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☆ Saudi Arabia wants big spenders for the first part of its Neom megaproject
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-28 | by ( Beatrice Nolan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Saudi Arabia plans to open the first part of its Neom megaproject this year. Saudi Arabia is pushing to distinguish itself in the high-end luxury market to compete with Dubai. AdvertisementSaudi Arabia plans to open the first region of its Neom megacity by the end of the year. Neom recently ended investor roadshows in China by confirming the luxury island resort would open this year, Arab News reported. A rendering of The Line, part of the Neom project planned by Saudi Arabia.

Persons: —, Neom, roadshows, It's, Marriott Bonvoy, Chadi, MDLBEAST, Kristian Coates Ulrichsen, Saudi Arabia hasn't, Ulrichsen, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's Organizations: Dubai, Service, Arab News, Marriott, United, Rice, Baker Institute for Public Policy, Emirates, Saudi, Bloomberg, Business Locations: Saudi Arabia, Sindalah, China, Saudi, Vives, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Crown, Gulf Kingdom

☆ Take a closer look at the main regions of Neom, Saudi's epic megacity project
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-11 | by ( Beatrice Nolan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Saudi Arabia is plowing on with its ambitious Neom project, despite reported setbacks. Here's a closer look at the main regions that officials plan to build as part of the project. AdvertisementSaudi Arabia's futuristic Neom project is one of the most ambitious in the world. According to Neom, the city will have no roads, cars, or emissions and run on 100% renewable energy. SindalahThe island of Sindalah, a yachting resort and part of the Neom project, will be open in 2024, say planners.

Persons: Here's, —, Neom, Denis Hickey, " Hickey, Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, NEOM Organizations: Service, Street Journal, Bloomberg, Saudi Arabia's Crown Locations: Saudi Arabia, Saudi, Tabuk, Kingdom, Neom, Sindalah, Aqaba, Tabak Province

☆ The reality of spending $500 billion to build a city in the desert is starting to hit home for Saudi officials
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-09 | by ( Beatrice Nolan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Amid alarm about costs, the kingdom's sovereign wealth fund has yet to approve Neom's 2024 budget. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . AdvertisementSaudi Arabia's plan for its $500 billion futuristic city, Neom, is as ambitious as it gets. It seems the project's finances may prove to be a sticking point, however, since the kingdom's sovereign wealth fund has yet to approve Neom's budget for 2024, Bloomberg reported. This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers.

Persons: — Organizations: Bloomberg, Service, Business Locations: Saudi, Neom, Gulf Kingdom

☆ Saudi Arabia opens its first-ever alcohol store — but it's only accessible to a select group
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-24 | by ( Natasha Turak | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

According to a list of store rules seen by CNBC, the venue is only accessible to non-Muslim diplomats, and authorization must be validated through an app called Diplo. Saudi Arabia has opened its first alcohol store in the diplomatic quarter of its capital Riyadh, two sources told CNBC. "It's a baby step to opening up alcohol sales to non-Muslims in Saudi Arabia eventually, to hotels and other venues," said the consultant, who requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the topic. Foreign embassy staff, who are able to import alcohol to be kept on embassy premises, are known in Saudi Arabia to often import booze in large quantities and then sell it on the black market. Saudi Arabia has undergone seismic change both socially and economically in the years since the young Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, now the kingdom's de-facto ruler, came to power.

Persons: we've, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Organizations: CNBC, Foreign, Saudi, Crown Locations: Saudi, Saudi Arabia, Riyadh, Western

☆ Arab States Intensify Pleas for Gaza Cease-fire as Public Anger Mounts
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-07 | by ( Vivian Nereim | More About Vivian Nereim | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

That concept has fallen flat in Arab nations, where many view it as a weak proposal that shows the U.S. is either unwilling or unable to hold Israel back. Jordan and Turkey have recalled their ambassadors to Israel in protest over the war, while United Nations officials have implored Israel not to impose “collective punishment” on Gazans for atrocities committed by Hamas. That ambiguous message reflects the challenges Bahrain’s American-allied royal family faces as they balance protecting their ties with the U.S. and Israel with insulating themselves from popular anger. “I have not seen such a large number in a spontaneous demonstration in Bahrain for a long time,” said Ibtisam al-Sayegh, a human-rights activist who attended a protest last month. Some Bahrainis carried signs depicting their king holding hands with Mr. Netanyahu — accusing the monarch of complicity in the murder of Palestinians as long as Bahraini relations with Israel continue, she said.

