DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Sundar Pichai, James Gorman, and Sheryl Sandberg have all worked for McKinsey. Here's why the consultancy is a CEO factory.
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-27 | by ( George Glover | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Many Fortune 500 CEOs have previously worked at McKinsey. The firm has become known as a CEO factory, but has sparked controversy in the past, too. NEW LOOK Sign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers.

Persons: Sundar Pichai, Sheryl Sandberg, —, it's Organizations: McKinsey, Service, Street, Department of Justice, Enron, Business Locations: Saudi

☆ Blinken to travel to Saudi Arabia amid stalled negotiations between Israel and Hamas
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-27 | by ( Samantha Waldenberg | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Secretary of State Antony Blinken will travel to Saudi Arabia next week to meet with regional partners as talks between Israel and Hamas remain deadlocked, the State Department announced Saturday. Hamas said Saturday it had received a response from Israel over its position on the ceasefire talks. “The movement will study this proposal, and upon completion of its study, it will submit its response,” it said in a statement. Blinken’s trip, set for Monday and Tuesday, comes after he met with Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman last month in Jeddah to discuss efforts to release the hostages held by Hamas. CNN’s Simone McCarthy, Jeremy Diamond, Eugenia Yosef, Alex Marquardt and Mostafa Salem contributed to this report.

Persons: Antony Blinken, Matthew Miller, ”, Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, ” Blinken, Kylie Atwood, there’s, CNN’s Simone McCarthy, Jeremy Diamond, Eugenia Yosef, Alex Marquardt, Mostafa Salem Organizations: CNN, State Department, ”, Israel, Saudi Arabian Crown Locations: Saudi Arabia, Israel, Gaza, Qatar, Egypt, Jeddah, American

☆ In Race to Build A.I., Tech Plans a Big Plumbing Upgrade
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-27 | by ( Karen Weise | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

If 2023 was the tech industry’s year of the A.I. It may not sound as exciting, but tens of billions of dollars are quickly being spent on behind-the-scenes technology for the industry’s A.I. Companies from Amazon to Meta are revamping their data centers to support artificial intelligence. They are investing in huge new facilities, while even places like Saudi Arabia are racing to build supercomputers to handle A.I. has become a story about building a massive technology infrastructure, Meta said on Wednesday that it needed to spend billions more on the chips and data centers for A.I.

Persons: Meta Organizations: Amazon, Microsoft, Meta Locations: chatbot, Saudi Arabia

☆ Blinken tells CNN the US has seen evidence of China attempting to influence upcoming US elections
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-26 | by ( Simone Mccarthy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Beijing CNN —US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the US has seen evidence of Chinese attempts to “influence and arguably interfere” with the upcoming US elections, despite an earlier commitment from leader Xi Jinping not to do so. Then, Xi had pledged that that China would not do so, according to CNN reporting. The US believes that Chinese support is enabling Russia to ramp up production of tanks, munitions and armored vehicles – and to continue its onslaught on Ukraine. Instead, they characterized this as trade with Russia and said Moscow’s success didn’t depend on China, Blinken added. He also stressed the importance of such expression in democracies, without explicitly noting the lack of such freedoms in China.

Persons: Antony Blinken, Xi Jinping, Blinken, Kylie Atwood, Xi, Joe Biden, ” Blinken, Biden, —, Russia Blinken, Wang Yi, ”, who’ve, we’ve, it’s, that’s, Jennifer Hansler Organizations: Beijing CNN —, Moscow, CNN, Biden, Russia, “, Israel Locations: Beijing, China, American, San Francisco, Canada, Russia, Ukraine, Gaza, Iran, Israel, Palestinian, Saudi Arabia

☆ Opinion | Israel Has a Choice to Make: Rafah or Riyadh
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-26 | by ( Thomas L. Friedman | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

U.S. diplomacy to end the Gaza war and forge a new relationship with Saudi Arabia has been converging in recent weeks into a single giant choice for Israel and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu: What do you want more — Rafah or Riyadh? Do you want to mount a full-scale invasion of Rafah to try to finish off Hamas — if that is even possible — without offering any Israeli exit strategy from Gaza or any political horizon for a two-state solution with non-Hamas-led Palestinians? If you go this route, it will only compound Israel’s global isolation and force a real breach with the Biden administration. Or do you want normalization with Saudi Arabia, an Arab peacekeeping force for Gaza and a U.S.-led security alliance against Iran? And what I find both disturbing and depressing is that there is no major Israeli leader today in the ruling coalition, the opposition or the military who is consistently helping Israelis understand that choice — a global pariah or a Middle East partner — or explaining why it should choose the second.

