UNITED NATIONS: The United Nations chief on Tuesday denounced the “systematic” looting of humanitarian aid in Gaza, a day after the territory’s Hamas authorities said 20 people were killed in a security operation targeting such actions.
“Armed looting has become systematic and must end immediately. It is hindering life saving aid operations and further endangering the lives of our staff,” said Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
“However, the use of law enforcement operations must be lawful, necessary and proportionate.”
Israel imposed a total siege on Gaza in the early stages of the war last year, and the UN warned on November 9 that famine was looming in some areas due to a lack of aid.
Aid distribution in Gaza is complicated by shortages of fuel, war-damaged roads and looting, as well as fighting in densely populated areas and the repeated displacement of much of the territory’s 2.4 million people.
Several humanitarian officials have told AFP on condition of anonymity that almost half the aid that enters Gaza is looted, especially basic supplies.
On Monday, Gaza’s interior ministry said it had carried out a major operation targeting looters.
“More than 20 members of gangs involved in stealing aid trucks were killed in a security operation carried out by security forces in cooperation with tribal committees,” the ministry said in a statement.
It said the operation was “the beginning of a broad security campaign that has been long planned and will expand to include everyone involved in the theft of aid trucks.”
On Tuesday, the US-based Washington Post newspaper cited a UN memo as saying some of the gangs were receiving “passive if not active benevolence” or “protection” from the Israel Defense Forces.
Dujarric said he was unaware of the memo, but that the allegation was “fairly alarming” if true.
“The idea that the Israeli forces may be allowing looters or not doing enough to prevent it is frankly, fairly alarming, given the responsibilities of Israel as the occupying power to ensure that humanitarian aid is distributed safely,” he said.
UN chief slams ‘systematic’ looting of Gaza humanitarian aid
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UN chief slams ‘systematic’ looting of Gaza humanitarian aid
- Aid distribution in Gaza is complicated by shortages of fuel, war-damaged roads and looting
- On Monday, Gaza’s interior ministry said it had carried out a major operation targeting looters
UN force sounds alarm over Israeli ‘destruction’ in south Lebanon
The truce went into effect on November 27, about two months after Israel stepped up its bombing campaign and later sent troops into Lebanon following nearly a year of exchanges of cross-border fire initiated by Hezbollah over the war in Gaza.
The warring sides have since traded accusations of violating the truce.
Under the ceasefire agreement, UNIFIL peacekeepers and the Lebanese army were to redeploy in south Lebanon, near the Israeli border, as Israeli forces withdrew over 60 days.
UNIFIL said in a statement on Thursday that “there is concern at continuing destruction by the IDF (army) in residential areas, agricultural land and road networks in south Lebanon.”
The statement added that “this is in violation of Resolution 1701,” which was adopted by the UN Security Council and ended the last Israel-Hezbollah war of 2006.
The UN force also reiterated its call for “the timely withdrawal” of Israeli troops from Lebanon, and “the full implementation of Resolution 1701.”
The resolution states that Lebanese troops and UN peacekeepers should be the only forces in south Lebanon, where Hezbollah exerts control, and also calls for Israeli troops to withdraw from Lebanese territory.
“Any actions that risk the fragile cessation of hostilities must cease,” UNIFIL said.
On Monday the force had urged “accelerated progress” in the Israeli military’s withdrawal.
Lebanon’s official National News Agency (NNA) reported on Thursday “extensive” operations by Israeli forces in the south.
It said residents of Qantara fled to a nearby village “following an incursion by Israeli enemy forces into their town.”
On Wednesday the NNA said Israeli aircraft struck the eastern Baalbek region, far from the border.
Pakistan says 2024 dominated by ‘robust exchanges’ with Gulf nations
- Pakistan has been pushing for foreign investment to shore up its $350 billion economy
- Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar remained key focus of Pakistan’s bilateral engagements in 2024
ISLAMABAD: Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch on Thursday outlined Pakistan’s key bilateral engagements for 2024 during a year-end briefing, saying 2024 was dominated by “robust” engagements with Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations.
