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Through five games, Inter Miami has been outscored 12-7 and won only once. Inter Miami coach Gerardo Martino apologized for Messi's absence after Sunday's Hong Kong match. Fans who saw practice on Saturday at least saw the Argentina captain in a kick-around, with Miami co-owner David Beckham also on the field. “We understand the disappointment of the fans for the absence of Leo (Messi) and Luis Suarez,” Martino said. Inter Miami is to practice on Tuesday on the outskirts of Tokyo with snow in the forecast.

Persons: —, Lionel Messi, Messi, Uruguayan Luis Suarez, Suarez, ” John Grady, ”, Grady, Gerardo Martino, David Beckham, Leo, Luis Suarez, ” Martino, “, Luis, ” Messi, Nassr, It's, Martino Organizations: TOKYO, Inter Miami's, Uruguayan, Vissel Kobe, Newell’s, Inter Miami, University of South, Associated Press, Miami, Al, Saudi Arabia —, MLS Locations: El Salvador, Dallas, Saudi Arabia, Hong Kong, Florida, Argentina, University of South Carolina, Riyadh, Japan, Tokyo

HONG KONG (AP) — Lionel Messi stayed on the bench for the full 90 minutes on Sunday as Inter Miami defeated a Hong Kong XI 4-1 in the latest stop on the MLS team’s preseason Asian tour. Messi played the final seven minutes of the losing effort but a tight hamstring kept the eight-time Ballon D’or winner on the sidelines in Hong Kong along with Uruguayan forward and former Barcelona teammate Luis Suarez. The fans who filled the same arena a day earlier at least saw the 2022 World Cup winner in an open training session along with Miami co-owner David Beckham. Robert Taylor opened the scoring for Miami five minutes before the break with a curling shot from the corner of the area. Miami finishes its Asian tour in Japan on Wednesday as it takes on Vissel Kobe.

Persons: — Lionel Messi, Saudi Arabia’s, Messi, Ballon, Luis Suarez, David Beckham, Robert Taylor, Henri Anier, Jorn Andersen, Lawson Sunderland, Miami’s, Leonardo Campana, Ryan Sailor, ___ Organizations: Inter Miami, Hong, MLS, Hong Kong, Miami, Saudi, Uruguayan Locations: HONG KONG, Hong Kong, Nassr, Riyadh, Barcelona, Japan, Kobe

☆ Dubai is the economic jewel of the Middle East — now its Gulf neighbors are coming for a piece of the pie
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-03 | by ( Pete Syme | Beatrice Nolan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

According to Forbes' 2023 Travel Guide, Dubai has nine 5-star hotels , compared to Abu Dhabi's three and two in Qatar and Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia has made it clear that it wants in on international travel, stating it aims to attract 100-150 million visitors by 2030. Saudi Arabia is catching up with a new airlineThe competition is perhaps the most heated in the aviation industry. On its double-decker Airbus A380, Dubai's airline, Emirates, has top amenities like a shower for business-class passengers, plus an on-board bar. AdvertisementAnd even if it succeeds in attracting tourists to Saudi Arabia, it is unlikely to knock Emirates off its perch.

Persons: —, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, Saudi Arabia hasn't, Abu, Abu Dhabi, Forbes, Abu Dhabi's, Faisal Alibrahim, Alibrahim, Mohammed Bin Salman, Kristian Coates Ulrichsen, Ulrichsen, Skytrax, Pete Syme, Tony Douglas, Douglas, That's, OAG Organizations: Service, United Arab Emirates, Business, Saudi Crown, Etihad, Bloomberg, CNN, Saudi, Economic, Rice, Baker Institute for Public Policy, Emirates, Qatar Airways, Qatari, Etihad Airways, Riyadh Air, Air, Riyadh Air's Boeing, Boeing, Dubai International Airport Locations: Dubai, Gulf, Saudi, Saudi Arabia, Riyadh, Abu, UAE, Qatar, Davos, Neom, Emirates, Still, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Europe, Americas, Africa, Asia