Persons: Benjamin Netanyahu, Biden, Israel, — Organizations: Israel, Hamas, Iran, Palestinian Locations: Gaza, Saudi Arabia, Rafah, Riyadh, Arab, U.S, Israel, East

☆ ‘To the Future’: Saudi Arabia Spends Big to Become an A.I. Superpower
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-25 | by ( Adam Satariano | Paul Mozur | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

On a Monday morning last month, tech executives, engineers and sales representatives from Amazon, Google, TikTok and other companies endured a three-hour traffic jam as their cars crawled toward a mammoth conference at an event space in the desert, 50 miles outside Riyadh. The lure: billions of dollars in Saudi money as the kingdom seeks to build a tech industry to complement its oil dominance. To bypass the congestion, frustrated eventgoers drove onto the highway shoulder, kicking up plumes of desert sand as they sped past those following traffic rules. A lucky few took advantage of a special freeway exit dedicated to “V.V.I.P.s” — very, very important people.

Persons: eventgoers Organizations: Amazon, Google Locations: Riyadh

☆ Dubai’s floods were made worse by climate change, scientists find
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-25 | by ( Angela Dewan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Using scientific models, the team was unable to determine precisely how much more likely climate change had made the floods. Changing circulation patterns driven by global warming are also increasing rainfall intensity, the analysis noted. Global warming was the only remaining reason they could identify to explain the heavier downpour. However, the focus must be on slowing climate change, she added. “While we can’t stop El Niño, we can stop climate change,” Otto said.

Persons: Amr Alfiky, ”, Sonia Seneviratne, Mansour Almazroui, King Abdulaziz University’s, Friederike Otto, Niño, Otto said, El, ” Otto, Francois Nel, Sultan Al, Jaber, CNN’s Abbas Al Lawati Organizations: CNN, United Arab, United Arab Emirates, Global, Reuters “, Institute for Atmospheric, Science, King Abdulaziz University’s Center, Excellence, Change, Grantham Institute, International Energy Agency Locations: United Arab Emirates, Oman, El, Dubai, UAE, Dubai’s, Zurich, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, London, Paris, deadlier

☆ Who could buy TikTok?
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-25 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Still, the company is under such close scrutiny that it would be a poor candidate to buy TikTok, experts say. If you were to tell me it’s Verizon, or AT&T, maybe it’s not as big of a problem.”Jasmine Enberg, principal analyst at Emarketer, highlighted a paradox: Only the largest, most dominant tech giants may have the resources to buy TikTok. Microsoft had been one of the handful of contenders to buy TikTok in 2020 when President Donald Trump first pushed for a sale. A former Trump Cabinet official enters the frayIn a move that caught many by surprise, former Trump Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin announced last month that he is putting together a team of investors to buy TikTok. As with Mnuchin, O’Leary has said a potential acquisition of TikTok may have to exclude TikTok’s algorithm.

