UAE Avoiding Dirty Money List, Hunts Funds Passing Through for Banned Weapons
Good day from REEDNEWSARABWORLD for Thursday, January 27, 2022! The United Arab Emirates is working hard to stay off a dirty money watchlist. It will meet in Paris next month and report progress to an international watchdog group, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) just before FATF updates its world list of high-risk nations. Earlier, FATF said the UAE needed "fundamental and major improvements" to crack down on illicit money. Now the UAE is targeting funds that could be used for banned weapons as global money passes through the Emirates.
Yemen government forces are sweeping through sections of Marib province, but the Houthis fired back with a missile at a residential area that killed five civilians and wounded more than 20 people. Oil is selling at $90 a barrel, and Saudi Arabia is expected to increase its prices. Rockets struck near the home of Iraq's parliament speaker and injured two children. Qatar will ask the U.S. to help get concessions from its liquefied natural gas customers who hold long-term contracts so it can supply Europe with gas if Russia invades Ukraine.
News from Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Sudan, and More.
The United Arab Emirates will go to Paris next month to show that it's cracking down on illicit funds and avoid a dirty money "grey list." The global financial crime monitoring group, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), will meet with Emirates officials in late February to look at progress, after saying the UAE needed fundamental improvement. The UAE is focusing on money passing through the Emirates that could be used to develop banned weaponry, including nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons.
After the February meeting with the UAE, FATF will announce in March its updated list of nations on its "grey list," which is short of the highest-risk "black list" that includes only two countries, Iran and North Korea. The "grey list" counts 23 countries including Syria.
Reuters, UAE tackles banned weapons financing, awaits dirty money decision.
The United Arab Emirates is working with the United States to get more intelligence, upgrade and improve defense systems, and have Yemen's Houthi militia declared an international terrorist organization. "Our ability to intercept and deflect these attacks is world-class," the UAE ambassador to the United Nations, Lana Nusseibeh, said, following this week's missile attacks on Abu Dhabi, but "there can always be improvements." She called for stopping the flow of weapons and finance to the Houthis.
Reuters, UAE discussing defence upgrade after Houthi attacks - envoy to U.N.
Yemen government forces, with the UAE-supported Giants Brigades, are sweeping through areas of the key Marib province after two weeks of fighting and forcing out Houthi units. The government troops moved into the center of the Harib district and were pushing their way to nearby Juba. The Houthi opposition had taken both districts last year.
The advances were backed by air cover from the Saudi Arabia-led coalition. The Giants Brigades showed footage of their forces in Harib's central section, and other footage showed fighters on armored vehicles speeding through mountainous areas overlooking the district.
Associated Press, Yemen forces sweep through key province in blow to rebels.
Asharq Al-Awsat, Yemen govt liberates Marib's Harib, forces advance on Jawiya.
Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis held military funerals for 25 of their fighters who were killed in battles for the Marib province, as fighting showed no signs of abating. The funerals took place amid fierce fighting, as Saudi coalition warplanes bombed Marib points and the Houthi capital Sanaa. In 24 hours, the coalition carried out 47 air strikes against Houthi targets in Marib.
Reuters, Yemen Houthis bury their dead as fighting rages in gas-rich Marib.
Five civilians including one woman were killed when Yemen Houthis launched a rocket attack on Marib province. More than 20 were injured when the Houthis, on the run in parts of the province, struck a residential district in central Marib with a ballistic missile. .
AFP, 5 dead as rebel missile hits strategic Yemeni city.
Anadolu Agency, 5 Yemenis killed in Houthi shelling on residential area in Marib province.
Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi went to the United Arab Emirates to pledge support after attacks on Abu Dhabi. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan welcomed the Egyptian leader at a ceremony at al-Watan palace in Abu Dhabi. Sisi, on a state visit and welcomed with a 21-gun salute, said in a statement that Egypt wanted to coordinate "concerted efforts to protect Arab national security."
Alarabiya, Al-Sisi visits UAE to bolster relations amid 'attempts to destabilize' Arab countries.
Ahram, President Sisi reiterates Egypt's support for UAE's measures to fend off terrorist attacks.
Qatar wants the United States to help persuade its liquefied natural gas buyers to let supplies reroute to Europe if Russia attacks Ukraine. The issue will be raised at talks at the White House Monday when the emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, meets with U.S. President Joe Biden. The U.S. is approaching the UAE and other major producers for help in case Russia attacks, when the United States would impose sanctions on Russia.
"Doha may be able to help in case of a major global disruption like it did in 2011 during Fukushima," one source said, referring to the Japanese nuclear reactor accident and crisis where Qatar assisted. Qatar can send some additional gas supplies to Europe, but it doesn't have much spare capacity and needs to ask major customers to allow use of gas now under long-term contracts.
Reuters, Qatar could reroute some gas to Europe with U.S. mediation - source.
Qatar's foreign minister is in Iran for top-level talks as the question of a possible direct U.S.-Iran meeting continues to get attention. The visit to Tehran by Qatari minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, who is also deputy prime minister, comes just days before Qatar's emir goes to the White House to meet with U.S. President Joe Biden. Earlier, Iran's foreign minister had said direct talks with Washington on a nuclear agreement might be possible if Iran feels it could get a "good nuclear deal." But Iran's state news agency, IRNA, said the Qatar foreign minister's visit was not intended to facilitate direct talks with Washington.
"Although Doha and Tehran are experiencing good and close relations, this visit...has fueled some misconceptions. Some are fabricating it to facilitate direct talks with the United States," IRNA said.
