TheNewsGuru

Tag: Qatar

  • World Cup Closing Ceremony: Davido set to perform months after son’s death

    World Cup Closing Ceremony: Davido set to perform months after son’s death

    Afrobeat superstar, David Adeleke, aka Davido, is set to return to the stage to grace the closing ceremony at The 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

    The singer was first seen a couple of weeks ago when he came out in support of his uncle, Ademola Adeleke, during his inauguration ceremony.

    The internet is going wild with joy as Afrobeats singer, Davido is set to perform at the ongoing 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

    However, Hong Kong businessman, Stephen Hung, has confirmed the news of his performance and shared in excitement via his official Instagram page

    He claimed that the singer had confirmed that he will be closing the ceremony at the World Cup.

    Expressing excitement, Stephen Hung stated that he can’t wait to see him.

    “So happy my bro @Davido confirmed he will be performing at the World cup Qatar closing ceremony. Can’t wait to see him there”.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) recalls that Davido’s highly publicized festival, A.W.A.Y. (Are We African Yet?) was postponed until November 2023, following the death of his son, Ifeanyi.

    The announcement was contained in a Wednesday (November 9) press release issued by the BET Award-winning musician’s management. “It is necessary for Davido to spend time with his family and loved ones at this time,” the management said.

    On Monday, October 31, Davido’s three-year-old son, Ifeanyi Adeleke, passed away, having drowned, according to multiple local reports. Following his death, local police detained eight domestic workers for questioning in connection with the incident, which is said to have occurred in the swimming pool at the home of the Afrobeats star and his fiancée, chef and influencer Chioma Rowland. It was just last month, during a trip to London, that the couple officially announced their plans to marry next year.

    The A.W.A.Y. (Are We African Yet?) music festival, which was originally scheduled for November 18 at Atlanta’s State Farm Arena, has been pushed back to November 2023. The one-day event is being promoted as an annual celebration of African music and culture in the diaspora, attracting major artists from Africa and the United States while encouraging collaboration among creatives.

    All purchased tickets, according to management, are still valid and “will be honored for the 2023 date.”

    Meanwhile, Davido has removed all event flyers from his social media pages, implying that all scheduled shows, including his much-anticipated FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 performance, have been canceled or postponed.

  • Qatar 2022: Australia to catch next flight home after losing 2-1 to Argentina

    Qatar 2022: Australia to catch next flight home after losing 2-1 to Argentina

    Having overcome a faltering start in their first World Cup campaign against Saudi Arabia, an Argentina squad fuelled by a hard-fought victory over Australia in their second round fixture secured a spot in the quarter-final  by bettering the Australian side 2-1  on Saturday.

    Australia frustrated Argentina for 35 minutes, sitting deep and compact, allowing no space in behind – Alejandro Gomez’s wild shot that flew way over was the only sniff they had.

    Messi then scores his first ever World Cup knockout  goal and the 1000th   career game with a moment of magic to break the deadlock against Australia.

    Nicolas Otamendi’s poor touch landed at the feet of the PSG star, and he curled the ball into the far corner with his first shot of the contest to put his side 1-0 up.

    Messi has now surpassed Diego Maradona’s World Cup goal with his sublime effort against the Aussies.

    Julian Avarez made it 2-0 in the 57th minute of the encounter

    Australia pulled one back in the 77th minute but it wasn’t enough to see them through

  • Qatar 2022: Fr.Mhanna shares experience of unusual Christian practice in oil rich country

    Qatar 2022: Fr.Mhanna shares experience of unusual Christian practice in oil rich country

    When Father Charbel Mhanna was posted to the Arab nation of Qatar nine years ago, he didn’t know much of what was in the offing for him.

    The Lebanese cleric had packed his bag and baggage to continue the mission of the Roman Catholic in far away Qatar. All the cleric wanted was to win souls and continue propagating the gospel of the Lord anywhere he finds himself.

    Qatar is predominantly a Muslim country but they still give room for non-Muslims to do practice their religion in the country as long as it conforms with the laid down rules , regulations and restrictions of the country.

    Christianity is being practiced as a unit that operates under the  Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the country..

