It’s crickets for the Kingdom in the international press as the world has its attention split between the intensified regional tensions in the Middle East and the Paris olympics.

The President of Union Cycliste Internationale, David Lappartient, expressed his openness to Saudi investments in cycling, provided it doesn’t lead to the creation of a rival league. “You are welcome to cycling, we need to work together, and you also need to respect what the red lines are for the UCI, and what are the key principles: that we will never support a clone league,” Lappartient said, according to Bloomberg. Although the Kingdom has been exploring funding a new cycling league, progress has stalled, and Lappartient does not expect a breakaway league to materialize.

MEANWHILE- CNN reports that Saudi and US pressure has apparently led Russia to cancel a weapons sale to the Houthis last month, the cable news network cited sources it says are familiar with the matter.

(** Tap or click the headline above to read this story with all of the links to our background as well as external sources.)

Tags: