Newsletter: City Pulse Doha Qatar celebrates heritage at Darb Al Saai Also this week: Football heritage at Katara, Kadim Al Sahir on stage and candlelit tributes at MIA By Reve Chaaban In Doha reporting on culture
Newsletter: Gulf Saudi Arabia, Qatar turbocharge strategic coordination Saudi Arabia and Qatar unveiled sweeping agreements — including a flagship high-speed rail link — that mark their most ambitious push yet to deepen strategic coordination. By Francesco Schiavi In Bologna, reporting on security, defense, economy, governance
Mideast funds back Paramount's $108B Warner Bros. takeover bid Netflix appeared to have won a weeks-long bidding war with Paramount and Comcast, securing a $72 billion equity deal for Warner Bros. Discovery's TV, film studios and streaming assets, but Monday's $108 billion bid changes the calculus. Saudi Arabia
Analysis Differences over Hamas, Turkey and Iran overshadow Netanyahu-Trump summit When Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu meets US President Donald Trump in Washington, expect him to focus on Hamas' disarmament and rail against Turkey taking part in the international stabilization force in Gaza. By Ben Caspit In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense
Newsletter: City Pulse Doha Museum honoring M.F. Husain opens in Doha By Reve Chaaban In Doha reporting on culture
Analysis Trump’s Muslim Brotherhood move reignites Israel’s battle over Raam By Rina Bassist In Paris, reporting on Israeli politics and European affairs
Was Trump’s call about oil with Saudi leader the start of a reset in relations? US-Saudi partnership faces both old and new challenges in post-COVID-19 Middle East. Saudi Arabia
Intel: Trump calls on Qatar to work toward resolving Gulf dispute President Donald Trump has asked Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani to take steps to resolve the ongoing dispute with Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the UAE, which blockaded Qatar in 2017. Legacy: Gulf
Qatar Airways defers some employees' pay to save costs and keep flying Qatar Airways is still offering many passenger flights, unlike other major Middle Eastern carriers. The drop in international travel due to the coronavirus has resulted in major losses for airlines. Qatar
Intel: Pompeo and Gulf ministers coordinate on Iran, COVID-19 Secretary of State Mike Pompeo held a flurry of phone calls on Thursday with his counterparts in Qatar, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates to discuss Iran and the COVID-19 pandemic. United Arab Emirates
How COVID-19 will change GCC labor markets A siren is blaring for local labor markets as the global pandemic and falling oil revenues begin to upend the Gulf states' economies. Saudi Arabia
As coronavirus spreads to Gaza, Israel can offer little The nightmare scenario of the coronavirus reaching the Gaza Strip has become a reality, with Israel and Palestinians fearing a mega-catastrophe in the most crowded spot on earth. Qatar
Justice Department ordered Turkish TV station to register as foreign agent The decision came amid an intensifying push by the Donald Trump administration and Congress to get foreign media outlets to register. Qatar
Coronavirus spurs regional humanitarian outreach to Iran The UAE, Kuwait and Qatar provide help to Coronavirus-stricken Iran, while there is talk that the United States could ease the way for aid to Iran while Iran released American prisoners who could be prime COVID-19 targets. United Arab Emirates
Mideast oil producers brace for impact of price slide The global coronavirus outbreak and falling oil prices could spell a massive economic slowdown for oil-producing countries in the Middle East. Saudi Arabia
Egypt breaks ice with Hamas Egypt invited Hamas to Cairo after months of rupture between the parties, indicating Egypt’s efforts to maintain its role in the Palestinian cause. Qatar
Qatar brings on Republican lawmakers for new GOP push Holland and Knight’s new contract says that Republicans on Capitol Hill will be the focus of the lobbying. Qatar
Jordan, Qatar close ranks following emir’s visit Aside from the economic benefits for Jordan from the full normalization of ties with Qatar, King Abdullah, by hosting Qatar’s emir, is looking for regional allies to confront Trump’s peace plan. Qatar
