Saudi football diplomacy: ‘In owning a club, there’s fast-track public relations that operates in sports’

Saudi football diplomacy: ‘In owning a club, there’s fast-track public relations that operates in sports’

The wish is for Saudi to become a tourist destination, hosting elite events such as boxing, golf and esports. It all forms part of Saudi Vision 2030, a government programme designed by MBS to diversify the economy before natural resources – and the world’s dependency on them – expire. A thriving entertainment sector to suit the needs of its young population is also high on the agenda.

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Premier League owners: In buying English football clubs Abu Dhabi and its brands have become part of UK image

Premier League owners: In buying English football clubs Abu Dhabi and its brands have become part of UK image

Manchester City’s was a takeover that pushed us towards the very modern term of “sportswashing” but it has yielded more than just reputational improvements in a part of the world where Amnesty International says freedom of expression is unduly restricted.

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Hindenburg Research: Our report released January 2023 identified Adani as the largest corporate con in history

Hindenburg Research: Our report released January 2023 identified Adani as the largest corporate con in history

It is unclear whether Gautam or Sagar Adani will appear in court, as they could try to get the indictment dismissed without appearing in the United States. Gautam Adani’s whereabouts are unclear, and none of the defendants are in custody, a spokesperson for US Attorney Breon Peace in Brooklyn said.

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War crimes: ICC to arrest Israel’s Netanyahu, Gallant and Hamas leader for starvation in Gaza and persecution of Palestinians

War crimes: ICC to arrest Israel’s Netanyahu, Gallant and Hamas leader for starvation in Gaza and persecution of Palestinians

ICC prosecutor Karim Khan announced on May 20 that he was seeking arrest warrants for alleged crimes connected to the Hamas-led attacks on Israel and the Israeli military response in Gaza.

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Kenya’s President Ruto quashes three mega-dollar tenders controversially awarded to Adani Group

Kenya’s President Ruto quashes three mega-dollar tenders controversially awarded to Adani Group

Adani Energy Solutions in October signed a 30-year, $736 million public-private partnership deal with the Kenya Electrical Transmission Company. A court suspended the contract in the same month after questions were raised about the transparency of the controversial deal.

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Russia raises stakes in war with Ukraine as it hits Dnipro city with intercontinental ballistic missile

Russia raises stakes in war with Ukraine as it hits Dnipro city with intercontinental ballistic missile

Ukrainska Pravda, a Kyiv-based media outlet, cited anonymous sources saying the missile was an RS-26 Rubezh, a solid-fuelled intercontinental ballistic missile with a range of 5,800 kilometres, according to the Arms Control Association.

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ICC hands al-Qaida-linked former Mali police chief 10 years in jail for war crimes

ICC hands al-Qaida-linked former Mali police chief 10 years in jail for war crimes

Mali, along with its neighbours Burkina Faso and Niger, has for over a decade battled an insurgency fought by armed groups, including some allied with al-Qaida or the Islamic State group. Following military coups in all three nations in recent years, the ruling juntas have expelled French forces and turned to Russia’s mercenary units for security assistance instead.

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Mali prime minister kicked out for raising concerns about timeline for return to civilian rule

Mali prime minister kicked out for raising concerns about timeline for return to civilian rule

Over the last decade, Mali, along with its neighbours Niger and Burkina Faso, has been shaken by extremist uprisings and military coups. The three Sahelian nations are now ruled by military leaders who have taken power by force on pledges of providing more security to citizens.

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For the love of rice, Sierra Leone launches push to free itself from costly food imports

For the love of rice, Sierra Leone launches push to free itself from costly food imports

Sierra Leone’s agriculture minister, Henry Kpaka Musa, accused the International Monetary Fund of pressuring Sierra Leone in the 1980s to stop investing in agriculture and open its markets to imports as a condition for receiving loans.

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Southern African governments extend stay of peacekeepers in war-torn eastern Congo by a year

Southern African governments extend stay of peacekeepers in war-torn eastern Congo by a year

The UN peacekeepers were meant to leave Congo next month, but soaring violence in the east by Rwanda-backed rebels has meant they are staying, with the country’s communication minister, Patrick Muyaya, stating there would be a new timeline for the force’s departure, although he didn’t give details.

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