    In an interview in Arabic with ACI Mena, CNA’s news partner in the Middle East, Fr. Mhanna shares his experience as a Christian cleric living in Qatar.

    Father Mhanna  ministers to Maronite Catholics living in Qatar as well as Italian and French-speaking communities at the Church of Our Lady of the Rosary in Doha.

    The Christian community in Qatar is about 300,000 thousand persons comprising mainly of foreigners living or working in the oil-rich country. They are mostly Italians, Spanish, Greeks, Philipinnos etc and they have to practice their own religion.

    According to Fr. Mhanna, churches are considered embassies” that deal with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the country, explained that there are no bells or crosses on church buildings in Qatar.

    Religious processions are only allowed to take place within the walls of the Qatar Religious Complex, a complex opened in 2008 that holds six different churches: Roman Catholic, Anglican, Syrian Orthodox, Greek Orthodox, Coptic Orthodox, and an interdenominational group for Indian expatriate Christian communities.

    “Copies of the Bible can [only] be distributed inside the church complex campus,” Mhanna said.

    “We give eucharistic Communion to patients in hospitals without any problem and we can pray in cemeteries, as there are tombs for non-Muslims,” he said.

    “We also have every liberty to preach. No one ever interfered with my sermons. We recite our spiritual words without restrictions,” he added.

    Fr. Mhanna noted that conduct of marriage is a peculiar  case, noting that the priest is only allowed to celebrate a wedding between two Christians. He said: “If a Christian wants to marry a Muslim, they cannot get married in our church. We usually invite them to marry in another country.”

    According to the vicariate, employment and camp rules can make participation in Catholic liturgies impossible for some of these

    The Catholic community also struggles with restrictions on the number of priests allowed in the country and the limited capacity of its church inside the religious complex.

    Mhanna is currently overseeing the construction of a new Catholic church in Qatar — a Maronite Catholic church that will have a capacity of 1,500 people.

    “Qatar provided land on which we can build today a church in the name of St. Charbel,” he said.

    Cardinal Bechara Boutros Rai, the Maronite Catholic patriarch, laid the foundation stone for the church in 2018 at the invitation of Qatar’s Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.

    “The church is in the process of being finished,” Mhanna said.

    However, Fr.Mhanna was given the opportunity to enter the Stadium during the opening ceremony as a cleric robed in White, he attended with other Christian clerics operating from the religious complex in Qatar but they must maintain their Ministry of foreign affairs status.

    Femi Fabunmi with additional info from CNA

     

  • Qatar 2022: World Cup pitch invader says he is free

    Qatar 2022: World Cup pitch invader says he is free

    The activist who ran onto the pitch at the World Cup in Qatar on Monday carrying a rainbow flag says he is not in custody.

    “No legal consequences, I am free,” Italian Mario Ferri wrote on his Instagram page on Tuesday, thanking everyone for their support.

    He entered the pitch during the match between Portugal and Uruguay and was taken away by stewards.

    The messages “Save Ukraine” and “Respect for Iranian Woman” were written on his T-shirt.

    The rainbow flag appeared to have the word “peace” written on it in Italian which is a common sight in Italy.

    However, rainbow colours have caused controversy at the World Cup because they are a symbol of the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) community and same-sex relationships are illegal in Qatar.

    World football’s governing body FIFA prevented seven European captains from wearing a multi-coloured armband at the tournament because it might offend the hosts.

  • Qatar 2022: Senegal, Netherlands book second round qualification ticket

    Qatar 2022: Senegal, Netherlands book second round qualification ticket

    Netherlands and Senegal have booked their passage into the second round of the FIFA 2022 World Cup after beating Qatar and Ecuador respectively.

    Netherlands had four points prior to the game and only needed a point to book its passage into the second round of the competition.

    The Orange boys defeated Qatar 2-0 to cement their place at the top of the group A table.

    Cody Gakpo fired home Netherlands first goal in the 26th minute before Frenkie de jong made it two in the 49th minute to secure all three points for the Dutch.

    Meanwhile, West African Side Senegal defeated Ecuador by 2-1 with goals from Ismaila Sarr  from the penalty spot and a wonderful volley from  Koulibaly.

