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Editor’s Note: A version of this story appears in CNN’s Meanwhile in the Middle East newsletter, a three-times-a-week look inside the region’s biggest stories. The drill is the latest in a flurry of Chinese activity in the Middle East, traditionally seen as the US’ backyard. According to the Wall Street Journal, the US wants Saudi Arabia to distance itself economically and militarily from Beijing in return. Four of the top 10 importers of US arms are Gulf Arab states: Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait and the UAE. Some of these purchases were driven by US restrictions on selling arms to Gulf states under the Biden administration, according to Alhasan.

Persons: ” Hasan Alhasan, “, Barack Obama’s, ”, Mohammed Baharoon, John Calabrese, …, ” Calabrese, CNN’s Becky Anderson, Reema bint Bandar Al Saud, Washington, Biden, Alhasan, China’s, Xi Jinping, ” Yun Sun, ” Alhasan, ” Baharoon Organizations: UAE CNN, United Arab Emirates, American, Washington, UAE, Middle East, International Institute for Strategic Studies, CNN, Asia Experts, East ., US, Dubai Public Policy Research Center, Middle East Institute, Wall Street Journal, China Program, China, Stimson Center Locations: Abu Dhabi, UAE, United States, China, China’s, Xinjiang, Ukraine, Gulf, Asia, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Yemen, Washington, Dubai, Russia, Saudi, Riyadh, Israel, Beijing, Europe, Arab, Qatar, Kuwait, Sun, “

CNN —Authorities in Lebanon moved to ban the “Barbie” movie from cinemas on Wednesday, saying it promotes homosexuality and violates the nation’s values. The minister said the movie also “promotes sexual deviance and transsexuality,” by Lebanese state-run media on Wednesday. “Sexual deviance” is a term commonly used in the Middle East to refer to homosexuals. The ban comes amid heightened anti-LGBTQ rhetoric by some politicians and government officials in Lebanon and the wider Middle East. He referred to homosexuality as “sexual perversion” and identified same-sex relations as a “threat” to Lebanon.

Persons: Barbie, Mohammad Mortada, ”, Hassan Nasrallah, Hussain bin Ali, Prophet Mohammed’s, Nasrallah, “ Barbie ” Organizations: CNN, Authorities, Rights Watch Locations: Lebanon, ”, Lebanese, East, Kuwait, Iraq, Denmark, Sweden, Vietnam, South China

☆ Kuwait and Lebanon Look to Ban ‘Barbie’ for Moral Reasons
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-10 | by ( Christopher Kuo | More About Christopher Kuo | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Although the “Barbie” movie is a billion-dollar global hit, officials in Lebanon and Kuwait moved on Wednesday to ban the film, saying its content contradicts the conservative values of their countries. Unlike other movies that have been banned in the Middle East, “Barbie” does not feature any scenes that overtly portray same-sex relationships. The cast does feature L.G.B.T.Q. A Kuwaiti committee on cinematic censorship banned both “Barbie” and the horror film “Talk to Me” this week. Al-Subei’e told the news agency that foreign movies that run counter to Kuwait’s public ethics will often have scenes censored, but that movies that carry “alien concepts, message or unacceptable behavior” are fully banned.

Persons: Barbie, “ Barbie ”, Kate McKinnon, Hari Nef, Barbie ”, Lafy, Subei’e Organizations: Ministry for Press Locations: Lebanon, Kuwait, Kuwaiti

☆ How Saudi Arabia and UAE learned to stop worrying and love Turkey's Bayraktar drones
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-06 | by ( Paul Iddon | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Saudi Arabia and the UAE have signed multibillion-dollar deals for Turkish drones in recent months. Azeri Ministry of DefenseSaudi Arabia previously showed interest in procuring Turkish drones and securing rights for local production. Bakir told Insider that Turkish drones have gained "global recognition" due to their "affordability, efficiency, and lethal capabilities" and documented successes over modern battlefields. "Moreover, Saudi Arabia could use such capabilities to balance Iran's drone technology in the long run," Ozeren said. Ozeren said the Saudi deal could help Baykar "monopolize" drone technology in Turkey but noted that crucial details about the agreement remain unknown.

Persons: Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Baykar, Abu Dhabi's, Loong, Loongs, Abu Dhabi, Abu, Ali Bakir, Erdogan, Mohammed bin Salman, Murat Kula, Bakir, Suleyman Ozeren, It's, Ozeren, Ali Atmaca, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, Murat Centinmuhurdar, Bashar Assad, Paul Iddon Organizations: UAE, Service, United, United Arab Emirates, Turkey's Baykar Defense, Ministry of Defense, Anadolu Agency, Getty, Dassault Rafales, Ibn Khaldon, NATO, European Union, American University, Orion Policy Institute, Ataturk Airport, Security Initiative, Atlantic Council Locations: Saudi Arabia, Wall, Silicon, United Arab, Turkish, Riyadh, East, North Africa, South Caucasus, Ukraine, Armenian, Ministry of Defense Saudi Arabia, Republic of Turkey, Kuwait, UAE, Saudi, Istanbul, Yemen, Libya, Abu, Turkey, China, France, Qatar, Jeddah, Anadolu, Nahyan, Abu Dhabi

☆ Lebanon seeks to reassure Gulf, Germany after travel warnings
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Germany and Britain updated their travel warnings amid clashes between rival armed groups in the Palestinian camp of Ain el-Hilweh in Lebanon's south. The Saudi embassy on Friday urged its citizens to leave Lebanon quickly and avoid areas where there have been armed clashes. The Saudi statement on X, formerly known as Twitter, stressed "the importance of adhering to the Saudi travel ban to Lebanon". Last week, Germany warned citizens not to travel to Palestinian camps in Lebanon, among other areas. Reporting by Maya Gebeily in Beirut and Vera Eckert in Germany; editing by Giles ElgoodOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Najib Mikati, Mikati, Abdullah Bou Habib, Fatah, Ain, Maya Gebeily, Vera Eckert, Giles Elgood Organizations: Saudi, Saturday, United Nations, Thomson Locations: BEIRUT, Germany, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Britain, Ain el, Lebanon's, Lebanon, Saudi, Palestine, Beirut

☆ Saudi Arabia urges its citizens to quickly leave Lebanon
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Aug 4 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia called on its citizens to quickly leave Lebanese territory and to avoid approaching areas where there have been armed clashes, the Saudi embassy in Lebanon said in a statement posted late on Friday on X, formerly known as Twitter. The kingdom did not specify which areas in Lebanon that it was advising its citizens to avoid. The embassy stressed "the importance of adhering to the Saudi travel ban to Lebanon," the statement added. On Aug. 1, the United Kingdom also updated its travel advice for Lebanon, advising against "all but essential travel" to parts of Lebanon’s south near the Palestinian camp of Ain el-Hilweh. Ain el-Hilweh is the largest of 12 Palestinian camps in Lebanon, hosting around 80,000 of up to 250,000 Palestinian refugees countrywide, according to the United Nations' agency for refugees from Palestine.

Persons: Fatah, Ain, Yomna Ehab, Enas, Moaz Abd, Grant McCool Organizations: Twitter, Kuwaiti Foreign, United Nations, Thomson Locations: Saudi Arabia, Saudi, Lebanon, Kuwait, Kuwaitis, Kuwaiti, United Kingdom, Lebanon’s, Ain el, Palestine

☆ India's rice export ban to hurt millions globally. These countries will be the worst hit
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-02 | by ( Lee Ying Shan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

20 Xinhua News Agency | Xinhua News Agency | Getty ImagesIndia's rice export ban could ripple across global rice markets — and millions are expected to be impacted, with Asian and African consumers set to bear the biggest brunt. The scale of people impacted by Indian rice ban will be in millions. Other affected regionsAsia is not the only region hit by India's rice export ban, many African and Middle East nations are also vulnerable. That means up to 40% of India's rice exports are now offline, according to BMI forecasts. India's rice export ban is expected to ripple across global rice markets.

