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☆ Saudi denies oil output hike discussion, says OPEC+ may cut if needed
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The Wall Street Journal earlier on Monday reported an output increase of 500,000 barrels per day was under discussion for the next meeting of OPEC and its allies, known as OPEC+, on Dec. 4. Oil prices, which had slid more than 5% to below $83 a barrel after the Wall Street Journal report , pared losses following the minister's comments. Last month, OPEC+ unexpectedly decided to reduce output targets sharply. It would be unusual for the group to increase production at a time of declining prices and growing concern about the economic outlook. Prince Abdulaziz was also quoted as saying OPEC+ was ready to reduce output further if needed.

☆ Saudi Arabia eyes OPEC+ production increase - WSJ
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Nov 21 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia and other OPEC oil producers are discussing an output increase, the Wall Street Journal reported on Monday, citing unidentified delegates within the group. An increase of up to 500,000 barrels per day is now under discussion for OPEC+'s Dec. 4 meeting, the report said. Last month, OPEC+ unexpectedly decided to reduce output targets sharply and it would be unusual for the group to increase production at a time of declining prices and concern about the economic outlook. The WSJ said talk of a production increase has emerged after U.S. President Joe Biden's administration told a federal court judge that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman should have sovereign immunity from a U.S. federal lawsuit related to the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. The energy minister for Saudi Arabia, the OPEC+ de-facto leader, was quoted as saying earlier this month the group will remain cautious.

☆ Soccer Qatar's Bedouin roots star in World Cup opening ceremony
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-20 | by ( Andrew Mills | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

"From Qatar, from the Arab world, I welcome everyone to the World Cup 2022," Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani said. "How lovely it is that people can put aside what divides them to celebrate their diversity and what brings them together." Then, fireworks exploded from the roof of Al Bayt stadium, 44 km (27 miles) north of the capital, Doha. Earlier, the nearly full stadium erupted in cheers when Sheikh Tamim arrived at the stadium flanked by FIFA president Gianni Infantino. The ceremony featured video footage of Sheikh Tamim as a boy playing soccer in the desert, which seemed aimed at countering the argument made by Qatar's critics that the Gulf Arab state has no soccer tradition.

☆ China-Canada clash between Xi and Trudeau reminds autocrats what the free world is like
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-19 | by ( Brett Bruen | Brett Bruen Was The Director Of Global Engagement In The Obama White House | A Career American Diplomat. He Currently Runs Crisis Communications Agency The Global Situation Room | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +6 min

Then there were the reported leaks about Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau taking China’s President Xi Jinping to task for alleged malicious meddling in his country’s elections. What these leaders most detest, as evidenced by Xi’s videotaped temper tantrum with Trudeau, is transparency. Leaders like Xi and Putin are starting to realize their limits, along with the liabilities that come with surrounding themselves with sycophants. What these leaders most detest, as evidenced by Xi’s videotaped temper tantrum with Trudeau, is transparency. Obama held three times as many joint press conferences with world leaders at this point in his presidency.

☆ Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman to attend Qatar World Cup on Sunday
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Nov 20 (Reuters) - Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman arrived in Doha late on Saturday to attend the opening ceremony of the World Cup on Sunday, the Amiri Diwan of Qatar said. Saudi Arabia and Qatar have improved ties after a resolution early last year to end a political row that had led to Saudi Arabia, along with UAE, Bahrain and Egypt, boycotting Doha for over three years. Reporting by Omar Fahmy and Mahmoud MouradOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Bandar Algaloud/Courtesy of Saudi Royal Court/Handout via REUTERSWASHINGTON, Nov 18 (Reuters) - The Biden administration ruled on Thursday that Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has immunity from a lawsuit over the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, drawing immediate condemnation from the slain journalist's former fiancee. In late September, Saudi King Salman named Prince Mohammed prime minister in a royal decree which a Saudi official said was in line with responsibilities that the crown prince was already exercising. FIST-BUMPBiden was criticized for fist-bumping the crown prince on a visit to Saudi Arabia in July to discuss energy and security issues. The White House said Biden had told Prince Mohammed that he considered him responsible for Khashoggi's killing. In a highly charged global atmosphere, the United States is keen to prevent its long-time ally from further distancing itself.

