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Woman's identity confirmed after tragic death on Qatar Airways flight

<p>Sharon Gordon has been identified as the woman who died on board a Qatar Airways flight from Doha to Sydney over the weekend. </p> <p>The 60-year-old was a customer service station attendant at Wynyard Station, and was on a solo flight home after visiting her daughter in London.</p> <p>Halfway into the 14-hour flight, Gordon had reportedly started gasping and was found unresponsive. </p> <p>Another passenger, her husband and baby were seated a row in front of Gordon, when they heard her making a "weird noise". </p> <p>The female passenger was woken by the noise and had to look around in the dark to figure out what was going on. </p> <p>“She looked like she was sleeping, but she was making this really loud noise,” she told <em>7News</em>.</p> <p>She claimed that a stewardess checked on Gordon, before two more joined her and brought oxygen. </p> <p>“But then they just left,” the female passenger added. </p> <p>The couple claimed that they were told by staff that “everything was all right," but “you could see she wasn’t breathing." </p> <p>Around 20 minutes later, four different stewards arrived and lifted Gordon off her seat before giving her CPR and starting a defibrillator. </p> <p>“I turned around and looked at the lady and she was very pale and her lips were white,” the female passenger added. </p> <p>“At that point, my husband and I thought that she was dead.”</p> <p>She described Gordon as "limp" and asked “why didn’t they do that a half hour earlier?”</p> <p>An hour after Gordon's first gasps, they made an announcement asking if there were any doctor's or nurses on board. </p> <p>Now, Gordon's family are desperate for answers, with <em>7News </em>reporting that her family have requested help from the federal government after the airline said they did everything they could. </p> <p>“I love her and will miss her so much,” Gordon's partner Rob Bray told the publication. </p> <p>“Mother to Cameron and Ashley. She will be so sorely missed by us all.</p> <p>“Her workmates at Wynyard Station are devastated.”</p> <p>A Qatar Airways spokesperson previously told the publication: “Regrettably, the lady could not be revived.”</p> <p>“Our thoughts are with the family at this difficult time.”</p> <p><em>Image: 7News/ Getty</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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Two journalists die in Qatar while covering FIFA World Cup

<p>Two journalists have died within days of each other while covering the FIFA World Cup in Qatar. </p> <p><em>The Gulf Times</em> reported Qatari photojournalist Khalid al-Misslam passed away “suddenly” on the weekend.</p> <p>The Qatar news outlet wrote, “Al-Misslam, a Qatari, died suddenly while covering the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. We believe in Allah’s mercy and forgiveness for him, and send our deepest condolences to his family.”</p> <p>Al-Misslam had been covering the World Cup since it began in Doha at the end of November. </p> <p>The circumstances around his death are unclear.</p> <p>Al-Misslam's death comes just days after influential American soccer journalist Grant Wahl died at the age of 48 while also covering the games in Qatar.</p> <p>While covering Argentina’s quarter-final win over the Netherlands, Wahl collapsed at the Lusail Iconic Stadium and was rushed to a nearby hospital before his death.</p> <p>It’s unclear whether he died at the hospital or in transport.</p> <p>While there is yet to be a clear cause of death determined, Grant's brother Eric believes foul play from the Qatari government may have been involved.</p> <p>Prior to the American team’s game against Wales, Wahl was initially not allowed into Ahmad bin Ali Stadium and detained for 30 minutes for wearing a shirt depicting a soccer ball surrounded by a rainbow.</p> <p>He was eventually let into the stadium, despite the Qatari government's crackdown on pro-LGBTQ demonstrations at the tournament.</p> <p>Wahl had been struggling with minor health issues while covering the games and had been to a medical centre in Qatar twice.</p> <p>Grant's brother Eric said he is in "complete shock" over the sudden death of his brother and is pleading for answers. </p> <p>“My name is Eric Wahl. I live in Seattle, Washington. I am Grant Wahl’s brother. I’m gay,” he said in a video posted to his Instagram account.</p> <p>“I’m the reason he wore the rainbow shirt to the World Cup. My brother was healthy. He told me he received death threats. I do not believe my brother just died. I believe he was killed. And I just beg for any help."</p> <p><em>Image credits: Twitter</em></p>

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The Qatar World Cup is beaming misogyny around the world

