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☆ Saudi crown prince says he does not care about 'sportswashing' claims
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken (not pictured) meets with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, June 7, 2023. "If sportswashing (is) going to increase my GDP by 1%, then we'll continue doing sportswashing," the crown prince told Fox News. Saudi Arabia denies accusations of human rights abuses and says it protects its national security through its laws. When asked specifically about the term "sportswashing", the crown prince said: "I don't care. Saudi Arabia has been hosting a Formula One Grand Prix since 2021 and has also held boxing world title fights.

Persons: Antony Blinken, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, we'll, PIF, LIV, Hritika Sharma, Michael Perry Organizations: Saudi Crown, Saudi Royal Court, REUTERS, Saudi Arabian Crown, Fox News, Public Wealth Fund, Premier League, Newcastle United, PGA, Saudi Pro League, Thomson Locations: Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Bandar, Saudi, Hyderabad

[1/4] Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman receives U.S. President Joe Biden at Al Salman Palace upon his arrival in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, July 15, 2022. Biden would also score a foreign policy win as he seeks re-election in November 2024. The focus is on Biden’s fellow Democrats who have condemned Saudi Arabia over human rights but whose support would be needed if any agreement requires congressional approval. Though foreign policy rarely sways U.S. elections, Biden, facing a re-election fight against Republican former president Donald Trump, may be thinking of his legacy. Murphy, a Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said he favors Israeli-Saudi normalization and is open to reviewing any broader agreement but would not be easily convinced.

Persons: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Joe Biden, Biden, Joe Biden’s, Israel, “, ”, Jonathan Panikoff, government’s, Biden’s, Washington, Benjamin Netanyahu, Donald Trump, Aaron David Miller, Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Jamal Khashoggi, Chris Murphy, Murphy, Jared Kushner, Trump, Abraham, Netanyahu, Matt Spetalnick, Steve Holland, Patricia Zengerle, Dan Williams, Nick Zieminski Organizations: Saudi Crown, Al, Saudi Royal Court, REUTERS, Rights, Atlantic Council, Saudi, Israel, Republicans, Israeli, Republican, Carnegie Endowment, International Peace, SAUDI, MbS, NATO, Reuters, Democrat, Senate Foreign Relations, Abraham Accords, Middle, General, Trump, Biden, Thomson Locations: Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Bandar, Israel, U.S, Riyadh, Iran, Gulf, East, Russia, Ukraine, Saudi, Yemen, “, United States, Washington, Jerusalem

NEW DELHI (AP) — The Saudi crown prince once vilified by President Joe Biden has been elevated from a fist bump to a hearty handshake. Biden smiled and shook hands with the crown prince, who is often referred to by his initials MBS, as the announcement wrapped up. The cordial greeting was a sharp contrast to the last time Biden and the crown prince met, just over a year ago, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. During that encounter, Biden awkwardly greeted the crown prince with a fist bump, a moment roundly criticized by human rights activists, who were already upset at Biden's decision to meet with the Saudi leader. Biden refused to speak to Prince Mohammed at the start of his administration.

Persons: Joe Biden, Biden, Mohammed bin Salman, Narendra Mod, Bin Salman, Jamal Khashoggi, Fred Ryan, year's Biden, Prince Mohammed, ” Khashoggi Organizations: DELHI, Group, MBS, Indian, The Washington Post Locations: Saudi, New Delhi, India, East, Europe, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, U.S, Ukraine

☆ WTA Finals to be held in Cancun
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] Tennis - WTA Tour Finals - Panamerican Tennis Center, Guadalajara, Mexico - November 17, 2021 The WTA Finals Martina Navratilova Trophy is seen after Czech Republic's Barbora Krejcikova and Katerina Siniakova won their final doubles match against Taiwan's Hsieh Su-wei and Belgium's Elise Mertens Acquire Licensing Rights Read moreSept 7 (Reuters) - The 2023 edition of the WTA Finals will be held in Cancun, Mexico from Oct. 29-Nov. 5 under a one-year agreement, the women's tennis body announced on Thursday, ending speculation that this year's event could be held in Saudi Arabia. "This edition of the WTA Finals will provide a fantastic experience for players and fans alike, offer a fitting finale for the 2023 WTA Tour, and enable us to continue building a strong future for women's tennis," said Steve Simon, WTA Chairman and CEO. After the men's ATP Tour announced last month that the Next Gen Finals would be held in Jeddah from 2023 to 2027, social media had been awash with rumours that the WTA Finals could also be headed to Saudi Arabia. The WTA Finals will end two days before the beginning of the Billie Jean King Cup finals in Seville. "The WTA weighed a number of competitive bids through a thorough process, in close consultation with the WTA Players’ Council," the WTA said on Thursday.