Persons: Mohanty, Samarendu Mohanty, Narendra Modi Organizations: Xinhua News Agency, Getty, Barclays, El Nino, BMI, Fitch Solutions, Workers, International Potato Center, CIP Locations: Nagaon district, India's, Assam, India, Malaysia, Asia, Singapore, Thailand, Pakistan, Vietnam, Philippines, Saharan Africa, East, North Africa, Djibouti, Liberia, Qatar, Gambia, Kuwait, Cambodia, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Nepal

☆ Iran will pursue rights over Durra gas field if other parties shun cooperation -report
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

DUBAI, July 30 (Reuters) - Iran will pursue its rights over the Durra/Arash field if other parties shun cooperation, the country's Oil Minister Javad Owji said on Sunday, according to the Oil Ministry's SHANA news agency. "If there is no willingness to cooperate, Iran will pursue its rights and benefits, including the exploitation and exploration of the Arash gas field, and will not tolerate any violation of its rights," Owji said. Kuwait oil minister Saad Al Barrak told SkyNews Arabia on Thursday that his country will start drilling and begin production at the Durra gas field without waiting for border demarcation with Iran. Reporting by Dubai Newsroom Editing by Bernadette BaumOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Arash, Javad Owji, SHANA, Owji, Saad Al Barrak, SkyNews, Bernadette Baum Organizations: country's Oil, Dubai, Thomson Locations: DUBAI, Iran, Kuwait, SkyNews Arabia

☆ IOC asks Singh to continue as acting head of Olympic Council of Asia
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-30 | by ( Amlan Chakraborty | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

NEW DELHI, July 30 (Reuters) - The International Olympic Committee has asked India's Randhir Singh to continue as acting head of the Olympic Council of Asia, according to a letter seen by Reuters, after the IOC refused to recognise the Asian governing body's elections. Sheikh Ahmad has denied any wrongdoing. Sheikh Talal was appointed OCA president by a margin of 24 votes to 20 over his fellow Kuwaiti, Husain Al-Musallam. The trial considered whether Sheikh Ahmad had used a bogus Kuwaiti coup plot to gain advantage over political rivals. Sheikh Ahmad denied all the charges in the case and appealed the conviction.

Persons: India's Randhir Singh, Kuwait's Sheikh Ahmad Al, Fahad, Sheikh Talal Fahad Al, Ahmad Al, Sheikh Ahmad, Sheikh Talal, Husain Al, Singh, Sheikh Talal Al, Sheikh Ahmad's, Amlan Chakraborty, Tommy Lund, Ken Ferris Organizations: Olympic, Olympic Council of Asia, Reuters, IOC, OCA, Asian Games, Thomson Locations: DELHI, Fahad Al, Sabah, Bangkok, Singh, Swiss, OPEC, Geneva, Switzerland, Hangzhou, China, New Delhi

☆ South Florida ocean temperature tops 101 degrees Fahrenheit, potentially a record
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-25 | by ( Catherine Clifford | In Catclifford | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Fish swim around a coral reef in Key West, Florida on July 14, 2023. A buoy in Manatee Bay, Florida, showed an ocean temperature reading of over 101 degrees Fahrenheit on Monday night, the latest sign of record heat in the coastal waters. The existing record for the hottest ocean surface temperature is 99.7, which was reached in Kuwait Bay in the Persian Gulf. "These buoys that are inside Florida Bay — so that's to the north of the Florida Keys and to the South Florida peninsula — they're all in very shallow, murky, dark water," Berardelli told CNBC. "Because it's murky, and because it's contaminated with sediment, the water temperatures are reflective of the fact that darker surfaces absorb more heat."

Persons: Jeff Berardelli, Berardelli Organizations: Data, National Oceanic, Atmospheric Administration, NOAA, Florida WFLA, Florida, CNBC Locations: Key West , Florida, Martin County , Florida, Manatee Bay , Florida, Kuwait Bay, Persian, Florida, South Florida

☆ India now has AI news anchors. I tuned in and within the first 5 minutes, it's clear that news presenters are in serious trouble.
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-25 | by ( Kai Xiang Teo | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Even so, I feel news presenters should now be very worried about their job security. AI-generated anchors presented the news in India for the first time in April, the South China Morning Post reported. One of them, named Lisa, is now a news presenter on Odisha TV, a local station broadcasting in eastern India. Today, Lisa joins the legion of other AI-generated presenters employed by newsrooms in Indonesia, Taiwan, Kuwait, Malaysia, and China. Odisha TV's managing director, Jagi Mangat Panda, told the South China Morning Post, "Lisa is going to be a great partner.

Persons: Lisa, isn't, Odisha TV's, Jagi Organizations: China Morning Post, Twitter, newsrooms, South China Morning Locations: India, Indonesia, Taiwan, Kuwait, Malaysia, China

☆ Russia and Ukraine just turned much of the Black Sea into a dangerous no man's land
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-20 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Russia and Ukraine have exchanged threats this week to ships sailing through the Black Sea. The Kremlin then went much further, warning it may attack any vessels it believes are bound for Ukraine, effectively turning the Black Sea into a no man's land. They added that Moscow even published a video claiming to have detected and detonated an alleged Ukrainian sea mine. "Our information indicates that Russia laid additional sea mines in the approaches to Ukrainian ports. Turkish-flagged bulker TQ Samsun, carrying grain under UN's Black Sea Grain Initiative, transits Bosphorus in Istanbul, Turkey July 18, 2023.

Persons: Biden, Adam Hodge, António Guterres, —, Matthew Miller, Lasalle, Mark Duncan, Washington didn't Organizations: Service, United Nations, AP, White, Security, REUTERS, Black Sea Initiative, UN, US State, US Naval Institute Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Moscow, Wall, Silicon, Kremlin, Odesa, Ukrainian, Kyiv, Crimea, Azov, Samsun, Istanbul, Turkey, Iran, Persian, Iraq, Hormuz, Kuwait, Soviet, Iraqi, American

☆ Chipotle signs first-ever franchise partner to open locations in the Middle East
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-18 | by ( Kate Rogers | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Chipotle announced Tuesday it has signed an agreement with Kuwait-based Alshaya Group, its first-ever franchise partner, to open locations in the Middle East next year. The Alshaya agreement marks the first time Chipotle has enlisted a local franchise retail operator as it moves into a new market. Chipotle CEO Brian Niccol told CNBC in an interview that the initial plan calls for two locations each in Dubai and Kuwait, with exact locations yet to be determined. "They've got great brands, great operations, great people programs, which just gave us confidence that they'd be able to execute the Chipotle proposition effectively in the Middle East," Niccol said. In evaluating the Middle East market, Niccol said it was important to partner up to ensure success in everything from real estate to hiring to supply chain.

Persons: Chipotle, Brian Niccol, Niccol, They've, they'd Organizations: Group, CNBC, Starbucks, Texas Locations: Chicago, United States, Kuwait, Canada, Europe, U.S, Dubai, Shack

☆ BlackRock’s Aramco embrace makes sense in a vacuum
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-18 | by ( Lauren Silva Laughlin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The $109 billion asset manager run by Larry Fink said on Monday it would add Saudi Aramco (2222.SE) Chief Executive Amin Nasser to its 16-strong board. But judged through an investment lens the appointment makes sense. Nasser, who led Aramco through its 2019 initial public offering, will take the seat currently occupied by Bader Alsaad, a former managing director of the Kuwait Investment Authority. Follow @thereallsl on TwitterCONTEXT NEWSBlackRock on July 17 said Amin Nasser, chief executive of Saudi Aramco, would join its board as an independent director. “Amin’s distinguished career at Aramco, spanning more than four decades, gives him a unique perspective on many of the key issues facing our firm and our clients,” BlackRock Chief Executive Larry Fink said in a statement.

Persons: Larry Fink, Amin Nasser, Nasser, Bader Alsaad, Jamal Khashoggi, Randall Stephenson, Fink, Richard Blumenthal, T Rowe Price, Fink –, “ Amin’s, Peter Thal Larsen, Sharon Lam Organizations: YORK, Reuters, BlackRock, Aramco, Kuwait Investment Authority, of, Petroleum, Saudi, Golfers ’ Association, Global Energy, Exxon Mobil, Chevron, Shell, Thomson Locations: BlackRock, Saudi Aramco, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, United States, U.S, Texas, Connecticut, Aramco

☆ Japan and UAE agree innovation, climate change cooperation
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-17 | by ( Rachna Uppal | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

State news agency WAM also said the two leaders discussed a comprehensive strategic partnership between the UAE and Japan. Japan is actively developing greener and renewable energy technologies and aims to be carbon neutral by 2050. Kishida will also try to promote Japanese know-how as energy-producing countries have pledged to achieve a net zero transition, especially ahead of the COP28 climate summit to be held in Dubai in November. The GCC is a six-nation regional union that comprises Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain. "The secure energy supply from the UAE has supported Japan's economic growth for many years," Kishida wrote in a piece published by UAE state news agency WAM on Sunday.

