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☆ 'I don’t care': 'Sportswashing' comments from Saudi crown prince spark anger from rights groups
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-22 | by ( Natasha Turak | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman lit up social media with his blunt response to accusations that his government is "sportswashing," or using sports to distract attention from its controversial human rights record. Human rights organizations immediately seized on the comments, criticizing what some said was proof of a state policy of hiding human rights violations behind an expensive veneer of big-ticket sports acquisitions and tournaments. "He's done more than say he doesn't care," Minky Worden, Human Rights Watch's director of global initiatives, told NBC News. "He's really endorsed the idea of sportswashing as a way of covering up the country's very serious human rights abuses. We've now heard from the top that this is state policy."

Persons: Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Minky Worden, He's, We've Organizations: Saudi, Fox News, Human Rights, NBC Locations: Saudi

☆ Netanyahu says Israel is edging 'closer' to normalization deal with Saudi Arabia
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-22 | by ( Sana Noor Haq | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said it is “likely” Israel will reach a normalization agreement with Saudi Arabia, in what would mark a seismic foreign policy shift for both countries as they edge closer to reaching a deal mediated by the US. Speaking to CNN’s Kaitlan Collins in an interview on Friday, Netanyahu touted the potential pact as “a quantum leap” in the region. Saudi Arabia, like many Arab states, does not currently recognize Israel; such a deal would have potential to enhance Israel’s acceptance in the Muslim world, particularly considering Saudi Arabia’s role as the custodian of Islam’s holiest sites. Netanyahu has made tightening relations with Saudi Arabia a linchpin of his premiership, although it is unclear what kind of concessions toward Palestinians would be allowed by his right-wing coalition. Israel says the raids are intended to prevent or punish Palestinian militant attacks on Israeli civilians because the Palestinian Authority is failing in its security obligations.

Persons: Kaitlan Collins, Benjamin Netanyahu, CNN’s Kaitlan Collins, Netanyahu, ”, Israel, Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, bin Salman, Joe Biden, Kevin Lamarque, Collins, “, Mahmoud Abbas, ” Abbas Organizations: CNN, Israeli, United, United Arab Emirates, Saudi, Saudi Arabia’s Crown, Fox News, Assembly, Reuters, UN, Palestinian, West Bank, Israel, Palestinian Authority Locations: Israel, Saudi Arabia, Asia, Jordan, United Arab, Riyadh, New York City, New York

☆ Saudi crown prince says normalization with Israel gets 'closer' every day
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-21 | by ( Nadeen Ebrahim | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Abu Dhabi, UAE CNN —Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) said that his country was moving “closer” each day toward reaching a normalization deal with Israel, the first time he has publicly acknowledged the process. We’re gonna see how it goes.”The Biden administration has for several months been in talks with Saudi Arabia on the matter, according to US officials. Saudi Arabia has been strengthening its ties with China as Washington’s rivalry with the Asian nation heats up. “We are the biggest buyer of American armored manufacturing,” he said, adding that Saudi Arabia is “critical” to US arms exports. Saudi Arabia is in the process of changing laws to make them “more realistic” for Saudis, he said.

Persons: UAE CNN — Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, ”, Biden, don’t, Benjamin Netanyahu, Netanyahu, Joe Biden, Fox News ’ Brett Baier, ” BRICS, BRICS, Jamal Khashoggi, Khashoggi Organizations: UAE CNN — Saudi Arabia’s Crown, Fox News, Saudi, MBS, ”, West Bank, Wednesday, CNN, Fox, White, America, CIA Locations: Abu Dhabi, UAE, Israel, Saudi, Saudi Arabia, Riyadh, ”, Iran, Tehran, China, Beijing, Gulf, America, Arabia, West, Russia, Istanbul

LONDON, Sept 21 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Barely a day goes by without an eye-catching story involving Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund. A third of the fund consists of significant stakes in domestic companies like the $51 billion Saudi Telecom Company (7010.SE) and $53 billion Saudi National Bank (1180.SE). Reuters Graphics Reuters GraphicsThe PIF’s investment strategy is also racier than its more conservative peers. But the episode reinforces the impression that the PIF is a mix of venture capital, hedge fund and startup money. The most spectacular was probably handing $45 billion to SoftBank Group (9984.T) boss Masayoshi Son for his $100 billion first Vision Fund.