<p>One of the fundamental questions relating to the 2022 World Cup being hosted by Qatar is what message this gives to women and girls around the world. Fifa <a href="https://www.fifa.com/social-impact/human-rights#:%7E:text=%E2%80%9CFIFA%20is%20committed%20to%20respecting%20all%20internationally%20recognised,UN%20Guiding%20Principles%20on%20Business%20and%20Human%20Rights" target="_blank" rel="noopener">purports to uphold human rights</a>. Its decision, in 2010, to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2010/dec/02/qatar-win-2022-world-cup-bid" target="_blank" rel="noopener">award</a> the hosting duties for the 2022 tournament to Qatar was not, however, without controversy.</p> <p>In the 12 years since, these issues have only intensified. The <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-world-cup-puts-the-spotlight-on-qatar-but-also-brings-attention-to-its-human-rights-record-and-politics-4-things-to-know-194970" target="_blank" rel="noopener">treatment of migrant workers</a> throughout the run-up to the event has garnered continued attention, as has the way <a href="https://theconversation.com/world-cup-2022-fifas-clampdown-on-rainbow-armbands-conflicts-with-its-own-guidance-on-human-rights-194485" target="_blank" rel="noopener">LGBTQ+ rights</a> <a href="https://eu.usatoday.com/story/sports/2015/05/27/fifa-bribery-corruption-qatar-world-cup-worst-ever/28014953/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">and women’s rights</a> are contravened by local law.</p> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/stopping-violence-against-women-starts-with-learning-what-misogyny-really-is-175411" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Misogyny</a>, a sexist contempt and hatred of women, aims to keep women in a lower position than men within a patriarchal society. With discrimination against women enshrined in Qatari law – which, among other things does not criminalise domestic violence or sexual assault – misogyny is being beamed through televisions internationally, via the means of the 2022 men’s football World Cup.</p> <h2>Women in Qatar</h2> <p><a href="https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2019/country-chapters/qatar" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Qatari law</a> undergirds a profoundly patriarchal system. Sex outside of marriage is banned and Qatari women can only marry with the permission of a male guardian.</p> <p>This controversial system of male guardianship also shapes women’s ability to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2021/mar/29/were-treated-as-children-qatari-women-tell-rights-group" target="_blank" rel="noopener">study, drive and travel</a>. Men have the unquestioned right to divorce, yet the grounds on which a woman can apply for divorce is limited. Wives are expected to obey husbands and their priority is seen to be home making.</p> <p>Women <a href="https://www.hrw.org/report/2021/03/29/everything-i-have-do-tied-man/women-and-qatars-male-guardianship-rules" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cannot pass</a> nationality on to their children, as men can, nor can they be their children’s primary carer in case of divorce or the death of their husband. Female beneficiaries only get half of any inheritance their brothers receive.</p> <p>Women are asked to provide proof of marriage to receive sexual health and antenatal care. And they have to abide by a strict <a href="https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/09649429610109271/full/html?casa_token=naTUyIdS9wgAAAAA:wqUgZBFDLUqiTioqcQJYMkymKOKVfNcmEUzYWCkZr_kVmJEm-pJsYcd5179NhHKCSX4sDIu6Aklz1m6_l92YYnXaAmRdQE9zn_wOW1ldYnuJu4KF_o0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dress code</a>.</p> <p>Crucially, domestic violence and rape is not criminalised. While family law forbids moral or physical assault by husbands against wives, reporting domestic abuse or sexual violence is frowned upon as it is seen to bring <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Gender-Violence-Praeger-Security-International/dp/0313359954/ref=sr_1_1?adgrpid=1174279316512322&amp;hvadid=73392656152523&amp;hvbmt=be&amp;hvdev=c&amp;hvlocphy=4900&amp;hvnetw=o&amp;hvqmt=e&amp;hvtargid=kwd-73392591771253%3Aloc-188&amp;hydadcr=10841_1825545&amp;keywords=gender+and+violence+in+the+middle+east&amp;qid=1669211683&amp;sr=8-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shame upon the family</a>.</p> <p>Both the lack of prosecution for domestic violence and the victim blaming that surrounds sexual assault point towards possible risks for any women attending the World Cup. Research <a href="https://rss.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1740-9713.2012.00606.x" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shows</a> that women face a heightened risk of <a href="https://theathletic.com/3583817/2022/09/22/world-cup-sexual-violence/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sexual assault</a> at any major sports tournament. It also shows, in the UK, the increase in domestic violence <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0022427813494843" target="_blank" rel="noopener">around World Cup matches</a> and other <a href="https://www.policeprofessional.com/news/lessons-learned-from-the-domestic-violence-enforcement-campaigns-2006/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">big sporting tournaments</a>.</p> <h2>Women at the World Cup</h2> <p>Reports <a href="https://metro.co.uk/2022/11/18/fifa-theres-not-a-woman-i-know-that-is-going-to-the-world-cup-in-qatar-17769410/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">have highlighted</a> that this heightened risk has already resulted in many women not wanting to travel to Qatar for the World Cup. This, in itself, is discriminatory.</p> <p>Those who do head for Doha <a href="https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/qatar/local-laws-and-customs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">are advised</a> to follow a strict dress code. Fifa’s <a href="https://news.abplive.com/news/fifa-world-cup-wearing-shorts-revealing-clothes-in-qatar-may-land-you-in-jail-1563943" target="_blank" rel="noopener">position</a> on this is unclear. It states that people attending matches can wear what they want but also that they <a href="https://theislamicinformation.com/news/qatar-jail-women-wearing-inappropriate-clothing/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">must respect local laws</a>. When in public, women in Qatar are expected to <a href="https://core.ac.uk/reader/17244280" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cover up</a>. They must forgo tight clothing and not show their cleavage, knees or shoulders, and contravening these rules can result in prison or fines.</p> <p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/qatar/local-laws-and-customs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Official advice</a> for travellers published by the UK government also covers strict laws against relationships outside of marriage. There are multiple cases of visitors being punished for being seen to be in contravention of these laws. In June 2021, a <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/world-cup-worker-threatened-100-lashes-after-sexual-assault-qatar-1680871" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mexican world cup official</a> reported that she was sexually assaulted. As a result of this, she was accused of extramarital sex, which is against Qatari laws, rather than being seen as a victim of sexual violence. This saw her threatened with imprisonment and 100 lashes.</p> <p>And in 2020, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/oct/21/australian-women-sue-qatar-airways-over-forced-examinations-at-doha-airport" target="_blank" rel="noopener">13 Australian</a> women were forcibly removed, at gunpoint, from grounded Qatar Airways planes in Doha. They were then forced to undergo internal examinations, without their consent, as officials sought to find the mother of a newborn baby who had been found in the airport.</p> <p>This subordination of women is in direct conflict with <a href="https://www.amnesty.org/en/location/middle-east-and-north-africa/qatar/report-qatar/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">human rights laws</a>. The <a href="https://www.unfpa.org/resources/human-rights-women" target="_blank" rel="noopener">United Nations</a> and the <a href="https://www.echr.coe.int/documents/convention_eng.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">European Convention on Human Rights </a> categorically state that any compromise of women’s rights contravenes international human rights laws.</p> <p>Significant progress has been made in terms of women’s rights worldwide in the <a href="https://www.who.int/news/item/08-03-2020-women-s-health-and-rights-25-years-of-progress" target="_blank" rel="noopener">last 25 years</a>, not least in the sphere of football itself. <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-football-needs-a-gender-revolution-182394" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Women’s football</a> has gathered enormous traction of late, particularly with the success of the England women’s team winning the European cup.</p> <p>By holding the men’s World Cup in Qatar, and thereby not sanctioning the lack of progress the country has made in terms of women’s rights, the impression given is that these rights are discretionary. Preventing discrimination and violence against women and girls, however, is never optional. This is not a cultural issue. It is a serious breach of human rights.</p> <p><strong>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-qatar-world-cup-is-beaming-misogyny-around-the-world-195242" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.</strong></p> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

