The Shard -- western Europe's tallest skyscraper -- opens its viewing platform to the public on February 1, giving unrivaled views over London and defiantly snubbing critics of the gigantic tower.

The 310-meter (1,017-foot) Shard has been described as too tall, too futuristic, too likely to cast its shadow over London's historic monuments -- and too costly at a time of austerity, even though 95 percent of its £450 million ($727 million, 548 million euros) cost has been financed by Qatar.

Interior Minister Marwan Charbel vowed on Thursday to negotiate the release of the kidnapped Lebanese pilgrims in Syria, reported Future television.

He made his pledge during a meeting he held with the families of the pilgrims, saying that he will head to Doha, Qatar in order to carry out the negotiations.

Qatar said on Tuesday it will increase its financial aid to Egypt by $2.5 billion to a total of $5 billion, comprising an outright grant of $1 billion and $4 billion in bank deposits.

The financial lifeline comes as Egypt battles a currency crisis and seeks an IMF cash injection into its teetering economy of an almost equivalent amount.

Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah rejected on Thursday a suggestion that the Lebanese-Syrian border be closed due to the state's inability to support the burden of refugees pouring in from the war-torn country.

He said during a televised speech marking 40 days after Ashura: “The border with Syria should not be shut and the refugees, regardless if they support or oppose the Syrian regime, should be hosted in Lebanon.”

The pan-Arab news giant Al-Jazeera bought Current TV, a struggling U.S. cable channel, Wednesday in a deal aimed at giving the Qatar-based broadcaster the scope to challenge major American TV networks.

Current, co-founded by former U.S. vice president Al Gore, announced the sale in a statement that was later confirmed by Al-Jazeera. The acquisition will allow the latter to reach millions more U.S. homes than it does at present.

Qatar has donated $20 million to Tunisia to compensate the families of those killed or wounded in the revolution, local media reported on Friday, as parliament moved closer to adopting a compensation law.

The donations, which will supplement an existing fund, was announced by Tunisian Prime Minister Hamadi Jebali.

Arab League chief Nabil al-Arabi hoped on Sunday that the United States and Russia could reconcile their views over Syria in order to facilitate a settlement of the crisis in the war-ravaged country.

"Talks between the United States and Russia along with the international envoy (Lakhdar Brahimi) continued in Geneva today," Arabi told a meeting of the Arab ministerial committee on Syria held in Doha.

Qatar called Sunday at an Arab League ministerial meeting for a rethink of an Arab offer of normal ties with Israel in return for its pullout from occupied land and branded the international Quartet a failure.

"It is logical after 10 years to objectively reconsider the peace process, including the Arab initiative," said Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem Al-Thani, the country's prime minister.

Frustration grew Friday with the Qatari hosts of U.N. climate talks stuttering towards a close in Doha, for failing to instil a sense of urgency in negotiators preparing themselves for a long night.

As some delegates urged conference chairman Abdullah Bin Hamad al-Attiyah to take matters in hand, he quipped in a stock-taking session: "I am not in a rush. I am at home. My house is only 10 minutes driving distance so I'd love you to stay here more days."

U.N. climate negotiators bickered in Doha on Monday over cash and commitments needed to curb Earth-warming greenhouse gases, even as fresh alarm bells were rung about the perils the planet faces.

Halfway through 11-day talks, nearly 200 nations remained far apart on issues vital for unlocking a global deal on climate change, said delegates at the talks in Qatar's capital.