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☆ Iranian forces dangerously flashed a laser at a US Marine Corps attack helicopter
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-28 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Iranian naval ships repeatedly shined a laser at a US Marine Corps helicopter on Wednesday. NEW LOOK Sign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. AdvertisementAdvertisementIranian naval forces repeatedly flashed a laser at a US Marine Corps attack helicopter flying above Middle Eastern waters, the US Navy said on Thursday, as tensions between the two countries remain high across the region. This unsafe, unprofessional, and irresponsible behavior by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy risks US and partner nation lives and needs to cease immediately," Cmdr. "US naval forces remain vigilant and will continue to fly, sail and operate anywhere international law allows while promoting regional maritime security."

Persons: —, NAVCENT, It's, Cmdr, Rick Chernitzer, Trump, Michael Kurilla, Washington's, John Kirby, there's, Kirby Organizations: US Marine Corps, US Navy, Service, US Naval Forces Central Command, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy, Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy, 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, Iran's Guard Corps, Pentagon, US Central Command, Bataan, Ready, Guard Corps, National Security Locations: Iran, Arabian, Bataan, Iraq, Syria, Tehran

☆ Saudi Arabia announces crucial step forward in its nascent nuclear power plans
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-26 | by ( Natasha Turak | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

The announcement put the spotlight on the kingdom's nascent nuclear energy efforts — Saudi Arabia has a small nuclear reactor, a research unit set up with the help of Argentina, that it has not yet put into operation. The Saudi energy minister did not comment on whether his country would also join the IAEA's Additional Protocol, which requires more thorough oversight including snap inspections. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said in a recent wide-ranging interview with Fox News that if Iran developed nuclear weapons, Saudi Arabia would too. U.S. assistance with a nuclear energy program is one of Saudi Arabia's key demands — but not everyone is happy about that. The multilateral Obama-era deal had allowed the lifting of economic sanctions on Iran in exchange for curbs to its nuclear program.

Persons: Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Al, Mandel Ngan, Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman Al Saud, Rafael Grossi, Thomas Kronsteiner, Grossi, Saud, Prince Abdulaziz's, Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Mohammed bin Salman's, Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, Joe Biden, Narendra Modi, Evelyn Hockstein, Yair Lapid, Donald Trump, ATTA KENARE Organizations: Saudi, Crown, AFP, Getty Images, International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA, Saudi Energy, Governors, CSA, United, Fox News, CBS, West, Saudi Arabian Crown, Indian, Biden, Obama, Iranian, Getty Locations: Royal, Saudi, Jeddah, Getty Images Saudi Arabia, Vienna, Austria, Saudi Arabia, Argentina, United Arab Emirates, Iran, Russia, Ukraine, China, New Delhi, India, Riyadh, Washington, Israel, Tehran, Bushehr

☆ ‘Dark’ ships are faking their locations to move oil around the world — and it's likely worth billions of dollars
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-26 | by ( Lucy Handley | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

Maritime technology company Windward identified the area as a hub for smuggling oil. Cargo ships and car ferries cross the Kerch Strait, an area of "dark activity," according to marine technology company Windward. So that's definitely moved that focus into, okay, I'm now going to manipulate that signal," he told CNBC by video call. This can be done in a number of ways, a Spire spokesperson told CNBC by email. "If you're in the insurance industry, and you're not paying attention to this, you really need to start paying attention," Swift told CNBC by video call.

Persons: John Lusk, Christopher Swift, Foley, Lardner, We're, Lusk, Ami Daniel, Daniel, Good Hope, Iain Goodridge, Spire's, that's, I'm, " Goodridge, OFAC, Swift Organizations: Windward, Europa Press, Getty, Maritime Organization, AIS, Spire Maritime, Government, CNBC, Russia, Anadolu Agency, Venezuela, Spire, U.S . Treasury Department Locations: Morocco, Maritime, Ukraine, U.S, Russia, Kerch, Windward, Arabian, Venezuela, The U.S, East Asia, Angola, Venezuela's, South Africa's, Good, China, Malaysia

☆ Western rival to Belt and Road has much to prove
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-25 | by ( Hugo Dixon | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

LONDON, Sept 25 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Western countries have a window of opportunity to come up with a credible infrastructure plan for the developing world. U.S. President Joe Biden has been talking up the West’s so-called Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGII). To be fair, the G7 is stepping up efforts to involve the private sector. These initiatives are running in parallel with efforts to get the World Bank to cooperate more with the private sector. For developing countries, it is good to have two rival infrastructure initiatives competing for their attention.

