100-647: Maybourne is a Qatari -owned British luxury hotel operator, which owns and manages The Berkeley , Claridge's , The Connaught and The Emory in London , The Maybourne Beverly Hills in Los Angeles and The Maybourne Riviera in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin . Maybourne, formerly The Savoy Hotel Group has been operating luxury hotels in London with origins that go back 205 years. The group was renamed when
200-767: A Labour peer in the House of Lords ; having not attended a proceeding in the 2019–21 session, his membership expired on 11 May 2021. Rogers was appointed a Member of the Order of the Companions of Honour (CH) in the 2008 Birthday Honours list . However, he was a republican. Rogers was awarded the RIBA Royal Gold Medal in 1985. He was twice honoured by France, first as a Chevalier, L'Ordre National de la Légion d'honneur in 1986, and later as an Officier de l' Ordre des Arts et des Lettres in 1995. He received
300-813: A major non-NATO ally of the United States. Qatar also has particularly strong ties with France, China, Iran, Turkey, as well as a number of Islamist movements in the Middle East such as the Muslim Brotherhood . The country is an early member of OPEC and a founding member of the Gulf Cooperation Council , as well as a member of the Arab League . Diplomatic missions to Qatar are based in its capital, Doha. Regional relations and foreign policies are characterized by
400-506: A white paper , Towards an Urban Renaissance , outlining recommendations for future city designers. Rogers also served for several years as chair of the Greater London Authority panel for Architecture and Urbanism . He was chair of the board of Trustees of The Architecture Foundation . From 2001 to 2008, he was chief advisor on architecture and urbanism to the then Mayor of London Ken Livingstone . In 2008, he
500-414: A 10-year sentence. Alcohol consumption is partially legal; some five-star luxury hotels are allowed to sell alcohol to non-Muslim customers. Muslims are not allowed to consume alcohol, and those caught consuming it are liable to flogging or deportation. Non-Muslim expatriates can obtain a permit to purchase alcohol for personal consumption. The Qatar Distribution Company (a subsidiary of Qatar Airways )
600-597: A British protectorate on 3 November 1916 when the United Kingdom signed a treaty with Sheikh Abdullah bin Jassim Al Thani to bring Qatar under its Trucial System of Administration . The treaty reserved foreign affairs and defence to the United Kingdom but allowed internal autonomy. While Abdullah agreed not to enter into any relations with any other power without the prior consent of the British government,
700-741: A Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the 10th Mostra di Architettura di Venezia . In 2006, the Richard Rogers Partnership was awarded the Stirling Prize for Terminal 4 of Barajas Airport , and again in 2009 for Maggie's Centre in London. Rogers won the Gold Medal for Architecture at the National Eisteddfod of Wales of 2006 for his work on the Senedd building of the Senedd (Welsh Parliament) . He
800-567: A Roman Catholic church (2008). Qatar's economy and status as a regional power rapidly grew in the 2000s. According to the UN, the nation's economic growth, measured by GDP, was the fastest in the world during this decade. The basis of this growth lay in the exploitation of natural gas in the North Field during the 1990s. At the same time, the population tripled between 2001 and 2011, mostly from an influx of foreigners. In 2003, Qatar served as
900-586: A Wimbledon house for his parents. This was based on ideas from his conceptual Zip-Up House . Rogers subsequently joined forces with Italian architect Renzo Piano , a partnership that was to prove fruitful. His career leapt forward when he, Piano and Gianfranco Franchini won the design competition for the Pompidou Centre in July 1971, alongside a team from Ove Arup that included Irish engineer Peter Rice . After working with Piano, Rogers established
1000-534: A dispute over Qatar's support of the Muslim Brotherhood , which is considered a terrorist organization by some Arab nations. The diplomatic crisis ended in January 2021 with the signing of AlUla declaration. On 2 October 2020, Qatari authorities strip-searched 13 Australian women on a plane at Hamad International Airport over a premature baby found in a bathroom at the terminal. This caused an international incident with Australia. In September 2023, Qatar mediated
1100-676: A masterplan for the East River Waterfront and a commission for a $ 1.7 billion expansion of the Jacob K. Javits Convention Centre in Manhattan. Rogers, however, publicly dissociated himself from the group within weeks, following an outcry from generally pro-Israeli New York voters and politicians, which threatened him with the loss of prestigious commissions including projects in New York and abroad. He announced his withdrawal with
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#17327980583041200-546: A mediator, such as for Middle Eastern conflicts; for example, Qatar mediated between the rival Palestinian factions Fatah and Hamas in 2006 and helped unite Lebanese leaders into forming a political agreement during the 2008 crisis. Qatar has also emerged as mediators in African and Asian affairs, notably holding a peace process for Sudan amid the Darfur conflict and facilitating peace talks for Afghanistan , setting up
