UK £2 www.thearabweekly.com Issue 168, Year 4 August 5, 2018 EU €2.50 Interview Iran’s woes Egypt’s Planning mounting with Minister Hala al-Saeed US sanctions Page 18 Pages 12,13 Mounting calls to strip Qatar of 2022 World Cup after ‘black operations’ revelations ► Former Football Association Chairman David Triesman said if Qatar was found guilty of breaking rules, FIFA should strip the country of its hosting duties. Mohammed Alkhereiji game for eight years following a se- ries of corruption scandals. The Sunday Times report stated London that the Qatari campaign involved recruiting influential figures “to -at IFA is facing renewed calls tack the bids in their own countries, to strip Qatar of its 2022 seeking to create the impression World Cup hosting duties that there was ‘zero support’ for the F following reports that Doha World Cup domestically.” Strong engaged in illegal practices to un- backing from residents is among FI- dermine rival bids. FA’s chief criteria in granting host- The Sunday Times in London ing duties. reported July 29 the Qatari gov- The report, based on documents ernment sponsored a clandestine leaked by a whistle-blower from the campaign to sabotage rival coun- Qatari bid team, said Doha relied on tries’ bids to host the football tour- a public relations firm and former nament. The article led to calls for US intelligence officials to spread Sordid tales. A mock-up of the World Cup is seen at a shop in Souk Waqif in Doha, on July 13. (Reuters) FIFA to investigate and move the “fake propaganda” in Australia and event, set for late 2022, from Qatar. the United States, two of the major Former Football Association bidders to host the 2022 World Cup. undertaken an extensive campaign corruption and vote-buying quickly construction costs related to Qa- Chairman David Triesman, who led The revelations indicate that Qa- to undermine the 2018/2022 can- followed. tar’s 2022 World Cup efforts total England’s failed 2018 World Cup tar could have been in violation of didacies of competitor countries, Preparations for the 2022 FIFA an estimated $200 billion. South bid, said if Qatar was found guilty FIFA guidelines, which stipulate particularly Australia and the US,” World Cup have damaged Qatar Africa spent $4 billion to host the of breaking rules, FIFA should strip that bidding countries must not an e-mail from the president of BLJ economically. The government has World Cup in 2010 and Brazil $15 the country of its hosting duties make “any written or oral state- Worldwide, a pubic relations firm, introduced cost-cutting measures billion in 2014. Russia’s costs for and relocate the event to England. ment of any kind, whether adverse read. to complete various construction the 2018 World Cup were said to be Former FIFA President Sepp Blat- or otherwise, about the bids or can- “Recruiting journalists, bloggers projects for the event. more than $14 billion. ter said Qatar’s illicit campaign was didatures of any other member as- and high-profile figures in each The Financial Times said most of even more extensive. sociation.” market to raise questions and pro- the cuts affected culture, education Mohammed Alkhereiji is the Gulf “Bad news: Qatar accused of Among the leaked messages sent mote negative aspects of their re- and health schemes led by Sheikha section editor of The Arab Weekly. denigration of other bidders! Fact is to Qatar’s deputy bid leader Ali al- spective bids in the media. Dozens Moza bint Nasser, the mother of Qa- Qatar won after a political interven- Thawadi was an indication that au- of articles have appeared in US, tari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad P3 tion by the former French President thorities in Doha “were aware of a Australian and international me- al-Thani. [Nicolas] Sarkozy to FIFA Vice-Pres- plot to spread ‘poison’ against its dia that have embarrassed or un- The 2014 oil price crash com- ident [Michel] Platini,” Blatter post- chief rivals — even cooking up a res- dermined these bids,” the e-mail pounded Doha’s woes, with the Qatar’s big budget ed on Twitter. He said details could olution for the US Congress on the stated. country’s construction fees that are be found in his upcoming book. ‘harmful’ effects of an American In December 2010, Qatar surpris- the highest among Gulf Coopera- lobbying in the US In 2015, Blatter and Platini were World Cup in the week of the vote.” ingly won the right to host the 2022 tion Council members. Page 2 let go by FIFA and banned from the “For the past 4 months we have World Cup. However, allegations of The consultancy Deloitte said Record heatwave points to looming climate crisis for Maghreb Lamine Ghanmi trend that is exacerbated by rising for more than 32 days this year. further frustrating a local population Tunisia’s junior agriculture min- concentrations of