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"Racism at its finest": Karl slammed for comments about Qatari women

<p>Karl Stefanovic has come under fire for "mocking" the lack of women present at World Cup events in Qatar. </p> <p>After <em>The Today Show</em> posted a clip of a segment about the games in Doha on TikTok, a Lebanese-Australian business owner slammed the hosts for their display of "racism at its finest".</p> <p>Rami Ykmour, co-founder of popular restaurant chain Rashays, shared a clip of himself watching the video, in which the <em>Today</em> hosts are discussing the "strange" atmosphere in Doha was with <em>9News</em> sports reporter Clint Stanaway.</p> <p>“I’ve been to World Cups before and it’s just a different atmosphere, I guess,” Stanaway said. </p> <p>In response, Stefanovic sarcastically said, “It’s good to see a lot of women to see it enjoying it over there too, Clinty.”</p> <p>“There weren’t too many in the stands,” replied Stanaway. </p> <p>Laughing, co-host Ally Langdon said, “Haven’t spotted one there yet.”</p> <p>Replaying the video, Mr Ykmour disagreed with the comments and called on Stefanovic to apologise. </p> <p>“I’ve watched the soccer and there’s plenty of women. Not to mention the racism,” he said.</p> <p>“Any chance to punch anyone of Middle Eastern background, they will, and they’ve got to understand there’s a lot of us out here and that’s not the way we think, that’s not the way we behave. </p> <p>“That is just pure, pure racism.”</p> <p>The comments under Mr Ykmour's video agree with his sentiment, with many saying they had attended games where many female fans were present in the crowd. </p> <p>“Literally sat next to a Qatari woman cheering with her son, and directly behind three Qatari women, not to mention the whole stadium,” wrote one comment.</p> <p>“I was at a game yesterday and there were plenty of women around me!!,” shared another.</p> <p>While photos taken of the crowd at World Cup games have shown female fans in the minority, this may be due to Qatar's rules around male guardianship of women, which have been criticised by the Human Rights Watch (HRW) in the past. </p> <p>In a 2021 report released by the HRW, the non-governmental organisation called attention to rules which state Qatari women must obtain permission from male guardians to “marry, study abroad on government scholarships, work in many government jobs, travel abroad until certain ages, and receive some forms of reproductive health care”.</p> <p>Senior women’s rights researcher at Human Rights Watch, Rothna Begum said that the laws, regulations and policies restricted the ability of women to live “full, productive, and independent lives”.</p> <p><em>Image credits: The Today Show</em></p> <div class="media image" style="caret-color: #000000; color: #000000; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; box-sizing: inherit; display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; width: 705.202209px; margin-bottom: 24px;"> </div>