Persons: Martina Navratilova, Krejcikova, Katerina Siniakova, Taiwan's Hsieh Su, Belgium's Elise Mertens, Steve Simon, Simon, Chris Evert, Peng Shuai, Billie Jean King, Iga Swiatek, Aadi Nair, Toby Davis Organizations: Tennis Center, WTA, ATP, ESPN, Billie Jean King Cup, WTA Players ’, Thomson Locations: Guadalajara, Mexico, Czech, Cancun, Saudi Arabia, Jeddah, Saudi, Tunisian, Shenzhen, China, Fort Worth , United States, Los Angeles, Madrid, Doha, Istanbul, Singapore, Seville, Bengaluru

☆ Vision 2030 is Saudi Arabia's grand plan to future-proof its oil-based economy. Experts say it's a huge risk.
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-27 | by ( Hasan Chowdhury | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Vision 2030 is Saudi Arabia's grand plan to transform its economy and reduce its reliance on oil. The centerpiece of Vision 2030 is Neom, which includes a $1 trillion megacity known as The Line. But time is ticking: Seven years after announcing Vision 2030, Saudi Arabia has reached the midway point of its timeline, with just seven years left to the finish line. That said, much of this is being financed by the Public Investment Fund, Saudi Arabia's powerful sovereign wealth fund, which manages assets worth about $700 billion. NeomA key factor that could determine this project's success involves Saudi Arabia's changing appeal to the West.

Persons: Saud, who's, Simon Mabon, Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, McKinsey —, —, Gerald Feierstein, Barack Obama, Feierstein, Richard Callis, Prince Mohammed, Yasir Othman al, Mabon, Prince Mohammed's, there's, Muslimi, they're Organizations: Foreign Policy Center, Saudi Royal Court, REUTERS, Saudi Crown, McKinsey, Middle East Institute, Public Investment Fund, Saudi, SoftBank's Vision, Newcastle United soccer, Newcastle United FC, Saudi Aramco, International Monetary Fund, Chatham House, Neom, United, Bloomberg, Amnesty International Locations: Saudi, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, London, NEOM, Bandar, Yemen, Ukraine, Riyadh, Jeddah, they're, United Arab Emirates, Neom

☆ Vasseur wary of commenting on Massa's legal claim
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-23 | by ( Alan Baldwin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Lawyers for Brazilian Massa last week notified Formula One chief executive Stefano Domenicali and Mohammed Ben Sulayem, president of the governing FIA, of the intent to claim compensation. An FIA spokesperson last week acknowledged receipt of "correspondence" from Massa's representatives and said the matter was under review. The scandal, widely known as 'Crashgate', did not emerge until a year later and led to Renault team bosses being banned. Vasseur said teams wanted to know the result of races at the chequered flag and not after the podium celebrations had happened. The Frenchman, who was Renault team boss in 2016, took over at Ferrari in January and was not in Formula One in 2008.

Persons: Driver Felipe Massa, Hamad I Mohammed, Fred Vasseur trod, Felipe Massa, Stefano Domenicali, Mohammed Ben Sulayem, Massa, Vasseur, Nelson Piquet's, Britain's Lewis Hamilton, insider.com, supremo Bernie Ecclestone, Max Mosley, Ecclestone, Mosley, Frenchman, Alan Baldwin, Lincoln Organizations: Saudi, Prix, Jeddah Corniche, Driver, Grand Prix REUTERS, Ferrari Formula, Brazilian Massa, Formula, FIA, Renault, McLaren, supremo, Reuters, Ferrari, One, Thomson Locations: Jeddah, Jeddah Corniche Circuit, Saudi Arabia, Singapore

☆ Saudi crown prince meets Iran's foreign minister
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-18 | by ( Reuters Editorial | ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

PoliticsSaudi crown prince meets Iran's foreign ministerPostedSaudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian in Jeddah on Friday (August 18) in the highest level talks since the countries reconciled after years of bitter rivalry that destabilised the region.

