Description: Doha coffee exhibition: Global producers gather in Qatar's capital, Doha Forum: Global leaders increase pressure on Israel, Doha News Special: 'Your vote is your responsibility', JUST IN: Sec. Antony Blinken Holds Press Briefing With Qatar FM In Doha During Middle East Trip
Doha News is an online news blog started in March 2009 by two American journalists, Shabina Khatri and Omar Chatriwala. It is based in Qatar and provides its readers with daily reports on breaking domestic and international news stories. It gained considerable popularity in May 2012 when it became the first news outlet in Qatar to report on the Villagio Mall fire.
In March 2009, Shabina Khatri created the Doha News account on Twitter . She and her husband, Omar Chatriwala, went on to launch a stand-alone website. It was the first digital news outlet established in the country. They have stated that their aim is to create a media platform in which they could engage the audience in a manner dissimilar to traditional forms of media.
Doha News quickly increased in popularity due to its coverage of controversial local events not as widely reported in government-run media, with a notable instance being the May 2012 Villagio Mall fire in which 19 people were killed. It succeeded in obtaining and releasing verifiable figures and facts, such as the identities of the victims of the fire, whereas many other forms of online media reported unverified rumors. It experienced a massive increase in visitors during the event, increasing from about 10
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