☆ S.Korea Defence Minister Heads to Middle East for Talks, Arms Expo
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-31 | by ( Jan. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea's defence minister Shin Won-sik departs on Thursday for a seven-day trip to the Middle East to hold ministerial talks and attend an arms exhibition in Saudi Arabia, the ministry said. He will also travel to Saudi Arabia on Saturday for the World Defense Show in Riyadh before heading to Qatar to meet Khalid bin Mohammed Al Attiyah, the country's defence minister. South Korea has emerged in recent years as one of the world's biggest arms exporters with sales jumping to $17 billion in 2022 from $7.25 billion the year before, data from the defence ministry showed. The country's arms exports to the Middle East grew nearly tenfold between 2013 and 2022, according to the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry. War in Israel and Gaza View All 194 ImagesExperts say arms sales have been buoyed by South Korea's price competitiveness and ability to ensure speedy delivery.

Persons: Shin Won, sik, Shin, Mohammed bin Mubarak Al Mazrouei, Khalid bin Mohammed Al Attiyah, Hyunsu Yim, Ed Davies Organizations: United Arab Emirates, South, Akh Unit, World Defense, Korea Chamber of Commerce, Industry Locations: SEOUL, Saudi Arabia, Riyadh, Qatar, Korea, Israel, Gaza

☆ Saudi Aramco Abruptly Drops Plans to Expand Oil Production
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-30 | by ( Stanley Reed | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Saudi Aramco said Tuesday that it would call off plans to expand its oil output, a remarkable turnaround by one of the world’s leading petroleum producers. Aramco, the national oil company of Saudi Arabia, said it had been directed by the government in Riyadh to maintain its “maximum sustainable capacity” of crude oil production at 12 million barrels a day, and give up a drive to increase it to 13 million barrels a day by 2027, a plan announced several years ago. But it could be a sign that the Saudis are changing their thinking about future supply and demand for their oil. Global oil supplies have recently been stronger than the Saudis anticipated because of strong growth in output from shale drilling in the United States, which is now the world’s leading oil producer, and other sources. “The decision probably reflects a view that the world does not need as much Saudi oil as was previously expected,” said Neil Beveridge, an analyst at Bernstein, a research firm.

Persons: ”, Neil Beveridge, Bernstein Organizations: Saudi Aramco, Aramco Locations: Saudi, Saudi Arabia, Riyadh, United States

☆ UAE Sends First Ambassador to Syria Since Conflict
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-30 | by ( Jan. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

Incoming Emirati envoy Hassan al-Shehi presented his credentials to Syria's foreign affair minister Faysal al-Meqdad at the foreign ministry on Tuesday. Saudi Arabia, Qatar and, to a lesser extent, the UAE then backed rebels against Assad - but Abu Dhabi has rebuilt ties with Damascus in recent years. Assad visited the UAE in 2022 - his first trip to an Arab state since the civil war erupted - and again in 2023 after a devastating earthquake killed thousands in Syria. The tragedy cleared the way for a thaw in Arab ties with Assad and months later the Arab League reversed its more than decade-long suspension of Syria's membership. Hundreds of thousands of people have died in the Syria conflict, which spiralled out of an uprising against Assad, drew in numerous foreign powers and splintered the country.

Persons: Hassan al, Shehi, Faysal, Bashar al, Assad, Abu Dhabi, Firas Makdesi, Maya Gebeily, Ed Osmond Organizations: United Arab Emirates, Incoming, Arab League, Regional Locations: DAMASCUS, Damascus, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE, Iran, Al, Riyadh

☆ Dream of the Desert: Saudi Arabia is launching its own luxury train
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-29 | by ( Tamara Hardingham-Gill | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

State-owned railway company Saudi Arabia Railways (SAR) recently struck a 200 million Saudi riyals ($53.33 million) deal with Italian hospitality company Arsenale Group to launch the first luxury train in the Middle Eastern kingdom. The destination has made a number of high-profile tourism investments in recent years – a $500 billion model city in the desert of northwest Saudi Arabia among them. Now Saudi Arabia is getting on board with the slow travel movement in a big way by moving into the luxury train market. Arsenale S.P.A./Saudi Arabia RailwaysSaudi Arabia’s decision to enter the luxury train market comes as demand for high-speed trains and luxury “rail cruises” continues to increase around the world. Infrastructure investmentA rendering of Dream of the Desert, which will be the first luxury train in the Middle Eastern kingdom.

