Born in Qatar, Tala Abujbara didn’t even know what rowing was until she got to university in the States, but this summer, she will be representing the gas-rich nation in Tokyo in the women's single sculls event. Being a lone rower in a country mostly known for its desert landscape, aiming for a spot at the Olympics under the Qatari flag meant adapting from rowing in a team of eight to being on her own on the water.

Here are a few reasons to pick up a copy of The Guardian on Tuesday. Find these stories and much more when you grab a copy of The Guardian on Tuesday. ⁣

Qatar has longstanding ties with the Taliban. While this approach is criticized by some, others benefit from the country's contacts. Qatar's main interest is to cement its position as a regional mediator.

Just days ago, Beheshta Arghand made history by becoming the first female Afghan journalist to interview a Taliban official live on television -- now she's a refugee overcome by emotion appealing for help.

Qatar's Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani says his country is working with Taliban to reopen Kabul airport "as soon as possible", during a joint press conference with his British counterpart Dominic Raab in Doha.

At a compound set to host attendees of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, a few hundred Afghan refugees await their fate, hoping they will be accepted in Europe or America. Some like Ahmad Wali Sarhadi, who hasn’t spoken to his wife and five children since he left them behind in Kandahar, have no idea what lies ahead.

Qatar is considered one of the countries with the most influence over the hard-line Islamist group. Meanwhile, Taliban forces in Kabul have been ordered to wear uniforms, after fighters harassed and beat people.

According to Doha, over 230 Afghan, US and European nationals were aboard the Qatari flight, the fourth to evacuate citizens since the end of the US mission in Afghanistan.

Since Russia's parliamentary elections earlier this week, dozens of videos have been circulating online claiming to show incidents of voter fraud. Our journalists contacted a man appearing in one video – he says he was prevented from participating in vote counting. However, BBC's Russian language service claims that through facial recognition technology, they have ascertained that actors participated in a video shown by the Electoral Commission. That video was supposed to show how fake scenes of voter fraud were being manufactured.

Qataris voted for 30 out of the 45-member council that will approve general state policies — but will have no say in the setting of defense, security or economic policy.

The US has promised to provide humanitarian support to the Afghan population, but maintained that it does not formally recognize the Taliban's rule.

Labourers on World Cup projects being given more protection, needs to extend to all workers says human rights group.