    The Teranga Lions led at halftime but Ecuador rallied back into the game with an equalizer from Moses Caicedo in the 67th minute.

    Senegal was on the brink of being eliminated before Gueye stepped up to the free-kick he won and swung a wonderful delivery into the box. It bounced off Torres’ shoulder and straight to Koulibaly who then fired a volley  past Galindez to put scores at 2-1  for Senegal.

    Senegal and Netherlands become the first teams to book their place in the second round of the competition and now await their opponent as the Mundial progresses.

  • NFF celebrates Kunle Solaja as FIFA awards him most capped World Cup Journalist

    NFF celebrates Kunle Solaja as FIFA awards him most capped World Cup Journalist

    The Nigeria Football Federation has congratulated the foremost journalist, prolific author, and respected diarist, Mr. Kunle Solaja on the occasion of his being honored by the world football -governing body, FIFA in Doha, Qatar on Tuesday.

    Alongside 81 other journalists of repute who have attended and reported at nearly a score of the quadrennial global football fiesta and other glamour tournaments, Solaja, a former Sports Editor of Concord Newspapers and the Guardian Newspapers, was awarded a certificate of achievement and a replica of the World Cup trophy, presented by Brazilian legend Ronaldo.

    Solaja,  was one of only two Africans on the list, the other being South African Mark Gleeson.

    “Today, we are proud to congratulate and celebrate one of our own, Mr. Kunle Solaja, for the honour bestowed on him by FIFA. To attend 10 FIFA World Cup finals is not a joke. Mr. Solaja is a man competent, diligent and passionate about his trade, and we join FIFA to celebrate him as an illustrious servant of the beautiful game,” NFF General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, said in Abuja.

    The certificate of achievement was jointly signed by FIFA President Gianni Infantino and President of AIPS (the global umbrella body for sports writers), Gianni Merlo.

    Star of the simple but memorable ceremony was 88-year-old Enrique Macaya Márquez, an Argentine freelancer who is covering his 17th FIFA World Cup in Qatar, and whose tally is one more than Uruguayan Diego Lucero, who before his death in 1995, had covered every FIFA World Cup tournament between 1930 and 1994.

    Solaja’s illustrious odyssey began in 1986 in Mexico, and he has since attended the World Cup finals in Italy in 1990, USA in 1994, France in 1998, Korea/Japan in 2002, Germany in 2006, South Africa in 2010, Brazil in 2014 and Russia in 2018, before the ongoing finals in Qatar.

    Apart from his demanding vocation and commitment to writing history in a hurry, which is the lot of the journalist, Solaja has now written four remarkable books on Nigeria football, namely Super Eagles…Through The Ages, Going For Goals…Unfolding Nigerian Football’s Hidden Stories, Super Eagles @70…Soaring on The Wings and TESILIMI ‘THUNDER’ BALOGUN…The Making Of A Legend.

  • Patoranking reunifies with mother in Qatar after five years

    Patoranking reunifies with mother in Qatar after five years

    Popular Nigerian artist, Patrick Okorie, aka Patoranking, has left several of his fans emotional after he reunited with his mother in Qatar after five years.

    The reggae-dancehall singer, who was among the top music stars billed to perform at the World Cup, was welcomed by citizens of the country as well as his mother whom he claimed he has not seen for five years.

    On his Instagram account, the singer captioned the video: “Landed Qatar to warm reception and a big Surprise, Haven’t seen my mom in 5 years, she came to surprise me at the airport. They got me on this one see my face at the end…”

    Patoranking, is one of the most prominent Nigerian artists. He is known for his reggae-dancehall style of music.

    The singer came to the limelight in 2010 after collaborating with Timaya on his song “Alubarika”.

    In February 2014, he signed a record deal with Foston Musik and released “Girlie O”, a single that gave him more recognition.

    Patoranking started his music career doing underground collaborations, with artists such as XProject, Konga, Slam and Reggie Rockstone.

    He signed a record deal with K-Solo’s Igberaga Records in 2010, releasing “Up in D Club” under the outfit. Patoranking became a protégé of Dem Mama Records after collaborating with Timaya on his song “Alubarika”.