Persons: Kylian Mbappé, It’s, Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Yasir Al, Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala, Rumayyan, Salman bin Abdulaziz, Masayoshi Son, SWFs, Taiwan’s Foxconn, Peter Thal Larsen, Streisand Neto Organizations: Reuters, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, Standard Chartered, Spanish telco Telefonica, Fund, Abu, Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, Global, Reuters Graphics Reuters, Saudi, Saudi Telecom Company, Saudi National Bank, Saudi Aramco, giga, Qatar Investment Authority, Singapore’s Temasek, Al, MbS, SoftBank Group, Vision, Credit Suisse, UBS, Saudi giga, Aramco, Investment, Thomson Locations: Spanish, Abu Dhabi, Riyadh, Saudi

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman smiles during the New Global Financial Pact Summit at the Palais Brongniart in Paris, on June 22, 2023. Ludovic Marin | AFP | Getty ImagesSaudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said the prospect of normalizing relations with Israel is getting closer by the day, but signaled that the treatment of Palestinians remains a clinching point. Prince Mohammed dismissed reports that the two countries had suspended talks and acknowledged progress in negotiations. "Every day we get closer," he said in an Fox News interview aired on Wednesday — a rare sit-down with a Western media outlet for the Saudi crown prince. The two leaders agreed to work toward securing diplomatic ties between Saudi Arabia and Israel.

Persons: Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Ludovic Marin, Prince Mohammed, Joe, Abraham, Donald Trump, Benjamin Netanyahu, Biden, Netanyahu Organizations: New Global Financial, Palais, AFP, Getty, Saudi, Fox News, Israel, United, Wednesday, United Nations Locations: Saudi, Paris, Israel, Riyadh, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Sudan, Morocco, Washington, New York, Saudi Arabia

☆ Saudi crown prince says he will keep 'sportswashing' as criticism of the practice grows
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-21 | by ( Drew Richardson | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Call it whatever you want, we're going to get that one and a half percent," the crown prince said. The Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF), an entity controlled by Crown Prince Mohammed, has backed Saudi soccer clubs and LIV Golf. The LIV Golf merger with the PGA Tour has faced widespread scrutiny. Key U.S. lawmakers have criticized the pending golf merger as an attempt by the kingdom to distract from its human rights record. Prior to the deal, LIV Golf sued the PGA Tour for alleged anticompetitive practices, which prompted the PGA Tour to countersue, saying LIV Golf was stifling competition.

Persons: Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, Prince Mohammed bin Salman, sportswashing, I'm, Critics, Jamal Khashoggi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau, LIV Golf, Crown Prince Mohammed, LIV, Osama bin Laden, It's, Sen, Richard Blumenthal, Conn, Jimmy Dunne, Ron Price, Price, Benjamin Freeman, — CNBC's Lillian Rizzo, Chelsey Cox Organizations: Saudi, Saudi Arabian Crown, Partnership, Global Infrastructure, Fox News, Washington Post, Neymar, PGA Tour, Saudi Public Investment Fund, Crown, Reuters, PGA, Key U.S, Homeland Security, Governmental Affairs, Tour, Quincy Institute, Responsible Locations: Saudi Arabian, New Delhi, India, Saudi, Europe, Saudi Arabia, Key, Yemen

☆ Saudi Arabia's crown prince warned that if Iran gets a nuke 'we have to get one' too
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-21 | by ( Tom Porter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was interviewed on Fox News. He said if Iran gets a nuclear weapon, Saudi Arabia will need one too. Biden is trying to restart the 2015 Iran deal amid fears of an arms race in the region. In a rare interview conducted in English with Fox News' Bret Baier on Wednesday, the Saudi ruler addressed the likely consequences of Iran - Saudi Arabia's longtime regional foe - obtaining a nuclear weapon. The 2015 Iran nuclear deal, which was negotiated by the Obama administration, led to Iran agreeing to limits on its nuclear program in exchange for sanctions being lifted.

