cabinet. The government aims to better […] 1 hour ago
Economy Lebanon and Sudan swell Arab countries’ public debt Public debt in Arab countries swelled by nearly $142 billion at the end of 2023, mainly because of a sharp rise in obligations by Lebanon and war-battered Sudan. Total debt increased despite a fall in Egypt’s public, mostly domestic, dues as a result of a large depreciation in the pound against the US dollar. The […] 2 hours ago
