France 24

TENNIS - WTA

Safina reclaims top spot on eve of Doha showdown

Dinara Safina of Russia has bounced back to the top of the WTA ranking on the eve of the season-ending Doha tournament, where the top eight players on the women's circuit will face-off for the $4.55 million jackpot.

ATHLETICS

Olympic champion Powell to run at Doha despite injury

Jamaica's Asafa Powell, an Olympic 4x100 m champion, is to participate to the next grand prix meet in Doha despite an ankle injury. The competition will be one of the first major athletic events of year.

ARAB SUMMIT

Libyan, Saudi leaders 'make up' at Doha meeting

Six years after Muammar Gaddafi had a public spat with Saudi King Abdullah at the 2003 Arab summit, the Libyan leader reached out to his Saudi counterpart in Doha, declaring that “the personal problem” between the two was “over”.

Arab League - Doha - ICC - Omar al-Bashir

Bashir: A western vendetta?

Sudan's president has received a cordial welcome at an Arab summit in Qatar despite an international warrant for his arrest.

IN THE PAPERS

In the papers

France 24 journalists review highlights from the world's papers.

ARAB LEAGUE

Doha summit to back Bashir's defiance of arrest warrant

An Arab League summit that begins in Qatar on Monday will unite to back Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir's (left) defiance of an international warrant for his arrest amid deep inter-Arab divisions over Iran and the Palestinian leadership.

GAZA - QATAR

Arab League summit on Gaza delayed

Arab nations' inability to agree a common stance on the Gaza offensive has put a Qatar-hosted summit in Doha on Friday in jeopardy. Only 13 of the 22 member states agreed to attend and, on Friday, organisers announced the summit was delayed.

TENNIS

France's Monfils beats Nadal at last, in Qatar quarter-finals

France's Gaël Monfils signed his first victory at the Qatar Open's quarter-finals in Doha, beating top seed Rafael Nadal in straight sets (6-4, 6-4). The 22-year-old Frenchman will play against Andy Roddick in the next round.

TENNIS - DOHA

Venus Williams clinches first WTA championships

Venus Williams defeated Russia's Vera Zvonareva in three sets on Sunday to win the season-ending WTA Championships for the first time, capping a year marked by victories at Wimbledon and the Zurich Masters.