Persons: Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Biden, Bret Baier, Crown Prince Mohammed, Obama, Donald Trump, Joe Biden, Ebrahim Raisi Organizations: Saudi, Crown, Fox News, Service, ., Iran's, Associated Press Locations: Iran, Saudi Arabia, Wall, Silicon, Saudi, Hiroshima, Israel, Tehran

☆ Saudi Crown Prince Says Getting 'Closer' to Israel Normalization -Fox Interview
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( Sept. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

The conservative U.S. network’s interview with the crown prince, widely known as MbS, comes as President Joe Biden’s administration presses ahead with an effort to broker historic ties between the two regional powerhouses, Washington’s top Middle East allies. We need to solve that part,” MbS said when asked what it would take to get a normalization agreement. MbS also voiced concern about the possibility of Iran, a mutual adversary of Saudi Arabia and Israel that the U.S. wants to contain, could obtain a nuclear weapon. Both leaders also said Iran could not be allowed to acquire a nuclear weapon. (Reporting by Rami Ayyub and Matt Spetalnick; Editing by Leslie Adler and Josie Kao)

Persons: Matt Spetalnick, Rami Ayyub WASHINGTON, Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Israel, Joe Biden’s, ”, Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu, Rami Ayyub, Leslie Adler, Josie Kao Organizations: Saudi Arabian Crown, Fox, MbS, Israeli Locations: Saudi, U.S, Israel, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Riyadh, Tehran, Gulf

Meanwhile, failed uprisings in Bahrain and eastern Saudi Arabia were followed by years-long crackdowns and a continuing civil war in Syria. “What we’re beginning to see in Saudi Arabia right now is the emergence of a new social contract. Saudi Arabia is the world’s biggest exporter of crude oil, and nearly two-thirds of its income still comes from selling fossil fuels. If Saudi Arabia can become a hub for major sporting events, then that’s a way of attracting interest to the country,” said Maguire. In response to previous criticism about Saudi Arabia’s purported “sportswashing,” the kingdom’s sports minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal said: “People that don’t know Saudi Arabia, have never been to Saudi Arabia, go out and talk about it as if they’ve lived there for 30 years, 40 years.

Persons: Hilal, Kylian Mbappé, Germain, Neymar Jr, Ballon d’Or, Cristiano Ronaldo, Nassr, Patricia de Melo Moreira, it’s, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman –, Leon Neal, Ballon, Karim Benzema, Al Hilal, spender, –, Carlo Nohra, Jordan Henderson, Henderson, “, ’ ” Simon Chadwick, “ We’ve, ” Chadwick, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Al Nassr, Stringer, you’re, Kieran Maguire, they’re, Everybody’s, ” Maguire, Chadwick, Ronaldo, Maguire, … Mohammed bin Salman, ” James Dorsey, ”, Chadwick –, Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabia’s, Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al, Faisal, don’t, they’ve, LIV Golf, Jimmy Dunne, LIV, Dunne, Aleksander Ceferin, Erling, Haaland, Jurgen Klopp, Michael Emenalo, Steven Gerrard, Nohra, ” “ They’ve Organizations: CNN, Saudi, Al, Paris Saint, PSG, Saudi Pro League, Ligue, Liga, Serie, Bundesliga, English Premier League, Deloitte, Investment Fund, AFP, Getty, SPL, Saudi Crown, Spanish, Arsenal, CNN Sport, English, Newcastle United, Liverpool, The Athletic, SKEMA Business School, Argentina, Zamalek, King Fahd Sports City, Anadolu Agency, Chelsea, Manchester United, Manchester City, Football, AFC Asian, FIFA, Greece, Royal Spanish Football Federation, Spanish Super, ”, Amnesty International, Amnesty, Middle East Soccer, Saudi Ministry, Sport, PGA Tour, European, UEFA, Premier League, Ettifaq Media, Reuters New Saudi Pro League, Major League Soccer, La Liga, Peterson Institute for International Economics, Russian Direct Investment Fund, Investigations, PGA Locations: Saudi Arabian, Brazil, Saudi, Ittihad, Al, Ahli, Real Madrid, England, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Liverpool, China, Qatar, Taif, Egypt, Spanish, East, North Africa, Libya, Yemen, Tunisia, Bahrain, Syria, “, ”, Europe, ” Liverpool