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UK comedian shreds thousands in protest of David Beckham’s Qatar deal

<p dir="ltr">English comedian Joe Lycett has called out footballer David Beckham for his multi-million-dollar deal with Qatar by shredding £10,000 - but Lycett’s protest has come with a twist.</p> <p dir="ltr">After Beckham came under fire for accepting the cash from Qatar - where homosexuality is illegal and you can be jailed or put to death as punishment - to promote the World Cup, Lycett took to social media to call on the former English captain to put his money where his mouth is.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-b0f7f24c-7fff-e87b-cd94-977224136cd7"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">Lycett shared a video where he said he would donate £10,000 ($AU 17,700 or $NZ 19,386) if Beckham withdrew from his deal with Qatar before the World Cup started on November 19.</p> <p dir="ltr">If Beckham didn’t, Lycett said he would shred it.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/ClGfxiQIvDb/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/ClGfxiQIvDb/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Joe Lycett (@joelycett)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">"This is a message to David Beckham... I consider you to be a gay icon," Lycett said.</p> <p dir="ltr">"You were the first premiership footballer to do shoots with gay magazines like Attitude, to speak openly about your gay fans, and you married a Spice Girl, which is the gayest thing a human being can do.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Qatar was voted as one of the worst places in the world to be gay. You've always talked about the power of football to be a force for good... so with that in mind, I'm giving you a choice.</p> <p dir="ltr">"If you end your relationship with Qatar, I'll donate this 10 grand of my own money to charities that support queer people in football. However, if you do not... I will throw this money into a shredder.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Not just the money, but also your status as a gay icon will be shredded."</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-735f7414-7fff-0c3f-b123-4b37c34f34e3"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">After his video went viral, Lycett shared a message he sent to Beckham’s PR team on social media.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/ClBdqBgoPAM/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/ClBdqBgoPAM/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Joe Lycett (@joelycett)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">“I’ve managed to get myself into a bit of a pickle - I’ve been a bit daft and publicly announced that I’m going to shred £10K on Sunday if David doesn’t end his relationship with Qatar, or donate the cash to LGBTQ+ charities if he does, yet we’re now four days out and I haven’t heard a peep from him,” he wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Could you do me a solid and let me know if there’s a chance he might budge on his position, or am I to expect radio silence on this? I really don’t want to shred ten grand!!! I also really don’t want a national treasure that has historically supported the LGBTQ+ community to publicly endorse and advertise a nation state that has an appalling human rights record and has the death penalty for gays - call me old fashioned!!!!!!”</p> <p dir="ltr">With Beckham not responding or backing out of the deal with Qatar, Lycett shared a clip on Sunday of himself putting wads into a woodchipper, dressed in a rainbow coat.</p> <p dir="ltr">But that isn’t the end of the story.</p> <p dir="ltr">The comedian shared another video on Monday, where he revealed that the stunt wasn’t what it appeared to be.</p> <p dir="ltr">“This is my final message to David Beckham,” he began the clip.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It’s me! That prick who shredded loads of money in a cost-of-living crisis.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I told you I was going to destroy £10,000 if you didn’t end your relationship with Qatar before the first day of the World Cup. And then when you didn’t end your relationship or even respond in any way, I streamed myself dropping 10K into a shredder.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Or did I?</p> <p dir="ltr">“I haven’t quite told you the whole truth. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Because the truth is, the money that went into the shredder was real, but the money that came out was fake.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Lycett added that he wouldn’t be “so irresponsible” to destroy “real money”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“In fact, the ten grand had already been donated to LGBTQ+ charities before I even pressed send on the initial tweet last week,” he continued.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I never expected to hear from you. It was an empty threat designed to get people talking.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-0189d111-7fff-2b5e-96d4-872ebc0b31b0"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">“In many ways, it was like your deal with Qatar, David. Total bulls**t from the start.”</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/tv/ClOMLKuIY0r/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/tv/ClOMLKuIY0r/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Joe Lycett (@joelycett)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Lycett ended the clip by shredding another item: the 2002 cover of <em>Attitude </em>magazine that featured Beckham, which was the first gay magazine to feature a Premier League footballer on it.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I asked <em>Attitude </em>if I could shred it and they were more than happy to oblige,” Lycett said, before running the cover through a paper shredder.</p> <p dir="ltr">His final video, captioned with a single rainbow flag, received a flood of praise from fellow celebrities and fans.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Oh you. It’s like you thought it all through or somethin …” Dawn French commented.</p> <p dir="ltr">“You are flipping amazing ❤️❤️❤️🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈,” singer Sophie Ellis Bexter added.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-d1dc9455-7fff-40cd-4ae9-c47bf33ab5ef"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

