Where to sleep? It's among the biggest questions facing fans traveling to tiny Qatar for the World Cup amid a feverish rush for rooms in Doha. Some will sleep on cruise ships. Others will camp in the desert. Others will fly in from Dubai and elsewhere.
But in the run-up to the world's biggest sporting event in the world's smallest host country, the struggle for housing is hardly limited to tourists. Qatar's real estate frenzy has sent rents skyrocketing and priced long-term residents out of their own homes, leaving many in the lurch.

Germany's president arrived in Kyiv Tuesday for his first visit to Ukraine since the start of Russia's invasion, a trip that comes amid Moscow's unsubstantiated warnings of a "dirty bomb" attack as the conflict enters its ninth month.
President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said after arriving that "it was important to me in this phase of air attacks with drones, cruise missiles and rockets to send a signal of solidarity to Ukrainians," German news agency dpa reported.

The final meeting of African nations' climate negotiators ahead of the global U.N. summit kicks off in the Namibian capital Windhoek on Monday, with participants expected to focus on how to ramp up renewable energy on the continent.
Organizers of the annual Climate Change and Development in Africa conference said the meeting serves as the final chance for the continent's negotiators, government officials, climate scientists, grassroots civil societies and farming associations to fine tune the continent's interests and agree on a common position to promote at the climate summit in Egypt in November, known as COP27.

Norwegian oil and gas workers normally don't see anything more threatening than North Sea waves crashing against the steel legs of their offshore platforms. But lately they have noticed a more troubling sight: unidentified drones buzzing in the skies overhead.
With Norway replacing Russia as Europe's main source of natural gas, military experts suspect the unmanned aircraft are Moscow's doings. They list espionage, sabotage and intimidation as possible motives for the drone flights.

China's economic growth picked up in the latest quarter but still was among the weakest in decades as the ruling Communist Party tries to reverse a slump while enforcing anti-virus controls and a crackdown on debt in its vast real estate industry.
The world's second-largest economy grew by 3.9% over a year earlier in the three months ending in September, up from the previous quarter's 0.4%, official data showed Monday.

French prosecutors said Monday that Credit Suisse has agreed to pay 238 million euros ($234 million) to settle tax fraud allegations, the latest blow for the embattled Swiss bank.
The bank will pay 123 million euros in fines and 115 million in damages and interest to France, whose investigators will close an inquiry launched in 2016 on possible charges of aggravated tax fraud laundering and illegal soliciting, French prosecutor Jean-François Bohnert said in a statement.

Ukraine's top soccer club on Monday urged FIFA to remove Iran from the World Cup because of the country's alleged military support to the Russian invasion.
Shakhtar Donetsk chief executive Sergei Palkin accused Iran of "direct participation in terrorist attacks on Ukrainians," suggesting his own country's team should play in Qatar instead as a replacement.

Indians celebrated Diwali on Monday as bright earthen oil lamps and dazzling, colorful lights lit up homes and streets across the country to mark the Hindu festival that symbolizes the victory of light over darkness.
Diwali, which is a national holiday across India, is typically celebrated by socializing and exchanging gifts with family and friends. Many light earthen oil lamps or candles, and fireworks are set off as part of the celebrations. In the evening, a special prayer is dedicated to the Hindu goddess Lakshmi, who is believed to bring luck and prosperity.

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said Monday that cooperation with China protects "international stability", as he congratulated Xi Jinping for securing a third term as the country's leader.
Iran and China have strong economic relations especially in the fields of oil and energy, transit, agriculture, trade and investment.

The semifinals of the World Cup in 2018. The final of the European Championship in 2021.
England has been trending in the right direction at major soccer tournaments after decades of underperformance by the nation which invented the game.