    In February 2014, he signed a record deal with Foston Musik and released “Girlie O”, a single that put him in the limelight. On 9 February 2015, Patoranking announced on Instagram that he signed a distribution deal with VP Records.

    On September 28, 2015, Patoranking released a song titled Abule which he released ahead of his album scheduled to be released later in 2020. He once said in 2020 that he once got inspiration from a song on a football pitch while playing football.

    Patoranking was born and raised in Ijegun-Egba Satellite Town but has family roots in Onicha, Ebonyi State.

  • World Cup: Ronaldo takes Portugal teammates to own restaurant in Qatar

    World Cup: Ronaldo takes Portugal teammates to own restaurant in Qatar

    Cristiano Ronaldo has taken the Portugal squad out for dinner at his own restaurant in Doha, Qatar.

    The  37-year-old is available on a free transfer after United ripped up his contract before Portugal’s first World Cup group match against Ghana.

    To keep spirits high at the World Cup, according to El Espanol, Ronaldo took his team-mates out for dinner at the recently opened Tatel de Doha restaurant on Al Maha Island.

    Ronaldo, as well as tennis legend Rafael Nadal, are among partners at Mabel Hospitality, who own the restaurant.

    He is said to have picked up the bill and the Portugal team were all smiles as they posed for a group photo.

  • Qatar 2022: Senegal defeats Qatar 3-1 to revive qualification hopes

    Qatar 2022: Senegal defeats Qatar 3-1 to revive qualification hopes

    Senegal recorded Africa’s first win at the Mundial after beating the host nation Qatar by 3-1 in the second group A encounter.

    After playing goalless for the most part of the first half, succour came the way of the Teranga Lions  in the 41st minute. Khouckhi miskicked a clearance inside the area, slipped and Dia pounced on a loose ball to tap in Senegal first goal of the game.

    Meanwhile both teams charged at eachother to get a goal but luck again smile on the West African side.

    In the 51st minute, Diedhiou advances to the near post, escapes his marker and angles a fine header into the opposite top corner for Senegal’s second goal of the encounter.

    In the 77th, a lovely ball found  Mohamad on the right and his accurate cross was headed down and firmly to the right of Senegal’s goalie, Mendy and into the right corner for Qatar’s first World Cup goal ever.

    There was a smart  interplay on the right leading to a good low cross from Iliman Ndiaye to Dieng inside the box, who turned and drove low and firmly under the keeper for the West African’s third goal inside 88th minute.

    After 90 minutes plus additional time, Senegal secures its first win that will boost its chances of qualification to the round of 16 at the mundial.

    The result meant Senegal climb to the top of the table pending the outcome of the game between Netherlands and Ecuador.

  • Qatar 2022: Resilient Black Stars of Ghana loses 3-2 to Portugal in five- goal thriller

    Qatar 2022: Resilient Black Stars of Ghana loses 3-2 to Portugal in five- goal thriller

    The last African representative, Ghana gave a good account of themselves but lost to an upstanding Portuguese side by 3-2.

     Cristiano Ronaldo had the ball in the net and spurned two early chances in a goalless first half as Portugal dominated Ghana but were unable to make a breakthrough in their World Cup Group H match at the Stadium 974 on Thursday.

    The 37-year-old Portugal captain might have had two goals inside the opening 15 minutes but missed both opportunities.

    He found the net from close range in the 31st minute but only after the referee had blown his whistle for an infringement against him.

    C.Ronaldo later on in the match scored from the Penalty spot to give Portugal the lead against Ghana. He becomes the first player to score in five different World Cups.

    kudus set up Andre Ayew  who scored in the 73rd minute to equalize for Ghana to become the first African to score a goal at Qatar 2022.

    Portugal again scored to restore the lead in the 78th minute with a stunning counter-attack that led to Joa Felix scoring the second for the Selecao.

    In the 81st minute, Rafael Leao scores within three minutes after his introduction to make it three for the Europeans.

    Although too late, Ghana’s Osman Bukari scores the second  goal for the West Africans to reduce the tally but Ghana goes back to their hotel in Qatar with no point.

    The result meant no African team has secured a point in their opening group  matches at the mundial.