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Why Rod Stewart turned down a $1 million gig

<p>Rod Stewart has shared why he turned down a $1 million deal to perform in Qatar. </p> <p>The 77-year-old rockstar said that he was offered the seven-figure deal over a year ago, but refused because of the Gulf state's human rights record.</p> <p>When discussing the controversy surrounding the World Cup host nation, where homosexuality is illegal, the singer told the <a href="https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/dfab9724-5f6f-11ed-8611-a128c33d7159?shareToken=f282a0832e5a291ac08bf40e06ba678c" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sunday Times</a> he thought it would be wrong to play a set there. </p> <p>"I was actually offered a lot of money, over $1m, to play there 15 months ago," he said. </p> <p>"I turned it down. It's not right to go. And the Iranians should be out too for supplying arms," he said in reference to drones supplied by the country to Russia, which was barred from the tournament.</p> <p>He added that he thinks fans attending matches in Qatar, where being gay can lead to imprisonment and even the death sentence for Muslims, "have got to watch out".</p> <p>Stewart has been considered an ally of the LGBTQ+ community, previously saying he was "surrounded by gay men in the 70s".</p> <p>One of the singer's hit songs, The Killing of Georgie, is about the murder of a gay friend and made waves when it came out in 1976, when very few mainstream songs discussed the experiences of gay men. </p> <p>He said it would have been "good" to sing the song as a protest during the opening ceremony of the football tournament. </p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

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Calls for World Cup boycott after "awful" homophobic slur

<p>A Qatari World Cup ambassador has come under fire for an "awful" homophobic comment, causing several countries to call for a boycott of the event. </p> <p>In an interview on German TV, former footballer and ambassador Khalid Salman called homosexuality a “damage in the mind”, sparking criticism in Europe just 12 days before the tournament kicks off.</p> <p>Salman said Qatar will accept gay visitors but “they have to accept our rules”, before saying homosexuality was “haram” - forbidden in Islam - during the interview, which was abruptly broken off after his comments.</p> <p>In the lead up to the World Cup, Qatar has come under fire for their human rights record, including its treatment of foreign workers and its stance on women’s and LGBTQ rights.</p> <p>German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser on Tuesday called Salman’s comments “awful”.</p> <p>“That is also the reason why we are working to hopefully improve things in Qatar in the future,” said Faeser, who is also Germany’s minister for sport.</p> <p>Faeser said last week on a visit to Qatar that she will attend the World Cup after being given a “guarantee of safety” for LGBTQ fans by Qatar’s prime minister.</p> <p>The comments have prompted several sporting captains from European countries, including England, France and Germany, to call for a boycott of the event.</p> <p>To show their support for their LGBTQ fans, they will wear armbands in rainbow colours with the message “One Love” during the tournament in an anti-discrimination campaign.</p> <p>“No matter your race, your religion, your social and sexual orientation, you are most welcome, and Qataris are ready to receive you with the best hospitality that you can imagine,” FIFA secretary-general Fatma Samoura said last week.</p> <p>But Wenzel Michalski, the head of Human Rights Watch in Germany, warned there was “a big risk” that open displays of homosexuality in Qatar “will be punished – no matter what assurances there are”.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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Former princess of Qatar found dead

