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☆ Black royals say Hollywood erased their existence. They're fighting to change the whitewashed narrative.
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-25 | by ( Mikhaila Friel | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

Black royals have existed around the world for millennia. Mainstream TV shows and movies that depict the true history of Black royal families are few and far between. And while movies about fictional Black royals exist — "The Princess and The Frog" (2009), "Black Panther" (2018), and the latest "The Little Mermaid" (2023) — Hollywood still isn't doing enough to educate viewers that Black royals exist in the real world, according to Nigeria's Princess Keisha Omilana. - Prince Asfa-Wossen AsserateMeanwhile, Asfa-Wossen said educators are too often preoccupied with using slave narratives to recount Black history. But in order to portray Black royals as equal to their white counterparts, there must be a shift in perspective, he said.

Persons: —, Queen Elizabeth, Sierra Leone's, Sarah Culberson, Nigeria's Princess Keisha, Prince Kunle Omilana, Prince Asfa, Asserate, Princess Ariana, Prince Joel, Keisha Omilana, Halle Bailey, Ariel, Disney Keisha, Prince Adekunle, Omilana, Keisha, Kunle, Ipetu, Orjinmo, Prince Kunle, haven't, George Osodi, Fernando Catala, Princess Keisha, David White, Sarah, Sarah Culberson Sarah, Ethiopia's Prince Asfa, Manfred Roth, who's, Haile Selassie, Young, Charlotte, Liam Daniel, Wossen, Ethiopia's Prince Joel, Joel, Ethiopia Antwon Maxwell, Kassa, Ian Sansom, it's, Queen of Sheba, King Soloman's, Sheba, Menelik, Axum, don't, Tell Organizations: Service, Hollywood, BI, Immigration, Board of Canada, Paramount, Getty, Netflix, SAG, Ethiopian, King, Guardian Locations: Hollywood, Windsor, American, Nigeria, Yoruba Kingdom, British, Morocco, Lesotho, Swaziland, Europe, Africa, Mende, Bumpe, Sierra Leone, West Virginia, Ethiopia, India, Germany, Los Angeles, America

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

☆ 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

☆ 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, “

☆ 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

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

☆ Saudi Arabia's $500 billion Neom megacity is reportedly seeking new sources of cash
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-17 | by ( George Glover | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Saudi Arabia's Neom is planning its first bond sale, Bloomberg reported. The issuance could take place later this year and raise up to $1.3 billion, per the outlet. AdvertisementSaudi Arabia's Neom project is set to issue bonds for the first time as its developers seek new funding sources, Bloomberg reported. The $500 billion desert megacity could raise up to $1.3 billion by selling Islamic bonds, or sukuk, the outlet reported on Wednesday, citing unnamed sources. The sukuk issuance may take place later this year, according to Bloomberg.

Persons: Prince Mohammed Bin Salman's, — Organizations: Saudi, Bloomberg, Service, Business

☆ Esports World Cup in Saudi Arabia, worth more than $60M, hopes to send ‘positive message’ to struggling industry
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-16 | by ( Ben Church | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Boasting the largest prize pool in esports history, this year’s inaugural 2024 Esports World Cup (EWC) could prove to be a pivotal moment for the industry. Clubs will be able to choose which games they participate in before the best performing team across the various championships will be crowned the ultimate Esports World Cup champion for the very first time. Ralf Reichert, CEO of the Esports World Cup Foundation, hopes this new competition in Saudi Arabia can be a game changer. “Setting the record for largest esports prize pool is a remarkable achievement, but what I’m most proud of is the positive message this sends to the wider esports and gaming community,” Reichert said in a statement. In 2023, Saudi launched ‘The National Gaming and Esports Strategy’ (NGES) which hopes to make the country the center of the competitive gaming world by 2030.

