MDWLive! News Network

UAE wants international monitoring of Qatar

July 17, 2017

LONDON (Reuters) – A senior United Arab Emirates (UAE) official said international monitoring was needed in the standoff between Qatar and its Arab neighbors, adding he saw signs that the pressure exerted on Doha “was working”. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and [...]

Doha Festival City’s $1 billion-plus loan refinancing frozen amid Qatar boycott: Sources

July 16, 2017

DUBAI/DOHA (Reuters) – The refinancing of a $1 billion loan by Doha Festival City, a retail and hospitality complex in Qatar, has been indefinitely postponed as a diplomatic crisis deters regional banks from doing new Qatari business, bankers said. The refinancing, coordinated by Doha-based [...]

France wades into Qatar spat

July 16, 2017

DOHA, Qatar (AP) — France’s foreign minister on Saturday called on Qatar’s neighbors to immediately lift measures impacting thousands of people in the Gulf, becoming the latest foreign diplomat to visit the region and attempt to help find a resolution to a crisis that has dragged on for more [...]

Qatar Central Bank Says Country Has $340 Billion in Reserves, Can Weather Arab Sanctions

July 12, 2017

Doha — Qatar has $340 billion (264.27 billion pounds) in reserves that could help the Gulf country to weather the isolation by its powerful Arab neighbours, central bank governor Sheikh Abdullah Bin Saoud al-Thani said. “This is the credibility of our system, we have enough cash to preserve [...]

$1 billion headache for Airbus as Qatar cancels four jets

July 7, 2017

(Reuters) – Qatar Airways has axed orders for four A350s because of delivery delays, Airbus said on Thursday, handing the European planemaker a new headache over what to do with jets worth $1.2 billion at list prices as it tries to close a sales gap with rival Boeing. The decision means [...]

Sri Lanka President promises consultation with Buddhist leaders on new constitution

July 6, 2017

COLOMBO, July 6 (Reuters) – Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena on Thursday pledged to consult the country’s Buddhist leaders over his plans for constitutional reform, which he promised in his 2015 election campaign to bring about reconciliation among all ethnic groups. Sri Lanka [...]

Qatar Airways joins Gulf carriers off US laptop ban list

July 6, 2017

Doha, Qatar — Qatar Airways joined two other major long-haul Gulf carriers on Thursday in getting off a U.S. ban on laptops and large electronics in airplane cabins, despite facing logistical challenges amid the country’s diplomatic dispute with several Arab nations. Doha-based Qatar Airways, [...]

SITUATION REPORT: Arab states angry over Qatar’s dismissal of their demands

July 5, 2017

CAIRO (AP) — Four Arab nations seeking to isolate Qatar over its alleged support for extremist groups were angered Wednesday by what they said was a “negative” response by the tiny Gulf nation to their demands for ending the crisis roiling the region. Doha’s response, they said, was “not [...]

Saudi Arabia is chief foreign promoter of Islamist extremism in the UK, warns report

July 5, 2017

The Henry Jackson Society says the kingdom has been trying to promote Wahhabism abroad Saudi Arabia is the chief foreign promoter of Islamist extremism in the UK, a report has warned. The conservative Henry Jackson Society said there was a “clear and growing link” between Islamist [...]

Qatar economic outlook downgraded hours before crunch Gulf meeting

July 5, 2017

Moody’s forecasts prolonged period of uncertainty as Arab nations prepare to meet in Cairo over Qatar’s response to demands Ratings agency Moody’s has downgraded Qatar’s economic outlook as political uncertainty swirled ahead of a crunch meeting between Arab nations on Wednesday in Cairo. A [...]