☆ Biden Administration Says Saudi Crown Prince Has Immunity in Khashoggi Trial
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-18 | by ( Stephen Kalin | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The Biden administration told a U.S. court that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ’s status as a sitting head of government shields him from a civil lawsuit brought by the fiancée of slain Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Mr. Khashoggi, a former royal insider who criticized Prince Mohammed’s policies in Washington Post columns, was killed in 2018 and his body dismembered by Saudi agents during a visit to the kingdom’s Istanbul consulate where he was seeking papers needed to marry Hatice Cengiz, a Turkish citizen.

☆ U.S. moves to shield Saudi crown prince in killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-18 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +6 min

The U.S. intelligence community concluded Saudi Arabia’s crown prince had approved the killing of the widely known and respected journalist, who had written critically of Prince Mohammed’s harsh ways of silencing of those he considered rivals or critics. The Biden administration statement Thursday noted visa restrictions and other penalties that it had meted out to lower-ranking Saudi officials in the death. Khashoggi’s fiancée, Hatice Cengiz, and DAWN sued the crown prince, his top aides and others in Washington federal court over their alleged roles in Khashoggi’s killing. Prince Mohammed serves as Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler in the stead of his aged father, King Salman. The Saudi king in September also temporarily transferred his title of prime minister — a title normally held by the Saudi monarch — to Prince Mohammed.

☆ U.S. moves to shield Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Khashoggi killing
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-18 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The Biden administration declared Thursday that the high office held by Saudi Arabia's crown prince should shield him from lawsuits for his role in the killing of a U.S.-based journalist, a turnaround from Joe Biden's passionate campaign trail denunciations of Prince Mohammed bin Salman over the brutal slaying. The State Department on Thursday called the administration's decision to try to protect the Saudi crown prince from U.S. courts in Khashoggi's killing "purely a legal determination." The State Department cited what it said was longstanding precedent. Saudi officials killed Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. The U.S. intelligence community concluded Saudi Arabia's crown prince had approved the killing of the widely known and respected journalist, who had written critically of Prince Mohammed's harsh ways of silencing of those he considered rivals or critics.

☆ Khashoggi's fiancée says the slain journalist 'died again' after Biden argued for MBS to have immunity in lawsuit over the murder
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-18 | by ( Azmi Haroun | John Haltiwanger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The fiancée of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi criticized the Biden administration on Thursday. argued that the Saudi Crown Prince deserves immunity, per international law. Hatice Cengiz said Khashoggi "died again" as a result of the US position on Prince Mohammed. "I'm not going to meet with MBS," Biden told reporters in June. Khashoggi's fiancée also criticized the meeting between Biden and MBS, sharing a tweet captioned, "What Jamal Khashoggi would tweet today."

[1/2] Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman is pictured during his meeting with South Korea's President Yoon Suk-yeol in Seoul, South Korea, November 17, 2022. Bandar Algaloud/Courtesy of Saudi Royal Court/Handout via REUTERSNov 17 (Reuters) - The Biden administration has determined that Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has legal immunity from a lawsuit filed against him over the 2018 killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, the U.S. Department of Justice said in a court filing on Thursday. The prince has denied ordering Khashoggi's killing but acknowledged later that it took place "under my watch." Biden, who fist-bumped the crown prince on a visit to Saudi Arabia in July to discuss energy and security issues, had told Prince Mohammed that he considered him responsible for Khashoggi's killing. He had traveled to the Saudi consulate in Istanbul to obtain papers he needed to marry Hatice Cengiz, a Turkish citizen.

☆ Factbox: What is APEC and which leaders are attending Bangkok summit?
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

[1/5] A general view outside of the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center venue during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, at Asoke Junction, in Bangkok, Thailand November 17, 2022. The United States will be the APEC host in 2023. CHINA PRESIDENT XI JINPINGXi met Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in Bangkok on Thursday for talks. RUSSIA FIRST DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER ANDREI BELOUSOVBelousov will represent President Valadmir Putin at APEC. PAPUA NEW GUINEA PRIME MINISTER JAMES MARAPEMarape will hold meetings with U.S. State Secretary Antony Blinken.