Persons: Paolo Barletta, ” Barletta, S.P.A, Joe Biden, Dolce, ”, Luigi Corradi, King, Khalid al, Falih, Arsenale S.P.A, Bashar bin Khaled Al Malik, Al Malik, CNN’s Lilit Marcus, Ben Jones Organizations: CNN, State, Saudi Arabia Railways, Saudi, Arsenale Group, SAR, Saudi Arabia Railways Saudi, Reuters, “ Orient, Accor, Ferrovie dello Stato, Speed Railway, King Abdulaziz International, Saudi Arabia’s Investment, Projects, Saudi Railway Company, Orient Express, Orient Locations: Saudi Arabia, Saudi, Arabia’s, Riyadh, Qurayyat, Jordan, Hail, Italy, France, Italy’s, Mecca, Medina, Jeddah, Venice, London, Kyushu

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — Lionel Messi and Inter Miami kicked off their tour of Saudi Arabia by losing to Al-Hilal 4-3 on Monday. The Major League Soccer team is playing two games in the oil-rich kingdom as part of its preseason preparations, but even Messi could not inspire it to victory in Riyadh. While Messi got on the score sheet with a second-half penalty, Malcom came up with the decisive goal to win the match in the 88th. He ultimately opted for a move to the United States to join David Beckham's Miami and quickly led the team to its first trophy, the Leagues Cup. Just when Miami looked to have a draw, Malcom came up with the winner.

Persons: — Lionel Messi, Messi, Malcom, Hilal, Germain, David Beckham's Miami, Cristiano Ronaldo's Al, Nasser, Aleksandar Mitrovic, Abdullah Al, Hamdan, Luis Suarez, Michael, Messi's, David Ruiz, ___ Organizations: Inter Miami, Al, Major League Soccer, Messi, Paris Saint, Leagues, Newcastle, Fulham Locations: RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Hilal, Riyadh, Paris, United States, Miami, Hong Kong, Japan, Al

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Inter Miami played six preseason matches last season. It's basically an around-the-world, big-crowd, big-money, bright-spotlight batch of preseason games for Inter Miami, which instantly became a global brand when Messi announced last summer that he was joining the Major League Soccer club. Political Cartoons View All 253 Images“It’s incredible,” said DeAndre Yedlin, the Inter Miami defender who was captain until Messi arrived. But Inter Miami not only understands the value of having Messi, it welcomed this massive preseason stretch in advance of an MLS season that starts Feb. 21. “You have to see how many times these people are going to have this possibility.”The financial benefit of Inter Miami and Messi playing in Saudi Arabia hasn't been revealed.

Persons: Lionel Messi's, Al Nassr, Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, ”, DeAndre Yedlin, it’s, Leo, he’s, what's, Ballon, Messi —, Germain, Gerardo “ Tata ” Martino, Saudi Arabia hasn't, Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba, Luis Suarez, LIV Golf, hasn't, ” Messi, Drake Callender, “ Organizations: — Inter Miami, Inter Miami, Al, Dallas, Cotton, Major League Soccer, ” Inter Miami, Argentina, MLS, Inter Miami —, Paris Saint, “, Messi, Saudi, Florida International University, it's, Ronaldo Locations: FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla, Florida, Saudi Arabia, Hilal, Portugal, El Salvador, Hong Kong, Japan, Saudi, Spanish, Riyadh, “

☆ The best things to experience in Saudi Arabia according to the people who know it
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-26 | by ( Selina Julien | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

CNN —Closed to tourists until recently, Saudi Arabia is still an unknown quantity for many would-be travelers. Omran is also hopeful visitors will explore destinations across Saudi Arabia. Saudi Tourism Authority“You can’t talk about islands in Saudi Arabia without talking about a new tourist favorite, but a treasured local one, Al Nawras Island,” Saudi professional boxer Ziyad Almaayouf tells CNN. “What I love most about Al Nawras Island, isn’t the island itself, but the waters surrounding it,” he adds. The resort on the Red Sea coast is often promoted as “the Maldives of Saudi Arabia,” offering water sports and cultural experiences.