<p dir="ltr">A former princess of Qatar who accused her ex-husband of sexually assaulting one of her cihldren has been found dead. </p> <p dir="ltr">Kasia Gallanio was involved in an ugly custody battle for her three kids with billionaire and former Qatari oil and finance minister Abdelaziz bin Khalifa Al Thani, 73.</p> <p dir="ltr">The 45-year-old was found dead in her bed on Sunday from a suspected overdose after her youngest daughter, who lives in Paris, was unable to get ahold of her mother. </p> <p dir="ltr">There were no forms of physical violence. </p> <p dir="ltr">The couple have been in a bitter legal battle fighting for 15 years for custody over their three children - 17-year-old twins and another 15-year-old daughter.</p> <p dir="ltr">The twins initially lived with their father before moving to Marbella to be with their mother who claimed Al Thani actually “cut them off as punishment”. </p> <p dir="ltr">Their youngest daughter still lives with her father in an apartment in Paris after Al Thani was exiled from Qatar due to a coup led by his half-brother Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani in 1995.</p> <p dir="ltr">It was reported that a Paris court had dismissed the Gallianio’s case on May 19 after she had spent multiple months in hospital due to nervous breakdowns.</p> <p dir="ltr">Gallianio was accused by Al Thani of being an alcoholic with mental health issues, while she  accused him of abusing one of their daughters.</p> <p dir="ltr">The Paris Public Prosecutor's Office has opened an investigation into the accusations of aggravated sexual assault which Al Thani vehemently denies. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

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Mother of dumped Qatar airport baby found

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> <p>The parents of a baby girl who was left in a rubbish bin in an airport in Qatar have since been identified.</p> <p>Officials confirmed that the mother is from an Asian country after DNA testing on the child.</p> <p>She is also believed to have left the country before the discovery of her baby in the bin.</p> <p>Prosecutors in Qatar has also slammed the airport police officers who ordered forced vaginal examinations of female passengers after finding the baby, saying that they face possible three-year prison sentences.</p> <p>The incident sparked worldwide anger.</p> <p>"Extensive investigations revealed that some employees of the Airport Security Department acted unilaterally by summoning female medical staff to conduct external examination to some female passengers, thinking that what they had done was within the law," a statement from prosecutors said.</p> <p>The abandoned baby's mother also faces up to 15 years in prison if apprehended, as prosecutors say that DNA helped them identify her and the baby's father.</p> <p>In Qatar, sex and childbirth outside marriage are criminalised, with others having abandoned their babies anonymously to avoid imprisonment.</p> <p>Other migrant workers in the past have also hidden pregnancies and tried to travel abroad to give birth.</p> </div> </div> </div>

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Strip search horror: Doctor onboard Qatar flight speaks out

<p>A fellow passenger on-board the Qatar Airways flight that saw 13 Australian women subjected to “invasive” physical examination has given a “horrifying” account of exactly how the situation unfolded.</p> <p>Travelling to Sydney, Dr Wolfgang Babeck was on board Qatar Airways flight 908 on October 2 and had to endure lengthy delays after a premature baby was found alive in an airport bathroom.</p> <p>As the search for the baby’s mother commenced, 13 women were forced to disembark from the flight and undergo invasive gynaecological exams without any explanation.</p> <p>Appearing on The Project, Dr Babeck recounted the incident saying the plane had sat for three hours on the tarmac at Doha’s Hamad International Airport before passengers were told the airport had been closed.</p> <p>“About three hours in, the women were asked to disembark the plane and, in fact, I thought, ‘the vulnerable people are being taken off the plane and there is probably a security incident or something’.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">The federal government is today demanding answers from Qatari authorities after as many as 13 Australian women were reportedly forced to endure a terrifying strip-search ordeal in Doha. <a href="https://t.co/BVd2Y2ToYS">pic.twitter.com/BVd2Y2ToYS</a></p> — The Project (@theprojecttv) <a href="https://twitter.com/theprojecttv/status/1320631171668201475?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 26, 2020</a></blockquote> <p>“And sure enough, shortly thereafter, some security guards came on board to basically search whether another person would be hiding on the plane,” Dr Babeck told host Carrie Bickmore.</p> <p>He continued to say that none of the passengers had been told about the baby, and the women were not given any indication as to why they were being asked to get off the plane.</p> <p>“From what I understand, which is very frightening, many, if not all of them were not told prior to their inspection what the reason for it was, so it only came out at the end when they reboarded … it must have been a terrifying ordeal, not even knowing what the purpose of this is,” he said.</p> <p>Bickmore, who described the incident as “deeply shocking,” and “unfathomable,” asked what the women’s demeanour was like when they returned to the aircraft.</p> <p>“Shell-shocked. Certainly the beginning. They were in disbelief, you know? You would have imagined this would have happened 100 years ago, but not now … One lady cried, others were certainly upset, but I think becoming angry in a mood to protest or to take action? That occurred much later,” he said.</p> <p>Dr Babeck went through the hotel quarantine process alongside the women from his flight after disembarking, and has kept in contact with them via a WhatsApp group.</p> <p>He said he was “utterly impressed” by how they’ve been coping.</p> <p>“I have utmost admiration for them, because they have very strong personalities among them, different character, but I think united by the idea that this can never happen again, and that they would like to use their personal ordeal to make sure that people are made responsible for what has occurred, and that there is an investigation going on,” he said.</p> <p>The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is waiting for a report from Qatari authorities into the incident, which Foreign Affairs Minister Marise Payne described as “grossly disturbing and offensive” and unlike anything she “had ever heard of”.</p> <p>The incident has been reported to the Australian Federal Police.</p>