Persons: Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Kishida, Ryan Carter, Fumio Kishida's, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, WAM, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Hikariko Ono, Rachna Uppal, Sakura Murakami, Andrew Mills, Aziz El Yaakoubi, Conor Humphries, David Evans, Alex Richardson, Jacqueline Wong Organizations: United Arab Emirates, United, UAE, United Arab, Japan, Qatar, Saudi Crown, Cooperation Council, GCC, Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, Thomson Locations: Japan, Qasr Al Watan, Abu Dhabi, United Arab, ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates, UAE, State, Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Riyadh, Tokyo, Saudi, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain

☆ Kuwait is setting up a new sovereign fund
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-17 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailKuwait is setting up a new sovereign fundKuwait is establishing a new sovereign fund in a bid to compete with its Gulf neighbors. CNBC's Dan Murphy reports.

Persons: CNBC's Dan Murphy Organizations: Kuwait Locations: Kuwait

☆ The making of a fake war hero: An American who reinvented himself as a social-media soldier in Ukraine is accused of 'stolen valor'
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-16 | by ( Alia Shoaib | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +21 min

Four foreign fighters and volunteers in Ukraine who knew Vasquez told Insider it was widely known he wasn't actually taking part in front-line fighting. A Pentagon representative, however, told Insider that Vasquez was never deployed to either of those places — or anywhere else. "I had to tell a million lies to get ahead," Vasquez told the Times. When Ashton-Cirillo took to Twitter to expose Vasquez, Huggett said she felt compelled to make a video to back her up. Huggett told Insider: "I'm tired, but I'm not sorry I exposed the lying scammer.

Persons: James Vasquez, Vasquez, Tucker Carlson, Adam Kinzinger, wasn't, he'd, Tina Vasquez, Libkos Vasquez, Sarah Ashton, Huggett, James, Tim, I'm, Viktor Yatsunyk, Vasquez —, Ashton, Cirillo, James messaged, I've, Diego Herrera Carcedo, Wagner, Vasquez's, Peg Leg, that's, selflessly, Ripley's, hadn't, John, Twitter John, Da Vinci, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Da, Malcolm Nance, Nance Organizations: Service, Twitter, Operation, Storm, Pentagon, New York National Guard, Army Reserve, The New York Times, Army, Times, New York Post, AP, Territorial Defense Force, Armed Forces of, Anadolu Agency, Getty, Wagner Group, UN, United Nations, Ukraine's Territorial Defense Forces, Armed Forces, Legion, Ripley's, New York Times, Da Vinci Wolves, Wolverines, Wolves, National Police, Security Service, MSNBC, Ukraine's International Locations: Ukraine, Wall, Silicon, Russia, Connecticut, Soledar, Kuwait, Iraq, Ukrainian, Bakhmut, Donetsk region, American, Armed Forces of Ukraine, Maidan, Geneva, Ashton, US

☆ Kuwait to set up new sovereign fund to develop mega projects and local economy
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-16 | by ( Ahmed Hagagy | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

KUWAIT CITY, July 16 (Reuters) - Kuwait plans to establish a new sovereign fund to develop its local economy, spearhead mega projects, and attract funds from foreign investors and the private sector, according to a government plan seen by Reuters on Sunday. The government has tasked the Ministry of Finance and the Kuwait Investment Authority (KIA) with studying plans for the proposed fund, dubbed Ciyada, Arabic for sovereign, the document says. Ciyada Development Fund will be used to spearhead domestic investments, intended to fuel economic development and diversify Kuwait's economy, the document says. Ciyada would accelerate Kuwait's economic growth, promote transformation and progress in various fields of development, through strategic planning and implementation of major development projects, the document says. Abu Dhabi for instance in 2002 created Mubadala Development Co to diversify the emirate's economy and accelerate development.