Persons: Lojain Omran, Omran, ”, Al Balad, Mai Eldib, Hajj, ” Eldib, Jeddah’s, “ It’s, ” Al, Ziyad Almaayouf, ” Ziyad, Ziyad, “, Mishaal Ashemimry, Mishaal, Tamtam, Reem Altamimi, Al Zal, Ba’a, Hatem Alakeel, Authenticite, “ Diriyah, Umluj, ” Tasneem Organizations: CNN, Netflix’s, Saudi Tourism Authority, MISHAAL Aerospace, Abaca, Saudi Locations: Saudi Arabia, Saudi, Netflix’s UAE, Al Balad, Al, Jeddah, Mai, ” Al Nawras, Nawras, Al Nawras, California, “, Unaizah, Riyadh, ”, Souk Al Zal Souk Al Zal, USA Riyadh, Al Zal, Riyadh’s Al Dirah, Los Angeles, Maldives

☆ Saudi Arabia's first alcohol store is a big step, but also aims to tackle a longstanding problem: Booze smuggling
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-26 | by ( Natasha Turak | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Saudi Arabia's first alcohol store has opened in the diplomatic quarter of its capital Riyadh, accessible to non-Muslim diplomats. Drinking is also forbidden under Islam, and most of Saudi Arabia's local population is religiously observant. From there, bottles are often sold on the black market at huge markups, according to expat and local residents of the country. A one-liter bottle of vodka, for instance, typically costs between $500 and $600 on the black market, sources said, while they described a single bottle of Johnnie Walker Blue Label going for between $1,000 and $2,000. At-home booze making has also taken place in the kingdom for decades, according to expats who've previously lived there.

Persons: Johnnie Walker Blue, expats who've Organizations: Saudi, CNBC Locations: Riyadh, Saudi, British, Dubai

☆ Saudi Arabia, a country where you can be publicly whipped for drinking alcohol, is opening its first liquor store: report
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-24 | by ( Tom Porter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Read previewSaudi Arabia is to open its first store serving alcohol, Reuters reported, catering exclusively to non-Muslim diplomats. The store will open in Riyadh, the Saudi capital, the report said. AdvertisementThe move comes as Saudi Arabia's ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, is seeking to liberalize the image of Saudi Arabia, whose laws derive from an ultra-conservative interpretation of Islam. Under Saudi law, alcohol is banned, and judges can hand out severe punishments including public flogging for those who violate them. Crown Prince Mohammed is trying to attract foreign tourism and billions in investment as he pivots the kingdom away from its reliance on fossil fuels as part of its Vision 2030 plan.

Persons: —, it'll, Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Prince Mohammed Organizations: Service, Reuters, Business, Saudi, Wall Street Locations: Saudi Arabia, Riyadh, Saudi

JERUSALEM (AP) — A liquor store has opened in Saudi Arabia for the first time in over 70 years, a diplomat reported Wednesday, a further socially liberalizing step in the once-ultraconservative kingdom that is home to the holiest sites in Islam. The store sits next to a supermarket in Riyadh's Diplomatic Quarter, said the diplomat, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss a socially sensitive topic in Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia remains one of the few nations in the world with a ban on alcohol, alongside its neighbor Kuwait and Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates. Saudi Arabia has banned alcohol since the early 1950s. As Saudi Arabia prepares for a $500 billion futuristic city project called Neom, reports have circulated that alcohol could be served at a beach resort there.