1300-423: A modesty campaign was launched to remind tourists of the country's restrictive dress code. Female tourists were advised not to wear leggings, miniskirts, sleeveless dresses, or short or tight clothing in public. Men were warned against wearing shorts and singlets. Qatar's international profile and active role in international affairs have led some analysts to identify it as a middle power . Since 2022, it has been
1400-629: A political "office" for the Afghan Taliban to facilitate talks. Ahmed Rashid , writing in the Financial Times , stated that through the office Qatar has "facilitated meetings between the Taliban and many countries and organisations, including the US state department, the UN, Japan, several European governments and non-governmental organisations, all of whom have been trying to push forward
1500-436: A reputation for what was later termed by the media high-tech architecture . By 1967, Team 4 had split up, but Rogers continued to collaborate with Su Rogers , along with John Young and Laurie Abbott. In early 1968 he was commissioned to design a house and studio for Humphrey Spender near Maldon, Essex , a glass cube framed with I-beams. He continued to develop his ideas of prefabrication and structural simplicity to design
1600-546: A settlement located on the western coast of Qatar, is the most important Ubaid site in the country and is believed to have accommodated a small seasonal encampment. The polity of Dilmun, which is attested to in sources from the 3rd millennium BC onwards, is said to have encompassed Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and the eastern portion of Saudi Arabia. Some historians have theorized that the Sumerians may have originated from this region. Kassite Babylonian material dating back to
1700-413: A shareholder of the hotel group but provides a consultancy service to the group on a day-to-day basis. The Connaught on Carlos Place, Mayfair was closed for a year of restoration in 2008. It was reopened totally restored including a modern wing with 121 rooms, an Aman Spa, an underground swimming pool and a restaurant operated by 3 star Michelin chef, Helene Darroze. The chef Jean George Vongerichten runs
1800-728: A workout bank created by the Government of Ireland in response to the Irish financial crisis. In a controversial move, NAMA sold the loans which were among the bank's best to the UK's Barclay brothers for their full par value plus all interest owed. This gave the Barclay brothers a once in a lifetime opportunity to launch a hostile attack on the hotel company. The Barclay brothers owned the Ritz Hotel in London and always nurtured an interest in
1900-494: A younger brother, Peter William Rogers, a property developer and co-founder of Stanhope. In 2015, he was named one of the "50 best-dressed British men" by GQ magazine. He died in London on 18 December 2021, at the age of 88. Rogers was knighted in 1991 by Queen Elizabeth II . He was created Baron Rogers of Riverside , of Chelsea in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea on 17 October 1996. He sat as
2000-545: Is a mixture of civil law and Sharia. Sharia is applied to family law, inheritance, and several criminal acts (including adultery, robbery, and murder). In some cases, Sharia-based family courts treat a female's testimony as being worth half that of a man. Codified family law was introduced in 2006. Islamic polygyny is permitted. Judicial corporal punishment is a punishment in Qatar. Only Muslims considered medically fit are liable to have such sentences carried out. Flogging
2100-562: Is embarking on an ongoing series of room and suite restorations, recently unveiling a new Royal Suite, an Empress Eugenie Suite and a Prince Alexander Suite. The Berkeley, which was built on its present site in 1972 in Knightsbridge, has been completely renovated over the last few years. In 2017 a major contemporary front façade face lift was unveiled. It was designed by The Pritzker prize-winning architect Richard Rogers . Michelin starred chef Marcus Wareing has his famous restaurant at
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#17327980583042200-445: Is employed as a punishment for alcohol consumption or illicit sexual relations. Article 88 of the criminal code declares that the penalty for adultery is 100 lashes. Stoning is a legal punishment in Qatar, and apostasy and homosexuality are crimes punishable by the death penalty ; however, the penalty has not been carried out for either crime. Blasphemy can result in up to seven years in prison, while proselytising can incur
2300-479: Is made up of 30 popularly-elected members and 15 appointed by the emir. It can block legislation with a simple majority and can dismiss ministers, including the prime minister, with a two-thirds vote. The assembly had its first elections in October 2021 after several postponements. According to Qatar's Constitution, Sharia law is the main source of Qatari legislation, although in practice Qatar's legal system
2400-419: Is permitted to import alcohol and pork; it operates the only liquor store in the country, which also sells pork to holders of liquor licences. Qatari officials had indicated a willingness to allow alcohol in "fan zones" at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. However, on 18 November, two days before the start of the games, Qatari officials announced alcoholic beverages would not be permitted within the stadiums. In 2014,
2500-563: Is the 29th most peaceful country in the world, according to the 2024 Global Peace Index . Richard Rogers Richard George Rogers, Baron Rogers of Riverside (23 July 1933 – 18 December 2021) was a British-Italian architect noted for his modernist and constructivist designs in high-tech architecture . He was the founder at Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners , previously known as the Richard Rogers Partnership , until June 2020. After Rogers' retirement and death,