Persons: Joe Biden, There’s, ”, Gene Kimmelman, Jasmine Enberg, ” Enberg, TikTok’s, Donald Trump, TikTok, Steven Mnuchin, Mnuchin, ” Oregon Democratic Sen, Ron Wyden, Trump, who’ve, Kevin O’Leary, O’Leary Organizations: CNN, Facebook, Google, Meta, Federal Trade Commission, FTC, Department, YouTube, Microsoft, Intel, Cisco, Verizon, Emarketer, Activision Blizzard, Walmart, Oracle, Project Texas, Texas, Trump Cabinet, Trump Treasury, Trump, ” Oregon Democratic, Washington Post, O’Leary Ventures Locations: United States, TikTok, ” Oregon

☆ The US is under pressure to lead the way in reducing plastic pollution — but it keeps making more of it
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-25 | by ( Catherine Boudreau | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

World leaders are gathering in Ottawa, Ontario, this week to hash out a global treaty to end plastic pollution. This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. AdvertisementHundreds of businesses and countries support cutting plastic production. Lin represents the Business Coalition for a Global Plastics Treaty, which includes more than 200 companies. Cutting plastic production would also hit the bottom line of oil majors such as Exxon.

Persons: Carroll Muffett, Jose Fernandez, Biden, Allison Lin, Lin, Stewart Harris, Harris, Neil Nathan, Nathan, He's Organizations: Service, Business, Center for International Environmental Law, Organization for Economic Co, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, State Department, Mars Inc, Business Coalition, Global Plastics, Walmart, PepsiCo, International Council of Chemical Association, Oxford Economics, Exxon, The International Energy Agency, UC Santa Barbara, US Locations: Ottawa , Ontario, Russia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Washington, DC, Paris, Ottawa, Belgium

☆ Trump meets with foreign leaders looking to boost their relationships with GOP leader ahead of election
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-24 | by ( Alayna Treene | Steve Contorno | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

In recent weeks, Trump, seizing the role of both an erstwhile diplomat and ascending opposition party leader, has extended welcomes to a series of foreign leaders at his homes in Florida and New York. It’s not unusual for foreign leaders to meet with the leader of the party that doesn’t control the White House – especially one with a serious chance of becoming commander in chief. Biden and his top envoys have also met and spoken with opposition leaders, something that has been a longstanding practice for US officials. Last week, Trump met with Poland’s Duda at Trump Tower, where the two discussed NATO spending over dinner. Trump, both while president and during his 2024 campaign, has called on NATO countries to spend more on defense.

Persons: Donald Trump, hasn’t, Trump, Andrzej Duda, David Cameron, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Taro Aso, It’s, Sen, Barack Obama, Mitt Romney, Biden, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, Antony Blinken, Keir Starmer, Joe Biden, “ They’re, he’s, “, Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, ” Biden, ”, Kim Jong Un, ” Trump, Brian Hughes, Viktor Orban, Putin, Javier Milei, Orban, Viktor Orbán, Orbán, Aso, Fumio Kishida, Kishida, Lindsey Graham, Salman, King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, Poland’s Duda, Duda, meanwhile, Cameron, Karen Pierce, Cameron’s, Pierce didn’t, Queen Elizabeth II Organizations: CNN, Air Force, British, Saudi Crown, Middle East, Republican, UK Labour Party, US State Department, Biden, Trump, NATO, Conservative Political, Japanese, White, Liberal Democratic Party, Saudi, New York Times, South Carolina Republican, Hamas, The New York Times, Trump Tower, Republicans, Democrats, UK Locations: House, huddling, Florida, New York, Lago, Manhattan, Japan, China, North Korea, Berlin, United Kingdom, Israel, Poland, Belarus, Munich, Europe, America, Ukraine, Korean, United States, Palm, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, American, Russia, British, Washington

Sitting together last month, Graham and MBS spoke with Trump for roughly five minutes, two people familiar with the call told CNN. The call encapsulates how Trump looms over an agreement that US, Israeli and Saudi officials all see as vital to achieving lasting stability in the Middle East. Graham informed Biden officials of the call between MBS and Trump and says they understand why he wants to keep Trump in the loop. With the election looming and the region engulfed by turmoil over Israel’s war in Gaza, the window of opportunity is rapidly shrinking, people involved in the negotiations told CNN. “I think President Trump understands this is building on what he did,” Graham told CNN.