Persons: Joe Biden, PGII, marshall, It’s, Hung Tran, Janet Yellen, Antony Blinken, Jordan, Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin, Peter Thal Larsen, Katrina Hamlin Organizations: Reuters, Initiative, Group, Democratic, Global Infrastructure, Investment, Atlantic Council, coy, Treasury, European, Bank, United Arab, China, Thomson Locations: Italy, Republic, India, Europe, Zambia, Angola, Democratic Republic of Congo, Indonesia, Vietnam, South Africa, Senegal, United States, China, East, New Delhi, Indonesian, New York, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Beijing

☆ Saudi Arabia's auto rental firm Lumi pops 30% in stock market debut
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-25 | by ( Natasha Turak | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Shares of Lumi soared as much as 30% on Monday at the Saudi Arabian auto rental firm debuted on the Riyadh stock exchange in a 1.09 billion riyal ($290 million) initial public offering. A unit of Saudi travel company Seera, Lumi listed 30% of its shares on the Saudi Tadawul exchange at an initial price of 66 riyals, at the top of their range. Prices shortly after rose to as high as 85.8 riyals per share. According to its IPO prospectus, Lumi is the third-largest car rental provider in the Saudi kingdom, capturing an estimated local market share of 7% in 2021. The company received more than $27 billion in bids from retail and institutional investors during its listing, according to Bloomberg, with the funds portion oversubscribed by nearly 95 times.

Persons: Lumi Organizations: Saudi, Bloomberg Locations: Saudi, Riyadh

☆ So many people want to attend a Middle East investment conference dubbed 'Davos in the desert' that they're charging $15,000 to get in the door
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-23 | by ( Polly Thompson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

About 5,000 delegates are paying $15,000 each to attend an investment conference in Riyadh next month. Growing interest in the conference also underlines Saudi Arabia's rising global influence. The annual event is the largest investment and business conference in the Middle East, and has been compared to Davos – the Swiss ski resort that hosts the World Economic Forum each January. As well as being a forum for discussion, the event is also an accelerator for Saudi investment opportunities. At last year's conference, more than 28 investment deals worth over $9 billion were signed, according to the US-Saudi Business Council.

Persons: Goldman Sachs, Sam Bankman, Jared Kushner, execs, Jamal Khashoggi, Prince Mohammed bin Salman's Organizations: Service, Future Investment Initiative, Street Journal, Economic, Bridgewater Associates, Saudi Business Council, Investment Initiative, FII Institute, Saudi Locations: Riyadh, Saudi, Wall, Silicon, Eastern, Davos, Saudi Arabian, Blackstone, BlackRock, Istanbul, FAYEZ, Saudi Arabia

☆ Saudi crown prince says he does not care about 'sportswashing' claims
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken (not pictured) meets with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, June 7, 2023. "If sportswashing (is) going to increase my GDP by 1%, then we'll continue doing sportswashing," the crown prince told Fox News. Saudi Arabia denies accusations of human rights abuses and says it protects its national security through its laws. When asked specifically about the term "sportswashing", the crown prince said: "I don't care. Saudi Arabia has been hosting a Formula One Grand Prix since 2021 and has also held boxing world title fights.

Persons: Antony Blinken, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, we'll, PIF, LIV, Hritika Sharma, Michael Perry Organizations: Saudi Crown, Saudi Royal Court, REUTERS, Saudi Arabian Crown, Fox News, Public Wealth Fund, Premier League, Newcastle United, PGA, Saudi Pro League, Thomson Locations: Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Bandar, Saudi, Hyderabad

☆ 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

☆ Everything you need to know about London Fashion Week Spring-Summer 2024
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( Leah Dolan | Nicole Mowbray | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

London CNN —London Fashion Week kicked off on Friday in the glow of a sweltering UK heatwave, and concluded on Tuesday after biblical showers and thunderstorms. More famous faces piled into the London fashion scene over the course of the week. Dave Benett/Courtesy BurberryHowever, some controversial collections and marketing choices brought London Fashion Week outside of the industry bubble and into the wider cultural conversation. Henry Nicholls/AFP/Getty ImagesErdem's collection was partly inspired by the protected stately home, Chatsworth House, in the North of England. Henry Nicholls/AFP/Getty ImagesAshish returned to the London Fashion Week runway after 4 years with a show that was suitably high-octane and glamorous.