WASHINGTON (AP) — Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said in a rare interview with Fox News on Wednesday that negotiations over Israel means the prospects of normalized relations between both countries “get closer" every day, but that treatment of Palestinians remains a “very important” issue to be resolved. Saudi Arabia is discussing a major agreement with the United States to normalize relations with Israel in exchange for a U.S. defense pact and aid in developing its own civilian nuclear program. We think it’s good not just for Israel and Saudi Arabia, we think it’s good for the whole region,” Kirby said. Saudi Arabia has made major progress in winding down its devastating war with Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, this week hosting a rebel delegation in the capital, Riyadh. The 38-year-old bin Salman assumed day-to-day rule after the aging King Salman named him next in line to the throne in 2017.

Persons: Prince Mohammed bin Salman, “, Bret Baier ”, Joe Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu, Biden, Netanyahu, ”, bin Salman, we’ve, John Kirby, Saudi Arabia “, ” Kirby, Bin Salman, ” Bin Salman, Jamal Khashoggi, ” bin Salman, Jared Kushner, Donald Trump’s, PIF, Salman, King Salman Organizations: WASHINGTON, —, Fox News, MBS, Israeli, General Assembly, West Bank, National Security, Washington Post, Saudi, Fox News Channel, White House, Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, Trump, Arab League Locations: — Saudi, Israel, Saudi Arabia, United States, Palestinian, Saudi, New York, Asia, East, Europe, Iran, Saudi Arabi, Western, Yemen, Riyadh, Syria, America

Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud attends Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment event on the day of the G20 summit in New Delhi, India, September 9, 2023. The conservative U.S. network’s interview with the crown prince, widely known as MbS, comes as President Joe Biden’s administration presses ahead with an effort to broker historic ties between the two regional powerhouses, Washington’s top Middle East allies. We need to solve that part,” MbS said when asked what it would take to get a normalization agreement. MbS also voiced concern about the possibility of Iran, a mutual adversary of Saudi Arabia and Israel that the U.S. wants to contain, could obtain a nuclear weapon. Reporting by Rami Ayyub and Matt Spetalnick; Editing by Leslie Adler and Josie KaoOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, Evelyn Hockstein, Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Israel, Joe Biden’s, ”, Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu, Rami Ayyub, Matt Spetalnick, Leslie Adler, Josie Kao Organizations: Saudi, Saudi Arabian Crown, Partnership, Global Infrastructure, REUTERS, Rights, Fox, MbS, Israeli, Thomson Locations: Saudi Arabian, New Delhi, India, Saudi, U.S, Israel, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Riyadh, Tehran, Gulf

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

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

Under such an agreement, the United States and Saudi Arabia would generally pledge to provide military support if the other country is attacked in the region or on Saudi territory. The discussions to model the terms after the treaties in East Asia, considered among the strongest the United States has outside of its European pacts, have not been previously reported. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler, regards a mutual defense agreement with the United States as the most important element in his talks with the Biden administration about Israel, current and former U.S. officials said. Saudi officials say a strong defense agreement would help deter potential assaults by Iran or its armed partners even as the two regional rivals re-establish diplomatic ties. Prince Mohammed is also asking the Biden administration to help his country develop a civilian nuclear program, which some U.S. officials fear could be cover for a nuclear weapons program to counter Iran.