Persons: South Carolina Republican Sen, Lindsey Graham, Prince Mohammad Bin Salman, — Donald Trump, Graham, Joe Biden, Salman, Biden’s, Trump, Abraham, Biden, Donald Trump, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Evan Vucci, ”, ” Trump, “ They’re, That’s, “, ” Graham, Jamal Khashoggi, Sen, X.com Graham, Bibi Netanyahu, Benny Gantz, Jake Sullivan, Amos Hochstein, Antony Blinken, Jake, ” CNN’s Alex Marquardt Organizations: CNN, South Carolina Republican, Biden Administration, Trump, Saudi, Abraham Accords, Saudi Crown, White, MBS, New York Times, Biden, Republican, Graham, Saudi Press Agency, Israel, President’s National, US Locations: Saudi Arabia, Israel, Iran, Saudi, Palestine, Bahrain, UAE, Washington, Gaza, Riyadh, NATO, Palestinian

☆ Global arms fairs from Russia to the UAE: Photographer’s take on bizarre world
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-24 | by ( Christy Choi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

CNN —An arms fair may contain all the trappings of war, but it is nothing like a battlefield. Nikita TeryoshinA shot of the reception at the 2016 MSPO expo, the biggest arms fair in Eastern Europe. “It was the only (arms fair I’d been to) where they were shooting real rockets over 20 kilometers (12 miles) maybe,” said Teroyshin. Fairgoers wait for a shuttle to a live demonstration site during the 2019 Army military expo held in Alabino, Russia. Forever.”) is paired with an image of three women in Islamic veils at an arms fair, one pretending to hold a rifle depicted in the poster in front of her.

Persons: ”, Nikita Teryoshin, “, ” Teryoshin, Nikita Teryoshin “, Teryoshin, Majid, Teroyshin, Lockheed Martin, Nikita Teryoshin Teroyshin, ‘, KAI, Nikita Teryoshin Saudi, Linda Åkerström, eyeshadow, Nikita Teryoshin Åkerström, ” Teroyshin, he’s, Åkerström, you’ll Organizations: CNN, Swedish Bofors, expos, Tiger, Kalashnikov, Lockheed, Manufacturing, ITT, Otis Defence, CTA, Elbit Systems, BAE Systems Locations: Russian, Swedish, Kielce, Poland, Lima , Peru, Belarus, France, Germany, South Korea, China, UAE, Peru, Russia, Vietnam, USA, South Africa, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India, “, DEFEXPO, Eastern Europe, Mali, Alabino, Abu Dhabi, Paris, Dortmund, Seoul, IDEX, Central, Western Europe, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Australia, Ukraine

☆ Saudi Arabia is becoming a hot spot for global technology manufacturing with sustainable practices in mind. Here's how.
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-23 | by ( Sponsor Post | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

AI and industry 4.0 technology presents an unprecedented opportunity for manufacturers to transform their operations. Alat has already partnered with several global leaders in advanced manufacturing to work together on these challenges. Alongside advanced technology, another critical element of Alat is the use of clean energy and sustainable practices to become a leader in sustainable manufacturing. Alat will also implement sustainability best practices into every facet of its processes, which integrate the most up-to-date industry 4.0 thinking to enable sustainable manufacturing. Through the combination of advanced technology, best practices, and commitment to sustainability, Alat is reimagining manufacturing, for a better tomorrow.

Persons: Alat Organizations: Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, Alat, SoftBank Group, Saudi, Sustainable Technology, Insider Locations: Saudi, Saudi Arabia

☆ Saudi Arabia's oil giant boss speaks up for China, saying its massive production of solar panels and EVs helps affordability
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-23 | by ( Huileng Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Saudi Aramco CEO Amin Nasser praised China for making solar panels and electric vehicles affordable. Saudi Arabia is fostering closer ties with China and wooing Chinese investments and business partnerships. Unlike the West, Saudi Arabia is cozying up to China. "There are lots of opportunities for China to invest in Saudi Arabia," Alibrahim told the media outlet. In March last year, China brokered a détente between Saudi Arabia and Iran, prompting concerns over waning US influence in the Middle East.