Persons: Ralf Reichert, ” Reichert, Saudi Arabia –, “, Prince Mohammed bin Salman, ” Organizations: CNN, Apex, EA Sports FC, of, League, Riot, New York Times, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, Saudi, National Gaming, Saudi’s, New Global Sport Locations: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Saudi

☆ Narendra Modi: India’s popular but controversial leader seeking a transformative third term
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-15 | by ( Rhea Mogul | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +26 min

Varanasi and New Delhi CNN —Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi once famously made a simple election promise: “good days are coming”. India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses his supporters during an election campaign rally in Pushkar on April 6, 2024. 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. 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: Narendra Modi, Modi, Himanshu Sharma, Getty Images Modi, –, ”, Saba Naqvi, “, Vajpayee, Naqvi, Dileep Patel, John Mees, Akash Jaiswal, “ We’ve, ” Jaiswal, isn’t, 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, Patel, India’s, Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv, Rahul Gandhi, Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay, “ Narendra Modi, ” Mukhopadhyay, Mukhopadhyay, ” Modi, Keshav Baliram, “ Modi, BJP Modi, Lord Ram, ” Naqvi, Critics, Christophe Jaffrelot, Karan Thapar, ” Jaffrelot, Modi’s, it’s, —, Raj, India Narendra Modi, Kenny Hoston, Ram, ” Raniva, That’s Organizations: New Delhi CNN, Indian, Bharatiya Janata Party, BJP, India's, Getty Images, Pew, CNN, World Health Organization, New York Times, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, Getty, Modi, Hospital, Narendra, India Today, Indian National Congress, 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, Cambridge, today’s Congress Party, Harvard, The Times, Muslim, Australia Locations: Varanasi, New Delhi, Gujarat, Pushkar, India, “ India, United States, Brazil, “, Sydney, Australia, Ahmedabad, Ahmadabad, 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, Oxford, Vadnagar, Babri, Kadi, Kashmir, United Kingdom, Russia, Ukraine, Israel, Ghaziabad, Meerut, Jama

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

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

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

☆ Trump recently spoke to his old 'friend,' Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the NYT reports
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-04 | by ( Kwan Wei Kevin Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Former President Donald Trump recently spoke to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, per the NYT. Trump once called the Saudi ruler "a friend of mine" whom he'd protected from congressional scrutiny. AdvertisementFormer President Donald Trump recently spoke to his old "friend" and de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, The New York Times reported on Wednesday. Related storiesThat Trump has carried on his relationship with the Saudi ruler isn't too surprising. AdvertisementTrump also claimed that he'd protected the Saudi Crown Prince from congressional scrutiny following the brutal murder of American journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul in 2018.

Persons: Donald Trump, Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Trump, —, Trump's, isn't, Jared Kushner, Jamal Khashoggi, Bob Woodward Organizations: MBS, Saudi Consulate, Service, The New York Times, White, The Times, Times, Representatives, Trump, Saudi, Trump Organization, Reuters, Business Insider Locations: Saudi, American, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Istanbul

☆ A 'Dragon Ball' theme park is Saudi Arabia's latest attempt to become the world's playground. Some fans aren't happy.
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-25 | by ( Tom Porter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A huge new "Dragon Ball" theme park is coming to Saudi Arabia, the franchise owner said. AdvertisementA massive theme park devoted to "Dragon Ball" is due to be built in Saudi Arabia. The owners of the Dragon Ball franchise announced Friday that Saudi Arabia's Qiddiya Investment Company would begin building the only theme park in the world devoted to "Dragon Ball," the hugely popular manga series. On one "Dragon Ball" fan subreddit, the news was greeted with comments like: "I'd prefer not to give the Saudis my money." AdvertisementThe news of the theme park came only weeks after the death of "Dragon Ball" creator Akira Toriyama, who died on March 8 aged 68.

Persons: —, Goku, Mohammed bin Salman's, Dragon, Prince Mohammed, Jamal Khashoggi, Akira Toriyama Organizations: Service, Ball, Saudi, Qiddiya Investment Company, Human Rights Watch, Business Locations: Saudi Arabia, Saudi, Qiddiya City, Riyadh, Turkey

☆ Saudi Arabia is building the world's first Dragon Ball Z theme park
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-25 | by ( Natasha Turak | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Visitors try out the latest version of Dragon Ball Z Kakarot at the 2019 Gamescom gaming trade fair in Cologne, Germany. Saudi Arabia is set to become home to the first-ever Dragon Ball Z theme park — a 5.3 million square foot entertainment venue announced as part of the kingdom's huge Qiddiya project. Five of the rides at the Dragon Ball Z theme park will be "world firsts," according to the release, one of which will be a 230-foot-high roller coaster called Shenron, named after the series' magical dragon. Vision 2030, the name of this project, a brainchild of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, has also set a target of 150 million tourists visiting the kingdom annually by 2030. Tourism reached a record for the country in 2023 at 106 million, according to its tourism ministry — an increase of 56% from 2019.