Persons: JW Anderson, Erdem, Simone Rocha, Findikoglu, Halpern, Nensi, S.S, Daley, Anna Wintour, Sienna Miller, Jodie Turner, Smith, Princess Eugenie, Kate Winslet, Cole Sprouse, Suki Waterhouse, Charli, Ncuti Gatwa, Alexa Chung, Mo Farah, “, Damon Albarn, Rachel Weiss, Jodie Comer, Kylie Minogue, Burna Boy, Barry Keoghan, Dave Benett, Burberry —, Daniel Lee, —, Mowalola, HARRI, Sam Smith, JW, Kwok, Joe Maher, Crocs, Sinéad O’Dwyer, Molly Goddard, Victor Virgile, Gareth Cattermole, David, David Cronenberg, David Lynch, 16Arlington, Isamaya Ffrench, Jeff Spicer, Richard Quinn, ”, Goddard, Matty Bovan —, Bovan, ” Richard Quinn, Matty Bovan, tulle, Susan Fang, David Koma, David Lee’s Burberry, Giovanni Giannoni, Di Petsa, beading, Susan Fang's, Henry Nicholls, Chet Lo's, Wiktor, Chet Lo, Shane Anthony Sinclair, Stuart Wilson, TOVE, Daniel Lee's, Shutterstock Burberry, Ashish, Poppy Delevingne, Anderson, KNWLS — Organizations: London CNN, London, Burberry, Vogue, JW, Highbury, Fashion, Brit, BFC, Getty, National Theatre, National, Publishing, London's Barbican Center, British Locations: couture, London, North London, Saudi, Hong, Kong, Erdem, AFP, Englishness, Chatsworth House, North, England, Noor

☆ This storm chaser captures stunning photographs of extreme weather
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( Nadia Leigh-Hewitson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Ad FeedbackThough she is an accountant by trade, Sarah Hasan Al-Sayegh calls herself the first Kuwaiti-Arab female storm chaser. “Storm chasing made me see the world more,” she says. Al-Sayegh recalls that on May 31, 2016, she and fellow storm chaser Mike Olbinski came across a huge storm structure near Lamesa, Texas. She now hopes to expand her meteorological knowledge and raise awareness around climate change. “I just hope to be able to put that message to everybody through my photography and through my storm chasing,” Al-Sayegh says.

Persons: Sarah Hasan Al, Sayegh, ”, “, sandstorms, Storm Daniel, Mike Olbinski, “ Don’t, ” Al Organizations: CNN, UN, United Arab, Kuwait City Locations: Kuwaiti, Kuwait, East, North Africa, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Dubai, Libya, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Al, Lamesa , Texas, Gulf

☆ 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

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

China’s Foreign Ministry said Beijing was “strongly dissatisfied” with Baerbock’s comments and “firmly opposes” them. “The remarks made by Germany are extremely absurd, seriously infringe on China’s political dignity, and are an open political provocation,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a regular news briefing on Monday. The Chinese Foreign Ministry often leaves out content it deems sensitive from the transcripts of its regular briefings. In June, US President Joe Biden also referred to Xi as a “dictator,” sparking a fierce backlash from Beijing. As a result of this and China’s political decisions, we need to change our approach to China,” the paper said.

Persons: Xi, ”, Berlin’s, Annalena Baerbock, “, Putin, Germany’s, Patricia Flor, Mao Ning, Xi –, Joe Biden, Jiang Zemin, Mike Wallace, Jiang, Deng Xiaoping, Mao Zedong’s, Angela Merkel, Baerbock Organizations: CNN, Fox News, China’s, Ministry, Chinese Foreign Ministry, CBS, South China, Germany’s Greens Locations: China, Germany, United States, Ukraine, Beijing, Berlin, Moscow, Taiwan, South, “ China, Australian

☆ London fashion designer apologizes after Saudi-flag miniskirt controversy
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-18 | by ( Aimee Look | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Dubai, UAE CNN —London-based Nigerian fashion designer Mowalola Ogunlesi has apologized after stirring a backlash online for showcasing a miniskirt with a print of the Saudi Arabian flag in her Spring 2024 collection at London Fashion Week on Friday. The Mowalola collection contained various flags as miniskirts, including those of China, the UK and Japan. The Saudi flag is not typically printed on clothing out of respect for the holy inscription. The Saudi flag is never flown at half-staff at times of national mourning anywhere in the world. Users on X criticized the design in posts and comments, calling it “disrespectful” and “offensive.”This miniskirt isn’t the first time Mowalola has used religious symbols in designs.