Persons: Amin Nasser, Nasser, China's overcapacity, Janet Yellen, Olaf Scholz, China Nasser's, Faisal Alibrahim, Alibrahim, Jon Alterman Organizations: Saudi, Service, Saudi Aramco, World Energy, Financial Times, West, Nikkei, Aramco, Center for Strategic, International Studies, China Economic, Security Locations: China, Saudi Arabia, Saudi Aramco, Saudi, Rotterdam, East Asia, Beijing, Saudi Arabian, Iran, United States

☆ Citi upgrades energy sector, says geopolitical tensions could keep oil prices higher for longer
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-22 | by ( Spencer Kimball | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The energy sector should continue to outperform as oil prices are likely to remain higher for longer on geopolitical risk even without a major escalation in the Middle East, according to Citi. The energy sector has gained 13% this year, outperforming the broader S & P 500 . .GSPE .SPX YTD mountain S & P 500 energy sector outperforms Refinery stock Marathon Petroleum is leading the sector's performance with a gain of 33% year to date. "Our commodity team see higher for longer oil given the geopolitical risk even as a severe escalation seems unlikely." "However, in the short-term, the global reflation theme and tensions in the Middle East are keeping prices supported," the Citi team told clients.

Persons: Dirk Willer Organizations: Citi, Energy, Marathon Petroleum, Exxon Mobil, Chevron, Brent Locations: Refinery, Israel, Iran, Rafah, Russia, Saudi Arabia

☆ Saudi Arabia wants China to help fund its struggling $500 billion Neom megaproject. Investors may not be too excited.
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-22 | by ( Beatrice Nolan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Saudi Arabia just took its Neom roadshow to China. Neom officials visited Beijing, Shanghai, and Hong Kong in an attempt to court Chinese investors. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . AdvertisementSaudi Arabia took its Neom roadshow to China amid ongoing speculation about the scope of the project and its finances. Neom officials visited Beijing, Shanghai, and Hong Kong last week in an attempt to court Chinese investors and shed more light on the mysterious megacity.

Persons: — Organizations: Service, AFP, Business Locations: Saudi Arabia, China, Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong

☆ Saudi Arabia is desperately trying to woo bankers to pay for its futuristic desert city
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-22 | by ( Geoff Weiss | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Neom is hosting hundreds of prospective investors for on-the-ground tours, Bloomberg reports. Saudi Arabia's government has reportedly been worried about rising costs for the futuristic city. AdvertisementFor the first time, Saudi Arabia is inviting hundreds of private bankers this week to visit Neom, its futuristic — and cash-strapped — city in the desert, Bloomberg reported. Neom CEO Nadhmi Al-Nasr will now show visitors the construction work on "The Line," the planned city between two mirrored skyscrapers. The tours will mark the first time a large group of financiers will be able to see anything of the futuristic city with their own eyes, as opposed to virtual renderings.

Persons: Neom, —, Nadhmi Al, Nasr, that's Organizations: Bloomberg, Service, AFP Locations: China, Saudi, Saudi Arabia, Neom, —, Korea, Japan, Singapore, US, France, Germany

☆ India election: Modi’s Muslim remarks spark ‘hate speech’ accusations as mammoth vote deepens divides
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-22 | by ( Rhea Mogul | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

CNN —India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been accused of delivering Islamophobic remarks during an election rally Sunday, triggering widespread anger from prominent Muslims and members of the opposition. India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaking during a rally in Sydney, Australia, on May 23, 2023. Kalpit Bhachech/Getty Images Narendra Modi, then BJP secretary is welcomed at Ahmedabad Railway Station by the party's followers on January 31, 1992. Kalpit Bhachech/Dipam Bhachech/Getty Images Narendra Modi pictured in India on January 23, 1998. Brent Lewin/Bloomberg/Getty Images India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses Congress at the US Capitol in Washington, DC, on June 22, 2023.

