Federal cabinet ministers are set for an in-depth discussion this week of the practical and political pressures being placed on the Liberal government by a rising number of asylum seekers in Canada. Border security, RCMP and immigration officials have been running scenarios to prepare for the possibility that a relative winter trickle of illegal immigration into Canada could turn into a spring flood.
Category: Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia to grant Indonesia $1B for economic development
Jakarta and Riyadh also inked an agreement that builds on an existing $6 billion deal between state-owned energy firms Aramco and Pertamina to expand an Indonesian oil refinery. Saudi Arabia and Indonesia Wednesday signed agreements in areas ranging from trade to aviation as Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman visited the world’s most populous Muslim-majority country.
Saudi king continues tour in Indonesia
Cheering crowds welcomed King Salman Wednesday as he began the first visit by a Saudi monarch to Indonesia for almost 50 years, seeking stronger economic ties with the world’s most populous Muslim-majority country. The king – who is accompanied by about 1,000 people, including princes and ministers – disembarked from his plane using an escalator as he arrived at an airport in Jakarta, the latest stop on an Asian tour.
Saudi Arabia wants oil prices to rise to around $60 in 2017
The Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, Russia and other producers pledged last year to cut production by about 1.8 million barrels per day from January 1. – Times file picture The Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, Russia and other producers pledged last year to cut production by about 1.8 million barrels per day from January 1. – Times file picture Dubai/London: Saudi Arabia wants crude oil prices to rise to around $60 a barrel this year, five sources from Opec countries and the oil industry said.
UPDATE 1-Hong Kong pins Aramco IPO hopes on China’s deep pockets
HONG KONG, Feb 27 Hong Kong’s stock exchange will bank on its role as a gateway to mainland China’s deep-pocketed investors to take on other leading venues and win the coveted $100 billion listing of Saudi Arabia’s giant state oil company, Aramco, it said on Monday. Charles Li, the CEO of Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing , said access to Chinese capital and China’s role as the world’s largest importer of oil made Hong Kong a viable contender in the frantic race between listing venues.
Saudi king begins multi-nation tour of Asia
Saudi Arabia’s King Salman, left, stands next to Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak after inspecting an honor guard during a welcoming ceremony at Parliament House in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Sunday, Feb. 26, 2017. Salman is on four-day official visit to Malaysia.
Saudi Aramco Said to Weigh Offering Citizens Discounted Shares
Saudi Arabian Oil Co. , gearing up for what may be the world’s biggest initial public offering, is considering offering discounted shares to the kingdom’s locals, according to people familiar with the matter.
Russia Overtakes Saudi Arabia as World’s Largest Crude Producer
Russia overtook Saudi Arabia as the world’s largest crude producer in December, when both countries started restricting supplies ahead of agreed cuts with other global producers to curb the worst glut in decades. Russia pumped 10.49 million barrels a day in December, down 29,000 barrels a day from November, while Saudi Arabia’s output declined to 10.46 million barrels a day from 10.72 million barrels a day in November, according to data published Monday on the website of the Joint Organisations Data Initiative in Riyadh.
Zakir Naik’s NGO money trails leads ED to Dawood
MUMBAI: Was the controversial preacher a part of the hawala racket being masterminded from Karachi? Security agencies monitoring Karachi-based businessmen close to D-Company and a `terror outfit masquerading as charitable and social organisation’ for funding Mumbai-based IRF. Three days after controversial preacher Zakir Naik’s chief financial officer Aamir Gazdar was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate for alleged money laundering, the trail has led the sleuths to Pakistan and the D-Company.
UK courts Saudi spenders with new tourism office in Riyadh
The British ambassador to Saudi Arabia , Simon Collis, has expected a rise in joint investment projects between Riyadh and London, hoping the number of Saudi visitors to the United Kingdom would surge after the British Tourism Authority inaugurated its first office in Saudi Arabia. The diplomat told Asharq Al-Awsat that the Gulf countries have always been an important source for the British tourism economy.
How Trump Is Empowering the Saudi Destruction of Yemen
The Trump administration seems to have abandoned the possibility of a diplomatic resolution to the Saudi-led destruction of Yemen. In his first few weeks in office Trump approved a disastrous Navy SEAL raid in the interior, parked a guided missile destroyer with history in Yemen off its coast, and now might approve major arms shipments to Arab Gulf states currently under scrutiny for war crimes in the country.
Last week’s best reads: Pengrowth, Fairfax, TMX
Debt-heavy Pengrowth Energy Corp. is in talks to sell approximately $500-million in Alberta oil and gas assets to Infor Acquisition Corp., the latest sign of financial companies stepping up for energy assets, according to people familiar with the matter. Story Fairfax Financial Holdings Ltd. is preparing a bid to acquire New Zealand-based insurance company Tower Ltd. in a deal valued at about $140-million , according to people familiar with the sale process.
Last week’s best reads: Pengrowth, Fairfax, TMX
Debt-heavy Pengrowth Energy Corp. is in talks to sell approximately $500-million in Alberta oil and gas assets to Infor Acquisition Corp., the latest sign of financial companies stepping up for energy assets, according to people familiar with the matter. Story Fairfax Financial Holdings Ltd. is preparing a bid to acquire New Zealand-based insurance company Tower Ltd. in a deal valued at about $140-million , according to people familiar with the sale process.
