Posts

Showing posts from May, 2019

Saudi Arabia banking on Muslim and Arab summits to strengthen its hand. Don’t believe the hype

Image
Asian Angle  by James M. Dorsey Saudi Arabia banking on Muslim and Arab summits to strengthen its hand. Don’t believe the hype A podcast version of this story is available on Soundcloud, Itunes , Spotify , Stitcher , TuneIn , Spreaker , Pocket Casts and Tumblr ·         Strongly worded statements are the most likely outcome given the divisions in the region after eight years of war in Syria and inaction over Yemen’s humanitarian crisis ·         Riyadh hopes three high-level gatherings in two days will bolster its position as a leader of the Islamic and Arab world James M. Dorsey    Published: 5:49pm, 31 May, 2019 Saudi King Salman opened the Arab summit with a call for a “decisive and repelling stand” that would stop alleged Iranian aggression. Photo: AP Three back-to-back, high-level  Muslim and Arab summits  held over the past two days are likely to yield very little despite t

Eyeing UK soccer clubs: Gulf buyers come with baggage

Image
By James M. Dorsey A podcast version of this story is available on Soundcloud, Itunes , Spotify , Stitcher , TuneIn , Spreaker , Pocket Casts and Tumblr The bitter Gulf rift between Qatar and its Saudi and United Arab Emirates-led detractors could spill on to the pitches of English soccer. A flurry of reports suggest that the Gulf rivals are seeking to buy big name English clubs. Abu Dhabi billionaire Sheikh Khaled bin Zayed Al Nahayan, a member of the emirate’s ruling family, said this week that he had agreed terms with Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley to buy the Premier League club. Meanwhile , Qatar reportedly was in talks to purchase Leeds United while Saudi Arabia has been rumoured to be circling Manchester United . Stepped-up Gulf interest could take the region’s rivalry from the European level, where the UAE’s acquisition more than a decade ago of Manchester City and Qatar’s buying of Paris Saint-Germain set examples, into a national competit