In Saudi Arabia, more than 70% of the population is under the age of 35. And these days they are growing up reading manga (comics), watching anime films and TV shows, and playing video games. It’s the perfect workforce for Manga Productions, a Riyadh company that is in all of those businesses. Saudi kids are […]
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The law criminalized any performances that occurred or could have occurred in front of a minor if they are of a sexual nature. Performers could be charged with a misdemeanor (and face up to one year in jail, a $4,000 fine, or both), while any business that hosted the show would face a $10,000 fine. […]
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Many energy analysts think that oil prices will soon rise above $100 a barrel for the first time in more than a year, since the turmoil that followed Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The price of Brent crude, the international benchmark, has gained about 30 percent since the start of July, trading at about $96.50 a […]
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Parallel visits this week by an Israeli minister to Saudi Arabia and a Saudi envoy to the Israeli-occupied West Bank have highlighted the fast-warming ties between the Jewish state and the most powerful Arab country. In the first-ever public visit by an Israeli minister to the Arab kingdom, Haim Katz, the Israeli tourism minister, attended […]
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Laura: That seems really inconsistent, right? You’ve written about this a bit and, one could imagine they’re actually regretting taking that principled stand against China and trying to step away from it because it did cost them a lot. Jon: I don’t think there’s, there’s ethical regret. I think women’s tennis thought we’re going to […]
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Manga Productions is playing a unique role in the ambitious goal of bringing Saudi Arabia‘s entertainment industry into the modern world. There are many bigger companies in the country that outshine this maker of manga, anime and video games. But few carry as much hope, ambition and alignment with what the country’s leaders say they […]
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In recent weeks there has been a lot of discussion about Joe Biden’s age. He’s old. But you know what comes with age besides a slower gait and forgetting words? Wisdom — in particular how to handle a high-stakes diplomatic encounter without blowing things up (or blowing things up before you want them to blow […]
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A day after promising to “defend democracy,” President Biden brought up India and Saudi Arabia on Wednesday during a round of meetings at the United Nations — not to raise concerns about repression by either, but to hail them for helping establish a new economic corridor. “I think it’s a big deal,” he said. Perhaps […]
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For the first time since Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel returned to office last December, he and President Biden met face to face on Wednesday in a session that both soothed and aggravated tensions between the leaders and demonstrated Mr. Biden’s wider commitment to Israeli security. By ending his informal moratorium on in-person contact […]
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This is the shortest column I’ve ever written — because it doesn’t take long to get things in focus: President Biden, you are meeting Wednesday with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel, for the first time since he returned to office in December. He’s formed the most extreme government in Israel’s history and yet your […]
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American and Saudi officials are discussing terms of a mutual defense treaty that would resemble the robust military pacts that the United States has with its close allies Japan and South Korea, a central component in President Biden’s high-stakes diplomacy to get Saudi Arabia to normalize relations with Israel, according to U.S. officials. Under such […]
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Neymar’s endorsement was not, perhaps, the most ringing. Back in Brazil to play for his national team this month, he had been asked — not for the first time — to address the lingering suspicion that, in leaving Paris St.-Germain for Saudi Arabia and Al-Hilal, one of the finest players of his generation might not […]
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The Biden administration is working overtime to consolidate what is arguably Washington’s most significant advantage over its great power rivals, especially China. That advantage lies in the Middle East. More specifically, the United States has been pushing hard to forge a deal in which Washington would give formal security guarantees to Saudi Arabia and, in […]
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We’re thrilled to announce the return of GamesBeat Next, hosted in San Francisco this October, where we will explore the theme of “Playing the Edge.” Apply to speak here and learn more about sponsorship opportunities here. At the event, we will also announce 25 top game startups as the 2024 Game Changers. Apply or nominate today! A year […]
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In March, McConnell tripped and fell, suffering a concussion and cracked rib as a result; these injuries forced him to forgo his duties for nearly six weeks before he was finally able to return to Congress. His injury is a common one among older people, as an estimated 800,000 seniors per year are hospitalized for […]
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