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June 23, 2026

Doha 11:46 am

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Qatar's Energy Minister and CEO of QatarEnergy Saad Sherida al-Kaabi speaks during a press conference in Doha on June 22, 2026.

Explainer

Qatar blast underscores challenges in race to restart Gulf energy flows

The deadly explosion marks an early test of Gulf efforts to revive oil and gas production following a historic energy supply shock caused by the US-Israel-Iran war.

A picture taken on June 5, 2017, shows a man walking past the Qatar National Bank branch in the Saudi capital Riyadh.

Gulf investment to turn inward to rebuild postwar infrastructure: QNB

Charles-Emmanuel de Beauregard, Qatar National Bank’s head of corporate and institutional banking, said that the Gulf countries will need to rebuild their logistics capabilities after the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

Latest News

Analysis

Gulf aluminum pursues global deals as Hormuz crisis accelerates shift

Aluminum from Dubai sits in the BMW Landshut factory on Oct. 25, 2024 in Ergolding, Germany.

Samuel Wendel

By Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

Analysis

Turkey pushes Iraq, Syria trade routes as Hormuz crisis disrupts Gulf shipping

Vessels are seen anchored in the Strait of Hormuz, off the port city of Khasab on Oman's northern Musandam Peninsula, on May 17, 2026.

Barin Kayaoglu

By Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

Samuel Wendel

Senior Market Research Analyst

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

Vanessa Ghanem

In Dubai, reporting on business, energy and politics

Karen Young

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional energy

Reve Chaaban

In Doha reporting on culture

Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani at the Kremlin in Moscow, on April 17, 2025.

Qatar and Russia to up investment by $2B as emir visits Moscow

Cooperation between Qatar and Russia on energy matters is growing, as Doha seeks to mediate between the Kremlin and Ukraine over the war.

Jakarta

GCC-Indonesia economic ties deepen with Saudi MoUs, joint Qatar fund

Trade between Indonesia and the Gulf is rising and negotiations are underway for a GCC-Indonesia free trade agreement.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi arrives in Doha on Sunday for an official visit and is welcomed by Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani upon his arrival.

Egypt's Sisi visits Qatar, nabs $7.5B in investments: What to know

President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s trip to Doha comes amid Egypt’s moves to improve ties with Turkey and tensions with the UAE over the Gaza war.

Ami Ayalon, a candidate for the Israeli Labor Party leadership, arrives to vote in the second and decisive round of party primaries on June 12, 2007, in Geva Carmel, northern Israel.

Interview

Ayalon: Netanyahu firing Shin Bet chief to shield inner circle from Qatar probe

Former Shin Bet chief Ami Ayalon accuses Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of endangering Israel’s democracy by going after the country’s gatekeepers, such as current Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar.

trump shows mbs a chart

Analysis

Can Saudi Arabia use investment flattery to woo Trump during visit?

The US president's top priorities will be shoring up US investment from the Gulf, discussing cease-fires in Ukraine and Gaza and the threat of Iran.

In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech

US President Donald Trump walks toward Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House, on March 28, 2025, in Washington.

After major arms sales, Trump to visit Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar: What to know

The president is urging Gulf countries to increase their investment in the US after a series of bilateral economic and defense deals in recent months.

Jared Kushner, founder and CEO of Affinity Partners, and Steve Witkoff, US Middle East envoy, during a panel discussion at the FII Priority summit, Miami Beach, Feb. 20, 2025.

UAE, Qatar investments fuel Jared Kushner's firm assets to $4.8 billion

Commitments from Abu Dhabi–based asset manager Lunate and the Qatar Investment Authority, the sovereign wealth fund, increased Affinity’s assets by $1.5 billion over a year.

United Arab Emirates

Sand dunes and camel safari experience at the Inland Sea, Qatar, Jan. 30, 2024.

Culture

AL-Monitor Doha: Celebrate Eid with safaris, calligraphy and sweets

An MQ-9 Reaper drone with Customs and Border Protection (CBP) awaits a mission over the U.S.-Mexico border on Nov. 4, 2022, at Fort Huachuca, Arizona.

US plans to sell $1.96 billion of MQ-9 drones to Qatar

Qatar could become the first Gulf state to receive the drones, the sale of which the Pentagon has supported for years despite concerns within the State Department during the Biden administration.