News stories I’m following this week …

• Qatar Emir Sheikh Tamim’s anti-corruption award winners announced. (Al Jazeera)

• Exclusive: U.S. imposes sanctions on Turkish businessman, citing links to Iran's Quds Force. (Reuters)

• Qatar scraps Hayya card as entry requirement for GCC residents, citizens. (The New Arab)

• IISS analyst: How Mideast, North Africa can improve local defense biz. (Defense News)

• Egypt inflation jumps to five-year high of 18.7% in November. (Reuters)

• GCC secretary-general's term will not be renewed, Kuwait studying alternatives: reports. (The New Arab)

• EU to Impose More Sanctions on Iran for Military Aid to Russia. (Bloomberg)

• With U.S.-Saudi ties at a nadir, China’s leader comes calling. (LA Times)

• The U.S. wants Iran off a U.N. panel. Other countries are wary. (Politico)

• Can Netanyahu's New Government Keep the Peace With Jordan? | Opinion (Newsweek)

In other news …

• The dark side of ancient Egypt. (History Extra)

• Muslim nations proposed World Cup armband to raise awareness of Islamophobia. (Sky News)

• And this ... ⤵️ (Financial Times, S. Kuper)

  

  Simon Kuper @KuperSimon

  This World Cup is supposedly a clash between the West and the Arab world. But it doesn't feel that way here. On the metro, in stadiums, Saudis, Iranians and English, women in shorts and women in veils - everyone is getting on (except the Belgians). Me @FT

  

  ft.comSubscribe to read | Financial TimesNews, analysis and comment from the Financial Times, the worldʼs leading global business publication

  4:30 PM ∙ Dec 8, 2022

  ---

  57Likes12Retweets

On Social-Media …

Marc Owen Jones @marcowenjones

Exiled protest organiser Yusuf al-Jamri is beginning legal action against Bahrain and NSO Group after finding Pegasus spyware on his phone

theguardian.comNo safe haven? The Bahraini dissident still menaced after gaining UK asylumExiled protest organiser Yusuf al-Jamri is beginning legal action against Bahrain and NSO Group after finding Pegasus spyware on his phone

4:00 PM ∙ Dec 6, 2022

---

15Likes14Retweets

Dr Andreas Krieg @andreas_krieg

Leaked paper by #Germany's ambassador to #Qatar: "The current mood vis-à-vis Germany among the local business community, traditionally Germany-friendly, is miserable" #Qatar2022

spiegel.de(S+) Katar und die WM: Vertrauliches Schreiben des deutschen Botschafters warnt vor miserabler StimmungDas deutsch-katarische Verhältnis hat sich durch die Debatten rund um die WM gravierend verschlechtert. Nach SPIEGEL-Informationen schickte der deutsche Botschafter nun einen Brandbrief ans Außenministerium in Berlin.

11:45 AM ∙ Dec 6, 2022

---

45Likes14Retweets

In other ‘posts’ …

Video shows Qatar hit with rare tornado ahead of World Cup quarterfinals (Newsweek, Qatar Meteorology Department)

أرصاد قطر @qatarweather

#الحويلة الآن #كأس_العالم_قطر_2022 #كأس_العالم_2022 #قطر_2022 #الدوحة #قطر

9:52 AM ∙ Dec 7, 2022

---

134Likes37Retweets