Pakistan has been pushing for foreign investment in a bid to shore up its $350 billion economy as it navigates a challenging recovery path and has been buttressed by a $7 billion facility from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in September. It has particularly looked to strengthen ties with allies and friendly nations, particularly the UAE, which said it would invest $10 billion in promising economic sectors, and Saudi Arbia, which has promised a $5 billion investment package that cash-strapped Islamabad desperately needs to shore up foreign reserves and fight a chronic balance of payment crisis.
“There was a robust exchange of high-level engagements between Pakistan and the GCC countries,” Baloch said in her last briefing of the year 2024, adding that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif undertook four official visits to Saudi Arabia which had consolidated the two nations’ “strategic and economic partnership.”
“Important understandings were reached with the kingdom of Saudi Arabia in political security and economic domains, and to translate the commitment between Pakistan and his Royal Highness Prince Mohammad bin Salman to expedite investment package worth $5 billion,” the spokeswoman said.
Pakistani and Saudi businesses signed 34 MoUs worth $2.8 billion in October. The prime minister’s office said this month seven of the 34 MoUs had been actualized into agreements worth $560 million.
The foreign office spokeswoman said trade and investment opportunities also remained a key focus of Pakistan’s bilateral engagements with Kuwait, Qatar and the UAE in 2024.
“Cooperation will be prioritized with these countries in energy, mining and aviation sectors,” she told reporters.
In May this year, Sharif said UAE’s Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan had “made a commitment of investing $10 billion in multiple sectors.”
Last month, the government’s spokesperson Attaullah Tarar said Qatar would invest $3 billion in diverse Pakistani sectors. In June, Pakistan also signed a loan agreement with Kuwait for $25 million for Mohmand Dam, with assurances of support from the Kuwait Fund that it would engage its Arab Coordination Group to finance Diamer Bhasha Dam.
Pakistan and Kuwait also signed agreements on industrial cooperation and engineering in May.
Pope Francis opens special ‘Holy Door’ for Catholic Jubilee at Rome prison
- Francis opened the Catholic Holy Year, also known as a Jubilee, on Tuesday
- A Catholic Jubilee is considered a time of peace, forgiveness and pardon
ROME: Pope Francis made a visit on Thursday to one of the largest prison complexes in Italy, opening a special “Holy Door” for the 2025 Catholic Holy Year, in what the Vatican said was the first such action by a Catholic pontiff.
Speaking to hundreds of inmates, guards and staff at the Rebibbia prison on the outskirts of Rome, Francis said he wanted to open the door, part of the prison chapel, and one of only five that will be open during the Holy Year, to show that “hope does not disappoint.”
“In bad moments, we can all think that everything is over,” said the pontiff. “Do not lose hope. This is the message I wanted to give you. Do not lose hope.”
Francis opened the Catholic Holy Year, also known as a Jubilee, on Tuesday. A Catholic Jubilee is considered a time of peace, forgiveness and pardon. This Jubilee, dedicated to the theme of hope, will run through Jan. 6, 2026.
Holy Years normally occur every 25 years, and usually involve the opening in Rome of four special “Holy Doors,” which symbolize the door of salvation for Catholics. The doors, located at the papal basilicas in Rome, are only open during Jubilee years.
The Vatican said the opening of the “Holy Door” at Rome’s Rebibbia prison was the first time such a door had been opened by a pope at a prison since the start of the Jubilee year tradition by Pope Boniface VIII in 1300.
Francis has shown special attention for the incarcerated over his 11-year papacy. He often visits prisons in Rome and on his foreign trips.
UAE, China lead Saudi Arabia’s Non-oil exports in October
- China was the second-largest destination for Saudi Arabia’s non-oil exports during the month, receiving shipments worth SR2.35 billion
- King Fahad Industrial Sea Port in Jubail was the top exit point, processing exports valued at SR3.77 billion
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s non-oil exports surged in October, with the UAE and China emerging as the Kingdom’s top trading partners, showcasing its ongoing efforts to diversify the economy under Vision 2030.