Persons: Biden’s, Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Biden, Prince Mohammed Organizations: Saudi, United Locations: United States, Japan, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Saudi, East Asia, Iran

☆ India entry into geopolitical storm will be costly
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-19 | by ( Una Galani | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

MUMBAI, Sept 19 (Reuters Breakingviews) - India may pay a price from getting caught in the eye of a geopolitical storm, but it may be a small one. New Delhi has dismissed as “absurd” Canada’s allegation of its involvement in the June murder in British Columbia of a Sikh separatist leader that India had branded a “terrorist”. A trade deal with India, now stalled, may have helped Ottawa pivot away from the People’s Republic a little bit faster. But India accounted for barely $6.5 billion, or less than 1% of Canada’s trade with the world in 2020. Canada also expelled India's top intelligence agent following the row, while India expelled a senior Canadian diplomat.

Persons: Sajjan Jindal’s, Joe Biden, Narendra Modi, Jamal Khashoggi, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, –, Tesla, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, Justin Trudeau, Nijjar, “, Trudeau, Lisa Jucca, Streisand Neto Organizations: Reuters, Resources, Crown, Canada, Apple, U.S . National Security Council, Thomson Locations: MUMBAI, India, New Delhi, British Columbia, China, Ottawa, People’s Republic, American, Vancouver, Australia, Canada, United States, Delhi, Saudi Arabia, Saudi, Istanbul . U.S, Canadian

He has sought to boost Brazil's cred with each state visit and speech, one multilateral forum after another. PUSHING FOR GLOBAL GOVERNANCE — BRAZIL-STYLEDuring Lula’s travels, he has pushed for global governance that gives greater heft to the Global South and advocating diminishing the dollar’s dominance in trade. After the International Criminal Court issued a warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin's arrest, Lula said he would review Brazil's membership in the court. Some in Washington had initially hoped Lula could be helpful in advancing a shared agenda in Venezuela, Winter said. As they stood embracing, Lula remained seated while applauding a few feet away and nearly out of the camera frame.

Persons: Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's, Brazil —, —, Lula, Bolsonaro, ”, Oliver Stuenkel, Getulio Vargas, Ukraine’s, Vladimir Putin's, “, Brian Winter, Biden, Winter, ” Biden, Jake Sullivan, Narendra Modi, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Cuba “, ” Lula, Nicolás Maduro, LULA, Lula isn't, Modi, Thomas Traumann, Azali Assoumani, Assoumani's, Paulo Peres, Said Peres, Eleónore Hughes, Madhani, David Biller Organizations: UNITED NATIONS, —, General, Getulio, Getulio Vargas Foundation, Global, . National, Bolsonaro, Indian, Saudi Crown, Biden, Federal University of Rio, . Security, Associated Press Locations: Brazil, United States, China, Italy, India, Argentina, Angola, Sao Paulo, — BRAZIL, Washington, Western Europe, U.S, York, Americas, New York, Ukraine, New Delhi, Cuba, Havana, Venezuela, ”, Brazilian, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Rio de Janeiro

☆ Less ethical US foreign policy requires new logic
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-18 | by ( Hugo Dixon | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and rising tensions with China are now driving U.S. foreign policy, and ethical considerations have taken a back seat. Even so, groups such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch are concerned. But the United States considers all to have poor records when judged against the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. While it may make sense for the United States to choose the lesser evil, it is now unclear what role human rights play in American foreign policy. Although he didn’t connect this idea to human rights, that seems to be part of the thinking.

Persons: Narendra Modi, Joe Biden, Evan Vucci, Biden, Antony Blinken, ”, Modi, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Blinken, It’s, Peter Thal Larsen, Thomas Shum Organizations: Indian, U.S, Bharat, REUTERS Acquire, Reuters, Amnesty, Human Rights, U.S ., Saudi Crown, Universal, United, United States, Reuters Graphics, Seven, Washington, Thomson Locations: New Delhi, India, Vietnam, Saudi Arabia, Ukraine, China, Asia, Beijing, Moscow, U.S, Hanoi, United States, Riyadh, Russia, United, East, Europe, Afghanistan, Iraq

☆ Nigeria defender Plumptre signs for Saudi Women's side Al-Ittihad
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Soccer Football - FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia and New Zealand 2023 - Group B - Nigeria v Canada - Melbourne Rectangular Stadium, Melbourne, Australia - July 21, 2023 Nigeria's Ashleigh Plumptre in action REUTERS/Hannah Mckay/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSept 14 (Reuters) - Nigeria defender Ashleigh Plumptre said she has joined Saudi Women's Premier League side Al-Ittihad following the expiry of her contract at Leicester City. She played for England at youth level before switching allegiance and making her Nigeria debut in 2022. "Grateful to have signed for Al-Ittihad," Plumptre said on messaging platform X, formerly known as Twitter. The Saudi women's top flight is gearing up for its second season, with eight teams vying for the title. Saudi men's Pro League teams have been spending huge sums to attract some of the best players from European clubs, including Neymar, Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema.

Persons: Nigeria's Ashleigh Plumptre, Hannah Mckay, Ashleigh Plumptre, Plumptre, Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, Saudi Arabia Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Pearl Josephine Nazare, Peter Rutherford Organizations: Soccer Football, FIFA, Saudi Women's Premier League, Al, Leicester City, England, Saudi, Saudi men's Pro League, Neymar, Saudi Arabia Crown, Thomson Locations: New Zealand, Nigeria, Canada, Melbourne, Australia, Ittihad, Saudi Arabia, Bengaluru

The surprise deal, which would join the venerable PGA Tour and a rival Saudi-funded golf start-up, LIV, was announced in June. The Saudi sovereign wealth fund, called the Public Investment Fund, or PIF, is controlled by the Saudi government. The Saudi Embassy did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the subpoena, which names the Public Investment Fund's New York-based U.S. subsidiary, USSA International. This summer's announcement of the PGA-Saudi golf deal ended a legal battle between the two rivals. Blumenthal said available public records indicate the Saudi sovereign wealth fund has expanded its investments in the United States from $2 billion in 2018 to $35 billion now.

Persons: Sen, Richard Blumenthal's, al, LIV, ” Blumenthal, Blumenthal, “, ”, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Organizations: WASHINGTON, Saudi, PGA, Connecticut, Senate, PGA Tour, Public Investment Fund, Public Investment, United, Saudi Embassy, USSA, Crown Locations: United States, Saudi, York, San Francisco, Saudi Arabia

☆ New Mideast corridor would include trains to India, Delhi says
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman inspects the honour guard during his ceremonial reception at the Rashtrapati Bhavan presidential palace in New Delhi, India, September 11, 2023. Asked about the proposals, Ausaf Sayeed, a secretary in the Foreign Ministry, spelled out that the corridor would include trains to India and not just links by port. Saudi Arabia is among the top exporters of petroleum to India. Sayeed said that new corridor will include ports, railways, better roads and also power, gas grids and optical fiber network. During their talks earlier in the day the Indian leader and the Saudi crown prince also discussed cooperation in space, semiconductors and collaboration in defence manufacturing as well.