Persons: Blinken, Israel —, ” Khalid al, Suleiman, —, “, Bahrainis, Biden, ”, Ibtisam, Netanyahu — Organizations: Israel, Saudi, Okaz, United Nations, Bahrain’s, U.S, ” Riot Locations: U.S, Israel, Jordan, Turkey, Gazans, Bahrain, American

☆ How Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman went from pariah to pragmatic diplomat
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-07 | by ( Polly Thompson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is trying to transform the oil-rich Persian Gulf kingdom. AdvertisementAdvertisementSaudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is on a mission to transform his country. Billboards show portraits of Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (R) and his father and Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz. US President Joe Biden (L) being welcomed by Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (R) at Alsalam Royal Palace in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on July 15, 2022. President Joe Biden gives Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman a handshake at the G20 summit this September.

Persons: Prince Mohammed bin Salman, he's, —, Prince Mohammed didn't, King Salman, Fahda bint Falah, Saud, Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz, AAMIR QURESHI, Muhammad bin Nayef, Prince Mohammed, Rash, Chris Doyle, GIUSEPPE CACACE, Doyle, he'd, Jamal Khashoggi, Emmanuel Macron, Joe Biden, Prince Mohammed a, Grant Shapps, Vladimir Putin's, Sanam Vakil, Biden, Evelyn Hockstein, Vakil, Duaa, Pierre Crom, Dhainy, Prince Organizations: Service, Saudi, King Saud University, Saudi Arabian Crown, Guardian, Ritz, Carlton, Council, Arab, CIA, Royal, Anadolu Agency, Bloomberg, Washington, Chatham House, Associated Press, Fox News, European Saudi Organization for Human Rights, MBS, United Nations, Getty Images, Human Rights Locations: Saudi, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Riyadh, British, Istanbul, Jeddah, Ukraine, Iran, China, Israel, East, North Africa, Delhi, Neom, The Hague, Netherlands, Getty Images Saudi Arabia

☆ Saudi Arabia is pouring billions into soccer, golf, and Formula 1. Its crown prince doesn't care if anyone calls it 'sportswashing.'
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-30 | by ( George Glover | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Saudi Arabia is pouring billions into sports in a bid to transform its economy. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has made the sector a key part of his Vision 2030 plan. But the reality is that the crown prince has a grander ambition: to level up Saudi Arabia's economic growth. "But Saudi Arabia is piling into other sports too, because they want to achieve a lot in a short period of time." AdvertisementAdvertisementAs Crown Prince Mohammed made clear last week, all this forms part of a broader strategy to supercharge Saudi Arabia's economy through investment.

Persons: Prince Mohammed bin Salman, bankrolled, —, Cristiano Ronaldo, Phil Mickelson, Anthony Joshua, –, Jamal Khashoggi, they've, Steve Luciano, AP Ronaldo, Al Nassr, Ballon, Karim Benzema, Neymar, Sadio, PIF, LIV Golf, Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka, LIV, Joshua, that's, Tyson Fury, Oleksandr Usyk, Frank Warren, Prince Mohammed, Mohammed bin Salman, Leon Neal, Simon Chadwick, Chadwick, megastars, Ronaldo –, Salman, bin Salman, Saudi Arabia –, St Andrews, Nick Kyrgios, who've, Elsa, he'd, they'll Organizations: Newcastle United, Service, Washington Post, Saudi, Investment Fund, Premier League, UEFA Champions League, Saudi Public Investment Fund, Newcastle, AP, Saudi Pro League, Georgetown University Qatar, PGA, WWE, Fox News, SKEMA Business School, Indian Premier League, FIFA Locations: Saudi Arabia, Saudi, England, Riyadh, Brazil, Liverpool, Kingdom, Jeddah, Lille, France, Reiche, Iran, Miami, Augusta, bankroll

