Putin invites Qatari leader to Moscow as MidEast diplomacy intensifies:
The Emir of Qatar is set to arrive in the Russian capital early next week to hold talks on the current situation in the Middle East and North Africa. The high-level negotiations will also focus on energy issues at a time of falling global oil and gas prices. Ref. Source 7a.
Russia Sells $11 Billion Stake in Rosneft to Glencore, Qatar:
Qatar's sovereign wealth fund agreed to buy a 10.2-billion euro ($11 billion) stake in Russia's largest oil producer from the state in a triumph for President Vladimir Putin over sanctions imposed by the West. Ref. Source 7a.
US investigators believe Russian hackers breached Qatar’s state news agency and planted a fake news report that contributed to a crisis among the US’ closest Gulf allies, according to US officials briefed on the investigation.
The FBI recently sent a team of investigators to Doha to help the Qatari government investigate the alleged hacking incident, Qatari and US government officials say.
Intelligence gathered by the US security agencies indicates that Russian hackers were behind the intrusion first reported by the Qatari government two weeks ago, US officials say. Qatar hosts one of the largest US military bases in the region. Ref. CNN.