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Qatar airport confirm dumped baby is still alive

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> <p>Doha, capital of Qatar, airport officials have confirmed that a newborn located in one of its terminals is alive and well.</p> <p>Earlier in October at Hamad International Airport, staff discovered an infant, described as a premature baby, "abandoned" in the terminal bathroom.</p> <p>After this incident, female Australian passengers were allegedly invasively searched, and the Australian Government has since "formally registered our serious concerns" with Qatari authorities.</p> <p>Women at the airport, including 13 Australians, were allegedly removed from flights, detained and forced to undergo an invasive inspection in an ambulance on the tarmac.</p> <p>None of the women were told about the abandoned newborn before the strip searches began.</p> <p>An Australian Government spokesperson told 7NEWS that it is “deeply concerned” at the “unacceptable treatment of some female passengers on a recent Qatar Airways flight at Doha Airport”.</p> <p>“The advice that has been provided indicates that the treatment of the women concerned was offensive, grossly inappropriate, and beyond circumstances in which the women could give free and informed consent.</p> <p>“The Government has formally registered our serious concerns about this incident with Qatari authorities.</p> <p>“The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is engaged on this matter through diplomatic channels.”</p> <p>A Hamad International Airport spokesman told <a rel="noopener" href="https://7news.com.au/news/world/doha-airport-officials-confirm-dumped-baby-is-still-alive-c-1457385" target="_blank" class="editor-rtflink"><em>7News</em></a> that the newborn infant was found on October 2.</p> <p>“The newborn infant was immediately provided with medical attention and care,” he said.</p> <p>“Medical professionals expressed concern to officials about the health and welfare of a mother who had just given birth and requested she be located prior to departing HIA.</p> <p>“Individuals who had access to the specific area of the airport where the newborn infant was found were asked to assist in the query.”</p> <p>The newborn remains unidentified, and “is safe under the professional care of medical and social workers”.</p> <p>However, Shadow Resources Minister Joel Fitzgibbons said that authorities should "await confirmation about the accuracy of the report".</p> <p>“If true, this effectively amounts to state-sanctioned sexual assault and we should all be very, very concerned,” he said.</p> <p>“And the government here in Australia should be most robust in its responses.”</p> </div> </div> </div>

Travel Trouble

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Qatar Airways boss apologises for disparaging remark of flight attendants

<p>Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al Baker is apologising for referring to US airline flight attendants as "grandmothers."</p> <p>At a gala in Dublin, Ireland last week to celebrate Qatar Airways' launch of its Dublin-Doha route, Al Baker told the audience that "the average age of my cabin crew is only 26 years."</p> <p>"So there is no need for you to travel on these crap American carriers," Al Baker said. "You know you're always being served by grandmothers on American carriers."</p> <p>Al Baker apologised "unreservedly" for his remarks after being blasted by labour unions and American Airlines.</p> <p>"Cabin crew are the public face of all airlines, and I greatly respect their hard work and professionalism," Al Baker said on Wednesday.</p> <p>"They play a huge role in the safety and comfort of passengers, irrespective of their age or gender or familial status. I have worked for many years in the industry, and I have a high regard for the value that I see long-serving staff members bringing through their experience and dedication."</p> <p>American Airlines said overnight it was ending marketing agreements with Qatar Airways and Etihad Airways, Bloomberg reported.</p> <p>It comes after a long disagreement over whether the Persian Gulf carriers use government subsidies to compete unfairly.</p> <p><em>First appeared on <a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Stuff.co.nz.</span></strong></a></em></p>

Retirement Life

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8 ways to pass the time on a long-haul flight

