ISLAMABAD: A prosecutor says a Pakistani court has sentenced two former police officers to 17 years in prison for failing to provide adequate security to assassinated former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto in 2007.
Khawaja Imtiaz says the anti-terrorism court also acquitted five suspected militants of aiding the attacker who assassinated Bhutto in a bomb and gun attack.
Imtiaz said the court declared former President Pervez Musharraf an absconder and ordered his property seized for not appearing in the court. He had been accused of conspiracy in Bhutto’s death.
Musharraf was president when Bhutto was assassinated during an election rally in the city of Rawalpindi. He resigned in 2008 after Bhutto’s party came into power and left Pakistan to avoid arrest. He currently lives in London.
Pakistan court convicts 2 policemen in Bhutto’s murder case
Pakistan court convicts 2 policemen in Bhutto’s murder case
Ukraine’s military says it shot down 48 drones and two missiles overnight
The air force said the location of 30 other drones had been lost, while another had returned to Russia.
Saudi Aramco reports $27.52bn net profit in Q3
RIYADH: Energy giant Saudi Aramco reported a net profit of SR103.37 billion ($27.52 billion) in the third quarter of this year, exceeding analyst expectations, which projected a median net income of $26.9 billion.
In a statement, the firm revealed that its net profit for the third quarter witnessed a decline of 15.40 percent compared to the same period in 2023, due to challenging market conditions including lower market prices for crude oil, refined, and chemical products.
Saudi Arabia, aligned with the decision of OPEC+, reduced its oil output by 500,000 barrels per day in April 2023, and this cut has now been extended until December 2024.
“Aramco delivered robust net income and generated strong free cash flow during the third quarter, despite a lower oil price environment,” said Amin Nasser, president and CEO of the company.
He added: “We also progressed our upstream developments, strengthened our downstream value chain, and advanced our new energies program as we continue to invest through cycles.”
According to the statement, Aramco’s overall revenue from sales stood at SR416.63 billion in the third quarter, representing a marginal decline of 1.76 percent compared to the same period of the previous year.
In terms of capital investments, the energy giant allocated SR49.6 billion in the third quarter, showcasing its continued commitment to expansion and production capabilities.
Aramco also issued international sukuk worth $3 billion in the three months to the end of September, which further diversified the company’s investor base and enhanced liquidity profile.
“Our recent $3 billion international sukuk issuance highlighted strong investor confidence in Aramco and we can be proud of the significant strides the company continues to make, all while sustaining our high levels of profitability, operational performance and reliability,” said Nasser.
He added: “As we focus on strategic growth opportunities and capturing value through integration and diversification, we intend to maintain our positive momentum and cement our position as a leading global energy and petrochemicals player.”
In the first nine months of this year, Aramco reported a net profit of SR314.65 billion, representing a decline of 11.25 percent compared to the same period in 2023.
The statement added that the company’s overall sales revenue stood at SR1.24 trillion over the period, marking a marginal year-on-year rise of 0.02 percent.
In a separate bourse filing, the energy giant declared a base dividend of SR0.315 per share, totaling SR76.06 billion for the third quarter of 2024.
The company also announced the sixth payment of a performance-linked dividend of SR0.167 per share, totaling SR40.39 billion, based on the combined full-year financial results of 2022 and 2023.
Aramco said that it continued its progress in the renewable energy sector during the third quarter as it completed the financial close for three solar PV projects, with an anticipated combined capacity of 5.5 gigawatts.
In September, Aramco’s wholly-owned subsidiary SAPCO, along with partners ACWA Power and the Public Investment Fund announced the financial closure for three solar photovoltaic projects worth SR12 billion.
The Haden and Muwayh projects in Makkah province each have a planned production capacity of 2 GW, while the Al-Khushaybi project in Qassim province has a planned production capacity of 1.5 GW.
Saudi Sports For All Federation and STC Group sign sustainability partnership
- Pact between the parties was inked at the 8th Future Investment Initiative in Riyadh
- Collaboration will help identify opportunities for improving public participation in physical activities
RIYADH: The Saudi Sports For All Federation has signed a memorandum of understanding with the STC Group to promote physical activity, encourage social integration through sports, and support the development of grassroots programs.
The signing ceremony took place last week at the 8th Future Investment Initiative in Riyadh, which was held under the theme “Infinite Horizons: Investing Today, Shaping Tomorrow.”
Shaima Alhusseini, managing director of the SFA, and Maha Alnuhait, general manager of sustainability at the STC Group, inked the agreement, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The collaboration will focus on establishing sustainability reporting frameworks, key performance indicators, and metrics in alignment with community-driven programs.
The SFA aims to leverage the telecom group’s expertise to achieve their goals and contribute to the objectives of Vision 2030, the SPA reported.