Outbound shipments to the UAE reached SR5.86 billion ($1.56 billion), a rise of 54.2 percent compared to the same month last year, according to the latest report by the General Authority for Statistics. Mechanical and electrical equipment topped the list of exports to the UAE, valued at SR3.11 billion, followed by transport parts worth SR713.5 million and chemical products at SR503.8 million.
China was the second-largest destination for Saudi Arabia’s non-oil exports during the month, receiving shipments worth SR2.35 billion. Chemical products accounted for SR826.3 million of these exports, followed by plastic and rubber goods valued at SR795.1 million. Mineral products worth SR300.5 million were also exported to China in October.
Strengthening the non-oil sector is a cornerstone of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, which aims to reduce the Kingdom’s reliance on crude revenues. The initiative has been a key driver of economic policy since its launch in 2016, and officials have pointed to tangible progress in this direction.
Speaking at the World Economic Conference in Riyadh last month, Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Economy and Planning, Faisal Al-Ibrahim, highlighted that the non-oil sector now accounts for 52 percent of the Kingdom’s real gross domestic product. He further noted that non-oil economic activities have been growing at an annual rate of 20 percent since the Vision 2030 reforms began.
This diversification push has been underscored by recent economic indicators. Saudi Arabia’s Purchasing Managers’ Index, which measures business activity in the non-oil private sector, rose to 59.0 in November from 56.9 in October.
A PMI reading above 50 indicates expansion, and November’s figure represents the fastest pace of growth since July.
India was another key destination for Saudi Arabia’s non-oil goods in October, with exports totaling SR2.11 billion. Other significant markets included Singapore, which received SR947.5 million in shipments, and the US, which accounted for SR829.6 million.
European markets also featured prominently among Saudi Arabia’s export partners. Belgium imported SR820.7 million worth of non-oil products, while Egypt and Turkiye received SR808.8 million and SR767.9 million, respectively.
Overall, Saudi Arabia’s non-oil exports reached SR25.38 billion in October, reflecting a 12.7 percent year-on-year increase compared to the same period in 2022.
Export channels
Maritime routes continued to play a vital role in facilitating the Kingdom’s non-oil trade, handling shipments worth SR15.41 billion in October. King Fahad Industrial Sea Port in Jubail was the top exit point, processing exports valued at SR3.77 billion, followed by Jeddah Islamic Sea Port at SR3.53 billion.
Other key ports included Jubail Sea Port, which handled outbound shipments valued at SR1.86 billion, and King Abdulaziz Sea Port, which processed SR2.36 billion worth of exports.
Land routes accounted for SR5.20 billion of non-oil exports, while air shipments contributed SR4.75 billion. Among airports, King Khalid International in Riyadh and King Abdulaziz International in Jeddah handled exports valued at SR2.25 billion and SR2.38 billion, respectively.
Imports trends
While non-oil exports experienced robust growth, Saudi Arabia’s imports declined by 3.8 percent year on year to SR72.01 billion in October. Machinery and equipment topped the list of imported goods, comprising 25.7 percent of total imports and reflecting a 6.9 percent annual increase.
However, transportation equipment imports fell sharply by 21.6 percent, accounting for 15.3 percent of total imports. This decline in transport-related imports highlights shifting priorities in the Kingdom’s procurement patterns as it continues to diversify its economy.
China remained the Kingdom’s largest source of imports, supplying goods worth SR17.58 billion in October. These included mechanical and electrical equipment valued at SR7.54 billion, transport equipment at SR2.28 billion, and base metal products at SR1.73 billion.
The US was the second-largest source of imports, with shipments totaling SR5.69 billion, followed by the UAE at SR4.34 billion. Other notable trading partners included India, which supplied goods worth SR4.11 billion, and Germany, which accounted for SR3.21 billion in imports.
