Former Qatar Emir Sheikh Hamad dies at 74, architect of Qatar's transformation into global power

Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, who ruled Qatar from 1995 until his voluntary abdication in 2013 — a rare peaceful transfer of power in the region — died on July 12 at age 74. During his reign, Qatar's GDP grew more than 24-fold and the country became the world's largest LNG exporter by 2006, producing 77 million tonnes per annum. He established the Qatar Foundation, launched Al Jazeera in 1996, promulgated Qatar's first constitution in 2004, secured the 2022 FIFA World Cup, and brokered peace in Sudan, Lebanon, and between Hamas and Fatah.