Last week if we'd asked "what do you know about Qatar" you'd probably all have said "that's where Al Jazeera is." Now the likely answer is Al Jazeera and the World Cup. Both subjects have got people asking a lot of questions, and many are hungry to find out more about one of the world's smallest, richest and hottest countries. So what do you want to know about Qatar?
Your comments
Comment sent via SMS
17:11
115046883
Re.Assange. Of course he鈥檚 a hero. He鈥檚 exposing the duplicity of the world鈥檚 politicians. J Lowrie
Comment sent via host
18:59
113631290
That''s all for World Have Your Say, and our special look at Qatar. Thanks for listening. We''re back tomorrow - see you then!
Comment sent via YOURSAY
18:54
113631290
Alex emailed - Did you know that Qatar is one of the 2 countries in the world (alongside with Saudi) where you require an exit permit to be able to leave the country as a resident, and that even third generation residents can't become nationals? You can't own a business or property if you are not a national - so doesn't this keep people in a sort of slavery?
Comment sent via Facebook
18:49
113631290
Donald on Facebook - Since Qatar will be hosting people from different parts of the world - which implies different culture, religion and understanding - I want to know the threshold of tolerance the Qatari people have for people that are different from them?
Comment sent via SMS
18:27
114677409
I heard any famous hero of Hollywood鈥檚 movies, 大象传媒 broadcaster David Frost, go away from 大象传媒 in Al-Jazira. Does He continue the battle with Richard Nicson?
Comment sent via Facebook
18:45
113631290
Rebel Kenya on Facebook - What fun are you supposed to have between games in the 'air conditioned stadiums'? Sit in hotel rooms? Or will they air-condition the whole country?
Comment sent via Facebook
18:44
113631290
Uche Onah on Facebook, listening online in London - Pardon me for being so naive, but what exactly is Qatar hoping to get from hosting the World Cup? Media attention, yes, but then so what?
Comment sent via BLOG
18:42
113631290
Chintan in Houston on the blog - Not all news agencies are burdened by the responsibility of being neutral like the 大象传媒 by their patrons. Anyone who lives in the USA if they ever watched Fox News or MSNBC know that their reporting is not objective but subjective. There is government based propoganda in China and North Korea. Why hold Al Jazeera to a different standard? There is no UN or an international policy regarding news reporting. This is not controversial at all!
Comment sent via BLOG
18:37
113631290
Pancha Chandra on the blog - Now that Qatar is in the limelight having been chosen as the venue for the 2022 World football cup, one is baffled how the once poor British protectorate could have been transformed into a vibrant, riveting centre in such a short space of time!
Comment sent via BLOG
18:37
113631290
Mary on the blog - The expense and preparation for "world class" sports only feed pride and wasted time and money that could be spent on lasting helpful programs for the people of the countries
Comment sent via Facebook
18:35
113631290
Patty Ann in Rosemont, US - I still believe the important element in this is the leaking via Wikileaks. What he's doing may be legal but he seems to have no integrity. What sort of man would do this?
Comment sent via Twitter
18:35
115797983
@大象传媒_WHYS Those folks at Qatar are way too strict. If only they opened up wholly to the world
Comment sent via Facebook
18:35
113631290
Nadene Ghouri - I don't think the Qatari's have any idea of the interest they have just unleashed on themselves because of the world cup. And they will find it very hard to cope with that as they keep a very strict and tight control on how they are perceived.
Comment sent via Facebook
18:34
113631290
Chidozie Nwankwo - Fifa, IOC and other global sporting bodies should be encouraged to take major events like the World Cup or Olympics to obscure places of the world. With the world's eyes firmly on them for the next twelve years, Qatar will be forced to open up on issues like human rights and democracy.
Comment sent via Facebook
18:32
113631290
Fleur - Why is Qatar, just as other middle east countries, keen on contracting Kenyans to run for Qatar and further insists on Kenyan athletes absurdly adopting arabic names as a pre-condition to representing the country?
Comment sent via Facebook
18:32
113631290
Emmanuel from Iceland - I have heard that many Africans travel to Qatar to work as domestics and have reported being forced into domestic servitude and sexual exploitation... Is that true?
Comment sent via Twitter
18:31
115797983
I've lived and worked in that state.. Hehe those guys will prove to the world something quite out of the ordinary #Qatar @bbc_whys
Comment sent via Twitter
18:30
115797983
RT @timnjiru: Listening to "World Have your say" on 大象传媒 radio. Topic Qatar....cc @大象传媒_whys
Comment sent via SMS
18:25
115797920
Wat is quatars relationship wit Iran . Innocent, Kampala
Comment sent via SMS
18:24
115797912
I want to know why Quatar does not allow foreign workers to bring their wives with them to their country. Sammy, Ghana
Comment sent via Facebook
18:23
113631290
Iryn Dawa in Vienna - The US and Britain always think they are the big brother with mighty powers. They are scared of Qatar that is why they are making news out of nothing. shame on them.
Comment sent via BLOG
18:22
113631290
Sarah B on the blog - I'd like to know what their justice system is like. Do they recognize things we take for granted, like: innocent until proven guilty; you must charged with a crime, not just harassed for personal reasons; everybody obeys the same laws;... ?
Comment sent via YOURSAY
18:20
113631290
Robert emailed worldhaveyoursay@bbc.com - People who have lived in Qatar know that the great majority of citizens and employers there treat expat workers like dirt, the judicial system is a joke and the concept of press freedom is an oxymoron. Please do not sugarcoat or gloss over the realities to fuel the PR spin.