Persons: CNN —, Narendra Modi, Islamophobic, Modi’s, Modi, ”, ” Modi, Matthew Abbott, Hiraben, Damodardas, Dipam Bhachech, Lal Krishna Advani, Subhas Chandra Bose, Kalpit Bhachech, Kalpit, Negi Yasbant, Amit Dave, Ajit Solanki, Kevin Frayer, Saurabh Das, AP Modi, Manish Swarup, Lucas Jackson, Barack Obama, Adrien Helou, Reuters Modi, Adnan Abidi, Stringer, Mark Zuckerberg, David Paul Morris, Marco Longari, Angela Merkel, Tobias Schwarz, Emmanuel Macron, Charles Platiau, Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, India's, Jair Bolsonaro, Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, Amit Shah, Money Sharma, Boris Johnson, Phil Noble, Anthony Albanese, Brent Lewin, Pedro Ugarte, Joe Biden, Doug Mills, Paul Mashatile, Jacoline, Imtiyaz Khan, Amr Alfiky, Rana Ayyub, Asaduddin Owaisi, “ Modi, Mallikarjun Kharge Organizations: CNN, CNN — India’s, Bharatiya Janata Party, BJP, Indian National Congress, of India, India's, New York Times, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, Getty, Modi, Hospital, Narendra, India Today, AP, Madison, Garden, Reuters, Washington , D.C, French National Space Agency, of Yoga, Meta, Facebook, Bloomberg, European, Saudi Arabia's Crown, Rashtrapati Bhavan, Kyodo, British, Summit, Qudos Bank, White, Anadolu Agency, Anadolu, United, United Arab Emirates, Sangh, Hindu, “, Hate Locations: Rajasthan, Sydney, Australia, Gujarat, India, Ahmedabad, Ahmadabad, Varanasi, New Delhi, United States, Washington, Washington ,, Toulouse, France, Xian, AFP, Menlo Park , California, U.S, Pretoria, South Africa, China, Berlin, Paris, Rashtrapati, Russian, Brasilia, Glasgow, Red, Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, Abu Dhabi, United Arab, BJP, “

☆ Mohammad Faris: ‘Armstrong of the Arab World’ and Syria’s first astronaut dies in exile
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-21 | by ( Eyad Kourdi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

In 1987, Faris, a pilot in the Syrian Air Force, spent eight days in space with the Soviet Union’s Interkosmos spaceflight program. Faris flew with a Soviet crew to Mir space station becoming the first and only Syrian astronaut and second Arab to make it to space. Upon his return to Syria, Faris was celebrated as a national hero by tens of thousands of Syrians. Faris decided in 2012 to defect and publicly oppose the Syrian regime, putting his family and himself in life-threatening danger. In 2020, Faris was granted Turkish citizenship, as reported by the Turkish state broadcaster TRT.

Persons: CNN — Mohammad Faris, Armstrong, Faris, Hafez al, Assad, Bashar, “, Jazeera, Assad, Faris –, Hafez al - Assad, Prince Sultan bin Salman, Allah, “ let’s, ” Faris, Bashar al, Al Jazeera, Moscow propping Organizations: CNN, Syrian Air Force, Saudi, Free Syrian Army, Turkish, TRT, Star City, AP Locations: Turkish, Gaziantep, Soviet, Syria, ”, Aleppo, Turkey, Istanbul, Russia, Moscow, Soviet Union

Their friendship was tested in 2017 when then President Trump supported a blockade of Qatar led by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Before the Oct. 7 attack, the Saudis were in serious talks, led by the United States, to recognize Israel. 8 of 12 Israel has a major incentive to strengthen relations with Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia, for its part, would benefit from direct access to the Israeli military and technology sector. In March 2023, China brokered a breakthrough, re-establishing ties between two of the region’s heavyweights, Iran and Saudi Arabia.

