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by David Harding Agence France-Presse DOHA, Qatar (AFP) – Since the Qatar diplomatic crisis started, one response by the emirate has become increasingly clear — Doha is using its extraordinary wealth to fund a massive push in defense spending. A flurry of military contracts have followed since Saudi Arabia and its allies dramatically cut all ties with Qatar last June, accusing the 2022 World Cup host of sponsoring terrorism and cosying up to Riyadh’s bitter regional rival, […]
KUWAIT CITY, Kuwait (AFP) — Kuwait on Wednesday protested to Saudi Arabia over derogatory remarks made by a senior adviser to the Saudi royal court against one of its cabinet ministers. Deputy foreign minister Khaled al-Jarallah told reporters that he conveyed the Kuwaiti complaint to the Saudi ambassador in the country. “We have expressed our regret and blame over the insult against (commerce minister) Khaled al-Roudhan, a minister who enjoys the full trust of all in Kuwait,” he […]
ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates (AFP) – The United Arab Emirates accused neighbouring Qatar of “intercepting” two Emirati passenger planes en route to Bahrain on Monday in the latest incident between the Gulf rivals. Qatar denied the allegations as “totally baseless” and hit back that they came “one day after a C-130 UAE military aircraft breached Qatari airspace”. Tensions have escalated in the Gulf since Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt cut all ties with Qatar […]
DOHA, Qatar (AFP) — Qatar on Wednesday said a Saudi-led boycott, now in its eighth month, amounted to “economic warfare” as Doha plans to seek compensation for those hit by the sanctions. “This is economic warfare,” foreign ministry spokeswoman Lulwa al-Khater said at a press briefing. Khater said the energy-rich emirate would “not leave a stone unturned” in legally pursuing claims for businesses. Tensions have escalated in the Gulf since Saudi Arabia, the United Arab […]
by David Harding Agence France Presse DOHA, Qatar (AFP) — Qatar signed a multi-billion-dollar deal Sunday to buy 24 Typhoon fighters from Britain, its second major defense agreement this week, which comes during the worst political crisis in the region for years. The $8-billion (6.8-billion-euro) deal was signed in Doha by Qatar’s Defense Minister Khalid bin Mohammed al-Attiyah and his British counterpart, Gavin Williamson. Williamson said it was the biggest order for Typhoons in a […]
DOHA, Qatar (AFP) — Qatar announced Thursday it had agreed to buy 12 French-built Rafale fighter jets, with an option for 36 others, during a state visit by President Emmanuel Macron. The deal, which follows Qatar’s purchase of 24 Dassault Aviation-built Rafale fighter jets in 2015, comes as the emirate is hit by a trade and diplomatic boycott by neighbouring countries in the region’s worst political crisis in years. © Agence France-Presse
DOHA, Qatar (AFP) — Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani will attend a crucial summit of the Gulf Cooperation Council this coming week, Doha’s foreign minister said on Sunday. Speaking at a forum, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani said Qatar’s leader had accepted the invitation to attend, amid the region’s worst political crisis in years. “I will attend the ministerial council tomorrow and the emir will attend the summit,” said the minister. He added […]
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AFP) — Kuwait on Thursday invited Qatar to a summit of Gulf countries next week, state media said, in the first such invitation in a months-long Saudi-led diplomatic boycott of Doha. Kuwait, which is not among Arab states boycotting Qatar, invited Qatari emir Sheikh Tamim bin Haman Al-Thani to the summit of the Gulf Cooperation Council on December 5 and 6, the state-run KUNA news agency said. In June, Saudi Arabia, […]
DOHA, Qatar (Reuters) — Mega ships have been arriving at Doha Port ahead of cruise ship season, as the country tries to attract more tourists. With 21 ships expected to arrive between November and April this year, the Gulf country hopes to attract up to 50,000 tourists by the end of the season. Qatari officials say they are promoting Doha as a stopover for cruise ships to diversify their tourism sector as part of the […]
by David Harding Agence France Presse DOHA, Qatar (AFP) — Qatar has set a temporary minimum wage for migrant workers worth around $200 a month, its labor minister said Thursday, a benchmark reform following widespread criticism of Doha’s preparations for the 2022 World Cup. Issa al-Nuaimi told AFP that the “temporary minimum wage of 750 riyals ($195, 166 euro) per month will immediately come into effect,” while officials work on setting a permanent rate. In […]
WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The United States government on Wednesday approved a $1.1 billion deal to service Qatar’s F-15 fighter jets despite the diplomatic stand-off between the Gulf emirate and its neighbors. Qatar, home to one of the largest US military bases in the Middle East, is locked in a bitter dispute with Washington’s other Arab allies in the region, led by Saudi Arabia. US President Donald Trump took Riyadh’s side in June when Saudi Arabia, […]
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AFP) — Bahrain’s foreign minister on Monday suggested suspending Qatar’s Gulf Cooperation Council membership until it accepts the demands of its Arab adversaries in the region’s worst crisis in years. “The correct step to preserve the GCC would be to freeze Qatar’s membership until it sees reason and accepts the demands of our countries. If not, we will be fine with it leaving the GCC,” Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed al-Khalifa said on Twitter. […]