<p>Qatar Airways has just announced a new route between Auckland and Doha - which, clocking in at around 18 hours and 34 minutes, will become the new longest flight in the world.</p> <p>To put that in perspective, the average length of labour for a first-time mother is 12 to 14 hours. You could have had a baby in less time than it takes to fly on that route (and the level of discomfort is probably comparable).</p> <p>But with air travel getting more efficient, plane tickets getting cheaper, and flight routes stretching further than ever before, we're not really complaining. Instead, here are eight ways to pass the time on a monster long-haul flight.</p> <p><strong>1. Watch several movies</strong></p> <p>On an 18 hour, 34 minute flight, the entertainment system is your new best friend (unless you have a particularly affable seatmate). According to Bingeclock.com, you could marathon all of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit movies in 17 hours and 12 minutes.</p> <p><strong>2. Read several books</strong></p> <p>The average adult reads at a rate of about 300 words per minute. If you're flying from Auckland to Doha, you have 1114 minutes to play with. You could get about halfway through Leo Tolstoy's War and Peace, at 587,287 words. Or if that's slightly too high-brow, the Hunger Games trilogy totals 301,584 words.</p> <p><strong>4. Listen to a lot of music</strong></p> <p>You could listen the world's longest officially released song six times. It's called In The Garden and is performed by Pipe Choir, lasting three hours, one minute and 50 seconds. If pop music is more your thing, you could listen to Taylor Swift's entire 1989 album 23 times. Warning: if you do this, you will hear the phrase "shake it off" no less than 828 times.</p> <p><strong>5. Do two full days' worth of work</strong></p> <p>You are going to be in the sky for the equivalent of two whole eight-hour work days, plus two generous lunch breaks. Might as well try to be productive.</p> <p><strong>6. Play many games of Monopoly</strong></p> <p>One game of Travel Monopoly (which Amazon has hilariously described here as a "classic murder mystery game")  is said to have a playing time of 45 minutes, so you could easily get through 24 games over 18 hours and 34 minutes.</p> <p><strong>7. Do many, many leg exercises</strong></p> <p>The risk of Deep Vein Thrombosis is real. On a long-haul flight, it is recommended that you do some light movements every 30 minutes, like circling your ankles, flexing your feet and lifting your knees. On an 18 hour, 34 minute flight, that equals 37 exercise sessions.</p> <p><strong>8. Contemplate alternative forms of transportation</strong></p> <p>Come on, flying's not so bad. Think of it this way - if you were heading between Doha and Auckland on foot (at a "purposeful" pace, no less) - the distance of 14,539 kilometres would take you 2151 hours to walk. And you would probably die.</p> <p><em>Written by Siobhan Downes. First appeared on <a href="http://Stuff.co.nz" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Stuff.co.nz</span></strong></a>.</em></p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><a href="/travel/international/2016/04/landing-plane-on-bhutan-paro-airport-runway/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>The world’s most difficult runway to land</strong></em></span></a></p> <p><a href="/travel/international/2016/04/10-happiest-countries-in-the-world/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>10 happiest countries in the world</strong></em></span></a></p> <p><a href="/travel/international/2016/04/rescue-monkeys-burst-bubbles-for-the-first-time/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>Rescue monkeys burst bubbles for the first time</strong></em></span></a></p>

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Qatar Airways announces the world's new longest flight

<p>Qatar Airways has announced it will launch flights from Doha to Auckland from December, which will become the new longest route in the world.</p> <p>The news comes a week after Emirates completed the world's current longest direct commercial flight from Dubai to Auckland, at 14,326 kilometres.</p> <p>Doha to Auckland just pips the Emirates route, at 14,539km.</p> <p>Qatar Airways' group chief executive Akbar Al Baker announced the new route on the opening day of the world's largest international travel fair, ITB Berlin.</p> <p>The daily service from Doha, the capital of Qatar, to Auckland will be the airline's first route to New Zealand, and will begin on December 3.</p> <p>Qatar Airways will use the Boeing 777 aircraft for this route.</p> <p>Travelmath puts the flight time between Doha and Auckland at around 18 hours and 34 minutes, while the Emirates service to Dubai has a scheduled flight time of 17 hours and 15 minutes.</p> <p>Al Baker told aviationbusiness.com.au that the airline had originally planned to launch its Doha to Auckland service in June, but decided to wait until December "as a mark of respect to Emirates".</p> <p>The new service is expected to appeal to travellers flying between New Zealand and European cities such as Auckland-Doha-London or Auckland-Doha-Amsterdam.</p> <p>Qatar Airways also announced 13 other new routes at the event, including five destinations in Europe, six in Africa and two in Asia.</p> <p>"These new destinations are where our customers want to go, and where we see the most opportunity to provide a best-in-class experience at great value," Al Baker said.</p> <p>"We look forward to growing our network and welcoming new passengers to Qatar Airways."</p> <p><em>Written by Siobhan Downes. First appeared on <strong><a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Stuff.co.nz</span>.</a></strong></em></p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/travel/international/2016/02/a-look-inside-first-class-cabins/">Inside 8 first class cabins that will amaze you</a></strong></em></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/travel/international/2016/02/most-photographed-locations-in-london/">London’s 8 most photographed locations</a></strong></em></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/travel/international/2016/02/holiday-ideas-for-animal-lovers/">8 holiday ideas every animal lover needs to experience</a></strong></em></span></p>

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