Persons: Mubadala, Prince Mohammed Bin Salman's, Ahmed Hagagy, Hadeel Al Sayegh, David Holmes Organizations: KUWAIT CITY, Reuters, Sunday, Ministry of Finance, Kuwait Investment Authority, Ciyada, Kuwait Investment Office, Reserve Fund, Fund, Government, International Petroleum Investment Co, Mubadala, Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, Thomson Locations: KUWAIT, Kuwait, Abu Dhabi

☆ Emirates has launched a new service that will let customers charter small private jets from Dubai
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-15 | by ( Taylor Rains | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

UAE-based Emirates has launched a new private jet arm using Embraer Phenom 100EV business planes. Emirates hopes its new strategy will lure in more high-paying customers as private aviation booms. The demand for private aviation continues to hold strong post-pandemic, particularly in the Middle East where business travel has rebounded quicker than in other regions. On Wednesday, the carrier introduced a brand new on-demand charter service that will ferry elite customers from Dubai to cities in the Gulf region using a fleet of Embraer Phenom 100EV twin-engine private jets. "While it would give operators such as us stiff competition, business travel trends in the UAE still lean towards larger groups of ten travelers or more," she continued.

Persons: —, Thomas Pallini, Jordan Organizations: Emirates, Embraer Phenom, Embraer, Dubai World, Dubai International, Emirates Executive, Emirates Flight Training, Airbus, Gulf Wings, Gulf News Locations: UAE, Dubai, Emirates, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, DWC

☆ Iran at odds with allied Russia after Moscow backs UAE in island dispute
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-12 | by ( Ruxandra Iordache | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Tehran summoned Russia's ambassador on Wednesday over a Moscow-endorsed statement on three Gulf islands disputed by Iran and the United Arab Emirates. The UAE joins fellow economic Middle East heavyweights Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar in the Gulf Cooperation Council. Following a ministerial meeting in Moscow on Monday, Russia and the GCC released a joint statement that urged a diplomatic solution to the territorial dispute. Iranian officials called on Russia to correct its position on the territorial row, according to the state-owned Islamic Republic News Agency. Moscow is not Iran's only key partner to wade into hot waters over the three Gulf islands dispute.

Persons: Russia's, Reem, Abu Musa, Tehran's, Nasser Kanaani Organizations: United, United Arab Emirates, UAE, State, International Co, General Assembly, International Court of Justice, Gulf Cooperation, GCC, United Nations Charter, Saudi Press Agency, of Justice, Islamic, Islamic Republic News Agency, CNBC, Kyiv — Locations: Tehran, Moscow, Iran, United Arab, Abu Musa, Tunb, UAE, Britain, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Gulf, Russia, Islamic Republic of Iran, Iranian, Ukraine, Russian, Syria, China, Beijing, United Arab Emirates

☆ Mexico is the best country to live and work abroad, a survey of expats has found. Here's the top 10.
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-12 | by ( Beatrice Nolan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Mexico is the most popular place to live and work abroad, a survey of more than 10,000 expats found. The survey also found that expats were most unhappy in Kuwait, Norway, and Turkey. The country has been popular with expats for some time, consistently ranking as one of the five most popular countries since the InterNations survey was first conducted in 2014. More than 10,000 expats spanning 171 nationalities and living across 172 countries and territories took part in the survey. Expats praised the country for having friendly locals and said it was easy to find housing.

Persons: InterNations, Expats, Radu Bercan, Lisa Marie David, NurPhoto, Malgorzata, Marielle, Inti, Toshio Kishiyama, Oleg Senkov Organizations: Service, Privacy, Buddha, Getty, Clair, Panama, Guell Locations: Mexico, Kuwait, Norway, Turkey, Wall, Silicon, Portugal, Lisbon, Bahrain Bahrain's, Philippines, Mayon, Costa Rica, Thailand Bangkok, Thailand, Taiwan, AFP, Malaysia George Town, Malaysia, Panama Panama City, Panama, Barcelona, Spain

☆ Kuwait, Saudi Arabia have 'exclusive rights' in Durra gas field, Kuwait oil minister says
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

CAIRO, July 9 (Reuters) - Kuwait and Saudi Arabia have "exclusive rights" in the Durra gas field in the Arabian Gulf, Kuwait Oil Minister Saad Al Barrak said on Sunday, and he called on Iran to validate its claim to the field by demarcating its own maritime borders first. "Until this moment, this is an exclusive right of Kuwait and Saudi Arabia in the Durra field, and whoever has a claim must start demarcating the borders. "The other side has claims that are not based on a clear demarcation of the maritime borders," he added, referring to Iran. Al Barrak's comments echo those of Saudi Arabia, which said last week that the kingdom and Kuwait exclusively own natural wealth in the Gulf's maritime "Divided Area". Saudi Arabia also renewed its call to Iran to start negotiations with Riyadh and Kuwait on the demarcation of the eastern border of the area, Saudi state news agency SPA said.

Persons: Saad Al Barrak, Al Barrak, Al, Al Barrak's, Hatem Maher, Muhammad Al Gebaly, Hugh Lawson, Leslie Adler Organizations: Kuwait Oil, Saudi, Thomson Locations: CAIRO, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Arabian Gulf, Iran, Saudi, Riyadh

☆ Swedish embassy in Baghdad: Protesters break in after Stockholm Quran burning
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-29 | by ( Mostafa Salem | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Demonstrators breached the perimeter of the Swedish embassy in Baghdad Thursday, a day after a protester burned a copy of the Quran in Sweden. Videos circulating on social media showed some protesters climbing over a barricaded wall outside the embassy. Muslim countries and Islamic organizations had condemned the burning of the Quran in Stockholm. On Thursday, the United Arab Emirates summoned Sweden’s ambassador to Abu Dhabi to protest the Quran burning incident, the UAE’s state news agency WAM said. In January early this year Iraqi protesters clashed with security forces outside the Swedish embassy for a separate incident of Quran burning in Stockholm.

Persons: Muqtada, Sadr, Al Sadr, Momika, ” Al Sadr, it’s, Sweden’s, Abu, WAM Organizations: CNN, Embassy, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, AFP, of Islamic Cooperation, Arab League, Gulf Cooperation Council, United Arab Emirates Locations: Swedish, Baghdad, Sweden, Muqtada al, Iraqi, Stockholm, Stockholm –, Iraq, Iran, Kuwait, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi

☆ Iraq plants mangrove forest to fight climate disaster
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-29 | by ( Essam Al-Sudani | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

BASRA, Iraq, June 29 (Reuters) - As Aymen al-Rubaye plants mangrove seedlings in the sprawling tidal flats of southern Iraq, the black smoke rising over the skyline behind him shows the ecological damage that he is toiling to undo. Rubaye, an agricultural engineer, is working for a project started by Iraqi government bodies and a United Nations agency to grow up to 4 million mangrove trees in the Khor al-Zubair mudflats region, located near major oil fields. The tidal flats south of Basra are a baking landscape of water, salt, mud and hazy sky, riven by channels that Rubaye and his team navigate by boat. [1/5]Engineer Ayman Al-Rubaie, 47, plants mangrove trees in the wooded areas of the Shatt Al-Arab River, in Basra, Iraq June 21, 2023. Mangrove plants "can resist these harsh conditions we are passing through" without needing irrigation water, Rubaye said.

Persons: pats, Ayman Al, Essam, Rubaye, Ahmed Albaaj, Angus McDowall, Peter Graff Organizations: United, World Bank, REUTERS, United Arab Emirates, Thomson Locations: BASRA, Iraq, United Nations, Khor, Basra, . Southern Iraq, Kuwait, United Arab

Although only two people were expected to take part, the organisers said they would tear up and burn the Koran. Sweden sought NATO membership in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine last year. But alliance member Ankara has held up the process, accusing Sweden of harbouring people it considers terrorists and demanding their extradition. While Swedish police have rejected several recent applications for anti-Koran demonstrations, courts have overruled those decisions, saying they infringed on freedom of speech. Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said at a press conference on Wednesday he would not speculate about how the approved Koran burning could affect Sweden's NATO process.

Persons: Ulf Kristersson, Kristersson, Momika, Rasmus Paludan, Paludan, Louise Breusch Rasmussen, Marie Mannes, Johan Ahlander, Terje Solsvik, Peter Graff, Angus MacSwan Organizations: Police, NATO, Islam, Atlantic Treaty Organization, Swedish, Thomson Locations: STOCKHOLM, Stockholm, Turkey, Sweden, Ukraine, Ankara, Danish, Turkish, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Kuwait, Copenhagen

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