Comment sent via host
18:16
113631290
Hi - this is Ben S in London. Today we''re wanting your questions about Qatar - the country that will hold the 2010 World Cup, and the country that is accused in Wikileaks of manipulating the TV news channel al-Jazeera. What are your thoughts and questions on the country? Listen here -
Your questions on Qatar
| Monday, 12 Dec. 2010 | 18:06 - 19:00 GMT
Last week if we'd asked "what do you know about Qatar" you'd probably all have said "that's where Al Jazeera is." Now the likely answer is Al Jazeera and the World Cup. Both subjects have got people asking a lot of questions, and many are hungry to find out more about one of the world's smallest, richest and hottest countries. So what do you want to know about Qatar?
Your comments
Comment sent via SMS
Re.Assange. Of course he鈥檚 a hero. He鈥檚 exposing the duplicity of the world鈥檚 politicians. J Lowrie
Comment sent via host
That''s all for World Have Your Say, and our special look at Qatar. Thanks for listening. We''re back tomorrow - see you then!
Comment sent via YOURSAY
Alex emailed - Did you know that Qatar is one of the 2 countries in the world (alongside with Saudi) where you require an exit permit to be able to leave the country as a resident, and that even third generation residents can't become nationals? You can't own a business or property if you are not a national - so doesn't this keep people in a sort of slavery?
Comment sent via Facebook
Donald on Facebook - Since Qatar will be hosting people from different parts of the world - which implies different culture, religion and understanding - I want to know the threshold of tolerance the Qatari people have for people that are different from them?
Comment sent via SMS
I heard any famous hero of Hollywood鈥檚 movies, 大象传媒 broadcaster David Frost, go away from 大象传媒 in Al-Jazira. Does He continue the battle with Richard Nicson?
Comment sent via Facebook
Rebel Kenya on Facebook - What fun are you supposed to have between games in the 'air conditioned stadiums'? Sit in hotel rooms? Or will they air-condition the whole country?
Comment sent via Facebook
Uche Onah on Facebook, listening online in London - Pardon me for being so naive, but what exactly is Qatar hoping to get from hosting the World Cup? Media attention, yes, but then so what?
Comment sent via BLOG
Chintan in Houston on the blog - Not all news agencies are burdened by the responsibility of being neutral like the 大象传媒 by their patrons. Anyone who lives in the USA if they ever watched Fox News or MSNBC know that their reporting is not objective but subjective. There is government based propoganda in China and North Korea. Why hold Al Jazeera to a different standard? There is no UN or an international policy regarding news reporting. This is not controversial at all!
Comment sent via BLOG
Pancha Chandra on the blog - Now that Qatar is in the limelight having been chosen as the venue for the 2022 World football cup, one is baffled how the once poor British protectorate could have been transformed into a vibrant, riveting centre in such a short space of time!
Comment sent via BLOG
Mary on the blog - The expense and preparation for "world class" sports only feed pride and wasted time and money that could be spent on lasting helpful programs for the people of the countries
Comment sent via Facebook
Patty Ann in Rosemont, US - I still believe the important element in this is the leaking via Wikileaks. What he's doing may be legal but he seems to have no integrity. What sort of man would do this?
Comment sent via Twitter
@大象传媒_WHYS Those folks at Qatar are way too strict. If only they opened up wholly to the world
Comment sent via Facebook
Nadene Ghouri - I don't think the Qatari's have any idea of the interest they have just unleashed on themselves because of the world cup. And they will find it very hard to cope with that as they keep a very strict and tight control on how they are perceived.
Comment sent via Facebook
Chidozie Nwankwo - Fifa, IOC and other global sporting bodies should be encouraged to take major events like the World Cup or Olympics to obscure places of the world. With the world's eyes firmly on them for the next twelve years, Qatar will be forced to open up on issues like human rights and democracy.
Comment sent via Facebook
Fleur - Why is Qatar, just as other middle east countries, keen on contracting Kenyans to run for Qatar and further insists on Kenyan athletes absurdly adopting arabic names as a pre-condition to representing the country?
Comment sent via Facebook
Emmanuel from Iceland - I have heard that many Africans travel to Qatar to work as domestics and have reported being forced into domestic servitude and sexual exploitation... Is that true?
Comment sent via Twitter
I've lived and worked in that state.. Hehe those guys will prove to the world something quite out of the ordinary #Qatar @bbc_whys
Comment sent via Twitter
RT @timnjiru: Listening to "World Have your say" on 大象传媒 radio. Topic Qatar....cc @大象传媒_whys
Comment sent via SMS
Wat is quatars relationship wit Iran . Innocent, Kampala
Comment sent via SMS
I want to know why Quatar does not allow foreign workers to bring their wives with them to their country. Sammy, Ghana
Comment sent via Facebook
Iryn Dawa in Vienna - The US and Britain always think they are the big brother with mighty powers. They are scared of Qatar that is why they are making news out of nothing. shame on them.
Comment sent via BLOG
Sarah B on the blog - I'd like to know what their justice system is like. Do they recognize things we take for granted, like: innocent until proven guilty; you must charged with a crime, not just harassed for personal reasons; everybody obeys the same laws;... ?
Comment sent via YOURSAY
Robert emailed worldhaveyoursay@bbc.com - People who have lived in Qatar know that the great majority of citizens and employers there treat expat workers like dirt, the judicial system is a joke and the concept of press freedom is an oxymoron. Please do not sugarcoat or gloss over the realities to fuel the PR spin.
Comment sent via host
Hi - this is Ben S in London. Today we''re wanting your questions about Qatar - the country that will hold the 2010 World Cup, and the country that is accused in Wikileaks of manipulating the TV news channel al-Jazeera. What are your thoughts and questions on the country? Listen here -