Saudi Arabia’s sea routes handled 60.6 percent of its total imports in October, amounting to SR43.67 billion. King Abdulaziz Sea Port in Dammam was the primary entry point, receiving SR21.16 billion worth of goods.
Air routes accounted for SR19.38 billion of imports, while land shipments contributed SR8.94 billion. Among land ports, Al Bat’ha Port was the most significant, handling SR3.84 billion worth of inbound goods.
Merchandise exports
Despite the positive performance in the non-oil sector, Saudi Arabia’s overall merchandise exports fell 10.7 percent year on year in October, reaching SR92.78 billion. This decline was primarily driven by a 17.3 percent drop in oil exports, which still account for a majority of the Kingdom’s trade.
Oil’s share of total exports fell to 72.6 percent in October, down from 78.3 percent in the same month last year. This shift underscores Saudi Arabia’s commitment to reducing its reliance on crude sales as part of its long-term economic strategy.
China remained the top recipient of Saudi exports overall, importing goods worth SR14.95 billion. India was the second-largest market, receiving SR8.79 billion in shipments, followed by Japan at SR8.70 billion and South Korea at SR8.31 billion.
Other major export destinations included the UAE, which received SR7.05 billion worth of goods, and Egypt, which accounted for SR3.49 billion. Poland and Singapore were also significant markets, importing SR3.43 billion and SR2.68 billion, respectively.
Saudi Arabia’s ongoing investments in economic diversification are expected to sustain growth in the non-oil sector. A recent report by PwC Middle East projected that the Kingdom’s non-oil economy will expand by 4.4 percent in 2025, building on the current momentum.
The report also noted that the non-oil private sector grew by 4.9 percent in the second quarter of this year, contributing to an overall expansion of 3.8 percent in the non-oil economy.
As the Kingdom advances its Vision 2030 goals, non-oil exports and trade partnerships will remain critical to driving sustainable economic growth.
Pakistan discovers gas reserves in northwest with potential to produce 2.14 million cubic feet daily
Pakistan discovers gas reserves in northwest with potential to produce 2.14 million cubic feet daily
- Discovery is expected to enhance the South Asian nation’s energy self-sufficiency, says state media
- Pakistan had recently reported decline in gas reserves, raising concerns about higher energy imports
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) has discovered gas reserves in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province with the capacity to produce 2.14 million cubic feet of gas per day (MCFD), the state broadcaster reported on Thursday.
Pakistan heavily relies on oil and gas imports and has faced gas outages in recent years due to a decline in domestic gas supplies and failed attempts to purchase expensive gas from the international spot market.
Last year in June, the Energy Planning Resource Center, which operates under the planning ministry, reported a sharp decline in gas reserves, raising concerns about future gas production and supply in Pakistan. The center projected that natural gas production might shrink to 2,306 MCFD by 2030.
“Under the natural resources exploration projects of the Special Investment Facilitation Council, the OGDCL has discovered significant gas reserves in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,” Radio Pakistan said. “The discovered reserves are capable of producing up to 2.14 million cubic feet of gas per day.”
It added the discovery would enhance Pakistan’s energy self-sufficiency and pave the way for further exploration in the mining sector.
In October, the China Central Depository and Clearing Company signed a deal with the OGDCL to develop Pakistan’s tight gas potential. Tight gas, a type of unconventional gas requiring advanced extraction methods, is found in reservoir rocks with low permeability, most often sandstone.
In February, the OGDCL announced the discovery of a new natural gas reserve in the Khairpur district of southern Sindh province.
In October last year, Mari Petroleum Company Limited, an Islamabad-based petroleum exploration and lease company, unveiled a substantial gas discovery in Pakistan’s southern Ghotki-Sindh region, with initial estimates indicating a daily yield of 1.11 MCFD.
In September 2022, the OGDCL also discovered gas deposits in the Kohat district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
Founded in 1961, the OGDCL explores, drills, refines and sells oil and gas in Pakistan. The company has gained importance as the country seeks to boost domestic supplies and attract foreign investment.