Persons: Prince Mohammed bin Salman, It's Organizations: Toei Animation, Saudi, Public Investment Fund, Nintendo, Tourism Locations: Cologne, Germany, Saudi Arabia, Japan, Riyadh —, Riyadh, City

☆ What we know about the Moscow concert hall attack
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-23 | by ( Lauren Said-Moorhouse | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Nearly a dozen people have been detained in connection with the attack, which saw armed assailants storm a popular concert venue complex on the outskirts of the capital, killing more than 130 people. An unnamed male witness who survived the attack said the gunmen entered the concert hall and “started shooting everyone.”“I was sitting in the hall upstairs where the balconies were. Law enforcement officers outside the burning Crocus City Hall concert venue following the attack on Friday. The United States had previously warned Moscow that ISIS militants were determined to target Russia in the days before assailants stormed the concert hall. Video Ad Feedback ISIS claims responsibility for attack in busy Moscow-area concert hall 05:22 - Source: CNNWhat else is Russia saying?

Persons: “, ”, Molotov, Yulia Morozova, Andrey Vorobyov, ” Vorobyov, Olga Maltseva, Amaq, Adrienne Watson, Putin, people’s, Alexander Bortnikov, Maria Zakharova, David Cameron, Olaf Scholz, Emmanuel Macron, Narendra Modi, Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Xi Jinping, Antonio Guterres Organizations: CNN, Attackers, Ostorozhno Novosti, Reuters, Crocus City, Russian Emergencies Ministry, Hall, Russia’s, Authorities, Getty, ISIS, SITE Intelligence Group, Islamic, SITE, United, US National Security, RIA Novosti, RIA, Russian Security Service, Russian Foreign, ”, Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, Kremlin, Ukrainian Defense Intelligence, British, India’s, Saudi Arabia’s Crown, United Nations Security Council Locations: Russia, Crocus, Moscow, AFP, Islamic State, United States, ”, Ukraine, ” Ukraine

☆ Putin scores a resounding win, but what’s next for Russia?
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-17 | by ( Nathan Hodge | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +17 min

Sovfoto/Universal Images Group via Getty Images Putin poses for a picture with his wife, Lyudmila, and daughters, Yekaterina and Maria. Brooks Kraft LLC/Corbis via Getty Images Putin rides a horse during a vacation in Southern Siberia in August 2009. Dmitry Astakhov/RIA Novosti/AFP via Getty Images Putin plays with his dogs Yume, left, and Buffy at his home in Novo-Ogaryovo, Russia, in March 2013. Chris McGrath/Getty Images Putin and Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman attend the G20 summit in Buenos Aires in November 2018. Getty Images Putin speaks with American right-wing pundit Tucker Carlson during an interview in February 2024.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Putin, ”, Dmitry Kiselyov, Mikhail Mishustin, Ukraine –, Kiselyov, “, Maria Putina, Archivio GBB, ZUMA Press Wire Putin, Laski, Maria, Vladimir, Anatoly Sobchak, Lyudmila, Yekaterina, Boris Yeltsin, Yeltsin, Fidel Castro, Reuters Putin, George W, Bush, Stephen Jaffe, Camp David, Brooks Kraft, Alexey Druzhinin, Alexey Nikolsky, Mikhail Metzel, Ivan Sekretarev, AP Putin, Dmitry Medvedev, Dmitry Astakhov, Buffy, Angela Merkel, Jochen Lübke, Thomas Bach, Medvedev, Vladimir Konstantinov, Alexei Chalyi, Sergei Aksyonov, Sergei Ilnitsky, Kirill Kudryavtsev, Alexander Lukashenko, Merkel, Francois Hollande, Petro Poroshenko, Mykola Lazarenko, Barack Obama, Ban, Chip Somodevilla, Turkey Andrei Karlov, Karlov, Donald Trump, Chris McGrath, Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, LUDOVIC MARIN, Emmanuel Macron, Volodymyr Zelensky, Eliot Blondet, Joe Biden, Antony Blinken, Biden, Sergey Lavrov, Denis Balibouse, Macron, Sergey Ponomarev, Mikhail Gorbachev, —, Alexander Nemenov, Alexey Danichev, Xi Jinping, Pavel Byrkin, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Wagner, Prigozhin, Pavel Bednyakov, Kim Jong Un, Kim, Tucker Carlson, Zuma Press Putin, Maxim Shemetov, – what’s, Alexey Navalny, Navalny, ” Putin Organizations: CNN, coy, Kremlin, Getty, Russian, ZUMA Press, Putin, KGB, ZUMA Press Wire, Getty Images, Reuters, US, White House, Camp, Brooks, Brooks Kraft LLC, RIA Novosti, AP, AFP, International Olympic, Crimean, Ukrainian, United Nations, UN, Assembly, Russian Foreign Ministry, Sputnik, World, Saudi Arabia's Crown, Macron, SPUTNIK, New York Times, Central Clinical Hospital, AP Putin, Belarus, State Russian Museum, AP North Korean, Vostochny, Tucker Carlson Network, Zuma Press Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Putin Russia, Russian, Bakhmut, St . Petersburg, Leningrad, Germany, Moscow, AFP, Kazan, Cuba, Soviet Union, Southern Siberia, Russia's Tver, Novo, Ogaryovo, Hanover, Sevastopol, Crimea, Belarusian, Minsk, Belarus, France, Turkey, Helsinki, Finland, Buenos Aires, Ukrainian, Paris, Geneva, Switzerland, Taganrog, Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Tsiolkovsky, Russia's, North Korea, United States

☆ Steve Mnuchin breaks out the checkbook
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-15 | by ( Elisabeth Buchwald | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Mnuchin rebornNine months after President Joe Biden was inaugurated and Mnuchin left the Treasury Building, Mnuchin formed a new private equity group, Liberty Strategic Capital. Steven Mnuchin's private equity firm made a $450 million investment in New York Community Bank last week. When Mnuchin left CIT less than two years later, he received a $10.9 million severance package. “It’s a great business and I’m going to put together a group to buy TikTok,” Mnuchin told visibly stunned anchors on CNBC Thursday morning. Mnuchin may be the founder and managing partner of Liberty Strategic Capital, but Saudi Arabia is reportedly covering a big chunk of his firm’s tab.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, Steven Mnuchin, Mnuchin, Joe Biden, Jackie ”, Trump, Goldman Sachs, ”, Liberty, Steven Mnuchin's, Spencer Platt, “ It’s, ” Mnuchin, “ You’re, ” Andrew Ross Sorkin, ” interjected, TikTok, “, he’s, Will Lanzoni, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Organizations: New, New York CNN, Treasury, Liberty Strategic Capital, Lionsgate, New York Community Bank, Getty, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, CIT Group, CIT, CNBC, CNN, Senate, Liberty Strategic, Crown, New York Times, Saudi Public Investment Fund, Meta, ByteDance . Liberty Strategic Locations: New York, cybersecurity, New, California, China, Montana, Saudi Arabia, Saudi, ByteDance

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Europe’s oldest monarch, King Harald V of Norway, is getting a permanent pacemaker on Tuesday, the palace said, adding that the monarch will followingly remain in hospital for a few days. In a brief statement, the royal household said the 87-year-old would get it at Oslo's university hospital, Rikshospitalet. Last month, Harald fell ill during a private holiday with his wife Queen Sonja on the Malaysian resort island of Langkawi. Harald returned to Norway aboard a medical airplane and was immediately transferred to an Oslo hospital. He ascended to the throne following the death of his father, King Olav, in 1991.

Persons: King Harald V of, followingly, Harald, Queen Sonja, Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, King Olav, Prince Haakan Organizations: — Locations: COPENHAGEN, Denmark, King Harald V of Norway, Malaysian, Langkawi, Norway, Oslo

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Saudi oil giant Aramco on Sunday reported it made $121 billion in profit last year, down from its 2022 record due to lower energy prices. It had reported a $161 billion profit in 2022, likely the largest ever reported by a publicly traded company. “The decrease mainly reflects the impact of lower crude oil prices and lower volumes sold, and weakening refining and chemicals margins,” the company said in its filing. The energy giant had planned a conference call Monday to discuss its results. The crown prince hopes to use the oil wealth to pivot the kingdom off oil sales, such as with his planned $500 billion futuristic desert city, called Neom, and other projects.

Organizations: United Arab Emirates, Sunday, Aramco Locations: DUBAI, United Arab, Saudi, Aramco

☆ Saudi sovereign wealth fund to partner with men's tennis tour
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-28 | by ( Ryan Anastasio | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund will become the official naming partner of the ATP Rankings and will partner with ATP Tour tennis events, including Indian Wells, Miami, Madrid, Beijing and the Nitto ATP Finals under a multi-year partnership announced Wednesday. "Our strategic partnership with PIF marks a major moment for tennis. It's a shared commitment to propel the future of the sport," ATP CEO Massimo Calvelli said in a press release. A deal to merge the PGA Tour and the Saudi-backed LIV tour is still in negotiations and there is no deadline for the talks to end. The PIF launched the LIV tour in 2022, luring away top stars from the PGA Tour, including Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson and Brooks Koepka, with hundreds of millions in signing bonuses.

Persons: Hamad Medjedovic, Arthur Fils of, Massimo Calvelli, LIV, Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Mohamed AlSayyad Organizations: King Abdullah Sports City, Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, ATP, ATP Tour, PGA Tour, PIF, LIV, PGA, Saudi, Crown, U.S Locations: Serbia, Arthur Fils of France, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Saudi, Indian Wells, Miami, Madrid, Beijing

Toeing the line in Miami BeachAmerica’s corporate elite were everywhere in Miami at the Future Investment Initiative conference, Saudi Arabia’s latest bid to showcase its extensive wealth and deepen ties with Western business. DealBook’s Lauren Hirsch was on hand to report on the financiers and Hollywood A-listers who made the trip. The Saudis are using their vast oil wealth to become one the world’s biggest investors and forge closer relationships with Wall Street, Silicon Valley and more. (So too did former Trump officials including Steven Mnuchin, the former Treasury secretary; Mike Pompeo, a previous secretary of state; and Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law.) Attendees mingled over wine, which is banned in Saudi Arabia, and Carbone’s spicy rigatoni.

Persons: Jamal Khashoggi —, Prince Mohammed bin Salman, DealBook’s Lauren Hirsch, Steve Schwarzman, Blackstone, Barry Sternlicht, Alex Karp, Brian Grazer, Gwyneth Paltrow, Steven Mnuchin, Mike Pompeo, Jared Kushner, Trump’s Organizations: Future Investment Initiative, Saudi, Hollywood, Starwood, Palantir, Trump, Treasury Locations: Miami Beach, Miami, Silicon Valley, Saudi Arabia

☆ Claressa Shields defeats Kelsey De Santis to make MMA history in Saudi Arabia
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-25 | by ( Issy Ronald | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Undefeated boxing champion Claressa Shields made history in another sport on Saturday, as she made her return to mixed-martial arts (MMA). The 28-year-old earned a split decision win over Kelsey De Santis in what was the first professional female MMA bout held in Saudi Arabia. In January, Hattan Alsaif made history as the first Saudi woman to join a global MMA promotion. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman previously said he doesn’t “care” about the country’s investment in sport being described as sportswashing. Shields and De Santis were fighting on the undercard of the PFL vs Bellator event, promoted by Bellator MMA and the Professional Fighters League.

Persons: Claressa Shields, Kelsey De Santis, “, Shields, Abigail Montes, Cooper Neill, De, Hattan Alsaif, LIV, Prince Mohammed bin Salman, De Santis Organizations: CNN, Saudi Pro League, Saudi, MBS, Fox News, PFL, Bellator, Bellator MMA, Professional Fighters League Locations: Saudi Arabia, De Santis, Saudi

☆ The proper reading order for TikTok-famous author Sarah J. Maas' 16 books, from 'A Court of Thorns and Roses' to 'The Assassin's Blade'
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-20 | by ( Samantha Grindell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

BookTok can't get enough of Sarah J. Maas' fantasy series, especially "A Court of Thorns and Roses." Here's the reading order I'd recommend as an avid fan of Maas' books. However, I don't think reading the "Throne of Glass" books in the order they were published offers the best narrative experience. After her two longer series, Maas readers will be ready for the 'Crescent City' booksHalf-fae Bryce Quinlan is at a crossroads when the "Crescent City" series begins, grieving the murder of her best friends by a demon. BloomsburyI would absolutely leave "Crescent City" as your third Maas series for a few reasons.

