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☆ Saudi Arabia and Turkey are emerging as the new peace brokers of the Russia-Ukraine war
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-02 | by ( Natasha Turak | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan welcomes Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud in Ankara, Turkey, on June 22, 2022. "We thank the Crown Prince and Government of Saudi Arabia for facilitating [the prisoner exchange]," Sullivan wrote in a separate post. "Saudi Arabia and Turkey are good examples of such mid-level powers now helping shape international realities in a way they rarely did during the Cold War." And Turkey, like Saudi Arabia, refuses to partake in sanctions against Russia, irking its Western allies. Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (R) meets Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (L) in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on May 19, 2023.

Persons: Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, Mustafa Kaya, Russian –, Vladimir Putin, –, Recep Tayyip Erdogan of, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Jake Sullivan, Putin, Sullivan, Hussein Ibish, Russia's Putin, Vilius Semeska, Selcuk Bayraktar, Haluk Bayraktar, Ibish, Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Erdogan, Mohammed bin Salman, Ryan Bohl, Rane, Ayham Kamel Organizations: Saudi Arabia's Crown, Getty, Crown, Russia, Handout, Anadolu Agency, Twitter, Ukraine –, Prince, Saudi, Gulf States Institute, CNBC, NATO, Defence, Baykar, Saudi Arabian Crown, Saudi Foreign Ministry, Getty Images, Ukrainian, Arab, Russo, East, Global, Eurasia Group Locations: Ankara, Turkey, Xinhua, Russian, Russia, Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Kyiv, Ukraine, Ukrainian, Saudi, Jeddah, U.S, China, India, Brazil, Washington, Turkey's, Lithuanian, Istanbul, Turkish, , Washington, North Africa, Riyadh, Middle East

The business conference will draw about 2,000 attendees from Greater China, in what will be one of the region's biggest-yet business delegation to Saudi Arabia, according to one person with direct knowledge of the matter. "From the perspective of both capital and new market, the Middle East, Saudi Arabia are really good new choices for Chinese companies and investors," said Henry Zhang, president of Hong Kong-based private equity firm Hermitage Capital. "Since late last year, a large number of Chinese funds have rushed to the Middle East looking for new investors. For the upcoming conference, Chinese entrepreneurs in attendance represent a range of industries -- from renewable energy and artificial intelligence to biotech, finance and tourism. "Previously, I had to actively pitch Chinese companies to consider Saudi Arabia as their destination of outbound investment and overseas expansion.

Persons: Xi Jinping's, Antony Blinken, Henry Zhang, Zhang, Robert Mogielnicki, Edison Gao, I've, Gao, Julie Zhu, Aziz El Yaakoubi, Sumeet Chatterjee, Michael Perry Organizations: China Business Conference, Hermitage Capital, Gulf States Institute, Ajlan, Brothers, Thomson Locations: HONG KONG, RIYADH, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Arab, Gulf, Beijing, Washington, U.S, Greater China, East, Hong Kong, Hermitage, China, Saudi, Rachna, Dubai

☆ Assad banks on new 'global order' to help revive his status
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-22 | by ( Cnn Staff | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

During his address, Assad presented himself as an elder statesman, lecturing his neighbors about the need to take advantage of changes in global politics. “Today we are faced with an opportunity of change in the global order, which has become multipolar due to the hegemony of the West, which is devoid of principles, morals, friends or partners,” Assad told the summit, held in the Saudi port city of Jeddah. But observers have differed as to whether real economic cooperation with Syria is possible without access to the Western financial system, which has been blocked by Western sanctions on the country. “They can also try working with or through Russia, and possibly with and through Iran – although that carries its own obvious risks,” he said, referring to Arab states that want to do business in Syia. There are plenty of ways of doing this.”Assad’s ultimate goal however, said Landis, is to get sanctions lifted with the help of Arab states.