Reuters, Qatar diplomat visits Iran as Tehran and Washington consider direct nuclear talks.
Oil is selling at $90 a barrel for the first time in seven years. Prices are rising in a world market with tight supplies and rising political tensions such as the dispute between Russia and Ukraine. "Markets are nervous that physical supply could be interrupted," one geopolitical adviser said. Meanwhile, OPEC+ is expected to maintain its policy of a limited monthly increase in production.
Reuters, Oil breaks $90/bbl for the first time since 2014 on Russia tensions.
OPEC+ is expected to decide next week whether to continue adding another 400,000 barrels a day of oil production in March. The alliance will meet online on February 2 to decide, and delegates are expected to continue the same monthly increase that has taken place since August 2021. Analysts point out, however, that OPEC+ continues to be unable to deliver and undershoots the collective target.
OilPrice, OPEC+ set to continue with 400,000 bpd production increase.
Saudi Arabia is expected to raise its oil prices in March, following a cut in February. The announcement of the price increase for all crude grades sold in Asia is expected to come after the monthly OPEC meeting on February 2. The coming increase is reported due to resilient demand, following a slowdown in the Omicron wave.
OilPrice, Saudi Arabia expected to raise March oil prices on robust demand.
Three rockets were fired at the home of Iraq's parliament speaker and two children were injured. The Katyusha rockets landed near the home of Speaker Mohammed Al Halbousi in Gurma district of Anbar province west of Baghdad. The attack came soon after Iraq's supreme court ruled that a parliament session that reelected Halbousi was valid. Halbousi was believed to be the target of the attack, and it wasn't known whether he was home at the time.
The two wounded children were taken to a hospital in Gurma, and the United Nations called the attack "cowardly."
The National, Two children wounded by rockets fired at Iraq parliament Speaker Halbousi's home.
Al Monitor, Iraqi parliament speaker's home targeted amid power plays.
The president of Iraq called the rocket attack on the parliament speaker's home a "terrorist act." President Barham Salih said "The attack on the residence of the Speaker of Parliament in Anbar, which resulted in the injury of civilians, is a reprehensible terror act." President Salih cited the timing of the attack and called for "unity of the national ranks and solidarity to protect civil peace."
Anadolu Agency, Iraqi president decries rocket attack on parliament speaker's home.
The death toll for a fire at a major oil refinery in Kuwait has risen to four. Two critically-injured workers died of injuries after the fire on January 14 killed two Asian workers.
The fire was the second in a month at the site. No injuries were reported in the earlier fire. The Mina Al-Ahmadi refinery was recently expanded to reduce emissions and increase capacity to 346,000 barrels a day.
Associated Press, Kuwait death toll raised to 4 in oil refinery fire.
Boeing Company is in advanced talks with Qatar Airways to supply a proposed new freight aircraft. The deal could come next week when the emir of Qatar is in Washington for talks at the White House. Qatar Airways is looking at renewing its existing fleet of 34 freighters, and a deal with Boeing would be about $14 billion. The airline is also said to be considering as many as 50 freighters.
Reuters, Boeing nears Qatar freighter deal ahead of emir visit - sources.
Lebanon's president said the nation welcomes a Kuwaiti proposal for confidence-building steps to end a dispute with Gulf states. He said Lebanon's response will be taken by its foreign minister to an Arab ministerial meeting in Kuwait. The Lebanese response is expected to be positive following a visit by Kuwait's foreign minister, Sheikh Ahmad Naser Al Mohammad al-Sabah, to Beirut, where he presented a list of actions Lebanon could take to end disagreements with Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and other states.
Alarabiya, President Aoun says Lebanon welcomes Kuwaiti initiative.
Protesters supporting Sudan's military demonstrated against the United Nations outside a UN office in Khartoum, demanding to expel the missions. Far larger and continuing street demonstrations, however, have come from crowds wanting Sudan to return to civilian rule. The United Nations is working with groups in Sudan "to support the Sudanese to reach an agreement on a way out of the current crisis," UN special representative Volker Perthes said. The pro-military demonstrators held up banners urging Perthes to "go back home."
Asharq Al Awsat, Sudanese rally against UN bid to resolve post-coup crisis.
Libya's parliament is trying to push the country's interim prime minister, Abdulhamid Dbeibah, out of office. Dbeibah is a rival of the parliament's speaker, Aguila Saleh, and the parliament aimed at Dhbebah by publishing criteria governing candidates for prime minister. Saleh's chamber is in the eastern city of Tobruk, while Dbeibah's administration is western-based in Tripoli, reflecting the country's deep divisions.
AFP, Libya parliament in push to replace interim PM.
MORE: Pro-Houthi protest in Gaza angers UAE, Saudi Arabia, I24news... Lebanon, Jordan agree to bring electricity through Syria, Reuters... Turkey's Erdogan says Israel's Herzog to visit next month, Reuters... PM Barzani returns to Erbil after concluding visit to UAE, Basnews... Lebanon seizes Captagon concealed in tea shipment bound for Saudi Arabia, Ya Libnan... Saudi Arabia to resume flights to Thailand in May, Asharq Al-Awsat... Lapid: Israel hopes for ties with Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, but no deal imminent, Times of Israel... Saudi Arabia aims to raise global bar in sustainable tourism, Tradearabia.
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Brookings Institution, Is Saudi Arabia entering a 'great reshuffle'?
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Reuters, Analysis: Lebanon slips further into Iran's orbit as Hariri bows out.