Persons: Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Jamal Khashoggi, King Abdulaziz, Prince Mishari, Cyril Ousman Organizations: JERUSALEM, Washington Post, Workers, Saudi, Arab News, Saudi Research, Media, U.S . State Department, United Locations: Saudi Arabia, Islam, Riyadh, Saudi, haram, Islam . Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, Jeddah, Mecca, Neom

☆ 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

☆ Widening Mideast Crisis Israel Says 2 Dozen Soldiers Killed as Pressure Grows on Netanyahu
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-23 | by ( Adam Rasgon | Victoria Kim | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +6 min

Those missiles were hit before they could be fired at ships in the Red Sea or the Gulf of Aden. That changed quickly after the Hamas attacks in Israel on Oct. 7, and the Houthi attacks on commercial ships a month later. U.S. analysts have been rushing to catalog more potential Houthi targets every day, the officials said. That effort yielded many of the targets hit on Jan. 11 and on Monday, officials said. Many Republicans in Congress and some former senior U.S. military officials say the approach is not working.

Persons: Biden, Poseidon Archer, Yahya Sarea, Mr, “, ”, Jon, ” Gen, Kenneth F, McKenzie Jr, ” Vivian Nereim Organizations: Houthi, British, American, Ocean Jazz, White House, Pentagon, U.S, ABC, Republicans, ”, military’s, Command Locations: United States, Britain, Yemen, Iran, Aden, East, Netherlands, Australia, Canada, Bahrain, U.S, Suez, Gaza, American, Gulf, Red, Israel, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

☆ Saudi Arabia's lavish sports push will now embrace snooker — and introduce a new golden ball
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-22 | by ( Sam Meredith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Saudi Arabia will hold its first major invitational snooker event in March as the kingdom continues to make sizable investments into a growing number of sports. The "Riyadh Season World Masters of Snooker" will take place between March 4 to March 6 at Boulevard Arena in the capital of Riyadh. Games of snooker — a cue sport like billiards that is very popular in the U.K. and China — will take place under current World Snooker rules but with the introduction of a 23rd ball referred to as the "Riyadh Season" ball. This golden ball will be worth 20 points but will only be pottable on completing a maximum break. "We are thrilled to be hosting our first-ever professional snooker tournament in the Kingdom," said Turki Alalshikh, chairman of the Saudi General Entertainment Authority.

Persons: Ronnie O'Sullivan, Judd Trump, Ronnie O'Sullivan —, Luca Brecel, Turki Alalshikh, Alalshikh Organizations: Morningside Arena, Boulevard Arena, Saudi General Entertainment Authority Locations: Leicester, England, Saudi Arabia, Riyadh, China

☆ Saudi Arabia goes big in Davos as it looks to become a top AI tech hub for the Middle East
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-19 | by ( Mackenzie Sigalos | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

A pop-up showcasing Saudi Arabia's Neom development features among the most prominent on the Davos promenade in 2024. But Saudi Arabia is keen to capture some of the limelight, and talent, from its neighbor on the Arabian Peninsula — an ambition laid bare on the Davos Promenade this year. "He's driving entrepreneurship, he's diversifying the economy ... And there are a lot of people that are really interested in working in Saudi Arabia," said Bremmer. "In the Emirates and in Saudi Arabia, you have millions of people that need upskilling, particularly Saudi Arabia which has a much larger population," Hidary said. Hidary, who was recently in Saudi Arabia, says that the UAE and Saudi Arabia are looking at countries like Singapore and Israel that have supported start-ups and are driven by technology.

Persons: Mohammed al, Jadaan, Prince Mohammed bin Salman's, Ian Bremmer, he's, Bremmer, Jamal Khashoggi, King Abdullah, KAUST, Harri Jarvelainen, Vera Futorjanski, Futorjanski, Israel Jack Hidary, Hidary, — CNBC's Karen Gilchrist Organizations: Saudi, CNBC, United Arab, prince's, —, Economic, Al, U.S, Eurasia Group, MBS, World Bank, Research Technology Centers, King, King Abdullah University of Science, Technology, UCLA, Riyadh's, Center, AI Research, AI, Artificial Intelligence Authority, Veritas Ventures, Emirates Locations: Davos, CNBC DAVOS, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Neom, Saudi, Riyadh, China, Istanbul, UAE, Singapore, Israel, Emirates

☆ Israel-Hamas War Fighting Eases in Northern Gaza, Giving Residents Some Relief
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-18 | by ( Adam Rasgon | Aaron Boxerman | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +8 min

The Pakistani Foreign Affairs Ministry said that the country’s forces had conducted “precision military strikes” against what it called terrorist hide-outs in southeastern Iran. Iranian officials said that nine people had been killed, including four children, and Pakistani officials said the death toll of the Iranian strikes included at least two children. The official said that air force fighter jets and drones had been used in the Pakistani retaliatory strikes. In a statement, the Pakistani military called the two neighbors “brotherly countries” and said that “dialogue and cooperation is deemed prudent in resolving bilateral issues” between them. Pakistani military analysts were hopeful that this could pave the way for diplomatic dialogue between the two nations.

Persons: Islamic Republic “, ”, Ahmad Vahidi, Sohail Shahzad, Benjamin Netanyahu, “, Syed Muhammad Ali, Waqar Hasan, Arash Khamooshi, Baluch, al, Vivian Nereim Organizations: Pakistani Foreign Affairs Ministry, Iran Exchange, Foreign Ministry, Islamic, Islamabad ”, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Iranian, Credit, Pakistan, The New York Times Pakistan, Guards Locations: Pakistan, Iran, Baluch, Iraq, Islamic Republic, Saravan, Tehran, Islamabad, Rask, Israel, Gaza, Balochistan Province, Yemen, Suez, United States, Pakistani, “ Pakistan, Baluchistan Province, Sistan, Persian, Oman, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

☆ Vinícius Jr. scores first-half hat-trick as Real Madrid dominates Barcelona to win Spanish Super Cup
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-15 | by ( Samuel Joseph | Sam Joseph | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Real Madrid claimed its 13th Spanish Super Cup with a comprehensive 4-1 demolition of arch-rival Barcelona in El Clásico on Sunday. The result was sweet revenge for Madrid, which was defeated 3-1 by Barcelona in the 2023 edition of the tournament. “We wanted to win the final,” said Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti after the game. Real doubled its advantage three minutes later when Vinícius scored his second, sliding in to meet a low Rodrygo cross to leave Barcelona reeling. Yasser Bakhsh/Getty ImagesHowever, the moment of hope turned out to be fleeting as Vinícius completed his hat-trick only minutes later.

Persons: Vinícius Jr, Rodrygo, “, ”, Carlo Ancelotti, “ Vinícius, Atlético, Robert Lewandowski, Barça’s, Ronald Araújo, Xavi, We’ll, ” Madrid, Vinícius, phenom Jude Bellingham, Iñaki Peña, Yasser Bakhsh, Cristiano Ronaldo’s, siu, Nassr –, Cristiano, ” Vinícius, Ferran Torres, Andriy Lunin, Torres, Lunin, Lewandowski, Jules Koundé, Araújo, Giuseppe Cacace, João Félix Organizations: CNN — Real Madrid, Spanish, Los, Atlético Madrid, ”, Vinícius, King Saud University, Madrid, Lewandowski, Real, Barcelona, La Liga, Getty Locations: Barcelona, El Clásico, Madrid, ” Barcelona, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Pedri, AFP, Bellingham, Girona

☆ Saudi Arabia isn’t ruling out befriending Israel. But it may come at a higher price
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-15 | by ( Nadeen Ebrahim | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +70 min

Fatima Shbair/AP Mourners collect the bodies of Palestinians killed in an Israeli airstrike in Khan Younis, Gaza, on December 24. Ilia Yefimovich/dpa/picture-alliance/AP Relatives and friends bid farewell to the body of Al Jazeera camera operator Samer Abu Daqqa in Khan Younis, Gaza, on December 16. Mahmud Hams/AFP/Getty Images Israeli soldiers form an honor guard at the funeral of Israeli reserve soldier Master Sgt. Mohammed Saber/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock Children use candles for lighting in Khan Younis, Gaza, on Friday, October 20. Maya Alleruzzo/AP A boy carries salvaged belongings from the wreckage of his family's home in Khan Younis, Gaza, on October 11.

Persons: UAE CNN —, Antony Blinken, ” Blinken, ”, “, “ There’s, ” Prince Khalid bin Bandar, ” Ali Shihabi, Shihabi, Israel, Blinken, Evelyn Hockstein, Benjamin Netanyahu, Joe Biden, Abraham, Biden, Yousef Al Otaiba, Israel “, ” Otaiba, Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Firas Maksad, Abir, Prince Khalid, Maksad, Jamal Khashoggi, ” Maksad, ” Prince Khalid, Isaac Herzog, Oded, Abed Rahim Khatib, Noam Galai, Majdi, Sufian Dagash, Ohad, Abed Zagout, Harel Ittah, Ariel Schalit, Khan Yunis, Stringer, Elisha Yehonatan Lober, Mount Herzl, Maja Hitij, Fatima Shbair, Ahmad Hasaballah, Mohammed Salem, Yaacov Elian, Boris Dunavetski, Amir Levy, Mohammed Abed, Mahmud Hams, Alon Lulu Shamriz, Ilia Yefimovich, Abu Daqqa, Khan, Khan Younis, Ben Shelly, Clodagh Kilcoyne, Eviatar Cohen, Mostafa Alkharouf, Mohammed Dahman, Ibraheem Abu Mustafa, Atef Safadi, Gal Meir Eisenkot, Eisenkot, Gadi Eisenkot, Leo Correa, Alexi Rosenfeld, Alleruzzo, Amir Cohen, Gil Cohen, Menahem Kahana, Sergeant Aschalwu Sama, Tsafrir, John MacDougall, Ahed Tamimi, Nasser Nasser, Viktor, Helena Brodski, Kiril Brodski, Ammar Awad, Jack Guez, Jabel Mukaber, Mahmoud Illean, Alexander Ermochenko, Younis, Mustafa Hassona, Asher, Raz, Doron, Schneider, Jaafar Ashtiyeh, Majed Al, Ansari, Mohammed Hajjar, Said Khatib, Jalaa Marey, Victor R, Liron Snir, James Oatway, Ashraf Amra, Ahmad Gharabli, Rizek Abdeljawad, Major Jamal Abbas, Shir Torem, Alexi J . 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☆ Explainer-What's the Israel-Palestinian Conflict About and How Did It Start?
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-13 | by ( Jan. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +8 min

The conflict pits Israeli demands for security in what it has long regarded as a hostile Middle East against Palestinians' unmet aspirations for a state of their own. In 1979, Egypt became the first Arab state to sign a peace treaty with Israel. Two-state solution: An agreement that would create a state for the Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip alongside Israel. Israel has said a Palestinian state must be demilitarised so as not to threaten its security. Jerusalem: Palestinians want East Jerusalem, which includes the walled Old City's sites sacred to Muslims, Jews and Christians alike, to be the capital of their state.

Persons: David Ben, Gurion, Israel, Yasser Arafat, Yitzhak Rabin, Arafat, Bill Clinton, Ehud Barak, Donald Trump's, Joe Biden's, Trump, Edmund Blair, Timothy Heritage Organizations: United Nations General Assembly, Arab League, West Bank, Palestine Liberation Organization, PLO, Palestinian, European Union, U.S, Israel Locations: Israel, East, Palestine, British, Jerusalem, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Gaza, East Jerusalem, Egypt, Israeli, Suez, Golan, Lebanon's Iran, United States, Oslo, Arab, Palestinian, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Riyadh, U.S

☆ Opinion: How did we get to this point in Yemen?
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-12 | by ( Peter Bergen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

(Not a great time to have had an initially incommunicado, and still-hospitalized, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, who authorized the strikes in Yemen from his hospital bed on Thursday.) The Houthis, who were once a ragtag militia with the purely local aim of trying to overthrow the Yemen government, are now projecting Iranian power, not only in the Red Sea but across the region. In other words, just as Hezbollah in Lebanon, 1,500 miles to the north of Yemen, is effectively an arm of the Iranian government, so too now are the Houthis. Those weapons have also been used to attack oil facilities in Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi, the capital of the Saudi-allied United Arab Emirates, and, more recently, have targeted Israel as well. Yet, Saudi Arabia is a key reason that the Houthis are now so closely allied to Iran and so well armed.

Persons: Peter Bergen, Osama bin Laden, Joe Biden, Defense Lloyd Austin, Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, “, Biden Organizations: New, Arizona State University, Apple, Spotify, CNN, Defense, United Nations, United Locations: New America, Yemen, Israel, Red, Suez, Lebanon, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Saudi, Riyadh, Gaza, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Iraq, Iranian

☆ Saudi Arabia nearly doubles estimate for the value of its mineral resources
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-10 | by ( Natasha Turak | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Saudi Arabia nearly doubled the estimate for the value of its mineral resources and is seeing lucrative deals signed during its Future Minerals Forum held in Riyadh this week, ministers told CNBC. Estimates for the kingdom's untapped mineral reserves have jumped from $1.3 trillion in a 2016 forecast to $2.5 trillion, according to Saudi Mineral Resources and Industry Minister Bandar Al Khorayef. The resources include gold, copper, phosphate and rare earth elements, offering new sources of subterranean wealth on top of Saudi Arabia's mammoth oil reserves. "We are very excited about this news ... it's really a result of what we have been doing in the last four years," Al Khorayef told CNBC's Dan Murphy on Wednesday. Saudi Arabia has developed 33 new exploration sites for mining, and aims to award foreign investors more than 30 mining exploration licenses in 2024, it announced at the forum.

Persons: Bandar, it's, Al Khorayef, CNBC's Dan Murphy Organizations: Minerals, CNBC, Saudi Mineral Resources, Industry, Saudi Locations: Saudi Arabia, Riyadh, Bandar Al Khorayef, Africa

☆ U.S. crude oil falls 4% as Saudi price cut heightens global demand worries
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-08 | by ( Spencer Kimball | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

An employee in a branded helmet is pictured at Saudi Aramco oil facility in Abqaiq, Saudi Arabia October 12, 2019. U.S. crude oil declined 4% on Monday after Saudi Arabia slashed its prices, raising renewed worries that the market is oversupplied at the same time as demand is weakening. The Saudi price cut comes amid persistent market weakness due in large part to record U.S. crude production and softening demand in China. Maybe the landing might not be so soft," Phil Flynn of The Price Futures Group wrote on Monday. U.S. crude exports also rose by more than 1 million barrels per day to 5.2 million barrels per day in the same period.

Persons: Brent, Phil Flynn, Flynn, Antony Blinken, Bob Yawger, Yawger Organizations: West Texas Intermediate, Saudi Aramco, OPEC, The Price Futures, Mizuho, CNBC PRO Locations: Saudi Aramco, Abqaiq, Saudi Arabia, Saudi, China, ., Iran, Lebanon, Strait, Hormuz, U.S, Riyadh

☆ World Food Programme Pauses Distribution in North Yemen as Funds Limited
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-05 | by ( Dec. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

RIYADH (Reuters) - The World Food Programme (WFP) said on Tuesday it had paused general food distribution in north Yemen due to limited funding and disagreement with local authorities over how to focus on the poorest there. The fighting has abated over the last two years, easing what the United Nations has described as the world's worst humanitarian crisis. The WFP had already reduced rations in Yemen since 2022 due to critical funding gaps and global inflation that followed Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The agency said it would continue other programmes, including nutrition and school feeding programmes to limit the impact of the decision. General food distribution would continue with a focus on the neediest in the areas controlled by the Saudi-backed government, it said.

Persons: Aziz El Yaakoubi, Bernadette Baum Organizations: Reuters, Food Programme, United Nations, WFP Locations: RIYADH, Yemen, Iran, Saudi, Aden, Ukraine

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