OK, it seems they have closed off the article (I could read it completely at time of linking)
They way I read it, they had cancelled 50 A320 (Article said something like "Qatar walks away from contract of 50 A320neo, and maybe more when other contractual walk away break points are met". But perhaps they meant 50 order were at risk, with contractual walk away points nearing.

The negotiation angle struck me too - especially when Al Baker was quoted saying "Boeing delivers aircraft on time and sometimes even before we need them" (Getting an aircraft before you need it can't be a good thing!)