Newsletter: City Pulse Doha Fireworks, feasts and festivals: Doha’s NYE 2026 Also this week: Open-air cinema nights, global sneaker art and festive concerts By Reve Chaaban In Doha reporting on culture
Analysis Gulf finance hubs race to expand as hedge funds flock to Dubai, Abu Dhabi The Gulf’s top financial hubs have posted another strong year in 2025, with the UAE spearheading a regional push to attract hedge funds, asset managers, crypto and fintech firms as regional neighbors target growth of their own. By Samuel Wendel In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech
Analysis Trump has upper hand over Netanyahu, but is it enough for Gaza? Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been stalling on the implementation of the second phase of President Donald Trump’s Gaza plan, but at the end of the day, Trump has much more leverage over Netanyahu. By Rina Bassist In Paris, reporting on Israeli politics and European affairs
Newsletter: City Pulse Doha I. M. Pei’s architectural legacy comes to Doha Also this week: Global marching bands at Katara, Arab Cup celebrations, and National Day festivities By Reve Chaaban In Doha reporting on culture
Newsletter: City Pulse Doha Qatar celebrates heritage at Darb Al Saai By Reve Chaaban In Doha reporting on culture
Newsletter: Gulf Saudi Arabia, Qatar turbocharge strategic coordination By Francesco Schiavi In Bologna, reporting on security, defense, economy, governance
Russia, Qatar pushed to compromise. But will they? A recent visit between Qatari and Russian officials indicate that in spite of their many differences, the two states may seek to cooperate. Qatar
Will South Pars help bring Iran's economy back to life? The newly inaugurated phases 15 and 16 of Iran's giant South Pars project have the potential to greatly boost the country's economy. Qatar
Amid financial hardship, Erdogan looks to Qatar as 'rich daddy' Turkey’s leadership, increasingly isolated in the region amid spats with Russia and Iraq, knocks on the doors of Israel and Qatar, with the latter providing much-needed foreign investment. Qatar
What's Saudi's new Islamic coalition really up to? Not a lot is known about Saudi Arabia's newly announced Islamic Military Alliance, leaving observers to ponder its prospects. Saudi Arabia
Will Qatar's investment in ancient pyramids bring tourists to Sudan? With funding from Qatar, archaeologists from around the world are gathering in Sudan to excavate the country's forgotten pyramids. Qatar
Will Turkey be able to replace Russian gas with Qatari imports? Although Qatar cannot replace Russian gas for Turkey, it is promising to see that Ankara is exploring new strategies for diversifying its long‐term energy supply. Qatar
Erdogan more isolated than ever on Syria The Turkish president is on the defensive after Turkey’s shooting down of a Russian warplane; the Syrian war enters a more dangerous phase. Saudi Arabia
Sudan gets $2.2B for joining Saudi Arabia, Qatar in Yemen war After providing financial support, Saudi Arabia is collecting on its IOU from Sudan, which now finds itself enmeshed in Yemen's civil war. Saudi Arabia
Qatar launches initiative to ease power crisis in Gaza As Palestinians in the Gaza Strip continue to suffer from daily power cuts, Qatar proposed to Israelis supplying Gaza with natural gas. Qatar
Qatar adopts cultural diplomacy to combat 'clash of ignorance' Cultural diplomacy is a tool needed now more than ever to develop dialogue and respect among different peoples and nations, and Qatar is moving on several fronts in this regard. Legacy: Gulf
Is Qatar Iran's door to the Gulf? The recent Iranian-Qatari rapprochement has created further controversy in the Middle East but some countries see it as a positive step in alleviating the ongoing conflict. Saudi Arabia
Iranian olive branch offers diplomatic paradigm shift To resolve regional crises before they become even worse, Iran and its Arab neighbors must engage in dialogue based on a new paradigm for conflict resolution. Legacy: Gulf