Persons: Benjamin Netanyahu, brandished, Jake Sullivan, —, frenemies, Israel, Netanyahu’s, Trump, Biden, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin, Prince Mohammed, Bashar al, Assad, Saddam Hussein, Jordan —, hesitantly, Abraham Organizations: of Friends, General Assembly, U.S, America, Hamas, United, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Crown, Arab League, Saudi Arabia, Red Sea, Iranian, Abraham Accords, United Arab, Palestine Liberation Organization, West Bank, Palestinian Authority, The, Trump, Biden, Israel Defense Forces, United Nations, New York, Facebook Locations: India, Persian, Israel, Europe, Iran, United States, U.S, East, China, Russia, Ukraine, Syria, Yemen, Turkey Syria Lebanon Afghanistan Israel Iraq Iran Pakistan Egypt India Qatar Saudi Arabia Sudan Oman, Israel Yemen Turkey Syria Lebanon Afghanistan Israel Iraq Iran Pakistan Egypt India Qatar Saudi Arabia Arabian, Sudan, Sea Oman, Israel Yemen Ethiopia Turkey Syria Lebanon Afghanistan Israel Iraq Iran Pakistan Egypt India Qatar Saudi Arabia Arabian, Sudan Oman, Israel Yemen Ethiopia, Gaza, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab, Saudi, Tehran, Iraq, Assad, Lebanon, Lebanese, Egypt, Jordan, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Morocco, Fatah, Israeli, Turkey, America

☆ In India’s 2024 election, BJP’s main opposition appears increasingly weak in face of Modi juggernaut
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-20 | by ( Helen Regan | Rhea Mogul | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +21 min

Supporters of India's opposition party, Indian National Congress, during an election rally in Puducherry on April 15, 2024 R. Satish Babu/AFP/Getty ImagesDemocracy under threat? Dipam Bhachech/Hulton Archive/Getty Images Modi worked his way through the ranks of the BJP, establishing himself as a respected politician. Tobias Schwarz/AFP/Getty Images Modi hugs French President Emmanuel Macron after a ceremony at the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, on June 3, 2017. Brent Lewin/Bloomberg/Getty Images India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses Congress at the US Capitol in Washington, DC, on June 22, 2023. Pedro Ugarte/AFP/Getty Images Modi offers a toast during a State Dinner with President Joe Biden at the White House in Washington, on June 22, 2023.

Persons: ”, Narendra Modi, Mallikarjun Kharge, Indira Gandhi, Gandhi, ” Hazari Lal Rajput, Satish Babu, Modi, Modi’s, Matthew Abbott, Hiraben, Damodardas, Dipam Bhachech, Lal Krishna Advani, Subhas Chandra Bose, Kalpit Bhachech, Kalpit, Negi Yasbant, Amit Dave, Ajit Solanki, Kevin Frayer, Saurabh Das, AP Modi, Manish Swarup, Lucas Jackson, Barack Obama, Adrien Helou, Reuters Modi, Adnan Abidi, Stringer, Mark Zuckerberg, David Paul Morris, Marco Longari, Angela Merkel, Tobias Schwarz, Emmanuel Macron, Charles Platiau, Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, India's, Jair Bolsonaro, Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, Amit Shah, Money Sharma, Boris Johnson, Phil Noble, Anthony Albanese, Brent Lewin, Pedro Ugarte, Joe Biden, Doug Mills, Paul Mashatile, Jacoline, Imtiyaz Khan, Amr Alfiky, Arati Jerath, “, it’s, Rahul Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, Indira, India’s, Jawaharlal Nehru, gunning, ” Modi, shouldn’t, Mohammad Irfan, —, Arvind Kejriwal, Altaf Qadri, Kejriwal, Atishi, you’re, Jerath, Gandhi ‘, ’ Modi, Christophe Jaffrelot, CNN Modi, Rasheed Kidwai, Rahul, Diptendu Dutta, Mamata Banerjee, Muthuvel Karunanidhi Stalin, ” Kidwai, ” Jerath Organizations: CNN, Bharatiya Janata Party, BJP, Indian National Congress, Getty, Democracy, Modi’s BJP, Pew, New York Times, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, Modi, Hospital, Narendra, India Today, AP, India's, Madison, Garden, Reuters, Washington , D.C, French National Space Agency, of Yoga, Meta, Facebook, Bloomberg, European, Saudi Arabia's Crown, Rashtrapati Bhavan, Kyodo, British, Summit, Qudos Bank, White, Anadolu Agency, Anadolu, United, United Arab Emirates, Developmental Inclusive Alliance, Indian, Aadmi Party, Delhi, AAP, Aam Aadmi Party, All, Trinamool, West, All India, Congress, “, “ Democracy Locations: India, Uttar Pradesh, Ramlila, Puducherry, Modi’s, Sydney, Australia, Gujarat, Ahmedabad, Ahmadabad, Varanasi, New Delhi, United States, Washington, Washington ,, Toulouse, France, Xian, AFP, Menlo Park , California, U.S, Pretoria, South Africa, China, Berlin, Paris, Rashtrapati, Russian, Brasilia, Glasgow, Red, Ayodhya, Abu Dhabi, United Arab, INDIA, Delhi, India’s, Lok Sabha, Atishi, ”, Manipur, Siliguri, West Bengal, Tamil