Meanwhile, failed uprisings in Bahrain and eastern Saudi Arabia were followed by years-long crackdowns and a continuing civil war in Syria. “What we’re beginning to see in Saudi Arabia right now is the emergence of a new social contract. Saudi Arabia is the world’s biggest exporter of crude oil, and nearly two-thirds of its income still comes from selling fossil fuels. If Saudi Arabia can become a hub for major sporting events, then that’s a way of attracting interest to the country,” said Maguire. In response to previous criticism about Saudi Arabia’s purported “sportswashing,” the kingdom’s sports minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal said: “People that don’t know Saudi Arabia, have never been to Saudi Arabia, go out and talk about it as if they’ve lived there for 30 years, 40 years.

Persons: Hilal, Kylian Mbappé, Germain, Neymar Jr, Ballon d’Or, Cristiano Ronaldo, Nassr, Patricia de Melo Moreira, it’s, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman –, Leon Neal, Ballon, Karim Benzema, Al Hilal, spender, –, Carlo Nohra, Jordan Henderson, Henderson, “, ’ ” Simon Chadwick, “ We’ve, ” Chadwick, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Al Nassr, Stringer, you’re, Kieran Maguire, they’re, Everybody’s, ” Maguire, Chadwick, Ronaldo, Maguire, … Mohammed bin Salman, ” James Dorsey, ”, Chadwick –, Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabia’s, Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al, Faisal, don’t, they’ve, LIV Golf, Jimmy Dunne, LIV, Dunne, Aleksander Ceferin, Erling, Haaland, Jurgen Klopp, Michael Emenalo, Steven Gerrard, Nohra, ” “ They’ve Organizations: CNN, Saudi, Al, Paris Saint, PSG, Saudi Pro League, Ligue, Liga, Serie, Bundesliga, English Premier League, Deloitte, Investment Fund, AFP, Getty, SPL, Saudi Crown, Spanish, Arsenal, CNN Sport, English, Newcastle United, Liverpool, The Athletic, SKEMA Business School, Argentina, Zamalek, King Fahd Sports City, Anadolu Agency, Chelsea, Manchester United, Manchester City, Football, AFC Asian, FIFA, Greece, Royal Spanish Football Federation, Spanish Super, ”, Amnesty International, Amnesty, Middle East Soccer, Saudi Ministry, Sport, PGA Tour, European, UEFA, Premier League, Ettifaq Media, Reuters New Saudi Pro League, Major League Soccer, La Liga, Peterson Institute for International Economics, Russian Direct Investment Fund, Investigations, PGA Locations: Saudi Arabian, Brazil, Saudi, Ittihad, Al, Ahli, Real Madrid, England, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Liverpool, China, Qatar, Taif, Egypt, Spanish, East, North Africa, Libya, Yemen, Tunisia, Bahrain, Syria, “, ”, Europe, ” Liverpool

☆ A Subtle Change for Biden
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( David Leonhardt | More About David Leonhardt | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +3 min

These countries tend to be flawed democracies (like Brazil, India, Israel and Nigeria) or autocracies (like Saudi Arabia and Vietnam). If the U.S. suggests that only democracies are welcome in its alliance, that alliance will shrink. But, he added, Biden “has also been clear that in that larger effort, we need constructive relationships with countries of all different traditions and backgrounds.”The C.I.A. The U.S. strengthened its ties with Vietnam — which remains a one-party state — when Biden visited Hanoi this month. All of this may help explain the approach Biden took at the U.N. yesterday.