Persons: Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Hossein Amirabdollahian Organizations: Saudi Arabian Crown Locations: Saudi, Iranian, Jeddah

☆ Saudi crown prince meets Iran's foreign minister as relations thaw
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Footage of the meeting on Iranian state media showed MbS and Amirabdollahian smiling as they spoke, while Prince Faisal and the Iranian delegation looked on. Saudi state news agency SPA said they discussed international and regional developments. [1/3]Saudi Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman meets with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia August 18, 2023. Prince Faisal visited Tehran in June and said he hoped Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi would visit the kingdom at the "appropriate time". Saudi Arabia had meanwhile lost confidence in U.S. commitment to shared regional security concerns and wanted to bolster ties with China, which has retained good relations with Iran.

Persons: Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Hossein Amirabdollahian, Amirabdollahian, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Mohammed bin Salman, Prince Faisal, Saudi Crown Prince, Hossein Amir, Ebrahim Raisi, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, General Antony Blinken, Angus McDowall, Mark Potter, Conor Humphries Organizations: Saudi Arabian Crown, Saudi, MbS, Saudi Crown, Iranian, Iran's Foreign, West Asia News Agency, REUTERS Acquire, Iran's, U.S, Dubai Newsroom, Thomson Locations: DUBAI, Saudi, Jeddah, United States, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, Bahrain, Abdollahian, Saudi Arabia, China, Tehran, Iran, Ukraine, Beijing, East

"Simply put, Mr Massa is the rightful 2008 Driver's Champion, and F1 and FIA deliberately ignored the misconduct that cheated him out of that title," said the letter. There was no immediate response from the FIA and Formula One, which is currently on an August shutdown. PIQUET CRASHMassa was leading the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix from pole position when fellow Brazilian Piquet crashed into the wall on lap 14 of 61. The lawyers' letter warned that, without a satisfactory response, Massa intended to "pursue legal action in order to seek compensation for the harm he has suffered." Massa did not win again after 2008, with the Brazilian suffering a near-fatal head injury at the 2009 Hungarian Grand Prix.

Persons: Driver Felipe Massa, Hamad, Mohammed, Massa, Ecclestone, Felipe Massa, Stefano Domenicali, Mohammed Ben Sulayem, Law, McLaren's Lewis Hamilton, Mr Massa, " Massa, supremo Bernie Ecclestone, Max Mosley, Nelson Piquet's, PIQUET, Piquet, Fernando Alonso, insider.com Ecclestone, Hamilton, Mosley, Charlie Whiting, Rory Carroll, Alan Baldwin, Ken Ferris Organizations: Saudi, Prix, Jeddah Corniche, Driver, Grand Prix REUTERS, FIA, Reuters, Formula, Formula One, F1, supremo, Renault, Briton, F1 supremo, Liberty Media, Thomson Locations: Jeddah, Jeddah Corniche Circuit, Saudi Arabia, Paris, London, Singapore, Switzerland, Spanish

☆ Saudi soccer league lures Brazilian star Neymar as it seeks to attract 'exceptional players only'
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-14 | by ( Natasha Turak | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Saudi Arabia also recruited soccer legends Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema with contracts worth hundreds of millions of dollars, and it's expected to bid to host the 2030 World Cup. Portuguese football star Cristiano Ronaldo poses for a photo with the jersey after signing with Saudi Arabia's Al-Nassr Football Club in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on December 30, 2022. Sports analysts are doubtful that Saudi Arabia will see its ambitions to have a top soccer league realized, even with all the money it can offer to top-tier players. Charles Laberge | LIV Golf | Getty ImagesOther criticism comes from an attitude among many that a Saudi league could never be a serious arena for athletes. Emenalo, himself a former defender for Nigeria's national soccer team and former technical director at English club team Chelsea, called the criticisms "outrageous."

