Han Solo Incoming; Qatar Faces Losing Out on 2022 World Cup

Han Solo Prepares to Land

As the JJ Abrams-led Star Wars franchise reboot takes shape, the original stars of the film are dropping into place. One of the last to agree to sign on is Harrison Ford, who played Han Solo in the first three films.

And although the 70 year-old hasn’t definitely agreed, a deal is likely to be signed soon say insiders at Disney.

Even Ford himself has sounded optimistic at the prospect of joining Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill and Billy Dee Williams in the so-far untitled Episode VII.

“I think it’s almost true, I’m looking forward to it. It’s not in the bag yet, but I think it’s happening,” he said in a TV interview this week.

Any delay in shooting can at least give cinemagoers a chance to steel themselves by watching a silver-haired Ford take on an action adventure role with such misfires as Indiana Jones: Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.

Qatar Faces Losing Out on 2022 World Cup

A little closer to Earth and it seems that Qatar is facing a spot of trouble over its planned hosting duties at the FIFA World Cup 2022 Finals.

On Wednesday, FIFA President Sepp Blatter confirmed that the Arab state risks losing hosting rights over a spat involving the weather.

FIFA stunned football bodies around the world when it awarded the 2022 games to Qatar, given that summer temperatures regularly rise above 50 degrees.

As such, there have been many calls to shift the tournament to the winter when it is cooler – one of the loudest voices has been UEFA President Michel Platini.

“At 50 degrees, you cannot possibly play football,” he said.

But Blatter warned that if Qatari authorities decide to change the date it would bring a legal challenge from the US, Australia, South Korea and Japan who also bid to stage the finals.

“For there to be a change to winter it is necessary that Qatar ask for it. They have not done so yet,” he said.

“But they know if they do, they risk another of the 2022 candidates bringing a challenge before FIFA and the vote would have to be repeated.”