Live updates: Follow the latest on Israel-Gaza
Marco Rubio, the US Secretary of State, on Monday arrived in Saudi Arabia, where discussions with Russian officials aimed at ending the war in Ukraine are set to take place.
Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov arrived in Riyadh later in the day. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the talks would focus primarily on “restoring the entire complex of US-Russian relations, as well as preparing possible talks on the Ukrainian settlement and organising a meeting of the two presidents".
Mr Rubio was in Tel Aviv before heading to Riyadh, where he is set to meet Saudi leaders before continuing on to the UAE. It is his first tour of the Middle East in his new role in President Donald Trump's administration.
Accompanying Mr Rubio on the trip are Middle East special envoy Steve Witkoff and National Security Adviser Mike Waltz. The talks, scheduled for Tuesday, follow a phone conversation between Mr Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, after which the US President directed senior officials to initiate negotiations on the war in Ukraine, which he repeatedly vowed to end during his presidential campaign.
Saudi Arabia has positioned itself increasingly as a mediator in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, leveraging its ties with both sides. Analysts suggest Mr Trump’s choice of Riyadh as the venue for the talks is a logical move.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is also in the region. He told reporters in Kyiv in a video conference on Monday from the UAE that Ukraine “knew nothing about” the talks, which will have “no result” without its involvement.
“We cannot recognise anything or any agreements about us without us,” he said.
Mr Zelenskyy added that he plans to ask Saudi officials during meetings this week about the details of the US-Russia talks. He is set to arrive in Riyadh on Wednesday — a visit that was planned in advance and is unrelated to the US-Russia discussions.
At the weekend, Mr Zelenskyy told US media he informed Mr Trump that the Russian President is pretending he wants a deal only because he is “afraid of him”.
Future of Gaza
Mr Rubio met Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Saudi Arabia, where discussions are likely to focus on Mr Trump’s proposal for the resettlement of Gaza’s Palestinian population into other Arab nations, with the US then leading the reconstruction of Gaza.
The plan has faced fierce resistance across the region. Arab nations, including Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar, have strongly opposed the proposal, forming a united front to block it. Even Washington’s closest allies in the region have recoiled at the idea.
Gaza has been devastated by the war that broke out when Iran-backed militants Hamas attacked southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing about 1,200 people and taking 250 hostage, according to Israeli tallies. The offensive Israel launched in response killed more than 48,200 Palestinians, according to Gaza health authorities, before an agreement reached last month brought about the current fragile ceasefire, which is still holding.
Prince Mohammed has repeatedly said Saudi Arabia would not establish relations with Israel – a long-standing US goal – without a clear agreement on a pathway to Palestinian statehood.
After meeting with Mr Rubio, Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he was working to make Mr Trump's plan to remove and resettle Gaza's population “a reality”.
Iran mediation
Reports emerged ahead of Mr Rubio’s visit that Saudi Arabia is open to mediating between the Trump administration and Iran to bring about a new agreement on Tehran's nuclear programme, according to CNN. This comes after a series of regional shifts, including the weakening of Iran's allied forces in the Middle East.
Saudi Arabia's willingness to act as an intermediary reflects its strategic interest in regional stability and preventing Iran from advancing its nuclear capabilities. The kingdom aims to use its relationship with Mr Trump to provide a diplomatic channel for Iran to engage with the US, CNN reported.
Israel and the US remain committed to countering Iran’s nuclear ambitions and regional influence, Mr Netanyahu said on Sunday after his meeting with Mr Rubio.
Saudi Arabia and Iran restored diplomatic ties in March 2023, in a deal brokered by China.
Score
Third Test, Day 2
New Zealand 274
Pakistan 139-3 (61 ov)
Pakistan trail by 135 runs with 7 wickets remaining in the innings
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
Desert Warrior
Starring: Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley
Director: Rupert Wyatt
Rating: 3/5
Abramovich London
A Kensington Palace Gardens house with 15 bedrooms is valued at more than £150 million.