Persons: Kylian Mbappe, Neymar Jr, Jean Catuffe, Neymar, Germain, Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, Kalidou, Lyon's Moussa Dembele, Michael Emenalo, Saudi Arabia's, Al, Hilal, Kylian Mbappé, LIV, shockwaves, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Captain Brooks Koepka, Ricky Elliott, Charles Laberge, LIV Golf, Emenalo, it's, Khalid Al, Falih, that's Organizations: PSG, UEFA Champions League, Celtic Glasgow, Paris Saint Germain, Celtic Park, Getty, Getty Images, Saudi, Al, Paris Saint, Brazil national, L'Equipe, Manchester, Saudi Pro League, Nassr Football Club, Al Nassr Football, Anadolu Agency, France national, Sports, American PGA Tour, Saudi Crown, CNBC, Royal Greens, & Country Club, King Abdullah Economic, Nigeria's, soccer team, Chelsea, Saudi League, Guardian, Saudi Investment, Public Investment Fund Locations: Getty Images Saudi Arabia, Hilal, Barcelona, Saudi, Saudi Arabia, Riyadh, Europe, Jeddah, King Abdullah, King Abdullah Economic City

☆ Europe wants China in its corner on Ukraine. But their relations are a tricky balancing act
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-12 | by ( Luke Mcgee | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

CNN —European officials took some small comfort when China attended a summit in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, last weekend. The only downside is how it makes others think about China.”It’s no secret that China’s relationship with Europe has become tetchy. Multiple officials explained to CNN that the relationship with China is in a sort of stasis that tries to balance what Europe needs versus what Europe wants. Europe still imports vastly more from China than it exports, a reflection of the level of dependency it has on China. In 2023, European officials know that China represents a major security concern and that becoming overly dependent on China is a risk.

Persons: it’s, Vladimir Putin, “, ”, Wang Yi, Sergey Lavrov, Putin, China’s Xi Jinping, It’s, Russia –, Moscow’s, ” Alicja, €, Ursula von der Leyen, Xi Jinping, Emmanuel Macron, Jacques Witt, they’re, Sam Goodman, Goodman, Charles Parton Organizations: CNN, EU, “, Russia, Saudi Press Agency, Reuters, European Council, Foreign Relations, Europe, Investment, Beijing, European Commission, East, Risks Institute, Putin’s, Huawei Locations: China, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Ukraine, Beijing, Russia, Russian, Alaska, Europe, Washington, Brussels, Eurasia, Taiwan, France, Germany, Spain, Guandong, Guangzhou, Reuters Brussels, West, Putin’s Moscow, America

☆ 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

☆ Russian officials are fuming after Ukraine isolated it in peace talks that even China attended: 'They're gossiping without us'
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-10 | by ( Tom Porter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Kremlin officials are concerned Kyiv is outflanking them diplomatically, The Moscow Times said. In comments to The Moscow Times, four former and current Kremlin officials familiar with Russia's diplomacy were troubled. A former high-ranking Russian diplomat also expressed concern to The Moscow Times about Russia's isolation, but added that Moscow's participation in discussions was necessary for ending the conflict. In recent months, Russia and Ukraine have intensified their struggle to for diplomatic support for their versions of ending the war. Ukraine hopes to persuade nations by pointing to the devastating effect of Russia's war of the grain exports many countries depend on.

Persons: Kremlin wasn't, Moscow —, Stefan Wolf Organizations: Kremlin, Moscow Times, Service, Birmingham University Locations: Ukraine, Saudi Arabia, China, Kyiv, Wall, Silicon, Russia, Jeddah, Beijing, Moscow, Russian, West, Brazil, India, South Africa, Denmark

☆ A rift is growing between Xi and Putin after Russia mocked a Ukraine peace plan backed by China
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-09 | by ( Tom Porter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Xi is frustrated that Putin won't seek peace in Ukraine, reports say. China has touted a 12-point peace plan for Ukraine that Russia hasn't pursued. China recently attended a peace summit in Saudi Arabia that was described by Russia as "doomed to fail." A European diplomat present at the discussions told the FT that the "mere presence of China shows Russia is more and more isolated." But Wyne cautioned against excessive faith in China's intervention to secure peace in Ukraine.