Persons: Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Stringer, Ausaf, Khalid Al Falih, Prince Mohammed bin Salman's, Sayeed, Shivam Patel, Krishn Kaushik, Ed Osmond, Angus MacSwan Organizations: Saudi, Crown, REUTERS, Foreign Ministry, European Union, United Arab, Initiative, Saudi Investment, Gulf Cooperation Council, Thomson Locations: New Delhi, India, DELHI, East, South Asia, Indian, Delhi, United States, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Monday, Saudi

"I will match your offer and commit today to open an office," Saudi Investment Minister Khalid Al Falih said after India's trade minister Piyush Goyal invited Saudi Arabia to set up an office of its sovereign wealth fund, Public Investment Fund (PIF), in GIFT City. Goyal also said he would suggest that his ministry starts an investment promotion office in Riyadh. During the Crown Prince's visit India and Saudi Arabia signed 50 initial pacts in various fields and agreed to form a joint task force for $100 billion in Saudi investment in India, originally announced by the Crown Prince in 2019. Half of the planned $100 billion is earmarked for a delayed refinery project along India's western coast, an Indian foreign ministry official said. He said Saudi Arabia is looking to invest in sectors including oil, gas, petrochemicals, new energy, technology, manufacturing and defence.

Persons: Amit Dave, Narendra Modi, Khalid Al Falih, Piyush Goyal, Prince Mohammed bin Salman's, Goyal, Crown Prince, Falih, Shivangi Acharya, Nidhi Verma, Blassy Boben, Ed Osmond, Susan Fenton Organizations: Gujarat International Finance Tec, REUTERS, Indian, Saudi Investment, Public Investment Fund, Crown, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Aramco, Thomson Locations: Gujarat, Gandhinagar, DELHI, Saudi Arabia, New Delhi, Dubai, Hong Kong, City, Falih, Delhi, Saudi, Riyadh, India, Indian, Maharashtra

NEW DELHI (AP) — India and Saudi Arabia agreed Monday to expand trade and security ties, two days after their leaders and others attending a Group of 20 summit announced a new railways and port corridor deal that will link India, Middle East and Europe. The two leaders discussed issues ranging from energy security, trade and investment to defense, health care and food security, India’s foreign ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said. The India-Saudi Arabia Strategic Partnership Council, established in 2019, serves as a platform between the two countries to increase ties. During last week's G20 summit, India, Saudi Arabia, the United States, the European Union and other countries announced an ambitious rail and shipping corridor that will link India with the Middle East and Europe in a bid to strengthen economic growth and political cooperation. India views Saudi Arabia as one of its most important strategic partners in the Middle East.

Persons: Narendra Modi, Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Arindam Bagchi, Modi, ”, Prince Mohammed Organizations: DELHI, —, Indian, Saudi Arabia’s Crown, Partnership Council, Partnership, European Union, East . Trade Locations: — India, Saudi Arabia, India, Middle East, Europe, New Delhi, United States, East, Asia, West Asia

☆ Saudi Arabia is spending billions on sports, tech and everything in between for a post-oil world
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-10 | by ( Beatrice Nolan | Hasan Chowdhury | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Saudi Arabia sparked international outrage in 2018 after Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi was murdered at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, and continues to face accusations of human rights violations. Despite this, little has been able to stop Saudi Arabia from exerting more and more influence on the global stage. GettyImages/Unsplash/NeomLike many countries, Saudi Arabia's economy suffered when the pandemic struck in 2020, but the only way has been up since then. Chris Trotman/LIV Golf via Getty ImagesBoth at home and far away, Saudi Arabia hasn't shied away from investing boatloads of cash. The total hit 32.2 million in May with a median age of 29, according to Saudi Arabia's General Authority for Statistics.

Persons: Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, Jamal Khashoggi, It's, Ahmed Jadallah, Saudi Arabia's, Sergio Garcia, Chris Trotman, LIV, Saudi Arabia hasn't, Yasir Al, Jasmin Merdan, Abdullah Al, Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman al, Saud, JOE KLAMAR Organizations: Service, Washington Post, Bank, IMF, REUTERS, Saudi Aramco, King, King Abdullah Economic City, Getty, Public Investment Fund, MBS, Newcastle United, LIV, PGA, Saudi, Reuters, Saudi Arabia's, Authority, Statistics, Gulf States Energy, United Arab Emirates, Arab League Locations: Saudi Arabia, Wall, Silicon, Gulf, Saudi, Istanbul, Gulf Kingdom, Ahmed Jadallah Saudi Arabia, King Abdullah, Jasmin Merdan Saudi's, Riyadh, Arab, Vienna, AFP, Kuwait, UAE, Qatar

