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
Qatar's annus horribilis Qatar has taken a sharp turn in fortune in the past year, going from influential regional power to almost complete isolation. Qatar
Hifter accuses Turkey of supporting terror in Libya Retired Libyan rebel Gen. Khalifa Belqasim Hifter's accusation is another sign of Turkey's deepening isolation in Arab politics. Qatar
Khamenei rep blames Saudi Arabia, Qatar for Iraq insurgents In a rare moment of directness, a representative of Iran’s supreme leader has directly named Saudi Arabia and Qatar as the cause of the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham’s surge in Iraq. Saudi Arabia
Russia, Qatar compete in natural gas market Russia and Qatar differ on Syria but are considering means of mitigating their natural gas rivalry in the Gas Exporting Countries Forum. Qatar
Saudi, UAE coordination signals differences with Qatar Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have formed a joint committee to coordinate their regional efforts, with Egypt and Libya topping the agenda. Saudi Arabia
Turkey, Qatar strengthen economic ties Turkey is again stepping up relations with Qatar by adding cultural and commercial links to their political collaboration in the international arena. Qatar
US can help heal GCC rifts The United States is leading efforts to resolve the dispute between Saudi Arabia and Qatar, but uncertainty over the future of the Gulf Cooperation Council remains. Legacy: Gulf
The Saudi-Turkey cold war for Sunni hegemony Saudi Arabia views Turkey's mix of democracy and Islam as a threat to its own regional role. Saudi Arabia
Iraq-Saudi ties need strategic context While Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has accused Saudi Arabia of supporting terrorist groups, Baghdad should instead work on establishing effective channels of communication to cooperate in anti-terror efforts. Saudi Arabia
Hamas seeks to retain Saudi ties despite Brotherhood ban Hamas is hoping to escape the anti-Brotherhood wave sweeping the Gulf and is trying to stay on good terms with Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia
Al-Monitor launches Gulf Pulse With the launch of its Gulf Pulse, Al-Monitor is expanding its coverage of the region. Saudi Arabia
Baghdad holds international anti-terrorism conference According to the conference organizers, Saudi Arabia and Qatar were invited, but didn’t attend, despite Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's accusing of them of supporting terrorism. Saudi Arabia