2600-987: The Architectural Association School of Architecture in London, where he gained the Architectural Association's Diploma (AA Dipl) from 1954 until 1959, subsequently graduating with a master's degree (M Arch) from the Yale School of Architecture in 1962 on a Fulbright Scholarship . While studying at Yale, Rogers met fellow architecture student Norman Foster and planning student Su Brumwell . After leaving Yale he joined Skidmore, Owings & Merrill in New York City. On returning to England in 1963, he, Norman Foster and Brumwell set up architectural practice as Team 4 with Wendy Cheesman (Brumwell later married Rogers, Cheesman married Foster). Rogers and Foster earned
2700-482: The Constitution of Qatar . He appoints the prime minister and cabinet . The partially-elected Consultative Assembly can block legislation and has a limited ability to dismiss ministers. In early 2017, the population of Qatar was two point 6 million, although only 313,000 of them are Qatari citizens and 2.3 million being expatriates and migrant workers . Its official religion is Islam . The country has
2800-710: The Qatar Peninsula on the northeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula in the Middle East ; it shares its sole land border with Saudi Arabia to the south, with the rest of its territory surrounded by the Persian Gulf . The Gulf of Bahrain , an inlet of the Persian Gulf, separates Qatar from nearby Bahrain . The capital is Doha , home to over 80% of the country's inhabitants. Most of
2900-835: The Qatari Emiri Land Forces , 2,500 in the Navy , 2,000 in the Air Force , and 5,000 in the Internal Security Forces. In 2008 Qatar spent US$ 2.3 billion on its military, which was 2.3% of the GDP, and its military spending increased to US$ 7.49 billion as of 2022. After the Arab spring events in 2011 and a diplomatic incident with Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries in 2014, Qatar started expanding its armed forces. The country introduced conscription in 2013,
3000-409: The Richard Rogers Partnership along with Marco Goldschmied , Mike Davies , and John Young in 1977. This became Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners in 2007. The firm maintains offices in London, Shanghai, and Sydney. Rogers devoted much of his later career to wider issues surrounding architecture, urbanism, sustainability, and the ways in which cities are used. One early illustration of his thinking
3100-584: The United Arab Emirates . Under an agreement with the United Kingdom, on 3 September 1971, the "special treaty arrangements" that were "inconsistent with full international responsibility as a sovereign and independent state" were terminated. In 1991, Qatar played a significant role in the Gulf War , particularly during the Battle of Khafji in which Qatari tanks rolled through the streets of
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3200-560: The United States Central Command headquarters and one of the main launching sites of the invasion of Iraq . In March 2005, a suicide bombing killed a British teacher at the Doha Players Theatre, shocking the country, which had not previously experienced acts of terrorism. The bombing was carried out by Omar Ahmed Abdullah Ali, an Egyptian resident in Qatar who had suspected ties to Al-Qaeda in
3300-703: The local dialect it is [ˈɡɪtˤɑr] . English speakers use different approximate pronunciations of the name as the Arabic pronunciations use sounds not often used in English. Human habitation in Qatar dates back to 50,000 years ago. Settlements and tools dating back to the Stone Age have been unearthed in the peninsula. Mesopotamian artifacts originating from the Ubaid period (c. 6500–3800 BC) have been discovered in abandoned coastal settlements. Al Da'asa ,
3400-755: The 2007 Pritzker Prize . Richard Rogers was born in Florence , Tuscany, in 1933 into an Anglo-Italian family. His father, William Nino Rogers (1906–1993), was Jewish, and was the cousin of Italian Jewish architect Ernesto Nathan Rogers . His Jewish ancestors moved from Sunderland to Venice in about 1800, later settling in Trieste , Milan and Florence . In October 1938, William Nino Rogers came back to England, having fled Fascist Italy and anti-Jewish laws under Mussolini . Upon moving to England, Richard Rogers went to St John's School, Leatherhead . Rogers did not excel academically, which made him believe that he
3500-597: The 21st century, Qatar emerged as both a major non-NATO ally of the United States and a middle power in the Arab world. Its economy has risen rapidly through its resource-wealth, and its geopolitical power has risen through its media group, Al Jazeera Media Network , and reported support for rebel groups financially during the Arab Spring . Qatar also forms part of the Gulf Cooperation Council . Pliny
3600-606: The Arab tribes in the region converted to Islam. In the middle of the century, the Muslim conquest of Persia resulted in the fall of the Sasanian Empire. Qatar was described as a famous horse and camel breeding centre during the Umayyad period. In the 8th century, it started benefiting from its commercially strategic position in the Persian Gulf and went on to become a centre of pearl trading. Substantial development in
3700-593: The Arabian Peninsula . The increased influence of Qatar and its role during the Arab Spring , especially during the Bahraini uprising in 2011 , worsened longstanding tensions with Saudi Arabia , the neighboring United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain. In 2010, Qatar won the right to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup , making it the first country in the Middle East to be selected to host the tournament. The awarding increased further investment and developments within
3800-590: The Arabian coast up to Al Hassa came under the rule and influence of the Portuguese empire. Attempts by the Ottomans to dominate the region were eliminated with the reconquest of the castle of Tarout or Al Qatif in 1551. Archaeological finds are still being excavated from one of the Portuguese fortresses that served as a base to dominate the region as Ruwayda . The first representation of Qatar appears on
3900-805: The Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album cover – to celebrate the British cultural figures of the last six decades. Rogers was awarded honorary degrees from several universities, including Alfonso X El Sabio University in Madrid, Oxford Brookes University , the University of Kent , the Czech Technical University in Prague and the Open University . In 1994, he was awarded an Honorary Degree (Doctor of Science) by
4000-648: The Berkeley, and it is home to the Blue Bar. Hong Kong –based designer Andre Fu completed a series of new pavilion penthouse suites at the hotel in 2018. On 20 December 2019, Maybourne acquired Montage Beverly Hills, its first hotel outside London. It was announced that it would be known as The Maybourne Beverly Hills. Qatari Qatar , officially the State of Qatar , is a country in West Asia . It occupies
4100-531: The Elder , a Roman writer, documented the earliest account pertaining to the inhabitants of the peninsula around the mid-first century AD, referring to them as the Catharrei , a designation that may have derived from the name of a prominent local settlement. A century later, Ptolemy produced the first known map to depict the peninsula, referring to it as Catara . The map also referenced a town named "Cadara" to
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4200-675: The Libyan government and special forces to provide training to Libyan rebels. During the Saudi-led intervention in the Yemeni civil war in September 2015, Qatar sent 1,000 troops, 200 armored vehicles, and 30 Apache helicopters to assist with Saudi military operations. As a result of the diplomatic crisis with Saudi Arabia that began in June 2017, Qatar withdrew its forces from Yemen. Qatar
4300-440: The Middle East . Qatari law does not permit the establishment of political bodies or trade unions. The eighth emir of Qatar is Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani . The emir has the exclusive power to appoint the prime minister and cabinet ministers who, together, constitute the Council of Ministers, which is the supreme executive authority in the country. The Council of Ministers also initiates legislation. The Consultative Assembly
4400-437: The Montage Hotel in Beverly Hills , California, and said the acquisition was part of a global expansion strategy. The Maybourne name was formed when a group of Irish investors, headed by Derek Quinlan, bought the Savoy group of hotels from Blackstone and Colony Capital in 2003 for £750m. It was decided soon afterwards that the Savoy Hotel did not fit into the plans and was sold to Kingdom Holding for approximately £250m. As
4500-416: The Ottomans refused to aid Al Thani in his expedition of Abu Dhabi-occupied Khor Al Adaid and offered only limited support in the Qatari–Abu Dhabi War , mainly due to fear of British intervention on Abu Dhabi's side. In addition, the Ottomans supported the Ottoman subject Mohammed bin Abdul Wahab who attempted to supplant Al Thani as kaymakam of Qatar in 1888. This eventually led Al Thani to rebel against
4600-422: The Ottomans was met with refusal. In March, Mehmed imprisoned Jassim's brother and 13 prominent Qatari tribal leaders on the Ottoman corvette Merrikh as punishment for his insubordination. After Mehmed declined an offer to release the captives for a fee of 10,000 liras , he ordered a column of approximately 200 troops to advance towards Jassim's Al Wajbah Fort under the command of Yusuf Effendi, thus signalling
4700-564: The Ottomans, whom he believed were seeking to usurp control of the peninsula. He resigned as kaymakam and stopped paying taxes in August 1892. In February 1893, Mehmed Hafiz Pasha arrived in Qatar in the interests of seeking unpaid taxes and accosting Jassim bin Mohammed's opposition to proposed Ottoman administrative reforms. Fearing that he would face death or imprisonment, Jassim retreated to Al Wajbah (16 km or 10 mi west of Doha), accompanied by several tribe members. Mehmed's demand that Jassim disband his troops and pledge his loyalty to
4800-405: The Portuguese map by Luis Lázaro in 1563, showing the "city of Qatar" as a fortress, possibly referring to the fort of Ruwayda. Having retained a negligible military presence in the area, the Ottomans were expelled by the Bani Khalid tribe and their emirate in 1670. In 1766, members of the Al Khalifa family of the Utub tribal confederation migrated from Kuwait to Zubarah in Qatar. By
4900-403: The Savoy Hotel was sold off from the original group of four hotels: The Savoy, Claridge's, The Berkeley and The Connaught. The oldest hotel in the group is The Connaught which was originally built as the Prince of Saxe Coburg Hotel in 1815. It was renamed The Connaught in 1917 after Queen Victoria 's third son, Prince Arthur, the first Duke of Connaught . In December 2019, Maybourne acquired
5000-426: The Second World War with the independence of India, the creation of Pakistan in 1947, and the development of oil in Qatar. In 1949, the appointment of the first British political officer in Doha, John Wilton, signified a strengthening of Anglo-Qatari relations. Oil exports began in 1949, and oil revenues became the country's main source of revenue; the pearl trade had gone into decline. These revenues were used to fund
5100-402: The US-Iran prisoners swap deal. Iran freed five Americans in exchange for five Iranians held in the US and transfer $ 6 billion in frozen Iranian money from South Korea to Qatar. In October 2023 United States President Joe Biden thanked the Qatar's Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani for his help in mediating a landmark prisoner swap deal with Iran. On September 24, 2024, Qatar was designated as
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#17327980583045200-414: The United States, making its air force one of the largest among the Gulf states. The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) found that in 2010–2014 Qatar was the 46th-largest arms importer in the world. SIPRI writes that Qatar's plans to transform and significantly enlarge its armed forces have accelerated. In 2015, Qatar was the 16th largest arms importer in the world, and in 2016, it
5300-407: The Wahhabi in 1788, Saud ibn Abd al-Aziz moved to expand Wahhabi territory eastward towards the Persian Gulf and Qatar. After defeating the Bani Khalid in 1795, the Wahhabi were attacked on two fronts. The Ottomans and Egyptians assaulted the western front, while the Al Khalifa in Bahrain and the Omanis launched an attack against the eastern front. Upon being made aware of the Egyptian advance on
5400-406: The book Cities for a Small Planet (Faber and Faber: London 1997, ISBN 0-571-17993-2 ). The BBC made these lectures available to the public for download in July 2011. In 1998, he set up the Urban Task Force at the invitation of the British government, to help identify causes of urban decline and establish a vision of safety, vitality, and beauty for Britain's cities. This work resulted in
5500-400: The brothers lasting five years and costing over £50m. The Barclay brothers amassed shares from original shareholders in the Maybourne Hotel group which McKillen claimed was illegal. McKillen lost every case in the marathon legal action but effectively wore down the Barclay brothers and their interest in the company was successfully transferred to the Qatari royal family. McKillen is no longer
5600-444: The caliphate's prosperity declined in Iraq, so too did it in Qatar. Qatar is mentioned in 13th-century Muslim scholar Yaqut al-Hamawi 's book, Mu'jam Al-Buldan , which alludes to the Qataris' fine striped woven cloaks and their skills in improvement and finishing of spears. Much of eastern Arabia was controlled by the Usfurids in 1253, but control of the region was seized by the prince of Ormus in 1320. Qatar's pearls provided
5700-448: The country from his father Khalifa bin Hamad Al Thani , with the support of the armed forces and cabinet, as well as neighbouring states and France. Under Emir Hamad, Qatar experienced a moderate degree of liberalisation, including the launch of the Al Jazeera television station (1996), the endorsement of women's suffrage or right to vote in municipal elections (1999), drafting its first written constitution (2005) and inauguration of
5800-399: The east of the peninsula. The term "Catara" (inhabitants, Cataraei ) was exclusively used until the 18th century, after which "Katara" emerged as the most commonly recognised spelling. Eventually, after several variations—"Katr", "Kattar" and "Guttur"—the modern derivative Qatar was adopted as the country's name. In Standard Arabic , the name is pronounced [ˈqɑtˤɑr] , while in
5900-427: The expansion and modernisation of Qatar's infrastructure. When Britain officially announced in 1968 that it would withdraw from the Persian Gulf in three years' time, Qatar joined talks with Bahrain and seven other Trucial States to create a federation. Regional disputes, however, persuaded Qatar and Bahrain to withdraw from the talks and become independent states separate from the Trucial States, which went on to become
6000-416: The firm rebranded to simply RSHP on 30 June 2022. Rogers was perhaps best known for his work on the Pompidou Centre in Paris, the Lloyd's building and Millennium Dome , both in London, the Senedd building , in Cardiff , and the European Court of Human Rights building , in Strasbourg. He was awarded the RIBA Gold Medal , the Thomas Jefferson Medal , the RIBA Stirling Prize , the Minerva Medal , and
6100-425: The firm. Residents complained of water seepage through cladding panels and windows on the prefabricated terraced housing. In February 2006, Rogers hosted the inaugural meeting of the campaigning organisation Architects and Planners for Justice in Palestine (APJP) in his London offices. At that time his practice had secured a number of projects in New York, including the redevelopment of the Silvercup Studios site,
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#17327980583046200-400: The first Arab and Muslim-majority country to do so, and the third Asian country to host it following the 2002 FIFA World Cup in Japan and South Korea. Qatar is officially a semi-constitutional monarchy , but the wide powers retained by the monarchy have it bordering an absolute monarchy ruled by the Al Thani family . The Al Thani dynasty has been ruling Qatar since the family house
6300-471: The first Gulf country to join the U.S. Visa Waiver Program (VWP), allowing its citizens to travel to the United States for up to 90 days for business or tourism without a visa. The inclusion strengthens security cooperation between the two nations and eases travel for Qatari citizens. U.S. citizens are now permitted to stay in Qatar for up to 90 days without a visa, an increase from the previous 30-day limit. The Qatar Armed Forces consist of 12,000 personnel in
6400-488: The first Gulf state to do so in recent years. It is mandatory for Qatari male citizens to serve for up to 4 months, though not all of them are called up. The national service term was extended to one year in 2018. About 2,000 conscripts pass through the Qatar Armed Forces annually. Military service has become more popular in Qatar due to the recent tensions with Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Since 2017, Qatar has also purchased large quantities of equipment from European countries and
6500-455: The fourth-highest GDP (PPP) per capita in the world and the eleventh-highest GNI per capita (Atlas method) . It ranks 42nd in the Human Development Index , the third-highest HDI in the Arab world . It is a high-income economy , backed by the world's third-largest natural gas reserves and oil reserves. Qatar is one of the world's largest exporters of liquefied natural gas and the world's largest emitter of carbon dioxide per capita. In
6600-454: The governor of the Ottoman Vilayet of Baghdad , Midhat Pasha , the ruling Al Thani tribe submitted to Ottoman rule in 1871. The Ottoman government imposed reformist ( Tanzimat ) measures concerning taxation and land registration to fully integrate these areas into the empire. Despite the disapproval of local tribes, Al Thani continued supporting the Ottoman rule. Qatari-Ottoman relations stagnated, and in 1882 they suffered further setbacks when
6700-426: The hotel's all-day dining restaurant and also the recently opened Connaught Grill. The Connaught bar has won international awards including World's Best Bar (Tales of the Cocktail) and has been voted the best bar in Europe (World's 50 Best 2019). Claridge's opened in 1898. Designed by CW Stephens, it is located in the heart of Mayfair and became famous for its Art Deco design. By 2004, Claridge's with its famous lobby
6800-476: The idea of peace talks." It played a major role in establishing the first ceasefire in the 2023 Israel-Hamas war and the concurrent initial hostage exchange. These high-risk diplomatic middle man endeavors (and its own rigorous defense stance) have thus earned it a reputation as "a prickly Switzerland ". In June 2017, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, Egypt and Yemen broke diplomatic ties with Qatar, accusing Qatar of supporting terrorism . The crisis escalated
6900-412: The kingdom with one of its main sources of income. In 1515, Manuel I of Portugal vassalised the Kingdom of Ormus. Portugal went on to seize a significant portion of eastern Arabia in 1521. In 1550, the inhabitants of Al-Hasa voluntarily submitted to the rule of the Ottomans , preferring them to the Portuguese. After the fall of the Jabrid Dynasty with the conquest of Bahrain by the Portuguese,
7000-509: The land area is made up of flat, low-lying desert . Qatar has been ruled as a hereditary monarchy by the House of Thani since Mohammed bin Thani signed "an agreement, not a formal treaty" with Britain in 1868 that recognised its separate status. Following Ottoman rule, Qatar became a British protectorate in 1916 and gained independence in 1971. The current emir is Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani , who holds nearly all executive, legislative, and judicial authority in an autocratic manner under
7100-579: The latter guaranteed the protection of Qatar from aggression by sea and provide its 'good offices' in the event of an attack by land. This latter undertaking was left deliberately vague. On 5 May 1935, while agreeing an oil concession with the Anglo-Persian Oil Company , Abdullah signed another treaty with the British government which granted Qatar protection against internal and external threats. Oil reserves were first discovered in 1939. Exploitation and development were, however, delayed by World War II . The focus of British interests in Qatar changed after
7200-630: The latter part of the Christian era, Qatar comprised a region known as 'Beth Qatraye' ( Syriac for "house of the Qataris"). The region was not limited to Qatar; it also included Bahrain , Tarout Island , Al-Khatt, and Al-Hasa . In 628, the Islamic prophet Muhammad sent a Muslim envoy to a ruler in eastern Arabia named Munzir ibn Sawa Al-Tamimi and requested that he and his subjects accept Islam. Munzir obliged his request, and accordingly most of
7300-533: The maritime Qatari–Bahraini War of 1867–68, in which Bahraini and Abu Dhabi forces sacked and looted Doha and Al Wakrah. The Bahraini hostilities were in violation of the Perpetual Truce of Peace and Friendship of 1861. The joint incursion, in addition to the Qatari counter-attack, prompted British Political Resident, Colonel Lewis Pelly to impose a settlement in 1868. His mission to Bahrain and Qatar and
7400-527: The nation during the 2010s. In June 2013, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani became the emir of Qatar after his father handed over power. Sheikh Tamim has prioritised improving the domestic welfare of citizens, which includes establishing advanced healthcare and education systems, and expanding the country's infrastructure in preparation for the hosting of the 2022 World Cup. Qatar hosted the 2022 FIFA World Cup from 21 November to 18 December, becoming
7500-417: The outbreak of World War I , nothing was done to carry this out, and the garrison remained in the fort at Doha, although its numbers dwindled as men deserted. In 1915, with the presence of British gunboats in the harbour, Abdullah bin Jassim Al Thani (who was pro-British) persuaded the remainder to abandon the fort, and when British troops approached the following morning they found it deserted. Qatar became
7600-735: The pearling industry around the Qatari Peninsula occurred during the Abbasid era. Ships voyaging from Basra to India and China would make stops in Qatar's ports during this period. Chinese porcelain , West African coins, and artefacts from Thailand have been discovered in Qatar. Archaeological remains from the 9th century suggest that Qatar's inhabitants used greater wealth to construct higher quality homes and public buildings. Over 100 stone-built houses, two mosques, and an Abbasid fort were constructed in Murwab during this period. When
7700-714: The region. In 2011, Qatar joined NATO operations in Libya and reportedly armed Libyan opposition groups. It was also a major funder of weapons for rebel groups in the Syrian civil war . Qatar participated in the Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen against the Houthis and forces loyal to former President Ali Abdullah Saleh . Since the 2000s, Qatar increasingly emerged on a wider foreign policy stage especially as
7800-504: The resulting peace treaty were milestones because they implicitly recognised the distinctness of Qatar from Bahrain and explicitly acknowledged the position of Mohammed bin Thani. In addition to censuring Bahrain for its breach of agreement, Pelly negotiated with Qatari sheikhs who were represented by Mohammed bin Thani. The negotiations were the first stage in the development of Qatar as a sheikhdom. Under military and political pressure from
7900-563: The safe passage of Mehmed Pasha's cavalry to Hofuf by land. Although Qatar did not gain full independence from the Ottoman Empire, the result of the battle forced a treaty that would later form the basis of Qatar's emerging as an autonomous country within the empire. By the Anglo-Ottoman Convention of 1913 , the Ottomans agreed to renounce their claim to Qatar and withdraw their garrison from Doha. However, with
8000-620: The second millennium BC found in Al Khor Islands attests to trade relations between the inhabitants of Qatar and the Kassites in modern-day Bahrain. Among the findings were crushed snail shells and Kassite potsherds. It has been suggested that Qatar is the earliest known site of shellfish dye production, owing to a Kassite purple dye industry which existed on the coast. In 224 AD, the Sasanian Empire gained control over
8100-482: The service pipes outside the walls in fact led to such costs caused by weathering and maintenance that Lloyds considered vacating the building in 2014. Lloyds's former chief executive Richard Ward stated: "There is a fundamental problem with this building. Everything is exposed to the elements, and that makes it very costly." In 2014 Rogers faced a £5m legal claim over problems at the Oxley Woods estate designed by
8200-469: The start of the Battle of Al Wajbah . Effendi's troops came under heavy gunfire by a sizable troop of Qatari infantry and cavalry shortly after arriving at Al Wajbah. They retreated to Shebaka fortress where they were again forced to draw back from a Qatari incursion. After they withdrew to Al Bidda fortress, Jassim's advancing column besieged the fortress, resulting in the Ottomans' concession of defeat and agreement to relinquish their captives in return for
8300-473: The statement, "I unequivocally renounce Architects and Planners for Justice in Palestine and have withdrawn my relationship with them." Rogers was married to Ruth Rogers , chef and owner of The River Café restaurant in west London. They had two sons together, Roo and Bo (deceased 2011). Rogers also had three sons, Ben, Zad and Ab, from his first marriage to Su Brumwell. He had fourteen grandchildren and
8400-415: The strategy of balancing and alliance building among regional and great powers. It maintains independent foreign policy and engages in regional balancing to secure its strategic priorities and to have recognition on the regional and international level. As a comparatively small state in the gulf, Qatar established an "open-door" foreign policy where Qatar maintains ties to all parties and regional players in
8500-564: The territories surrounding the Persian Gulf. Qatar played a role in the commercial activity of the Sasanids, contributing at least two commodities: precious pearls and purple dye. Under the Sasanid reign, many of the inhabitants in eastern Arabia were introduced to Christianity following the eastward dispersal of the religion by Mesopotamian Christians. Monasteries were constructed and further settlements were founded during this era. During
8600-459: The three Maybourne hotels. They immediately set a pre-pack administration in motion in an attempt to eliminate McKillen's shares and take over the company. McKillen went to the High Court on the day the attack was launched and succeeded in blocking the takeover attempt. This set in motion the most expensive High Court legal action of its time. The case became extremely bitter between McKillen and
8700-433: The three remaining hotels were in a very poor state of repair, one of the investors, Paddy McKillen , immediately set out on a plan to completely refurbish the properties beginning with The Connaught. Finance for the purchase of the group was provided by Anglo Irish Bank . When the financial crisis hit, Anglo Irish Bank was not able to survive and the group's loans were transferred to National Asset Management Agency (NAMA),
