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QUOTED
“At Diriyah Palace in Riyadh, the talks began without visible handshakes, and no statements were made. A stern-faced US Secretary of State Marco Rubio sat across from Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, with US National Security Advisor Mike Waltz and Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff by his side. Lavrov was accompanied by senior Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov. Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan and National Security Adviser Musaad bin Mohammad al-Aiban also attended.” US-Russia hold talks in Riyadh without Ukraine [Le Monde]
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TOP STORY
It’s a busy period in Saudi Arabia as the kingdom hosts high level U.S. and Russia talks, welcomes the U.S. Secretary of State as well as the Ukrainian President and, perhaps, sets the stage for U.S.-Iran discussions. [more]
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MORE TOP STORYLINES
in lemonde.fr: Top United States and Russian diplomats met in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, February 18, for talks on resetting their fractured relations, the first such discussions since the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Both sides downplayed expectations of a breakthrough in this first high-level meeting between the countries since US President Donald Trump took office. Still, the very fact the encounter is taking place has triggered concern in Ukraine and Europe following the US recent overtures towards the Kremlin. At Diriyah Palace in Riyadh, the talks began without visible handshakes, and no statements were made. A stern-faced US Secretary of State Marco Rubio sat across from Russias Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, with US National Security Advisor Mike Waltz and Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff by his side. Lavrov was accompanied by senior Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov. Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan and National Security Adviser Musaad bin Mohammad al-Aiban also attended.
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Via Jonathan Fulton in agbi.com: Hardly a day goes by without a story about China’s growing presence in the Gulf, which is a remarkable transition. When I started working on a PhD focusing on China-GCC relations in 2011, an economist at a regional sovereign wealth fund dismissed the project out of hand: “How are you going to write 100,000 words on selling cheap stuff and buying oil”? Nearly 15 years later the narrative has shifted hard in the other direction, with China generally considered a major external power in the region. That does not mean its role in the Gulf is any better understood. First and foremost, the Gulf remains a place to get energy. For decades, China has had a voracious appetite for imported oil and gas and it will continue to be the world’s largest importer in the near term. Gulf countries typically provide it with between 40-50 percent of its crude oil imports and an increasingly large percentage of its LNG.
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Via Steve McCaskill in sportspro.com: Saudi Arabia’s SURJ Sports Investment, a subsidiary of the country’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), has acquired a minority stake in sports streaming service DAZN. PIF has been linked with an investment in the broadcaster for several months, with reports earlier this year suggesting it was seeking a ten per cent share in the company for US$1 billion. Financial terms have not been confirmed, but the two parties have also committed to establishing DAZN Middle East and North Africa (MENA), a joint venture which will create broadcasting opportunities for Saudi Arabia’s expanding sports portfolio. Acquiring a stake in DAZN will allow Saudi Arabia to amplify its sporting ambitions. Saudi Pro League clubs have invested significantly in playing talent, while PIF has bankrolled the LIV Golf tour, acquired Premier League soccer club Newcastle United and become a sponsor of the ATP and WTA tennis tours.
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MORE ON THE KINGDOM AND BEYOND
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Saudi Arabia‘s Red Sea Global’s newest ultra-luxury offering, Desert Rock Resort, has quickly established itself as a global draw since...[By Tala Michel Issa via arabianbusiness.com]
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The report sheds light on financial performance during the fourth quarter of last year, including revenues, expenditures, and public debt indicators. It highlighted a 21...[via com.sa]
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Unlike Abu Dhabi-backed Manchester City, which has dominated English soccer over the past decade, and Qatari-backed Paris Saint-Germain, which has done likewise in France, it...[By James Robson via apnews.com]
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Trump’s renewal of the maximum pressure campaign could lead to rising tensions in the Gulf after a brief period of relative stability. The Saudis remember...[By Sultan al-Amer via newlinesinstitute.org]
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Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman congratulated Mark Carney on Friday, on the occasion of the formation of the new government headed by him...[via arabnews.com]
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Saudi Arabia has arrested more than 50 people, including 11 women on prostitution charges, in a new crackdown on “immoral acts” amid ongoing social and...[via middleeastmonitor.com]
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Saudi Arabia and Indonesia are set to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to facilitate the recruitment of domestic workers from Indonesia to Saudi...[via argaam.com]
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The Ministry of Interior conducted inspection campaigns across Saudi Arabia between March 6 and March 12 to ensure compliance with residency, labor, and border security...[via saudigazette.com]
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Saudi Arabia is set to launch a groundbreaking global Twenty20 league, backed by its $1 trillion sovereign wealth fund. Spearheaded by Australian cricket figure Neil Maxwell,...[via geosuper.tv]
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The Saudi Architecture Characters Map highlights 19 architectural styles inspired by geographical, natural and cultural characteristics, derived...[via saudigazette.com]
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Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture Eng. Abdulrahman Al-Fadley witnessed on Sunday the signing of an agreement between the Environment Fund and the Small and...[via saudigazette.com]
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Developer Diriyah Company — backed by Public Investment Fund — secured $1.6 billion in financing to develop the Wadi Safar project, an upscale residential...[By Kelsey Warner via semafor.com]
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The United States will keep attacking Yemen's Houthis until they end...[By Phil Stewart, Mohammed Ghobari and Gabriella Borter via reuters.com]
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Improvements in the availability and quality of digital infrastructure and services have yet to impact productivity growth in the Gulf economies...[By Valentina Pasquali via agbi.com]
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CERAWeek, the annual gathering of the energy elite in Houston, Texas, is an intense crash course in the state of world...[By Frank Kane via agbi.com]
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Between 10am and 4:30pm on March 11 the tariff rate on Canadian aluminium and steel imports to the US was hiked...[By Robin Mills via agbi.com]
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S&P Global Ratings has raised Saudi Arabia’s credit rating for the first time in two years, citing the country’s economic...[By John Benny via thenationalnews.com]
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Israel will begin indirect negotiations with the Palestinian militant group Hamas on the second phase of the ...[via reuters.com]
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