☆ US officials say Saudi crown prince has legal immunity in Khashoggi murder, a stark contrast to Biden's pledge to hold him to account
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-18 | by ( Tom Porter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

It made the argument after Jamal Khashoggi's fiancée sued the Saudi crown prince in the US. It is an abrupt shift from Biden's earlier pledges to hold Crown Prince Mohammed to account. There, he was murdered and dismembered by agents the CIA says were working on Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's direct orders. The Biden administration argued that since Crown Prince Mohammed was recently appointed as Saudi Arabia's prime minister, he has "sovereign immunity" from prosecution. While there Biden said he confronted Crown Prince Mohammed over the murder, a claim Saudi officials later disputed.

SEOUL, Nov 17 (Reuters) - South Korean and Saudi Arabian leaders pledged stronger ties on Thursday in the fields of energy, defence industry and building projects, as the oil-rich kingdom signed investment agreements worth $30 billion with South Korean companies. "In particular, he said he would like to drastically strengthen cooperation with South Korea in the areas of defence industry, infrastructure and construction," Yoon's office said. Saudi-based Asharq TV quoted the kingdom's investment minister as saying deals signed on Thursday were worth $30 billion. "The (South Korean) government will actively support the successful implementation of cooperative projects which apply Korea's state-of-the-art architecture ... in NEOM," said South Korea's trade minister, Lee Chang-yang. Shares in Lotte Fine Chemical (004000.KS), which signed an agreement for chemical industry cooperation with the Saudi Ministry of Investment, rose 2.1%.

☆ Ivanka skips Trump's 2024 announcement: 'I do not plan to be involved in politics'
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-16 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Rebecca-Shabad-Circle-Byline-Template.Jpg | Rebecca Shabad | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON — Ivanka Trump, who was a senior White House adviser during the Trump administration, says she’s taking a break from politics. Former President Donald Trump's eldest daughter did not attend his speech Tuesday night at his Mar-a-Lago in Florida, where he announced his 2024 bid for the White House. It was not immediately clear whether her husband, Jared Kushner, who was also a senior White House adviser, would play a role in the campaign. Ivanka Trump, 41, was the director of the Office of Economic Initiatives and Entrepreneurship. Since they left government last year, both Kushner and Ivanka Trump have remained in the political spotlight to some extent.

☆ Saudi crown prince arrives in Seoul - state news agency
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

[1/6] Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman is received by South Korean Prime Minister, Han Duck-soo upon his arrival in Seoul, South Korea, November 16, 2022. Bandar Algaloud/Courtesy of Saudi Royal Court/Handout via REUTERSCAIRO, Nov 16 (Reuters) - Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman arrived in South Korea, state news agency (SPA) reported on Wednesday. He was received by the South Korean prime minister in the capital Seoul, it added. Reporting by Moataz Mohammed and Yasmin Hussein; editing by Jonathan OatisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ S-Oil plans to invest $7 bln in South Korea factory
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

SEOUL, Nov 17 (Reuters) - S-Oil Corp (010950.KS) said on Thursday it plans a 9.3 trillion won ($6.98 billion) investment in its Ulsan, South Korea, factory to produce more high-value petrochemical products. The refiner, whose largest shareholder is Saudi Aramco (2222.SE), said in a regulatory filing that the investment will start from next year and be completed by June 2026. "Improvement of profitability is expected by upgrading low value-added raw materials, such as naphtha, byproduct gas and residual oil to high value-added chemical products," S-Oil said in a regulatory filing. The announcement coincides with Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's visit to South Korea on Thursday. ($1 = 1,332.8900 won)Reporting by Joyce Lee; Editing by Leslie Adler and Christopher CushingOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Saudi Aramco to pump $7 bln into biggest petchem investment in South Korea
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-16 | by ( Joyce Lee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

SEOUL, Nov 17 (Reuters) - Saudi Aramco (2222.SE) plans a $7-billion investment at a South Korean affiliate's factory in the port city of Ulsan to turn out more high-value petrochemical products, the company said on Thursday. The project, named Shaheen, is the Saudi firm's biggest investment in the Asian nation to develop one of the world's largest refinery-integrated petrochemical steam crackers, Aramco said in a statement. Saudi Aramco owns more than 63% of South Korean refiner S-Oil Corp (010950.KS). It will have production capacity of up to 3.2 million tonnes a year, along with a facility to produce high-value polymers, Aramco said. The news came in conjunction with Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's visit to South Korea on Thursday.