Court rejects Trump appeal to restore travel ban
A U.S. appeal court late on Saturday denied an emergency appeal from the U.S. Department of Justice to restore an immigration order from President Donald Trump barring citizens from seven mainly Muslim countries and temporarily banning refugees. Ivor Bennett reports.
U.S. Travel Restrictions Put Saudi Arabia in a Bind
Saudi Arabia, the birthplace of Islam and home to the religion’s two holiest sites, has long used its religious clout to project its role as a regional leader. Now that same clout has caught the kingdom in a prickly dilemma.
U.S. Travel Restrictions Put Saudi Arabia in a Bind
Saudi Arabia, the birthplace of Islam and home to the religion’s two holiest sites, has long used its religious clout to project its role as a regional leader. Now that same clout has caught the kingdom in a prickly dilemma.
Longtime US residents, aspiring citizens caught up in ban
Nour Ulayyet foreground, looks on after her sister Sahar Algonaimi was not permitted to enter the United States while comforting her mother Isaaf Jamal Eddin at Munster Community Hospital Saturday, Jan. 28, 2017, in Munster, Ind.
Trump and Saudi king agree tosupport safe zones in Syria
US President Donald Trump and Saudi Arabian King Salman bin Abd Al-Aziz “agreed to support safe zones in Syria” in a phone call on Sunday, the White House said, marking a potentially dramatic shift in WashingtonA s posture toward the civil war there. The White House cast TrumpA s support for safe zones in Syria as just one of many policy ideas that will “help the many refugees who are displaced” from the war, which has prompted the worst refugee crisis since World War II.
Trump and Saudi king agree to support safe zones in Syria
US President Donald Trump and Saudi Arabian King Salman bin Abd Al-Aziz “agreed to support safe zones in Syria” in a phone call on Sunday, the White House said, marking a potentially dramatic shift in Washington’s posture toward the civil war there. The White House cast Trump’s support for safe zones in Syria as just one of many policy ideas that will “help the many refugees who are displaced” from the war, which has prompted the worst refugee crisis since World War II.
Saudi economic agenda tied to human rights
An economic agenda in Saudi Arabia, Vision 2030, which aims to boost non-oil revenue could lead to a better human rights record, the United Nations said. According to assessments from the Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, most people in Saudi Arabia are “convinced” poverty has been eradicated in the country.
Saudi Arabia says mosque attack planner killed in shootout
Saudi Arabia says the man who planned a suicide bombing in July outside of the mosque where the Prophet Muhammad is buried is one of the two extremists killed in a shootout with police in Riyadh. Interior Ministry spokesman Maj.
“GCC Fire Extinguishers Market 2016-2020” Now Available at Fast Market Research
The rising levels of urbanization, supported by infrastructure development projects in the GCC, is the key growth driver behind the demand for fire extinguishers. The Civil defense department in GCC has also laid down guidelines that the building owners need to follow while operating different types of buildings.
Osama bin Laden’s son designated as a terrorist by State Department
The State Department announced today that Osama bin Laden’s son, Hamza, has been added to the US government’s list of designated terrorists. State cites Hamza’s appearances in al Qaeda’s propaganda since Aug. 2015 as evidence of his important role.
Saudi Arabia: Four new MERS cases, one death, one recovery as of noon January 4
Via the KSA MOH Command and Control Center: MOH: ‘4 New Confirmed Corona Cases Recorded’ . One of the male cases, a 58-year-old Saudi man in Riyadh, is asymptomatic; he is a secondary household contact.
Hunt is on for Istanbul attacker
Turkish media reports say that authorities believe that the Islamic State group is behind the attack on a popular Istanbul nightclub during New Year’s celebrations. Hurriyet and Karar newspaper reports Monday cited unnamed security officials saying that authorities have determined that the gunman who killed 39 people comes from a Central Asian nation and is believed to be either from Uzbekistan or Kyrgyzstan.
BRIEF-Inventergy announces signing of definitive agreement with Fortress Investment Group
RIYADH, Dec 23 Saudi Arabia’s government plans to provide 200 billion riyals of incentives to the private sector over the next four years in its drive to diversify the economy beyond oil, according to an official planning document. SAO PAULO, Dec 23 Latin American stocks and currencies seesawed on Friday in muted trading ahead of the Christmas weekend.
Ukraine’s Antonov rolls out first AN-132D aircraft
The plane was rolled out during a ceremony attended by high-ranking government officials, including Ukraine President Petro Poroshenko and Saudi Prince Turki bin Saud bin Muhoammed Al Saud. Poroshenko presented an optimistic vision for aircraft during a speech.
Sir Michael Fallon welcomed Saudi Arabia’s confirmation it will not use more BL-755 cluster bombs
Sir Michael Fallon told MPs a “limited number” of BL-755 cluster munitions exported from the UK in the 1980s were dropped by the Arab coalition in January. But he said the coalition claimed the bombs were used against a “legitimate military target” meaning international humanitarian law had not been breached.
Sir Michael Fallon welcomed Saudi Arabia’s confirmation it will not use more BL-755 cluster bombs
Sir Michael Fallon told MPs a “limited number” of BL-755 cluster munitions exported from the UK in the 1980s were dropped by the Arab coalition in January. But he said the coalition claimed the bombs were used against a “legitimate military target” meaning international humanitarian law had not been breached.