Updated to reflect that the Gwen Stefani concert will proceed as scheduled.
With reporting from Chantelle D’mello
Out of respect for the death of Saudi Arabia’s patriarch, several activities and events have been canceled in Qatar this weekend.
This was done after officials declared a three-day mourning period here over King Abdullah’s passing. However, questions have arisen about what this period entails.
So far, many local entertainment-related events have been postponed or canceled. That includes:
- The cancellation of tonight’s UB40 concert at the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters’ golf tournament. Organizers said that ticket-holders will be entitled to a partial refund. The order of play will continue tomorrow as scheduled, and bars in the refreshment areas will remain open until further notice, a spokeswoman confirmed to Doha News.
- The postponement of Saturday morning’s 5km Color Run.
- The scaling back of the Souq Waqif Spring Festival, which was supposed to kick off today. Organizers there told Doha News that they are canceling the festival’s musical performances out of respect for the people of Saudi Arabia and the death of their king. After the three-day mourning period, the head of the souq said activities for children and families, including Shaun the Sheep performances at Al Rayyan Theater and the dolphin show, will resume. However, Doha News observed tonight that the children’s activities appeared to be in full swing, with performers being moved from the more public area to the kids’ section.
The postponement of Saturday night’s Gwen Stefani concert at the Men’s Handball World Championship, according to a sports journalist for Doha Stadium Plus.Organizers are now saying the concert will go ahead as planned and that matches would continue to take place as scheduled.
Questions also arose about the availability of alcohol at hotels and bars, but many who spoke to Doha News tonight said they remain operating as normal.
Meanwhile, some have been expressing confusion about whether Sunday will be a work and school day:
https://twitter.com/GhidaZK/status/558615937968918528
https://twitter.com/_s_alman/status/558627208516739074
Barring any official announcement, Sunday will likely not be a day off for most people. In the UAE for example, the mourning period is being considered as a time when the national flag flies at half mast.
Meanwhile, several of Qatar’s local radio stations – including QBS, QF Radio and Oryx FM – have been playing Quran today instead of their regularly scheduled programming.
QF Radio has also canceled all programing through Sunday, an employee there told Doha News.
Thoughts?
Absolutely ridiculous. People die. That’s life. Let the people who are alive carry on living,
making time to mourn a person’s death is an indicator of how civilized a culture is. show some respect as the person who died is obviously important to people in the part of the world we are in
Very sad news.
P.S. Rather stomach-churning to see the western leaders (Obama, Cameron et al) mourning to loss of a leader of a country that publicly executed 70+ people in 2012.
how many were sent to death row in US?
39, officially. That’s not counting shooting their own children in schools etc.
or the amount sentenced to death by drone
Also, it is not included bombing, droning and shooting children in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Syria and Iraq.
Or the 130 some odd children killed by the Taliban at a SCHOOL. The thousands killed by ISIS in Iraq and Syria, Or the 100s killed every week in the ME and Near Asia. And what has both the victim and executioner have in common?
How come most mass shooters in the U.S. are White males? How come we have not seen a 1 Million white man march to protest violence buy white men against society?
Clean up your own back yard of the 7th century monkeys killing muslims, ironically, in the name of allah. Then you can talk about others.
Oh my o my; have I touched a nerve. I must’ve, for you to lose your cool and go back to calling non-Whites monkeys. Tsk, tsk, tsk; oh Dr. King, what have you died for?
Don’t waste time arguing with an uneducated and unemployable bum who got lucky in Doha.
How come most mass murderers of muslims around the world are muslims? How come we haven’t seen a million muslim march to protest these atrocities? Oh it’s only an atrocity if a non muslim does it. right? Allah’s will otherwise?
While I agree, I still believe you cannot justify something wrong by comparing it to another wrong.
I have a question for you; why do you assume that I’m trying to justify something wrong here? What wrong did I try to justify?
The person I’m replying to has a habit of repeatedly trying to push the view that terrorism and violence are especially unique to Muslims. He seem to believe that all Muslims are responsible for the actions of the few. I simply used his own logic against him.
As you can see from his response, he doesn’t like the tats of his own medicine.
YOU mean Iraq, Syria, Pakistan, Afghanistan included?
fail
Yeah…thought it was interesting. Wonder if they’ll do the same for Putin or the Iranian leader when they die. Especially u know with their appalling stance on freedom of speech, gay rights, etc….hhmmm
If the Queen died, she wouldn’t expect the world to stop turning for her. Why should I spend my weekend mourning the loss of a man who is a leader of one of the most brutal and archaic places in world. If you want to spend your weekend crying into your tea, then fill your boots.
don’t worry, i don’t think anyone will mourn you when you die. and this is not england. and the british empire did a lot of brutal things in its heyday too. don’t go on imposing your values in a country that doesn’t share it
You are inardently characterising Qatar’s population as caring about Sheikh Abullah’s death. I think you are mistaken in judgement resulting from the comments made.
This is absolutely true.
Nor you mate. Yes, in it’s heyday, but what you seem to be missing is the fact it’s 2015. Don’t go imposing your values on someone who doesn’t share them.
Deleting the rest of this thread b/c it’s devolving.
I think Saudi govt will never try to make English people cry for Saudi king but I have seen some people in UK is trying other people to accept their queen even though other people have nothing to do with UK Queen
Saudi king is deferent. First, he is Muslim, Second, he is an Arab. Third, He is the ruler. Fourth, king is the custodian two Mosque which have billions followers.
Queen is only Queen for England. And if you are working in an Arab country, you have to respect their cultural rules and Govt’s regulation, and it is as simple as that.
I have to adhere to their rules and regulations….not respect them.
That is profanity.
Whoa, there friend…. I do not normally get myself embroiled in Muslim/rest of the world bun fights, but I have to correct you. HM Queen Elizabeth is the queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland – not just England. She is also the figure head of those countries that CHOOSE to remain part of the commonwealth, the head of the Church of England, and us such the “owner” of all C of E property – not to mention huge swathes of the UK in general. When she dies, of course, the UK will mourn her, but we will not expect the rest of the world to follow suit.
Having said that, I think considering the proximity of Qatar to Saudi Arabia, geographically and spiritually, and the closeness of the relationships between the two sovereign nations, it’s right and proper to mourn the Kings loss.
You level of obsequiousness is quite stunning.
Had to get my dictionary out for that one, but spot on.
Dear, could you point out the part in the Quran or Sunna where it mentions the rules for the mourning period for the “Custodian of the Two Mosques”? Might be difficult since this title was invented, to the best I know, the Ottomans, and has no basis in Islam. That’s right, it’s a biddah!
Furthermore, Muslim, Arab, and / or ruler really justifies countries other than Saudia to have a mourning period. It’s politics, plain and simple.
well said myfriend
Yeah and I bet you mourned when Kim il Jong died as well. Lovely man
who says i’m mourning too? i simply want other people to let people mourn and respect how people do it here in the region. no need to be a jackass about everything
Although officially Saudi Arabia will not have any mourning period.
Easy brush, just respect the decreased
Easy brush, just respect the deceased
Not just an ordinary person but someone who abused human rights and an oppressor of his own people, including his own family.
I wonder if the Flogger gets a few days of mourning, sparing the poor Blogger from his next instalment of 1000 lashes
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this list does not have the penalty bringing the Bible into the country (for your own use of course) it is death penalty; Christians praying together is jail
Deleting because it’s not true.
read it on the press. Anyway, had the testimony of the Archibishop of the region that was put in jail himself.
The unity of the society is more important or the rights of the individual?
Yep!
Admirals just closed down. Last round to to the King!
There’s live music and beer on tap here at Trader Vic’s. Perhaps I’m in a different Doha!
This is crazy. He wasn’t a loved man even in Saudi, let life continue in the free world.
Also can someone get the guy on QBS who is wailing to stop.
Neither you are a loved man. But you are still existing in the world and doha news blog.
Your existence is futile 😀 But well, we need people like you to have fun in this life 🙂
By wailing do you mean reading the Quran?
I demand a full reimbursement for my 2x QR250 UB40 tickets. The 50 refund is ridiculous!
A disgrace.
Agree. We need to raise our voices about this. Especially as the VIP tickets get a full refund. Disgusting. Won’t bother with the golf next year.
good
Yes you will. We will all have forgotten about it by next year.
what’s ridiculous is that you’re publicly admitting to liking UB40
If it happens again I’m leaving…………………..
That’s really embarrassing. Poor customer service, ethics, etc. sorry to hear. It’s basically money stolen; shameful.
in fact, if they refund you only 50 ryals is actually a rip-off
Write to the ministry of fair trade about the UB40 tickets. That is appalling that the VIP tickets get a full refund but the rest don’t. Theyre not getting away with that. Power in n numbers.
people living in a country should respect their culture wherever it might be!
seeing the type of comments here makes me believe that there is a lot of money wasted in letting disrespectful undeserving people live and work comfortably here! if you don’t like the culture, then simply go back to the culture you think is better!
besides its not the government’s fault for a refund rip off! it’s the organizer’s!!!
I disagree. Government department approves their licence to operate and hold the event. If they do not give full refund, government authorities should step in. Simple.
Yes but without the people the country have “wasted money on”, there would be no infrastructure, no malls no Pearl, no teachers. I could go on, but I think that makes my point.
Not true. You are all replaceable.
By who, Qatari? LOL
No. Other immigrants. There’s around 7 billion of you. We’ll just buy some other ones.
So let me get this straight. They cancelled the UB40 concert (after making sure that people bought tickets and there was enough audience at the Golf), they “postponed” the color run to an (after people already paid online), BUT Gwen Stefani concert went as scheduled (mmmmm is it because they’re desperate to have people fill in seats?)…. Just saying!