German envoy postpones trip to Qatar amid World Cup spat

BERLIN (AP) — Germany’s human rights envoy says she is postponing an official visit to Qatar, after the Gulf nation reacted angrily to German government comments in recent days. Qatar had summoned the German ambassador Friday over remarks by Germany’s interior minister, who appeared to criticize the decision to award the World Cup to the Gulf nation because of its human rights record. Luise Amtsberg, Germany’s human rights envoy, said it had become apparent “how difficult it is in the current situation ahead of the World Cup to have the open and also critical conversation” she planned to hold with Qatar. German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser still plans to travel to Qatar with a delegation from the German soccer federation.