☆ Iran and Israel have averted an all-out war – for now
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-19 | by ( Tamara Qiblawi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Iran may be downplaying what was likely to have been a significant but limited Israeli attack, but that seems to be secondary to the larger forces at play. The latest flare-up brought the stakes into sharp focus, but it also exposed the limits of a direct confrontation between Iran and Israel. As part of Iran’s retaliatory attack on Israel, its weapons navigated over at least two neighboring countries that house US bases. What happens between Iran and Israel rarely stays between Iran and Israel. US forces had shot down more than 70 of Iran’s weapons as they headed to Israel.

Persons: Iran’s, CNN’s Nic Robertson, Israel, –, Ebrahim Raisi’s, Israel’s, Itamar Ben Gvir, “ Organizations: Lebanon CNN, Iran’s, Anadolu, Washington, United, United Arab Emirates, National Locations: Beirut, Lebanon, Iran, Tehran, Israel, Damascus, Syria, Iranian, Lebanon’s, Isfahan, Saudi Arabia, United Arab, Riyadh, China, Israel’s, Gaza, Iraq, Yemen

☆ An Uneasy Arab-Israeli Alliance
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-18 | by ( David Leonhardt | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

To understand the current confrontation between Iran and Israel, it helps to think about three recent phases of Middle East geopolitics. Phase 1: Before Oct. 7 of last year, Iran was arguably the most isolated power in the region. Israel, Iran’s longtime enemy, had signed a diplomatic deal during the Trump administration with Bahrain, Morocco and the U.A.E. Together, these developments pointed to the emergence of a broad alliance — among Arab countries, Israel, the U.S. and Western Europe — to check Iranian influence and aggression. Arab leaders condemned Israel, while the U.S. and other countries pressured Israeli leaders to reduce suffering in Gaza and devise an end to the war.

Persons: Biden, Iran’s, Trump Locations: Iran, Israel, East, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Morocco, . Iran, U.S, Europe, Gaza

☆ Heavy rains cause rare flooding in Dubai
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-17 | by ( Denise Chow | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Vehicles hardly move on flooded streets due to heavy rain in Dubai, United Arab Emirates on April 16, 2024. Flooding ensued as a result of the downpour, leading to several vehicles being submerged on the streets and avenues. Heavy rains battered parts of the Middle East on Tuesday, closing schools in the United Arab Emirates and flooding the tarmac at Dubai International Airport. Flights into the Dubai airport were temporarily diverted as a result of the "continued exceptional weather event currently being experienced in the UAE," airport officials said Tuesday in a statement. More than 4.7 inches of rain fell in a day in the UAE, flooding streets across Dubai and sending water spilling into homes and businesses, The Associated Press reported.

Organizations: United Arab Emirates, United Arab, Dubai International, Saudi, Associated Press Locations: Dubai, United Arab, United Arab Emirates, Oman, UAE, Saudi Arabia's, Arabiya

☆ Ex-diplomat discusses Iran's attack on Israel and role China can play
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-17 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailIran's attack on Israel: China could play a big role in reducing contagion risk, ex-diplomat saysJoseph Westphal, former U.S. ambassador to Saudi Arabia, discusses the implications of Iran's drone and missile attack on Israel.

Persons: Joseph Westphal Locations: Israel, China, U.S, Saudi Arabia

Search resuls for: "Saudi"

25 mentions found