☆ Turkey's Erdogan faces toughest test yet in landmark election — with high stakes for the world
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-12 | by ( Natasha Turak | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

He came to prominence as mayor of Istanbul in the 1990s, and was celebrated in the first decade of the new millennium for transforming Turkey's economy into an emerging market powerhouse. But recent years have been far less rosy for the religiously conservative leader, whose own economic policies have triggered a cost-of-living crisis. Now, given a recent downturn in support for Erdogan, some fear he may play dirty to ensure his hold on power. The stakes are high for the entire country and, more broadly, global geopolitics – and the mood on the ground is tense. Mustafa Kamaci | Anadolu Agency | Getty Images"I'm very concerned that [Erdogan] may deploy underhanded tactics, cheating and even violence," Ibish said.

☆ Iran's drones are unlikely to help Russia win in Ukraine — and could backfire for Tehran
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-11 | by ( Natasha Turak | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Ukraine has blamed Iran for providing Russia with drones, which have been used to attack Kyiv in recent days. They transferred dozens just this summer & have military personnel in occupied Ukraine helping Russia use them against Ukrainian civilians." Amirabdollahian said that "if it is proven to us that Russia has used Iranian drones in the Ukraine war, we won't be indifferent to it." They've also come in handy for Moscow as Russia's military runs low on more advanced weaponry like guided missiles. "Such systems could become a big headache for the Russians and could make Iran's drones and missiles look ineffective while teaching Western militaries how better to counter them," he said.

☆ Gulf states use new oil riches to gain regional influence
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-31 | by ( Nadeen Ebrahim | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +13 min

“Money talks,” Michael Maduell, president of the Sovereign Wealth Fund Institute in Las Vegas, told CNN. Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, last week announced that the nation’s wealth fund, the Public Investment Fund (PIF), is establishing five regional companies worth $24 billion across the Middle East. One of the key regional investment destinations for both Abu Dhabi and Riyadh has been Egypt. Once a regional rival, Turkey is now an economic ally of Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Despite a political thaw, Gulf investments in Iran and Syria are unlikely for the time being, say analysts.

☆ A feared Iranian militia is leading the crackdown on protesters. Who are the Basij?
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-22 | by ( Hyder Abbasi | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +5 min

Dressed in black, the group of chanting schoolgirls in the Iranian city of Shiraz appeared determined to make themselves heard. Several videos posted to social media since her death have featured demonstrators shouting angry chants against the Basij. The Basij gave them access to higher education, subsidized consumer goods, free health care and job security, he added. Suppression methodsThere are three primary methods the Basij use to suppress anti-government protests, Golkar said. In 2009, rights groups including Amnesty International, said the group had used excessive force during peaceful anti-government protests triggered by a disputed presidential election.

On Wednesday, OPEC+, the oil cartel led by Saudi Arabia and Russia, agreed to slash production by 2 million barrels per day, twice as much as analysts had predicted, in the biggest cut since the Covid-19 pandemic. “Saudi Arabia is looking to head off a repeat of 2008 when the market crash sent the global economy into a recession and oil prices suddenly plummeted, requiring emergency action by OPEC,” said Wald. Analysts also say Saudi Arabia cannot afford to let oil prices go below a certain level for budgetary reasons. For its budget to break even, global oil prices must be at around $79 a barrel, according to the International Monetary Fund. That was a warning sign for Saudi Arabia and other oil exporters, who depend on oil for a majority of their revenue.

☆ Analysis: Saudi prince's Ukraine mediation signals 'useful' Russia ties - analysts
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-23 | by ( Aziz El Yaakoubi | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

With Prince Mohammed's mediation, Russia on Wednesday released 10 foreigners it had captured in Ukraine, including five Britons and two Americans. He denied the Crown Prince had become involved to rehabilitate his reputation. U.S. citizens Alexander Drueke, 39, and Andy Huynh, 27, both from Alabama, are expected to leave Saudi Arabia within days, officials said. But Saudi Arabia has shown little readiness to join the effort to isolate Russia. U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and British Prime Minister Liz Truss thanked the Saudi crown prince for his role.

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