8800-544: The time of their arrival, the Bani Khalid exercised weak authority over the peninsula, notwithstanding the fact that the largest village was ruled by their distant kin. In 1783, Qatar-based Bani Utbah clans and allied Arab tribes invaded and annexed Bahrain from the Persians. The Al Khalifa imposed their authority over Bahrain and retained their jurisdiction over Zubarah. Following his swearing-in as crown prince of
8900-487: The town and forcing hundreds of residents to flee. In 1825, the House of Thani was established with Sheikh Mohammed bin Thani as the first leader. Although Qatar was considered a dependency of Bahrain, the Al Khalifa faced opposition from the local tribes. In 1867, the Al Khalifa, along with the ruler of Abu Dhabi , sent a massive naval force to Al Wakrah in an effort to crush the Qatari rebels. This resulted in
9000-468: The town and provided fire support for Saudi Arabian National Guard units that were engaging Iraqi Army troops. Qatar allowed coalition troops from Canada to use the country as an airbase to launch aircraft on combat air patrol duty and also permitted air forces from the United States and France to operate in its territories. In 1995, Emir Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani seized control of
9100-662: The western frontier in 1811, the Wahhabi amir reduced his garrisons in Bahrain and Zubarah in order to redeploy his troops. Said bin Sultan , ruler of Muscat , capitalised on this opportunity and raided the Wahhabi garrisons on the eastern coast, setting fire to the fort in Zubarah. The Al Khalifa was effectively returned to power thereafter. As punishment for piracy, an East India Company vessel bombarded Doha in 1821, destroying
9200-528: Was "stupid because he could not read or memorise his school work" and as a consequence, he said, he became "very depressed". He could not read until he was 11, and it was not until after he had his first child that Rogers realised he was dyslexic. After leaving St Johns School, he undertook a foundation course at Epsom School of Art (now the University for the Creative Arts ) before going into National Service between 1951 and 1953. He then attended
9300-756: Was also appointed an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering in 2005. In 2007 Rogers was made Laureate of the Pritzker Architecture Prize – architecture's highest honour. He was awarded the Minerva Medal by the Chartered Society of Designers in the same year. In 2012, Rogers was among the British cultural icons selected by artist Sir Peter Blake to appear in a new version of his most famous artwork –
9400-465: Was also in a poor state of repair. McKillen with the architect Michael Blair won a major planning permission to excavate a five-level basement under the hotel by hand. The hotel maintained normal business while this major work was being carried out. These works were completed in 2022. In 2019, the hotel unveiled a new restaurant, Davies and Brook, run by chef Daniel Humm, former holder of World's best restaurant at Eleven Madison Park in New York. The hotel
9500-556: Was an exhibition at the Royal Academy in 1986, entitled " London As It Could Be ", which also featured the work of James Stirling and Rogers's former partner Norman Foster. This exhibition made public a series of proposals for transforming a large area of central London , subsequently dismissed as impractical by the city's authorities. In 1995, he became the first architect to deliver the BBC 's annual Reith Lectures . This series of five talks, titled Sustainable City, were later adapted into
9600-607: Was asked to continue on in his role as an advisor by the then new mayor Boris Johnson . He stood down from the post in October 2009. Rogers also served as an advisor to two mayors of Barcelona on urban strategies. Amidst this extra-curricular activity, Rogers continued to create controversial and iconic works. Perhaps the most famous of these, the Millennium Dome , was designed by the Rogers practice in conjunction with engineering firm Buro Happold and completed in 1999. It
9700-405: Was be removed from the practice by 2022 as was required by the founding constitution, however the practice was renamed RSHP in June 2022, retaining Rogers' initial. Like Frank Lloyd Wright 's and Le Corbusier 's, some of Rogers's buildings have not proved as well designed as claimed, suffering from leaks and maintenance problems. The Lloyds Buildings's much-vaunted design innovation of routing
9800-466: Was established in 1825. In 2003, Qatar adopted a constitution that provided for the direct election of 30 of the 45 members of a legislature. The constitution was overwhelmingly approved in a referendum, with almost 98% in favour. Despite this, the government remains authoritarian . According to the V-Dem Democracy indices Qatar is 2023 the second least electoral democratic country in
9900-475: Was the 11th largest, according to SIPRI. Qatar has signed defense pacts with the United States, the United Kingdom, and France. The forward headquarters of United States Central Command , Al Udeid Air Base , is located in Qatar and houses about 10,000 American military personnel. During the 2011 military intervention in Libya , Qatar deployed six Mirage 2000 fighter jets to assist the NATO air campaign against
10000-526: Was the subject of fierce political and public debate over the cost and contents of the exhibition it contained; the building itself cost £43 million. In May 2006, Rogers's practice was chosen as the architect of Tower 3 of the new World Trade Center in New York City, replacing the old World Trade Center which was destroyed in the September 11 attacks . Rogers resigned his directorship of Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners on 30 June 2020. The Rogers name
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