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  • Perspective: The Puzzle of U.S.-Saudi Ties

    While many Americans profess indifference, the United States does have an interest in facilitating the Middle East’s transition to more diversified economies. It has an interest, too, in encouraging its partners to have more open societies that will be resilient in the face of global change. Not all of Saudi Arabia’s potential partners have much interest in either. For the Saudis, this will be hard work, and it will take decades. The time is now to make it a central part of U.S. strategy toward the region.

  • U.S. Ratings at Record Low as Trump Exited, Rally Under Biden

    A new Gallup report shows that as of early August 2021, across 46 countries and territories, median approval of U.S. leadership stood at 49%. This rating is up from the 30% median approval at the end of Donald Trump's presidency and matches the rating during former President Barack Obama's first year in office in 2009.

  • U.S. envoy to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad resigns

    In his resignation letter, Khalilzad implied that the elected Afghan government bore some responsibility for the failure to reach an accord: "they failed to make use of this opportunity to end their 40-year conflict in a constructive spirit and fair compromise."

  • Saudi foreign ministry says discussed Iran nuclear program with U.S. Blinken

    Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud met U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Washington and exchanged views on Iran's nuclear program and international talks on the matter, Saudi Arabia's foreign ministry said in a statement on Friday. "Had a productive meeting today with my friend Secretary Blinken, during which we discussed a range of issues of common interest & concern to both our nations & ways to strengthen our strategic partnership & cooperation on multiple fronts," Al Saud said in a twitter post on Friday. Al Saud also met the U.S. Special Envoy for Iran, Robert Malley, and discussed intensifying joint efforts against "Iranian violations of international treaties related to the nuclear agreement," the Saudi foreign ministry said.

  • Abu Dhabi fund Mubadala unit acquires a U.S. franchisee of Taco Bell

    Mubadala Capital, an asset management subsidiary, bought K-MAC from Lee Equity Partners Opportunity Fund, the unit said in the statement. K-MAC operates over 300 Taco Bell restaurants, mostly in the midwestern and southern United States, it said.

  • U.S. will move forward with reopening its Palestinian mission in Jerusalem -Blinken

    U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Wednesday the Biden administration intends to press ahead with its plan to reopen the Jerusalem consulate that traditionally engaged with Palestinians, despite Israeli opposition to such a move. Blinken reiterated a pledge he originally made months ago on re-establishing the consulate, which had long been a base for diplomatic outreach to the Palestinians before it was closed by President Joe Biden’s predecessor, Donald Trump, in 2018.

  • U.S. hopes Abraham Accords will help Israeli-Palestinian issue – officials

    In a briefing with reporters previewing U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken's meetings on Wednesday with his Israeli and Emirati counterparts, officials repeated that the Abraham Accords were not a substitute for the two-state solution between Israelis and Palestinians.

  • U.S. Likely to Ask OPEC for More Oil Supplies, Yergin Says

    “Joe Biden knows that high gasoline prices are not good for incumbents,” Yergin, vice chairman of IHS Markit, said Monday in a Bloomberg TV interview. “We’ll certainly be hearing more from the administration.” In August, the Biden administration called on Saudi Arabia and its allies to unload more crude onto global markets, while stressing the importance of “affordable energy.” The Biden administration doesn’t have a lot of tools to deal with current elevated prices, Yergin said.

  • Arabs ease Assad’s isolation as U.S. looks elsewhere

    "U.S. allies in the Arab world have been encouraging Washington to lift the siege on Damascus and allow for its reintegration into the Arab fold," said David Lesch, a Syria expert at Trinity University in Texas. "It appears the Biden administration, to some degree, is listening." It marks a shift from the early years of the conflict when Syria was expelled from the Arab League and states including Saudi Arabia, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates backed some of the rebels that fought Assad.

  • U.S. says Taliban talks in Doha were ‘candid and professional’

    State Department spokesman Ned Price said the U.S. delegation at the weekend talks in Doha, Qatar, focused on security and terrorism concerns and safe passage for U.S. citizens, other foreign nationals and Afghans, as well as on human rights, including the meaningful participation of women and girls in all aspects of Afghan society.