A three-storey penthouse at Chelsea Waterfront bought for £22 million.
Steel company Evraz drops more than 10 per cent in trading after UK officials said it was potentially supplying the Russian military.
Sale of Chelsea Football Club is now impossible.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The biog
DOB: March 13, 1987
Place of birth: Jeddah, Saudi Arabia but lived in Virginia in the US and raised in Lebanon
School: ACS in Lebanon
University: BSA in Graphic Design at the American University of Beirut
MSA in Design Entrepreneurship at the School of Visual Arts in New York City
Nationality: Lebanese
Status: Single
Favourite thing to do: I really enjoy cycling, I was a participant in Cycling for Gaza for the second time this year
Classification of skills
A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation.
A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.
The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000.
Know your Camel lingo
The bairaq is a competition for the best herd of 50 camels, named for the banner its winner takes home
Namoos - a word of congratulations reserved for falconry competitions, camel races and camel pageants. It best translates as 'the pride of victory' - and for competitors, it is priceless
Asayel camels - sleek, short-haired hound-like racers
Majahim - chocolate-brown camels that can grow to weigh two tonnes. They were only valued for milk until camel pageantry took off in the 1990s
Millions Street - the thoroughfare where camels are led and where white 4x4s throng throughout the festival
RESULTS - ELITE MEN
1. Henri Schoeman (RSA) 57:03
2. Mario Mola (ESP) 57:09
3. Vincent Luis (FRA) 57:25
4. Leo Bergere (FRA)57:34
5. Jacob Birtwhistle (AUS) 57:40
6. Joao Silva (POR) 57:45
7. Jonathan Brownlee (GBR) 57:56
8. Adrien Briffod (SUI) 57:57
9. Gustav Iden (NOR) 57:58
10. Richard Murray (RSA) 57:59
RESULTS
Dubai Kahayla Classic – Group 1 (PA) $750,000 (Dirt) 2,000m
Winner: Deryan, Ioritz Mendizabal (jockey), Didier Guillemin (trainer).
Godolphin Mile – Group 2 (TB) $750,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Secret Ambition, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar
Dubai Gold Cup – Group 2 (TB) $750,000 (Turf) 3,200m
Winner: Subjectivist, Joe Fanning, Mark Johnston
Al Quoz Sprint – Group 1 (TB) $1million (T) 1,200m
Winner: Extravagant Kid, Ryan Moore, Brendan Walsh
UAE Derby – Group 2 (TB) $750,000 (D) 1,900m
Winner: Rebel’s Romance, William Buick, Charlie Appleby
Dubai Golden Shaheen – Group 1 (TB) $1.5million (D) 1,200m
Winner: Zenden, Antonio Fresu, Carlos David
Dubai Turf – Group 1 (TB) $4million (T) 1,800m
Winner: Lord North, Frankie Dettori, John Gosden
Dubai Sheema Classic – Group 1 (TB) $5million (T) 2,410m
Winner: Mishriff, John Egan, John Gosden
The specs
Engine: four-litre V6 and 3.5-litre V6 twin-turbo
Transmission: six-speed and 10-speed
Power: 271 and 409 horsepower
Torque: 385 and 650Nm
Price: from Dh229,900 to Dh355,000
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
RESULTS
2pm: Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 (Dirt) 1,200m
Winner: Najem Al Rwasi, Fabrice Veron (jockey), Ahmed Al Shemaili (trainer)
2.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 2,000m
Winner: Fandim, Fernando Jara, Majed Al Jahouri
3pm: Maiden (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 1,700m
Winner: Harbh, Pat Cosgrave, Ahmed Al Mehairbi
3.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 1,700m
Winner: Wakeel W’Rsan, Richard Mullen, Jaci Wickham
4pm: Crown Prince of Sharjah Cup Prestige (PA) Dh200,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner: Jawaal, Fernando Jara, Majed Al Jahouri
4.30pm: Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Cup (TB) Dh200,000 (D) 2,000m
Winner: Tailor’s Row, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer
