Doha

The utter incompetence of the US diplomatic effort led by Zalmay Khalilzad has 2 new American deaths on its hands as the first of the new decade. Jezail.org has long pointed out that the delegation of so-called Taliban in Doha who are in some kind of negotiation with Khalilzad do not represent the Taliban in the field and this is illustrated by the fact that every time some “progress” is announced, it is almost immediately followed by an attack. Even President Trump ordered a suspension of talks previously because of an attack following his announcement of talks.

There is trouble in oil paradise. It seems that all the elements of an already explosive geopolitical concoction are getting vigorously stirred.

Qatari markets are likely to suffer further in the coming days as the country is locked out of regional trade and exchange [Xinhua]
Markets in the Middle East took a hit following announcements from Bahrain, Egypt, Libya, Saudi Arabia, UAE and Yemen that they had severed ties with Qatar over its alleged ties to “extremist” groups.
Qatar’s QE Index became the world’s worst performing and hardest hit Middle Eastern exchange on Monday as a result of the break in diplomatic ties when it lost 7.27 per cent of its value at press time.

The wait is finally over, Porkins Great Game is back! We begin by taking a look at the recent Parliamentary elections in Georgia. We break down how the elections turned out and analyze the results and what that may mean for the political future of Georgia. Christoph and I also touch on the most recent scandal in Georgia dealing with yet another leaked audio tape of Saakashvili. In our second segment we discuss the ongoing violence in Afghanistan as well as a ongoing peace negotiations. We begin with the recent peace deal between the government and famed heroin warlord Gulbuddin Hekmatyar.

Press TV – February 16, 2014

A Nepal-based human rights organization says over 400 Nepalese workers have lost their lives on World Cup stadium construction sites in Qatar.
The Pravasi Nepali Coordination Committee (PNCC), which follows up on migrant workers deaths in Qatar, recently published lists of the dead using official sources in the Qatari capital, Doha.
The PNCC also warned that the death toll can reach 4,000 by 2022.

RT | October 16, 2013

Toiling in terrible conditions, no salaries for months, passports confiscated by employers – that’s the horrendous reality for migrant workers helping with preparations for the World Cup 2022 in Qatar, as revealed by German filmmaker, Peter Giesel.

By Ron Paul | June 23, 2013

Last week the Taliban opened an office in Doha, Qatar with the US government’s blessing. They raised the Taliban flag at the opening ceremony and referred to Afghanistan as the “Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan”—the name they used when they were in charge before the US attack in 2001.