Persons: BookTok, Sarah J, Maas, —, she's, ahem, Feyre Archeron, Frost, Celaena, Adarlan, fae Bryce Quinlan, Bryce, Hunt Athalar, — they're, I'd, Bryce Quinlan's Organizations: Service, The New York Times, Marvel, Hulu, Wings, Silver Flames, Bloomsbury Locations: TikTok, Maas, Bloomsbury, Adarlan, Crescent, Crescent City

NEW YORK (AP) — Jared Kushner, Donald Trump’s former White House adviser and his son-in-law, defended on Tuesday his business dealings after leaving government with the Saudi crown prince who was implicated in the 2018 killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi. After Kushner left the White House, he started a private equity firm that received a reported $2 billion investment from the sovereign wealth fund controlled by Prince Mohammed, drawing scrutiny from Democrats. He dismissed the idea of there being any concerns about the appearance of a conflict of interest in his business deal. He also defended Prince Mohammed when asked if he believed U.S. intelligence reports that the prince approved the 2018 killing of Khashoggi, a Saudi dissident and Washington Post columnist. Kushner said he had not seen the intelligence report released in 2021 that concluded the crown prince likely approved Khashoggi’s killing inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.

Persons: — Jared Kushner, Donald Trump’s, Jamal Khashoggi, Kushner, Trump, Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Prince Mohammed, ” Kushner, Khashoggi, “, ”, Joe Biden Organizations: House, Washington Post, Saudi Arabia’s Crown, White, Nintendo, Microsoft, Trump Locations: Saudi, Miami, America, Istanbul, Florida

☆ Blinken holding crucial meetings in Israel as efforts to free hostages and halt Gaza fighting intensify
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-07 | by ( Jennifer Hansler | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is in Israel Wednesday for meetings with key government officials to press for a “humanitarian pause” as international and domestic US pressure to end the conflict in Gaza continues to mount. Blinken met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for a little over an hour. He is meeting with Israel Defense Forces chief of staff Herzi Halevi and set to meet with other key officials. “There’s still a lot of work to be done, but we continue to believe that an agreement is possible and, indeed, essential. And we will continue to work relentlessly to achieve it,” Blinken said at a news conference in Doha Tuesday.

Persons: Antony Blinken, Blinken, Benjamin Netanyahu, Herzi Halevi, “ There’s, ” Blinken, Biden, Joe Biden, ”, Netanyahu, ’, “ We’re, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Prince, Israel, we’ll Organizations: CNN, Israeli, Israel Defense Forces, Hamas, Doha Tuesday, State Department, Monday, Palestinian Authority, Saudi Crown, Doha Locations: Israel, Gaza, Tel Aviv, Iranian, Iraq, Syria, United States, Rafah, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar, ”, Palestinian

☆ Oil prices rise as traders weigh Gaza truce talks, U.S. tensions with Iran
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-06 | by ( Spencer Kimball | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Oil prices rose Tuesday as investors weighed efforts to negotiate a truce in Gaza against a U.S. vow to take further action against militants in the Middle East. Blinken is consulting with allies in the region in an effort to secure a truce in Gaza and prevent the war from spilling over in to a broader regional conflict. Blinken's trip to the region comes after the U.S. again launched airstrikes against Iranian forces and allied militants in Iraq, Syria and Yemen over the weekend. White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said Sunday that the U.S. will take additional, "further action" after the latest weekend strikes. "The heightened tension will undoubtedly entail renewed Houthi hostilities in the Red Sea ensuring persistent re-routing of oil traffic around the Cape of Good Hope," Varga wrote.

Persons: Brent, Antony Blinken, Blinken, Jordan, Jake Sullivan, Tamas Varga, Varga, Good Hope Organizations: Palestinian, Hamas, The West Texas Intermediate, Iranian, White, National Locations: Rafah, Gaza, Israel, The, Egypt, Saudi, U.S, Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Iran, Good

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