Persons: ” Walter Russell Mead, ” Mead, Biden, Peter Baker, Jake Sullivan, ” Sullivan, Biden “, Stalin, Saddam Hussein, Narendra Modi, Justin Trudeau, Canada’s, India’s, Edward Wong, Mark Mazzetti, ” Organizations: Washington, Hudson Institute, White House, autocracies, Stalin’s, Vietnam, Saudi Locations: Beijing, Brazil, India, Israel, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Vietnam, U.S, United States, Stalin’s Soviet, Kuwait, Europe, Japan, South Korea, China, British Columbia, Hanoi, Turkey, Hungary, Poland, Ukraine, Russia, Africa, Latin America, Southeast Asia

☆ U.S. Deepens Security Pledge to Bahrain, an Adversary of Iran
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-13 | by ( Vivian Nereim | More About Vivian Nereim | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The Biden administration signed a security agreement with the Gulf kingdom of Bahrain on Wednesday, deepening its commitment to defend the authoritarian country from attacks. The format of the agreement could serve as a template for other Gulf Arab governments that have demanded stronger security guarantees from the United States, including the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. Bahrain — an island nation that is home to the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet — has a particularly tense relationship with Iran, located across the Persian Gulf. Under the new agreement, if the kingdom were attacked, the United States would consult with the Bahraini government and determine the best way to “confront the ongoing aggression,” said a senior Biden administration official, who briefed journalists on the condition of anonymity. One of the provisions in the agreement allows Bahrain and the United States to invite other countries to join the pact, the official said.

Persons: —, ” Organizations: Biden, United Arab, Navy’s, Bahraini Locations: Bahrain, United States, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Persian, United

☆ Saudi Arabia is spending billions on sports, tech and everything in between for a post-oil world
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-10 | by ( Beatrice Nolan | Hasan Chowdhury | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Saudi Arabia sparked international outrage in 2018 after Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi was murdered at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, and continues to face accusations of human rights violations. Despite this, little has been able to stop Saudi Arabia from exerting more and more influence on the global stage. GettyImages/Unsplash/NeomLike many countries, Saudi Arabia's economy suffered when the pandemic struck in 2020, but the only way has been up since then. Chris Trotman/LIV Golf via Getty ImagesBoth at home and far away, Saudi Arabia hasn't shied away from investing boatloads of cash. The total hit 32.2 million in May with a median age of 29, according to Saudi Arabia's General Authority for Statistics.

Persons: Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, Jamal Khashoggi, It's, Ahmed Jadallah, Saudi Arabia's, Sergio Garcia, Chris Trotman, LIV, Saudi Arabia hasn't, Yasir Al, Jasmin Merdan, Abdullah Al, Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman al, Saud, JOE KLAMAR Organizations: Service, Washington Post, Bank, IMF, REUTERS, Saudi Aramco, King, King Abdullah Economic City, Getty, Public Investment Fund, MBS, Newcastle United, LIV, PGA, Saudi, Reuters, Saudi Arabia's, Authority, Statistics, Gulf States Energy, United Arab Emirates, Arab League Locations: Saudi Arabia, Wall, Silicon, Gulf, Saudi, Istanbul, Gulf Kingdom, Ahmed Jadallah Saudi Arabia, King Abdullah, Jasmin Merdan Saudi's, Riyadh, Arab, Vienna, AFP, Kuwait, UAE, Qatar

Rare street protests have broken out in Bahrain as a mass hunger strike enters its fifth week, activists say, in a faint echo of the uprising that swept the Gulf kingdom starting in 2011, during the Arab Spring. Inmates inside the country’s largest prison have been refusing meals since Aug. 7, protesting against what they and their relatives say are poor conditions, including systematic mistreatment, medical neglect and limited visitation rights. The government has denied those allegations, arguing that conditions are in line with international standards. Officials have announced some concessions, including an increase in the time that prisoners can spend outside, yet the strike has lasted for nearly a month. While the government says that only 116 prisoners are involved, activists say that they have documented more than 800 participants — a significant portion of the prison population in a small island state of 1.6 million people.

