Riyadh sides with Moscow as Syrian rebels lose favour
Signs point to Mr Assad remaining in power during a transitional phase
Moscow
SAUDI Arabia may be the latest country to give up on regime change in Syria and fall in line with Russia's successful campaign to shore up President Bashar al-Assad.
There are signs that the nations, long at odds over Syria, are now cooperating over a settlement that would leave Mr Assad in place for the time being. The Saudis hosted a meeting of Syrian opposition factions last month, pushing for an accord between hardline anti-Assad groups and others less insistent on his immediate departure. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov arrived in Saudi Arabia Saturday for talks, before an expected visit to Moscow by King Salman next month.
BT is now on Telegram!
For daily updates on weekdays and specially selected content for the weekend. Subscribe to t.me/BizTimes
International
World food prices up in April for second month, says UN agency
Heatwave swells Asia's appetite for air-conditioning
Labour wins UK by-election as Tory PM Sunak stares at more losses
South Korea to slap fines on food suppliers for ‘shrinkflation’
Stormy Daniels’ ex-lawyer in the hot seat at Trump trial
New Zealand says ‘seriously concerned’ by China’s increased security actions in Pacific