Persons: Mowalola Ogunlesi, Mohammed, ”, FarFetch, Ogunlesi, “, I’ve, ” Ogunlesi, Mowalola Organizations: UAE CNN —, London, Saudi, Saudi Ministry, Commerce Locations: Dubai, UAE, UAE CNN — London, Saudi Arabian, China, Japan, Saudi, Saudi Arabia

☆ Japan's yen takes the spotlight in central bank week
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-18 | by ( Vidya Ranganathan | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The Bank of Japan's policy meeting on Friday is the highlight of the week in Asia, after Governor Kazuo Ueda stoked speculation of an imminent move away from ultra-loose policy. The yen was flat versus the greenback between 147.63 and 147.88 per dollar, with markets in Japan closed for a national holiday. "Anticipation of new BOJ rate guidance could support the yen into the meeting date, with the FOMC meeting also contributing to volatility this week," Chang said. The European Central Bank raised interest rates to 4% last week but said this hike could be its last. Futures are pricing in almost no chance that the Fed raises interest rates at the end of its two-day meeting next Wednesday.

Persons: Yen, Dado Ruvic, Kazuo Ueda, That's, Carol Kong, Kong, Ueda, Wei, Liang Chang, Chang, Sterling, Lincoln Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, U.S, The, of, U.S . Federal, Bank of, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, DBS Bank, European Central Bank, Japan, . U.S, Treasury, The Bank of England, Brent, Saudi, Global, Thomson Locations: Rights SINGAPORE, Asia, Bank of England, Japan, ., U.S, Ukraine

☆ Japan's yen in spotlight ahead of 'live' BOJ meeting
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-18 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

In a week packed with central bank meetings, decisions are also due from the U.S. Federal Reserve on Wednesday and Bank of England on Thursday. The yen was flat versus the greenback at 147.82 per dollar with markets in Japan closed for a national holiday. Carol Kong, economist and currency strategist at Commonwealth Bank of Australia, said she expects the yen to be volatile leading up to the policy meeting. "So that means dollar yen can track higher, particularly if Governor Ueda sounds dovish and dashes hopes of policy tightening at the upcoming meeting," she said. The European Central Bank raised interest rates to 4% last week but said this hike could be its last.

Persons: Kazuo Ueda, Carol Kong, Kong, Ueda, Sterling Organizations: U.S ., The, of, U.S . Federal Reserve, Bank of England, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, European Central Bank, Japan, . U.S, Treasury, Deutsche Bank Research, Brent, Saudi Locations: Asia, Japan, ., U.S, Ukraine

☆ 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

CALGARY, Alberta, Sept 18 (Reuters) - The CEOs of top Saudi Arabian and U.S. oil producers Aramco (2222.SE) and Exxon Mobil (XOM.N) on Monday pushed back against forecasts that oil demand will peak, and said the transition to cleaner energy to fight climate change would require continuing investment in conventional oil and gas. Speaking at the World Petroleum Congress in Calgary, Aramco CEO Amin Nasser said talk of peak oil demand had come up often before. Current demand is around 100 million bpd. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, which has also dismissed the IEA peak oil estimate, is more upbeat about demand, expecting growth of 2.44 million bpd this year to 102.1 million bpd, compared with the IEA's forecast of 2.2 million bpd of growth. This year's conference theme is the energy transition.

Persons: Amin Nasser, Nasser, Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, Prince Abdulaziz, Julia Levin, Darren Woods, Woods, Nia Williams, Rod Nickel, Christina Fincher, Marguerita Choy Organizations: Saudi Arabian, Aramco, Exxon Mobil, Monday, International Energy Agency, World Petroleum Congress, of, Petroleum, Congress, Saudi Arabia's Energy, IEA, Environmental Defence, Exxon, Thomson Locations: CALGARY, Alberta, Saudi, U.S, Calgary, Environmental Defence Canada

☆ Kylian Mbappé and Real Madrid: Soccer’s never-ending transfer saga
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-17 | by ( Thomas Schlachter | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

This, of course, is Kylian Mbappé’s much discussed, potential move from Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) to Real Madrid. The first time Real Madrid came calling for the boy from Bondy was when the forward was just 13 years old. Zinedine Zidane watches on as Mbappé plays against his Real Madrid team in 2019. I mean, that tells you the story through that.”Jude Bellingham (C) and Vinícius Júnior (R) are leading the next generation of Real Madrid stars. “The biggest failure for me would be that Real Madrid didn’t have a plan B if the Mbappé signing didn’t happen,” he adds.

Persons: Germain, Mbappé, Zinedine Zidane, ” Mbappé, ‘ Zidane, ’ ”, Anthony Dibon, Blancos, Emmanuel Macron, Macron, France’s, “, ”, ” France's, Francois Mori, Lindsay Sarah Krasnoff, it’s, Krasnoff, Bleus, –, de Cordée, Anne, Christine Poujoulat, ” Nabil Larbi, Billie Jean King’s, undesirables ’, PSG President Nasser Al, Kirill Kudryavtsev, David Beckham, Ronaldo Nazário, Zidane, Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaká, Florentino Pérez, Álvaro Romeo, Vinícius Jr, Jude Bellingham –, Dani Carvajal, I’m, ” Carvajal, ” Romeo, Romeo, he’s, ” Jude Bellingham, Vinícius, Jorge Guerrero, Merengues, Real, they’ve, Karim Benzema, Joselu Organizations: CNN, Paris Saint, PSG, AS Monaco, Real Madrid, Real, Players ’ Tribune, French national, League, The New York Times, Getty, CNN Sport, peerless, Fifth, Stade de France, Stade France, French, PSG President, City, Spain Real Madrid, Madrid Locations: Paris, Real Madrid, Madrid, Bondy, Spain, France, Fifth Republic, Republic, AFP, Greater Paris, Mbappé, Cameroon, Algeria, Bondy’s, Japan, City of, Spanish, Real, Saudi Arabian, Ittihad

☆ Here are three things we're watching in the markets in the week ahead
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-16 | by ( Zev Fima | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

The Softbank-owned chip designer's return to the public markets — the largest initial public offering since 2021 — was the highlight of the week. Those are the three things that we'll be focusing on in the week ahead. While struggling to snap back after Covid, China this week reported better-than-expected industrial output and stronger retail sales, signaling that things may be looking up. The United Auto Workers strike against Detroit's three biggest automakers will continue in the week ahead, barring a labor deal. ET: Fed Governor Lisa Cook is set to deliver the keynote address at the NBER's Economics of Artificial Intelligence Conference in Toronto, Canada.

Persons: —, Morgan Stanley, Wells Fargo, Jerome Powell's, Jim Cramer, it's, Jim Farley, Stanley Black, Decker, Eli Lilly, Jerome Powell, Mills, Lisa Cook, Jim Cramer's, Jim, Brendan McDermid Brendan Mcdermid Organizations: Nasdaq, Dow Jones, Federal, United Auto Workers, automakers, Fed, West Texas, Saudi, Coterra Energy, Natural Resources, Detroit's, UAW, General Motors, Chrysler, Ford, CNBC, Stanley, Housing, Apogee Enterprise, FedEx, KB, Darden, NBER's, Artificial Intelligence, Jim Cramer's Charitable, Traders, New York Stock Exchange, REUTERS Locations: U.S, Covid, China, WTI, Toronto, Canada, New York City

☆ The global treasures in the running for UNESCO’s World Heritage status
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-15 | by ( Tamara Hardingham-Gill | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

This year, the UNESCO World Heritage Committee is reviewing nominations from both 2022 and 2023, with participants from across the world attending the session in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia to examine almost 50 contenders. According to UNESCO, sites must be of “outstanding universal value” to be included on the World Heritage List. So far, the World Heritage Committee has inscribed approximately 1,157 sites in 167 different countries onto the World Heritage List. Seo Heun Kang/UNESCO World Heritage Nomination OfficeOnly those countries that sign the convention creating the World Heritage Committee and list are permitted to nominate sites. Gordion, the capital city of ancient Phrygia in Ankara, Turkey, is also nominated for a place on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Persons: John E, Seo Heun Kang, Bale, Gordion, Mustafa Ciftci, Midas, Morten Rasmussen, Sarah Langrand, Dominique Marck, Bani Ma’arid, Bani Ma'arid, Hamad Al Qahtani, Koh Ker, Mount Pelée, Canada Bale, Francesca Street Organizations: CNN, UNESCO, United Nations Educational, Cultural Organization, UNESCO World Heritage, Heritage, World, Anadolu Agency, Danish Agency for Culture, Fine Arts Department, de Nîmes, National Center for Wildlife, Architectural Museum, Kazan Federal University, Khinalig, Tunisia ESMA Museum, Clandestine Center of Detention, Wooden Posts, Greece Historic Center of Guimarães Locations: Gaya, Denmark, Thai, Ohio, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Hancock, United States, Goryeong, South Korea, Addis Ababa, Phrygia, Turkey, Ankara, B.C.E, Madagascar, Si Thep, Thailand, Si, Nîmes, France, Gorokhovets, Russia, Vladimir Oblast, Erfurt, Germany, Cambodia, Khmer, Courland, Latvia, Kaunas, Lithuania, Ab’aj, Guatemala, India, Karakum, Tajikistan, Menorca, Spain, Ethiopia, Iran, Klondike, Canada, Czech, Odzala, Kokoua, Congo, Mount, Northern Martinique, Benin Ha Long, Ba Archipelago, Vietnam, Forests, Azerbaijan, Jericho, Palestinian Territories, Kazan, Tunisia, Argentina, Belgium, Suriname Royal, Netherlands, Anatolia, Bisesero, Rwanda, Yogyakarta, Indonesia, Masouleh, Turan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Northern Apennines, Italy, Tajikistan Highlands, Mongolian, Mongolia, Greece, Portugal

☆ Canadian dollar posts biggest weekly gain since June
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-15 | by ( Fergal Smith | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A Canadian dollar coin, commonly known as the "Loonie", is pictured in this illustration picture taken in Toronto, January 23, 2015. The loonie was trading 0.1% lower at 1.3515 to the greenback, or 73.99 U.S. cents, after trading in a range of 1.3495 to 1.3549. For the week, it was up 0.9%, its biggest weekly advance since June. Much of the currency's weekly gain was down to selling of EUR-CAD, said Amo Sahota, director at Klarity FX in San Francisco. Canadian government bond yields rose across the curve on Friday, tracking moves in U.S. Treasuries.

Persons: Mark Blinch, Amo Sahota, Sahota, Fergal Smith, Andrea Ricci Organizations: REUTERS, greenback, Canadian, U.S, FX, European Central Bank, Saudi, Thomson Locations: Toronto, TORONTO, San Francisco, U.S

CNN —The Taliban has welcomed Zhao Sheng as China’s new ambassador to Afghanistan during a lavish ceremony held at the presidential palace in Kabul on Wednesday. China is among a handful of countries, including Pakistan, Iran and Russia that have maintained a diplomatic presence in Afghanistan since the Taliban retook control of the country in 2021. In the palace ceremony, Taliban Prime Minister Mohammad Hasan Akhund shook hands with Zhao and “accepted the credentials of the new Chinese Ambassador,” the prime minister’s office said on X, formerly known as Twitter. China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement the appointment was the “normal rotation of China’s ambassador to Afghanistan” and was “intended to continue advancing dialogue and cooperation” between the two countries, according to Reuters. The ministry said, “China’s policy toward Afghanistan is clear and consistent.”CNN has reached out to China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Persons: Zhao Sheng, Mohammad Hasan Akhund, Zhao, “, Mr Zhao Sheng, Zabiullah Mujahid, ”, Mujahid, Afghanistan ”, Qin Gang Organizations: CNN, Taliban, Honorable, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Reuters, Pakistan Economic Locations: Afghanistan, Kabul, Wednesday, China, Pakistan, Iran, Russia, China’s, Islamabad, Xinjiang

☆ Ashleigh Plumptre signs for Saudi Arabian team Al-Ittihad Ladies
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-14 | by ( George Ramsay | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Nigeria international Ashleigh Plumptre is set to join the Saudi Women’s Premier League after signing for Al-Ittihad. The 25-year-old defender, who previously spent three years with English team Leicester City, joins the Saudi league in its second season having just represented Nigeria at the Women’s World Cup. Plumptre vies for the ball with England's Alessia Russo at the Women's World Cup. The eight-team Saudi Women’s Premier League is about to embark on its second season, just five years after women first attended games in the Kingdom. Plumptre previously represented England at youth international level before switching allegiances to Nigeria, for whom she has made 15 appearances, including four at the recent Women’s World Cup.

Persons: Ashleigh Plumptre, Al, ” Plumptre, Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar Jr, Sadio Mané, Ballon d’Or, Karim Benzema, Plumptre vies, England's Alessia Russo, Mick O'Shea, Sportsfile, Plumptre, ”, it’s Organizations: CNN — Nigeria, Saudi Women’s Premier League, Al, Leicester City, Saudi, Saudi Pro League, “ Locations: Ittihad, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Kingdom, England, Al

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