Record number of athletes expected at 16th Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship
- Over 9,000 athletes from 137 countries set to take part in tournament from Nov. 6-16
ABU DHABI: The 16th edition of the Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship, from Nov. 6 to 16 at Mubadala Arena in Zayed Sports City, is expected to have a record 9,000 athletes from 137 countries taking part.
Participants will have the opportunity to earn points toward the prestigious Abu Dhabi World Jiu-Jitsu Awards.
During a press conference on Monday at The Ritz-Carlton Abu Dhabi, details of this year’s championship were revealed.
Abdulmunem Alsayed Mohamed Alhashmi, chairman of the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation, president of the Asian Jiu-Jitsu Union, and senior vice president of the International Jiu-Jitsu Federation, thanked the UAE leadership for supporting the event.
“This championship unites the world’s best talent to showcase their skills and elevate their global rankings, further establishing Abu Dhabi as a global jiu-jitsu hub,” he said.
He also thanked the event’s partners and sponsors. “Their support has been vital in helping us achieve this level of global leadership in jiu-jitsu.
“As we celebrate another world-class edition, we hope to continue to inspire new generations to pursue excellence and embrace the core values that make our sport so impactful.”
Saud Abdulaziz Al-Hosani, undersecretary of the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, commented: “Since the inception of the Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship, jiu-jitsu has flourished in the UAE and around the world.
“Thanks to the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation’s efforts and our wise leadership support, Abu Dhabi has become a global sports hub and the world’s jiu-jitsu capital. We look forward to welcoming athletes and fans from 137 countries.”
Aref Hamad Al-Awani, secretary-general of the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, emphasized the championship’s role in reinforcing the city’s standing in the global sports arena.
“This championship solidifies Abu Dhabi’s track record in hosting world-class events, and the Abu Dhabi Sports Council stands ready to provide every support needed to achieve our shared goals.”
This year’s championship will feature an extended schedule, additional mats, and increased capacity to accommodate more athletes across various categories.
The event culminates in the Abu Dhabi World Jiu-Jitsu Awards, which honors the year’s standout athletes, academies and federations.
Other officials and sponsor representatives who attended the press conference included Ahmed Abdullah Al-Qubaisi, executive director of the Support Services Sector; Yaqoub Al-Saadi, head of Abu Dhabi Sports Channels; and Fahad Ali Al-Shamsi, secretary-general of the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation.
Also in attendance were Saed Hijazi Salama, general manager of sales at Premier Motors; Futoon Al-Mazrouei, group head of consumer banking at First Abu Dhabi Bank; and Mona Hassan Sadoun, vice president of customer service and marketing at Al-Tayer Motors.
Security guard shoots and injures two Chinese nationals at Karachi factory — police
- Incident follows two Chinese nationals killed in suicide bombing in Karachi last month
- Beijing has recently publicly spoken out about security threats to its nationals in Pakistan
KARACHI: A security guard at a factory in the southern Pakistani city of Karachi shot and injured two Chinese nationals on Tuesday, police said, in an incident that is likely to put further strain on recently fraying relations between Islamabad and longtime ally Beijing.
China, breaking with tradition, has recently publicly spoken out against security threats to its workers and nationals living in Pakistan, where hundreds of them work on Beijing-funded projects linked to the over $60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
Last month, two Chinese nationals were killed in a suicide bombing near the international airport in Karachi. In March this year, a suicide bombing killed five Chinese engineers and a Pakistani driver in northwestern Pakistan as they headed to the Dasu Dam, the biggest hydropower project in the country. In 2022, three Chinese educators and their Pakistani driver were killed when an explosion ripped through a van at the University of Karachi. A blast on a bus killed 13 people in north Pakistan in 2021, including nine Chinese nationals.
The latest shooting took place at a factory in Karachi’s SITE industrial area, after which two injured Chinese citizens were rushed to Liaquat National Hospital.
Deputy Inspector General of Police South, Syed Asad Raza, said the factory guard opened fire at the Chinese nationals after an argument. He did not name the factory, specify whether the Chinese nationals were employees there or what the argument was about.
“According to preliminary investigation, the guard opened fire after a heated argument with the Chinese nationals, leaving two Chinese citizens injured,” Raza told Arab News.
“Two Chinese nationals have been brought to hospital. Both are under treatment,” Dr. Amjad Rizvi, a hospital spokesman, told Arab News.
Sindh Home Minister Zia ul Haq Lanjar has directed police to conduct a “thorough investigation,” his office said.
Pakistan said in a joint statement last month it had agreed to increase security for Chinese citizens and projects in the South Asian nation, as Beijing called for urgent security measures following an escalation in militant threats in the country.
China has pumped billions of dollars into Pakistan over the years building infrastructure under the Belt and Road Initiative, while also running a strategic port and a major mine in the country.