Persons: Xi, Putin, Russia hasn't, Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin's, it's, Siberia that'd, June's Wagner, Ali Wyne, Wyne Organizations: Service, Financial Times, Putin, Kremlin, Eurasia Group, Saudi, Kyiv, Analysts Locations: Ukraine, China, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Wall, Silicon, Russian, Moscow, Jeddah, European, Siberia, Beijing, Denmark, Iran

☆ Sudan: Thousands of bodies' left to decompose in Khartoum as morgues reach 'breaking point'
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-09 | by ( Celine Alkhaldi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Khartoum’s morgues have reached “breaking point,” international aid group Save The Children said Tuesday. Bodies in the morgues are also decomposing as prolonged power outages have left them without refrigeration, the group said. Most of the hospitals in the capital and other states are out of service, Save the Children added. Residents of Omdurman, north of Khartoum, told CNN that fighting had intensified on Tuesday, saying they heard heavy artillery and bombardment overnight. The fighting has left Khartoum in ruins.

Persons: morgues, Abdallah Attiya, ”, Bashir Kamal Eldin Hamid, Abdel Fattah al, Burhan, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, Omar al, Bashir, RSF, “ Organizations: CNN, Sudanese Armed Forces, SAF, Rapid Support Forces, Humanitarian Affairs, Federal Ministry of Health, UNICEF, UN, Sudanese Doctors Syndicate, Al, Health, Nutrition, Sudanese, International Organization for Migration, Integrated Food Locations: Sudan, Khartoum, Al Arabiya, morgues, Omdurman, ”, United States, Saudi Arabia, Jeddah

Mark Bristow, CEO of Barrick Gold Co. REUTERS/Shelley Christians/File PhotoTORONTO, Aug 8 (Reuters) - Barrick Gold Corp (ABX.TO) is open to bringing in Saudi Arabia's wealth fund as one of its partners in Pakistan's Reko Diq gold and copper mine, Barrick CEO Mark Bristow told Reuters in an interview on Tuesday. Barrick Gold owns a 50% stake in Pakistan's Reko Diq mine, with the remaining 50% owned by the governments of Pakistan and the province of Balochistan. He said that Barrick will support PIF coming into the mine through Pakistan's 25% equity stake. Barrick and Saudi's state-owned mining company Ma'aden jointly operate a copper project in Jeddah.

Persons: Mark Bristow, Shelley Christians, Barrick, Bristow, PIF, Divya Rajagopal, Mark Porter, Conor Humphries Organizations: Barrick Gold , Reuters, Mining, REUTERS, TORONTO, Barrick Gold Corp, Pakistan's, Barrick, Minerals, Barrick Gold, Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, Ma'aden, Thomson Locations: Cape Town , South Africa, Saudi, Pakistan's, Pakistan, Balochistan, Saudi Arabia, Islamabad, Saudi's, Jeddah, PIF, VALE3

☆ Ukraine war live updates: Russian strikes kill seven in Pokrovsk; Ukraine detains woman for spying
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-08 | by ( Jenni Reid | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Two Russian missile strikes on Pokrovsk in Ukraine's Donetsk region on Monday night killed at least seven people, including five civilians, according to Ukrainian officials. Zelenskyy also referenced the latest in a series of prisoner exchanges, which saw 22 Ukrainian soldiers return home. Russian and Ukrainian officials continue to comment on talks held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, over the weekend. The talks, which concern the war, involved more than 40 countries, including China, but not Russia. Ukraine said it was "satisfied" with the discussions, while the Russian ambassador to the United States, Anatoly Antonov, said they resulted in "no diplomatic success."

Persons: Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Andriy Omelchenko, Zelenskyy, Anatoly Antonov Organizations: Russian, State Emergency Service Locations: Ukraine's Donetsk, Ukraine, Donetsk, Zelenskyy, Mykolaiv, Russia, Ukrainian, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, China, Russian, United States

☆ China assures Russia it remains ‘impartial’ on Ukraine war after attending Saudi peace talks
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-08 | by ( Simone Mccarthy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Lavrov “appreciates and welcomes the constructive role played by China” toward a political resolution of the “Ukraine crisis,” China’s Foreign Ministry said in their readout of Monday’s call. China has continued to bolster its economic, diplomatic, and security ties with Russia, despite Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, which Beijing has never condemned. It did not send a delegation to previous international talks in Denmark in June, despite attempting to position itself as a potential peace broker on the conflict in recent months. That proposal, which Beijing put forward earlier this year, calls for peace talks to end the conflict. Ukraine and Russia remain publicly committed to prerequisites for direct negotiations that the other side finds unacceptable.

Persons: Hong Kong CNN —, Wang Yi, Wang, Sergei Lavrov, ”, ” Wang, Lavrov “, Dmytro Kuleba, Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin, Xi, Putin, China’s, Affairs Li Hui, “, …, Lavrov, Russia “, ” “, Qin Gang Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Russian, China’s Foreign Ministry, Saudi, Ukraine’s, ”, Affairs, Reuters, CNN, Tass, Communist Locations: Hong Kong, Beijing, Ukraine, Kyiv, Moscow, China, Russia, Saudi Arabia, United States, Britain, Germany, India, Jeddah, ” Ukraine, American, Denmark, Europe, Washington

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 REUTERSAug 8 (Reuters) - The vast sums invested to entice some of the world's top players to Saudi Arabia this season is no one-off, but part of a long-term strategy to make the Saudi Pro League one of the best in the world, its chief operating officer has said. Soccer website Transfermarkt ranks the Saudi League as the fifth-biggest spender in the current transfer window, ahead of Spain's LaLiga. "One of the very first objectives that the Saudi Pro League was set was to improve the product. "We had to improve quality and in order to improve quality, you have to bring in the best. "What you're seeing is simply the Saudi Pro League doing what other leagues needed to do ... We have joined these ranks, and we're doing whatever it takes to improve quality on the pitch."

Persons: Carlo Nohra, Ballon, Karim Benzema, Jordan Henderson, Riyad Mahrez, Nassr, Cristiano Ronaldo, spender, Nohra, We've, we've, Al Ahmar, Shady Amir, Simon Jennings, Christian Organizations: Soccer, Saudi Pro League, Saudi Pro League Saudi Pro League Media, REUTERS, Reuters, Saudi, Liverpool, Manchester City, Al, Saudi League, Thomson Locations: Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Real Madrid, Manchester, Spain's, Saudi

☆ Ukraine says Jeddah talks 'huge blow' to Russia, new meeting agreed
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Yermak said all the countries present at the talks in Jeddah fully supported Ukrainian independence and territorial integrity, and that only peace initiatives put forward by Ukraine were discussed at the meeting. Ukraine hopes the talks in Saudi Arabia will help pave the way to a peace summit that would back Zelenskiy's vision of peace. Between those two meetings, the various sides would hold separate conferences on each of the peace plan's points, he said. "We are ready to hear everyone, but it is logical that it should be the Ukrainian (peace) formula," he said. He also told the briefing that Russia had made efforts to disrupt the talks in Saudi Arabia, but provided no details of how Moscow had done that.

Persons: Andriy Yermak, Volodymyr Zelenskyi, Read, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Yermak, Pavel Polityuk, Tom Balmforth, Christina Fincher Organizations: International, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Kyiv, KYIV, Ukrainian, Saudi Arabia, Russia, China, India, United States, Moscow, Jeddah

☆ Calling Ukraine talks at Jeddah 'peace negotiations' is a little misleading, analyst says
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-07 | 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 EmailCalling Ukraine talks at Jeddah 'peace negotiations' is a little misleading, analyst saysKeir Giles, senior consulting fellow at Chatham House, says "they're not negotiations with the country that is actually waging this war … instead, as Russia quite reasonably points out, it's an attempt to build a coalition of support behind Ukraine."

Persons: Keir Giles, they're, it's Organizations: Chatham House, Ukraine Locations: Jeddah, Russia

☆ 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

☆ Ukraine war live updates: Kherson blasted overnight; U.S and German air defense systems 'very effective,' Zelenskyy says
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-07 | by ( Hannah Ward-Glenton | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

The Ukrainian city of Kherson was blasted overnight, after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that air defense systems supplied by Germany and the U.S. were "very effective." Zelenskyy highlighted the IRIS-T and Patriot drones in his nightly address Sunday, and thanked all allies who had contributed resources to Ukraine's defenses. More than 40 countries came together over the weekend in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to discuss a possible formula for bringing a peaceful conclusion to Russia's war in Ukraine. Delegations from the United States, China and India were present for the talks, which senior Ukrainian government official Andriy Yermak described as "productive." Meanwhile, Russia's deputy foreign minister said the West's efforts to mobilize the international community to support a peace deal are "doomed to failure," according to state-owned media agency Tass.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Andriy Yermak Organizations: IRIS, Ukrainian, Tass Locations: Ukrainian, Kherson, Germany, U.S, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Ukraine, United States, China, India

☆ How — and when — Ukraine's war with Russia could end
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-07 | by ( Holly Ellyatt | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

Wojciech Grzedzinski | Anadolu Agency | Getty ImagesThe war between Russia and Ukraine entered a new phase this summer when Kyiv launched its much-anticipated counteroffensive, and there were hopes Ukraine would regain the upper hand. "By the end of this year, both sides will think they still have more to gain by fighting. "Literally, they're [the Ukrainian forces] just running into the first line of defenses now, but that's a 30 kilometer deep belt of minefields and trenches and counter attacks. Meanwhile, any prospect of peace talks between Russia and Ukraine look slim despite efforts to bring both sides to the negotiating table. "One outcome is that this war is fought out because Ukraine gets the help to do it.

Persons: King Danylo, Wojciech Grzedzinski, It's, Richard Barrons, isn't, Barrons, Nick Reynolds, they've, you've, Jamie Shea, Shea, John Kirby Organizations: Mechanized Brigade, Anadolu Agency, Getty, Kyiv, Russian, Military, Joint Forces Command, CNBC, Ukrainian, Ukraine's Defense Ministry, Battalion, Territorial Defense, Ukrainian Air Force, NATO, Ukraine, U.S . National Security Locations: Ukrainian, Russia, Ukraine, Donetsk Oblast, Donetsk, Bakhmut, Berdyansk, Azov, London, Russian, Crimea, United States, Vilnius, Lithuania, China, India, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, U.S, Greece, Cyprus, North, South Korea

☆ China tells Russia it will uphold 'impartial' position on Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Russian Foreign Ministry/Handout via REUTERS/File PhotoBEIJING, Aug 7 (Reuters) - China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi told his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in a phone conversation on Monday that China would uphold an independent and impartial position on Ukraine as it strives to find a political settlement to the issue. The statement came after the ministry said earlier on Monday that international talks in Saudi Arabia at the weekend on finding a peaceful resolution to the Ukraine crisis had helped "to consolidate international consensus". More than 40 countries, including China, India, the United States and European countries, but not Russia, took part in the Jeddah talks that ended on Sunday. Beijing has refused to condemn Moscow for the invasion of Ukraine it launched in February 2022. It has offered its own peace plan, which received a lukewarm response in both Russia and Ukraine, while the United States and NATO were sceptical.

Persons: Sergei Lavrov, Central Foreign Affairs Commission Wang Yi, Wang Yi, Lavrov, Li Hui, Farah Master, Andrew Cawthorne, Alex Richardson Organizations: Russia's, Central Foreign Affairs Commission, ASEAN Foreign, Russian Foreign Ministry, REUTERS, China's, Eurasian Affairs, NATO, Beijing, Thomson Locations: Jakarta, Indonesia, BEIJING, China, Ukraine, Saudi Arabia, India, United States, Russia, Jeddah, Beijing, Moscow

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