greenhouse gases, In Algeria, which is expected to that has long complained of govern- ister said Tunisia, where water has the World Meteorological Organisa- be hit hardest by climate change in ment neglect. long been scarce, suffered an av- Tunis tion said in a statement. North Africa, life has been funda- Protesters took to the streets in erage deficit of 100 million cubic Tunisian environment and climate mentally altered by high tempera- the south-western town of Bechar, metres per year over the past three outhern Algeria likely regis- expert Hamdi Hached said the long- tures, residents said. southern cities of Adrar, Tougg- years because of drought. tered Africa’s all-time highest est heatwaves — periods in which “Beginning at 8am no one can ourt, Beji Mokhtar, Tamanrasset Morocco, despite building numer- temperature, hitting 51.3 de- temperatures stayed about 35C — in leave the house,” Ali Hamdane, a and Ouargla, site of Algeria’s largest ous dams, has also experienced wa- S grees Celsius on July 5, dur- the Maghreb lasted 11-14 days in resident in Ouargla, told state televi- oil field, voicing discontent over the ter shortages. ing a weeks-long heatwave that has the 1950-1960s. However, in recent sion. “We cannot go to work.” disruption of water and power ser- turned North African cities into tin- years, temperatures have stayed Algeria’s record heat on July 5 vices, local media reported. derboxes. above 35C in some areas for more strained southern cities’ ageing Algerian Energy Minister Musta- Temperatures this year The record temperatures were than 28 days and they are expected power grids and water supply sys- pha Guitouni said the state’s power are expected to remain made worse by breakdowns in water to remain above that temperature tems as residents tried to stay cool, utility Sonelgaz worked nonstop to above 35 degrees for supplies and rolling power outages, repair equipment damaged by ex- more than 32 days in which prompted residents through- treme heat. parts of the Maghreb. out the region to demand govern- In Tunisia, severe heat pointed out ment action. water supply problems that limited The increase in water consump- In Tozeur, a Tunisian oasis town drinking water for both humans and tion caused by industrial and agri- on the edge of the Sahara, tempera- livestock. Villagers from el-Ksasba in cultural development led Moroc- tures reached 49 degrees on July the coastal region of Mahdia blocked can King Mohammed VI to urge the 5 and in Morocco’s south-eastern traffic on a highway linking Tunis government to prioritise the water town of Assa-Zag 48-degree temper- to Sfax to protest water supply cuts issue. atures were recorded. that led to cattle dying from thirst. “My keenness to improve social The stifling heat and its effect The water scarcity, experts said, conditions and tackle economic on water and power services were drove home Tunisia’s urgent need to challenges is second only to my de- a startling forecast of the climate upgrade its water supply system. termination to preserve and develop changes expected to rattle the The World Resources Institute our country’s strategic resources, Maghreb in the coming decades, ex- ranked Tunisia 33rd of countries particularly water. Indeed, the latter perts said. most at risk of a water crisis. It could plays a fundamental role in develop- While individual cases of extreme go dry by 2040 if authorities fail to ment and stability,” King Moham- temperatures cannot necessarily be make progress on delayed water pro- med VI said. attributed to climate change, the jects, including constructing dams extended length of North Africa’s Precious commodity. People cool off at a water fountain on a hot and improving urban and agricultur- Lamine Ghanmi is an Arab Weekly heatwave suggests a general climate day in Tunis. (Reuters) al planning, the institute said. correspondent in Tunis. 2 August 5, 2018 News & Analysis Gulf Guns for hire. A file photo shows former US Attorney General John Ashcroft (C) attending a ceremony in Washington. Qatar has hired Ashcroft’s law firm for $2.5 million to audit its efforts at stopping terrorism funding. (AP) Accusations, lawsuits challenge Qatar’s multimillion-dollar lobbying, ‘damage control’ PR Thomas Frank to subvert our democracy by silenc- said services “may include com- ing its critics and chilling their free munications with members of Con- speech.” Qatar’s campaign aims to gress and congressional staff, ex- Washington send “a clear warning to future po- ecutive branch officials, the media tential critics about the dangers to and other individuals.” multimillion-dollar lob- those who dare to cross the tiny, Qatar also contracted the ser- bying campaign by the but extraordinarily wealthy, na- vices of Information Management Qatari government drew tion,” the lawsuit said.