☆ G20 welcomes African Union as permanent member at Delhi leaders' summit
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-09 | by ( Clement Tan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Flags of participating countries are pictured inside the International media center at the venue of the G20 leaders' summit, days ahead of its commencement in New Delhi on September 7, 2023. Money Sharma | Afp | Getty ImagesNEW DELHI — The African Union became the second regional grouping to be admitted to the Group of 20 leading industrialized and developing nations as a full permanent member, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced Saturday at the start of the two-day G20 leaders' summit in Delhi. The widely-anticipated move underscores India's wide-ranging agenda to elevate the global multilateral forum's focus on the Global South in its presidency of the G20 this year. The 55-member bloc of African nations joins the European Union as only the second regional organization to become a permanent member of the G20. "It is in the spirit of together with all that India proposed permanent membership for the African Union in the G20."

Persons: Money Sharma, Narendra Modi, Modi, Azali Assoumani, Lula da Silva, Justin Trudeau, Emmanuel Macron, Germany's, Olaf Scholz, Fumio Kishida, Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Joe Biden, Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, Sergey Lavrov, China Premier Li Qiang Organizations: International, Afp, Getty, African Union, Indian, European Union, International Monetary Fund, Global, U.S, Canadian, Saudi Arabia's Crown, Russian, China Premier Locations: New Delhi, Delhi, India, China, —, Japan, Ukraine

☆ U.S., India, Saudi, EU unveil a massive rail and ports deal on G20 sidelines
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-09 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Global leaders announced a multinational rail and ports deal linking the Middle East and South Asia on Saturday on the sidelines of the G20 summit in New Delhi. Biden said it was a "real big deal" that would bridge ports across two continents and lead to a "more stable, more prosperous and integrated Middle East." A memorandum of understanding for the deal was set to be signed by the European Union, India, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, the U.S. and other G20 partners. The move comes amid U.S. efforts for a broader diplomatic deal in the Middle East that would have Saudi Arabia recognise Israel. From the U.S. viewpoint, Finer added, the deal helps "turn the temperature down across the region" and "address a conflict where we see it".

Persons: Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, Joe Biden, Narendra Modi, Biden, Jon Organizations: Saudi, Saudi Arabian Crown, Indian, Global, Washington, European Union, United Arab Emirates Locations: Saudi Arabian, New Delhi, India, East, South Asia, U.S, Gulf, Europe, Saudi Arabia, Israel

As Telefonica's rivals slashed prices to attract internet users, the Spanish company also borrowed to invest in new mobile and internet networks. But the secrecy with which STC (7010.SE) built its stake did catch some observers off guard, the person said. Telefonica said it was informed Tuesday about STC'S investment, after the companies had become more acquainted in recent months. STC sought to keep the stake under wraps until it could buy at least 9.9% of Telefonica, the person said. Middle Eastern investors have been taking stakes in Spanish companies for some time.

Persons: Violeta Santos Moura, Jose Maria Alvarez, Pallete, Alvarez, Prince Mohammed bin Salman's, UGT, Morgan Stanley, Linklaters, Motaz Al Angari, Al Angari, pare, EFG Hermes, Nadia Calvino, Inti Landauro, Tomas Cobos, Amy, Jo Crowley, Pablo Mayo, John O'Donnell, Anousha, Elisa Martinuzzi, David Gregorio, Ros Russell Organizations: Spanish Telecom, REUTERS, Rights, Telefonica, STC Group, STC, Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, Foresight, Saudi, United Arab, Vodafone, Thomson Locations: Madrid, Spain, Rights DUBAI, MADRID, Silicon Valley, Saudi, Riyadh, Telefonica, Saudi Arabia, Spanish, Latin America, theocracies, United Arab Emirates, Iberdrola, Davos, Gulf, London

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