Locations: Bahrain

☆ Saudi Arabia appoints first envoy to Palestinians amid talks on Israel normalization
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-14 | by ( Abeer Salman | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Jerusalem CNN —Saudi Arabia has appointed its first ambassador to the Palestinians, in a move that comes amid talks with the United States over a possible deal to normalize relations between the Gulf kingdom and Israel. Palestinians maintain that the eastern part of the city should serve as the future capital of a Palestinian state. All members of the Arab bloc, including Saudi Arabia, recognize Palestinian statehood and the kingdom maintains a Palestinian embassy in the capital Riyadh. The move comes amid reports of a normalization deal in the works between Saudi Arabia and Israel, with the Unites States involved in the rapprochement. Miller’s comments came after a Wall Street Journal report saying that the US and Saudi Arabia had agreed on the “broad contours” of a normalization deal.

Persons: Jordan, Naif bin Bandar, ”, Mahmoud Abbas’s, Al, Eli Cohen, Israel, Saudi Arabia’s, ” Cohen, ” “, Donald Trump, Matthew Miller Organizations: Jerusalem CNN, of, Palestinian, Palestinian Authority, Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Tel, Saudi, United Nations, ”, State Department, CNN Locations: Jerusalem, Saudi Arabia, United States, Israel, Naif bin, Naif bin Bandar Al, of Palestine, Jordanian, Amman, Saudi, Palestinian, Riyadh

☆ Palestinians accept first Saudi ambassador
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

At a ceremony in Jordan, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's diplomatic adviser Majdi al-Khalidi received a copy of the credentials of Ambassador Nayef Al-Sudairi as a non-resident envoy, official Palestinian news agency Wafa said. Palestinian analyst Talal Okal said the diplomatic appointment was a half-step toward an official Saudi representation office in the occupied West Bank. "It is also a message Saudi Arabia was committed to the rights of the Palestinians in a fully sovereign state," he added. PALESTINIAN CONCERNPalestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki said last week that Abbas's Western-backed Palestinian Authority is hoping to engage with Saudi Arabia over their concerns about the potential normalisation with Israel. Saudi Arabia has quietly accepted the so-called Abraham Accords that have normalised ties between Israel and Gulf states United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.

Persons: Mahmoud Abbas's, Majdi al, Khalidi, Nayef Al, Wafa, al, Talal Okal, Riyad al, Maliki, Abraham, Benjamin Netanyahu, Nidal al, Ali Swafta, Maayan Lubell, Hatem Maher, Andrew Cawthorne Organizations: West Bank, Palestinian, Saudi, Abraham Accords, United, NBC, Thomson Locations: RAMALLAH, West, Saudi Arabian, Israel, Saudi Arabia, U.S, Saudi, Jordan, Palestinian, Gulf, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Gaza, Ramallah, Maayan, Jerusalem, Cairo

☆ Saudi league set to kick off after raiding Europe's top clubs
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-10 | by ( Shady Amir | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Soccer Football - Opening of 2023-2024 Saudi Pro League - Jeddah, Saudi Arabia - August 7, 2023 General view of the trophy at the opening of the Saudi Pro League Saudi Pro League Media Office/Handout via REUTERS/File PhotoAug 10 (Reuters) - When the new Saudi Pro League season kicks off on Friday it will herald a new dawn for football in the Gulf kingdom which has spent close to half a billion dollars luring top players and coaches from traditional European powerhouses. Al-Ahli, in particular, are one of the few clubs that have benefited from the Saudi Public Investment Fund's (PIF) project to invest in and privatise clubs, which also include reigning champions Al-Ittihad, Al-Hilal and Al-Nassr. Saudi clubs spent nearly 450 million euros in the close season signing players, most from elite teams in Europe as the PIF created a blueprint for what football fans can expect in transfer windows to come. The league turned heads when Cristiano Ronaldo joined Al-Nassr last season soon after the World Cup in a deal which made him the highest-paid athlete on the planet. The Portugal forward's move paved the way for more household names to sign up for a Saudi league that has increased its size from 16 teams to 18.