☆ Saudi wealth fund, BlackRock to jointly explore Mideast infrastructure projects
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

DUBAI, Nov 14 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund and BlackRock (BLK.N) have signed an agreement to jointly explore infrastructure projects in the Middle East, focused on Saudi Arabia. The Public Investment Fund (PIF), which manages more than $600 billion in assets, said their non-binding memorandum of understanding will serve as the anchor for BlackRock's Middle East Infrastructure strategy. It added that the world's biggest fund manager plans to build a dedicated infrastructure investment team in Riyadh. In October last year, Saudi Arabia launched a national infrastructure fund to support up to 200 billion riyals ($53 billion) in projects over the next decade. It was not immediately clear whether the MoU was related to that National Infrastructure Fund, which is part of the National Development Fund.

☆ G20 summit latest: Biden and Xi meet
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BIDEN AND XI* The meeting ahead of the G20 summit, being held on Tuesday and Wednesday on the Indonesian island of Bali, was their first in-person talks since Biden became president. RUSSIA AND UKRAINE* Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has said he will address the G20 gathering by videolink on Tuesday. * Australia Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he would hold a bilateral meeting with Xi on Tuesday. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will also meet Xi on Tuesday. * Indonesia's President Joko Widodo, the summit host, told Biden he expected the meeting to deliver concrete partnerships that might help global economic recovery.

☆ Saudi defense officials rented suites at Trump's DC hotel that cost $10,500 right before MBS visited White House
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-14 | by ( John Haltiwanger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Officials from six countries spent over $750k at Trump's DC hotel in 2017 and 2018, documents show. The officials stayed at Trump's hotel amid rocky periods in relations between their countries and the US. Saudi officials spent nearly $86k in March 2018. The Saudi officials spent nearly $86,000 from March 7 to March 18, including renting several $10,500 suites. Prince Mohammed, the de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia, was explicitly implicated in Khashoggi's killing by the US government.

☆ Saudi Arabia's PIF reduces majority stake in Saudi Tadawul Group
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

DUBAI, Nov 13 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund has sold a 10% stake in stock exchange operator and owner Saudi Tadawul Group through a secondary share offering, raising 2.3 billion riyals ($612 million), it said in a statement on Sunday. The sovereign wealth fund with over $600 billion in assets said it sold 12 million shares through an accelerated bookbuild offering. The fund's remaining stake amounts to 72 million shares or 60% of the company, it said. PIF is the main engine of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's Vision 2030 plan to wean the economy off its dependence on oil. It sold a 6% stake in Saudi Telecom (STC) for 12 billion riyals ($3.2 billion) in December last year.

☆ Factbox: G20 summit: Which leaders will attend Bali summit?
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

It will also mark the first face-to-face meeting between U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping since Biden became president. CHINA'S PRESIDENT XI JINPINGXi's visit to Southeast Asia will be only his second foreign trip since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. UKRAINE'S PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKIY (VIRTUAL)Indonesia invited Zelenskiy to attend the summit as an obsever, although the Indonesian foreign ministry has said he will appear at the summit virtually. INDIAN PRIME MINISTER NARENDRA MODIModi is due to symbolically take over the G20 presidency from current chair Indonesian President Joko Widodo in Bali. He also committed to work closely with the Indonesian president to help deliver a successful summit.

☆ Thailand's deputy PM discusses the country's ties with Saudi Arabia
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-11 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailWe've resumed our diplomatic relationship with Saudi Arabia 'in full': Thai deputy prime ministerAnutin Charnvirakul, Thailand's deputy prime minister, discusses ties between the two countries ahead of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's first official visit to the Southeast Asian country.

☆ Gulf Arab states can’t give up oil. But they can slash their emissions
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-11 | by ( Nadeen Ebrahim | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +15 min

Abu Dhabi CNN —As Western states try to wean themselves off their addiction to hydrocarbons, Gulf oil nations have been pushing back hard, warning that a hasty transition away from fossil fuels will be counterproductive. According to the World Bank, Qatar had the highest carbon emissions per capita as of 2019, followed by Kuwait, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. So, investment in clean energy projects and renewables “makes very good business sense and PR sense for the Gulf,” he said. Gulf petro-states are warning against a quick transition away from hydrocarbons, with the UAE calling for a “mixed energy” approach that minimizes emissions without cutting hydrocarbons. Much of the hydrocarbons exported by Gulf states go to some of the world’s biggest consumers and polluters, including China and India.

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