Persons: Hazm, Al, Riyad Mahrez, Edouard Mendy, Roberto Firmino, Cristiano Ronaldo, Nassr, Ronaldo's, Nuno Espirito, Karim Benzema, N'Golo, Marcelo Brozovic, Alex Telles, Mane, Luis Castro, Hilal, Jorge Jesus, Ruben Neves, Serbia's Sergei Milinkovic, Savic, Kalidou Koulibaly, Malcom, Steven Gerrard, Jordan Henderson, Ettifaq, Gerrard, Henderson's, Shady Amir, Rohith Nair, Ken Ferris Organizations: Soccer, Saudi Pro League, Saudi Pro League Saudi Pro League Media, REUTERS, Saudi Public Investment, Al, Champions, Saudi, Nuno Espirito Santo, Croatia, Inter Milan, Manchester United, Bayern Munich, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Barcelona, Liverpool, Thomson Locations: Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Al, Ahli, Ittihad, Hilal, Saudi, Europe, Portugal, Ballon, Senegal, Portuguese, Riyadh, England

☆ China praises Ukraine talks in Saudi that Russia said were ‘doomed to fail’
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-07 | by ( Nadeen Ebrahim | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Kremlin officials said Russia had not been invited to the talks but was monitoring them, state media reported. Beijing had steered clear of a previous round of talks in Denmark in June, but has deepened ties with Saudi Arabia in recent years. China scored a diplomatic win in the Middle East earlier this year when it helped broker a landmark normalization deal between Saudi Arabia and Iran. In a statement from the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), Saudi Arabia stressed the importance of “benefiting from views and positive suggestions” made during the meeting. In the meantime, the prospect of direct peace talks between Russia and Ukraine seem as far-fetched as ever, as the grueling war approaches the 18-month mark.

Persons: “, Musaed bin Mohammed Al, Jake Sullivan, Eurasian Affairs Li Hui, Li “, …, ”, Li, Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin, ” “, Dmytro Kuleba, Russia –, Sergei Ryabkov, Ryabkov Organizations: CNN, Beijing, Reuters, Kremlin, Saudi, Aiba, Eurasian Affairs, Western, China, Russia, Moscow ”, Saudi Press Agency Locations: Ukraine, Saudi Arabia, Russia, China, Jeddah, United States, Beijing, Denmark, Saudi, Moscow, Ukraine’s, Kyiv, ” “ Saudi Arabia, Ukrainian, Riyadh, Iran, OPEC, India

☆ Klopp complains about Saudi transfer deadline, dismisses Mbappe links
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The Premier League's transfer window closes on Sept. 1, the deadline for most of Europe's top leagues, but Saudi Pro League clubs can sign players until Sept. 20. Liverpool have already seen three of their key players move to Saudi clubs, including skipper Jordan Henderson and fellow midfielder Fabinho while striker Roberto Firmino moved on a free transfer. "The influence of Saudi Arabia is massive at the moment," Klopp told reporters on Tuesday, a day before their pre-season friendly against Bayern Munich in Singapore. "Pretty much the worst thing I think is that the transfer window in Saudi Arabia is open three weeks longer. Mbappe has also been linked with a world record move to Saudi Arabia, but media reports said he rejected the idea of playing in the Gulf kingdom as he eyes a transfer to Real Madrid.

Persons: Juergen Klopp, Jordan Henderson, Fabinho, Roberto Firmino, Klopp, Ballon, Karim Benzema, N'Golo Kante, Nassr, Cristiano Ronaldo, Frenchman, Mbappe, I've, Rohith Nair, Muralikumar Anantharaman, Christopher Cushing Organizations: FIFA, Liverpool, Saudi Pro League, Bayern Munich, UEFA, World, Al, Paris St Germain, Real Madrid, Sky Germany, Thomson Locations: Saudi, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Europe, Qatar, Portugal, Bengaluru

☆ Saudi Arabia is grappling with rising borrowing costs as it embarks on massive spending plans
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-01 | by ( George Glover | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

It's getting more expensive for Saudi Arabia to borrow, with a key lending rate hitting a record 6%. The Gulf Kingdom plans to spend hundreds of billions of dollars as part of its Vision 2030 project. It plans to fund those efforts with a combination of oil revenue and borrowed cash. Get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in business, from Wall Street to Silicon Valley — delivered daily. Saudi Arabia has also slashed its oil output by around 10%, or 1 million barrels a day, in a bid to bring in more revenue from its crude exports by squeezing up prices.

Persons: It's, Mohamed bin Salman, That's, bin Salman, LIV Golf Organizations: Service, Bloomberg, Saudi Arabia's Crown, Investment Fund, English Premier League soccer, Newcastle United, PGA Tour Locations: Saudi Arabia, Gulf Kingdom, Wall, Silicon, Gulf, Saudi, Refinitiv, SAIBOR

☆ BlackRock might not be 'woke' anymore after the asset manager put an oil CEO on its board
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-19 | by ( Rebecca Ungarino | George Glover | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

BlackRock named Aramco CEO Amin Nasser to its board Monday. Nasser leads the world's largest oil producer, which is mainly owned by the Saudi Arabian state. Its decision to name Aramco CEO Amin Nasser to its board Monday provides further ammunition for those critics, signaling that the firm might not be as socially conscious as it says it is. That is the wrong player here, unless [BlackRock CEO] Larry Fink really wants to blur their image on the ESG front," Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, the Yale professor and management expert, said on CNBC Tuesday. Amin H. Nasser, president and chief executive officer of Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Saudi Aramco), speaks at the China Development Forum in Beijing, China, March 19, 2017.

Persons: Amin Nasser, Nasser, Larry Fink's, it's, Larry Fink, Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Biden, Jamal Khashoggi, He'll, that's, Amin H, Shu Zhang, Reuters Fink, BlackRock's, It's, Fink, he'd Organizations: BlackRock, Aramco, Yale, CNBC, Washington Post, Saudi Arabian Oil Company, China Development Forum, Reuters, McKinsey, Republican Locations: Saudi Arabian, Saudi Arabia, Saudi, Saudi Aramco, Beijing, China, Massachusetts

☆ Saudi Arabia is now stealing sporting headlines as prince pursues global ambitions
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-12 | by ( Nic Robertson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

CNN —Saudi Arabia has been in the headlines a lot lately – this time for trying to find its place in the sporting world. The kingdom’s golfing coup is perhaps the crowning sporting achievement so far of heir apparent Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman (MBS). Regional outlierBy the time King Salman came along, the 21st century was passing Saudi Arabia by. Saudi Arabia has led efforts to bring Syria in from the cold and tried to mediate in conflicts such as those in Sudan and even Ukraine. On oil, he has made Saudi Arabia a bolder player.

Persons: LIV Golf, Cristiano Ronaldo, Ballon d’Or, Karim Benzema, Jamal Khashoggi, Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, King Salman’s, King Salman, LIV, Liberalizations, Al Hathloul, can’t, Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin, Bashar al, Assad, Yemen’s, Putin, Xi Organizations: CNN, golf’s, Dubai, Saudi Pro League, France, Washington Post, Formula, MBS, Ritz, Saudi, Washington Locations: Saudi Arabia, Saudi, Portuguese, Istanbul, Riyadh, Mecca, Dubai, Moscow, Beijing, Ukraine, Syria, Sudan, Turkey, Syrian, Iran, Asia, Iraq, Afghanistan, Israel, Jeddah

☆ Private astronaut crew, including first Arab woman in orbit, heads for splashdown
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-30 | by ( Steve Gorman | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Joe Skipper/File... Read moreMay 30 (Reuters) - An all-private astronaut team of two Americans and two Saudis, including the first Arab woman ever sent into orbit, headed for splashdown off Florida's coast on Tuesday, capping an eight-day research mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS). The SpaceX Crew Dragon vessel carrying the foursome, undocked from the ISS late on Tuesday morning to begin its 12-hour return flight. The return flight concludes the second space station mission organized, equipped and trained entirely at private expense by Axiom Space, a 7-year-old Houston-based company headed by NASA's former ISS program manager. In August 2022, Sara Sabry became the first Arab woman and the first Egyptian to fly to space on a brief suborbital ride operated by the Blue Origin astro-tourist venture of Jeff Bezos. NASA furnished the launch site at its Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, and assumed responsibility for the Axiom crew during their stay aboard the space station, orbiting some 250 miles (400 km) above Earth.

Persons: Peggy Whitson, John Shoffner, Ali Alqarni, Joe Skipper, Read, NASA's, Rayyanah Barnawi, Sara Sabry, Jeff Bezos, Barnawi, Sultan Alneyadi, Elon Musk, Steve Gorman, Howard Goller Organizations: International, Kennedy Space Center, REUTERS, Space, SpaceX, ISS, NASA, U.S, Royal Saudi Air Force, United Arab, Twitter, Tesla Inc, Thomson Locations: Saudi Arabia, Florida, U.S, Florida's, Gulf of Mexico, Panama City , Florida, Houston, Alaska, Saudi, Gulf, United Arab Emirates, California, Cape Canaveral , Florida, Los Angeles

☆ Qatar Warns Brussels Bribery Allegations Could Impact Energy Deals With Europe
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-18 | by ( David S. Cloud | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

ConocoPhillips CEO Ryan Lance shook hands with Qatar’s energy minister, Saad Sherida al-Kaabi, after Qatar agreed a deal with the U.S. company to send Germany liquefied natural gas. Qatar warned that an investigation by authorities in Brussels into its role in an alleged influence and bribery scheme could adversely affect energy deals with Europe, and it condemned a push by the European Parliament to suspend dealings with the Persian Gulf kingdom. The European Parliament’s move “will negatively effect regional and global security cooperation, as well as ongoing discussions around global energy poverty and security,” a statement by a Qatari diplomat to the European Union said Sunday, noting that Qatar is an important supplier of liquefied natural gas to Belgium.

☆ Qatar Warns Brussels Bribery Allegations Could Hurt Energy Talks With Europe
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-18 | by ( David S. Cloud | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

ConocoPhillips CEO Ryan Lance shook hands with Qatar’s energy minister, Saad Sherida al-Kaabi, after Qatar agreed a deal with the U.S. company to send Germany liquefied natural gas. Qatar warned Sunday that an investigation by authorities in Brussels into its role in an alleged influence and bribery scheme could adversely affect energy talks with Europe and condemned a decision by the European Parliament to suspend dealings with the Persian Gulf kingdom. The European Parliament’s move “will negatively effect regional and global security cooperation, as well as ongoing discussions around global energy poverty and security,” a statement by a Qatari diplomat to the European Union said Sunday, noting that Qatar is an important supplier of liquefied natural gas to Belgium.

☆ Qatar World Cup lays bare environmental cost of a desert tournament
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-02 | by ( Armelle De Oliveira | Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Patrick-Smith-Circle-Byline-Template.Jpg | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +11 min

But as it hosts the soccer World Cup, controversy is also descending on the tiny Gulf kingdom. “The tournament has been labeled as the first ‘fully carbon neutral FIFA World Cup tournament,’ meaning its overall impact on the planet should be zero,” the letter said. People gather around the official countdown clock showing remaining time until the kick-off of the World Cup on Nov. 11. After winning the right to host the tournament, Qatar pledged to become the first carbon neutral World Cup host. “Events like the World Cup, like the football World Cup or like the Olympics bring joy and happiness to millions of people, sometimes even billions of people, right?” he said.

Around 48 hours before it kicks off the soccer World Cup, officials made the shock announcement Friday that Qatar is banning alcohol sales from its stadium perimeters. FIFA, the sport's troubled international governing body, said in a tweet that the decision had been made "following discussions between host country authorities and FIFA." Budweiser beer kiosks at the Khalifa International Stadium in Doha stand empty on Friday. It also presents a major headache for sponsor, Budweiser, which has a $75 million advertising deal with FIFA. FIFA's statement thanked AB InBev, Budweiser's parent company, for its "understanding and continuous support" to "cater for everyone" during the World Cup.

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